Lady Vaelong's page

While Seranna might have been a bit more subtle about her excitement the truth was that she was pretty much in agreeance with Xeros when Yelenn started handing out food. The noble had spent far too much time eating fish fried over an open fire, without any seasoning or sides. While that sort of thing might have been acceptable for Xeros, Seranna was accustom to a higher standard, and she was utterly sick of the bland taste of unseasoned meat. To say this was a real treat was an understatement of legendary proportions.

She tried to keep from salivating as she was at last served. Picking up her utensils and attempting to eat like a lady she gave pause at all the talk of eating and its many different meanings. She giggled softly at the thought, ”At least now we can do our eating in a house with a stocked kitchen…and warm beds.”

Grandma’s a real potty mouth. Sorta reminds me of mine.
Seranna sat silently as she listened to the old woman’s story. Though the profanity that followed, combined with Nadala making a comment about a human meal had her side eyeing Wallace who she was beginning to get the distinct feeling really shouldn’t be privy to this sort of conversation. Of course, it wasn’t by far the worst thing he’d be exposed to on the island. When Catherine finished her tale, Seranna could only sit back in her seat, pondering on the situation.

”Not that you require my approval…but you did the right thing. I wish more people understood the importance of family, like you do. Sadly, we’ve all be victims of the ignorant masses…and if you are really that interested-“ She snickered thinking about it, ”Maybe I could help you figure out that conjuring cats out of the sky thing. It couldn’t be that hard”

”If not a little inhumane” Zogith chimed in.

”Bah, cat’s always land on their feet, I’m sure celestial ones doubly so.” Seranna insisted.

Requires a DM ruling but from the way I read the spell I think its totally an option!
”This spell summons an extraplanar creature (typically an outsider, elemental, or magical beast native to another plane). It appears where you designate and acts immediately, on your turn.”

Heh, sorry for my delayed response. I've got some 8pm deadlines coming up. Gotta polish that off first.

“This is why she has such a hard time sleeping. She works herself up with these things.” Zogith chided at Seranna, ”Something so drastically out of our control should not loom ever presently in the forefront of your mind my love.”

Seranna smiled at the Aquan’s words, finding comfort in them, even if she was slightly agitated at the dismissive nature of the comment. Rather than focus on that however she turned her attention back toward Catherine, whose response was perhaps the most shocking of all, “I’m sorry, but…why? Why would you want this?”

Seranna joined the others at the table as the group spoke about the nature of the dangers of the island and its history. She frowned as this was hardly appropriate dinner conversation. Personally, she was still hoping to get some sort of resolution about the situation with Granny, but Yelenn made no mention of it, nor did she reveal what her detect magic upon the woman revealed.

“Do you think the thing that looked back could be in reference to Nadala’s old prisoner? Is that possible? That when they scryed upon the island they might have actually picked up on some shred of the prison, or Goddess forbid, the pocket dimension within? Is that what started all this?” Seranna got a cold chill just thinking about it, ”Or worse, is there some other evil still here of such magnitude, something yet undiscovered, undisturbed. Ugh, dreadful.”

With that she focused on her meal, quirking a brow at the serpent woman’s behavior, but otherwise keeping to herself…until her eyes eventually fell back to Catherine. For whatever reason she just couldn’t let go of what happened upstairs and she cut her eyes back to Yelenn and back to the old woman.

”So I’m curious Catherine, what’s your story? If you would indulge me, how does such a sweet and respect um…elder end up on a ship heading to this terrible place?”

“How dangerously perceptive of you.” Seranna smirked as she looked to Nalada, ”I was meant to eventually sit at the head of my noble house. I fear my presence here has more to do with politics than any wrong doing. I suppose I should be grateful that this was chosen over death, but then again, I attribute that to the fact my brother lacks the spine to see me slain be it in person or by assassin. But I risk showing too much of my hand now.” Seranna said once again reminding herself she spoke to an ancient warden.

”Thank you, once again you prove to be a source of wisdom. If you do not mind me asking, how is it you are able to move with such grace and certainty in these unfamiliar surroundings, all without the need of your eyes?” She inquired softly.

”Soup or dessert spoons, meal or salad forks and…sweet Karezza, so many different knives.” Seranna said as she gave a bewildered look at the seemingly random assortment of silverware before eventually giving up and just settling for the fact that everyone had at least one fork, spoon, and knife of one variety or another. She chuckled to herself as if briefly lost in thought before casting a glance back at Nadala.

“You may think it barbarous of me, but I never did pay much attention during my etiquette lessons. My tutor stressed its necessity, but if it was even fractionally as important as he claimed, I figured his mastery would have made him more than a common servant…and it didn’t so…” She shrugged her shoulders, ”To be young and foolish again.”

"I do not need to eat while I am here." Zogith explained as the duo moved back toward the kitchen, "However, I still enjoy eating when food is plentiful." Since there was no knowing how long the food would last or how long they would be staying here, this would imply he wouldn't be eating tonight.

Seranna did her best to help prepare the table for dinner, though it quickly became apparent to anyone who paid the least bit of attention that she was not used to this sort of behavior, especially Nalada who most likely was a lot like her in the sense that both women were used to servants doing this sort of thing for them. All the while she tried her best to not look like she was giving the old woman a suspicious eye. When Yelenn returned with Zogith she cut her gaze between the magus and Catherine as a strange silence ever so briefly befell the room.

Seranna followed Catherine into the kitchen only to give pause as she witnessed the glorious spread that Yelenn was working on. She bit her lip, she was positively starving at this point, and this would be the first time she’d had an appropriate meal in quite some time. It would have been a tragedy to pull Yelenn away from what she was doing, and yet, she didn’t know how urgent the information she held was. To sit and fill her belly when that knowledge could be crucial just didn’t seem right. She told herself she was just being paranoid, but that was most likely just her stomach talking.
Eventually she decided to err toward caution. So not only did she approach Yelenn she chose to do so as subtly as possible.

Bluff: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (11) + 12 = 23

So like, I just discovered you can do this with bluff...Attempting to deliver secret message to Yelenn. Everybody else wanting to receive the hidden message can roll Sense Motive vs the Bluff result.

“Oh, Yelenn, this looks absolutely wonderful! I just got back from upstairs, the stair case to the third floor is...blocked. But nothing urgent, I wouldn’t want to pull you away from what you are doing.” But of course, Yelenn would pick up from the subtle way she cut her eyes back toward the doorway and faint change of tone that whatever she found upstairs needed to be addressed with more urgency than she was letting on…

Seranna will trail after Catherine, taking her time as she attempts to reconvene with Yelenn somewhere in the kitchen area.

Seranna frowned, exchanging a look with Zogith. The two eventually agreed on a course of action and as the noblewoman went down the stairs Zogith stayed behind to monitor the room from the doorway. He didn't know what he was waiting for or if anything would happen at all, but it was best not to leave it unattended just to be safe.

Meanwhile Seranna rejoined Wallace and Catherine on their journey to the kitchen.

Seranna focused on the magic. Attempting to distinguish the true source of the magic. If it was an object or the entire room, and figure out the intensity of the magic at work.

"After you darling." Seranna motions down the stairs, letting the old woman and Wallace lead the way. She waited until they were far enough they wouldn't notice as she flicked her wrist and focused her energy into the room Catherine had left.

Detect Magic

"That's an excellent question. We'll go find out. You are more than welcome to join us, or stay here if you like." She offered.

"I'm afraid so...nasty business. But I'm always happy to meet another survivor. You should come down stairs, I believe the others are preparing food, you must be hungry."

”Thank you Catherine.” Seranna said after the introductions, frowning at the question that followed as this sort of thing always left her perturbed. This was more like what she expected from the others, and thankfully they were far more understanding, ”A celestial aquan actually…”

Deciding it was best to change the subject Zogith asked, ”Were you on the boat as well Catherine?”

”That’s Zogith, he’s no animal. He’s from Karreza’s realm. No, presumably the four-legged variety of beast was in the house, but it doesn’t look like it got into anything. At any rate I’m glad it wasn’t a bother to you or Wallace.” Seranna told her. Her paranoia was getting the better of her again. Before the shipwreck she was not so incredibly suspicious of people…truly this adventure was getting the better of her, she needed a nap in a warm bed.

”Forgive me, I’ve been so caught up in everything that’s been going on, I’ve forgotten my manners. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Seranna Vaelong, and this is my husband, Zogith Vaelong.” She said before offering her hand to the elderly soul.

”A pleasure to meet you, ma’am.”

Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6
Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24

Attempting to disbelieve any active illusions.

Will: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8
Will: 1d20 ⇒ 17

Bluff: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (9) + 12 = 21

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19
The old woman is a lyah!

Seranna focused very little on what the woman actually had to say. She looked her up and down as she thought about the lack of footsteps. The first place to start was to look straight down and see if the woman had feet and to make sure they were actually touching the ground. After that she couldn’t help but lean into the room slightly, even if it might have been a minor invasion of personal space. She glanced around inside, searching for any sign of a window or opening to the outside from which the sound of a breeze might have been coming from.

Something was definitely up, but she didn’t want to show her hand right away, so she did what she was best at…she lied…again.

”Sorry to bother you darling, but we just got back from investigating the lower regions and we saw that the front door was open. Best as we can tell, some sort of animal was in the house and I just wanted to make sure that everyone was alright. What with the sounds of a breeze coming from your room I was worried something might have come in through the window, if you have one. I confess I don’t know the layout of the house very well.”

Wait. No windows? No windows! That was alarming to say the least. Seranna moved to Wallace’s side, gently attempting to usher him out of the way as concern was beginning to mount that something terrible had gone wrong here. ”Wallace darling, just, step over here with me for a moment. This might be a little loud but don’t you worry okay? Everything is under control.”

Without taking the time to consider the habitual nature of lying, Seranna spoke a little louder to make sure whoever was inside had one last chance to make themselves known, ”If you can hear me in there, we are friends of Wallace’s. We just want to make sure everything is okay... We’re coming in now darling, last chance to let us know you’re alright!”

Hearing movement, Seranna had cause to modify her earlier statement. Looking back to Wallace she spoke softly, "Sounds like she might be moving around in there. Or at least the window might have blown open."

As cold as it was the person in there surely would have woken up if the latter was the case. Either they were awake or Seranna was doing them a favor by waking them up before they caught a cold. There were other options, but...well better not to bring those up.

"We'll just give a little knock, hm?" She told Wallace before rapping her knuckle on the door, hoping to garner the attention of whoever was inside, still listening for any changes on the other side.

Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20 To assist Zogith’s roll since she can technically listen with his ears…or the equivalent there of.
Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18
Ha! It worked out the same either way! That's teamwork my friends!

Moving up the stairs Seranna takes care to remain silent as she promised, but took the time to look over the blocked staircase, wondering what the cause for such an action was. It wouldn’t be hard for the others to move everything, but was there a reason it was still there? After pondering on that for a moment she glanced the other direction, checking to see how many rooms were in the hallway. Trying to do the math she knew they would only require a little more than half as many rooms as they had people here so perhaps they would not have to move the furniture at all.

Her concentration was broken when Wallace mentioned that the door was locked, and her and Zogith both moved closer to the door. The outsider had more acute hearing, so she reached out with her mind and listened not with her own, but rather his. Maybe they could hear movement inside, she could be awake or at the very least they could hear her snoring perhaps.

"Perfectly quiet. Don't you worry, quiet like a mouse." Seranna assured Wallace before motioning for him to lead the way. She gives a knowing smile to Yelenn as she heads off, deciding that the conversation would go much more smoothly without the small child's presence.

"Well, all the same it wouldn't hurt to check in." Seranna insisted.

At long last Seranna and Zogith had a working theory that would help explain their suspicions. The Warden, or Nadala as she was truly know, acted as though she was not completely in control of her own thoughts, not truly a master over her memories, and the duo feared that might have meant she was under the control of something more sinister. While the idea that she was trying to carry the memories of her fallen friends wasn’t necessarily reassuring in its own right, it was better than the alternative explanations. For the time being they would let the matter go.

“See Sir Wallace, I told you we’d find them and bring them back.” Seranna boldly proclaimed, as if she were to thank for their return or her involvement had contributed anything at all for that matter. ”But enough about that, we should check on granny upstairs, and after that it’s just a matter of parceling out food and board amongst ourselves.”

"I can't imagine she was any happier than my mother was with me when I told her I was marrying Zogith. She was the one pressuring me to find a husband...I guess she just assumed it would be someone within the same species. Poor woman nearly fainted once she got the screaming out of her system." Seranna reflected as she toyed with her wedding ring.

When the Warden offered her aid to regain her position by force if necessary, Seranna looked up at her, considering the idea for longer than she really should have, "Thank you...I will, I will remember that."

”Oh, it truly is.” Seranna swooned in reference to the Warden's comments about Esca, “Such majestic cliffs overlooking the sea, the view is so moving this time of year. Esca is the art capital of the world, people from everywhere would come to find inspiration. I’m sure all of you would love it.”

Seranna’s smile faded slightly as they reached the top, joining Yelenn. She held Zogith a little tighter and rather than set her down he pulled her closer. She nuzzled against what could only be presumed as his cheek before she looked up at one of the floating orbs of light that followed the magus around, tracking it with her gaze as she thought aloud, ”Before all of this happened, you would have been honored guests at my estate. We would have had so much fun together. But those days are done, aren’t they?”

”Well, we have been pardoned.” Zogith said in jest, bringing a smile back to his lover’s face.

”That’s true. Should that pardon hold any weight in the modern judicial system-“ and she was pretty sure it didn’t, ”-Who knows, maybe we could actually return to that life. If it ever came to that, I just want you to know that you are welcome to visit as much as you like, and stay for as long as you like, and I extend that to all of you, that includes you Xeros. We would throw a celebration worthy of shaking the cliffs themselves…Ah, so bold of me no, to dare to dream?”

Seranna was hoping she was just paranoid, but this Warden’s behavior continued to draw her attention. She spoke strangely, acted strangely, and claimed to be too shaken to cast spells. Seranna thought for sure that was untrue, and sure enough her suspicions were confirmed when not even moments later the woman used her magic. The noble woman looked at Zogith with a curt gaze before she shrugged it off. This place was getting the better of her, which made it all the better that they were seconds away from escape.

When the Warden pointed her magic infused finger her way she brought up a dainty hand to spare her the use of the arcane digits, ”Thank you Warden, but this sort of thing is much more in our wheel house. We did come from a kingdom of cliffs you know.”

With that Seranna simply fell backward. With perfect timing several tendrils reached out for her, sweeping her off her feet and holding her bridal style. She smiled brightly at the entire display, now it was her turn to be pampered. Zogith once again took hold of the rope and began to pull the two of them up with one tentacle after another, moving along its length with the same ease any of those present would have shown walking across the room.

”See you at the top ladies.~” Seranna giggled as she threw her arms around her husband. The two of them reaching the top in relatively good time.

As always if a climb check is required the result is a 26.

”Oh, is that all…” Well now Seranna felt silly for getting upset all, maybe she was just on edge in light of everything that was going on. Zogith slightly confirmed that this was most likely the case. She took a deep breath, using the opportunity to collect herself, this place was making her moody and paranoid on top of that. A night in a clean, dry bed would do wonders for her disposition, and she was hoping to find just that back in that house that sat on top of the prison.

”Thank you. That’s kind of you to say. Another beautiful thing, not to be overlooked, is the fact that we don’t have to make it alone. We’ve fantastic friends along with us, who have been more understanding about our relationship most.” Seranna said with a smile.

”We are thankful for that as well. This group has become a safe port in a storm. The kindness you have already shown has done wonders for the soul.” Zogith mused, causing the noblewoman to grin.

”Such a poet.”

Omahgawd, get a room already…

At times like these I question my decision to effectively try and play two characters at once >>'

”The Tentacled one’s name is Zogith Vaelong and I would ask you address him as such.” Seranna said with a frown that only deepened when the Warden made an off-hand comment about their marriage being something that humans did. If there was one thing Seranna could not abide by, it was a racist. Zogith was well aware of the noblewoman’s irritation and placed a tendril upon her shoulder in an attempt to calm her as she huffed out “And what is that supposed to mean?!”

”-Our third anniversary is approaching.” Zogith explained, hoping to steer the conversation away from Seranna’s growing anger. It appeared to work, as those words caused her to soften. She looked around before looking down at her husband, biting her lip as a thought crossed her mind.

”That’s true…how awful to think that we will be celebrating our anniversary on this wretched island.” she murmured under her breath, tears welling up in her eyes.

”But we will live to celebrate it my love, this one and many more. Zogith assured her.

”Mn, apparently surviving is the standard of success now.” Seranna stated, growing more upset as she thought about it, pausing in their journey to wrap her arms around the sea creature, who rose up to meet her halfway, a series of tentacles enrapturing her briefly before the two seemed to remember they were in public and decidedly dialed back the PDA, ”Sorry, still sorting through all this you know.”

Seranna chuckled, looking at Zogith, "You hear that love? We've a full pardoned."

She rolled her eyes as she followed the group but she blinked a few times as she listened to the tales Yelenn weaved. She had no idea they had been through so much in the time they had been apart, “Oh my, all that, really? And here I thought living off of river fish was a significant low point.”

“Foul tasting creatures that they are.” Zogith added.

When the Warden inquired whether or not the sea monster was lonely, Zogith chuckled, “No, but then again, I’m married. I can’t speak for the others.”

”Right, you’ll be safe with me and Zogith should anything happen. Just don’t expect me to carry you.” She said teasingly.

“You mean besides the ageless abomination in the corner over there?” Seranna asked when the Warden inquired about dangers, still a little staggered by this woman’s audacity. She thought she was used to being pampered but the Warden practically told Yelenn to carry her…Missed opportunity.

“There was a very nasty fall on the way in, but otherwise it’s been relatively smooth sailing, if you’ll uh, pardon the expression.”

Seranna stiffed when she suddenly sensed someone behind her. Before she realized what was going on she felt someone’s more than ample bosom pressed against her back and a pair of arms wrap around her front. It was Mylyna. Seranna couldn’t say what brought on this bout of physicality but it was honestly a welcome change. This place was so strange and scary, and the Warden’s realization that she was truly alone in this new world only reminded Seranna of the group’s own precarious position. They were alone on this infernal island. They had been condemned to spend the rest of their lives here, a place where the greatest evil their world had ever seen slept. A place where the greatest tragedy of the ages had occurred. She wanted to flee, to run away, to find some sort of sanctuary, but she knew there was none to be found. Seranna, her husband, and all the others were trapped here, and had it not been for Mylyna panic might have set in at that realization.

Seranna smiled faintly as she patted the back of Mylyna’s hand, interlacing their fingers as she leaned her head back to look her in the eyes, “Thank you darling. Things are going to be better. We are going to make things better, I promise.”

Bluff: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (16) + 12 = 28

It was a lie, but it was an important one. Seranna was a convincing liar, and she needed to convince herself of this more than anyone else. She didn’t believe it, but maybe if the others bought into it, with time she would too. She had to admit it seemed to be working. Holding Mylyna’s hand on one side, and gripping a curled tentacle on her other she was optimistic about their chances, even as they moved back toward the jaws of oblivion.

The Warden’s sudden outburst did well to dispel that optimism however. Things only got worse when she collapsed to the ground and those strange orbs swirled around. Though they seemed to revive her, everything she had said about the demon left quite the impression upon Seranna and thus her eyes cut to Zogith who dedicated his full attention to the Warden, watching her every move with a level of suspicion that was difficult to mask even for a cyclopean cephalopod.

“So wait…he died of what, boredom? Or is he hibernating?”

“I think the Warden’s health takes priority over these questions.” Zogith stated plainly, “Her brief deaths cannot be good for her long term health. Occurring in this place only puts her and us at greater risk.”

“Wait-“ Seranna gave a wide eyed look at Zogith and once again the pair seemed to engage in an unspoken conversation, “Um, right. Maybe we should get the Warden away from the unspeakable, ageless, evil.”
Sense Motive: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16
Once again looking for signs of enchantment/control/possession, or anything in that wheelhouse.

Yelenn wrote:

Someone almost got shanked

Note to self: do not piss off Princess Stabbity

I like it! I decree that henceforth you are all to address me as Princess Stabbity!

"Yeah, speaking of, exactly what is that thing?" Princess Stabbity asked at the mention of the 'prisoner.'

For a brief moment there was change. The instant the warden started to close in on Yelenn, Seranna subtly altered her posture. One hand gently glided back along the fabric of her dress. On the surface it may have looked as though her fingers were wandering idly in thought, but those standing behind her could easily have interpreted the action as reaching for a concealed weapon. Her feet moved further apart and her knees slightly bent as if she was preparing to take a posture more appropriate for confrontation. Even Zogith seemed to pick up on her ideation and slipped in front of her.

Whatever sinister intent took hold of Seranna, it passed quickly. The woman taking on a relaxed demeanor when the Warden reassured Yelenn, a faint smile dancing on her lips when the magus showed signs that the assurance helped. Leaning back on her heels she gave an overly dramatic sigh that made it difficult to believe that the melodramatic noble could have ever been of any concern to anyone at all, “We were hoping you’d be able to answer that question, but I guess things couldn’t be quite that easy…”

Seranna gave the woman a slightly perturbed look when she suggested that people didn’t use the term continent anymore, “I do know the difference between a continent and an island. I’m from the island nation of Esca. We are still on Tayrn, but I’ve never heard of Hadal.”

"I'm guessing that wasn't always the case?" Seranna asked with a bit of hesitation.

Seranna and Zogith exchanged glances. The duo communicating silently with one another about something. Their faces unreadable as they rapidly exchanged thoughts. Whatever was being said, it ended abruptly when the Warden addressed Seranna. The noble quirked a brow at her question. She certainly didn’t like its implication.

”Yes…all of us and this instillation are on an isolated island. A supposedly cursed one at that.” She said, wincing as she really wasn’t sure she should be the one telling her this, but she had to know, right?

Necromancy, stasis devices, guardians held in suspended animation for untold ages, and bodies and souls stored separately like an arrow stored beside its bow. Nothing about this situation was natural, with every piece of information that was revealed Seranna felt more ill at ease. Whether or not this was a place of evil was not for her to decide, but it was clear that it was a corrupted, terrible place. Small wonder the accursed were sent here to this island to die, it was already a breeding ground for blasphemies.
Mylyna acted as though she was trying to lighten the mood, but she spoke of her history, and as Seranna listened on she felt a great weight upon her heart. Mylyna’s birth, her purpose was horrific, she was raised to be a plaything for another, a tool of dual purpose. She would serve her master and corrupt them for the sake of her creator’s sinister goals. To think that a union of flesh meant little more to her than this…The noblewoman suddenly felt very ill. She leaned against Zogith to steady herself. She had to stay focused, this was hardly the time to play the role of the weak kneed noble.

“We think it is safe to say we’ve all lost a great deal. All the more reason to guard what we have jealously. We are not the only people on this island or even on this property. I had hoped the Warden could assure us that the facility is safe, but…it seems she’s just as much in the dark as we are.” She said before turning her head and smiling faintly at the Warden, “No disrespect Warden.”

Zogith attempts a Sense Motive Check. Not to detect untruthfulness on the Warden’s part but rather to get a hunch as to how fubared the Warden might think the situation is or at least determine if she is behaving as though under the effects of any enchantments.
Sense Motive: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10

Seranna and Zogith move back, giving Xeroes plenty of room to do whatever it is he was about to do. And Seranna was quite thankful she did, for not long after that the pillar before them shattered and broken glass rained down. It seemed that the gargoyle was hit by most of the debris, blocking the group from being hit, which was a blessing as it hardly seemed to affect him in the least. When Seranna looked back to the pillar she saw a strange gem and swirling lights around it. She titled her head staring at it for a moment before glancing at her friends.

“Um…at the risk of repeating myself,” As she felt this question had become a frequent one, “What…exactly am I looking at?”

Funny how that's almost never true

Seranna watched Mylyna circle around her. Zogith began to raise up ever so subtly, as if unsure of her intent, but Seranna had watched the lamea move in a similar fashion when dealing with Yasmin and thus showed less concern. She assumed it was just how the woman interacted with others. Even if the act of surrounding someone could be quite intimidating it could also prove to be quite comforting, the difference being trust.

The noble extended her hand once again to Mylyna as she leaned in close, expecting for them to hold hands but it was their lips that met instead. The noble woman blinked at the sudden contact. The hug was not neither as sudden or brief and she had an opportunity to reciprocate. As she placed her hands upon the flat of her back she used the contact to transfer the spell to her conferring the arcane protection that mage armor grants. She took the opportunity to trace the curve of the lamea's back before the two parted and continued down the path with the others if not a little more flustered than before.

"It's nothing really, just, trying to do my part." She assured softly.

Seranna looked on in horror at the strange creature imprisoned in the next room, "How vile. What is it?"

She quickly began to regret the decision to track down the prisoner. Now that they found it what did they do with it? What purpose had lead them to this point? She felt a great unease about the entire affair. Sensing her concern Zogith moved in front of her as if to shield her from whatever might come their way. He lifted a rear facing tendril until she caught it with her hand. It spiraled down her wrist and up her forearm, suction cups latching on as the appendage left a trail of slime in its wake. The two holding hands as they viewed the ancient horror before them.

"I guess I'll be the one to ask then..." she finally uttered, "We found the thing, so now what?"

Meant to specify spellcraft DC in my last post, sorry! I gots the stupid fingers today >>

Seranna frowned at Mylyna’s comment. She had hoped that her talents might have been of some use, but according to the lamea there was simply nothing more that could be done, the nightgown had met its end and couldn’t go any further. It felt inappropriate to leave a comrade, new or not, exposed to the elements in such a fashion. Though Mylyna was obviously comfortable with her body, and the former noble could certainly see why, it would be in her best interests to have some sort of barrier between her and the elements if possible. She toyed with the idea of tearing off a large section from the hem of her dress to fashion into some sort of cover but then again, she was no seamstress and she doubted anyone else present was either, or that they would a lot time for such a thing.

Instead she simply offered her hand out for Mylyna to take, “Just encase we find trouble around the bend, please humor me this at least.” She said to the lamea, her hand beginning to glimmer with arcane power, “It’s not much, but it is all I can do.”

Seranna turned her head to one side not long after the offering, realizing that the group had already decided that they would be moving toward the prisoner. She sighed, dreading what sort of wretched thing would require such an elaborate prison. She would try to stay positive, maybe they were civil, perhaps they could even be reasoned with!

”Let us press on then.” she said, with every intention of leading from the rear.

Seranna frowned as she watched the ruins disappear. For a moment she really thought that was going to work, "Sadly, it seems I misinterpreted the function of our key. It looks like we'll be searching for this warden after all."

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24

Seranna watches in silence. She was hardly cut out for what was at work here. Her new friends seemed more knowledgeable and experienced. They already had a plan and were ready to implement it. She wasn't sure how to help so for the time being she decided simply to play tag along. However her studies did pay off, in the brief moment Xeros tried to leave she recognized the symbols that flashed across the surface of his stony hide. It was a mark of justice, and while she doubted anyone present was capable of breaking its hold over him, she also recognized that Yasmin was holding an orb of pure magic that they repeatedly referred to as a key. Biting her lip she motioned with a finger.

"Now this might be a crazy thought, but I think it might be worth trying before we go seeking out the Warden, or worse yet, the prisoner. If that orb is the key maybe we should let Xeros hold it and then try to leave. Maybe we can work around his curse. Maybe its the key to freedom in that it will break the curse rather than open a literal door?" She had no reason to believe that it would work, but it was just as much of an idea as any other, and it would subsist as the beginnings of her meager contributions. Wishing to make herself a little more useful she smiled faintly as she looked to Mylyna as she coiled around Yasmin, "If you still have your top, or know where to find it, I might be able to mend it. I've a knack for such things, it's how I've managed to keep my own dress in serviceable condition in spite of our environment."

"I imagine that applies to us all." Seranna said in response to Yasmin's comment about trying to survive, "In the end I believe that our chances go up dramatically the larger the group and the more we stay together...speaking of survival, what exactly are we doing in this dreary place?"

Seranna chuckles at Yasmin's response, "Of course, I would not be so bold as to assume..." she trailed off before decidedly changing the subject. "You will have to forgive my ignorance, as I'm a stranger to your craft, but even I understand that water is a mighty force to call an ally."

“I imagine the word ‘normal’ will lose much of its meaning here.” Seranna said in reply to Yelenn’s comment about normal circumstances. The statement felt even more appropriate when Yasmin called for a strange creature that could only be described as an orb of water with a face upon it. Seranna could not begin to imagine what it was or what it was capable of, but if Yelenn counted Yasmin among her allies then both she and it were not to be feared.

It was then that Seranna realized her error. She had been so excited to see Yelenn again she hadn’t taken the time to introduce herself to Yasmin properly. She worked to correct this quickly and performed a brief but polite curtsey, “I’m overjoyed to meet you and your companion Yasmin. It’s an honor to encounter another friend of the otherworldly. It will be nice to not have to worry about wearing the mask, at least in the company of friends.”

Seranna gave pause when she noticed the item around Mylyna’s throat. There was no mistaking what the item was or what its purpose might have been. It was a collar. Most likely Mylyna was a former slave, now whether she lacked the means of removing the device or kept it for some other reason the dishonored noble simply could not say. She felt a twinge of sadness in that moment, knowing that she could not fathom the kind of life the other woman must have lived, perhaps finding this group marked a stark improvement in her quality of life, while Seranna’s arrival here proved to her that it was all downhill from here.

These sad thoughts were quickly dispelled when Yelenn closed the distance between them. Seranna threw her arms around the magus as they embraced. She delighted in the contact, it marked a much-needed reunion with the only real familiar face on the island. Seranna explained, “We fended off those…things to the best of our ability, but when the ship went down, well, I feared the worst. I never thought I’d see you or any of the others again.”

Then attention slowly shifted to Zogith, as it always did. The woman suddenly felt a twinge of fear, Mylyna had received his presence well enough, but she had no way of knowing how the others would take it. She had hidden his existence away from the world for as long as she could, but on this island, she wouldn’t last without his constant assistance. She just prayed the others would not be as quick to judge as those in the past had been.

“Yes, this is Zogith Vaelong, he is an outsider from Karreza’s realm and, well…my husband.” She held up her left hand, showing her wedding ring, before reaching up and taking her mask off. Upon her forehead a glowing symbol in the shape of a third eye could be found, the eye had an iris that was long and narrow, like a coin sloth, much resembling Zogith’s eye. “I serve as a bridge between his world and ours. It has been considered a curse by some, but I assure you, I would not have survived without him.”

Zogith bowed his head ever so slightly as the group entered. He allowed the conversation to playout without interruption, at least until it turned toward him. As Seranna finished speaking he nodded toward her before he scanned Yasmin as well, “It is an honor to meet you both. I hope in time we may come to know one another as friends.”

Seranna felt a smirk pull at the corner of her lips when the other woman suggested that they all become good friends sometime in the future. Seranna already had a strong suspicion of exactly what she meant by good friends and if there was any confusion she managed to clear that up as she wriggled before them creating a visual that her eyes lingered upon for just a little too long. If she had to guess, she would say that her newfound friend was the sort that would fit right in among the guests at one of her parties back in the old days. That life felt so long ago, but it was nice to reflect fondly upon the glory days.

“I think that would be a new experience for all of us.” Seranna teased. She was about to speak on the matter further, but it was then that Yelenn and Yasmin entered the room. Seranna was wearing the same dress she had last seen her in right down to the arm length gloves, however what had changed was the masquerade mask she wore upon her face. It did a poor job of concealing her identity, as her attire and demeanor was unmistakable as she grinned at seeing a familiar face at long last. Even if their acquaintance ship had been brief, hard times made for fast friends.

“Yelenn! Thank Karezza am I glad to see you.” She paused, taking in the other woman’s current condition, “How…how have you faired?”