”Elvish is a l-lovely language.” Adolina replies with some passion. ”You should learn more of it!” Fortunately Ginetta resumes control of the conversation and prevents a single declaration becoming a lengthy spiel on linguistics. Not a topic often steeped in romance after all.
”My father d-died some years ago.” She replies when Ginetta asks. ”My mother is quite re-tired now. It was a love match but she was not nobility s-so when Father died she was cut out of the social c-circles. Lucky her” Then the second part of Ginetta’s query catches up with her and she blushes again.
Why is she asking that? Does it mean something? I didn’t mean to meet her mother! Is it to make up for that, or is she going to propose? Why would you even think that? Do you want her to? Yes! No? Maybe… why would she even - ?
”I-i-i-if you like?” She eventually manages, her voice rising into an awkward squeak as nerves surge through her once more. She clenches one hand below the table and makes a valiant effort to push on. "C-c-canton is my older brother. He's head of the house now so I ask him if I can get married."
Shut up! Don't make this awkward!
"A-and there's Trevon. You'd like him."
Now breathe. Smile and don't run away. She's nice. She's your friend. Everything is ok.
”Umm…. I was rude to her and she l-liked it?” Adolina replies, clearly questioning the interaction herself. ”She… umm… said you didn’t have good friends? And… err… she l-likes my accent.” Her face turns a glorious scarlet on the last words which probably tells Ginetta far more than her words do.
”W-what did she say to you?” Adolina asks a moment later, obviously trying to move the conversation on to any other topic. ”She doesn’t know I’m your p-patron?”
The compliment, which Adolina knows is genuine because, well, who would compliment your cheekbones unless they meant it, makes her blush and her lips curve involuntarily – the smile makes her truly pretty for a brief moment.
”That sounds lovely.” She says, meaning every word and then realises that Ginetta isn’t listening anymore. She barely has time to turn before a whirlwind of energy and lyrical elven is sitting down at their table and the situation hurls itself through awkward and into downright unbearable.
That being said elven was her first love as a language. Not the true one – that’s Azlanti – but the soft syllables and lyrical sound of even the most mundane exchange in elven is something that Adolina loves. This exchange however is less than pleasant and as Ginetta’s mother belittles her daughter with disdainful thoughtlessness Adolina finds herself bristling.
”C'est une œuvre mineure dans la collection familiale” She says cooly, ” Mon père l'a placé dans la cuisine pour que les domestiques puissent en profiter.” How’s that for ‘keeping up with the company’? ” Personnellement, je préfère largement la musique à la peinture, mais je trouve que c'est la marque d'un grand artiste de savoir quand il a contribué à la création d'un chef-d'œuvre et qu'il doit le laisser s'épanouir sans surveillance inutile. N'êtes-vous pas d'accord?”
It is a minor work in the family collection… My father had it put up in the kitchen for servants to enjoy… Personally I much prefer music to painting but I always find it is the mark of the great artist to know when they have already helped create a masterpiece and need to let her thrive without unhelpful oversight. Don’t you agree?
Perhaps her anger is misplaced – this woman hasn’t done anything to her really but Adolina has put up with bullies and snide comments for years and years. Just this once she is standing up to them, just this once she’s being brave. So she keeps the cool, fake smile plastered across her face and resists the urge to cower, apologise or flee.
It’s a good thing that Ginetta took her hand because Adolina was a moment away from either freezing in place or simply turning tail and running entirely. Ever since the lovely singer had invited her out for dinner Adolina’s mind has thought, rethought, overthought and over-rethought every single permutation of the evening. Dressing for tonight took the better part of the day, mostly spent staring silently at each choice and trying not to lose herself down the warren of endless worries.
The warmth of Ginetta’s hand in hers is enough to draw Adolina back to the present and she offers a polite smile and nod to the restaurant’s greeter as he leads them both to a table. Ginetta removes her cloak and suddenly Adolina can’t tear her eyes away from Ginetta’s collarbones and the freckles that dot her pale skin, following them as they trail down towards – No! Bad! Stop! What are you doing? She’s your friend. Isn’t she? But this is a ? Is it? Did she say it was? Should have worn the blue dress! Ginetta doesn’t mind the cold and she’s made a real effort! You want to impress her! Those freckles – I wonder how far they go?
The world shudders back into focus and Ginetta is looking at her, smiling. She’s said something and looks… nervous? Vulnerable? Oh gods what did she say? Adolina frantically casts her mind back, cutting through the voices in her head to the one she actually heard. She fiddles automatically with the lacy cuffs of her jacket, soft, deep purple and one of her favourite pieces of clothing. It is dark enough to not fall afoul of the Lord Mayor’s new sumptuary laws, snuggly cut enough to emphasise her figure a little and above all warm, perfect for keeping out the chill of a Kintargan night and still, she hopes, looking pretty.
”You l – l – ook,” She begins and then stops, takes a deep breath and grasps the hand lying on the table to give herself a little extra courage. ”You look lovely.” She has to bounce into the last word to avoid stuttering, which means ‘lovely’ comes out rushed and slightly higher than the rest of her sentence, but she doesn’t stutter and for Adolina at this precise moment that is a win.
Always look after yourself first and foremost. If you need to drop the game then do so, as long as you tell us then there'd be no hard feelings. I certainly appreciate all the effort you've put in so far and the good communication too, that has made things much easier!
Thankfully ability damage heals naturally at the rate of one point a day, so with a week or so in bed Adolina will be fine.
It also works out nicely as I can't do any big posts for another week or so due to be on holiday, so feel free to move on some without me and I'll back post as necessary when I can!
Adolina heads for the door to the storeroom, closes it if needed and parks herself before it. Her chance of actually catching the creature if it tries to escape is minimal but she'll try...
"Summon!" Adolina yells, managing to backpedal fast enough to keep out of reach of real damage. It stops her doing any damage but she looks threatening?
Yeah - the Ravens get 1241gp. I'll check the PG later to see how much the rebellion needs at any given level but it should keep us happy for a fair while.
Loot total through level 1 is 6,205.42gp.
Splits to a personal share of 1,551.36gp each
Ginetta spends: 161 on silver dagger, 500 on cloak of resist +1. 890.36gp.
Celli spends: 500 on bracers of armor +1. 1,051.36gp.
Other notable bits are the +1 studded leather, mw hand xbow and the +1 whip (ooh er!) Any thoughts on who should use them? If people want them then deduct the 'value received' from your loot share.
Other thought - do we want to make a 5th split for the Ravens so that our rebellion always has funds or do we just chip in when needed? Or do a flat share like '500gp from each loot split'?
"I don't know." Adolina replies, her stutter vanishing under a shock of adrenaline. She pulls her blade (which she never leaves home without now) and stares around, mentally summoning magic to mind as she does so.
Draw rapier, ready cast of Ear Piercing Scream. Trigger - seeing the red woman again.
EPS:1d6 ⇒ 4Sonic damage and dazed for one round. Fort save DC14 halves damage and negates dazed.
I propose we have the Fushi sisters gather info - hopefully about the Salt Works so we can plan our 'raid' and if we can do a second action - recruit supporters.
Then after turn 1 we can time back in and do the salt works.
Adolina lets out a snorting laugh that she quickly tries to repress. It is absolutely not ladylike, refined or remotely dainty and she seems absolutely mortified the moment that she gets her reactions under control.
"That s-sounds like the best plan." Adolina agrees. "More people on our s-side will help. The c-city claimed it due to unpaid taxes s-so it makes money for the Lord Mayor. It would be a good target to annoy him a little. Make the Ravens known."
"L-later..." Adolina whispers, wishing that the floor would swallow her up instead.
SM, Insp:1d20 + 7 + 1d6 ⇒ (11) + 7 + (3) = 21
Adolina's eyes flick across Rexus' face but she doesn't say anything as he omits something from the group. You aren't telling them things either.
Then Laria starts talking about something that scares Adolina far more than legions of devils ever could - the aristocracy. Thankfully this is accompanied by immediate reassurance and the tightness in her chest loosens somewhat.
"M-maybe we sh-should try the harbor." She suggests. "See what happened to the public house."
I would assume Sentinel would make use of Ghorza’s strength?
Sentinel wouldn't do anything. Partisan would run off your strength - hence my suggestion.
As for the disease you either need to keep passing saves or go to a temple and pay for a remove disease spell. It's fairly low level so wouldn't cost much.
re. Loot: I think I tracked it up to a point so we might be up to date. Having someone check my work is no bad thing though!
Adolina is delighted not to be recruiter since that involves talking to people and she's downright terrified of doing that. Being the strategist would be right up her alley though.
She will offer Ginetta A Quiet Word every day though if that helps. :)
Demagogue: Con/Cha
Partisan: Str/Wis
Recruiter: high character level
Sentinel: no key stat
Spymaster: Dex/Int
Strategist: bonus rebellion action with +2 modifier.
Ghorza: Str 16, Con 15, Wis 14, Dex 14
Adolina: Dex 16, Int 16, Wis 14
Ginetta: Dex 16, Cha 16
Celi: Dex 14, Con 14, Int 18
So statistically:
Celi = Spymaster
Rexus = Demagogue
Ghorza = Partisan
Laria = Sentinel (she shouldn't be the recruiter, since she won't level and sentinel doesn't care what your stats are).
Leaves Adolina and Ginetta splitting Recruiter and Strategist. If we're looking to maximise the numbers.
Adolina takes the paper, murmurs soft words of magic and then begins experimenting. After a couple of minutes she leans over to Celi and speaks quietly in her ear. It is only once the gnome nods her agreement that Adolina speaks up - loud enough for everyone to hear, eventually.
"This paper is - This is enchanted with a spell to obscure the writing. It's more than just a code. This matters a lot to someone. We should take it to a wizard who can dispel it." She pauses to look around the room. "I can do that. I'll say I was doing research in an old family library."
She offers Rexus a smile. "If you have a d-dictionary I can help with the translating too. I d-don't know much celestial but my strix is good." She looks down and blushes for some reason.
Thanks to the GM hint I have all those languages. :D
"Umm..." Whatever claim Adolina might have to eloquence is rather effectively shattered by Ginetta's sudden proximity. "Err..." Her eyes are drawn, as though by a magnet to Ginetta's face - first those mesmerising green eyes and then to the curved pink lips beneath.
"I've never been kissed." She whispers, breathing out the secret almost unintentionally.
The slight intake of breath the statement triggers brings Adolina back to her senses and mortification rushes over her in an irresistible wave.
"Oh, look at the time. I really must be going. Else I'll never make it back before the curfew. I'm terribly sorry but its much later than I thought." Adolina starts to rise, suddenly desperate to be anywhere but where she is right now. "Please, your meal is on me. I just need to-"
"Y-y-y" Adolina has never hated her stutter more than she does in this precise moment as the combination of nerves and anger threatens to choke her. "Your eyes." She finally manages, shoving the words out in a disorganised babble. "Iwaslookingatyoureyesandthey'relovely and they don't change so when she had the same..." The rush of words slows into a trickle. "I won't tell anyone, I sw-w-swear."
"T-two hours ago. Or so." Adolina says, not even considering a lie. "It was when you arrived earlier. I n-noticed..."Your eyes, because they're amazing and I can't stop looking at them.
She has enough presence of mind to not finish the sentence but then the silence stretches far too long, like so many have in her life. It isn't that Adolina doesn't want to say something. This woman is a colleague, a friend even and someone who likes her. Maybe. If she isn't misreading the signals. Making this work matters to Adolina, more than she can easily admit, even to herself. So she sits silently and ties herself slowly, but surely into terrified knots.
HP +7
+1 Ref, +1 Will
BAB +1
Skills - 11. Notably now has Knw Arc, Dun, Loc, Nob, Pla, Rel.
Also need suggestions for a new language. Considering Tengu to talk to our new friends unless there's something better I should get.
Class features: Know-it-all (bonus to knw skills), poison resistance.
Adolina blushes, stammers, falls silent, nods mutely and then panics as Rose slips away to speak to Ghorza.
Why did I do that? I'm so stupid! Why would she want to have dinner with me? She's brilliant and has an amazing voice, I'm sure she's got suitors banging down the door. I shouldn't have said yes.
She dithers hopelessly for another minute or two until Rose has departed and only breathes properly once the vigilante has left. She resolves to speak more to the tengu at a later date and heads upstairs to drink a soothing cup of tea.
Thankfully her clothes are in a reasonable state - not as good as she'd like, but good enough for an informal setting like Laria's coffeehouse. So she gets a good table near the window and sips her way slowly through a cup of tea until it's empty and her mind has calmed somewhat.
What do I say? Am I right? Yes, I'm right. Her eyes. It's her eyes - it's a good disguise but those eyes. Oh gods I sound like a love-sick schoolgirl, but I'm right. I'm sure. I just have to ask her outright. Be clear that I know. There's no point beating around the bush. We have to just be clear, from the beginning.
Her introspection is so deep that she doesn't even react until a hand rests lightly on her shoulder and then a familiar face settles into the seat opposite. Adolina meets the eyes of the smiling woman across from her, tries desperately to think of something clever and finds dangerously blunt.
Adolina is already retreating at Threep's words when Ghorza brings her pick down for the final time and ends the alligators scaly existence. That means her embarrassed flush at Kova's clearly directed compliment goes largely unnoticed - much to her internal relief.
"B-b-boot?" She manages to say after a few moments, hoping that someone else will realise what she means without the necessity of saying any more words right now. Her still clean blade goes back in its sheathe and she shifts a little from side to side before realising that she's fidgeting and schooling herself into immobility.
Then Rose hops into the water and Adolina finds herself unable to look away.
Having looked at the RAW it certainly can't be done without being in combat rounds - but it would be a legitimate surprise round action and we initiated the combat so... :)
Adolina frowns and hovers awkwardly towards the back of the pier. Her only weapon is a rapier, which is no good against an enemy she can't see. She tries to muster a smile for the tengu, but it comes out more as a grimace.
That might be a good thing. They're birds - baring my teeth might be a threat gesture? This is not a helpful train of thought and she knows it, but Adolina's thoughts often run away with her when she's nervous.
A feeling I sympathise with. I'm not a terribly good GM myself for similar reasons - if I don't keep up a relentless schedule of posting I find myself slipping away from wanting to post and therefore I don't and games stagnate to death in quick order. So much sympathy for your predicament.
