@Vayelan, sorry. I will need to drop out of this and several games. Here’s what I posted on Discord a few minutes ago:
Hey, all. I just made a decision to drop pretty much all of my PF games. You may have noticed I have consistently played with heart and enthusiasm, but lately I think I come off more like a zombie nudging a d20.
It’s in part because I really have to get my butt in gear regarding the job hunt, and in my current state of mind, dice math, loot and leveling just feel like additions to my list of chores.
So sorry to do this, and also that I spent x months following the predictable patterns of Guy About To Bow Out Of Game(s) instead of just pulling the band-aid off.
Just know it’s not anything you did as a GM or PC teammate. It’s the toxic workplace.
~L. Sidekick
I especially feel bad dropping this one, as it’s the Paizo board game I’ve been in the longest. But I really need to put in the time to stand a chance at making a career change.
Addy grins. ”Compromise…? Heh, it’s good to be the king.”
She doesn’t seriously think Pelipe would want this. But then, Pelipe would say no or talk to Ahto. Or… like Jane Bond with all those girlfriends plus her author husband Clancy Thompson who writes those Ryan Jackson books.
”Love ain’t stupid.” After a moment, she says, “A union that goes more than two ways… I won’t knock it either.
“Best o’ luck.”
Addy smiles at Althea and urges Dawn forward a bit so Althea and Pelipe can chat.
Addison approaches Althea as soon as she’s alone. “Humor me, dear. Ye’re smart… absolutely brilliant. Which means ye surely know Ahto ain’t gonna marry ye, and surely ye know appearing as a competitor’ll only push Ahto and Pelipe closer.
“It seems to me, ye’re supporting this union.”
Lacking Ahto’s ability to discern lies, all Addy can do is get her to talk.
Bluff:1d20 + 15 ⇒ (10) + 15 = 25 The bluff is to make it seem •really• interesting to have a heart-to-heart with Addy?
”Bold accusation, I know. Care to correct me where I’m off?”
Fun fact: it's often easier for dogs to learn gestured commands as opposed to spoken ones! My sister trains her dogs in gestures, words, and shepherd's whistle (since she's a professional stockdog trainer who enjoys competing in herding competitions). That came in very handy when her elderly corgi went deaf.
“Pleasure to meet ye. I’m Mrs. Addison Kavinka. Ye can call me Addy, if ye like.” She doesn’t introduce her position because the Vixen is the enforcer. Addy has the battle mask in her bag, in case something happens. (It takes a minute to change personas, though. If caught by surprise, I’ll need to use the bow as Addy.)
As Addy wraps up her time with the fey team, she thanks them, tip them (5 silver each?) and asks the pixie about who they were trying to avoid? (I think Mather Nithra. Addy was saving that topic for last since it sounded serious!)
Addy is glad she is the only one getting a massage. A massage is supposed to be silent, but this is just too good.
“Ha! Perlavish—he and Tyg were a prankster pair, though I get the feeling that li’l dragon put her up to it.” She wonders how odd it must be to crawl along a giant bare-assed human while talking about fart jokes. “But no surprise there’s two sides to every story. Two sides to me too, so lemme know when to flip o’er so ye can do me front. Oh… but o’ course ye gotta work me thighs and me calves. No rush.”
Addy will gladly let the gossipy grigs lose track of time and keep massaging while they keep talking.
“Tyg played her harp like a pro. I mean no offense to the sprites and the pooka—the band was a joy, and celebrating me goddess’ day on the stage with ’em was an absolute joy! But I’ve no doubt the crowd saw three musicians playing, and one performing. They all put their hearts in it, but yer eyes and ears could spot the difference.
“The Queen favored her. I’ll have to ask her o’ the scandal. I’ve the feeling she did no wrong, and will only ask as a friend. I can respect her wanting to keep her secret, if she prefers.” Addy rests her head on her arms, closing her eyes to better on every sensation, on every syllable of gossip. “I owe her that.
“Tyg opened me eyes to the world o’ the fey, and it’s given me a purpose.”
Me as in Addison Lane Kavinka. The Vixen doles out punishment, but fey relations… that’s the gentler side. Her soul would be lost in the violence if Addy let the Vixen overtake her completely.
The gossip is music to Addy’s ears. She resists the urge to pipe in opinions, but she does say, “Seripan recognized the name when I mentioned Tyg’s the first fey I met, and we were fast to become friends. Seripan seems sweet too, so… what’s the story between her and Tyg?”
She expects there will be no need for a follow-up question. A long story might extend the length of the massage, the masseuses talking might be detrimental to the quality, but no matter: a new feeling and new gossip! What’s a couple o’ gold compared to that?
Addison smiles. “Ladies’ fashion is my art. Imagine the shock to my system when I met Tyg, for whom it was the norm to wear nothing. She dove into my… materials.” Lingerie, in fact. “She adored the feeling of being clothed.”
Addison removes her robe with a graceful draw of the sash. It falls to her feet.
“And I adore the freedom that’s the norm for the fey. Grass is always greener on the other side, ain’t it?
“Well, work yer wonders ladies.” And to the genderless pixie, she adds, “I dabble in athletics meself. Feel free to tell me your interests while ye work.
“Sometimes it can be relaxing to just… listen.”
Addy will lay down in whatever position she’s told, and she’ll find out what three grigs and a pixie can do.
I just reread the Crystalhue performance (on page 77). We used The Nutcracker’s “Waltz of the Snowflakes” as the music.
I just watched my daughters perform The Nutcracker, and my oldest admitted that she “secretly cried” when she didn’t get to dance as a snowflake. Still, she danced en pointe in “Waltz of the Flowers” and in the Act II opening, all three of my girls were on stage.
For all you Cowboy Bebop fans, “Waltz of the Flowers” is the music at the end of Episode 11, after Spike jettisons his refrigerator into space.
Addison smiles at the pixie. “Please, Korybante, lead the way.” She tells the grigs, ”I ain’t had a massage since Crystalhue. That was me wedding night, and prior to that, me grig friend Tyg was onstage with me playing her harp.
“The women who massaged me wife and I were also musicians. I don’t suppose ye ladies’re performing artists yerselve, are ye?”
The mention of the name ‘Mather Nithra’ seems important to Addy… but it also seems like the sort of topic you discuss after a massage.
Addison hears the grig out. The only difficulty she will have now is that she can’t address the group as ‘ladies.’ So I’ll just call the pixie by name then.
“Well, team fey it is then! The name’s Mrs. Addison Kavinka, but just call me Addy. And ye mind me asking yer names?”
While Pelipe has learned the Prestidigitation spell, she has rarely ever used it to clean people. After this most embarrassing event, she considers that other people often use it for that purpose, not just on items.
"Something to study."
Prestidigitation is the best people-cleaning spell. I have a Nintendo-rip-off pair of characters named Lunk and Savi. Savi is a prankster familiar with various-sized fairy forms (diminutive sprite, tiny liminal sprite and fine elder witchlight).
She can will Prestidigitation, so she often casts it on other PCs to cleanse them and she even warms their clothing. She does this without telling them, do the idea is that everyone is walking around sweaty and gross, and after she flies by everyone is clean, the BO in the air is gone, and clothes feel like they’re fresh out of the dryer.
Who says pranks can’t be kind?
_____
Oh, Savi’s “prank” got favorited, so I could easily find the post: {LINK}
@DM, I don’t know if you glossed over Addy’s post, since I slipped it in between two of yours: {LINK}
I was going to post in-character to remind you, but how many female fey massage Addison is the least important thing happening. I didn’t want my lame “ahem”-ing at the counter to be the first post on page 100.
Addy is intrigued by the uniqueness—she wants a massage from three grigs and a pixie, if they are all female. She really won’t be able to relax if there is a male present, and even knowing these are pros, she knows herself too well. Fortunately, she can see the team. If all four are female, team fey it is! If only one member is male, she might very politely ask if just the three female fey could work on her.
Bluff:1d20 + 15 ⇒ (19) + 15 = 34
She does not look alarmed at all when Katrine sees her, open robe leaving nothing to the imagination. She simply adjusts and fixes the sash, as if she had just put the robe on.
“I’m on the way to get a fey massage. I’m curious if the masseuse’ll be a sprite. The feeling I’m those dainty creatures dancing all o’er me body at the Crystalhue performance was a sensation like I’d never—
“Ohhhh, who am I kidding?” Addy grins, but let’s the mischievous look melt just a little. “I was teasing Ahto a bit, and Pelipe to an extent… or maybe mostly her. It was a convoluted and spontaneous inkling, but I thought I’d stir their pot o’ repressed-mutual-feelings stew, then bail, like a third wheel rolling away from the bicycle o’ love.”
Does Katrine not see the genius? Maybe she doesn’t.
“The metaphors’re an o’erreach, but ye see it too, right? Ahto? Pelipe? She’d make a pretty queen, unless she dies of old age waiting for Ahto to propose.
“Or maybe I’m a hopeless romantic.” She stops to breathe. Katrine can finally get a word i—
Once on the fey side, Addy heads over to wherever one goes for a massage. She leaves her robe open, unless there is a male presence. (In that case, she covers up.)
“I just stepped out o’ the bath, and I could use a masseuse. However, if ye don’t mind me saying, I can’t have any male presence about.” She doesn’t elaborate on this demand. “Can ye tell me about yer masseuses?”
“Alright. Ye two relax. No need to stand guard if all me valuables’re here!”
Addison takes two coins. If the bathhouse provides a robe, she dons it. If there’s no robe provided, she has her own.
Once she ties the sash, Addy tosses a coin.
1d2 ⇒ 1
She makes a face at the coin, mimicking the serious expression on the heads side. She turns to Ahto and Pelipe, still making that serious coin face.
“I’m going to leave ye two unchaperoned.”
DC20 Secret Message:1d20 + 15 ⇒ (6) + 15 = 21
Pelipe:
Somehow, Addy’s unspoken message is crystal clear to Pelipe.
Nothing gets honest words out better than chatting in the nude.
With that is the implication that Addy removing herself is intended as a favor.
She gives Ahto and Pelipe a warm and friendly smile and walks away.
If Ahto or Pelipe watches:
Addy pulls the sash just at the point where she will leave the pair’s sight. The robe is still on, and still covers Addy from behind, but it’s hanging loosely. She doesn’t turn to see if anyone noticed.
But from her unfaltering runway-model gait, she appears to be completely care-free, as if being cleansed in this fey place has somehow lifted a burden… or her spirits? It definitely lifted something.
Pelipe is correct of her line of reasoning leads to the conclusion: Addison does not respect Garess. (I think she stopped hating him though!)
“A world where we can’t get a long o’er differences is as chaotic as it gets. Ever since I discovered fairies and mermaids ain’t just the products o’ li’l girls’ imaginations, I’ve been all about understanding the way o’ the fey. Ain’t seen a mermaid yet, but maybe here?”
Addy stands. She looks like she’s on a mission. (Or like she’s forgotten how to not be on a mission.)
“Maybe the masseuse is a mermaid, and I can have a massage and a bath at the same time. Aw hell, I gotta head o’er to the fey side and find out what me options are. I’m clean enough.”
She steps out, but swivels her head around, facing Ahto and Pelipe.
Addy can’t help but notice if Pelipe wants to cover her breasts, she’s doing it wrong. She doesn’t look too hard, and simply hands over the soap.
“Cap’n Garess at the time, but he’s been promoted o’course. He’s in command of our military. Me wife started out as the only woman in his unit—a soldier. We’d become fast friends, and when she said she ain’t met the right man, I took it to mean she was looking for one.
“This might come off strange, but… it made it easier to approach her. We could just be friends and I could sort out me life and there’d be no romance. There never was. I read me trashy novels written by me client, she’d hit on me and we’d both act as if it were in jest, and it was so easy… never to get close.
“And so Ash and I had a shooting competition at the range, and having a normal friend was good for me. Then we got attacked and that damn wyvern lurched right o’er her.”
Addy of course knows she told the wyvern story already. Besides, Pelipe asked about Garess.
“Garess lost two men that day. Indentured, I believe, and a solder was thrown through a roof and survived. I think the casualties weighed heavily and maybe our handling o’ the wyvern and the surrender process upstaged him.
“I couldn’t stand him because he gave Ash shit duties and held her back—she’s an amazing councilor! But Garess trains solders, not liaisons, community organizers, and whatever other multitude o’ hats me wife dons.”
Addy isn’t even sure when she stopped disliking Garess. She hadn’t given the man a thought in so long.
“And poor Ahto had to hear me gripes about what an asshoIe Garess was! I mean in me opinion at the time, which was heavily biased. Oh, but ye handled me well that day, and yer advice made things better. Ash and Garess and meself’re all better off now that the titles’ve been sorted.”
I think some of my posts were eaten. I definitely recall posting a link to my artwork here in Discussion. I believe an IC post is missing too. But anyway, I had a chance to post in-game today.
Unmasked, and un-everything-elsed, it is Addison who is prepared to bathe. She’s too proud of her toned abs—and too confident to still feel sensitive about her thighs—that she isn’t concerned about who sees what.
She folds her clothing neatly, but takes a few coins with her when the topic of massage comes up. “I think I best head o’er to the fey side,” she says, despite having stepped into the water to at least get that initial rinse out of the way. “That Crystalhue performance, with me wedding gown as a winter landscape for Tyg and the dancing sprites… if the fey massage is to be given by a sprite, won’t that be sweet.
“But the fey come in many shapes and sizes, so for all I know, I’ll be held in the hand o’ the biggest fey there is. It’s not a treat I’ll say no to, long as the masseuse is a fey woman. I ain’t really worried about funny stuff, but a girl’s gotta take precautions.”
Addy isn’t sure whether Pelipe would prefer to be alone with Ahto.
She turns to Pelipe, making no effort to submerge her freckled body more than necessary to be comfortably seated.
“How about yerself, Pelipe? Would ye rather stay here? Katrina and Wonky’re washing their dogs. Might be quieter on this side, so I may as well wash up here so I’m clean for the masseuse… especially if it’s one o’ the tinier fey.”
Addy wonders if not being the only woman here with Ahto will make it easier for Pelipe to bathe with him. She’ll chat a bit, and when it comes to the massage, if Pelipe would prefer not, Addy will be that third wheel rolling the hell out o’ the way!
“Y’know, Ash and I were in the bath together the first time I told her how I felt.”
Dammit, Child! says the Vixen.
The Child already spoke, so she just goes on anyway. “That was right after the wyvern battle, Ahto. But I didn’t tell ye right away. We kept quiet until Garess seemed suspicious.
“Looking back, no wrongdoing on his part. He was her commanding officer. I get that he saw me as a distraction.”
It's been since the 17th since VV posted. I'm sure with the holidays (assuming there are them where you are), it might have become busy. I'm going to wait to post my response to what's going on to see what she does/thinks/says before I go further. Her reactions are important to Pelipe.
Just watched Cruella with the wife and daughters. The Vixen would be a fan—and I was thinking of the Uringen man‘s reaction to her in a scene where Cruella goes to a party where everyone wears black and white, and she shows up in a fashionable red dress! (And a mask. And she’s a fashion designer. And she has a relatively normalish persona…)
The Vixen weezes in surprise. First time in forever I done something that foolish. Let it go, Vixen, ye’re still a bit of a fixer upper…
Are we really doing this? In Summer? Should I just show myself to the open door?
Oh, this reminds me—Love Is An Open Door was *attempted* by two brave souls. No I was not one of them. Hamilton was my only risk. My other picks were nerd-rock: Devo’s Beautiful World and Talking Heads’ Psycho Killer.
Addy feigns offense being taken. “I’ll have ye know me romantic life’d make me romance novelist friend blush 50 shades o’ red, if not for out cat.”(When you nat.20 a Handle Animal check, you get a pet!)“Huntress is her name. The cat, not me author friend.”
On the subject to Pelipe’s apparent romantic interest, Addy doesn’t kid around. “Ahto hasn’t had any love interests to me knowledge since I’ve known him. He’s his own stone-faced way o’ dealing with the topic o’ love.”
Addy relives one of the Vixen’s memories.(Pelipe could easily get Addy to describe this conversation, if you want this as IC knowledge.)
“He was so supportive when I let the word ‘love’ slip. I think he knew it meant I was ready to give a normal life a shot. And I think he was happy for me.” Addy smiles warmly at Pelipe. And maybe there’s a hint of guilt for getting her to admit it, but… “I know I’d be happy for him, if.”
If what?
“The two o’ ye’d be adorable. Dead serious, Pelipe—I hope it works out.” For someone claiming to be ‘dead serious,’ her freckled cheeks are pretty pink.
Addison accepts Pelipe’s gesture. And she remains as Addison, mask still in her lap.
“Being rich don’t mean yer suffering matters less. And ye were just a child. Ye’ve nothing to be ashamed of. Like I said, it took me years to become so open.”
It dawns on her what Pelipe is saying about her scar. And her husband finding out on…
“The wedding night, huh? Me father always said kick any man to the curb who can’t wait for the ring and the vows. I married a woman, but still, I followed me father’s rule… not that I was e’er so pure. Just circumstantial postponements: crush on me straight friend, years o’ pushing prospective women away, and then Ash and I were always too busy for romance. I think I proposed just to ensure we’d both be off-duty on the same night.”
She says this lightheartedly, but in a more serious tone she adds, “Ye’re beautiful. Any man willing to wait for the wedding night won’t run away on account o’ yer scar. You are beautiful,” she repeats, “inside and out.
“And including the scar, I imagine. I mean, ye're the one who’s attracted to men so correct me if I’m wrong, but ain’t Ahto the epitome o’ handsome? The scars might intimidate his foes, but I think they make him look like he’s carved from a mountain.
“Oh, and if ye tell anyone I commented on a man’s appearance, I’ll deny it,” she warns with a playful smirk. “Vehemently.”
“Burn? Uh… well… Wonky was tripping and I had me pencil, see?”
Addy hears herself in such a fluster and just laughs.
“Oh, this is gonna be fun! I definitely can’t pull this off without yer leather working tools and talent, Katrine. And Pelipe, that’s an amazing dress design! I’d be intimidated if I were still in the business!”
