An unlikely group of adventurers

[Drogoth]

As magic flowed through the room the hairs on the back of Tremain's neck prickled. His hand reflexively went to his wand, but he stopped as he sensed the flavor of the magic. It was some sort of holy spell, or at least more holy than the type he was on the lookout for.

The gangly mage relaxed in his chair once more, but lifted the brim of his wide hat a little so it was no longer over his eyes. He watched Nemele execute her blessing with some interest. It was an interesting spell, but far outside of his area of study. His specialty was summoning. That was all the trouble he needed for the time being.

He shook his head at her comment of "all but the most persistant of devils" Just his luck he was worried about a persistent one......

--------------------

Some dragons were quite skilled with magic. Lazaka was not one of those. She still bore a significant resistance to spells, but had no talent for casting them herself. Still, she watched the ritual with curious interest. Once the woman was done she went back to cleaning tables and pretended that's what she had been doing all along. Once she finished the one she had been working on she glanced up in time to see Nemele gesturing to her and she politely made her way across the floor with small steps.

When she arrived at the table she was met with a new challenge. Her tail was cuffed to the chain between her feet, and it made sitting down quite uncomfortable. She was used to this and already had a plan. She turned one of the chairs around and straddled it. She leaned forward with her hands on the seat of the chair and her chest resting at the top of the chair's back. She looked up at Nemele, a bit sheepish from her odd posture.

[Karyn MacMoragh]

((Hey! It ate my post! Grr...))

Nemele offered a warm smile to Lazuka as she sat down. For just a hairsbreadth of time, the priestess scrutinised the servant as if evaluating her posture, then looked up and spoke: 'I do apologise if I've caused you any worry. If you don't mind my saying, I find a few things about your demeanour quite fascinating, and I feel that I would like to get to know you. My name is Nemele.' She shifted her position in her seat a little, crossing her legs as she smiled to Lazuka.

[Drogoth]

Lazaka did her best not to appear nervous. There was something odd about this patron, it was like the woman could see through her. Lazaka had a feeling that she could penetrate her disguise as well. It would be bad news if her secret got out in this town, and besides that it was embarrassing! To have to explain to a cleric that she was walking around in shackles of her own free will? A quick glance about told her that there wasn't anyone nearby to overhear. Sure, the woman could mean many things by her statement, but Lazaka was paranoid and assumed the worst.

"I am Lazaka." she said with a polite nod "What about my d-demeanor?" she finished stuttering ever so slightly.

[Karyn MacMoragh]

'Now, I don't want you to take this the wrong way, Lazaka,' Nemele said, offering up a comfortable smile. 'But it's about the way you wear these...' She leaned forward and reached towards Lazaka, and gently ran her fingertips along the collar and down the wrist-encircling chains. 'You've taken to them very well, lass. You hold yourself quite comfortably, as if wearing them is nothing but natural...'

She paused, glancing around to triple-check that nobody was eavesdropping, then leaned further forward. Her comforting smile was replaced with an eager grin, and a sparkle in her now-wide eyes. She dropped her voice to just barely above a whisper. 'Tell me, lass... Are you really a slave? Because you are putting on an expert act, if you aren't! If you would forgive the curiosity of a humble mendicant, I'd love to take your confessions...' She leaned forward, and her voice grew even softer. 'And if I may pry further... Do I detect in the way you carry yourself that you enjoy this?'

She composed herself, sat back upright, and didn't wait for a response before she continued. 'Discussions of this sort are, of course, utterly discreet, and are an umportant step in unburdening the soul and uplifting the mind. If you wish, I would be happy to speak further to you in my rooms.' She tried her beatific smile again, and gestured to the stairs.

[Drogoth]

All this was well outside of the false slave's new comfort zone. She had gotten more or less used to the leers and occasional grope, but this woman's forwardness was quite unnerving. She couldn't help but flinch a little as the sister toyed with her chains. Then, her fears were confirmed as the Nemele revealed her suspicions.

At the final whispered words her eyes went wide. Having the suspicions locked in the back of her mind suddenly thrown out into the open was like a dash of cold water over her mind. By the time Nemele withdrew Lazaka's face wore a bright red blush. As her mind tumbled over the question the redness seeped down her neck and across her shoulders.

"No....?" she eventually croaked, around a dry throat. Having barely heard what Nemele had said after her last question. It didn't take any skill to detect the uncertainty in her voice. She wasn't lying. She simply didn't know herself, and was more than a little afraid to find out. She was obviously flustered by this, as the blush was already tinting her chest.


((mind if I do a GM-hijack on your holy quest? Meaning, take it over and reveal some of the visions ex-post-facto as she realizes what they mean? After all, it makes more sense for her to pick up companions for her journey, rather than going off on some completely different adventure. Like she could realize that some aspects of her cryptic visions refer to Lazaka and Tremain and anyone else we need to bring along.))

[Karyn MacMoragh]

'Oh, come, come!' Nemele said, beaming as she took Lazaka's hands and gently pulled the girl to her feet. 'It's good for the soul. You'll feel better.' She again made her best effort at a reassuring smile. 'It certainly won't take long at all. Please?' She nodded her head towards the stairs up to the rooms, and looked to Lazaka's face for a response.

[Drogoth]

Lazaka could almost hear her throat scratch as she gulped. She wasn't sure what to do. Nemele had pretty much figured out her secret. That kind of obligated Lazaka to do what she asked, even if she hadn't even hinted at blackmail. Besides, she could easily imagine this very enthusiastic woman simply dragging her upstairs by leash if she continued to resist, or even hesitate.

"I'll go." Lazaka nodded quietly. She was nervous and not doing a very good job of hiding it. She followed behind Nemele whilst wringing her hands.

Drenan could see the two of them talking. He could see how worried this woman seemed to be making Lazaka, but she was a holy lady. He couldn't make out anything they were saying, and so he only looked on with guarded concern.

[Karyn MacMoragh]

Nemele positively radiated giddiness as she led the way upstairs to the room indicated to her. It was a fairly modest space, but certainly comfortable; she held the door open for Lazaka, and very carefully shut it behind her. She looked much like she was just about to gesture for the faux-slave to sit on the bed, but quickly reconsidered and pulled over a chair for her, and sat on the side of the bed herself.

Just as soon as Lazaka was seated, Nemele reached forward to clasp the girl's hands. 'As illuminating flames leap to the heavens, so may words of truth uplift our souls,' she said softly, in a reverant tone. 'As the waves reach to ascend the cliffs, may we so strive for purity. May none other attend to this holy confession, for what is spake here be between ourselves and the Celestial. Now then!' The reverental tone vanished as she finished her prayers. 'Please, tell me your story, Lazaka! I'm dying to know more about you!'


((Whoops - forgot to put the note on the last post, sorry. Go ahead! That's precisely why I leave holes in backgrounds!))

[Drogoth]

Lazaka barely had time to be uncomfortable before Nemele whisked her into the room. She sat in her awkward style so as not to tweak her tail, and nearly fell over when her hostess suddenly grabbed her hands. She didn't say anything, respecting the ceremony obviously being performed. Her face did hold a definite weirded out look of "What the hell? or um, heaven?"

There was a palpable air or awkwardness as Lazaka's freaked out expression gazed back at Nemele's eager eyes.

"But.... why? I mean, I'm just a, a slave from the city." she said finally, remembering her cover story and clumsily attempting to fall back on it "I'm nobody, really!"

One of the figures that played a significant role in the visions that began Nemele's quest had been a warrioress clad in restricting chains as though they were armor. Lazaka seemed to match the figure on several levels. They both wore chains, and the figure seemed quite comfortable in it's bondage. The creature also had a few symbolic characteristics, such as fire and horns, that pointed towards a dragon. Other details also clicked in place as Nemele looked on at the girl. The one thing out of placed seemed to be that the figure in the vision had been a confident and adept warrior. Quite unlike this shrinking servant girl. But.... it was a vision of the future after all.



Unknown to her, there were others who knew of Nemele's quest. Dark forces were catching up to the paladin. Some now lurked outside the inn. Letting their numbers grow before making an attempt on the ward.

[Karyn MacMoragh]

'Like I said!' Nemele said, leaning forward a bit. 'It will uplift your soul, clear your mind, and I'm interested in you. And hey...' She frowned, suddenly. 'You aren't nobody, Lazaka. That sort of talk leads directly to wickedness, I find!' She waggled her finger in a scolding manner. 'Everyone is important, somehow. Everyone's got a story. And I'd really rather like to hear yours!'

She sat back again, considering the girl. She seemed about right. She'd do, at least, and Heaven did lead her here. She'd need to be moulded into shape, though...