Kelda looks up at the sky, then at the empty docks around you.
Then she grins and drags you to the ground...
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Kelda goes quiet as you embrace her. "...I..." She nervously swallows. "...no one's ever asked me that question before."
Kelda chuckles. "Simple enough legend, really. When the world was first created, Shelyn and Desna were given the responsibility of creating a wondrous sky--and Sarenrae would have the task of lighting it." "When they were done, Shelyn and Desna were so proud of their creation that they celebrated by f!*~ing like snow hares." The berserker grins and looks up at the night sky. "All those lights up there are said to have been born of the passion between the two goddesses."
Kelda nods. "If you want view of the city, you go outside of town. If you just want to see the colours, we can just visit the docks." The berserker leads you down to a deserted pier in the Ice Quarter, where the open water laps at the struts. With no other souls around on this pier, there's no one interfering with your enjoyment of the nighttime light show. "You know of the legend behind these colours, yes?" She asks you with a smirk.
Kelda tentatively steps into the home and takes a seat at the table. Her father, on the other hand, accepts your offering of wine and handshake. His hand practically dwarfs yours in size, and you get the feeling he could crush your hand if he squeezed any harder. "Wine? Fair enough." The large man grins and points to the seat next to Kelda. "Kelvim! Give the man a seat!" As the mousy-haired boy gets up and quietly pulls a chair out for you, the large man turns his head towards a wooden archway leading to a different room in the house.
The servant swallows nervously. "Y-yes, sir! Right away!" He then rushes off. "Now, introductions--" The head of the family gestures to his sons around the table. "Wulfric & Osric..." The wolf's master and the man with braided hair give you a wave. The braided one offers a simple "Hello!" "...Alvar & Kelvim..." The man in the spiked armour gives you a curt look and the slightest of nods. The quiet boy bows a bit and offers you a "Greetings." "...and Tornn." The teenage boy raises a horn of some alcoholic beverage and grins. "Salutations!" "This is my lovely wife, Claudia..." The somber woman with the greying hair offers a half-smile and a wave. "...and I am Thane REINHART!" The thane puffs out his chest in pride.
Kelda takes a breath, nods, and opens the door. The common room of this home is dominated by a blazing fire pit in the centre of the room, and a single, long table is close to its edge. Seated at the table are seven people--one blond man dressed in white studded leathers and trying to discreetly feed a large, white wolf under the table; another blond man wearing his hair in careful braids with a drum under his seat; another blond man, this one with grey eyes and half-plate that's covered in spikes; a mousy-haired young man trying to eat quietly; and the clearly youngest one, a blond teenage boy with a chain shirt and a sturdy axe at his side. The two oldest people at the table are a very large man with a white mane of hair and a deep scar over one of his eyes, and a woman wearing practical grey furs and a somber bearing. All eyes turn to the door and they greet Kelda with cheers. "KELDA! Back from down south, with glory and treasure! Come, have a seat! Regale your father with your stories!" The head of the family bellows, gesturing to a few empty seats still at the table.
The proprietor looks quite appreciative of your purchases. With four bottles of Cassomir Red 4700 in tow, you and Kelda leave the wine shop and set back out into the city.
A great deal of the quarter's residents are tough & hardy dwarven folk, many of them bearing chisels and hammers and marching with a purpose in their eyes. They're simply dressed, but always practically so--even the most extravagant among them still wears at least a solid suit of chainmail under their elegant furs. There are still quite a few humans around, dressed in similar styles to the dwarves. Kelda stops you a few streets into the quarter. "Here. Home sweet home." She stands before a two-story stone home, the image of an ox's head carved above a reinforced oak door. Light is coming from the windows and under the door, along with an air of general revelry.
Kelda is oddly nervous as she leads you out into the cold Desnus winds. "Right. This way."
She pulls you onto a side street, in front of a shop bearing a shingle. The image of an inebriated pixie is on the shingle. "Here. Looks like good place for wine."
The berserker looks up at the ceiling in thought. "Hmm... there are a couple of places in the Fire Quarter. Might sell some wine that would be good for a gift."
"A sharp sword, perhaps. Or a good bottle of wine." Kelda stands up from the table, her hand still in your own.
Kelda looks pensive for a moment. "Customs? None off the top of Kelda's head." "Well, aside from bringing a gift, if the family is of noble blood. A way to repay them for their hospitality."
Kelda is currently drinking down her fifth horn of mead, and showing no signs of slowing down. There's two men passed out under the table she's seated at. She pulls out a chair for you to sit down in. "Kavell! Word's gotten around--Thane Longthews lies bloodied and dead in his own home, and good riddance!" She laughs. "Come--get this man a horn of mead!" She waves at one of the waiters who promptly scurries off to do so.
Kelda shrugs and leans against the wall of the room. "If you wish. After all..." She smirks at you and glances over your shoulder. "...others probably won't be going anywhere."
"Have a good bath?" Kelda grins and nods. "Quite." She glances over at Kavell as she tugs the last bit of her kit into place. "And he seems at a loss for words." She helps Kavell into the rest of his gear before walking over to the attendant. "Our thanks for the bath." The only reply the annoyed attendant can muster is "Please leave."
Once the two of you have finished washing each other, it's finally time to face the world again. After slipping back into your smallclothes and robes, you carefully make your way back to the changing room, leaving behind the great mess of splashed bathwater and scattered toiletries you made in the private alcove. As you return to the changing room, you spy two piles of clothes and personal effects tucked away in cubby-holes--even a familiar samisen. Kelda chuckles. "Not the only ones who thought of this place, clearly." The sound of the attendant groaning comes from the other room.
Kelda purrs as you soap her up. She's quite content to let you run the bar of soap along her body, anywhere you please. Once you've finished scrubbing her (and listening to her pleasurable growls as you lather up her more intimate places), she leans out of the tub and picks up a stray washcloth. "Hold still. Let Kelda get your back." She starts showing your scratched and bruised body the same care you've shown for hers--rubbing your old scars and aches with a surprising amount of tenderness.
Kelda doesn't even bother hiding her stare as you disrobe fully. She offers a silent smile and slides into the tub next to you. The hot water is quite refreshing, and a welcome change to weeks of being on the open road. You feel your muscles relaxing and stress fading away. The wild woman slips an arm around your shoulders. "So... bath first? Or shall we... have a bit of fun?"
Kelda doesn't object to your hand tracing her scar. If anything, she seems quite flattered by your attention. "To be honest my lovely warrioress... I'm more afraid of you being disappointed in me than you hurting me so do your worst?" Kelda slips into a robe and takes her time sliding one onto you. She chuckles into your ear. "Very well." Once you're both clad in robes, she takes your hand and leads you through the communal bathing area. Several of the other bathers here don't pay you any attention, instead being engrossed in conversation or more concerned with washing themselves. A few of them eye you and Kelda with some incredulity (and some jealousy). The private alcove Kelda rented for the two of you has a small, square tub built into the floor and filled with steaming hot water. Various toiletries, soaps and shampoos stand in bottles at the side of the tub, and the smell of fresh herbs tickles your nose. Kelda pulls the curtain closed behind you and slips out of her robe, her smallclothes following suit immediately. She dips a toe into the tub and pointedly looks at you.
"I uh... have never 'bathed' wth anyone else before..." Kelda shrugs off the scale mail she was wearing and starts tugging off her boots. Without armour or the splattering of gore in the way, you get a good view of her muscular body and the many scars upon it. A particularly jagged scar runs from just underneath her right breast to the left side of her hip, and many more can be seen crisscrossing her back. "Heh. Well, you don't need to worry." The barbarian finishes doffing her armour and gathers it up to put into a nearby cubbyhole. "Kelda will be gentle with you." She flashes you another wolfish grin.
Kelda answers your passionate (if quite clumsy) kiss with one of her own, her strong arms pulling you into a strong embrace. Her breath is hot and heavy as the two of you part, and she growls in satisfaction. "...about time." The berserker takes you by the hand and moves to open the door to the bathhouse proper. "Come. Let's see if a private bath is available." The room beyond is carved of fine stone, with a couple of benches along the walls for people to sit upon. A long, rectangular window is carved along the wall, providing a view of the communal bathing pools beyond. A few alcoves can be seen from where you stand, their entrances covered by beige curtains. The scrawny attendant that approaches the two of you exchanges a few words with Kelda, and she presses a few coins into his hands. He nods once and fetches two sets of towels and robes from a couple of cubbies in the wall, pressing them into your hands before he makes himself scarce. Kelda sits down on one of the benches and starts stripping out of her armour. "Well?"
"Well, one of them wants to be a skald. He's good at telling sagas of our greatest warriors, but he's no Thyrie Tarnralsdottir." Kelda folds her hands behind her head.
"Do you have a lot of family?" Kelda nods. "Five brothers." She shrugs and chuckles. "Ma was feeling outnumbered." "Do either of you need a refill?" Koya and Kelda both shake their heads. "We're quite fine, looks like." The elderly priestess says, tapping her empty plate. "Might be a good idea to get ourselves a few rooms here, while we're at it."
"Well it occured to me this will be a long trip and having a few extra weapons about the caravan wouldn't be a bad idea, besides I thought perhaps you would care to see your father before we go." Kelda smirks at Kavell. "Certainly." "Would love to introduce you to the family, as well." She takes another swig of mead. "Hope you don't mind it being a bit crowded."
"I'll have the Rimeflow fish, with extra vegetables and a white wine and you miss Kelda?" "Grizzly steak with side of rice & mead." Kelda grins.
"Where is this Tavern you had suggested? It would be good to get the chill from our bones and perhaps we might find out more about this Thane Longthew there." "The Hunting Serpent Inn is in the Ice Quarter--place with lots of shops." Kelda smiles as she turns her eyes to Kavell. "Follow me--Kelda is more than happy to show you around." She steps next to Kavell with a smirk and leans towards him. Kavell/DC 15 Perception:
"Also, several bathhouses, if you're interested." She whispers in his ear. "Do you have family in the area miss Kelda?" "Eh, not much." Kelda shrugs. "Have little home in Stone Quarter--is where our arms & armour are forged." "Haven't seen Da in a while. Wonder if he's well..."
"What do you know about Thane Longthew?" Kelda scratches her head. GM Rolls:
"...eh, not much, really." Kelda shrugs. "Hadn't heard of him before today. Might be a new thane named by King Blood-Eagle."
"Anyway, a good place to stay would be the Hunting Serpent Inn." Kelda boasts as she leads the gang onward. "It's in Ice Quarter--welcomes all comers and is cheap, too!" The berserker gives Friday & Zaiobe a knowing look. "If you have special... well, strange companions or pets, Tosti won't mind much. Just don't make mess of his inn." She looks like she's about to continue, but the sound of a tavern door being thrown open interrupts her. A group of seven drunken Ulfen warriors stagger out, laughing raucously and blundering their way into the group's path. The leader roughly staggers into Kelda and knocks her off her stride. "Hey, outta our way! Got more mead to drink, lads!" Kelda gives the man a venomous glare. The leader is wearing a golden arm-ring bearing a stylized depiction of a lion's head embossed in the metal.
"Helvig?" "Aye, leader of Kelda's old warband." The berserker nods. "Before you came by and pulled me from castle dungeons, of course." "I've never been to a brothel either... well, not for its stated purpose. I've done carving work in one, helped with sickness in the one in Sandpoint but never... well, you know." Kelda laughs again. "Oh, don't worry, healer--Kelda would not think less of you for it." "...though it's hard to believe." She looks Kavell over with an appraising (and rather ravenous) eye. "Do you think we can find a place to resupply things needed for our art?" "Certainly." Kelda chuckles, to the visible relief of Koya and Ishgha, surprisingly enough. "But that would be in the Amber Quarter--thought we could get a good meal first."
"Only the finest brothel in Kalsgard." Kelda shrugs and Zaiobe's eyebrows arch in surprise. "The men and women there dress in wings and little else. Supposed to be dressed as 'azatas', or some such. Lots of mock wrestling and sword duels, as well." "Never indulged, myself." She adds as Koya gives her an incredulous look. "Had to drag Helvig out more times than Kelda can remember, though."
Kelda gives the bystanders a confused look before a realization comes to her. It makes her laugh. "Oh... they must think you come from the Hall of Splendid Valour."
Kelda laughs and claps Kavell on the back as the group assembles and begins to explore the city in earnest. ”Come—let Kelda give you the tour.”
”Lots of taverns and wrestling halls here. Plenty of places to go for a drink!” Kelda explains as the party passes by one tavern in the midst of a pitched bar fight—one patron gets thrown out the window and scrambles to rejoin the fray without even paying attention to the glass stuck in his back. ”Also a fight, if you’d like.” The group passes by a patrol of guards who give them some odd looks (mostly directed towards Ishgha and Zaiobe), but they don’t make any move to impede the party. The hobgoblin keeps his eyes firmly ahead, and Zaiobe leans closer to Friday as they walk about.
"You would be so kind as to be our... guide would you not fair Kelda. The merchants might be kinder to us if you were about with us.. I certainly wouldn't mind your company." Kelda laughs. "Of course, of course. Kelda hopes it hasn't changed much..."
"As many as he can bring to his side, and as many as he cares to send." Kelda replies to Kavell, grinning at him. She looks down at herself after Kavell heals her and wrinkles her nose. "...perhaps Kelda should find some clothes."
Kelda takes the arm-ring Friday holds up and scrutinizes it. "Hmm." She doesn't seem at all bothered by the cold. "Detta är ungefär som en flagga. Det förklarar din trohet till en härskare över detta land." She replies, sounding much more comfortable speaking Skald. Skald:
"This is much like a flag. It declares your allegiance to a ruler of this land." "In other words, this means you're a thane's man." She glares at the two living raiders.
The rest of the caravan appears to have taken is share of wounds. Ameiko, Maxim, Sandru & Ishgha appear to have been in the thick of it, and sport several injuries that are taken care of. Zaiobe, Spivey & Shalelu have taken no injuries at all. Koya and the other caravan drivers have weathered the attack well enough. And Kelda... is apparently doing quite well for herself. She stalks over to Kavell dressed in little more than her smallclothes, her sword, shield and several gallons of blood. "Ah! There you are. Don't worry--not much of it is Kelda's." She laughs, rather at ease compared to the others in the caravan.
Kelda's eyes light up when you mention what sort of play is being performed. "Really?" She finishes chugging her ale down in one swig and gets up.
Kelda blinks before tilting her head. "Oh--a bit like skalds telling sagas, then?" The berserker shrugs. "Eh, why not. Sounds interesting."
"You have my thanks as well Sister Marina. The caravan I... we are traveling with is going on a lengthy journey I am sure I will be back sometime later to see about supplies for that trip. Miss Kelda here has never seen Sandpoint however andI thought I would be her guide." "In that case, I await our next meeting, Brother. Be well." The priestess bows to you before seeing to your donation. "What sort of sights would you like to see first? Sandpoint has an old crumbling tower, a theatre, several bars and taverns, a..." Kelda practically tears the cast off her arm as you ask your question. "Hmm... Kelda would not object to a stiff drink. But... uh, what is this 'theatre' you speak of?"
Once you produce the appropriate donation that Sister Marina asks for, she takes it and gratefully sets it aside. "My thanks, Brother. Now, Miss Oxgutter? Let me see that cast again." Kelda tentatively holds her cast-bound arm out again as the priestess takes up a small paintbrush and artist's palette. Directing the berserker to have a seat in a nearby pew, Sister Marina sits next to her and starts painting something on her cast. "Shelyn, Mother of Art and Rose Eternal, your humble servant asks a boon of you." The priestess prays as she lets her paintbrush run over the cloth cast, spreading colourful paint along it. "This woman, a gem of the northern lands, has had harm visited upon her by outside forces, and has been robbed of her strength." Kelda gives you an odd look as the priestess works. Looking down at her cast, you see that she's painting a picture of a night sky, but with strange colours. "Let your grace restore her arm, so that she may defend others once more."
The cast glows, and the painting seems to come alive. The colours in the night sky shift and blend for a few moments before the paint completely fades away. Kelda flexes her hand, and sighs in relief. "Ah... my thanks, priestess."
Kelda doesn't resist as you gently hold out her cast-bound arm for Sister Marina to examine. "Kelda hopes your Shelyn can fix her arm. Kelda feels useless without it." "Oh, I'm certain that's untrue, miss Kelda." She takes her holy symbol in hand and carefully examines the cast. "In fact, it looks like it's healing quite nicely. If it were severed muscles that were the problem, then I wouldn't be able to be of much help... but these are simply sprained & broken arm bones." She tenderly pats the cast. "Of course, the Eternal Rose will need a proper donation first before I can work any healing magic." "Have you gold? Or perhaps a work of art to donate?"
The priestess glances over at the two of you as her sermon ends. "Oh, hello!" As the worshippers begin to rise and gather their things, she approaches you and offers her hand to shake. "Sister Marina, formerly of Magnimar. Always a pleasure to meet a brother in the faith. How may I help you?"
"You would imagine right, yes." Kelda follows behind you as you lead her to the grand cathedral of Sandpoint. Though the years haven't been kind to Sandpoint, the holy stone structure stands as tall and proud as ever. There are a few people lingering on the stone steps of the building, but none of them really pay either of you much attention. The few who do take notice of Kelda's cast-bound arm and look away. The cathedral looks much more impressive on the inside. Though most of the main chapel is dedicated to Desna, the shrines of other gods such as Sarenrae, Shelyn and Abadar have grown in size, and now attract more devotees than ever. The shrine of Shelyn, a stone alcove decorated with well-tended flowerpots and impressive paintings of coastal landscapes, currently has a few people in attendance. A brown-haired priestess in elegant white robes stands before the gathered worshippers. She appears to be in the middle of a sermon.
Once you've completed your errands with Koya, you return to the caravan to find Kelda sitting on the steps of one of the wagons, waiting for you. "Ah. There you are. Shall we walk about this town?" She asks after clearing her throat. Her cast-clad arm rests in her lap.
"If you keep messing with it, it might not heal properly then you might be stuck with my constantly looking after it." Kelda snorts. "Damn it. Kelda has been found out already." She smirks. It promptly fades and is replaced by a grumble. "Am not used to having my sword-arm wounded like this. Takes longer than I want to heal." "Is this as far south as you have been? I am not totally a Sandpoint native but I know my way about it, would you like to see some of the sights when we get there?" Kelda shrugs. "Eh. Why not." "Is there a healer who can fix my arm faster there?"
Kelda blinks and looks over at Ameiko. "Uh? Oh... sure. Sounds like a good trip." She mumbles, looking quite groggy. It looks like she just woke up from a nap.
Kelda laughs. "Oh, do not mistake me--I was not complaining. Quite foolish to complain about the hands of the man who heals you. Gives him reason to not heal you again." The news of how long her arm will take to fully heal causes the smile to disappear from her face. "Ugh. Now how am I supposed to fight?"
Kelda's arm looks to be healing rather nicely. "You have bearing of a warrior, but your hands are soft." The brawny woman remarks as you inspect her cast.
Kelda takes the offered carving. "Hmm. Thank you, healer." "And since you ask... I find myself with no way to return home. Perhaps I could travel with your caravan until I can return home?"
"How many were in your raiding party? Do you know if any made their way free back to your boat? How long ago was this?" Kelda holds up six fingers, visibly wincing as she moves her broken arm slightly. "Six. Kelda was the strongest of all." "No doubt some attempted to escape. Fled in the boat we sailed in on--but did not get far. Bird-men had a--" The barbarian's face quirks into a puzzled look as she searches for the correct term. "--a machine that threw great rocks far away. They sank the boat as they tried to escape." "Feels like it's been seven nights since Kelda was captured." She looks down at Kavell's wood carving and tilts her head. "What's that, now?"
Kelda smirks. "Flatterer." Her smirk fades when she's asked how she got there. "Is not much of a story. Was part of a raiding party. Helvig the Bloody heard tales of old castle on coast, and wanted to loot its treasures. We sailed out, landed, started exploring, and were defeated by crow-men led by a strange, red-skinned man." "Helvig was the first to die. Kelda had all but given up when you found me." She looks around the caravan. "And now, Kelda is here."
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