Marisan slips off into the city not long after docking in Port Peril, intent on finding the subject of the note.
Polli volunteers to be in charge of the ship so the other officers can enjoy leave. She has a spellbook and a tiefling (if she stays too) to keep her company. Plus she got to enjoy leave last time.
Tessa was ready to help Val with whatever assistance she needed, but clearly felt out of her element in that situation. Luckily for all however, Dony saved the day. Clasping a hand around Val's shoulder, she says "It's good to have you back."
Returning to their cabin to talk privately, Tessa picks up some rum and starts chugging it. "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm not afraid of anything, let alone and old lady. I'm perfectly fine going back to Peril."
Tessa tries to remain nonplussed about returning to Port Peril for the remainder of their time at sea. Once back in Port, she prepares herself for her dinner with the old lady.
Donomsail chooses to remain with the ship. And seems to take joy in finding out how many ways she can distract the sylph from her tomes.
~~~~
Marisan returns to the tavern she was led to weeks ago and slips inside as unobtrusively as possible. The tall, thin man behind the bar sees her, though, and subtly gestures towards one of the back corners.
Following the mans indications, the woman sees Bahta there. The man is dressed in elegant robes and playing a game of Travakk. With his attention focused on the ivory tiles, it doesn't seem like he's noticed her entrance.
Val smiles and rests her hand on Tessa’s hip. ”Thanks, Red,” she replies with a warm smile, ”it’s good to be back.”
Val quietly slips off the ship and heads into the city to find something for dinner. After eating, she disappears into a dark alley to try one the magic prayers she learned. As she finishes the prayer, images and phrases flash through her mind and she does her best to sort through them for information about local experts on demons and dark magic.
Coalescing the images into useful information, Valeria finishes her spellcasting with the name Shild Runebreaker and a location on the edge of both the docks and the city.
Marisan stalks up to the old man and glares at him. ”Bahta! There is much we need to talk about,” she declares.
The man turns and looks up at Marisan.
"So, daughter of Mesesu, we meet again," he says before turning back to his game and adding three silver coins to the growing pot in the middle. He flips a tile face up and then draws it into the array of those in front of him. "If you wish to speak to me, you may say what you wish while I play. If you wish me to speak, then you should wait until I have completed this game."
Val takes on the form of a fairly muscley (but still busty) Ulfen woman and finds a room near the edge of town. In the morning, after her prayers, she finds a courier and dispatches a letter to Captain Fairwind, then heads to the area she saw in her vision to find Shild Runebreaker.
Tessa,
As much as I was truly looking forward to seeing you again, I regret to inform you that my circumstances have, once again, changed and I will not be available to meet in your bedchamber on this visit to Port Peril. I trust you will have little trouble finding as much company as you’d like.
Val
It's not difficult to find the small shop that Valeria's visions revealed to her. Stuck in between a candle-maker and a run-down tavern. Stepping through the door, she's heralded by the tinkling of a small bell.
"If you're lookin' for the tavern, it's the next door that way," a stout dwarven woman says without looking up from the book she's reading.
A curl of smoke rises from the pipe clinched in her teeth. Her gray hair is bound back in a large braid that's matched by the two smaller braids hanging down and framing her wizened face. The smoke joins the miasma of incense and burning herbs that crowd the top third of the room.
"And if you're not looking for the tavern, then you should know that I don't tolerate lookie-loos and only do business with people that look like themselves." She turns and looks up at Valeria with an expectant gaze.
”I will wait,” Marisan says. She leans against a wall and broods until he has finished his game.
Marisan is still waiting for the man to finish an hour later when his opponent finally tosses in his last game tiles and rises from his chair to leave.
Bahta gathers the last of the coins with a smirk before finally seeming to notice that Marisan is still standing there. He narrows his eyes and his smile vanishes. Without a word he gestures towards the seat across from him. When she sits, he shuffles the tiles scattered on the table and then, after tossing a silver coin into the center of the table, draws three of the tiles and sets them up so he can see them.
"So what does the daughter of Mesesu wish to talk about?" he asks.
Val smiles and turns back into herself. ”I think I’m in the right place,” she answers. ”I’m looking for information about... potential effects of a demonic heritage... and ways to overcome them.”
"Oh, Dearie, there are more 'effects of demonic heritage' than stars in the sky. You'll have to be more specific than that."
She marks the spot in her book with a black ribbon and turns to give Valeria her full attention. One hand reaches up and grips the pipe and she looks the slayer over.
"And before I hear any more, I'll let you know that simple answers off the top of my head are fifty gold. If I have to do any research for an answer, it's fifty gold plus another fifty per hour spent finding the answer."
"So who has a demonic heritage and what aspect of that heritage are you trying to overcome?"
sh!t, we haven’t sold anything yet and I spent all my coin getting the hat made...
”I strongly suspect this might require some research,” Val answers with just a hint of a frown. ”Do you require payment upfront or can I bring it in a few days when I return to see what you’ve found?”
The dwarf looks the woman up and down for a moment. She points the stem of her pipe at Valeria and nods. "You look like the honest type. Ask me your question and you can pay me when you have your answer."
”It’s about the descendant of a succubus...” Val explains, watching for any signs of deception from the dwarf, ”an unusually powerful succubus, if I’m not mistaken. This descendant... prolonged physical contact with them forms a very intense connection with them, but deadens physical sensations apart from them. And, from the little bit of research I’ve been able to conduct on my own, I think that if the connection reaches a certain intensity the person bonded to them may lose their will, or even their wits. So, if there’s a way to stop contact from causing that consequence, that would be ideal, but a method for removing the effect from someone already experiencing it to some extent would be extremely helpful also.”
"That's one that I haven't heard of before. From succubus blood, you say? Hmm... " she says tapping her teeth with the end of her pipe.
She looks around at some of the books in her shop. "Give me a couple of days and then come back. I'll see if I can come up with an answer for you." She raises an eyebrow at the slayer. "I should warn you that I charge a minimum of fifty gold even if I can't come up with an answer. If that's fine with you, be on your way and come back when I said."
”Well... that’s not the most optimistic way to conclude our business,” Val answers, forcing a weak smile, ”but fifty gold for whatever you do learn, plus fifty more per hour if you find me my answer sounds fair.”
Tugging on her cap, and transforming back into the Ulfen woman, she confirms, ”I’ll see you in three days,” and heads for the door.
Marisan leans forward over the table. "Polli says you have my eyes. Or maybe I have yours. How do you know my mother? Why were you asking around about me?"
Harmony sets up the usual watch lists for shore leave and the various tasks that need to be done. She leaves Tessa off duty for the first two days to allow her to meet with Melodie. Polli is selling cargo, and Val is assigned to join her at the Master Gunner's request.
Since the Siren is settling in for a long stay in port Harmony takes the time to get the ship's copper cleaned, new sails to replace the older ones and generally re-equip the ship as well as possible before the Regatta.
"Perhaps you need to learn the rules of the game," Bahta says with narrowed eyes. "You must first bid to draw a tile." He gestures towards the silver coin in the middle of the table among the face-down tiles.
Marisan purses her lips, but she puts a silver piece down on the table and draws a tile, looking at Bahta expectantly.
"I knew your mother because we were very close at one time," Bahta says in a calm voice, his eyes never leaving the tiles facing him. He reaches out and adds a gold coin to the center of the table. Drawing another tile, he adds it to his hand, his eyes moving from one tile to another. "In fact we were ..." He shakes his head. "We were nothing, that's what we were." Eyes the same shade as Marisan's look up and meet hers. "Your play."
Marisan puts down a gold coin and draws another tile without looking at it. "It sounds like you wished it was more than nothing. What happened that drove you apart?"
Bahta's gaze returns to his tiles. He slides another gold coin forward to add another tile to his hand and then tips over two tiles and places them next to each other. "She met a man named Belam and he filled her head with heresy," he says in a voice dripping with disgust. "She demonstrated that what I thought we had meant nothing to her and left our village with him."
He pushes ten gold coins into the center.
Marisan copies Bahta, not understanding the game in the slightest. "Heresy? My parents are devout Desnans and raised me to be the same. What do you believe in?"
Bahta reaches down to clutch the golden starburst hanging around his neck. "Worship of the Child-God is the only true way. Your mother once believed that as well. Until that snake poisoned her mind against me ... against her own people."
The man locks eyes with Marisan again. "You were meant for greater things then to follow some rantings about starlight," he says with an unusual intensity. He reaches across and grasps the woman's hand. "Much greater things."
Marisan tenses up when Bahta grabs her but she does not pull away. "Walkena is an evil dictator. No better than the Chelaxians who once enslaved our people. Maybe worse. Why do you care so much about my destiny?"
"So your mind has been poisoned as well, has it?" Bahta says, releasing Merisan's hand. "That snake has robbed me of everything I cared about. Filled her head with lies. Filled your head with lies as well."
In disgust, the man tips over his tiles and rises from his stool. Grabbing his staff that stands nearby, he shifts his cloak on his shoulders. "You were conceived under the gaze of the Deathless-Child himself. You were destined to be a holy warrior for our people. And now look at you - a common thief and a whore." He shakes his head sadly and turns to walk away.
Marisan grabs Bahta firmly by the shoulder. "I am not a thief. And I am not a whore. I am a warrior, just not the kind you idolize. I may be slow to grasp things sometimes but I am not stupid. You have said much without actually saying anything, but I know you think you are my father. But even I did come from your loins, you are no father of mine. Leave. But do not look for me again. I want nothing to do with you or your life."
Bahta looks down at where Marisan holds his shoulder. He then looks back up. "If you were my daughter, you would know better then to take a hand up against your elder."
He continues to look at her silently before speaking again.
"You sail on the ship, the Siren, which has accosted and stolen the cargo of over a dozen other vessels. You have taken what is not yours - what others have labored over - and claimed it as your own. What definition of 'thief' do you follow? You have slept with multiple men and women to whom you are not pledged. How are you not a whore?"
"If you are going to hit me, then get it over with and prove that you are nothing more than an animal."
”I don’t have to prove anything to you,” Marisan snarls. She lets go of Bahta and stalks off without a backwards glance.
That way, the man cannot see the tears forming in her eyes.
The brawler stumbles through the streets of Port Peril to seek comfort in Captain Pierce Jerrell’s arms.
To Marisan's relief, the Salty Flagon is in port and the crew on deck don't even challenge her as she races up the gang-plank.
Pierce is in his cabin and doesn't even question Marisan's state as he takes her into his arms. He leads her to the bed with soothing words. He holds her in strong arms and lets her speak or not speak as she chooses.
After some therapeutic lovemaking, Marisan lays naked in Pierce’s arms and finally speaks. ”I think I met my true father today. He is not a nice man.” She tells him the whole story of their encounters. ”Why would my mother keep the truth from me?”
"People can be motivated by many things, M'Lady," Pierce says, stroking her hair. "The only way to be sure would be to ask her. But from what you've told me ... she could be embarrassed that she lay with someone like him. Or perhaps, she simply wanted someone better to be your father and didn't feel that contributing just a bit of seed qualified him for the title." He reaches down and tips her face up to look at him. "Your father is the man that loved and raised you from a child. This man will never be that. And he only needs to be a part of your life if you wish him to be. Say the word and you'll never see him again."
Marisan's silver eyes sparkle as she looks into Pierce's eyes. "Thank you," she says, pressing her lips against his in a tender kiss. "This man is not worth the effort. Let him live his sad, lonely life. I have my own to live."
She snuggles with the captain for a few more minutes before she speaks again. "I think you would make a good father. Is that something that you would want to be?"
Tessa makes it known she is ready to meet her soon to be mother-in-law at her earliest convenience. She convinces herself everything is fine and that this was the nice mother that wanted to meet and no Pirate Queen would be afraid of a mother-in-law.
She spends her time practicing her swordplay with whatever fool she can find that will pick up a blade against her.
Pierce stiffens slightly.
"A father?" Pierce repeats in a quiet voice. "I've never considered the possibility."
There's a contemplative silence that carries on for a while.
"I have not lived a chaste lifestyle, Marisan. I've done my best to be considerate and responsible, but if a woman from my past presented herself at my ship with a child at her side and claimed that it was mine ... Well, let's just say that I wouldn't be entirely shocked. But I've never been at a point or with someone that I've considered purposefully having a child."
He looks down at Marisan.
"Is that something that you want?" he asks.
~~~~~
The bell over the door again announces Valeria's entrance into the small shop. Meiying stays close, but avoids contact. Her eyes rapidly take in the cluttered and smoke-filled space.
Shild looks up from her studies and her eyes narrow. "Back again, eh?" she asks. "And with your demon-blood friend, I see." There's a surprised intake of breath from the tiefling and she gives Valeria a look of concealed betrayal. "Oh, don't look at her, Hon," the dwarf says. "I can see what you are all on my own." She taps the half-moon spectacles sitting on the end of her large nose. "Can't be caught by surprise in my line of work. Add to that, there are a couple of demons that frequent Port Peril incognito and like to try to muss my calm at any given opportunity."
She turns to Valeria.
"So, if you've got my fee, I'll give you what I've found. I've invested four hours into my research so that will be at a cost to you of two hundred and fifty gold."
She waits expectantly.
Val eyes the woman hard when she casually mentions Meiying's heritage, and is clearly relieved when she volunteers that she discerned it on her own. The slayer nervously reaches into her pouch and counts out five cut onyx pieces worth fifty gold each. "Two-hundred and fifty means you found an answer?" she asks reaching out her hand but not yet setting down the stones.
Marisan nods. "Yes. Not right now, perhaps, but one day I would like to be a mother. To have a family of my own."
Once the stones are set on the counter, she retrieves them and gives them a quick appraising eye before dropping them into a pouch at her side.
"First off, I'm familiar with a litany of ... behaviors ... that can result from abyssal or infernally tainted blood. There's quite a laundry list of perversions that can be carried and exhibited by the blood," she begins. "Anthropophagy, Biastophilia, Coprophilia," Val notices that the dwarf is watching Meiying carefully as she lists off the sexual behaviors. She pauses for just a moment before continuing. "Emetophilia, Hematolagnia, Lactophilia, Masochism, Menophilia, Piquerism, Sadism, Necrophilia, Pedofilia, Teratophilia, Urolagnia, Zoophilia, and many others that are even more obscure, but occur with alarming frequency in tieflings, as you call them."
She turns back to Valeria.
"There are also countless magics that outsiders and even mortals can use to bind the will of fools that trifle with them. But I couldn't find anything related to addiction through touch." She holds up a hand to forestall any response. "Until ... " One finger taps on a narrow tome sitting on her workbench amidst the clutter. "This is an account of a demon-hunter that dallied with a Tian prince. He documents the extremely pleasurable sensation of the man's skin. At first, he too, thought that it must be from tainted blood. But after further research, he found that it was a trait passed down through the man's family that had nothing at all to do with any outsider blood."
She smiles at Meiying for the first time.
"Looks like you got that neat little trick from the human side of your family tree, Hon," she says. "And as far as it being addicting in any way ... the demon-hunter that wrote the journal spoke of spending a month enjoying the prince's company - quite explicity, I may add - and then he leaves. He doesn't document any negative effects. Unless, of course, you count a 'yarning fer the penatration of his noble shaftt' - which I don't. It just sounds like the man needed a good f#@@."
She narrows her eyes slightly.
"So who told you it was addictive?" she asks.
"To create a family with someone ... That is a lifelong commitment and something to think upon," Pierce replies. "I have never considered it ... perhaps I should."
gods, I only know what half of those things are, and I would prefer any one of them to the one she got... maybe any two...
"Well..." Val answers, uncertainly, looking to Meiying to try to make sure she doesn't reveal more than the other woman is alright with, "it was actually a succubus who told us... probably one of the ones who's given you trouble in the past... but it seemed more credible in its context than you'd normally expect from a succubus... plus, I, uh, did some 'research' and it did seem as though after a certain point sensations from other sources besides her were somewhat dampened..."
what was it she said the other day... she 'was tailor-made to exploit' human desire... maybe that was more literal than I appreciated... if Mina went to all the trouble to track down a descendant of this Tian prince so her offspring would have this intoxicating skin, then the Varisian part of Meiying's heritage probably wasn't an accident either...
"Hmm... I'd like to hire you again, if you think you might be able to answer my next question... or maybe you could refer me to someone else... I need to know if there are any records of a Varisian, quite possibly one who like the prince had some kind of interaction with demons or with someone that interacts with demons, like a hunter... but any records of a Varisian whose presence or touch might weaken the wits or will of others, or deaden their sensations when with others. Is that something you might be able to answer?"
"A succubus told you this?" Shild questions with a raised eyebrow.
"Hon, if a succubus told me that the sky was blue and fire burned, I'd have to check both to be sure. They can't string three words together without lying. Sometimes they'll wrap the truth in a lie or vice versa, but they're deceptive creatures by nature. They revel in falsehood and corruption."
"It wasn't two of 'em together by any chance, was it? There's a pair of 'em that frequent the port, playing games and preying on mortals. Minastraita and Finalethra. They usually look like a pair of dwarves, but they also take on the guises of gnomes, humans or half-elves if it suits their fancy. A nasty pair. Stay away from them."
"As far as actual addiction goes, Hon ... I don't think you have anything to worry about in that regard. What you've described isn't any different than someone drinking some really sweet lemonade and then taking a suck out of one of the lemons. The lemon would probably taste good on its own, but after a taste of the lemonade, you can't taste the sweet in the lemon itself any more. You've had a taste of honey. I'm sure if you gave it time, lemons on their own would be fine again, but ..." She shrugs. "Is that what you want?"
"I can take your coin if you'd like, but I'd feel guilty about doing it. I don't think I'm going to find anything that would be of any use to you."
Val pulls out one more onyx and sets it on the counter. "Those two... do they have any abilities, or strengths or weaknesses, beyond what normal succubi have?"
"Other than an uncanny sense of timing and a penchant for causing trouble? None that I'm aware of," Shild replies as she looks over the stone. She smirks slightly when Valeria whispers something into Meiying's ear.
Marisan smiles at Pierce as she climbs on top of him again. She is happy to see him considering things and leaves the conversation there for now, letting things shift to more physical pursuits...
"Thank you," Val says to the dwarf sincerely, "I suspect this may not be the last time we see each other."
Reaching down and intertwining her fingers with Meiying's she smirks and teases, "what do you think, a long stroll through town... a leisurely lunch... some shopping?"
Towards the end of their time in port, Val knocks on the door to the captains' quarters while she's pretty sure that Tessa is away. When 'Captain Vi' answers the door she smiles broadly and says "Thanks for the loan, Cap'n. Here's your money back, plus interest..." She hands over 20 platinum coins and a pair of cloth bracers. "They're not quite as nice as my hat," she explains, "but I think you'll be able to have some fun with them, and they might even come in handy once in a while."
Towards the end of their time in port, Val knocks on the door to Polli and Donomsail's quarters while she's pretty sure that priestess is away. When Polli answers the door she smiles broadly and says, "Hey, so, I wanted to thank you for all the work you do crafting things for us... and, this isn't much but... a little token of my appreciation... I thought, maybe, it might come in handy sometime, if you're trying to craft something particularly tricky." She hands the sylph a smile vial and then walks away without forcing any physical contact on her.