"Back to sea then." Harmony says sharply, taking in the situation with a moment's thought. "Val, do what you can and rouse as many of the crew on shore leave as you can. Polli, get back to the ship and sound the signal. We cast off in three hours. Then you both stay there and out of sight. Where were you when you got this?"
"At Port Peril. At The Rusty Bucket Goat Inn... it was nicer than I... nevermind." Polli is a little flustered still, but gets it together and gets to work.
As soon as they return to the ship Dony wants to run to their room, lock the door and not come out unless she needs to, but Polli persuades her to come along as she lets Tessa and Harmony know what is going on. It is with great relief that she is told to go and stay in their cabin. She doesn't come out until they have left the port.
”Yes, ma’am,” Val answers, tugging her hat in salute, ”but my spell only really works in port so I’ll have to look for leads on Sandara first.” After moving to a safe, quiet place, she uses her magic to learn whatever she can about the whereabouts of Sandara Quinn and her fleet.
Once that work is done, she checks the duty roster to see who’s off ship, and flies out into the streets of Port Peril to call the crew back.
Someone is after Dony, someone who hurt her in the past, and wants to serve her to a devil.
Tessa frowns, eyes narrowing. "Do you have reason to believe that they are on this ship now or do you believe you've left them at port?"
Also ...
In something that she can't attribute to coincidence, she hears a number of different people in different places repeat the exact same phrase. Almost as if someone was sending her a message:
'If you'd like to save your precious infernal хосттун, then meet us at the Dancing Dog tavern tomorrow evening at sundown. Fina will make a special brew just for you. Bring the breeze b$$!%.'
~~~~~
Before Captain Harmony's deadline of three hours has passed, Valeria has managed to wrangle all the crew currently enjoying shore-leave. With only minor grumbles regarding the interruption of their revelries (and only three currently unfit for duty due to their current state of intoxication), the crew sets about making the Siren ready to sail.
"Ah have no reason ta think she be on tha ship now, but afore this mornin' Ah' had no reason ta think she know where Ah be atall."
"Should we get rid of the coin? It might be some kind of tracking spell." In a panic, Polli realized she hasn't tried to investigate it and shifts her magical senses on it like an angry scared hawk.
Once Val is back aboard the Siren she asks Polli and Donomsail to accompany her to the captains’ quarters. When they arrive she knocks and asks whichever captain answers, “can we have a quick officer’s meeting, ma’am?”
Once they’re all alone inside she begins, “I have three items of business- two simple ones and one a little bit more complicated... First, when Sandara Quinn left Port Peril she was headed to Beachcomber on Bag Island; it would barely even be a detour to stop there on the way to Dagon’s Gullet. Second, now that Marisan has left to join Pierce and his crew, somebody should address our first mate situation... with two captains we probably don’t need a first mate too but the crew need to know who will be taking over her responsibilities and who to go to if they have something they otherwise would have brought to her. And, finally and least simply... the succubus twins that have caused problems for us in the past... they sent me a message. It seems that they know something about whatever is going on with Donomsail and her family. They said they would help her if Polli and I meet them at the Dancing Dog tavern tomorrow at sundown. They didn’t say what the cost would be.”
Donomsail grabs Polli's hand in fear. "Ye canna, Ah no be lettin' ye. We no be havin' any idea o' what they may be wantin' from ye. What if they be workin' fer ma...fer the one who did...the one who promised me ta...Polli ye jist canna go." She tries so hard to keep herself under control, she knows she's amongst friends right now, people who will protect her and help her. But right now that is both a blessing and a curse as she doesn't want any of them to get hurt for her sake and she starts to break, tears of fear, concern, and fright spilling over her eyelids and cascading down her cheeks.
”I understand your fear Donm,” Val answers as reassuringly as she can, “but I don’t think they’re working for any of your family... the reason they targeted you before is because your heritage is devilish and they’re demons; demons and devils don’t get along at all. It’s very unlikely that they’d be trying to help a devil get to you. If anything, they might only be willing to help because it lets them interfere with a more powerful devil’s plans. That’s not to say we can really trust them, or that they won’t want more in exchange than we can or should pay, but them working for those who are looking for you is probably not one of the things we need to worry about...”
"O' course, Ah know that. Ah'm sorry fer bein' so emosioneel But Ah still donna trust those b***ches, they mebbe wantin' ta work ta make things moeiliker fer us." As impossible as it seems Donomsail turns even more red at the correction, embarrassed to be corrected on something that is commonly known by many. Angry at how rattled she is getting Donomsail takes her free hand and curls her fingers into her palm, allowing her long, sharp nails to draw blood, not even watching as it drips on the floor.
Polli's eyes go wide at the blood "no. please." she grasps Dony's hand in hers and starts to clean the wound with her robe. She shoots Val a look like this is her fault. "It's up to you, and no one else, if we try this or not. I'd suggest to go, beat them up, and make them tell us everything, but they teleport better than me, and I don't think we could hold them."
”I don’t have any way to stop them from teleporting either,” Val confesses. ”I hired a demonologist in Port Peril a while back to do some research for me and she was confident that they’re normal succubi... if that’s true, we should be able to defeat them if we had to but killing them won’t get us any information or help, and neither will chasing them away.”
”We don’t have to talk to them at, if you don’t want to,” she says to Polli and Dony, “but if we’re going to get anything from them we’ll have to play their game, or some version of it at least.”
"What exactly are the limitations on your teleporting?" Harmony asks Polli, looking at the large chart that is almost permanently unrolled on the captain's table. "If we sail here." She indicates an island about a days sail from Port Peril. "Could you teleport to and from there? I don't want to hang around Port any longer than we have to but we can sail back into sight near sunset tomorrow if need be."
Polli looks at the map, does some mental math and then nods. "Being familiar with the location is best, stationary as well."
"The island then." Harmony decides, "Once at sea Dony will be much safer than we are on land. Then the two of you can return tomorrow before we set out for Bag Island and the Dragon's Gullet."
She looks around for consensus before leaving the cabin to give the necessary orders.
Despite the plans and the orders, Polli still looks to Dony "It is still up to you. If you don't want me to go, I won't."
"I think you should throw the coin overboard. I don't like having it here." Tessa states rather than asks.
Tessa waits until everyone has left before talking to Harmony.
"Val's right, by the way. We need to disclose to the crew how we are handling the First Mate situation. What are your thoughts?"
"You run that portion of the ships duties as a matter of course." Harmony points out with a shrug. "I say keep it simple and tell the crew anything that they would have reported to Marisan comes to you now. That way we don't worry about changing anything unnecessarily - unless you have someone you want to promote?"
She stands there letting Polli tend to her wounds, wondering why things went so bad so quickly. "Ah donna want ye ta go. But Ah know it be important ta git all we kin if'n we're goin' up 'gainst her. So be careful when ye be talkin' ta 'em." She next turns to Valeria and offers a similar warning. "Ye be careful too. We've seen some creatures what be havin' some weird desires 'n' appetites. Donna make a choice that ye think be bad jist ta help me. Both o' ye, it no be worth that." She reaches out and brings Polli in for a hug, whispering in her ear as she does. "Ah loves ye more 'n ye will ever know, no matter what happens that never be changin', jist 'member that." Then she brushes her lips against Polli's skin moving down her hairline to the nape of her neck. As she starts running her hands on Polli's back she remembers where she is and who is around and she stops and faces the Captains, no shame or embarrassment on her face.
Polli transports her and Valeria quickly and without incident to the docks at Port Peril. Asking around, they quickly get directions to the tavern called the Dancing Dog. The place is in a nicer part of the city and seems to cater to a well-to-do clientele.
Stepping inside at dusk they find the location bustling with activity. Servers move from table to table deliver drinks and clearing away dirty dishes as needed. After looking around for a moment, Valeria subtly indicates to Polli a table set off to one side occupied by two well-dressed dandies and two very attractive elven women.
Observing for a few moments, Val notices that the two young men seem to be doing their best to impress the two lovely ladies who seem to be playing hard to get. One of the elves seems to note Val and Polli and gives the two a sly wink and a slight come-hither gesture.
Approaching the table, one of the men seems to notice Val at least and nudges his companion.
"Hello, Beautiful One," the dandy with a mustache and narrow goatee says with a lecherous grin, looking Val up and down and focusing on her bountiful chest. "Care to join us for a few drinks?"
"Actually," one of the elves speaks up. "These are the companions that we told you about. So we'll have to bid you a good evening." Her dismissal not sinking in, the other young man - only bearing a thin mustache and no goatee - sneers. "Turning us down for them?" He does a double take on Val. "Well, in her case I could understand ... but her?" He gestures at Polli.
The other elf makes a humming, yummy sound. "You don't understand; She's got a tongue that never gets tired," she says as her eyes fix on the sylph, licking her lips.
The men shake their head at their rotten luck and rise from their seats to leave - never knowing how lucky they actually are.
As the duo take the vacated seats, one of the elves sets a dark brown bottle on the table sealed with a cork. "Felica," she says and then points to her companion. "And this is my sister Millicent. What brings you two lovely ladies to the Dancing Dog tonight?" she asks, clearly enjoying the game.
Polli sits, arms crossed like she's strangling someone. "What do you want, you septic parasites?"
Polli has decided to start with diplomacy.
Felicia eyes narrow just a bit. "Perhaps we should do this another time?" she says. She reaches out and retrieves the brown bottle. It vanishes back under the table. "Some time much later. A time when you're not ... distracted ... by thoughts of others."
Millicent puts her hand on Felicia's.
"Dear sister, she's clearly worried about someone. We should take that into account."
"Oh, but I am, dear sister," Felicia replies, not taking her eyes off Polli's. "We can put this off until after said someone is carried off to the infernal realm. Maybe then our friend here will be more ... amenable? Hmmm?"
Millicent turns her gaze to Polli as well and raises a questioning eyebrow.
Polli wants to scream and shove a lighting bolt up the... instead she clenches everything HARD then manages "I. Am. Sorry." every word utter pain.
As they walk away from the meeting Val walks next to Polli and quietly says, "I wouldn't presume to know as much about succubi as you do, but when you prepare spells tomorrow it might be worthwhile to think about what spells might be helpful in dealing with them. Not attacking them, which I'm sure you'll be ready for, but things to protect yourself in a social setting. They read minds, and can influence thoughts... I'm getting fairly good at resisting those kind of things but if you have ways to shield yourself, or both of us, they'd be helpful."
"This is all a big game to them," Val explains while they walk, "if you just act in anger they'll always get to set the rules. If you just react they'll always get to set the rules. If we're going to get any help at a price we can stomach we have to figure out what they want and be proactive at subtly changing the rules. They like flirting and being treated as desirable, and they like when people are willing to debase themselves or do unpleasant things for their amusement. Playing to those desires can definitely help us." The slayer hesitates for a moment before turning a corner and her wings disappear as she transforms into a Tian woman with bright green eyes and the same generous proportions she started with her. Her armor also vanishes as her outfit transforms into a low-cut kimono that ends rather high on her thigh. "That's the place right across the street. If you're going to cast anything, now's the time." Taking her own advice, she casts two spells on her self and then, when Polli is ready, heads for the door.
Val ignores the foppish men and stares hungrily at 'Millicent' until the seat next to her is vacated. Sitting down, she slides in close to the 'elf' and rests her hand on the other woman's shoulder. She looks away, for the first time, when she hears Polli's greeting and tries to hide her surprise. [Remember, we have to play their game enough to shift the rules...] she thinks to the fiery wizard.
She strokes the elf's hair gently when Polli apologizes and offers, "Oh, we all know it's not any fun when your prey is too amenable, don't we? What would you do if you actually sent us away now, call back those dandies and let them fumble through awkward attempts to impress you? That brown bottle seems to be for later... shall we order some drinks for now?"
Felicia seems to consider Val's words as well as Polli's apology. "No, I think now's a perfect time for a drink," she says. She reaches down and produces the bottle again.
"Oh, uh, you're not allowed to bring your own drinks," one of the serving woman says, stopping as she was passing by the table. She shrugs. "Sorry."
"Oh, it's ok," Millicent says, reaching out and touching the woman's arm. "It's just for a few drinks and it's a special occasion. We could use those glasses as well." She gestures at a number of used shot glasses on the woman's tray.
At Millicent's touch, the woman smiles. "I ... I guess that would be okay ... since ... since it's a special occasion." She grabs four of the small, clear glasses and sets them on the table. She giggles a bit at Millicent and then vanishes into the crowd.
Felica uncorks the bottle. Splashing a few fingers worth of the contents into each of the glasses and then recorking the bottle, she picks up the glass in front of her and necks the contents. "We know of a cultist ..." she leads and then waits for the others to down their respective drinks.
Picking up the glass in front of them, the contents a swirl of amber mixed with whatever was in the glass before, the strong scent of whiskey as well as the acrid odor of ... urine ... assaults both Polli and Val's noses.
Polli looks the septic parasite in the eyes, furious with hate, but downs the glass in one quick gulp.
And immediately retches. But forces it back down with all the will she can bring forth.
"stunning... bouquet..." she strains to keep from screaming at them again, as she puts the glass on the table, expecting it to be filled again.
Val continues to smile as she looks back towards Polli and silent says [Well, I warned you they would want us to debase ourselves. They'll ration out information as long as we continue to drink this, literal, piss. If that's something you're willing to endure we can... alright.]
Val turns her gaze towards Felica as Polli sets her glass down empty and asks, "only true information that we don't already have?"
Felica's smile dims a bit, but Millicent laughs.
"I told you that she wouldn't hesitate," the elf says as she downs her own drink. She licks her lips. "His name is Parminius Vaticus. He's been making a name for himself. Moving up in the local infernal-worshiping hierarchy he is. In fact, he just assumed leadership of the local cell."
Felicia refills her own glass and then Polli's. Millicent raises an eyebrow at Valeria. "I hope my favorite pet chicken won't disappoint me," she says with a grin as she glances at Val's still-full glass.
"He knows what we need to know?" the wizard keeps her voice as flat as he can, reaching for the drink, with a slightly shakey hand. But she downs it again.
With the exact same result, rech, but hold it in and swallow. Her eyes are watering, her stomach rolling, but she sets down the glass again.
”I’ve never sent anyone away disappointed,” Val laughs as she continues to play with Millicent’s hair, ”frustrated... heartbroken... confused, but never disappointed...”
She steals a glance at Polli and silently warns, [Slow down. They’re playing a game of one-upsmanship with each other... the faster you escalate the worse it’ll get.]
She turns back to the elf and looks into her eyes. ”A name hardly seemed like it was worth both of us drinking... besides, I wouldn’t want to drink without you. Perhaps the next piece of information will be enough for us to join them?”
Polli shakes her head, responding nonverbally. It might be a game to everyone else at the table, but not her.
[I know this isn’t a game for you but if you don’t slow down the cost of what you want will get higher than you can pay. Are you prepared to climb under the table and let her piss in your mouth? Or to go down on her while she does? If you have a line you’re not willing to cross you need to slow down before it’s too late.]
Polli looks and then shakes her head again, knowing Val just doesn't understand if she asking questions about Lines. And then waits.
Val sighs at Polli’s unwillingness to be reasonable about the situation and picks up her glass. “Very well,” she answers downing it with barely any reaction. “And your next bit of information?”
Millicent smiles just a bit wider. "Parminius has been consolidating a lot of the contracts held by his predecessor - including the one that specifies your little f@!~toy," she says, gesturing at Polli. "We hear that he's got a hamatula going around and marking his claims."
Felicia moves to refill the glasses, but Millicent puts a hand over them.
"What?" Felicia says with a bit of a whine and then smirks. "I was going to see if I could get her to drink from the source next."
"Next time, dear sister. Next time," Millicent says. "For now, something a little more ... pleasurable." The elf looks between Val and Polli and then back to Val again. "Give her a good, old-fashioned kiss for me," she says gesturing at Polli. "Something she'll remember for all time. And then I'll give you the last bit you need to know. It's worth it. Speaking of heart-felt kisses, how is my granddaughter anyway? In the bedroom, I mean. Is she living up to the family reputation?"
[I’m sorry, Polli, but there are lines that I’ve promised not to cross.]
”A kiss?” Val asks with with the tone of a child unwrapping a gift from a rich uncle and finding a cheap pair of socks. ”How boring.” Turning her attention towards Felicia she says, ”make her drink from the source. That would be far more interesting.”
At Val's words, Polli closes her eyes as anger and despair peak in a near volcano. "then why in all the hells did you even come here you bloated sack of tit flesh" she seethes at the woman in a low hateful voice. "For all your vaulted understanding of people, you are truly a f+~*ing idiot."
She turns her intense eyes on the twins "She is useless. Send her away and I'll do whatever you want."
Felicia's eyes light up and she sits up a little higher on her chair.
"Oh, we would never take pleasure in forcing someone to debase themselves in such a fashion," Millicent says with a smile. Felicia turns to her sister with a heated glare. Ignoring it, the elf holds Valeria in her gaze. "But clearly you would." She shakes her head slightly with a gentle "tsk, tsk, tsk." She rises from her seat and walks around the table to Polli's side, leans down and, ignoring the sylph's flinching away, gives a soft kiss to her temple.
She pulls away and turns to Felica. "Let us go, dear sister."
"Really?! We're not even going to make her ...?" Felicia whines, clearly disappointed.
"Our task is done," Millicent says with authority. "It's time for us to leave. They have things that they need to see to."
"Fine, but I'll be seeing you again ... sometime," Felicia says before rising from her seat and following the other elf out the door.
Val stares hungrily at the two elves as they leave. As soon as they clear the doorway she calls out to the server, ”two shots of the strongest thing you have please.” Turning to Polli she silently says, [Thank the gods, that went about as well as it could have after that start. I know you’re mad that I wouldn’t kiss you but Meiying and I have promised not to kiss anyone but each other. Plus, they were competing against each other, not us; so when I sided with Felicia, or Fina as you knew her, Mina knew she had lost and gave up.]
When the drinks come she pours hers into her mouth, swishes it around to kill any lingering flavors, and spits it on the floor. Offering the other glass to Polli she adds, ”There’s a place not far from here that sells mints. Do you want to stop there before we return to the ship?”
Polli's eyes are closed, but she opens them to hear Val's silent justification of her actions. She sighs, angry bleeding into a deep exhaustion "Once again, Val you believe you are right." she stands, then continues "I hope that is enough for you." she starts to weave her teleportation spell as the drinks arrive, giving the archer only a few seconds to decide if she is going to jump up and touch her or whether she is going to find her own way back.
Val frowns deeply as she stands--mid swishing--to touch Polli's shoulder before its too late. She tries to spit the burning liquid out before they vanish but most of it ends up on the Siren's deck.
sh!t... that's going to take a while to repair... at least we got the information we needed for Donm... I might not be willing to break my promise to Meiying for it, but I am willing to bear Polli's disapproval for Donm's sake... I do wish she would have trusted me though, that would have gone so much more smoothly if we'd done it my way...
She removes her hand from Polli's shoulder with some sadness and asks, "do you want gather in the captains' quarters to go over everything, or do you want to talk to Donomsail alone and I can report what we learned to the captains?"
"Speed is a necessity." she answers without looking at Val, then she catches one of the deck hands "Tell the Captain's we are back, and I would like for them to come to my cabin as soon as possible." she whispers into her ring to Dony "I'm back and coming down, the rest will be going us shortly to go over the next steps."
Then she goes downstairs, knocks, "Its me." then enters when she is granted access.
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As soon as Polli tells her she is back Donomsail prepares for the worst possible outcome. She wants to be romantic, to show her appreciation for Polli's willingness to do whatever is necessary for her but she realizes that now is not the time for that. Instead she goes for protective, preparing her favorite tea, doing what she can to make Polli comfortable and giving her a bone crushing hug when she returns. "Do ye be okay? Do ye need healin'?, cleansin'?, did tha b***ch try 'n' poison ye? Tell me what Ah kin do ta help make sure ye be okay." She has been beside herself with worry since Polli left.
Polli holds on into that hug like it is all that matters on in this world, which is in many many way accurate. "They made my drink piss, Twice, but at least it was in a glass. Worse one of the hellsacks kissed me on my temple." a brief shudder of disgust "So in a moment, once I can bring myself to let you go for a second, I need to get on of my carpentry files and grind away those layers of skin." squeezing tighter she whispers "
Val was... She... was enjoying the game too much, and then didn't... it doesn't matter." she rests her head against the love of her life (good temple side down) for a moment more. "We have the information. That's what matters."
Not entirely sure how to satisfy Polli that things are moving as quickly as possible, Val follows the wizard down to her quarters but waits outside for the captains to arrive. When they do, she knocks on the door and announces, ”the cap’ns are here...”
"Do ye be ready fer this?" While Polli prepares herself for the meeting Donomsail does what she can to stop herself from thinking about what the love of her life just went through. She brings out more cups and wishes there were more chairs for everyone to sit, or even more room for more chairs. Donomsail knows that none of that is important and none of that is what people are there for, it is all just a distraction, a way to stop her mind from dwelling on what Polli went through. Later, when they are alone she will get Polli to talk about what she went through, not as a form of punishment of herself but as part of a cleansing for Polli.
Once Polli indicates she is ready to continue Donomsail opens the door. "Ah'm grateful fer yer agreeing ta meeting here 'stead o' yer cabin. Ah thinks it be easier on Polli this way." She nervously backs up, allowing room for them all to enter. "Ah've made tea if'n ye wants any."
"Information?" Harmony asks, arriving in the cabin with a knock. "What do we know?"