Search Posts
"Thanks very much, Honor; I've been told that I'm a good negotiator, but I doubt that I'd be able to provide the... uh... payment that a Calistrian would likely want. If you're alright with those things, then I'll keep you posted about my plans, and if you want to come with me if I do get the chance to go, I would love the help!"
"Marak? What happened t- ...I can heal you if you n- ...Okay, uh... bye?" Suhaila watches him leave in mild concern, then smiles her thanks at Bo and Doyle. "Thank you both for your advice and offers! I wouldn't want to go alone; the presence of my husband and friends played a large role in keeping my secret, after all. Still, assuming I could get some assistance, I'd be very grateful for either the aid of your elven friends, or your flying abilities. I'm not very good at being stealthy, but of course, I'll be as discreet as I can be; I'm pretty sure Shelyn would rather see good be done safely and quietly than risk that goodness by demanding credit for it.
Her face lights up at Avelina's grand entrance. "You're back! Sounds like you've been busy fighting the good fight..."
"And that... um... armor suits you well!"
"As it happens, they DID assign me a mission in Rahadoum, once... I'm not sure why the Society thought smuggling in an angelblooded, Shelynite priestess with a noticeable religious tattoo was in any way a good idea, but at least we managed to complete our mission before I got found out." She smiles as the memory, but her expression grows sad at the thought of the nation's current troubles. "It's just really frustrating; Shelyn and I could help SO MUCH if they would let me in, even for a little while. ...I wonder if I could get someone to teleport me past the border guard..."
"Unplanned MATING activities?! I dunno about the others, but I assure you, I will not be mating with anyone in this room!" Suhaila grumbles for a moment, then remembers her manners. "Uh... nice to meet you, Doyle. I'm Suhaila, but some people call me Suli, for short; either is fine with me!" She reaches out to shake a hand, then retracts it, unsure of how one properly greets a bat. "So... so there are plagues in Rahadoum?"
Suhaila grins at Bree-Bran.
Her face rapidly reddening, she watches as Aldoz delivers the note.
Gathering the gist of the situation, she smiles broadly at Honor. "Now, what kind of Shelynite would I be if I said no? I'd love it if you joined us! Besides, it's very possible that my husband will be summoned to Gallowspire, as well, so... it could be like a double date, but for traveling, Pathfinding, and religious sightseeing! I'll have someone send out messages when we're ready to leave; I hope your evening plans go smoothl-EEP!" She smiles and begins to wave as Honor leaves, but the sudden entrance from the rafters startles her, resulting in a loud squeak. "Uh... hello? How... how long have you been up there?"
Hearing the words of Bree-Bran and Honor, Suhaila's face lights up like a Crystalhue prism; her expression is akin to that of a puppy who has successfully fetched a stick. Shelyn, didja see that? I did good! I helped somebody! Elated, she turns to Bree-Bran. "That's great! I'd love to help you find whichever happiness you're looking for, if that's okay!" Suhaila stops for a moment, then clarifies. "Uh... just to be sure- I can help with romance, if that's what you want, but only in an advisory sense."
Suhaila watches Tyriel drink, concerned by his description of the "kitchen". "Uh... but... kitchens don't have beds, so... whose stuff is... Never mind." Turning, she smiles at the confused Avelina. "I know some Iomedaeans think that we Shelynites are kind of frivolous, because we talk more about love and beauty and the arts than about crusades and holy war, and I can understand that; still, I feel like if we don't enjoy the precious and fun things in life and only focus on the fight, then we might forget some of the things we're fighting for. Also, I happen to like talking about the artistry of clothing, but friends talk about whatever they want to talk about! I'd be happy to discuss whatever you're interested in!
"As it happens, Shelyn's colors are red, gold, and green, but rainbow colors are sacred, too, and she makes it clear that one should dress in the way that flatters them most. That's why I have so many pastel colors; I want to represent Shelyn's appreciation for all colors (and, by extension, all feeling creatures), but I know I look and feel better in the lighter versions of those colors.
Suhaila clears her throat and averts her gaze, kicking the ground shyly. "Also, I know I was a bit vague back there, but... do we still get to be friends? I really would appreciate your company, if you still wanted to go to Caliphas and meet that paladin, sometime, but I understand if you'd rather not... I just thought it could be fun." After hearing Honor's praise, the angelkin blushes. "Uh... thank you! It's not always easy, but I just remember that anything that can love can be redeemed, and that helps me keep my temper, sometimes."
"C-curtains can be... lovely..."
With significant effort, Suhaila stiffens her trembling lower lip and holds back her tears of empathy for her upset comrade. She takes another deep breath, releases it, and brightens. "A-are you kidding? Of course you're fashionable! That s-stylized cassock is totally adorable! The Iomedaean color scheme suits you, and I love the pleated skirt; did you sew it yourself?" As she looks Avelina over, it becomes clear that she has deliberately traded "too many feelings" mode for "artist" mode; she nods her approval, and, indicating her own outfit, she does a quick turn. "My vestments were made for me by a really talented member of my temple, and my cloak was made for me by my husband, but I embroidered the sash, myself. The hip scarf was made by my family members in Varisia, though. Given my position in the church, I prefer to wear a lot of color, but the softer, lighter look is great on you!"
Suhaila's mind is racing furiously, trying to think of a way to defuse an already explosive situation. Oh boy, oh boy, what do I do now?! I can't just break her heart in front of everybody... but I love Treval, and more than anything, I would never dishonor our wedding vows! I... I'll ask Shelyn! She'll know what to do! Without any outward sign, Suhaila activates her Mitre of the Hierophant and attempts to contact her patron. Are you there, Shelyn? It's me, Suli! What... What do I... On a scale of "no" to "yes", how screwed am I? After a second, fond but thoroughly-amused laughter rings in her mind, then fades. With some effort, Suhaila is able to keep her frustration from her face. Oh, GOOD! I'm glad SOMEBODY'S getting a kick out of this!
I need to give her a way to save face, somehow, but I need to make the truth clear, because... she won't get it, otherwise. Suhaila smiles warmly at Avelina and clasps her hands. "Yes! There's nothing like a pair of new friends going on a road trip together! Quite honestly, though, I feel you on the "nobody has taken interest like this before"- For some reason, I only have one or two close female friends; most of my friends are male. I've always wanted more female friends, because I only have a big brother, and even though I love him to pieces, it'd be nice to have a sister, sometimes, y'know? "Anyway, it'll be great! I can introduce you to my brother, Cass, and my husband, Treval, while we're in town; I just know they'll love you, and Cass is always saying I need to make more female friends! Then, on our trip, we can stay up late and talk about virtue and religion and charity and fashion (you clearly have excellent fashion sense) and you can tell me about your family and people you have crushes on, and I can tell you embarrassing stories about my dork of a big brother and how Treval and I met, and we'll be best friends in no time flat!" The angelkin watches Avelina carefully, looking for recognition. Maybe I should give her an out, so she can have an excuse to leave, if she needs it... "So! Do you need to make any further preparations for the trip?"
"Romantic... pilgrimage?"
Suhaila turns bright red and starts after Avelina in a sudden rush, hand outstretched. "WAIT WAIT WAIT! I HAVE A... husband..." Realizing that she's unlikely to catch up, Suhaila plops down in a chair, holds her head in her hands, and slowly begins to panic. "Aaaaand, she's gone. Great. If my husband catches wind of this, he's gonna be... confused, at best. Do I go find him? Do I wait for her? I don't want her to get back and keep having the wrong idea, but what if he hears about it, somehow, and worries about me? What if she's forever heartbroken, and she never learns to trust people with her heart again, and it's my fault, somehow?! That would be sacrilege! ...What if she DIES before she gets back and she never knows what I meant and then it's a misunderstanding FOREVER?! What... What do I DO?!" Suhaila takes a deep breath to calm herself, and lets it out in a reasonable impression of a steady breath. "I... I just wanted to go on a girls' road trip; I don't have many female friends, and she seemed really nice, so I thought it could be fun, but I don't want to hurt her... Sweet Shelyn, how do I get myself into these situations?!"
"Actually, Miss Avelina, it turns out that I'm probably going to be heading back to Ustalav on Society business soon, so if you'd like to travel with me, you'd be welcome! I'll probably be heading for Gallowspire itself, to be honest, but I'd be happy to accompany you to Caliphas and introduce you, first." Upon hearing Voren's comment, Suhaila nods her head emphatically. "It really is! I mean, Ustalav IS pretty drab, but that's all the more reason for us to help the poor folks that have to live in that miserab- I mean, the proud citizens of that historically important country! ...Oh, uh, mister?" The angelkin girl turns her attention to the newcomer. "I don't think he's trying to be rude or anything; it's really likely that the Silver Crusade has been infiltrated by bad people before, so he's probably just trying to make sure that our safe lodge stays that way! ...Wait, did you say the Weighted Swing?"
Her eyes light up with recognition and respect. "Wow, followers of Dammerich are pretty rare! I don't think I could ever do the job that you guys do; I've never actually killed anything, to be perfectly honest. I've helped people fight, of course, but... yeah. I just dunno if I could really do it with my own hands."
Suhaila waves to the exiting Rhon. "Okay, take c- eep!" She jumps as the earth elemental takes its leave; hesitantly, she waves to it, too. "Uh... bye to you, too...? ...Anyway, about the Iomedean..."
Suhaila's response:
"I met him in an abbey just outside of Caliphas; he was a vampire at the time, though. We talked about his feelings, and after he died, I took his ashes to the Dawngrace Memorial in Caliphas- you know, the big Iomedean temple? I talked to the clergy, and we took up a collection for diamond dust to bring him back. We got enough, so I asked Shelyn to give him his body back, and she did! His name is Halloran Idriss, and he's been reinstated as a paladin; I bet you could still find him around Caliphas, if you really wanted to. He's a pretty nice guy!"
Spoiler-free response: "He's probably somewhere around Caliphas, so if you looked in Iomedaean temples around there, you'd probably get word of him!"
"Well, my paladin friend and I are both Shelynites, but you can find the Iomedaean in the Ustalavic town of- hang on a second." Suhaila waves her arms to get attention. "Wait, everybody! Some mysterious, sneaky agent came in earlier; he said he found Thunderlips and Miss Blackros and that they appeared to be just fine and engaged in... "honeymoon behavior." Suhaila clears her throat awkwardly, then continues. "If they're both there by choice and happy, what right do we have to get in their way?"
Suhaila brightens further at the approval of her unconventional method. "It was pretty neat! He was actually a fallen paladin of Iomedae, and he ended up wanting to atone; I was willing to do it, but I lack a certain amount of lawfulness; my paladin friend, though, was able to do it for him, and then after he died, we got some diamond dust and-" She pauses, seeing Pythia's request. "Oh, sure! He said that he thinks that a pure soul is more of a journey than a thing to have, and that real power comes from knowing your own need for redemption and striving to make your soul better. Is that right?" Suhaila looks to Marak for confirmation.
At the mention of vampires, Suhaila perks up and raises her hand energetically. "Ooh, me too! I did, too! I killed a vampire in Ustalav a couple weeks ago! But..." She pauses, reconsidering. "...Well, I guess I didn't so much kill him as talk with him about his feelings. ...And sit with him until the sun rose. Does that count? I feel like it counts."
"Huh... That's pretty... neat, Miss Avelina. Well... done?"
Suhaila laughs, then shakes her head. "No; while it's likely the comment was addressed to many of us, I'm pretty sure my presence had something to do with it. It's not the first time he's called me a child, after all. We've worked together once or twice before, and while he's definitely a capable and trustworthy ally to have, he and I have had... disagreements on certain subjects- mercy and redemption, in particular. To make a long story short, I'm pretty sure he sees me as a childish idealist with more optimism in my head than common sense, and I see him as- well, kind of a well-intended meanie."
Hearing the paladin's statement, Suhaila takes a deep breath and slowly releases it. Soon, an apologetic smile replaces the remnants of a pout. "Thanks for saying so, and I'm sorry for being a bit loud." The girl gives a slightly melodramatic sigh and relaxes in her seat. "I try my best to be less excitable and more patient, like Shelyn; It's just... it's really hard to be calm and collected and serene ALL the time, y'know? After awhile, I just get kinda restless and irritable. Also, I know I'm kind of young to be a Seeker, but I AM one, so I get mad when people treat me like a kid, anyway." Seemingly calmed by her chance to vent, the angelkin turns her attention to the popping sounds coming from Bree-Bran's back. "That... sounds a bit painful. Would you like me to take a look at it? I'm pretty good at healing, and since Mysterious Shadowy Guy discovered that this THUNDERLIPS person and his companion don't seem to be in danger, my day has freed up a bit."
"No, I mean, if you find her attr- WHAT?!"
Suhaila beams at the compliment, then grows wistful.
"Uh... Excuse me, but..."
"According to Shelyn, displaying erotic beauty can be just as sacred as painting a masterpiece, y'know. Being righteous doesn't mean we can't be attractive..." She leans in towards Avelina, lowering her voice to a murmur.
(Upon reading the report) "Yeah, that's pretty much how the mission went, but...THAT'S what his 'purification ritual' with the cookware was?!" (Suli's face is a bright red not normally found on living things.) "Oh, dear. I... I'm not sure exactly where Shelyn stands on love between a man and a kitchen utensil, but... I think I'll err on the side of smiling benignly and not asking any more questions." |
