Morgana glances at the women around her for their opinions.
Meldoy gets a glimpse and seems a little put out that he is just obscenely handsome. Ruins the story, unless one of the heroines falls madly in love with him. "Angsty good girl to bad guy stares..." but that is unlikely to happen, she sighs and completely misses what he said.
"That seems like a fair price," Amethyst mumbles, definitely not staring at Orik's pecs!
Vasia, as opposed to pretty much every other woman in the group is not distracted by the man's handsome physique. Her attention is still upon the commanding paladin and what the woman's tone does to her insides.
At something he says, though she finally turns her head to him. "Wait, what? How much did you say she's paying you? Five platinum a week? Is she simple in the head or something? That's a lot more than I would expect." She finally takes in his face and figure. "Unless ... uh ... well ..." She trails off.
I'd pay close to that for a good ride.
'Hush, Bunica!'
Her face flushes pink.
"Two platinum." Morgana says firmly to the man, after shooting Vasia a wink. "And we expect your information too. If you choose to come to Sandpoint with us there will be regular work and pay in it for you there too."
Sabriyya looks at Amethys and then looks at Orik and then looks at Amethyst again before clearing her throat LOUDLY "EHEM" all the meanwhile staring at the magus with her hands planted firmly on her hips.
Once she finally gets Swan's attention, she adds to the deal "And you need to wear more clothing. Something bulky. Like a burlap sack over your chest."
”Hmm? Oh, sorry. You can’t blame a girl for just looking though,” she says with an apologetic smile to Sabriyya.
"Or imagining," Jenica can't help but add as she runs her tongue along her teeth. She kneels down next to Melody. "What do you think, My Lovely? Could he handle both of us?" she asks with a hungry look in her eyes.
"Thick. Burlap. Sack." Sabriyya repeats firmly, emphasis added efter each word.
"Us! Me! I'm... um... I don't think he'd um... you know... fit?" Melody gets redder with each word and quieter until the last word is a small whisper, then she looks up at the giant and gulps.
"MELODY PEPPLEFOOT!" Sabriyya says, her neck snapping around as she catches the bard's statement. "We will be washing your mouth out with SOAP this evening, young lady!" she says, scolding the halfling.
"She will do no such thing," Jestina snaps back, stepping between Sabriyya and Melody. "You can take your prudery somewhere it's welcome." She sticks a tongue out at the woman and turns back and squats back down to grin at the halfling. "Maybe he wouldn't, but perhaps if he ..." she leans in close and whispers the rest. Pulling back with a leer she shrugs. "It sounds dirty, but it can be really fun."
Snapping and snapping back, made the poor halfling's heart thumps with worry, and then as Jenica leans in and whispers... THAT... her face finishes the trek to pure crimson "I'll... be... outside..." she cannot manage to look at the man, nope, maybe Morgana can find a reason to stab him, maybe in the groin?
She swiftly goes into the hall.
Sabriyya turns to face Jenica, forgetting all about Mr. Muscles and the burlap sack. She levels her finger at Jenica and says "Do not bring your lustful corruption into that poor, young girl's mind! She needs none of that right now."
Looking over at Vasia, she adds "Perhaps we should be talking about washing Jenica's mouth out as well." She bends down and reaches into her pack and pulls out a bar of soap before walking over to Vasia and handing it to her.
Melody does peek back in as the snapping continues, but just a sliver of a face of course, nothing more.
Vasia hands the soap back to Sabriyya with a rare smirk. "Feel free to give it your best attempt. I've been trying for years to curtail her behavior with no success. Maybe you know something that I don't."
Jenica just rolls her eyes at the shaman's denouncement and exits the room as well to kneel down next to Melody.
A thought seems to finally occur to the spectral woman.
"Unless your tastes don't run in that direction?"
Melody looks back in at Sabriyya who is talking to Vasia. Two people who don't like her very much at the moment. "she's worried, and she's been all I've had for so long, I don't know..." she babbles a bit, not about the topic of the virile handsome man, maybe avoiding, maybe muddled "I'm... not used to this... talking, being listened to... thinking about Big... um ... in little... ah..." she shakes her head, dispelling those thoughts for a moment. Her brown eyes look at Jenica for a long moment "I trust you" she says firmly as if that answers everything. She rises on her toes, wraps her arms around her neck and hugs her hard.
"I think I like both" a tiny whisper in the other woman's ear.
As Sabriyya puts the soap back in her bag, she says "When I shove it into her mouth, I'll let her know I had your blessing in doing so."
Finishing and closing up her pack, and quite miffed at Jenica's attitude, she turns back to Vasia and says "I'm responsible for Melody's well-being. I don't mind letting her explore things she is interested in life, but I would appreciate it she wasn't being force-fed continuous thoughts of smut from your strumpet."
Jenica gives a quiet chuckle at Melody's whispered confession. "There's a girl after my own heart," she says. "There are so many beautiful people in the world. Why limit oneself to a single gender or race?"
She pulls back to give the halfling a salacious grin. "Stick with me, My Lovely, and soon you'll be reaching heights of physical pleasure you never thought possible."
"I'll be the first to say that my bunica's morals when it comes to ... uh ... physical ... uh ... things ... may be questionable. But she would never make Melody do something she didn't want to. And isn't she an adult and capable of making her own choices? My bunica doesn't get to decide for her and neither do you. Melody can choose for herself what she'll do and won't do."
"I wish it were so simple." Sabriyya says, shaking her head but deciding there is no need to get into it further.
She walks back to the others to see if negotiations have completed yet or not.
Orik's eyebrows raise as he doesn't reply straight away, in disbelief in what is listening to.
"Look, you all seem to have a unique thing going on here, and I wouldn't want to step in where I'm not needed." He says, trying to be tactful.
"How about, I tell you what I know and you let me get outta this place. I never wanted to work for that crazy lady anyway, and well...maybe your group isn't in need of my help. You all got here without me, so Im sure you'll go further. You don't need to pay me, I'll give you information, and I get to carry on wearing my own clothes. What do you say?" He says, directing his question at the only two people he views as, at least slightly, normal.
Morgana picks up on the cues the man is sending out and leads him straight through her companions. "So? Your information?" She asks, leading him away from the still bickering, and now soap wielding, ladies and upstairs.
"What does the crazy lady want with this place?"
"Not entirely sure I'll be honest." Orik replies, walking alongside Morgana, lacing up his tunic as he went after leaving the other 'crazy people' back in the rooms.
"She hired me after I had some....troubles...back in Riddleport. I was having a drink or two at a bar in Magnimar and she came along and offered me a deal too good to refuse. Mind you she looked pretty and seemed normal then so I accepted her offer to be her bodyguard. I didn't exactly realise what her intentions were though and I was around when she launched her plan to attack Sandpoint. Did you hear about that? Is that why you're after her?"
He stops and looks at Morgana with a discerning eye. "Look, I trust you, you seem trustworthy. I helped plan the attack on Sandpoint having never been there I believed that she told me they were a lawless bunch of idiots but it was absolutely my mistake. Latest in a long string of them to be precise. I've been here at Thistletop for some time now as she seems to be after something in the chambers below but won't let me down there to see - not that I'd want to go find out to be fair." He turns and starts walking again.
"Look, there is another person down here but you gotta be careful with her. Her name is Lyrie Akenja and she might come across foul-tempered but she is still charming and doesn't deserve to be caught up in all this, especially not with him." He says with a look of disgust on his face.
"I've been waiting for anything to happen or for Nualia to find whatever she is looking for so I can collect my last payment and get the hell outta here."
"I'll do my best to see that no harm comes to Lyrie." Morgana promises. "The top level is clear of goblins, if you want to wait there until we come back up you are very welcome to. I live in Sandpoint and your attack caused a lot of harm and trouble to our town - a town no worse than any other and a lot better than some. I don't hold you responsible for that, but I will make you account for your actions from here on? Do you understand me sir?"
"Then I will see you later, hopefully with Lyrie as well." Morgana says, bidding him farewell on the upper level. She then returns to the lower level, hoping that the argument is over. If it isn't she searches the other bedrooms until everyone calms down.
Once they have she passes on the pertinent details. "Nualia is below, as well as a woman named Lyrie and possibly an unknown 'he'. Orik would like us not to hurt Lyrie if we can avoid it and frankly I think avoiding a fight is in our best interests. Now, let's move on and clear this level. There must be stairs downwards somewhere!"
She catches Vasia's slight shiver and steps over to the girl. "Are you cold?" She asks with a smile. "I've got a spare tunic. Or is it something else?"
Vasia head dips down as Morgana addresses her. "No, not cold," Vasia replies, looking up at the woman through her lashes with a slight smile.
Not cold at all. Pretty hot actually. A mental laugh.
'Shut it, you!'
"That's a shame." The paladin replies. "I could have used the excuse to give you a hug. Without the breastplate on." She settles for a kiss on the cheek instead and then returns to her position at the front of the group.
"Last door here then that way." She says.
"Brrrr," Vasia says and gives an exaggerated shake.
Morgana's search of the other bedrooms reveals what is likely Lyrie's room. While this bedroom is clean and brightly lit by an everburning torch lying on the nightstand, its spartan decor makes it unclear whether it’s actually lived in.
Another bedroom has a faint musty odor. The bed is covered with matted gray and black hair, and bloodstains mar the stone floor, while a morbid stack of birds’ feet lies heaped on the floor by the side of the bed.
A final room reveals a fourth bedroom. This large chamber seems to serve a dual purpose. To the north is a fine bed with silk sheets, while to the south, a desk and chair under a hanging lantern make a comfortable-looking study but you can find nothing of interest here.
The lower four feet of the walls in this empty room are covered with crude drawings in mud, blood, and paint. Most of the drawings show goblins engaged in some sort of violence against humans, horses, or dogs. One picture on the north wall is at least three times the size and complexity of the other scrawlings. This image shows Thistletop from the side, the goblin stockade perched atop it like a crown. A cave has been drawn into the center of the image, and looming inside is what appears to be an immense, muscular goblin with snakelike eyes and a dogslicer in each taloned hand. If the scale compared to the rest of the drawing is to be believed, this goblin must be at least thirty feet tall.
Continuing on, Jenica scouts ahead stealthily and reports back that the next room is empty also.
A large table surrounded by chairs fills much of this room. A slate board to the north is covered with scribblings in chalk, but the very large map, obviously of Sandpoint that has been carefully inscribed on it leaves no doubt as to the purpose of this room—this is doubtless where the recent raid was planned.
"Oh dear." Morgana replies theatrically. "You seem cold sweetheart. Come here." She loosens a couple of straps and pulls Vasia into her embrace, the breastplate swinging out of the way like a small gate.
"Better?" Morgana asks after a thoroughly indulgent minute of smelling Vasia's hair and holding her close.
-----------------
"So the raid was definitely orchestrated here." Morgana says, all playfulness gone. "Let's push on, we can explore in more detail later if we want to. Whoever did this has to be stopped for good."
Continuing to explore, Jenica first scouts out the room and reports back that there is a woman studying something intently. The woman is very attractive but very focused.
Vasia steps into Morgana's embrace, her arms slipping naturally around the woman's waist and her head resting on her chest. "Much better," she replies with a sigh of contentment. She works hard to keep her hands from roaming. "Unfortunately, I can't stay here." With a sigh of resignation, she steps back.
~~~~~
The girl nods when Jenica describes the rooms occupant.
"You must be Lyrie?" Vasia says, entering the room with her hands held up and visible. "We have no quarrel with you," she continues. "We've already talked to Orik and he's left. He asked us to grant you the same option. Leave now and good fortune be with you."
"If you stay much longer her dead aunt is going to oogle you." Morgana adds, "Then someone will probably start insisting that you wear a sack. Trust me, we've been through this before."
"Actually, she's my bunica ... my great, great, great, ... great, grandmother," Vasia clarifies. "Not that it makes any difference."
Lyrie swings round, a ball of fire appearing in her hand as she does so. "Who are you?" She demands, "Are you with them? You Pathfinders?" She turns her scowl to each of you in turn, scrutinising you for something. Not finding it the scowl relents a little and the ball of fire disappears although her posture doesn't relax an inch.
"Not Pathfinders. Good. Now what in the nine hells are you doing here?"
"They are heroes!" Melody says enthusiastically from her customary behind some legs position. "They save people and help people and stop bad people. Just like in the stories."
Jenica puts a reassuring hand on Melody's shoulder and gives her an affectionate grin.
"I don't know if I'd go so far as to call us heroes," Vasia says with a shrug. "But we've already defeated all the goblins above and now with Morgana to lead us, we're going to put an end to this Nualla's plans as well. You don't have to suffer for her sins. You're free to go."
"Yeah. You should probably just walk away out of this place and not look back. I don't think it's going to end well for Nualia."
A white cat pounces up onto the table that is between Lyrie and the party and turns to look at you all with a calculating and superior expression.
Lyrie takes some time to consider Vasia and Sabriyya's statement, not really understanding Melody's comment.
"So, you're here to stop Nualia then. Nothing to do with me? Will you allow me to gather my things before I leave if I agree to go and not warn her?" She asks.
"By all means." Morgana says, stepping aside. "Where do we go to find her?"
"Wise choice." Sabriyya says with a satisfied smile, folding her arms on her chest and stepping out of the way.
”But first, tell us who your tailor is?” Amethyst asks. ”That outfit is killer!”
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"I never agreed to tell you about her. Just agreed not to warn her." She says, snappily whilst gathering up maps books and other items from the room. "Let me back to my room to pick up my pay and I'll get the hell outta this dump. I'll find somewhere to do my research better than this anyway." She says with bitterness running through every syllable.
Her eyebrow raises at Amethyst's question. "Someone like you wouldn't go to my tailor in Magnimar." She replies, not elaborating on what she means.
As she packs, she shoots glances at the rest of you as if she is planning each of your demise in detail, but doesn't seem to carry out any of these thoughts before she is escorted out of the fortress.
Amethyst scoffs. ”How rude! Oh well, on to Nualia?”
After the woman leaves, Jestina mutters something in Varisian regarding Lyrie's small scavenging mammal parentage.
"she was living in a fort filled with goblins, how can she think she is better than the Swan?" she also adds "the stitching wasn't that good either, though how it was designed to barely hold in her breasts was fascinating" the halfling marvels and disparages in the same sentence.
"Fascinating how, exactly?" Sabriyya asks, turning to Melody. She tilts her head slightly and holds a serious expression on her face before being unable to hold in her laughter and breaking into a grin with a wink.
She turns back to the passageway ahead of them and asks before continuing on "And we trust that Lyrie and Orik won't set up an ambush from behind us when we go downstairs, why exactly?"
Melody starts to look flustered, but it turns into a grin back at her friend. "I don't know" the halfling answers worriedly.