On The Shores of Despair (Part 4)

[CinderSuru]

She pushed herself as close as she could to him and rapped her arm around his arm and leaned into him
are you getting warm yet

she smiled

[Adian Novar]

Adian gave her a smile and nodded. Yes...he was much warmer now.

"Get 'im, Aurora!" Adian said, toasting the wold as she lay in the snow looking innocent.

[veraka]

Aurora looked over to the drow paladin, and yipped her acknowledgment; [i:2uom9275]I think that the fat, stout one will have a little trouble lifting me off of himself; and it [b:2uom9275]has[/b:2uom9275] been awhile since I had a pillow, or the equivalent, beneath me.[/i:2uom9275]

[Ra'Sona Races-The-Wind]

Frad fell down under Aroura, but was not without some form of escape mechanism. Digging himself out nearest the wolf's head he caught her neck and gave her a very well-placed lick across the jowls, a rather intimate wolf-kiss as he understood it, then made a run for the fire and left her coming to terms with this dwarf who would truly stop at nothing in his crazy shenanigans. He slid to a halt by the fire, and brushed a few silvery-white hairs from his tongue, taking Cinder's job of cookery from her. "'Ere, leave tha cookin' to a pro an' go comfort yer man over there, he's lookin' a bit confused as ta what ta do wi' himself. Give 'im a cuddle before tha guy 'as a nervous breakdown, eh?" He didn't remark on why there was winter-wolf fur on his tongue, even as he kept finding them here and there while he made the supper.

Lyon pondered Veraka's question, and shook his head. "In truth, you'd have to ask an enchanter that kind of question, I assume you need a sword, a spellcaster to help you and some kind of crafting workshop but I really can't be sure about that." He sighed and looked at Pwdn as she talked to Neriah, his own thoughts wandering in much the same way as Veraka's, then realising this coincidence as they looked back at each other he laughed nervously. "I guess, uh. . . yeah. Anyway." He couldn't think of much to say at that, both of them knew what they'd been thinking and would rather keep it at least a little bit quiet.

Pwdn nodded, but was still insistent on her point. "Even so, I should have been more. . . I don't know, how does one draw a better line between caution and welcome? I suppose I could try to lie about it as I watched any newcomer but I just don't think I can, I'm really not very good at it." The Fey'ri's question was surprisingly direct, none of the others had ever asked her, she realised, and in fact people very rarely did. "To be honest, I'm not entirely sure if there's a name for somehting like me; I've only encountered somehting similar once and that was just the aftermath. I used to be a drow, some time ago, but now I suppose I'm a. . . what would a good word even be? Have you ever encountered a gelatinous cube maybe, or an ochre jelly? I'm more or less that, though of course not entirely the same." She smiled and remembered her days as an initiate. "That's how I got my name, Pwdn after pudding, when I was found after. . . well, after this happened that's what most people called me. It's like a nickname. My name before that was barely relevant even in the year or so previous to the change and so I just stayed Pwdn." She seemed yery accepting of the rather unnatural transformation she'd been subjected to, and as if to demonstrate this she shifted shape slightly, her glasslike face becoming an exact mirror of Neriah's and her voice matching loosely as well. "I suppose I should care more about being changed like that, but honestly, it can be quite fun sometimes."

[CinderSuru]

Don't for get some spice and herbs mr Frud, and at least i don't have to resort to kissing dogs, no offence Aurora you know i am just yankin his chain. She did hoe ever take his advise and cuddled into Adain with her arms around his waist and head on his chest and leg twisted around his. Verake was deep i thought about babies or something.... i wonder if he actually thinks he has her fool she asked Adain in his mind. and giggled.

[Adian Novar]

Adian jumped a bit, suddenly reminded that he wasn't entirely alone in his own head.

[i:sll2l08f]Well...somehow I doubt she's fooled by anything, really, he thought back. She strikes me as much more...worldly. Perhaps even a bit world-weary. But what do I know?[/i:sll2l08f]

He sighed and allowed himself to enjoy the closeness...and sipped again at the wine.

[i:sll2l08f]Interesting...I don't think I've tasted anything quite like this...hmm...is it getting warmer here or is it just me?[/i:sll2l08f]

He closed his eyes, humming softly from an old lullaby Lady Veladorn had used on him. For some reason the wine put him in a slightly noststalgic mood.

[CinderSuru]

They leaned back on Meldrinus who never seems to mind and got quite comfortable Cinder filled there wine glasses with the canter by the fire

Will any one else have any there is plenty left. Pdwn you can always do your little trick and expand on the food there is a small amount of ham left for our girl and the cat is up in a tree somewhere last i saw i think we can cox her down. When ever you see fit to of coarse. then she turned and kissed Adain with a deep tenderness running her hands down his strong back.

[youtube:393uis62]7yoGTVzgow8[/youtube:393uis62]

[veraka]

Aurora came padding over to the camp fire, and looked at Frad, then opened her maw and gave him a quick blast of icy breath to his beard. She then padded over to Cinder and Adian and plopped down next to them, grooming herself to make sure that her fur was at least [b:1qyofh8p]clean[/b:1qyofh8p].

[i:1qyofh8p]You're wondering if Veraka is curious about having children with the fey'ri; I've known this fact since day 1 of their little relationship, and I can smell it right now. My little brother gives off that same scent that's a super indicator of his emotions.[/i:1qyofh8p]

Veraka looked at Lyon, the young warriors face nervous beyond belief; the aasimar then burst into laughter, even as Neriah looked over to him, her face one of curiosity and deviousness.
The aasimar then blushed at the fey'ri, his cheeks going an even deeper shade of red, but he laughed all the while.
Turning to Lyon, Veraka said, in a low tone "My friend, I'm gonna be blunt with you; have you ever asked Pwdn if she's even capable of producing offspring?"


Neriah turned back to Pwdn, and said "it appears that you have an admirer, Lady Pwdn. Anyways, where do you draw the line? To be trufully honest, I don't know, but you're reaction was about as finite as I can get to an answer. As far as I'm concerned, you did the right thing. I take no offense to it, so why should you worry. Plus, do not forget that we all are merely on this world as mortals; none of us have divine powers like the gods. So that being said, you can't assume yourself to be able to deal with every situation in a fashion that emulates your god down to the finest detail. We ALL make mistakes and we ALL either learn from them or not; the learning aspect is what shapes us."


Neriah blinked in surprise as Pwdn took on her exact shape, features and all, including near her own voice. This little transformation didn't disturb the fey'ri in the slightest; she'd seen 'much' worse in her past, and all of it had been for malicious purposes.
"I must say I am surprised at how you were once a drow; what could have possibly have happened that resulted in what you are now? You say it can be fun; why not use it on that young man who's talking with my lover over there?" Neriah asked with a grin, indicating Lyon by Veraka and giggling all the while.

[Ra'Sona Races-The-Wind]

Frad, with icicles hanging from his beard, snickered through his chattering teeth. "Lady, ya don't know how many o' the society women o' tha world would [i:2xlfirm3]kill[/i:2xlfirm3] fer breath tha' was truly so winter-fresh." He continued making food, flicking the odd crumb at Aurora to interfere with her grooming, though careful to make sure it couldn't be proven as anything other than accidental. "Honoured I am, ya cute an' fuzzy terror o' the north."

Lyon turned slightly pale at Veraka's comment. "I-i-in truth, um, well. . . I'd never even. . . I mean. . . " He coughed again and shook his head. "Given the best guess I'd say not, but I have no real idea of her capabilities in any realm, she seems to me like she could truly do anything at all should she put her mind to it." He looked over at her again fondly, only to see her looking back with concern and quickly looking down again. "Well, I suppose I didn't really consider her like that, she's just the exact woman I've always dreamed of, what comes after hasn't really entered into my mind until now. Well, not in a coherent sense, I'm sure Frad would argue that his efforts have at least pushed me into that realm already and he'd be right. If he was as evil as he sometimes pretends, I swear he'd be ruling most of the realm by now."

Pwdn was glad that her hesitation to be as welcoming as she felt she ought was forgiven, and to have been flattered that she was as close to correct as could be expected was every kind of Neriah, but she hadn't been nearly as close as she desired to be. "Maybe I can't be as perfect in mercy as Ilmater, but that doesn't mean I should not continue to try. After all, what is a cleric if not a pilgrim in pursuit of their own god's image within themselves? Each mistake brings me that bit closer, but I would still rather not make them at others' expense even if it took me decades to learn otherwise." She glanced up at Lyon as Neriah mentioned him, and saw him quickly look down in embarrassment. "Well. . . Lyon's a nice boy but I can't really think of him in such a way. It's like, um." She thought, but couldn't find an analogy that wasn't in some way insulting to him. "Well, the nature of my feelings for him aside, I'm not even sure if I count as a female in the direct sense, I'm just. . . well, gel in the form I remember myself to have had. With a little effort I can form new shapes, and adapt them as appropriate, but really I'm not in the sort of situation for being someone's lover. If I ever find someone who captures my heart I would almost certainly be more driven to try, but as it is. . . if I thought he needed the attention from me that badly I couldn't refuse him but I don't think that would help either of us, and as far as I know he could get hurt. Sometimes, if I stay in contact with someone's skin for too long, I. . . well, I start to digest it. I can only imagine what would happen while I was sleeping beside someone, when I wasn't keeping myself in check." She glanced back up at Lyon and Veraka and smiled to them, Lyon again seeming embarrassed by it. "As to how I came to be like this, after being sold off by my sister as an infant and brought up as a thief of sorts with a travelling acting troupe - I'm sure you know how it is, the cut-purses make more of a night than the audience ever gives - well I was caught during our night at Waterdeep and ended up imprisoned. I suppose having seen how slaves are often treated I got off lightly, I was never abused and more part of the family that anything, I certainly never wanted to leave in my own mind. I was in trouble then of course, drow having a reputation for being dangerous I might well have been executed. The temple bought my freedom and I stayed until I could pay them back, I had this thing about always keeping my debts paid. Then after a time there, terror that I was, there was a sort of. . . I suppose you could call it a disaster, they aren't uncommon in Waterdeep given its' importance and the nature of its' location. I was trapped under the altar stone in the ruins of the temple for what must have been almost a month and a half, buried alive, and I kept myself from madness by talking to this luminous patch of mold that was in a corner against the rubble. I can only assume that the spell-power that had been unleashed at the time was enough to trigger the metamorphosis because I just started to melt away, just staring at the stuff and being more open and deeply honest with it and myself than I ever had. When they eventually pulled me out, I was barely recognisable; over the next few weeks I changed entirely into what I am now, and learned anew everything I'd gained since I was a child. I learned all over again to walk, to speak, and instead of a thief I became one of Ilmater's clerics. Since then, and once I'd learned enough, I've been travelling and doing whatever I can, whenever I can, for whoever needs it." She looked a little sheepish, and shrugged. "It's a silly story really, sounds too much like a fairytale, but there it is. My family, those that I had, were supposedly in a blood feud some time before I joined the temple properly and I don't think they're still in existence as a true house, though it's possible some may have gone turncoat during the feud in order to survive. I doubt they'd care about me either way, I was never expected to amount to much, but I guess it would be nice to know more since whatever their nature they are still family. Anyway, that's all there is to tell about me, apart from the endless adventure stories we all seem to pick up in our travels."

((Hooo, that took a while. . . ))

[veraka]

The wolf looked up at Frad and smirked, though her eyes said that she'd do it again if provoked enough; [i:3rwndj39] Terror of North; I like that,[/i:3rwndj39] she said, continuing her grooming and taking careful note every time a crumb would suddenly pop in on her, noting that every single one's trajectory pointed to the frost-bearded dwarf.


Veraka raised a silvery brow at Lyon; "well at least you've got that part in your head, though I am curious about one thing. Why haven't you ever just gone up and told Pwdn your feelings?" Veraka asked Lyon, clearly curious as to his answer.

While waiting for an answer, the aasimar decided to further his question
"Exact woman you've ever dreamed of; this outta be interesting. So define what you just said. How is Pwdn the ladyship of your life, ehh?"


Neriah looked shocked at Pwdn's explanation as to her origins; but then shook her head.
"You can't even enjoy the company of another in the realms; that is truly sad. Along with that, I suppose kids are out of the question, given what you just told me," Neriah said in a deadpan remark.
"I don't mean to be rude or anything of the sort," the fey'ri said in a humble tone, "but doesn't that little fact sort of erk you, Pwdn? I know for a fact that were I in the same position, and have met Veraka, I would be deeply sad, especially about that part of starting to digest the skin of anyone who comes into physical contact with me. But then again, I've had plenty of reason in my own past to actually have use of that particular trait, especially after my initial upbringing. I'm not sure you would wish to hear about my past, but rarely do I get the chance just to talk about things like that."

[Ra'Sona Races-The-Wind]

Frad set out food soon enough, Aurora would already know this from the debris she'd cleaned from her fur but it was a hearty stew of all sorts that he'd been foraging, not so brilliant to taste but it was good food and very filling. He'd refuse to say what he'd put in it if asked, claiming it was a secret recipe.

Lyon was quite uncomfortable with the line of questioning levelled at him, though he did his best to answer nonetheless. "I suppose that I just don't want to make it seem like a demand. I have a feeling that is I asked her for. . . well, anything at all really, she'd agree to it simply to be as kind and agreeable as she always is. I don't want her to be with me because I asked her to, so she has to be the one to ask me if either of us mention it at all." Lyon decided to evade Veraka's second question, not wanting to leave any ammunition lying about for later teasing. "Well, think about how amazing your lover over with her is. Picture everything you like about her, and Pwdn's even better that that. It's even unrequited love, and that's far more knightly that the reciprocation you've received. Lucky me, eh?" Not a bad dodge as they went, if a little obvious.

"Well, I imagine if I built up enough mass I could probably try to divide myself as my closest relatives do, but in the sense you mean yes, I'm quite incapable of bearing children. I am what I am though, and maybe in time I'll find a way around it. As for the closeness with another, I suppose I'll just have to fall for an Aasimar like you have: someone tall, pale, handsome and resistant to acid." The quip was a playful one, but it was always an option. It wasn't like she could do huge damage to anyone unless she remained close for several hours, and even a modest resistance would put paid to that. "I would love to hear more about you, Neriah. From what I know of the sort of. . . events. . . common in a heritage such as yours, you could well be nothing short of an inspiration to all like you." A bit overly poetic perhaps, but Pwdn wanted to make certain Neriah understood that her interest was genuine. All too often people blamed their failings on some immutable past event; here now was someone who despite a fiendish ancestry had become a clever, likeable and genuinely nice person. To Pwdn, at least, that was an achievement in and of itself. This was not pity but admiration, and the difference was very important.

[CinderSuru]

Cinder decided it was getting time to sleep and she wasn't going to let Adain get away she gave him some more wine and said she was getting cold and was getting a blanket. She found her furry hide and went throw Adains pac finding one of his blankets. She decide she was going to get comfortable by the fire and between the fire and Meldrinus she made a comfortable place to sleep for the two of them. She rapped some veggies into the flat bread and brought one to Adain. Quite excitable Frud she said as she ate the food. could use a bit more spice but i won't complain. when they finished there meal she made a comfortable pillow with Adains blanket and covered them with her fur hide blanket this should keep us warm she said and she layed down and stared at the fire Adain had his arms rapped around her by then and she did the same. They listened to the talk around the fire but remained quite, Adain was obviously content and finally getting comfortable with her.

[Adian Novar]

Adian was a little surprised to be sharing his blankets with Cinder...but he was feeling a little sleepy and a little dizzy and it just didn't seem to be a scary thing so much.

Maybe the wine had something to do with it.

"When we were wandering the caves," he said. "When we were small, before we found the Promenade, we would find a corner or hole or something to sleep in and sleep in this kind of...pile. Didn't dare sleep in the main tunnels...too many predators eager for drow children. After we found the Promenade, for several years we still all slept together. We just couldn't sleep otherwise.

"We finally got used to sleeping separately...but this is nice. And different."

Very true. As comfortable as it had been with his brothers and sisters, Cinder felt very much different. Very pleasant in a very different way.

[CinderSuru]

Cinder had never slept with a man before but she was quite enjoying the warmth of Adains affection she embraced him and kissed him by the warmth of the fire.

Hoping that everyone was to preoccupied to notice , but it was probly to much to ask. Still she would not let there teasing ruinn it

[youtube:35nkjrvq]Ue3dsYG9Gbk[/youtube:35nkjrvq]

[Adian Novar]

Adian was dimly aware of the others, but they seemed pretty preoccupied with their own interests. He was feeling rather euphoric at the moment, and it was kind of hard to focus on anything.

Except the female in his arms.

He hugged her tightly to him and kissed her back.

Hm...he seemed to be getting better at this.