"My idea." Snow says with a shrug. "Protect my pack. Protect you. This does that."
The sorceress reaches up and takes Snow’s face in both hands before giving her an equally passionate kiss as well!
She then steps back and bounces around the room excitedly before eventually saying ”Okay! Okay! The investigation can wait! Tonight we celebrate! Right!?!? Right?” she asks excitedly, but worry creeps back in at the thought the other two girls may or want to hold off the mission.
Thanara gets more than she bargains for when Snow's arms wrap around her waist, holding the sorceress close as Snow responds with equal fervor! HEr tongue assails Thanara's and she doesn't relent until the sorceress is red faced and panting.
She eventually lets Thanara go and watches with a smile as the blonde gets terribly excited.
"Nothing to see today." She says. "Two days. So yes. Celebrate, tonight."
Thanara replies ”There are a few dancing rooms I’ve learned about. And there is a WHOLE STREET of taverns! We could go from one to the next until we found one we liked! Or…or…I don’t know! There is so much to do!”
She then looks to you both and smiles mischievously. ”Either way. I promised you two would get to pick the outfits this time. So what are we wearing?”
Lisa blushes when Thanara kisses her, then blushes even deeper when Snow goes for the full makeout with the sorceress! She averts her eyes until it's done.
When asked about outfits, the cleric says, "I put in a special order at one of the local boutiques. I'll pick it up now so we can be ready for tonight."
Snow shrugs. "Will follow. Have what I have."
Lisa and Snow head down to one of the city's trendy clothing stores. After haggling for a bit, they return to the Gryphine bearing the outfits Lisa has selected.
For Thanara, she presents a strapless purple dress with a frilly skirt and blue streaks of what looks like electricity adorning it. For herself, Lisa has chosen a blue and gold dress in a Qadiran style, sleeveless and with cut outs on either side of the midsection. And for Snow, she presents a shimmering silver pantsuit with thin straps, a low dip in the front, and flared leggings.
"I hope you like them!" the cleric says, smiling.
Thanara looks it over and smiles broadly. ”I love it! Lemme go slip it on!” she says before vanishing for several minutes before returning wearing the gown. She holds the skirts to her sides and does a twirl.
__________
Thanara is nearly skipping, but not quite, as they walk through Magnimar’s nicer districts. ”So! Where to first? Drinking? Dancing? Site seeing?”
"Let's check out some of the district's monuments," Lisa suggests. "Then we can make our way down the Street of Taverns and on to a night club."
”So all three! I like it!” Thanara says as she walks along with the two Heroines of Sandpoint.
The Capital District has plenty of monuments to behold. Chief among them is the Cenotaph, one of the tallest structures in the city. It is a 10-story, cylindrical monument, a memorial to Magnimar's most beloved founder, Alcaydian Indros. The monument was meant to be an empty tomb honoring the local hero. As years passed and Indros’s family members and friends passed on, an inordinate number of residents requested to have their bones entombed near or within the monument. Begun as an honor to the great man, then a vogue, the practice has become a tradition and postmortem status symbol for all who can afford burial beneath the stones of the surrounding Mourner’s Plaza or in the later-constructed catacombs beneath the memorial.
Not far from the Cenotaph, the towering marble sculpture called “Indros cul Vydrarch” depicts the legendary battle between Alcaydian Indros and the great Vydrarch, a poisonous behemoth that rose from the Varisian Gulf during Magnimar’s earliest days.
After taking in some of the sights, you make your way down the Street of Taverns. As the name suggests, dozens of the establishments line the street, making it a favorite visiting spot of aristocrats. Thanara has plenty of coin to flash around, allowing you to sample vintages and brews from across Varisia and beyond.
Properly soused, you make your way across the city to the Osprey Club. This towering structure looms proudly behind its wrought-iron fence. Iron ospreys perch atop the fence here and there, as if guarding the structure within. After dark, the Osprey Club’s facade glows and shimmers in green and gold faerie fire until an hour after midnight, and those peering through the iron bars of the fence can often catch glimpses of famous individuals from Magnimar and beyond strolling the immaculately groomed grounds.
The main structure itself is off-limits to all but members of the most prestigious families of Magnimar and those on their approved guest lists. Of course, a charm spell also works, as Thanara discovers! Within, the club caters to all manner of delights, functioning as an upper-class tavern, smoking hall, gambling den, and even bordello. The perfect place to party!
Thanara absorbs as much of the sites as she can as they wander…
…until the alcohol starts flowing.
From then on, all she’s interested in is a good time!
When they first are met with difficulty at the Osprey Club, she uses her charms to insure their entry. Once inside, Thanara looks around excitedly before asking ”So…what first!?!”
Snow samples alcohol cautiously, most of them proving much to potent for her nose, let alone her mouth! Still, she's plenty relaxed by the time the three girls make it into the Osprey Club, so much so that even the packed dancefloor seems more appealing than normal - or at least less unappealing.
"Go dance!" She says. "Take Lisa. Have fun."
For herself she prefers to find a quieter spot where she can watch the dancing, rather than throwing herself into the noisy, sweaty crush of people.
Thanara looks at Lisavet and asks ”Well? Shall we?” as she holds out a hand to the priestess. Being away from her fathers watchful eye and connections seems to have made Thanara a bit more bold.
And what family she has here, likely have no idea who she is since she hasn’t been here for years.
"It would be my pleasure," Lisa says, taking Thanara's hand. "Will you lead? I've never really danced like this before..."
”Of course,” she says before leaning closer as they approach the dance floor, whispering ”just go with it.”
She then proceeds to take the lead on the dance floor with the priestess. At first, the dance seemed harmless enough, but the pair were definitely attracting attention courtesy to Thanara’s skill and their gorgeous looks. But as the dance progressed, Lisavet can’t help nut notice Thanara’s hands seem to be wandering an awful lot for dancing, and the pair are frequently pressed tightly against one another.
During one such moment when they are near one another’s ears and Thanara is holding her tight, the sorceress whispers ”Mistress said we could have some fun ourselves while we are here…if you wanted,” as her hands splay themselves out against the exposed skin on the cut out sides of Lisavet’s dress.
Lisa picks up on the dance moves surprisingly quickly, holding her own beside Thanara. But it gets harder to focus on the dancing the more her body is pressed up against the other woman's.
A pleasant tingle runs through her body as Thanara caresses her skin. "Yes, I want that. I want that very much," she whispers back, and a moment later, Lisa's lips are pressed against Thanara's.
Thanara accepted the kiss, but only briefly before pulling away a bit nervously and scanning the room. Her boldness only went so far, it would seem. ”We still have to be a little careful. I do have family here. But they likely don’t know me at all. I haven’t seen any of them since I was a little girl.”
Thanara continues dancing, and after a few moments she asks ”What about Snow? Mistress definitely won’t approve of her trying to be involved…”
Lisa thinks back to the conversation she had with Snow over lunch, and the other woman's teasing (or was it?). An alcohol-fueled image flashes into her mind, the ranger's strong hands roaming over her body...
The cleric smiles. "What your mistress doesn't know won't hurt her. And it wouldn't be polite to leave Snow out, now would it?"
Thanara balks. ”I…I thought she was our Mistress…” she whispered, now seeming a bit hurt and defensive. ”I…I know it’s a bit unsettling at first. But if she does something you don’t like, if you tell her she will stop! And you and I both know you really…really…” she says as she traces a fingernail down Lisavet’s spine, ”liked it.”
Lisa gasps and shivers. "Mmm... We'll... we'll talk about it later. Let's just enjoy ourselves tonight," she whispers, trying to silence Thanara's doubts with another kiss.
Thanara lets Lisavet sneak one more kiss before stepping back slightly to maintain some distance.
She continues dancing with the priestess a few more minutes before looking at the gaming tables. ”Shall we go play some games? See if we can…get lucky?” she asks with a suggestive wink and smile
Thanara makes her way to a table a table with a spinning wheel and a ball that looked fun. She watched for a few moments, hardly long enough to really understand it, before betting ten gold on black.
And the ball landed on a black number! Thanara squealed and hugged Lisavet tight before picking up her winnings and asking ”Okay! Let’s pick some numbers!”
She then puts 2 gold each on the numbers 3, 7, 15, 21, and 33!
Snow watches the dancing from her protected corner and if her eyes wander to the two attractive blondes getting intimate on the dancefloor then she isn't the only one.
Good. She thinks, watching the two intertwine. Good for Thanara. Needs someone not Savah. Good here. Free.
Enveloped in a warm glow of satisfaction she notices her companions heading off to the gaming tables and moves through the crowd to join them.
"Silly game." She says, pointing at the roulette. "Play cards. Can sniff peoples bluff!" Still, she doesn't stop Thanara throwing money around with gay abandon and watches as the croupier spins the wheel...
Thanara puffs her lips out in a fake pout.
Undeterred, she bets another 6 gold, 2 each on 3, 15, and 33.
Unfortunately, Thanara loses again!
"Maybe we should move on," Lisa suggests.
Thanara huffs. ”Okaaaaay. Fine! Where to next?” she asks.
The three women wander the club for a bit longer, taking in the sights and sounds. Eventually, Lisa suggests returning to the inn. "It's getting late. Shall we take this party somewhere quieter?"
Snow manages to avoid letting out a sigh of relief at Lisa's idea, but the barrage of noise, smells and people has been weighing on her heavily as the evening has progressed.
"Good idea." She says. "Will see you in morning. Don't want to interrupt. Enjoy." She adds with a sly grin. "Try not too much noise."
By the time they Lisavet makes her suggestion, Thanara is starting to stagger ever so slightly. She simply smiles and nods in response, taking one last sip of ale.
Before Snow can get too far, Lisa gently takes her by the arm. "Hey, Snow... Do you want to join us?" she asks.
Snow raises an eyebrow at Lisa and looks over to Thanara. "Yes." She says simply. "Do want. Both of you. But do you want?" The question is aimed more at Thanara than Lisa but Snow gives both women a look.
"Have limits. You two, together. Fine. Good. But without me. If with me, then You. Are. Mine. You understand? I like. You would like. Savah would not. That is choice."
She disengages equally gently from Lisa. "Understand. No hurt. Either way." She manages a smile in an attempt to lighten the mood. "Won't sneak in to watch! Promise!"
Thanara had been quite relaxed.
…right up until Lisavet invited Snow to join them!
She spun around, a look of surprise on her face. A surprised look that only grew more so when Snow expressed her interest. And when she made it clear she wanted to own her, Thanara felt like her legs were jelly. Her whole body was trembling, and her chest was heaving with excited breaths. She could feel herself growing more excited as Snow’s eyes took her in.
”I…I don’t know…Savah…she…” Thanara stammers clumsily as her body’s sudden wants mixed with the alcohol made everything so confusing…
"Please, Thanara," Lisa says, taking the sorceress's hand. "Try it. Don't worry about Savah tonight. Just be here with me. With Snow. With us. Be happy."
Snow watches closely and she can see the torment Thanara is suffering, but despite the arousal she can smell and Lisa's own plea it's clear that fear is still the sorceress's over-riding emotion and Snow knows how this evening has to end.
"No Lisa." She says softly, leaning in to kiss the priestess on the lips. "Not tonight. Not like this. Alpha protects pack. Will not hurt them." She crosses to Thanara and gives her a similarly brief and chaste kiss.
"One day Little Storm. When you are ready." She whispers, before turning back to the door. "Have fun." She says from the threshold. "Love each other. That is good. Is pack."
Thanara was visibly swooning as Lisavet joined in on the dogpile that was forming against her.
Just as Thanara was opening her mouth to surrender, Snow backed off.
Thanara, now almost as pliable as putty, turned and walked into her room of the suite, and leaned heavily on her hands against the footboard of the bed as she tried to settle her mind and body.
”Mistress would not approve. She would do something to hurt me as punishment. Or worse…hurt Snow…”
Lisavet grasps her holy symbol and invokes a prayer to Sarenrae. "Shh. Let your mind be at ease, Thanara. Be with me."
The priestess then wraps her arms around the sorceress from behind, placing kisses along the back of her neck.
Thanara was about to say something in retort to Lisavet, but suddenly felt relaxed just before the priestesses hands landed on her stomach and her lips met her neck and shoulders. She groaned lightly as she stood up and leaned back into the priestess more.
Lisa's hands move up to unzip Thanara's dress. She lets it fall to the floor, then turns the sorceress around so they are face to face. She kisses her lips and guides her towards the bed.
Thanara allows the dress to slide off of her body, slowly. She dutifully follows the priestess to the bed, where she lies down and pulls her left leg up sinuously, her foot running up her right leg, as she lays back propped up on her elbows. Her eyes wander over Lisavet, still appreciating the way the dress looked on her.
Snow, meanwhile, slips into her room and swiftly changes into her normal, practical clothes before leaving her companions to their nocturnal activities. Without any other real idea of where to go she heads for the only other house she knows - the abandoned Foxglove, now Scarnetti, townhouse.
She unlocks the door and pads around the house, allowing her keen senses to make use of what little light filters in. The corpses have begun to smell so she drags them outside and sets to work digging a pit for them both. The work takes an hour or more and by the time she's finished Snow has sweated out the alcohol. She tips the bodies in, fills in the hole with the rusty shovel she found and then heads upstairs before changing into her much warmer wolf form. The puppy drags the few remaining pillows into a small nest and curls up to sleep the sleep of the righteously tired.
An errant beam of sunlight makes it through the boarded windows the next morning and wakes Ghost Puppy earlier than it would have liked. After a thorough scratching and relieving itself over the grave dug last night, the puppy sets out on an expedition around town as it wends its way back to the inn where the rest of the pack can be found.
Lisa begins to kiss Thanara's thigh, working her way down its length until she finds the prize at the end. She attends to the sorceress's needs, pushing her close to the brink before pulling back. The cleric steps back and slowly strips out of her own dress before climbing into the bed with Thanara. The two entwine with one another as they bring each other to a mutually satisfying resolution.
In the post coital cuddling, Thanara traces little shapes on Lisavet’s stomach. ”So…when we get back to Sandpoint…I think we need to convince Mistress…to use that thing on me she used on you. From where I was watching, you REALLY seemed to like it. And…well…I’ve never had someone, or something, in me like that before.”
"It is definitely an experience worth having," Lisa says wistfully as she snuggles with Thanara. She glances over, and it looks like she wants to say more, but instead she simply gives the sorceress a soft kiss.
"This is nice. Us. Together. You make me happy, Thanara. Do I make you happy?"
Thanara nods. ”Yes. I,was so thrilled when you agreed to join in the fun with Miss Savah and I. The three of us can have so much fun together!” she replies as her fingers trail down from the upper part of Lisavet’s stomach to between her navel and groin.
Lisa giggles at the touch. "The two of us can have plenty of fun together, too. Let's get some sleep, yeah?"
Thanara nods and nuzzles into Lisavet’s neck before eventually dozing off.
You spend the next few days working on fixing up Thanara's new townhouse. Eventually, once night falls on Oathday, you gear up and make your way to the Seven's Sawmill.
The Seven’s Sawmill is one of several mills that operate along the shores of Kyver’s Islet. Built over the mouth of the Yondabakari River, this wood building sits on massive wooden pilings driven into the riverbed below. A wooden boardwalk wraps around the northern rim of the building, and a flight of stairs leads down to a door on the east side just above the water level. The churning of four large waterwheels under the mill fills the air with sound and mist.
Doors lead into the ground floor and the undermill, but both of them are locked.
Snow leads the way, scouting in her less obtrusive puppy form. Ghost Puppy checks carefully for scents and footprints at both doors and manages to resist rolling in the mud just for fun.
Once she's made her assessment she transforms back and sets to work on the quieter door, as best she can determine.
Snow can hear people talking and grunting with effort beyond the lower door, even with the noise of the grinding water wheels. The room beyond the upper door is quiet, though, and the ranger swiftly picks the lock open.
The entirety of the first floor consists of a loading area. An opening in the ceiling into the floor above is filled with a tangle of ropes and slings for lowering timber. Nearby, stairs ascend to the next floor. Two sturdy wagons sit to the south, next to a bank of machinery accessed by four low doors; the grinding and creaking of the machinery fills the room.
The four low doors to the south open into workspaces where the waterwheel-driven machinery that powers the logsplitters and saws on the upper floors runs up along the southern wall of the mill.
A partially walled-off alcove in the northeast section of this room contains several large mounds of filthy hay. Snow determines that something large—perhaps an ogre or a giant—once used this area as a place to rest, but a lack of scent means it hasn’t been here in some time.