"Well if anyone intends to bring harm to you, they will need to go through all of us first." She nods to the group in their agreement.
Screaming Moon is even more confused. If you are being hunted, it makes sense to hide yourself, though it must be difficult. I've never seen an elf that looked like you.
Is this coloring common in your family?"
The dark elf looks a bit touched by Fi's declaration, but her expression quickly changes when Moon asks his question.
"Among my people it is, yes. I am a drow--a descendant of the elves who refused to abandon Golarion when Earthfall came." She nods. "My real name is Triel, formerly of House Siadon."
Elanna strides up confidently to Triel. "Pleased to meet you Triel! Now stop covering up that beautifully unique complexion of yours and allow us to appreciate it." She can't resist taking a step closer and placing a kiss upon her cheek. Just to see Fioralba's reaction of course.
Elanna succeeds in flooring Fioralba, but the younger twin already knew that would happen. "HEY!" she shouts, striding up to her sister ever so gently nudging her out of the way. "You can't steal my prophecy by kissing my muse, you know that right Ella?" she declares, moving her hands to her hips to stand between her sister and Triel.
Despite her direct words, a playful grin spreads across the older woman's face.
Screaming Moon starts laughing. "Drow?! Next you'll want me to believe in snipes and yeti. Besides, everyone knows drow are seven feet tall, with fire for eyes and four inch long claws. I can't be fooled as easily as those bandits."
Shaking his head, he smiles. "Fine. Your name is Triel and you want to keep your identity secret. That is not a problem for me. It's not like you are Chelaxian.
So, goblins first? It sounds like people might actively be in danger."
"What? No." Fioralba says, turning away from her sister to look at Screaming Moon. "Did you not hear us earlier, Moon? We're going to the stone house first. We can check on the goblin things when we are done with our primary objective."
"...right." Triel nods. "I take it Chelaxians have done your people wrong?"
"And I've no real preference either way which one we do first."
Screaming Moon shrugs. "No, I did not hear you earlier. I hadn't realized a decision had been made. It makes no difference to me."
Walking in the correct direction, Screaming Moon educates Triel. "This land you call Varisia used to all be the hunting grounds of the Shoanti, until the Chelaxians and their devils slaughtered the people. Only the harshness of the Storval Plateau was able to stop their advance."
Making your way through the footpaths and trails through the Churlwood, you find yourselves following a network of trails that aren’t quite roads. The map takes you south for several miles before you arrive at your destination.
A campsite spreads on a gentle slope in this hillside clearing. A single, ancient stone building and four old wagons give the place some shape. Tall grass grows around the wagons, as if they had been in place for a long time. A wide fire pit sits in the middle of these wagons, and a few thick logs provide places to sit around the fire.
Three surly-looking men are lounging around the campfire, telling jokes and roasting rabbits on long metal forks. They don’t immediately notice you.
Triel takes stock of the three men, trying to get a hunch about them.
Fioralba tries to look around and see if there other men than the three ahead of them, but she is poorly positioned to do so.
Elanna eyes them carefully. "Can we just keep walking?"/
Based on their attire and demeanor, Triel surmises that these are more Roadkeepers. This is likely their main camp, judging by the wagons. Fio and Elanna don’t see anybody else here at the moment. They are between you and the stone house, so you’ll have to deal with them if you want to proceed.
"Let's all go charm some men together!" Elanna says, before confidently striding forwards, with her sister, hand in hand.
"Hail there! This looks like a mighty fine place to rest." She says with an innocent look upon her face. "Do you think you have some room for some ladies to join you for a short while?" She asks, forgetting that Screaming Moon counts as male; it doesn't suit her plan.
"Looks like the main Roadkeepers camp--" Triel starts before she sees both twins striding towards the camp.
Well, so much for a stealthy approach.
Screaming Moon and Tsu-la hang back from the girls, scanning the trees for other bandits.
The men look up with scowls which quickly turn to grins when they see the twins approaching. "Of course! Always room for gorgeous women in our camp!" one says, patting the log beside him. "What brings you all the way out to the Churlwood?"
Since talking rationally to these men will likely not end the way they want, Fi plays the part of a courtesan instead. She doesn't sit on the log beside the man, sitting on his lap instead "Just trying to find a way to make some coin, you know."
She slides her arm his neck and dangles her legs back and forth while motioning Triel and hope forward. "Come Madame, these men are most lonely."
Triel's eyes widen when she sees the twins' brazen approach, but considering that it's working opts to not ruin it.
Still, it's better to not risk identification. She slips her hawk mask back on and raises her hood to conceal her features.
When Fi beckons her forward, she starts walking into the camp. I'm not convinced this is a good idea, but...
Elanna slides up close next to another one of the men, and pretends to wipe something from his cheek. "You must know what that's like gentleman?" She says, adding to her sisters' comment. "And what brings some fine gentlemen like yourselves this far out into the woods?"
The man shifts to accommodate Fio on his lap, his grin widening. ”Oh, yes, we’re all about making coin.”
The second one puts his hand on Elanna’s lap, while the third eyes Hope and Triel with interest. ”We’re the Roadkeepers! We keep the woods safe for beautiful wanderers such as yourselves. We normally ask for monetary donations for our efforts, but, ah, we also accept payment in other forms, if you know what I mean...”
Fioralba giggles, somehow finding the man's comment hilarious. She traces her fingers gently down his cheek and says "Oh. We do. We so appreciate you keeping us safe, we feel the need to make a donation."
She slides her fingers down his arm to his bulging bicep and traces it with her finger tip, "I'm so glad you accept alternate forms of payment."
She looks over at Hope and Triel, motioning them to the third unattended man.
Triel quietly saunters over to the third man and takes a seat next to him, her mask still on her face--but her curves still highlighted by the rest of her clothes.
”Excellent! Shall we retire to the wagons, then?” the first man says, gesturing to them.
Watching the proceedings from tree line, Screaming Moon wonders where this tactic is heading and how it will allow the group to reach the stone house more quickly.
He glances over at Triel, then back to the other two. I've heard about elves and their Calistrian orgies, but the other two don't appear to be elves. Does the church of Calistria allow other races? I'll have to find out. It will be interesting to see how they make this a religious event.
When they found the camp of men Hope was a bit surprised at how quick Ela and Fio decided to approach them. When Ela told her softly to come charm some men with the the outcast woman wasn't quite sure what to do. She followed Ela and Fio automatically, trying to keep her eyes on Ela in case something happened.
When the twins reached the group and began flirting Hope hung back a bit. She didn't understand what they were doing exactly and it made her quite nervous. While often this would make her go all cold and intimidating this time she was so out of her depth that she just came across as super shy.
Hope noticed Ela's gesture towards the third man for her and Triel to "attend to" and went over to where he was. With Triel on one side of him Hope sat on the other, though she kept some distance between them, and was seemed incredibly shy as she sat straight and not touching him.
Elanna giggles a little as the man suggests they retire to the wagons and tries to send Screaming Moon a meaningful glance over her shoulder. He probably has no idea what's going on I'll bet She thinks inwardly.
As she rises, she takes the hand of the man she was sitting next to and encourages him to stand. "But hold on," She says in a mock dramatic fashion, "You said that you're the official roadkeepers?" Elanna is doing a fantastic job of feigning confusion and innocence. "Then we must have been fleeced by some charlatans back down the road! We did think the tax was expensive at ten gold a person and we had to hand over everything we had. Gentlemen, I think they're stealing from you! I wonder how much they have stolen from you already? Perhaps if you're quick then you might catch up with them and reclaim your deserved pay!" She exclaims dramatically.
I really hope that I've guessed the situation right here. Whats life without a little risk?
The man laughs. ”Ah, that’s Lullaby stirring up trouble again. She’s a Roadkeeper too, except she wants to be in charge instead of Mother Nightthrush. If she’s getting to big for her britches like you say, then Nightthrush will deal with her when she gets back. Pay her no mind, and pay me some mind instead.” He licks his lips and leans in for a kiss...
Elanna doesn't flinch and meets him halfway. "Shall we then?" Elanna says seductively, leading him towards the closest wagon. "Unless you're feeling a little adventurous and want to join my twin sister and your friend here and cosy up together?"
It was all Hope could do to keep the grubby hands of the man next to her from latching on and pulling her into his lap. It wasn't until Elanna started leading the guy to the closest wagon that she really acted. She rose and moved quickly into her dance like motions. As she finished a ball of gravity, light and debris bending around it, lanced out at the man she was leading away. Hopes eyes had gone black and she grunted in pain as she called out coldly, "Keep your hands off of my Ela."
The blast knocks the man across the camp! He slams into a wagon with a sickening crunch and falls limply to the ground. The other two gape in surprise before cursing and reaching for their weapons!
Ninja'd. I'll save that for later
Surveying the field with this new information, he considers the best approach. With Hope unleashing a devastating attack toward the one with Elanna, and Triel having a second one occupied, he began to worry about Fioralba.
Stepping more into the open, he concentrated on the ground at that bandit's feet and caused spiderwebs to burst out and grab his feet.
Elanna spins round in surprise, "That was a little premature!" She shouts, pulling out her rapier and moving to flank the man next to her sister.
Hope looked both surprised and hurt at Elanna's words but decided to take her anger out on the guy near her. She stepped back, gathered power, and gave him the same treatment she gave his buddy a moment earlier.
Fi is almost to the door of the man's wagon, leading him by his hand when things go to s&*$. She sighs loudly and turns to the man in her hand as she draws her rapier, "Sorry, love. I was so hoping we could have some fun alone before this..."
Fioralba stabs the man and then casts her touch of fatigue spell before stabbing him again to deliver it.
Triel gets up from her seat, unlimbers her spear and stabs at the thug next to her.
The twins stab the second man, then Hope blasts him and knocks him out! Triel’s spear scrapes against the last man’s leather armor. He draws his blade but attacks defensively, shouting out for aid as he stabs Triel. ”Mother Nightthrush! We’re under attack!”
Triel winces, takes a step back and summons a blue shield before her!
Hope turned to the ass who just struck Triel and sent another ball of gravity flying out.
Ah! So this is a divide and conquer strategy. Spread them out and attack from a coordinated position. I could have played a better part if I had known.
Surveying the field with this new information, he considers the best approach. Before he can even begin to analyze the situation, two of the bandits are down.
Stepping closer, he gestures at the remaining thug, murmuring a short prayer, attempting to steal the thug's attention.
After felling one foe, Fi pivots to attack the next, sliding into position of flanking for her sister.
Screaming Moon dazes the last thug, allowing the twins to gang up on him and take him down with matching thrusts! He falls to the ground.
There are no signs of activity nearby...
Fioralba looks down at the bulging biceps of the man she felled with a sigh before turning back to their group, commenting "Well done everyone."
She then moves towards Hope and says "Hope. Dear. Next time we try to divide and conquer, please do not let the taste of my sister's sweet sweat drive your emotions so high so as to blow it before I can even get their pants around their ankles. I hate wasted opportunity..."
Recognizing Triel had cast a spell, she says "Quickly now, before Triel's spell expires, let's move on and look for further problems."
Fi pushes Ela onward.
"Vith..." Triel curses under her breath as the thug falls. "...someone's bound to have heard that. Let's get moving."
As they move, Triel lags a bit behind, her head bowed... and muttering something under her breath.
The twins lead the way through the door of the stone house. The stone room inside is bare except for a small pallet of blankets nestled into the corner near a burning candle set in a silver holder. A few books are stacked next to the candle. A set of crumbled stairs leads to what was once the second story, its opening covered by a thatched roof to keep out the elements.
An old woman waits just inside the door of the building, surrounded by a magical aura of swirling colors. ”You’ll regret picking a fight with the Roadkeepers!” she shouts.
"Mother Nightthrush, I presume?" fi says as the old woman appears. "Yeah well, you're not going to be as lucky as they were." she says, nodding her head back towards the direction of the fallen men.
Looking over at Ela, she says "I've got the left." and dashes forward to setup flanking for her sister. Once in place, she lashes out with he rapier.
Ela moves in and uses the flanking of her sister to try and poke the old crone.
Screaming Moon glares at Mother Nightthrush, but does not speak. Concentrating at her feet, he causes spiderwebs to burst forth and wrap around her legs.
Screaming Moon identifies the spell around Mother Nightthrush as entropic shield. He conjures spiderwebs which ensnare the old woman! She cries out in surprise, and while her chain shirt protects her from Fioralba’s blade, Elanna scores a good hit.
”Behold the glory of the heavens!” Mother Nightthrush declares. She defensively casts a spell and conjures a twisting pattern of subtle, shifting colors that weave through the air around her, threatening to dumbfound the twins!
Hope saw the with and her colors after Elanna stabbed her and noticed the effect on the sisters. Her black eyes narrowed and she pulled in her power as she said, "Stop that you flashy b~~&@!" She sent a forceful blast of gravity lancing out at the old woman.