A Tale of Two Sisters (Blueslime and Takimaru)

[Takimaru]

Re: A Tale of Two Sisters (Blueslime and Takimaru) GMed by Hafnium

After seeing that all of her denarii were accounted for, Meara's shoulders lifted briefly before dropping again, and she wore a relieved expression, as if sighing in relief, but without the sound. Clutching it tightly to her chest, she cradled the pouch as if it were a small kitten, determined to not let it escape her grasp ever again. "Normally I'd not have been so hasty, but to think that he would even attempt to feed us such an outlandish story! Although I most certainly appreciate your level of understanding when it comes to this situation."

Her train of thought was brought to a screeching halt when she saw the ten denarii offered to her, and she looked up at him meekly, a tinge of guilt crossing her heart, as well as her features, before the catgirl wordlessly slipped her hand over his, then drew it back with the coins in her grasp. "Thank you," said Meara, bowing her head deeply and holding them in her enclosed fist, raising it to shoulder level. "But I'm not like this Nabal. I will be sure to repay this, somehow," she added, glancing over to the idiot thief with a look of disdain as he was dragged away.

When Pasha made her statement and referred to her, she replied with a calm nod. "Yes. I can also vouch for my sister's skills in that field--locks and traps are trivial to her. If you need a skilled fighter, I can promise that my services are more than sufficient," stated Meara confidently. Though the both of them also had extensive training as concubines, the thought of leaving another man utterly drained and being exiled from yet another troupe troubled her, and so she managed to avoid bringing up that particular matter. Instead, she awaited the man's explanation of the trial ahead, listening closely to the words that would follow.

 

[Hafnium]

Re: A Tale of Two Sisters (Blueslime and Takimaru) GMed by Hafnium

Spoiler

Pasha: HP = 54, PP = 41, EP = 41, Status = Fine.
Meara: HP = 81, PP = 43, EP = 44, Status = Fine.

The big man let out a bigger laugh. "I like your attitudes! Yes, there's always use for another sword-arm on the road. I'm sure you two know that better than any, bein' refugees." His expression quickly turned sour. "Damned plants, aliens, demons, warped wildlife, and most anything else you can imagine in the wilderness these days. Used to be you'd see a 'ighwayman or one of the weeds if you were unlucky, a faerie if you were really lucky. These days you can't get a good night's sleep in without something trying to eat your soul." He grumbled. The topic was apparently a matter that drew a great amount of his attention, as he began to chew on his knuckle and was all but looking past the two siblings, as if he had forgotten they were there.

The mountain of a man did slowly remember that the catgirls were present, though, the realization slowly dawning on his face and culminating in him suddenly continuing his original line of thought. His hand fell from his mouth with a few noticeable bite marks on it. "I suppose you're not 'ere to listen to a caravaneer grumble. My name's Doozer. I've run goods, merchants, travelers, and everything else from here to northern Badaria for the last few decades. And we always make it. If you two are as good as you say, it'll be an 'onor to 'ave you on for the company's last run. But like I said, there's tests. Both a bit dangerous. Could cause some bad 'urt on either of you. Probably won't kill you, though I can't make any promises."

Doozer shifted his attention to a short, thin, human woman sitting on one of the wagons. She had short, black hair along with mousy features on a youthful looking face. She wore a purple silken robe and had rimless glasses on. The woman was in the middle of reading a book when he called to her. "Lonnie! Might need ya in a moment!" The robed woman responded wordlessly. She placed a finger in between the pages she was on and closed the book around it, as to not lose her place, hopped off of the wagon, and all but glided to take a spot near the big man. He looked at Meara and Pasha in turn and commented; "Lonnie'll be your healer if ya need one when it's all said and done. If you're unsure about doing all this, you can back out at any time without shame. I don't want anybody getting 'urt. But that extends to down the road when I 'ave need for both of your skills."

With the dangers laid out and a healer on standby, he motioned for the sisters and Lonnie to remain where they were. He strode to one of the wagons and dragged a large chest out of it and to its ledge. He picked the chest up without much fanfare before returning to the three and dropping it on the ground, producing a loud thump. It was a simple wooden affair studded with iron. The lock was built into the chest, also made of iron. The keyhole was large enough for Pasha to stick one of her fingers into and was positioned directly over a second small horizontal slit in the chest. Presumably, picking the lock would cause the iron latch that kept the lid down to pop free and allow them access to the chest's contents.

"This one is your test," Doozer informed the sneakier Su-Ku-Ta. "Get to the treasures contained in the box and not only are they yours, you can consider yourself 'ired. Just try not to get hurt. You can start as soon as yer ready." As he finished explaining that, the swordsman who had dragged Nabal away was just returning. "Ah. And for your test," he addressed the more martial sister. "I want to see how you fare against Aganzo here." The big man motioned to the average-looking swordsman. "Just keep it in this little section of the market and I doubt we'll rile up the guards. They're notorious for their difficulty to rile. Don't kill each other, though. The salt-and-pepper-haired man unsheathed his sword, an espada ropera, by the looks of it, with his left hand and saluted her with the weapon, but said nothing.

"Any questions? Wanna back out? Or are you two ready to get started?" The chest, of course, was ready for Pasha's attentions as soon as she wished to get to work, though the thief couldn't help but notice that Lonnie's attention was more focused on her than the warrior catgirl. Doozer on the other hand was watching Meara and Aganzo, the latter of whom had taken a few steps away from the rest and turned his side toward the woman as he waited for her to ready herself and act, giving her a smaller target,.

 

[Takimaru]

Re: A Tale of Two Sisters (Blueslime and Takimaru) GMed by Hafnium

Meara's face had brightened by just a notch when she heard the offer being accepted by the burly caravaneer, her inner excitement difficult to hide upon the prospect of actually having a job for once, especially given the sisters' status as strangers in this foreign land. It wasn't quite an outright happy look, but rather the face of a disciplined individual who was trying their hardest not to laugh, the more positive emotions seeping out like steam through the cracks in her mask of seriousness. However, she only held that hopeful look for a moment, instead giving a sympathetic nod when the man gave his take on the state of the world's roads as they were. "Doozer... my name is Meara. This is my sister Pasha," said the green-clad Su-Ku-Ta, motioning to herself, then her sister, in that order.

The older sister's visage returned to a state of pure business when she heard about the test, and suddenly she was all to eager to learn of the details regarding these supposed trials. So much so that her greeting towards Lonnie was perhaps not as enthusiastic as she would have liked it to be, as Meara found her to be rather cute, but her mind was far too cluttered with possibilities at this point. "No, I won't back down. I can start the test at any time now, however..." If she were to actually stop and think about it, the catgirl would find herself to be a little hungry, but now wasn't the time. That would have been like taking a snack break in the middle of what was essentially a job interview, so she straightened up and remained vigilant for any other details to take note of.

She blinked twice when the chest was dropped in front of them, secretly hoping to herself that it was for Pasha--after all, there was simply no way she would know what to do with the lock built into it. She hadn't spent time with the rogue of their previous group, Calel, or at least not nearly as much as her younger sibling had, so Meara was admittedly a tad dense when it came to thief-like matters, as shown by the experience with Nabal just minutes ago. The older catgirl nodded and placed an encouraging hand on her sister's back, saying, "You can handle this, Sha-sha. I know you can." With so few words of support being given to them by outside sources, she made it a point to be the one who would always be there to do so for Pasha, and vice versa.

When it was time for her own trial to begin, Meara glanced over to Aganzo, then walked into the designated area, giving him a nod, then sized him up carefully. He didn't quite look like anything special to her, but overconfidence is what caused many a fall for her during her training with the refugee camps, and with such bitter reminders returning to her, the catgirl was sure to take him seriously. Besides, if there was anything he might have had on her, it was experience, perhaps--by most warriors' standards, Meara was something of a late bloomer, unaware of the nature of combat until her late teens when she was taken under the knightly Niran's wing to gain experience in the ways of both love and war. Her skills in the latter were needed now, and she could only have faith in them if she were to have any hope of attaining victory for both her and her sister's sake. "No, I am ready."

Uncoiling the whip kept at her side, the Su-Ku-Ta freed her trademark weapon, a lengthy whip made from tanned leather. While such a weapon was mainly used for intimidation, Meara had spent enough time with it to utilize its vicious cracking motions to disable opponents and keep them at bay. Needless to say, the man's sword-arm was the biggest threat to her in this case, so she naturally kept her eyes affixed on his weapon as a focus, keeping the rest of his body in her peripheral vision. After the swordsman appeared ready, she immediately sent her whip flying towards the hilt of his blade, in an attempt to strike it out of his grasp. The second attack, after a quick return by the more martial of the two sisters, was aimed at Aganzo's lower thigh, in an attempt to wrap around the limb--a sharp yanking motion backwards would, hopefully, bring him to his knees to open up his defenses for a third strike at his collarbone.

Spoiler

Meara uses Power Strike (x = 10) + Lightning Strikes. Trading 10 points of Dodge for +10 bonus to Attack and Damage rolls, so her dodge is brought down to 43 for now.
Lightning Strikes gives her -12 to Attack rolls and -6 to Damage rolls, making the overall modifier -2 Attack Roll, +4 Damage, x 3 Attacks.

(+58) 2d4 + 42
(+58) 2d4 + 42
(+58) 2d4 + 42

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: A Tale of Two Sisters (Blueslime and Takimaru) GMed by Hafnium

Pasha grinned brightly as Doozer introduced himself and told the two Su-Ku-Ta that the job was indeed theirs if they could only prove themselves. She nodded and looked over her shoulder at Meara, sharing a look with her sister as if to say "Can you believe our luck?" She made a polite bob of her head when Ra-Ra introduced her by name, and gave the same formal greeting to Lonnie, the bookish healer-type.

"No problem, Mister Doozer! We're ready for any test you've got. Not afraid of a few boo boos either!"


When the heavy trunk was dropped with a loud thud right in front of her, it took only a cursory glance for the roguish catgirl to recognize the mechanism. It almost looked too easy to her, and certainly Calel would have told her as much. Then her old boyfriend and tutor would have took her by the arm and told her to use her eyes, and ears, and most importantly her gut. A rogue lived and died by their instincts, and Calel had always told her she had the right stuff. Too bad for Calel, those instincts hadn't kicked in when he brought her to his sleeping bag that one fateful night.

She crouched down to examine the box more closely, and slipped an apple casually from up her sleeve, rolling it down her arm to the palm of her hand. She then brought the sweet fruit to her mouth and nommed into it with a big juicy bite as she pondered the lock mechanism, thinking where any traps could be lurking. Her ears perked up as she heard her sister's stomach growl, however.

"Hey, Ra-Ra, here!" She flipped the nicest of the green apples to her sister, knowing the hard tart ones were her favorite. "Can't fight on an empty stomach!" She grinned, then turned back to her task.

"Okie dokie, seems straightforward..." she purred and then crawled towards the trunk, taking out a few makeshift bits of metal that she had acquired during her travels and had used as a set of lock picks. "I'll have this one opened quite soon."

Spoiler

Not sure how thievery rolls should work, but I want Pasha to be actively suspecting a trap, given the healer being around. Pasha will look all around the box for an alternate opening or a safety latch to disarm a trap.

 

[Hafnium]

Re: A Tale of Two Sisters (Blueslime and Takimaru) GMed by Hafnium

Spoiler

Pasha: HP = 54, PP = 41, EP = 41, Status = Fine.
Meara: HP = 52/81, PP = 43, EP = 44, Status = Injured.

Rolls

Spoiler

Perception (Pasha): 1

Attacks (Meara): One hit, two misses.
Damage: 2 + 42 - 5 = 39 damage.

Attacks (Aganzo): One hit, two misses.
Damage: 10 + 22 - 3 = 29 damage.

Pasha's search gave her little to work with. It was too heavy to lift in order to check the bottom. The four sides she could get at looked completely normal in nature, wood studded with iron on all four corners with no extra mechanisms or anything that might catch her eye. The top was much the same. An iron locking mechanism with a keyhole and a small slit beneath it sat below the latch which would release the lid. Overall, it was almost as if it had been designed based on a picture of a stereotypical treasure chest.

The mechanism itself looked easy to unlock a woman of Pasha's skills, once she set in on it she would surely succeed at opening the chest. Yet, the way Lonnie's impartial gaze remained on her even as the sparring match began in earnest between her sister and Aganzo might suggest that her intuition probably wasn't wrong. Opening the chest would do her little good if the expected trap put her down.

Meara, in the meantime, had unleashed herself on her opponent. Her whip made a loud crack as she targeted the hilt of Aganzo's sword. He acted as quickly as she had, however, and in the end her whip wrapped around the blade instead of the hilt. This, in itself, wasn't the worst exchange possible for the Su-Ku-Ta as it still offered her the chance to try to disarm the other fighter. Her initial pull didn't succeed in wrenching the weapon from his hand. The other warrior, while certainly not the best she had ever seen, was too quick. His free hand grabbed at her bullwhip while it was still immobilized around his sword and vulnerable, halting her efforts turning the fight into a tug of war with neither side gaining any particular ground in pulling the other duelist's weapon of choice away.

But, while neither may have had much choice in disarming the other, Aganzo was using the window to try to close distance on Meara and nullify her advantage of range. While her initial plan didn't quite pan out, the warrior catgirl did end up getting her whip out of his hands and pulling it back to deliver another attack. The swordsman saw this as an opportunity and lunged forward, driving the flat of his blade toward her shoulder. The results of their efforts came in the form of the catgirl's whip striking the man in the collarbone, shredding the clothing and leaving a bright red wound where she had lashed. The flat of his sword drove into her own shoulder with enough force that she was sure it would at least bruise later.

Doozer cheered and whistled at the fight, particularly the exchange of blows, a roaring audience all by himself, apparently finding the clash quite entertaining. "Never seen anybody give it to Aganzo like that! Keep it up and I'll have you give you a signing bonus!" Aganzo certainly didn't seem to notice the man's words, and nobody would begrudge Meara if she hadn't either. The two fighters then would most likely find themselves focused on how to follow through and capitalize on their own successes.

Spoiler

Figured I ought to describe the chest in detail once more and give the details of Pasha's perception roll before having her go for the lockpick. Also helps to keep the sisters busy for around the same amount of time on their tests. >.>

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: A Tale of Two Sisters (Blueslime and Takimaru) GMed by Hafnium

Pasha looked at the chest quizzically, feeling certain that she was missing something. A test like this was just too easy. Too simple. The keyhole was so big that a kid with a little bit of time and luck and perhaps a small twig would get the thing opened in a matter of minutes. A thief of any modicum of skill could open this no problem. It was almost like the test wasn't supposed to be opening it. And yet, frustratingly, Pasha just wasn't seeing anything jump out at her.

She looked at the slit again, just below the locking mechanism. What sort of a treasure chest had a slit built into it? They were meant to keep things closed and hidden. A slit built into the woodwork was troublesome for the carpenter, and made little sense, unless...

Wary now of the slit, Pasha examined the angle at which it was pointed. If she had her hand at the side, and picked the lock, would any projectile from that slit be able to hit her? Or perhaps if she picked the lock while she was sitting on top of the chest?

Pasha couldn't see the actual trap, but she had to believe it was there. With a glance at the healer behind her, she maneuvered herself into whatever position would work best at avoiding the trap, and prepared to tinker the lock open. She decided to give the chest one last look over, and then if she saw nothing else, put her faith in fate that she would see this through.

 

[Takimaru]

Re: A Tale of Two Sisters (Blueslime and Takimaru) GMed by Hafnium

Catching the apple thrown to her with a swipe of her hand, Meara grinned her thanks to the younger of the two siblings before taking a bite out of it, chewing and swallowing just in time to see her initial attack hit slightly off its mark. Apparently, she didn't have the luxury to take her opponent this lightly, and her features sharpened, the urgency in her look rising as she noted Aganzo's grip on the other end of her whip. Suddenly, the catgirl couldn't afford to think about how her sister Pasha was doing--she had a real fight on her hands. "Damn, he's incredibly fast to catch my whip like that! I need to find a way to prevent that from happening in the future..."

Gritting her teeth, she struggled with him for a brief, somewhat awkward moment or two before managing to retract her weapon just in time to deliver another attack, one that would land simultaneously with the swordsman's own. Meara would grimace and flinch at the exchange, skipping back a few steps in order to create more distance, where she naturally held the advantage. Provided, it wasn't as great of an edge as she expected it to be, given the man's surprising speed, but she had no intention of simply staying within range of his blade. She had to keep moving, and definitely stay keen so as to not allow him to corner her. Feeling Aganzo's strength flipped a switch in Meara's mind, one that would cause her to be more mindful of his motions as opposed to recklessly sending lash after lash at him.

Another bite of her favorite apple reduced it to little more than a core, and she sent it flying towards her opponent's face before taking a sidearm flick with her whip at his knee. She had to reduce his mobility somehow, and tripping him would be a great start. If that was successful, she'd send another two powerful strikes at his lower body, one to each of his inner thighs, just above the knee. This would, at least ideally, damage his legs enough to hopefully impede his ability to pursue her as effectively, should Aganzo still be up for more.

Spoiler

Meara uses Power Strike (x = 10) + Lightning Strikes. Trading 10 points of Dodge for +10 bonus to Attack and Damage rolls.

Meara is now taking Aganzo seriously and feels that she doesn't want to get hit again, so she resorts to using Defensive Fighting this round, sacrificing 10 from Attack Rolls to add 10 to Dodge. So that way, Power Strike ultimately just raises her damage and her Dodge is back up to 53.

Lightning Strikes gives her -12 to Attack rolls and -6 to Damage rolls, making the overall modifier -12 Attack Roll, +4 Damage, x 3 Attacks.

(+48) 2d4 + 42
(+48) 2d4 + 42
(+48) 2d4 + 42

 

[Hafnium]

Re: A Tale of Two Sisters (Blueslime and Takimaru) GMed by Hafnium

Spoiler

Pasha: HP = 54, PP = 41, EP = 41, Status = Fine.
Meara: HP = 26/81, PP = 43, EP = 44, Status = Injured.

Rolls

Spoiler

Pasha automatically makes the DC for unlocking the chest. And automatically succeeds the perception check 'cause RP.

Perception (Pasha): 18.

(As noted in shoutbox, using 10:10 defensive fighting and no Power Jab, since it's not actually a valid action.)
Attacks (Meara): All miss.

Attack (Aganzo): Hit.
Damage: 29 - 3 = 26 damage.

The catgirl thief's instincts guided her correctly. Positioning herself atop the chest and picking the lock upside down, being doubly careful that nothing valuable to her was in front of the slit, allowed her to easily unlock the mechanism. Nothing happened immediately, but when she slid off of the wooden container and opened it, both very carefully and from the side, a small blade sprung forth with lightning speed from exactly the place she had expected. It would have stabbed anybody picking the lock from the front of the box directly in the stomach, most likely. The Su-Ku-Ta could even make out a sheen of clear, viscous liquid on the piece of steel which might have stabbed her, suggesting that, had she been a little less quick on the uptake, it would have poisoned her as well.

The way Lonnie continued to watch her impassively might have suggested that the violent motions of the blade had been expected and that the woman had been there for Pasha's benefit in the event of a failure more than Meara's in case of an accident. Thankfully, that particular need seemed to have passed. She had succeeded in her task and, as long as she didn't run herself into it, there was no way that trap would touch her. When she got around to looking inside the chest, she would determine that her spoils were... A lot of rocks. Enough that there was no way she would have been able to lift the container alone. A second look, however, and she spotted a purple silken bag stuffed into the corner of the chest, between wood and one of the many stones that made up the rest of her 'prize'. She needed only to reach in and take it.

Meara, on the other hand, was having much less luck. The other fighter didn't waste even a single second of his attention on the apple core. All of his efforts were focused on dodging the still-dangerous whip of the martial sister. Her lashes never managed to connect with his legs. He danced out of range of the first two strikes, watching her eyes carefully. It was as Meara launched her third attack at him that he finally attempted to counter her. Doing the unexpected, he attempted to plant a foot on end of her whip and, in what could only be called a combination of great luck, speed, and skill, it worked.

It wasn't pinned down well enough that Meara couldn't bring her weapon back under control, but it granted him a few seconds to lunge at her, which was all he had needed. He closed the gap in a few heartbeats. Before the catgirl could ready her defense, the flat of his blade smacked into her stomach, nearly knocking her on her backside. In a snap, he had drawn his blade back for another strike, the latest one aimed at her head, obviously going all out in his effort to finish the mock-fight. It was now or never for Meara, she needed to either stop him from connecting or knock him out before he could do the same to her--preferably both.

 

[Takimaru]

Re: A Tale of Two Sisters (Blueslime and Takimaru) GMed by Hafnium

"Tch--!" Though Meara could hardly be surprised anymore by Aganzo's impressive level of focus, given his performance thus far, she simply had to be impressed when the duelist stepped on the popper of her whip during the third strike, a feat that was indeed, practically impossible, or so she thought, to where it caused a lapse of judgment just long enough to buy her opponent time to close the distance. Unfortunately for her, she could not afford this momentary pause, however short it was, as he was right up in her face before the whip could make its return trip. The following blow to her stomach would nearly cause the catgirl to double over, though she managed to stay standing, betting everything on the return of her weapon. Given that Aganzo had drawn back for a final blow, she had only a tiny window of opportunity to seize the moment.

Unable to wait for the full return of the whip's end, she smoothly clutched it by the center of its length on the way back, forming a loop, and lunging forward, tried her best to jam the man's attack by driving her forearm into his wrist. With a two-foot long segment of the whip held between both hands, she would wrap it around his neck in one motion and follow up by pulling his cinched upper body towards her, turning halfway in the process and bumping her hips forward and just underneath his center of gravity. If he wasn't quick enough to avoid this in time, the completed motion would send him over her shoulder, causing the man to fall and land hard on his back. Once he was down, she'd quickly loop the whip overhead before delivering two downward, cutting strokes to each of his shoulders, in another attempt to hamper the use of his weapon.

Spoiler

Meara goes all out this time, dropping Defensive Fighting and uses Power Strike (x = 10) + Lightning Strikes. Trading 10 points of Dodge for +10 bonus to Attack and Damage rolls, so her dodge is brought down to 43 for now.
Lightning Strikes gives her -12 to Attack rolls and -6 to Damage rolls, making the overall modifier -2 Attack Roll, +4 Damage, x 3 Attacks.

(+58) 2d4 + 42
(+58) 2d4 + 42
(+58) 2d4 + 42

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: A Tale of Two Sisters (Blueslime and Takimaru) GMed by Hafnium

Pasha grimaced as the poisoned blade sang through the air, stopping with a thunk as the base of the trap collided with the spring mechanism that had triggered it.

"Yeouch. All that meant for poor, little me?" Pasha squirmed uncomfortable atop the chest, trying her best to avoid picturing herself skewered and turning vile shades of green as the healer did her best to keep her from kicking the bucket.

Peering inside of the chest, she saw her 'prize' of rocks, and was at first let down, until she spied the violet cloth at the side. This excited her for a moment, but then she looked at the rocks with a frown. There might be one more trap awaiting her in this chest. She peered at the rocks carefully and tried her best to listen above the din of Meara's battle. Taking out one of her daggers, she tilted one of the top rocks and positioned her dagger to be ready for some sort of asp or scorpion - those kind of nasty things that Calel had told some infamous vizier had often used to deter thieves from his wealth.

 

[Hafnium]

Re: A Tale of Two Sisters (Blueslime and Takimaru) GMed by Hafnium

Spoiler

Pasha: HP = 54, PP = 41, EP = 41, Status = ULTRAPOISONED... Nah, just messing with you. She's fine.
Meara: HP = 81, PP = 43, EP = 44, Status = Fine.

Rolls

Spoiler

Perception (Pasha): 1

Attacks (Meara): Hits twice. Not that this matters because one would have been more than enough.
Damage: More than enough.

"The other lockpicks were taller," Lonnie impassively commented in response to the thief's reaction. Pasha could be forgiven for being more focused on the task at hand as she searched the box for any remaining nasty surprises. None were detected, though, as she carefully lifted the silken bag. Another quick check would reveal that there was nothing unsavory wriggling around in the bag itself. In the end, the catgirl thief was able to take her prize away from the dangerous chest and open it without issue. Inside she discovered two plain-looking silver rings, both of which gave off a faint magical aura that suggested they were more valuable than they appeared.

Meara found her own success against the impressively skilled and incredibly lucky swordsman. Her maneuver worked entirely as she had intended it to, for once in the mock fight. He went tumbling over her back, completely taken off guard by the sudden burst of aggression, and landed on his own. With the two lashes of her whip, he dropped his blade, signalling the end to the fight. It was at this that Lonnie finally turned her attention from Pasha in order to walk over, very much at her own pace, and heal the two combatants. By the time the mousy-looking girl was done, they were both without any injuries to suggest that the fight had even taken place.

When Aganzo took to his feet again, he silently offered Meara his hand for a handshake. Regardless of whether she accepted that offer or not, the rest waited for the two sisters to reunite. And once the catgirls had done as much, Aganzo and Lonnie would return to what they had been doing.

"Whew! 'Ell of a fight, little lady!" Doozer exclaimed once the two siblings were at each others' sides again. "And you got by without even a little bit of poison in your system," his next comment went to Pasha. "You'll both make a great addition to the team! Consider this your first payment, for the show of skill." He chuckled as he pulled a total of forty denarii out of his bags, giving them to the sisters to split however they desired. "I look forward to workin' with ya two!" The big man offered a meaty hand to both for a bone crushing handshake.

"Now, we leave first thing in the morning. You two can stay here with the rest of the caravan iffin you'd like. Or you can conclude any business you've got in Southberry. Just try not to spend all the denarii in one place if you do! And if you get too drunk and pass out in an alley we might 'ave to leave ya!" He concluded with a booming laugh. It seemed the sisters were free to pursue any of the other sights they had spotted in the small village if they desired now, or search for something else. If they wanted to continue speaking to Doozer that was an option too, or at least he certainly didn't look opposed to it. Whatever they did next was up to them.

(Both sisters gain 4 exp. The two gain a total of 40 denarii to be split between them however they like. In addition, Pasha's treasures include a +2 Dodge ring and a +2 Perception ring.)

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: A Tale of Two Sisters (Blueslime and Takimaru) GMed by Hafnium

Pasha smiled at the two tiny trinkets slipping the rings on and off to see what the glimmering auras each did. After a small bit of experimenting, she thought she had them figured out. It was then that she turned to watch her sister finish her fight in style, clapping happily for her big sister.

After the healing process, Doozer approached them both with his congratulations and his denarii. Pasha's sly eyes beamed greedily as the money was handed over, and she stuck her hand out to grab the coin purse, weighing it in her hand with a grin.

"Thanks, Doozer! Happy to be aboard!"

Herr grin slid away and she regained a look of composure that was more in line with her concubine training, falling into the same trained grace as Meara. She pushed the bag into her sister's hands.

"Here. You keep it, Ra-Ra. You need money more than I do~" She winked at the older Su-Ku-Ta, and then pushed the magical ring of evasion into Meara's hand as well. "This will help keep you safe in fights too. Please wear it."

For her own part, Pasha slipped on the ring of perception. After Doozer walked away, Pasha started taking apples out of the various pouches she had and wrapped them up in her new silk bag. "Nyah~ Now that we have work and a way out of this town, we'd better go pick up that extra bag of apples I hid. Want to see if there's anything in the market that's in our price range? Not everyone can be a price gouger these days... weapons and traveling gear should be going at the same prices. Maybe even less! And there's always that tavern too..."

Pasha trailed off to let Meara suggest where they should go. Pasha would follow her big sister wherever she decided to go.

 

[Takimaru]

Re: A Tale of Two Sisters (Blueslime and Takimaru) GMed by Hafnium

Having mounted him in order to pin the swordsman down in case he had somehow recovered from her attack, which wouldn't have been too surprising at this point, Meara didn't let up until she saw his blade clatter to the ground. However, when he did, which told the green-clad catgirl that Aganzo's luck had finally run out against her--or rather that fortune had favored her bold move, Meara's previously serious face eased up, and she smirked at him, somewhat triumphantly. She was humbled nonetheless, having her first 'test' outside of the Anudor Desert to be such a close call, but the feeling of victory was nonetheless quite soothing for the beautiful warrior. The relief was practically intoxicating, being one of the better things to have happened to her since arriving in Badaria. Even more, so good was the sensation that it flipped a switch in Meara's brain, causing an undeniable urge to form in her loins. It was familiar to her, yet alien in its own way, telling the Su-Ku-Ta that the least Aganzo could do for causing her to expend energy like this was to pay her back by satisfying her need for his essence. He was the loser of this duel, after all, and as such, his life force was forfeit...

No, she thought to herself. Not again. Letting that voice inside of her to take over was what caused her and Pasha to endure this much hardship. This caravan and its owner seemed like great people, as well as their only real hope for a place to stay now, not to mention a good escape from Southberry. As much as that powerful instinct deep within demanded of her to claim him as her own right then and there and give more than just a combat show to everyone watching, she did manage to ignore it for now, figuring that she could always sublimate the desire later on. Shivering slightly atop the stoic man before reluctantly lifting herself up and off of him, Meara offered the other duelist a hand up. Afterwards, she managed a nervous smile, her hardened nipples subtly noticeable through her top; that was about all she would show in terms of apparent arousal, although deep inside, the fire burned much brighter than she was willing to let on.

"That was a good duel. You're very skilled," said the catgirl, coiling up her whip and returning it to the loop at the side of her belt. However 'lucky' this Aganzo seemed, Meara's words were honest. She had to admire his ability to stay cool, if nothing else, as the loud cracks of her whip had intimidated many a potential opponent, but certainly not him.

Turning to Lonnie after the healer finished tending to her injuries, the Su-Ku-Ta nodded her thanks with a gentle smile. "Thank you." Afterwards, she predictably checked up with her Pasha to see if she was alright, only to be pleasantly surprised with her sister's haul. "Wow, great find, Sha-sha! I knew you could do it." Meara was just about to give her a celebratory embrace before the gift of the ring caused her face to brighten, and that caused her to respond with a sincere smile and a much tighter hug than she might have intended, inadvertently allowing the other catgirl to feel her apparent arousal. They were used to sharing things since childhood, but it was likely the overall feeling of Pasha's success combined with hers--as well as the possibility that they now had jobs and a home--that caused the normally reserved older sister to express but a fraction of her overflowing joy. "You know I'll be spending this for both of us, right? I'll get you back, somehow," she quipped, returning the gesture.

She then turned to Doozer with a more reserved look, though the corners of her mouth were still curled up slightly. "Glad you enjoyed it. We won't let you down," she promised. "Just going to tie up some loose ends in town and we will see you in the morning, if not before then."

After it was just down to her and Pasha, for the most part, Meara addressed her sibling once again. "Looks like we can pick up those apples now, like you said. I'm keeping a better grip on this, though," said the older sister with the bag of coins clutched tightly in her hand.

She put the ring on her left hand before continuing. "I think we can head over to that tavern afterwards, too. You know, the one with the missing letters in its sign, since it did look pretty popular. Plus, I'm not really in the mood to shop, but I definitely could use a drink, and to... um, unwind a little." It was then that she blushed somewhat, and Pasha would be able to tell exactly what she meant by the last part of her sentence, as if the physical hint from their moment of bodily contact earlier wasn't enough. 'Unwinding' was a special key word for Meara, as the duelist was far too proud otherwise to admit when her sexual urges were taking over. If no one else in the caravan had anything else to say to the pair, she would head over with Pasha to retrieve the apples before setting her sights on the oddly named tavern.

 

[Hafnium]

Re: A Tale of Two Sisters (Blueslime and Takimaru) GMed by Hafnium

Spoiler

Pasha: HP = 54, PP = 41, EP = 41, Status = Fine.
Meara: HP = 81, PP = 43, EP = 44, Status = Fine.

There was little indication that any save perhaps Pasha noticed the warrior catgirl's arousal after her little battle. Her bested opponent only offered her a short nod at her compliment before returning to his work and Lonnie had been too quick to return to return to her books. Doozer was so excited in his introduction to what working for his caravan would entail that he seemed to overlook it all. While their oversights meant smooth sailing for the time being, it left the matter of how she might get by when the caravan was on the road and they would have to trade the security of camp for scraps of privacy.

The big man only reiterated his comment as the two siblings said their temporary farewells. "Aye, enjoy yourselves while you can, you two, we'll be away from civilization for a while. Just be sure not to be too late finding us in the morning, part of being away from civilization is wanting to spend as few dark nights as possible outside of a nice sturdy set of walls." He waved his hand dismissively and returned to his work, leaving the sisters to their devices.

They were able to retrieve the bag of apples that Pasha had stashed without incident, leaving them with no shortage of food to tide them over until they were eating on the caravan's denarius. The trip out of the marketplace afterward, even with their gains, was relatively peaceful, although the warrior catgirl's new vigilance over the whereabouts of her purse was not a bad idea. A downtrodden beggar pleaded for food and coin as they passed him on their way into the tavern, but whether or not Pasha and Meara took pity on him was their own choice.

Entering the rundown tavern, they discovered that it was every bit as active as the broken window led them to believe. The tables were old and worn and some had even been hastily repaired or jury-rigged -- one was missing all of its legs and the tabletop was instead propped on a set of empty kegs -- but this didn't stop them from being filled to capacity with patrons. Improvised seating in the form of barrels and boxes had been utilized in order to provide all present a place to sit, and there were still some who stood. Two redheaded women in aprons, one slim and one curvier, navigated the floor with expert ease, dodging pinching hands and outstretched legs, scurrying to keep up with the amount of orders. There was a large bar on the wall opposite the one the Su-Ku-Ta women had entered, its tender was a bald man who looked nearly perfectly round. The bar was next to a staircase which looked to lead into a hallway.

Most of the patrons were the standard fare of such taverns. Ragged-looking drunks slumped into the bar, trying to drink the day's troubles away and get a head start on the night's. A few women patrolled the place, propositioning the ones who were still conscious in an effort to get their coin before the booze could. Several hooded figures could be seen, a common ornament of taverns like the one they stood in; it was always difficult to say whether the robed figures were actually hiding their identity because they needed to or simply because they wanted to look more dangerous. Cat-men and cat-women were as much in evidence as humans in the tavern.

Beyond that crowd, the sisters couldn't help but notice a group of five burly, armored men, at least partially because they were busily throwing axes at pieces of parchment attached to one of the walls. One of the men took a place about twenty feet away from the wall and hurled his weapon, it missed its intended target by an inch at which point another of the men pushed a mug into his hand and yelled; "Chug!" And chug he did. None of this drew as much alarm from the rest of the patrons as it probably ought to have.

In a corner of the tavern, they spotted another group that was odd among the backdrop. Two slender women wearing dark green silken garb sat at a table. That alone wasn't particularly grabbing, but what drew the siblings' notice was that both had a pair of horns that curved back and over their heads, resembling a goat horns. One was blonde and the other brunette. They were engaged in what appeared to be a cheerful conversation about something that the two catgirls couldn't make out.

There were two seats at the bar that they could take, or they could try to find another way to amuse themselves. Judging by the sight of a scantily clad woman leading a drunk upstairs, the tavern did offer rooms for the night--or maybe it was for the hour.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: A Tale of Two Sisters (Blueslime and Takimaru) GMed by Hafnium

Pasha's furry ears perked up momentarily at her sister's mention of unwinding, and instantly the younger succubus' thoughts turned into a muddle of both painful and pleasurable memories. She knew it would be the same for her sister as well. They both had a lust that had been growing inside of them, an unnatural hunger that could only be sated by draining the souls of those they slept with. Neither of them were brought up to be shy about sex, but neither had they been brought up as harlots. They were meant to be concubines, the most prestigious class for a Su-Ku-Ta female, and while they were meant to be incredibly proficient in sex, it was only one facet of their purpose. They were meant to be entertainers in both theater and music. Furthermore, they were to be excellent conversationalists, with broadened knowledge of politics, worldly affairs, and literature. Concubines were prized for their wit and specialties, and within their own spheres of influence, were greatly respected. An average merchant prince who could claim ownership over an excellent concubine would find his own standing multiplied several fold in what had once been the sister's civilization.

Pasha longed for the future she had been promised. Spending days in the harem, lounging in the finest silks, drinking exotic drinks, playing Dotet with her sister for the amusement of their owner. Or maybe playing their instruments before a gathering of princes, or dancing for them, astounding them all with her beauty, and of course, her sister Meara as well. And in her day dreams, neither of them would be cursed with this draining power. She and her sister would sleep in the harem peacefully at night, or sharing their owners bed when he desired it. In time, both of them would bear children - boys to carry on their owner's financial business, and girls for Meara and Pasha to raise into young womanhood the way their mother had raised them both.

The young Su-Ku-Ta thief sighed. It was all a pipe dream now. There were no more merchant princes, there were no more harems, there were no more tea ceremonies, no dotet boards, no fine Sukatase wines... nothing to remain of the world she once knew and could never return to again. She had Meara, and only Meara, to cling to.

After picking up her apples, Pasha walked with Meara, following her big sis onward to the tavern. When they passed the beggar, Pasha tossed him on of her fruits instead of a denarii.

Once inside the tavern, Pasha took in the occupants with cautious eyes. It was as bleak in here as it was outside. The crowded room filled with humans and refugee catfolk all seemed so crude and overwhelming to her. Subconsciously, she hooked her arm inside of her sister's elbow and wrapped her tail up with Meara's in a way she had always done since she was very young, always wanting to be close to Meara when a situation was intimidating.

"Not exactly the best environment to unwind in," she said to her sister. Her ears fell flat as another hatchet buried itself into a wall on the far side of the room. She had no desire to be near those drunkards. The two women in silks with the goat horns caught her eye though, and she tugged at Meara's sleeve. "Hey, look. Do you think they're demons?"

If Meara wanted to sit at the bar, Pasha would readily hop up on the stool next to her, but she didn't want to order anything alcoholic. She was worried the prices here would be just as outrageous as those in the market.

 

[Takimaru]

Re: A Tale of Two Sisters (Blueslime and Takimaru) GMed by Hafnium

As Meara passed the beggar, her otherwise cheerful look straightened ever so slightly, her heart growing heavier by that much. She was overjoyed to have gotten the job from Doozer and his caravan, but that moment of happiness didn't last too long once the catgirl had re-examined her surroundings. Yes, they would be leaving this awful, decrepit place--but what of the people here? Most likely, they'd be left in such a state, and something about that didn't sit well with the older of the two. This beggar, like many others, would be left to fend for himself, much like countless Su-Ku-Ta during the aliens' raid on their civilization. But she simply couldn't bring herself to spare him change from the coin pouch she gripped so tightly in hand, as it wasn't long ago that the two were about as penniless as him. They could have found themselves in a similar situation, and so her guard remained up. When she saw an apple tossed his way, she looked to Pasha, and offered a relieved smile. Like many times before, the worry piled up in Meara's chest was eroded thanks to her sister's clever action. Here she was, stressing over a matter that was at least partially solved by a nonchalant donation on the other Su-Ku-Ta's end.

When they entered the tavern, Meara looked about as disappointed as her sister did, as if she had expected something less... well, depressing, with the dirty crowds all about. And she was, at least for a moment. To go from a most promising, comfortable life--at least as far as a given Su-Ku-Ta female could manage--to, well, this, was disheartening indeed. The best she could do was hope for comforts that reminded her of home; a nice drink or cozy room, a warm bed to catnap in, perhaps even a body to share it with, although the one she'd admittedly care to be closest to at this time was Pasha. "It is... rather crowded," she replied to the other catgirl's comment. Keeping her tail intertwined with that of her younger sibling, Meara made her way to the bar, looking left and right to ensure that the two would be well out of reach of the various grabby-hands reaching across from the makeshift tables around them. She did catch the horned duo with a glance when Pasha pointed them out, saying, "I'm actually not sure. Mm... why, are you curious? If you were stuck with one in the desert, which would you go for--the blonde, or the brunette?"

Grinning teasingly at her sister, she hopped up onto any of the available stools or seats and settled down before addressing the rotund bartender. "Hello... I was wondering, by chance, if you had any Sukutase wines in stock?" It might have been a long shot, but considering the other cat-people lurking about the tavern, Meara figured it didn't hurt to try and get a taste of home.

 

[Hafnium]

Re: A Tale of Two Sisters (Blueslime and Takimaru) GMed by Hafnium

Spoiler

Pasha: HP = 54, PP = 41, EP = 41, Status = Fine.
Meara: HP = 81, PP = 43, EP = 44, Status = Fine.

The beggar gave hurried thanks as Pasha redistributed some of her specially discounted fruit. By the time they were in the tavern, mere steps away, half of it was already in his belly. The warrior sibling might not have wanted to part with any of her denarii, but it didn't seem to bother the downtrodden man at all given his gain.

They managed to get to the bar without any gropings. The patrons were far more reserved in their efforts to grab at the two pretty catgirls than they were with the tavern maids, to the sisters' benefits. It also proved loud and rowdy enough that none of the targets of their attention noticed their comments--which, as a side benefit, allowed Pasha to confidentially respond to her sister's question, if she desired. This was all the more true when the axe-throwing men ceased their activities, apparently finally recognizing themselves as too drunk to continue without risking decapitating another patron, and began to headbutt each other to the ground in turn in what might have been part of a closely guarded ritual or simply a series of increasingly less random acts of violence.

The bartender paid it no heed as the two took the two remaining stools at the bar, his attention immediately came to their service. At the warrior's request for the wines that belonged primarily to the world they had lived in before the alien invasion, he frowned. "New around here, aren't ya? Try to stay new. Leave town as soon as you can is my advice. I'd do it myself but my daughters want me to keep the tavern." His voice was soft and he spoke quickly, so quickly that it looked like his lips had trouble keeping up. "Haven't had any Sukutase wines in for... probably a year or so before the invasion. That was the stuff though. Would kill for some now. But no. Su-Ku-Ta were never much for sharing. Especially not recipes or details on how to brew the stuff proper. Made a few attempts at it myself with the rarity of it but could never do it. These days I expect all the best brewers are gone."

"Suppose I don't need to tell you that." His frown deepened. The two could almost see in his eyes that he was scrambling to assuage the pain his words might have caused. "Tell you what, I've got some fae wine in stock. Fairly rare around here, four denarii a bottle. It's a bit fruity, and it might take the entire bottle if you're trying to get drunk, but most like the flavor. Then there's old reliable, one denarius a mug, it'll get you drunk but tastes like the latrine. Finally, I've got some of my special brew... One denarius a jug. You drink some of it and you won't remember who you are or how you got in Southberry for the rest of the night, which is what most who come in here are after. It'll put some hair on your chest. Maybe literally."

 

[Takimaru]

Re: A Tale of Two Sisters (Blueslime and Takimaru) GMed by Hafnium

Hearing the bartender's initial warning, Meara looked from side to side for a moment before nodding and swallowing, her level of self-conscious elevated somewhat from his discovery--and her personal reminder--that they were indeed new around here. Not that it mattered much to her in the long run, as they'd hopefully be out of the town with any luck, and it was doubtful that the other Su-Ku-Ta roaming about the establishment, let alone the horned beauties to the one corner of it, were natives to Southberry themselves. "I see... that's unfortunate. I've not the slightest idea on the brewing process myself outside of the actual ingredients; it was not part of our oral education."

Her ears perked up, listening carefully upon catching his description of the fae wine. The bad taste of the other drink and the inherent danger presented by the last one's potential effects sounded offputting enough to her normally refined tastes to keep Meara clear of those options. "That fae wine sounds good enough--I'll have a bottle of it. I just need something to take the edge off," replied the catgirl before glancing over to her sister. "Sha-sha, you want your own too?" She practically didn't have to say that she would offer part of her first bottle if Pasha were to refuse the offer; sharing came naturally to the two.

While waiting for the barkeep to do his thing, Meara spun on her stool and returned to observing the tavern's other patrons, idly stroking her sibling's back. It might have seemed like an unreasonably intimate or awkward gesture for this particular culture, especially for those who sat at the bar closest to the two but between them, this was about as innocent as one cat grooming another, in that it was merely an exhibition of rapport and bonding. Scritching her behind the ears, she tilted her head slightly at Pasha. "What's wrong, Sha-sha? You seem tense, although I can understand... Are you still worried about those men?" Glancing over at the increasingly rowdy group of head-butting brutes, she furrowed her brow, then turned back to the other Su-Ku-Ta.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: A Tale of Two Sisters (Blueslime and Takimaru) GMed by Hafnium

Pasha nodded at the ordering of the wine, though she waved away the offer of her own bottle.

"One bottle should be enough for the two of us. I don't think either of us is looking to get drunk," Pasha said.

It didn't surprise her much that the barkeep hadn't any Sukutase wine in stock. No one had it. It wasn't that fae wine wasn't nice - Pasha enjoyed it very much when she had been learning about the various libations to be served at diplomatic banquets - but Sukutase wine had been something unique to Anudor, and it was disappearing from the world, from history itself. The thought was so sad to the young catgirl's mind.

Sighing, Pasha brought her mind back to Meara's teasing question just a short while ago - the one about the demons. "I don't think I'd like to be stuck in the desert with either of them, really. I wouldn't mind asking them how they deal with... y'know, being a demon and all."

What Pasha really wanted to say was that she would ask them how they controlled their soul-draining. Did a succubus have to steal the soul of everyone they loved? Could it be controlled? Being a succubus was such a stigma in Anudorian society, for all her vaunted education, no one had ever told Pasha or her sister about what to do with their accursed powers. Had their mother known? Why hadn't she warned them? Maybe she didn't know, or had hoped that neither of her daughters would be a succubus. Whatever the case may have been, Pasha and Meara were woefully unprepared for being what they were.

But they'd never seen demons before. Maybe if they had just a little time to talk to the two horned women, they could get some advice about how to live as a succubus?

As the barkeep went to get their wine, Pasha's eyes scanned over the uncouth men, headbutting one another. "No, I'm not really worried about them, as long as they keep that sorta behavior to themselves."

As Meara's hand stroked her back, Pasha's tail curled more around her sister's and she stretched her arms out in front of her across the bar, arching her back a little and yawning while her ears perked up. Meara's touch always made her feel better, and it did wonders to ease the tension that had crept up on her.

"I'm really happy we found a place on a new caravan. We really should be celebrating our good luck. But you remember what happened last time. What if it happens again? I don't want to lose another good opportunity because of these... urges we have. Maybe those two demons could help us? Answer a few questions? What do you think?"

 

[Takimaru]

Re: A Tale of Two Sisters (Blueslime and Takimaru) GMed by Hafnium

"Not drunk," replied the elder of the two sisters. "Just warmer," she added with a faint smirk. While not quite a lush, Meara did enjoy the cozy feeling brought about by Sukutase wine, and would have wanted nothing more than that to remind her of better times right about now. Fae wine didn't quite have the same effect, but hopefully it would serve to ease her tension by just a tiny notch, albeit a well-needed one.

In reply to Pasha's comment about the two women in plain sight of them, she blinked twice before taking on a somewhat saddened expression as she gazed upon her sibling's face. It didn't take long for her to understand exactly what the thief meant--consulting with the mysterious pair in the hopes of finding some kind of answer to the sisters' 'unnatural' condition. While the urges themselves were indeed inconvenient from time to time, they were still something that Meara herself could handle, needs that she didn't actually mind fulfilling from time to time. It was the other effects, the draining of their sexual partners' energies, that gave the girls serious trouble.

More specifically, their lack of knowledge in how to manage their powers was the main issue, but as far as she was concerned, the two were one and the same. Flashbacks of Niran's face, twisted in both pleasure and agony, hit her momentarily. She grimaced and shook the annoying thoughts out of her mind, waiting until the bartender delivered her wine before moving on with the topic at hand. It was depressing for Meara, and yet, she knew it shouldn't be--the two ought to be celebrating, just as Pasha said! The otherwise joyous occasion was dulled by their consideration of the very real possibilities of facing exile from yet another caravan. "I know, Sha-sha... believe me." Continuing to stroke at the other catgirl's form gently, she exhaled softly and nodded. "Alright. Let's go talk to them, then? Hopefully they'll know something."

How to go about it was another problem. Would complete strangers, of origins unknown to Meara and Pasha, take kindly to the pair's self-admissions to being succubi? In Anudor, this revelation likely would have gotten them exiled in short order. But this was Badaria. Was it just as taboo here? It was difficult to pick up much of this other country's norms and customs, considering they had been in town for all of several hours. In the end though, Meara figured that such thoughts could only be paralyzing if sat on for too long, so cradling the bottle given to her carefully, she headed towards the two mysterious beauties with Pasha in tow, her tail firmly wrapped around that of her sister's.

Bowing her head politely, she made her introduction in a most straightforward manner. "Hello... I am Meara, and this is my sister Pasha. I couldn't help but wonder about your origins. I mean no disrespect, of course, but only curiosity," she said to them in greeting, offering a friendly look.