A new day for The Outriders (dnd ttrpg PM Siobhan before joining to see if she can handle another)

[Nouh_Bdee]

After finding Greta, the biggest mystery facing the group other than how they were going to deal with this cult was where Trilan put all the food he ate. Lamb-filled pita after lamb-filled pita was washed down with a little date wine and a lot of a mint tea that reminded him of home just enough. After they finished, by all rights he shouldn’t’ve been able to move, but you wouldn’t know it by looking at him, as he leaned on one elbow and smiled warmly at his reunited colleague.

“Ingrid seems happier than I remember her, and she’ll be even happier to hear you’re alright.” He flashed a saucy, date-wine-sparked wink at the gnome. “And in lovely company, too.” Then, he got a bit cagey. It wasn’t that he distrusted either of them, but he thought he’d give Greta a chance to ask for more details in case she didn’t want to discuss specifics around her friend. “As for the other half of why we’re here, after finding you that is, it’s a favor for the local magistrate back near Vartan’s old estate. I imagine the first step will be learning our way around this city. Perhaps you could help with that?”

 

[Minxee]

The gnome is deep in thought as she looks down into her cup of warmed milk. She had seen far too much death recently and the screams haunt her sleep. She regretted leaving her home in the forest but she didn’t have a choice. It was leave or be killed. She reached down to triple check her bag was still with her… wrapped around her foot and nestled between her legs for safeguarding. Her bag contained all her prized possessions and ment everything to her. It was all that was left of what she called home. She hasn’t even reached adulthood by gnome standards and yet here she was… fending for herself trying to be an adult. Not that she would tell anyone - when the question of age was brought up she would just say that she was old enough to know better… it was technically true.
Hearing Greta’s voice and the voice of a man she came back to reality and looked around. Everything was always so noisy and she missed the quiet sounds of the forest. She took a long sip of her milk and looked up at Greta with worry in her eyes. She has been injured quite badly and though Bubbles had exhausted herself with healing as best she could she was afraid that it wasn’t enough.

Bubbles look a moment to appraise the gnome before her. She didn’t trust him and was put on edge. Greta seemed to trust him but with all she had seen since leaving her home it was hard to know who to trust. So it was best to trust no one and always be prepared. However Greta trusted him so… she let out a long audible sigh and shook her head before looking around once more. Her legs squeezing her bag tight.
In a soft voice she nervously spoke…
“We haven’t been in the city for very long but I am guessing it’s longer than you and your friends have been here?” She raised an eyebrow questioningly.
“We know where some of the important places are located. Where to get supplies and stuff.” She shrugs and goes back to her milk…

 

[Btq97]

Nuada commented on how good the food was before and how it was good to have more people for the group. He carefully studious the new gnome. She was cute. He caught the attention of a serving girl and asked for a couple of bottles of the local firewater and enough glasses for everyone. When it was delivered he opened one of the bottles and poured shots for all. "To new friends" he toasted and tossed his drink back in one.

 

[Minxee]

Bubbles jumps a little as she notices Nuada come out of the shadows and takes a moment to look him over. She moved a little closer to Greta. She takes the shot glass in her small hand and sniffs it - her nose instantly crinkles up. She hesitates and watches as everyone else just drinks it back. She lets out a soft whimper before bringing the drink up to her lips. She breathes out through her nose as she takes the drink back in one go. She slams down the glass on the table and looks down letting her hair hide her face as she grimaces and swallows down the burning liquid. She supresses a cough before looking back up.
"To new friends...."

 

[Btq97]

Nuada pours another round of shots. He stands and in a quiet reflective tone says "To absent comrades" takes a sip and pours the rest of the shot on to ground beside him before sitting down

 

[Minxee]

Bubbles takes hold of the holy symbol that hangs in a chain around her neck and closes her eyes before muttering a silent prayer to those that have fallen.

After a moment of silence she speaks up.

“Too many good people have been lost… it’s not right…”

 

[Btq97]

Nuada sits and looks at Bubbles , "The gods do as they please, when they call you to their side there is not a lot that can be done - well not unless you got trunk loads of gold and a mighty powerful cleric on hand. Do you need to replenish any stock from healing Greta?".

 

[Minxee]

“My supplies should be okay. I tend to stock up when I am able to as I know it can sometimes be months between town visits. That and I have learnt to forage from the land when needed. Only thing I need is a good night sleep… though I am unsure that is possible with all that I’ve seen recently. It plagues my dreams. How do people just keep going after seeing all this death and destruction and… and… suffering. I can still hear the cries from children as they were made to watch their parents be tortured….”
She reaches over with both hands and grabs onto the shot before throwing it back… this time spluttering slightly as some of the liquid dribbles out the side of her mouth.
She stifles a giggle as she realises the size difference between them. While it might be a simple shot to most of them - in her small gnomish hands it was almost the size of a small glass. She wa a actually surprised that she was able to take it all at once. Granted it may take a couple of swallows but she was determined to fit in and this is apparently what people do… If she was at home right now she would probably be curled up in front of the fire with a book in hand a a cup of tea beside her on the table.

 

[Btq97]

"You never get used to it, well not if you do not want to become a monster" he paused, "There are times when you have kill or be killed - at times like those I choose to live as would any right thinking being" He poured another round "you lazy fuckers can help yourselves after this. Lets finish these " he motioned at the bottles " then I say we hit the sack, in the morning perhaps we ask around after some tradesmen to help fix up the place and see if there are juicy bounties to collect. Looks like these" he pointed to his face "do not come cheap " he took another drink "it grows on you or its killing my taste buds"

 

[Nouh_Bdee]

Trilan knocks back a pair of those shots, then paces himself, since he's a gnome too and was already well warmed up with the date-wine. "Too true. As for the friends we've lost, I think we just do our best to help them live on in our memories." Another sip. "As for the lives I've taken, I do my best to make sure it needs doing, and then I try not to dwell on it." He shrugs. "Tormenting myself with their memory doesn't do them any service, and I don't believe they'd deserve it if it did. Perhaps it's harsh, but I can't think what else to do."

 

[siobhancan99]

Greta hmmed. Her people put a great stock in warfare, and she'd not had the epiphany of her cousin. "to the fallen" was all she could muster in terms of any potential regret. "May the faithful serve the Donnersbarn in the halls of the dead." she sipped at her wine, looking the accumulated group over. "Bubbles" the way she pronounced it made it sound like there was an umlaut in there somewhere "is very kind hearted." She patted the gnome's arm sympathetically. "So, tracking a mysterious sex cult? Sounds fun. It is no wonder Ingrid didn't come. I swear she's as frigid as the mountains of home." She smirked a bit. "Perhaps a bit much. lets just say she has a singular focus and men tend to not be part of that." The bard or Skald she would remind everyone who asked, though most didn't, took from her pack a lute and tuned it as she sat. "We've been in the City nigh on a week now, as we came direct down the Bartok river from the inner sea. The main square is, as most Sultanate Cities are laid out, the temple square. The elemental temples are less prominent here in the more... secular parts of the sultanate than they are in the hinterlands. South for Ifrit, North for Marid, East for Genie, West for Dao. The largest temple is of Kral, the current Sultan's patron god. There is a temple of Kishmekili though, smaller, in the corner. They're a holdover from some older empire. Sacred prostitutes. Their job is to civilize a man. This is largely through symbolic sex. Any outlander who wishes to be recognized as a true member of sultanate society can pay a princely sum to lay with the priestess and come out civilized. Some sort of pre-sultanate legend about a wild man or something that gets tamed through pussy." She shrugged "If I were in charge, I'd at least ask around over there and see if they have any competition in the ass-for-salvation department."

 

[Btq97]

Nuada laughed. "Sex as a path to civilisation. That better be some good fucking for all that gold. Hmm I wonder they would take the news of competition. Perhaps they would be willing to fund the removal of the competing faction. With a bit of luck we can get paid three ways, and secure the plantation" he drank some more. "Where are staying at the moment? Do they have room for some more? I plan to do some serious damage to that last bottle and then " he paused and look between Greta and Bubbles " find some where comfortable and warm to spend the night"

 

[Minxee]

Bubbles takes a few moments to flag over a barwench and orders another warm milk. She takes a small pinch of some herbs from a pouch on her belt and mixes it into her milk before drinking it down.
“Sleep does sound pretty good. I am exhausted after today to be honest. We have been sharing a room upstairs. It’s not fancy or anything but it has four walls, a door that “locks”, a ceiling and to top it all off a bed - which beats sleeping on the ground.”

She nervously twists her glass in thought swinging her legs under her chair…

“Wait…. did you guys say a sex cult?!?” Bubbles goes bright red and shrinks down in her chair.

What the fuck have I stumbled into…

 

[Btq97]

Nuada watched Bubbles shrank into her chair seemingly embarrassed at the mention of a sex cult. "Yes . There have been reports of a religious cult offering long life and love etc based around sex" The way she blushed made her look even younger. "We will find out more aftet we check the temple Greta mentioned. So you were sharing a bed with Greta?" One of his eyebrows raised quizzically

 

[Minxee]

She nods taking in all the information… her mind trying to catch up and understand it all. Would people really be so easily swayed to join a sex cult?

A mischievous grin spreads across her face at the mention of Greta and her sharing a bed “oh wouldn't you like to know….”
She can feel the heat in her cheeks and makes a mental note that from now on she should only consume one shot…

 

[Btq97]

Nuada's tone is so innocent "Yes was working out if there would be room for a small one" he nods towards Trilan "I don't really sleep so I just need a quiet space to site and meditate. So do either of you snore?"

 

[siobhancan99]

Greta arched an eyebrow "I am not sharing a bed." She smirked "Unless I choose to. I don't have any particular desire to in present company." She crossed her legs and leaned back in her chair, taking another sip of her wine and then set to tuning her instrument again. "Besides we've got rooms. We've been staying here the week if you'll recall. Bubbles..." the name still sounded odd on her tongue "Has happily slept... well. I'm ignorant of her comings and goings as far as her bedmates go. I just know I was not among them." She hmmmed "Surprised that with the religious aspects of this my cousin didn't come along. She's usually eager to smite the heretic and all that." She turned to bubbles "She's a grim faced warrior woman full of piss and vinegar. She'd make a great Nord man to be honest. You know, except for not having a cock. And being too short." She hmmmed "I could always look for a place among the entertainers in the City, which is what I usually do when doing infiltration work. If there's a cult promising free sex out there, well." She paused "I can't imagine for a moment its not full of failed actors who have the looks for the stage but not the talent."

 

[Btq97]

Nuada said "Am sure anyone who graced either of your beds would be honoured. A place like this is full of ears and eyes would rather we plotted somewhere a tad less public. Would you favour us with a tune Greta?" He opened the 2nd bottle poured a shot and offered each more to each party member.

 

[Minxee]

“I’m not sure I should drink anymore… I am already feeling the effects of the last one…”
She looks over at the men and thinks for a moment… she lets out a soft sigh.
“Greta and I have our own rooms. We could easily get another room for you boys if you want. Otherwise if we want to save the coin I guess you both can stay in my room. Trilian can have the bed, Nuada you can sit on the end of the bed and have somewhere comfortable to meditate - it’s not like his legs are long enough to kick you or anything…”
She reaches out and grabs the shot and takes it down. This time it doesn’t burn as much as the last ones did… maybe she is getting use to this…

 

[Nouh_Bdee]

Trilan suppresses a giggle at both Bubbles’ discomfort and Greta’s characterization of Ingrid, remembering filling her cunt with spunk just before setting out for the city.

“I thank you for the invitation to your room, Bubbles, but I won’t take your bed.” He smiles warmly at her. “If you’d prefer not to share then I’ll be more than happy to sleep on the floor. It’s a treat compared to sleeping on the road.”

Then he winks at Greta. “Unless you’d like to share your bed? I don’t take up a lot of space under the blankets…”

 

[Btq97]

Nuada coughs as he tries to stop choking on the mouthful of spirit. The mental image of Trilan spanking Greta as he had done to Ingrid earlier. "Sorry went down the wrong way"

 

[siobhancan99]

"Surely you boys aren't too cheap to pay for a room" Greta shook her head "Or you know, three." She sipped at her wine and then stood up "I'm turning in. I can ask around after this cult in the morning if you like, and maybe you all can head over to the sacred square and talk to the priests, see what any might know and what rumors there are"

 

[Btq97]

Nuada nodded "It sounds like a plan. After the temple we should swing by the guildhall and see what news of the cult has reached there" He finished his drink "are we ready to turn in. It could be a busy day and with any luck profitable"

 

[Minxee]

"Oh I am so ready for sleep... more than happy to turn in. I am SO exhausted after today. You boys can come and crash in my room. Its not like we take up much room - we might as well save the coin. Ill leave the door unlocked so if you guys need to do stuff before you go to sleep."

Bubbles slowly makes her way up the stairs to her room and unlocks the door with the key and places the key on the dresser. The room is very basic and it doesnt even look like anyone has been staying in it. Bubbles picks up the pillows and throws one to the end of the bed and one in the middle for when the boys come in. She puts her backpack on her back and sits up on the bed leaning into the corner, her legs out across the bed where the pillows would be. She leans against the wall and takes hold of her holy symbol before closing her eyes and saying a silent prayer. She then wraps her arms around her and readies herself for sleep.

 

[Nouh_Bdee]

Trilan wasn't quite ready to call it a night, but Nuada has a good point. The next day could be quite eventful. So, with a nod, he finishes his drink and goes up to the room. He smiles at Bubbles, unsure if she's asleep already or not, and takes out his pack to use as a pillow as he lies down on the floor next to the bed. He's a bit tipsy, but even that's too much to get any scholarly work done, so he just closes his eyes and drifts away.