Re: Gangs of Havenport (Tassadar) GMed by Takimaru
The words of the bespectacled man drew a roll of Isolda's eyes, the wanderer sticking with her story. "I don't know! They were playing a game and very engrossed it! When I told them Abon sent me they just sent me down here! And besides, I'm a delivery woman, not an associate! If I'd have known you lot were going to throw such a fuss over it, I'd have just left them by the door!" she said, growing increasingly exasperated the farther she went on, but as the largest of the slavers save for their not-so-mysterious customer stepped forward it was plain that Isolda's game wasn't working on this lot.
Ahhh well, couldn't win 'em all. The wanderer's free hand was halfway to her own blade by the time Sorio opted to step in front of her and the slaver made his foolish charge. Isolda was more than ready to cut him in half length-wise before starting on the others, but to her surprise Nottis beat both of them to the metaphorical punch. The man's head smoothly rolled from his shoulders as his corpse fell from it, the kill having been accomplished in a single swing that Isolda knew she could only have replicated had she been using the full extent of her voidic powers. She wasn't as paralyzed with fear as the others might have been, Isolda was certainly impressed, and knew with a good bit more certainty that she wasn't prepared to face this man.
His words, delivered so confidently, held the attention of everyone in the room in a way that Isolda was quite familiar with given her own efforts towards the same. "Oh, you can probably imagine what I'm here for!" she said somewhat cryptically, "but if you'd like a chat, I suppose that I can oblige once my present business is finished with!" To her surprise, Renan quickly butted into the conversation, demanding that the slaves all be freed.... And then, to her even greater surprise, Nottis seemed to agree with him.
It was as the slavers started reaching for their keys that Isolda finally lost patience and dropped her act. "Ehhhh, just let me save everyone a lot of time and you a bit of money here!" she said, casually dropping the bag of locks and striding forward. She suddenly lunged forward about a quarter of the way between herself and the slavers, and even though she could only squeeze two into the effective range of her sword. Drawing the blade, Isolda spun, aiming to kill two men in one quick sweep of her sword just like she'd done upstairs, leaving only one of the slavers remaining.
With two men hopefully dead and only the one with the glasses remaining, Isolda looked to Nottis with a grin and her blood-dripping blade and said; "We can have our chat once this lot is done with. It's a personal matter, I'm sure you understand!" Assuming that Nottis didn't intervene and steal her last kill or move to cut her down (or perhaps try to depending on how lucky Isolda was that day) she would proceed to kill the last of the slavers unless a fairly convincing case was made for his continued survival, and then would grab the key sets of two of them and toss them to Sorio and Renan. The slaves could comfortably left to them to deal with, and Isolda would then clean and sheath her blade before folding her arms over her armored chest.
"So... My name is Isolda," she would say, and then would wait for Nottis to deliver his introduction while Sorio and Renan bustled about. "I'd rather not move anywhere terribly far - spoils of conquest you know - but might you perhaps speak some language other than Elynsorian or Brevnian? I can speak a smattering of a few things, but Gremic would be my preference if you happen to know any of it" she said calmly. When Nottis pronounced that he did, the wanderer shifted comfortably into her home language and added; "So... What might be the nature of your desires?"
Re: Gangs of Havenport (Tassadar) GMed by Takimaru
Status:
Isolda: HP = 91/91, PP = 41, EP = 42/42, Status = Normal
The intensity with which Nottis' gaze was fixed upon Isolda told of his true priorities. He had gone to the Oserra building on a weekly basis, and likely an indeterminate amount of other agencies, for the purpose of finding one thing: Voidic slaves. It seemed that he had caught the wanderer's 'scent' and looked all too intent on acquiring her now. Rarely if ever before had Isolda felt so... scrutinized. Every detail about her was being taken in.
But the swordswoman wasn't to stay a mere deer before the blinding light of this predator's stare. Isolda seized the opportunity to show a glimpse of her own skills, as well as her sense of ruthlessness. She moved forward in an instant, despite remaining under Nottis' watchful eye.
The white-haired man was just as quick as Isolda, if not faster in some regards. Given the speed he displayed before, he could move to stop her at any time.
He didn't. Instead, his eyes followed her motions, analyzing them, dissecting them, absorbing them. If anything, he seemed vaguely pleased at the show that this woman was willing to offer him, exhibiting a calm appreciation for the violent display.
Isolda's two victims were far too frightened of Nottis and his patience level to have possibly noticed the danger to their other side, and as such, offered absolutely no resistance, their faces frozen in shock as they fell to the floor. Cowering grunts and cries could be heard from the prisoners in their cells as blood splattered across the ground and walls.
In noticeable contrast, the 'crippled' swordsman's grin only grew wider. "Hoh. It's no wonder you have Iraelia in your possession," remarked the man, eyeing the tip of the named staff. "That isn't an item Berthane simply loans out to random strangers... or even friends," he added. It was not a particularly easy feat to have spotted the weapon upon Isolda's back with the quick spin she made, but Nottis had managed it.
"W... Wait!" protested the bespectacled slaver as Isolda took a step towards him. He gave a pleading look to Nottis. "But haven't you visited us week after week?! Don't you consult with other, uhh, agencies? Are... are we not your people?!"
"My people..." repeated Nottis quietly in visible contemplation, only to show the unfortunate Deunic thug a rather sadistic smirk seconds later. "You are really the farthest thing from them."
The Voidic one's dismissal was the last thing the man would hear before being cut down by Isolda's thirsty blade. When she was finished, Nottis stepped forward to meet her, looking as pleased as ever.
"Yes, those conditions are fine by me. I'm starting to like you already," he replied in the Gremic tongue. Sorio couldn't help but give a suspicious sideways glance at the change, which the swordsman simply ignored.
"As for the 'nature' of my desires... I would introduce myself as the leader of the Black Hepta, but it seems as though you have already gotten well acquainted with a few of our members. Denth's death was reported to me by one of his henchmen the other day, and it's fairly apparent that you have disposed of Berthane. I might ask if there are any particular motivations behind these recent actions of yours. For the death of two Hepta members in one day is not a frequent occurrence, nor can I believe it to be mere coincidence."
"Normally, I would ensure that such losses would not go unavenged. But after seeing you now, I feel as though we have more to gain from being allies than enemies. After all, good cohorts are so hard to find when one's origins are not quite... human. People like us shouldn't be wasting our killing strokes on one another."
Scanning her up and down, he continued. "In Havenport, it's practically a prerequisite to be part of a proper community to do well here--lest the gangs make a victim of you, financially or physically. I'd argue it's better to be a leader than a follower, in that case. And though you seem to have a bit of a Gremic background, as I do... can you really say you have countrymen here? Or anywhere?" At that point, Isolda could easily guess what Nottis was getting at--her Voidic heritage.
"As you might guess, I am looking for those of a very specific Voidic influence. I see you are an exceptional person matching such criteria, like myself. But solitude doesn't have to be an inevitability for us. If you come with me to the nearby warehouse, I can show you those that I have managed to 'collect' thus far, and I can answer any other questions you might have on the way."
Re: Gangs of Havenport (Tassadar) GMed by Takimaru
Well.... 'He recognizes a stick? That might make things a little bit more difficult...' Of course, Isolda turned out to be marginally incorrect when Nottis later brushed off the death of not only Berthane, but also Denth. "It isn't a lend," the wanderer replied simply, making no effort to make the lie she'd had on the tip of her tongue about it being a memento from her grandfather. When the conversation shifted into Gremic and the leader of the Black Hepta mace his friendly quip, Isolda merely forced a smile and let the conversation continue with replying to such immediately.
Her back turned, Isolda missed Sorio's suspicious look but inwardly felt much the same about the one armed man. There was no way that Nottis could be trusted of course, but perhaps she could learn something through this conversation, and at the very least it would keep a fight from breaking out initially. While she was certainly not one to back down from a fight, Isolda recognized the threat that Nottis posed on both an intellectual level and on an instinctive one, producing a rare occurrence in which both her conscious mind and the desires inspired by her unnatural nature were in agreement. Nottis was not one who would be taken as easily as the men she had just killed, or even his lieutenants whom she had already slain, and so for the moment Isolda remained calm and collected and listened to what Nottis had to say.
It was all a game, of course. On one level or another, she was sure that Nottis would try to have his revenge for what she had done, but it might be through more subtle means than his previously violent displays would suggest. He was, after all, one with voidic blood that seemed much like her own, and if his appearance and skills were any suggestion had had as violent a past as her own. She made no apparent reactions for him to pick up on to anything that he said, but inwardly Isolda scoffed at the man's request that he go off with her to a warehouse where she was to see those that he had "collected" for whatever purpose he wished to use those of voidic origins with. It was a dubious offer at best, and one that Isolda doubted would turn out well for her if she accepted it. But how to refuse without initiating a fight?
"Oh my... Trying to woo a pretty girl with your bug collection are we? This isn't the schoolyard," Isolda remarked humorously, allowing a smile to play across her features while her crossed arms briefly broke apart so that one hand could rise to brush the curtain of ivory hair protecting it away from one of her pointed ears. It was feigned as an act for comfort, but Isolda was curious to see how Nottis would react given the man's fixation on her and the level of perceptiveness that he had displayed thus far. "I am from Grem, originally, or at least I was born there," she admitted freely, but then continued; "That does not mean that I would say that I am from Grem, or that I view it as my country, even though it is where I am most comfortable. I have no countryman, not there, nor here, nor anywhere... Precisely because I have no country. I have none, and I want none.
"That we both have demons in our bloodlines does not make us allies by default, nor does it even make us kin. It certainly doesn't give me any reason to trust you, particularly since you seem intent on leading me to a stronghold to show me a collection of Voidic slaves that you've collected. Your intentions are questionable in that regard, and I've no intention of joining that collection." That was another part on which she wished to see Nottis' reaction, the wanderer studying Nottis as intently as he was studying her, but Isolda didn't pause to give him a chance to speak again, leaving her to make her next point unless he should opt to show her less courtesy than she had shown him and interrupt.
"Also, before this progresses any further, I would note that my stay in Havenport is transitory. I don't intend on staying here for any length of time, and picked up on killing the various levels of scum here because it amused me and because they could not stop me. You say that avoiding being victimized by the gangs here requires becoming part of a community, and yet I have found no problems so far in turning the various denizens of this city into red ornaments and have suffered no reprisals so far. As you might have guessed by now, Abon is as dead as the rest of his men, and isn't that a bit of a slap to that sentiment? I am no leader, and I am certainly no follower, but my solution seems to work just as well as yours. I simply don't leave anyone left alive to hold a grudge, as you have seen here. So... You want me with you because of my Voidic heritage, yes? Why? Beyond just another sword-arm, what would you use me for? And what would you offer to keep me there beyond coin I can acquire in enterprises not requiring that I stay here? Don't waste the breath to say prestige or status, I have neither use nor desire for either one."
A number of questions were left for Nottis to answer, many of which Isolda wanted honest answers to out of curiosity and more. She was walking a dangerous line, trying to see what sort of temper the voidic man might have given her choice of phrasing, but she had purposefully chosen her words and kept an even and earnest tone, avoiding being as insulting and derisive as she might have been had she been speaking to a less impressive figure like Denth. If he was particularly short of temper or became incensed at the joke with which she initially responded to his request, Isolda would have to switch her phrasing or perhaps even move to defend herself if he grew violent immediately. What would happen next largely depended on the reactions of the man making efforts to recruit her, but even though she was seemingly in a comfortable state with her arms once more crossed over her shoulders, Isolda was most definitely on her guard, not only against Nottis but against other potential treachery that might unfold. Renan and Sorio were left to get the slaves out, Isolda largely unsure of what they were doing with the newly freed people but suspecting that they were being led out into the outdoors, but whatever the case she would leave that in the (hopefully) capable hands of the two Taleans.
Re: Gangs of Havenport (Tassadar) GMed by Takimaru
Status:
Isolda: HP = 91/91, PP = 41, EP = 42/42, Status = Normal
"Heh. True... but it's far more troublesome for the both of us than the alternatives," replied Nottis to Isolda's initial quip. While he did spot her clearly elven ears, the subtle move on the wanderer's part didn't deter him in the slightest, despite earning an ever so slight raise of a brow. However, the smirk still remained upon his lips. "A free spirit? As many of us are. But don't get me wrong, my 'collection' isn't that of slaves. It's actually... not much of a collection, mind you, but rather a work in progress."
"Though, allow me to first explain. The reason why you have been able to move across Havenport unchecked is mainly because you haven't killed anyone 'important' enough for punishment to come so swiftly--and I say that in a political sense. That is, other than the obvious two... though in the larger picture, they were but sword-arms of mine--powerful ones, mind you, but hires nonetheless. Abon and the men who lie here are common scum. It should come as no surprise that you've managed to kill them without incident. Berthane is another matter... but he's not a man that just anyone could easily fight on their own, at least not when properly angered." He glanced to Sorio for a brief moment as the boxer's back was turned.
"I am not offering you a job, but a chance. A chance to be amongst those of your level, in the company of others as extraordinary and unique as yourself. Come with me for a moment and I can show you as much. Taking you by force was always an option, but I would like you to see for yourself the benefits of being around those who might have more in common with yourself than you would allow them at first glance," he explained. "Nor is there a better place in this city to sharpen your skills, or even satisfy your more... Voidic urges, I can say that much," added the swordsman.
Renan ascended the steps first along with the freed captives, unable to bear the pressure of being around this Nottis for long. Sorio, on the other hand, hesitated to leave so quickly, giving Isolda a brief look before moving on.
Re: Gangs of Havenport (Tassadar) GMed by Takimaru
That Nottis had some measure of patience was something of a relief. Though she had been very young when her father had left Isolda and her mother, she still had vague memories of the man, and what her mother had mentioned of him after he was gone, and that he had had a violent and destructive temper was something that she had come to accept. It wasn't like she wasn't possessed of a temper herself, after all, and without experience to tell her otherwise she had assumed that all with Voidic heritage, particularly those similar to her own, would be possessed of similar temperament.
She kept to the courtesy that had been established so far, allowing Nottis to speak his piece, and despite herself Isolda couldn't help but admire his salesmanship. A mix of pragmatism and allure that would intrigue someone who actually... Cared... About what he had to offer, one that would probably have worked too, at least on one without any personal stake in eliminating the Hepta like Isolda. She pondered simply abandoning her desire to eliminate the group, given that Sorio and Renan were now no doubt forgotten following Denth's death, but then decided that it could be thought more on later.
"Mmmm... And what if I refuse? Or if I go and see what you have to offer and decide that I am not interested?" she asked, tilting her head. "I could care less what you and yours might have in common with me," she continued before Nottis could speak in response to her questions, "and I have no problem satisfying my... Urges... And never have before, so that portion of your offer is of no value."
Feelings eyes on her back, Isolda glanced back to see Renan departing with the slaves and Sorio gazing at her worriedly, and then quickly barked in Talean; "Go! I will find you later!" Turning back to Nottis and reverting to Gremic, the voidic wanderer simply said; "I am willing to humor you at this point, because I am not doing anything better today. Assuming that you are good to your word, and that you are not going to try and force me into joining you, I will make my final decision then."
Re: Gangs of Havenport (Tassadar) GMed by Takimaru
Status:
Isolda: HP = 91/91, PP = 41, EP = 42/42, Status = Normal
"I'm confident that you would be interested, given enough time," said Nottis. "It would be a shame if you were to leave us so soon before any proper introductions could be made. I must be honest... to lose such a rare specimen as yourself, of part Voidic and Elven blood, might not be something I could deal with so easily. Still, I would prefer for you to join us on your own terms. While people like us may not be allied to each other by default, it is a shame, in my opinion, for us to be killing each other. As for your urges... well, heh. It may be well and good for you to find a degree of comfort amongst the non-Voidics, but I am sure that you won't easily find a human partner capable of what I can do," he said with no shortage of confidence, saying so casually enough that the sexual context of his claim was lost on anyone who might have overheard.
At Isolda's words, Sorio gave her a firm nod. "Take care of yourself," he replied for once, in his native tongue. The seasoned fighter had felt the sharpness of her blows, and witnessed her strength, so despite his initial worry, it didn't take much in the end for the pugilist to put his faith in the mysterious wanderer.
Nottis simply chuckled, allowing the woman to proceed up the stairs before him. "Oh? How fortunate. That is just as well. Come, it is not too far from here."
The two of them emerged from the underground dungeon. When they moved up into the building that it was part of, Isolda would find that the slaves had been ushered out in great haste by Renan and Sorio. The decapitated bodies were still there, but the previously blindfolded and gagged receptionist was not. Nottis' eyes scanned over the mess that the wanderer had made before returning forward, then released a low chuckle. "Not one for subtlety, hm? I can't say that I am either, at least not when it comes to dealing with Deunic types." He walked alongside her as they stepped over the gore and into the streets outside, where the afternoon sun was still prominent. "The constables should have a fun time with this one... not that their power means anything in this city."
"I feel as though it is no coincidence that you, a swordswoman, have come to us. Every member of the Black Hepta is a practitioner of the sword in some form, as you might have guessed. There's nothing quite as pure as combat with a blade, don't you agree? Nothing better to live or die by. Disease, famine, and old age are considered 'natural' ways to die by some, but to me, those are miserable and pathetic roads to find one's end."
Small talk aside, he led her not much further than a block down, towards the water, where a collection of large warehouses made from wood sat in a wide grid. The number six was prominently located above the entrance of the one they finally stopped at. It wasn't very far from the debtors' guild at all; no wonder the man made such regular visits.
Nottis slid the door open, allowing Isolda entrance inside. In comparison to Denth's establishment, it was somewhat less lavish in terms of the materials used, using plain planks over lacquered black wood, but impressive nonetheless in terms of sheer scale. A tavern setting made up one portion of the warehouse, while numerous staircases could be seen leading to rooms upstairs. "A bit of Gremic hospitality behind the bar, if you care for any," he explained, motioning to bottles of whiskey lined up. Nottis guided her through a hall with a few cells--but those were, strangely enough, empty for the time being. A practice area, not terribly unlike those seen near the barracks of knightly orders, was also located on the first floor, as well as some private rooms, which appeared to be living quarters with various styles of bed.
From there, he led her into a wide open meeting room, which must have taken a good portion of the warehouse from the looks of its size. There was a heptagonal table to one side, with several couches in plain view against the wall. This was the only part of the warehouse that wasn't empty; three figures gathered here.
The first was a petite, lithe girl with short white hair and irises of crimson, clad in a lacy black dress with a flaring skirt. Two long ears not unlike those of a rabbit's topped her head, and she carried an alluring air about her--no doubt, a partially Voidic entity of some sort. She seemed to be playing some sort of card game by herself on the large table, but looked up to see Nottis and Isolda arrive. Her expression took on one of great interest. "Ooh, who's this?" She was undeniably cute, spunky--somewhat like the waitress that Isolda had shared a bed with, Samia, except... magnified somehow. Kept at her side was a peculiar sword with a cylindrical sheath, but she seemed to pay it no mind even after seeing a stranger in her midst.
The second was a large, stout figure in full plate armor that had seen no small amount of wear, with various chips and scratches galore. A large tower shield of sorts rested beside him, alongside a sword that seemed to match his sturdy profile. Unlike the first stranger, this one seemed far more... battle-hardened. He remained perfectly still, reclining upon the couch for a few seconds, before Isolda's presence gained his attention. Then, the armored knight lifted his visor, revealing noticeably orcish features. The wanderer's beauty caused his body language to perk up a bit, to which the bunnygirl huffed and folded her arms.
"Why don't you ever react that way with me?!"
The warrior gave a grunt. "Tits too small. Besides, uh... nevermind," he replied in a gruff voice. Isolda could feel his gaze upon her body, however, in a manner more blatant yet somehow less intense than how Nottis originally had first done.
Off to one corner was the last: a shadowy figure, one that Isolda only seemed to notice seconds later despite them being in plain sight. Their face was shrouded via an intricately patterned mask without features. However, they did acknowledge the wanderer's arrival with a slow nod.
Were these the people that Isolda would have fought against? Each of them carried a different air about their figure. The orc seemed to have this barely subdued aura of savagery, while the rabbit-girl's was very similar to Isolda's own when she turned her more alluring airs up as high as she possibly could. The assassin in the corner had a way of masking their presence, and thus had none.
"This is my collection," explained Nottis. "Culdan, Eira, and Rill." He motioned to the orc first, then the bunnygirl, followed by the one of unknown origin. "As you can see, they're not slaves, but members of my group. Two of them were found via the slave trade." The swordsman turned to the three, repeating the gesture to the one next to him. "This is Isolda... a wanderer, of sorts."
"Collection? If you wanna call us that," quipped Eira, fearlessly making her way towards Isolda and then stopping just inches away, observing her closely. When she was this close, the wandering swordswoman could feel the intensity of the aura multiply several times over. "Hmm... can we really repopulate with her?" asked Eira with a raise of her brow and a tilt of her head. "She looks like she can fight, but I don't know about how she'd handle the other things we do. Betcha I could take more than she could."
Re: Gangs of Havenport (Tassadar) GMed by Takimaru
Well, at least he had noticed. His casual remark about his abilities in the bedroom earned a brief smile, and while Isolda knew that such an encounter would undoubtedly be memorable, she had to dash Nottis's hopes quickly but gently; "I'm sure.... Perhaps you can enjoy such scenarios in your dreams, hrm?"
Moments later, when Sorio did something that he rarely enjoyed and chose to speak, Isolda merely nodded, not needing to tell him to do the same. She offered no comment on Nottis's amusement at their interaction as she shortly followed the boxer, his companions, and the slaves they'd freed. Isolda would cast her gaze about before leaving, seeking some sign of where the slavers might keep their money. She had to gather her spoils, after all. Should Nottis ask what she was doing, Isolda would explain as much without a hint of shame, and whether he chose to point her in the right direction or not would be up to him. Should he suggest, as she suspected he might, that he could give her some greater amount, she would both dismiss the offer out of hand and say that it was her money that she was looking for, earned by her work in eliminating the group. If Nottis wished to speak with her, then he would have to be patient.
However that turned out, they would soon be out of the basement full of cages and dead men and into the room filled with dead men, at which point Nottis would speak and Isolda would reply; I don't have the time or the patience for subtlety. I had thought that what I did to Denth might have suggested as much." It was good that he was behind her and thus couldn't see her face, as the roll of her eyes when he spoke of the providence of her skills might not have been good for their future interactions. The melodramatic way in which he spoke wasn't something that she could easily take seriously despite the simple truth (and irony given her eventual intentions) of his words, though she did offer to correct his wording; "A blade is only a tool. At best a channel and at worst a crutch. That I use one is merely because it is the most efficient tool for the task." It was an old saying of Ulfring's, slightly paraphrased, but while the man had hardly been a sage he was the closest thing that Isolda had ever had to an actual father, and she respected his words as such.
The journey from that warehouse to a different one was not a particularly long one, but Isolda did take the opportunity to ask one simple question; "So... Why do they call you the one-hander? Simple theatrics, or did you lose the hand? Or is it bandaged because your heritage or some accident left it unpleasant to look at?"
It wouldn't be long before they arrived at his warehouse, at the apparent headquarters of the Black Hepta, and upon entering she nodded at but didn't move to accept the offer regarding the bar. It was a common offer given to friends and to travelers in need of succor, and Isolda was neither at that point. A tavern near the entrance, more likely for private gatherings among what passed for friends around here than for the sort that Denth would have brought about, and a number of stairs leading up to rooms that held who-knows-what. A hall with a number of empty cells - curious but not important right now - and Isolda came upon the scene of a wide meeting room with a table and a number of couches, and there Isolda would meet the rest of the Black Hepta.
It was.... Jarring to say the least. The first and most noticeable was the girl, a strange little thing who to Isolda seemed almost child-like in mannerisms and appearance. She was noticed first because she moved first, and Isolda kept the instinctive souring of her mood that would have occurred at the flamboyant greeting and ensuing exchange between her and the second figure from showing on her features. The second, an armored warrior with a heavy shield sitting within easy reach, was a little bit more respectable in Isolda's eyes than the tiny white-haired girl with those strange long ears, though she would briefly show surprise at the armored man's orcish features. His eyes were wandering her features without shame much like Isolda's own might have to his undoubtedly muscular form under different circumstances, prompting the exchange that so soured her impression of the first of the Hepta to notice Isolda's presence, but it was about then that the pale wanderer opted to immediately suppress her aura. She had been doing so since seeing Nottis and hadn't stopped as yet, but now she increased her efforts until her presence would have been barely noticeable to anyone who couldn't particularly sense her Voidic origins. The last to be noticed didn't speak so much as a word, merely nodding to Isolda who, out of reflex, nodded back.
Nottis was quick to make introductions while Isolda examined the auras of those other members of the Black Hepta, the girl's much like half of her own while the orc's suggested the violent savagery that she herself often exuded when about to enter a fight. The masked figure, in contrast, was barely even present in a supernatural sense as well, and Isolda noted that. More so even than Nottis, Isolda knew that she would need to feel threatened by that one.
She did not speak in reply as the girl, Eira, strode up until she was standing right in front of Isolda and seemingly examining her. All five feet of her, not counting her elongated ears. The intensity of her alluring aura was much like Isolda's own when she chose to activate it at full strength, but because she recognized this, and because of her impression of the girl so far, and because of her overall mood at being taken here, Isolda found that she had the opposite reaction as to what would normally occur. She would not be easily cowed or tempted when her own talents lay in the same direction, and the girl's words made her bristle visibly. Her own aura flared naturally in reaction to her emotions, decidedly in the direction of the orc's, and her eyes narrowed slightly and took on a look threatening violence if the annoying little thing didn't back off.
Even so, Isolda kept herself mostly in check, limiting her aura to less than half its maximum strength, and rather than speak to Eira she glanced at Nottis and flatly said; "What is she talking about?"
Re: Gangs of Havenport (Tassadar) GMed by Takimaru
Status:
Isolda: HP = 91/91, PP = 41, EP = 42/42, Status = Normal
At Isolda's rejection, Nottis simply chuckled, taking it in stride. "Ever the unattainable one, are we?"
As far as money went, the wanderer wouldn't have to look too far upon re-entering the lobby of the Oserra Debtors' Guild. 100 gold was stashed away behind the counter, with an extra 200 hiding deep in one of the drawers. The one accompanying her carefully observed her movements, but said little of it for the time being, looking relatively indifferent. Either he didn't care about the slavers after all, or Isolda's apparent worth was much higher to him than the lives--or the money--of the humans he associated with.
Then, they began to walk. When the swordswoman quoted her late master about the sword being nothing more than a tool, Nottis put on a thoughtful look. "Mm. Those from Honrai might tell you otherwise, and in Deun, it's somewhere in between. A very western view indeed... though somehow, it suits you," he remarked in reply. Glancing down to his arm for a moment, he nodded slowly. "Yes. A convenient disguise to my heritage is all it is. As you might know, our... kind, has forms that vary greatly. The offspring of a given union between a demon and a human are not guaranteed to have appearances completely typical of just one or the other. I nearly lost my life in Elynsor due to this... attribute of mine, no thanks to the efforts of some so-called holy knights. So consider it an old habit, I suppose; as surely you wouldn't be alive today if your ears were kept out at all times. Perhaps when there is a place for those like us, I will be content to remove it completely. But there isn't, not as of now. That is part of what I am working on."
"As for Denth, it's really a shame. Originally the Ebonstone was his very own gang, but after our paths crossed, I deemed him skilled enough to be part of our network, despite being human. Which lends itself well to my interest in you. It is no small feat to be rid of him, even with assistance. Berthane, on the other hand, did have a tinge of Voidic influence, a 'condition' of sorts from an old pact with a lesser demon. Unfortunately, he saw it as nothing more than a curse, a disease... as something that would eventually be cured given the right amount of scholarly pursuit. Obviously, our views differed in that regard. But as a warrior, he was an honorable and reasonable man. At least, when calm," he went on to explain. "It is even more of a wonder that you managed to succeed against him, but I am fine with attributing that to your own personal prowess."
"After your encounter with those lower down on the ladder, it's a shame I couldn't have left a better impression on you. But know that there are many other humans who would use the name of the Black Hepta, if only as a tool for intimidation and the like, thanks to our recent victories over other groups. Their associations with us should be taken with a grain of salt," he assured her. She couldn't tell if he was telling the truth in that matter, but he seemed sincere enough...
~~~~~
After they arrived at the hideout, Isolda's flaring aura caused the bunnygirl to take a few steps back with a frown. The orc's brow furrowed at the air of violence that rose up from the newcomer, but he was much better at standing firm.
Nottis shook his head, waving off the concern. "Forgive Eira. S...he has, a different way of coping from having been abused in captivity, and as a Void Rabbit, carries an unhealthy fixation with repopulating. As part of their species' pact, it was their first purpose, after all."
"As if everyone else here is just so innocent," huffed the girl, folding her arms and frowning.
The demonic swordsman took the chance to explain. "Yes, we do have our own needs. But don't misunderstand--this is not a mere shelter or love palace for the rejected, as soon enough we will be anything but. We are a gang like any other, and that does involve engaging in a few illicit activities, if only for monetary means... but more importantly, power. After all, the line between a 'group' and a 'gang' is a thin one. What is a king but a gangster with a crown, living in opulence, his authority made official by the written decree of his father? That is a far worse way for any society to select a leader, don't you think? Moreso than Elynsor or Brevnia, Havenport is a place more representative of the world we ought to live in. Power is seized by those competent enough to take it, by pure strength or by guile, and those who fail to keep their hold over it will see it snatched from their grasp, stepping aside for a better suited leader to manage things. There is a place here for everyone--Honrainese, Gremic, Ulralian, and Deunic alike, amongst others. Even those two Talean friends of yours will no doubt find good work as enforcers for the Sabali gang, of their own people. The most well-meaning artisan, no matter how hard they seek to stay uninvolved, will undoubtedly craft goods for someone affiliated with at least one of these groups." Whether he knew about Ciran or not was difficult to tell, but the way he said it didn't sound like a direct threat, at the very least.
Closer proximity to the man would reveal for Isolda that his arm was indeed far from crippled; if anything, it was brimming with Voidic power. "Wanderer, don't you feel that there ought to be a place for you and I? It seems as though you have been about the world already. Have you not found a haven? Luckily for us, a Voidic origin is quite conducive to such a purpose of creating one here, through force. Who was the last human you lost to? Surely nobody short of an exceptional one. Spending too much time with those who aren't, will inevitably dull your skills. It would be a shame to see you wander far from us, to people who may not accept you, to those who would certainly not challenge you."
He went on. "And while I did say that I wasn't offering you a job, I would still rather see you on this side than at the service of another. Given the fate of Denth and Berthane, you could very well be considered our enemy--but I feel that it would be such a waste. There are battles to be fought with the other gangs, especially one from Elynsor that is rumored to have employed several clerics of Erion. It might seem like a high task, but you are no doubt capable of assisting with it. Besides... I at least hope that you would choose those of your own influence over the likes of Elynsorians who would just as soon see you purged. Will you not stay with us for a short while and see? We are no tribe of Orcs nor a pack of Felvari--our individual situations are unique. Like yours."
Acquired 300 gold (and any of the aforementioned weapons that the Oserra thugs were wielding, if you want).
At Isolda's rejection, Nottis simply chuckled, taking it in stride. "Ever the unattainable one, are we?"
As far as money went, the wanderer wouldn't have to look too far upon re-entering the lobby of the Oserra Debtors' Guild. 100 gold was stashed away behind the counter, with an extra 200 hiding deep in one of the drawers. The one accompanying her carefully observed her movements, but said little of it for the time being, looking relatively indifferent. Either he didn't care about the slavers after all, or Isolda's apparent worth was much higher to him than the lives--or the money--of the humans he associated with.
"To some~" Isolda replied with a hint of playfulness, but as she walked up the stairs there would be at least a hint of a sway in her step, one that gave Nottis a few brief teases of her shapely rear as it strained against her skirt, though only the sides and even though only when they weren't covered by her cloak. It was a gesture she thought largely harmless, but one by which she could measure both his interest and his ability to read her, both important things in Isolda's mind.
Heading upstairs, it was quite easy to locate the coin stashes of the Oserra Debtors' Guild in their front desk, a not unimpressive sum that Isolda pocketed as shamelessly as anything else. Nottis didn't seem to take much interest in it, instead concentrating on watching her in ways that served largely to make the wanderer just a tiny bit uncomfortable. She was used to attention, to be sure, and sometimes even actively sought it out when she was feeling particularly vain, but this was a very different sort of it than what she liked. Nottis looked at her like a predator sizing up another predator, and the disdain with which he viewed the men that she had killed - men whom he had been contracted with even if he hadn't particularly liked them - was an indication that he wouldn't be much safer as an ally than he was as an enemy.
Then, they began to walk. When the swordswoman quoted her late master about the sword being nothing more than a tool, Nottis put on a thoughtful look. "Mm. Those from Honrai might tell you otherwise, and in Deun, it's somewhere in between. A very western view indeed... though somehow, it suits you," he remarked in reply. Glancing down to his arm for a moment, he nodded slowly. "Yes. A convenient disguise to my heritage is all it is. As you might know, our... kind, has forms that vary greatly. The offspring of a given union between a demon and a human are not guaranteed to have appearances completely typical of just one or the other. I nearly lost my life in Elynsor due to this... attribute of mine, no thanks to the efforts of some so-called holy knights. So consider it an old habit, I suppose; as surely you wouldn't be alive today if your ears were kept out at all times. Perhaps when there is a place for those like us, I will be content to remove it completely. But there isn't, not as of now. That is part of what I am working on."
"As for Denth, it's really a shame. Originally the Ebonstone was his very own gang, but after our paths crossed, I deemed him skilled enough to be part of our network, despite being human. Which lends itself well to my interest in you. It is no small feat to be rid of him, even with assistance. Berthane, on the other hand, did have a tinge of Voidic influence, a 'condition' of sorts from an old pact with a lesser demon. Unfortunately, he saw it as nothing more than a curse, a disease... as something that would eventually be cured given the right amount of scholarly pursuit. Obviously, our views differed in that regard. But as a warrior, he was an honorable and reasonable man. At least, when calm," he went on to explain. "It is even more of a wonder that you managed to succeed against him, but I am fine with attributing that to your own personal prowess."
"After your encounter with those lower down on the ladder, it's a shame I couldn't have left a better impression on you. But know that there are many other humans who would use the name of the Black Hepta, if only as a tool for intimidation and the like, thanks to our recent victories over other groups. Their associations with us should be taken with a grain of salt," he assured her. She couldn't tell if he was telling the truth in that matter, but he seemed sincere enough...
"Swordsmen of Honrai are more specialized than I would ever a care to be, and the only thing I've ever given much thought to regarding warriors from Deun is how difficult cleaning their blood out of my clothes is going to be," Isolda grunted frankly, though she kept her voice at least relatively low and continued speaking in Gremic given the part of town in which they walked. Her statements weren't entirely true, of course, as she had known more than a few adaptable warriors from Honrai, and had easily come to respect the skill with which even the specialized used their weapons on the rare occurrences that she had seen as much. She had also known more than a few decent men (and women) from Deun, both warriors and those with more mundane livelihoods, but again she was admitting half-truths about herself in order to better sound out the man next to her. That goal in mind at all times, Isolda continued; "If you have been to Grem, or even to Northern Brevnia, then you know that it is the adaptable one and not the specialist who survives when the world is at its harshest."
The subject of her personal philosophy would eventually come to an end, however, and then Isolda would take the opportunity to ask about the wrapped arm of her current traveling companion. She wasn't particularly surprised by his honesty, nor by his story regarding the people of Elynsor reacting less than spectacularly to such. She had only rarely been exposed to the more devout followers of Erion when living among the scum of Elynsor city, but even though she had displayed no obvious signs of voidic influence besides her albino pigmentation she had on occasion been persecuted by them. She too had been made to feel the power of Celestial magic on occasion, which had even recently been nearly enough to make the wanderer lose her breakfast purely from being in the room with it, and even though she was only quarter voidic Isolda knew to respect it as an exceptionally dangerous threat when employed against her.
She wasn't sure how much to buy into Nottis' stories, of course, and chose simply to take it with a grain of salt and reply only with a noncommittal grunt. On the subject of Denth, she displayed a minor hint of surprise and casually remarked; "You almost sound glad to be rid of him.... Though, I could not blame you if you were." When it came to Berthane, however, Isolda grew a little bit more interested, and the answer to the question regarding what had caused the transformation that he had undergone was quick to come and go, albeit not in as much detail as she might have liked. "I had wondered what might have caused the.... Change... That he underwent when he refused to give me the information that I wanted," she would begin, "I hadn't felt the presence of it in him, but I did feel something... Strange when he started to change. It wasn't what I would call an easy fight, to be sure, but he went down eventually."
Finally came a more immediately concerning topic, that of those serving under Nottis who did not follow his direct orders, and at that Isolda gave a snort. "That would be why I have never bothered with titles or organizations," she said, "they only serve to muddy things up."
After they arrived at the hideout, Isolda's flaring aura caused the bunnygirl to take a few steps back with a frown.
Nottis shook his head, waving off the concern. "Forgive Eira. S...he has, a different way of coping from having been abused in captivity, and as a Void Rabbit, carries an unhealthy fixation with repopulating. As part of their species' pact, it was their first purpose, after all."
"As if everyone else here is just so innocent," huffed the girl, folding her arms and frowning.
The demonic swordsman took the chance to explain. "Yes, we do have our own needs. But don't misunderstand--this is not a mere shelter or love palace for the rejected, as soon enough we will be anything but. We are a gang like any other, and that does involve engaging in a few illicit activities, if only for monetary means... but more importantly, power. After all, the line between a 'group' and a 'gang' is a thin one. What is a king but a gangster with a crown, living in opulence, his authority made official by the written decree of his father? That is a far worse way for any society to select a leader, don't you think? Moreso than Elynsor or Brevnia, Havenport is a place more representative of the world we ought to live in. Power is seized by those competent enough to take it, by pure strength or by guile, and those who fail to keep their hold over it will see it snatched from their grasp, stepping aside for a better suited leader to manage things. There is a place here for everyone--Honrainese, Gremic, Ulralian, and Deunic alike, amongst others. Even those two Talean friends of yours will no doubt find good work as enforcers for the Sabali gang, of their own people. The most well-meaning artisan, no matter how hard they seek to stay uninvolved, will undoubtedly craft goods for someone affiliated with at least one of these groups." Whether he knew about Ciran or not was difficult to tell, but the way he said it didn't sound like a direct threat, at the very least.
Closer proximity to the man would reveal for Isolda that his arm was indeed far from crippled; if anything, it was brimming with Voidic power. "Wanderer, don't you feel that there ought to be a place for you and I? It seems as though you have been about the world already. Have you not found a haven? Luckily for us, a Voidic origin is quite conducive to such a purpose of creating one here, through force. Who was the last human you lost to? Surely nobody short of an exceptional one. Spending too much time with those who aren't, will inevitably dull your skills. It would be a shame to see you wander far from us, to people who may not accept you, to those who would certainly not challenge you."
He went on. "And while I did say that I wasn't offering you a job, I would still rather see you on this side than at the service of another. Given the fate of Denth and Berthane, you could very well be considered our enemy--but I feel that it would be such a waste. There are battles to be fought with the other gangs, especially one from Elynsor that is rumored to have employed several clerics of Erion. It might seem like a high task, but you are no doubt capable of assisting with it. Besides... I at least hope that you would choose those of your own influence over the likes of Elynsorians who would just as soon see you purged. Will you not stay with us for a short while and see? We are no tribe of Orcs nor a pack of Felvari--our individual situations are unique. Like yours."
Acquired 300 gold (and any of the aforementioned weapons that the Oserra thugs were wielding, if you want).
Isolda's aura steadily pulsed down back to its dormant level once Eira had backed off a few steps, allowing some of the tension to fade out of the room while Nottis delivered a somewhat hesitant reassurance and explanation, followed by a fairly lengthy explanation regarding his ultimate purpose. Again, she couldn't help but be fairly skeptical of the whole thing despite his efforts at salesmanship, both because of the mildly overly convenient nature of it and because it simply didn't sit well with her overall. Isolda was not naive, and nor was she innocent by any means, but she had always held to a few basic principles regarding the work she chose to take and those she had chosen as temporary allies. She had chosen to avoid the likes of Nottis and his band, what they did to survive perpetually bringing up dark memories of the day in the gutter that had so heavily shaped her life.
A part of her that she had often left buried, indeed the same part that had stirred so annoyingly around Ciran, had always pined for what Nottis was offering her. Sanctuary, stability, a place to call her own... A home. She had always ignored it, always rejected it vehemently, both because she had convinced herself that it was weakness and because she had never found a place that would welcome her for any length of time. That thought only stoked her want for what Nottis was trying to sell her, but even then Isolda held herself firm.... For the moment.
Questions first. "You.... Are not wrong... Precisely," she admitted hesitantly, and that at least wasn't much of an act, as Isolda wasn't liking the idea of it very much even as the words left her mouth. "I have been to many, many places. This isn't even my first stop in Havenport, though I have been here longer this time than I was on my previous visit. And no, I have not fought many who could best me in an even fight... Or even many who could in an uneven one. Nor have I found what you seem to think I need, but in truth I had never looked for sanctuary on my wanderings. It just.... Doesn't appeal to me," that was a lie, and for Isolda an incredibly bad one, but she pressed on anyways; "and I certainly hold no affection for any of your competitors that would inspire me to say no....
"....But, I do not take orders. From anyone. You would call a king a gangster with more prestige... I think you are a gangster who wants to be king, albeit of a very small kingdom. I do not begrudge that to you any more than I would to anyone else, regardless of your heritage. My troubles are with what you choose to do to take that power and position that you seem ready to offer me a share in. I will not give my reasons, but suffice to say that what you do does not appeal to me on a level that leaves me as uncomfortable as Cosmic magic. In the interests of fairness for your offer, I will stay a while and call off any further violence against you and yours - so long as none is offered me at least - so that I may get a better idea of what you're offering beyond the sales pitch you've just given. You are asking me to trust you and then offering me the same in kind, after all, and since I am not being plucked from the arms of slavers as some of your "collection" have been I think that an answer of "maybe pending further inquiry" is as good an answer as I can offer while still dealing on a level of good faith. Just because we share blood from the Void does not make us allies by default, and it certainly does not make us kin. I hope, at any rate."
For the benefit of their listeners Isolda had shifted back to Elynsorian, or Brevnian if Eira had spoke in the more local tongue rather than the trade one, and her last remark had been delivered with a somewhat disarming smile. On that note, she unfolded her arms from over her chest and adopted a slightly less tightened pose as she turned to Eira, Culdan, and Rill. The latter still hadn't said anything, and the orc still had only said a little bit, but Isolda opted to include them in her more formal and personal introduction. "Assuming that my conditions of autonomy and hesitance are tolerable to you..." she began, and if they were not she would simply choose to respond to them however was appropriate at the time rather than continue with her somewhat dramatic introduction. Bowing at the waist, Isolda would dip to about halfway and say; "I am Isolda Kasmira, of Grem, Brevnia, the Void, and the world at large..." The wanderer steadily straightened, having opted to use her rarely given family name for the purposes of her little piece of melodrama, and then adopted a look halfway between amusement and the look she adopted when about to get into a particularly enjoyable fight and added; "I may be around a while, or I may be around permanently... Either way, until about twenty minutes ago, I was planning on picking you off one at a time like I did Denth and Berthane... Because I thought it would be fun!" While it might not have been well advised given that she was outnumbered four to one, at least one of whom was quite probably stronger than her, Isolda couldn't help but test their reaction to that last admission. Again, it was only a partial truth at best, as she had also opted to hunt down and kill the Black Hepta in order to free Sorio and Renan of their debt to the gang, but she doubted that any of them would either want to know that or even particularly care if she bothered to tell them.
(I feel like that last bit was a little bit too derp, so lemme know if it's something that especially needs changing.)
"To some~" Isolda replied with a hint of playfulness, but as she walked up the stairs there would be at least a hint of a sway in her step, one that gave Nottis a few brief teases of her shapely rear as it strained against her skirt, though only the sides and even though only when they weren't covered by her cloak. It was a gesture she thought largely harmless, but one by which she could measure both his interest and his ability to read her, both important things in Isolda's mind.
"Hmh," snickered Nottis upon catching a glimpse of Isolda's rear, as if to hint that he had recognized the subtle gesture as a deliberate one. Still, he didn't pass up the opportunity to admire her form for at least a few more moments, showing that while the swordsman was decent enough at reading her, he wasn't completely immune to her charms.
"Swordsmen of Honrai are more specialized than I would ever a care to be, and the only thing I've ever given much thought to regarding warriors from Deun is how difficult cleaning their blood out of my clothes is going to be," Isolda grunted frankly, though she kept her voice at least relatively low and continued speaking in Gremic given the part of town in which they walked. Her statements weren't entirely true, of course, as she had known more than a few adaptable warriors from Honrai, and had easily come to respect the skill with which even the specialized used their weapons on the rare occurrences that she had seen as much. She had also known more than a few decent men (and women) from Deun, both warriors and those with more mundane livelihoods, but again she was admitting half-truths about herself in order to better sound out the man next to her. That goal in mind at all times, Isolda continued; "If you have been to Grem, or even to Northern Brevnia, then you know that it is the adaptable one and not the specialist who survives when the world is at its harshest."
He couldn't help but raise a skeptic's brow at the half-elf's remarks about Honrainese and Deunic swordsmen. Someone so well-traveled simply could not hold such beliefs, at least not without conflict or suppression. "Oh? Sounds to me like you've gotten into your fair share of fights abroad," commented the white-haired man in response to Isolda's projected half-truths. He left it at that for the time being, remaining very vague as to whether or not he was serious in his response or simply testing her right back.
She wasn't sure how much to buy into Nottis' stories, of course, and chose simply to take it with a grain of salt and reply only with a noncommittal grunt. On the subject of Denth, she displayed a minor hint of surprise and casually remarked; "You almost sound glad to be rid of him.... Though, I could not blame you if you were." When it came to Berthane, however, Isolda grew a little bit more interested, and the answer to the question regarding what had caused the transformation that he had undergone was quick to come and go, albeit not in as much detail as she might have liked. "I had wondered what might have caused the.... Change... That he underwent when he refused to give me the information that I wanted," she would begin, "I hadn't felt the presence of it in him, but I did feel something... Strange when he started to change. It wasn't what I would call an easy fight, to be sure, but he went down eventually."
The leader of the Black Hepta seemed fairly indifferent on the Voidic beauty's guesses about his relationship with Denth. "You would be right. Other than the kinship as a swordsman--of which I have slain many--it was harder for me to find a relatable ground with Denth, other than the benefits of increased arms. Though given what you've accomplished, I feel as if I might gain something more. And yes, Berthane's situation was unique. But as you might know, the contracts offered by Voidic demons are inherently diverse in nature. It's quite difficult, perhaps impossible, to categorize the various conditions and nuances of the powers they might grant," he went on casually. "Better for one to simply accept it at that point, I would argue."
~~~~~
"Oh? Then what have you been looking for? Few travel across the oceans in either direction with no destination or goal in mind, and the rare ones that do are simply running from something."
Regardless of whether or not she chose to answer, he wouldn't press the issue, instead opting to address her concern about his principles. "Heh... regardless of what you see me as right now, even the least tyrannical of rulers must choose a group to favor and one to neglect in the end--they do every time. Our ties with humans cannot be severed completely, nor should they. But if given a choice on a larger scale, I would call those of Voidic blood closer to my own, and so I will watch out for them. That includes you, with or without the attitude you currently hold. Everyone else... can be handled on a case by case basis. If you wish to see the nature of our operations, then feel free to spend some time here and see for yourself, as I have offered you to. As far as this issue of yours with 'taking orders' goes, you might find that we can allow for quite a bit more autonomy than you would think. Some others in our group, though not necessarily core members, are proof of such."
Isolda's testy introduction would earn a bit of a reaction from Culdan and Eira, with the the former looking somewhat surprised, though not terribly shaken, and the latter appearing even more hesitant and fearful than before. Rill simply stared in response; it was hard to gauge the mysterious figure's reaction thanks to the featureless mask he hid behind. Isolda's relatively potent aura, an air that was capable of inducing dread when she chose, often made for a natural reaction that was closer to what the other two showed. It seemed that Culdan was very good at holding his ground, at least compared to most humans, while Eira possessed a powerful instinct with regards to detecting danger--something that Isolda could be argued to represent in no small amount. Rill, on the other hand, proved unnervingly expressionless given the situation. His form did seem to shift just slightly, but other than that, the assassin's lack of features helped in masking any feelings he might have otherwise given a hint to.
"Hoh. That's one definition of fun... but welcome," greeted Culdan in a gruff voice.
"H... hi," Eira chimed in hesitantly. The pale beauty had done just enough to cause the shortest member of the group to maintain a respectable distance, at least for the time being.
Suddenly, a light rapping upon the side door, made in a peculiar rhythm, could be heard. Nottis shifted his gaze towards the sound, then looked back to Isolda.
"A moment," he announced before making his way to the entrance.
If the wanderer cared to take a look over, she would soon find the man giving greetings to a cloaked figure, one that paused for a few moment to utter some words. "I... have a bit of info. They might be onto you."
"We're not exactly difficult to find. Perhaps it would be best to retrieve Alona from her usual spot, for safety's sake. You should be careful, yourself. Care to stay the night?"
"No, I'll be fine. Just going to camp out near the borders." The newcomer peered over in Isolda's direction not long afterwards.
"Who's that?" asked the stranger in a low, feminine voice.
"She is half elf," answered Nottis in a more conversational tone. "There is no need to whisper."
"Oh... hmm. I see," replied the girl before slipping inside the building rather gracefully, revealing a long cat's tail that swished behind her. "A freelancer?"
Nottis simply smirked. "I suppose you could say that. Much like yourself." He then turned to Isolda. "This is--"
"Oribel," interrupted the hooded one, soon pulling her shroud back to reveal a set of feline ears. She allowed Isolda to make her own introduction before continuing. "I'm something of an independent hunter, and a scout. Just making sure everyone here was still alive. I know that it can get a bit... violent, here in Havenport, which is why I tend to stay out of the way, for the most part," she explained. "Oh, and I brought dinner," Oribel added, holding up a pair of dead rabbits in one hand. "Free of charge."
Eira couldn't help but frown. "Eeeuuhhh... I'll... I-I'll pass," muttered the bunnygirl.
"Oh? Then what have you been looking for? Few travel across the oceans in either direction with no destination or goal in mind, and the rare ones that do are simply running from something."
"Looking for? To tell the truth, I haven't really been looking for anything. I've just traveled because I enjoy it, and because there are always new things to see... Among other things. As you saw back in the other warehouse, I don't generally leave behind anyone or anything to run from, so you needn't worry about gaining any enemies by association."
Isolda made her dramatic introduction following the reassurances given by Nottis, making no immediate reply to them. The reactions she got were somewhat more muted than she'd expected, the massive orc unshaken and seemingly at least mildly amused by her flamboyant admission, while Eira was more frightened by it than Isolda had expected. She instinctively picked up on the tiny hints of fear expressed by the void rabbit, more easily so than she might have for a normal person even, and the way in which she backed off slightly further and the hesitant note in her voice earned her a grim smile from the wanderer in her direction, as well as a subtle flaring of the more violent portions of her aura just to see how she would react. The silent masked figure, unsurprisingly, didn't offer much reaction to anything that she did, and she wondered for a moment whether he was mute or simply trying for the strong silent type deal that she saw many who opted to call themselves assassins seemed to go for.
"Thank you," she said to Culdan politely. To Eira she offered only another brief smirk after coming up from her bow, and was about to turn her attention to Rill for some good-natured teasing when there suddenly came a knock at the door. Odd. She hadn't picked the Hepta for regular receivers of social calls. Nottis went to get it, and Isolda watched him go curiously and attuned her senses in that direction... There were benefits to the elven half of her heritage, after all. The stranger, apparently female judging by her voice, was unsurprisingly unsure of how to react to this stranger among her associates, and opted to ask Nottis about it in a manner that she thought Isolda wouldn't overhear. The wanderer did, and grinned wryly for a moment before Nottis went and ruined it.
"Hey, no fair! What's the point in being able to overhear people when they think they're being sneaky if everyone knows about it!" Isolda called out jovially as the stranger slipped inside, and a brief look of surprise crossed Isolda's features as she noticed the woman's feline tail near the bottom of her cloak. The ears that showed once she took off her hood were much less surprising, and when Oribel introduced herself Isolda nodded and simply replied; "Isolda." The following explanation earned a nod and then a grin when she held up the two dead rabbits and Eira gave her ensuing reaction, but the wanderer shook her head as well and said; "I think I'll pass too.... It's hard to have much appetite for rabbit when I've got the coin to treat myself to better. No offense." She purposefully left it unclear whether she meant that to be directed towards Eira, Oribel, or both and continued; "I wouldn't mind hearing what the trouble might be if it leaves you wondering if everyone here is still alive though, assuming that no one has any objections. I'd prefer to know who I'd be making enemies with if I end up hanging out around here."
Then a thought crossed Isolda's mind, and she idly added; "Speaking of... What do you lot even do around here? Play strip poker and drink? I can't imagine you all just sitting around save for when you go off to the occasional.... Business... Meeting."
Re: Gangs of Havenport (Tassadar) GMed by Takimaru
Status:
Isolda: HP = 91/91, PP = 41, EP = 42/42, Status = Normal
"Good to meet you, Isolda. Half-elf, huh? Ohhhh... I see! I couldn't tell, because of the hair. Full-blooded elves tend to have longer ears," commented Oribel, twitching her own as she looked the white-haired beauty over. Though Isolda was still a good amount taller than her, she didn't move with the same degree of fear that Eira had exhibited, taking a moment to do a full circle around the newcomer. The catgirl's movements were naturally graceful, and even a casual walk on her part carried all of the smoothness that an apex predator should exhibit. Still, it was more of a gesture done out of curiosity than hostility, and she carried no airs of the latter around her.
To Isolda's response regarding the rabbits, she simply shrugged. "Suit yourself," she replied, presenting her catch to Culdan and then Nottis in turn.
The orc shook his head as well. "Not enough meat on em," he groaned. "Could go for something bigger instead."
"Men and their unhealthy obsession with size," sighed Oribel. "Not like you need to gain any weight. It must be nice to be able to just drop a few metal discs to get as much food as you want, though--you city folk sure have it easy! But I gotta stay sharp somehow. And you should, too. Because the threat is... erm..." She paused for a moment, glancing at Isolda, then to Nottis. The leader of the Hepta put on a thoughtful look, then nodded in response, motioning for her to continue.
"I saw a couple of armored guys camped out near the woods to the west last night. They were definitely speaking Elynsorian to each other, soo yeah--I figured they might be reinforcements or some such for that one gang... the Avinnor, or something? A few even had necklaces with the Cross of Erion on them. I don't think they spotted me, but I heard a bit about them talking about Voidic types in Havenport. And well, you guys are pretty much the only ones I know in the city, so I thought I'd just let you know that they could be a problem. Could be nothing, too, but can never be too sure."
"Hrmpf," grumbled Culdan. "Elynsorians go in and out of Havenport all the time, and everyone knows that they are utterly paranoid when it comes to the 'threat' of Voidic ones. They'd imprison and burn their own people just for some peace of mind. How can you be so sure that they are looking for us in particular and that it wasn't just the rambling of some stupid adventurers? After all, we're the basis of horror stories that Elynsorian parents tell their children to make them behave. I doubt it's anything of note."
"Uuuuu," groaned Eira. "Iunno, it never hurts to be safe... y'know? I just hope they didn't see you or anything."
Oribel huffed. "I'd think you to have more faith in me than that! It's going to take more than a few dense knights from Elynsor to catch a Felvari. But I just had a bad feeling... call it a gut instinct, I guess."
"I'd hate to throw operations out of order because of some cat's 'gut instinct'," said the orcish warrior, still carrying a hint of skepticism in his tone.
Nottis shook his head. "No, that is actually very useful information, Oribel," remarked the swordsman. "One question... how much gear did they carry?"
The catgirl scratched the back of her head. "Hum, well... now that you mention it, they were pretty decked out as far as weapons went, but baggage wise they were traveling pretty light."
"Oh! So... that probably means that they mean to stop IN Havenport instead of passing through it, right?" Eira chimed in.
"Indeed," Nottis said grimly. "It seems as though the Avinnor intend on employing the services of some paladins or clerics to capitalize on some of our so-called weaknesses."
"But I thought they already had a few in their ranks," the Void Rabbit interjected with a worried look.
"Hence the paranoia and hatred that Culdan spoke of. This is precisely why we cannot afford to be killing each other." The cast-wearing warrior looked over to Isolda, and his serious expression remained. "Ever made an enemy of a wielder of Cosmic magic? Stay around for long enough, and you just might. Though if any survive, expect to see a prisoner or two. This warehouse is also, as you might imagine, a good place for interrogation."
"And strip poker," commented Eira, which incited a groan from Culdan.
"It is a good place to drink, to train, and to sleep," explained the orc.
"Our smuggling and trafficking operations also go through the docks not far from here. Rill does most of the hits... I handle the negotiations," Nottis clarified. "Culdan is security, and Eira handles everything in between."
"As for me, I'm more of a... fringe member, but hey, Nottis pays me for info, so I can't complain," said Oribel. "Speaking of which!"
She shot a teasing look to the leader, who produced a small bag of coins from within his cloak and chucked it in her direction. "Thaaank you," purred the feline beauty.
Nottis turned his gaze back on Isolda once more. "Still think you can handle staying here--or at least not trying to kill any of us, now that you know what we do, and who is after us? Provided you can, I might recommend meeting up with one of our... money-makers, Alona, since the two of you haven't been properly introduced yet."
"Good to meet you, Isolda. Half-elf, huh? Ohhhh... I see! I couldn't tell, because of the hair. Full-blooded elves tend to have longer ears," commented Oribel, twitching her own as she looked the white-haired beauty over. Though Isolda was still a good amount taller than her, she didn't move with the same degree of fear that Eira had exhibited, taking a moment to do a full circle around the newcomer. The catgirl's movements were naturally graceful, and even a casual walk on her part carried all of the smoothness that an apex predator should exhibit. Still, it was more of a gesture done out of curiosity than hostility, and she carried no airs of the latter around her.
Isolda responded to Oribel's curious circle of her by holding mostly still, following the Felvari's graceful movements by turning her head and then her eyes. While they might have once nearly been the death of her at one point, if there was one animal that Isolda had generally identified with most, it probably had to be the winter wolves of Grem, and even if the feline grace of Oribel might have been appealing in some ways it was a very different sort of grace from what Isolda generally preferred to identify herself with on a personal level. Besides, it was in the nature of two predators to size one another up, and while the Felvari circled her Isolda examined her just as curiously. "Indeed.... You know, don't take this the wrong way, but... I've never seen a Felvari that wasn't in chains or trying to murder me before. I don't normally like cats, but... It is a refreshing change to learn for sure that your kind are capable of more than either subservience or madness," Isolda said evenly, conveying with her matter-of-fact tone that she intended her previous estimation of Oribel's race to make no remark on her.
To Isolda's response regarding the rabbits, she simply shrugged. "Suit yourself," she replied, presenting her catch to Culdan and then Nottis in turn.
The orc shook his head as well. "Not enough meat on em," he groaned. "Could go for something bigger instead."
"Men and their unhealthy obsession with size," sighed Oribel. "Not like you need to gain any weight. It must be nice to be able to just drop a few metal discs to get as much food as you want, though--you city folk sure have it easy! But I gotta stay sharp somehow. And you should, too. Because the threat is... erm..." She paused for a moment, glancing at Isolda, then to Nottis. The leader of the Hepta put on a thoughtful look, then nodded in response, motioning for her to continue.
While she didn't opt to comment on it at the time, the exchange between Culdan and Oribel brought a smirk to Isolda's lips briefly, the display of friendly familiarity an unusual bit of camaraderie to the wanderer's eyes. It was a rare sight for her period, much less one that she experienced herself, and even if she wasn't being included it rarely failed to be at least mildly heartening.
"I saw a couple of armored guys camped out near the woods to the west last night. They were definitely speaking Elynsorian to each other, soo yeah--I figured they might be reinforcements or some such for that one gang... the Avinnor, or something? A few even had necklaces with the Cross of Erion on them. I don't think they spotted me, but I heard a bit about them talking about Voidic types in Havenport. And well, you guys are pretty much the only ones I know in the city, so I thought I'd just let you know that they could be a problem. Could be nothing, too, but can never be too sure."
"Hrmpf," grumbled Culdan. "Elynsorians go in and out of Havenport all the time, and everyone knows that they are utterly paranoid when it comes to the 'threat' of Voidic ones. They'd imprison and burn their own people just for some peace of mind. How can you be so sure that they are looking for us in particular and that it wasn't just the rambling of some stupid adventurers? After all, we're the basis of horror stories that Elynsorian parents tell their children to make them behave. I doubt it's anything of note."
"Uuuuu," groaned Eira. "Iunno, it never hurts to be safe... y'know? I just hope they didn't see you or anything."
Oribel huffed. "I'd think you to have more faith in me than that! It's going to take more than a few dense knights from Elynsor to catch a Felvari. But I just had a bad feeling... call it a gut instinct, I guess."
"I'd hate to throw operations out of order because of some cat's 'gut instinct'," said the orcish warrior, still carrying a hint of skepticism in his tone.
Nottis shook his head. "No, that is actually very useful information, Oribel," remarked the swordsman. "One question... how much gear did they carry?"
The catgirl scratched the back of her head. "Hum, well... now that you mention it, they were pretty decked out as far as weapons went, but baggage wise they were traveling pretty light."
"Oh! So... that probably means that they mean to stop IN Havenport instead of passing through it, right?" Eira chimed in.
"Indeed," Nottis said grimly. "It seems as though the Avinnor intend on employing the services of some paladins or clerics to capitalize on some of our so-called weaknesses."
"But I thought they already had a few in their ranks," the Void Rabbit interjected with a worried look.
"Hence the paranoia and hatred that Culdan spoke of. This is precisely why we cannot afford to be killing each other." The cast-wearing warrior looked over to Isolda, and his serious expression remained. "Ever made an enemy of a wielder of Cosmic magic? Stay around for long enough, and you just might. Though if any survive, expect to see a prisoner or two. This warehouse is also, as you might imagine, a good place for interrogation."
The rest of the conversation had Isolda growing a great deal more dour, and while she might not have been tested personally by any devout followers of Erion, she had on occasion been made to feel the unpleasant sensation of having Cosmic magic performed in her vicinity. "Against me? No," Isolda replied to Nottis' question, and would wait for the exchange of quips that followed to end before adding; "but Cosmic magic does tend to turn my stomach whenever I get near it. That's not exactly the sort of condition that I'd like to fight in, to be honest, but if they're after you they were bound to stumble across me sooner or later. I suppose murdering them is a decent alternative to murdering you, though."
"And strip poker," commented Eira, which incited a groan from Culdan.
"It is a good place to drink, to train, and to sleep," explained the orc.
"Our smuggling and trafficking operations also go through the docks not far from here. Rill does most of the hits... I handle the negotiations," Nottis clarified. "Culdan is security, and Eira handles everything in between."
"As for me, I'm more of a... fringe member, but hey, Nottis pays me for info, so I can't complain," said Oribel. "Speaking of which!"
She shot a teasing look to the leader, who produced a small bag of coins from within his cloak and chucked it in her direction. "Thaaank you," purred the feline beauty.
Nottis turned his gaze back on Isolda once more. "Still think you can handle staying here--or at least not trying to kill any of us, now that you know what we do, and who is after us? Provided you can, I might recommend meeting up with one of our... money-makers, Alona, since the two of you haven't been properly introduced yet."
The comment from Eira briefly brought another smirk from the wanderer, albeit a very brief one, and once Nottis turned on her again she would say; "Well, with the promise of strip poker and imminent attempted murder by a group of Erion fanatics to keep me around, how could I possibly do anything BUT stick around?" A smirk once again came across Isolda's face, and after a brief pause to covertly gauge the reactions her words produced she would add; "I have heard of Alona, and might have had a chance to meet her if I hadn't walked into town with no coin left over from my trip back across the sea. Truth be told, I had wondered if she had been coerced into joining against her will after what Berthane said of her, but I wouldn't trust any answer you'd give to that even if you were honest about it, so let's skip that conversation entirely shall we?
"I have, as I said, come to the conclusion that further violence against you and yours isn't within my own best interests, so you will be free of that worry. So long as the violence doesn't come to involve the mass slaughter of non-combatants, I also certainly wouldn't mind cutting down a few fanatics on your behalf if you can point me in the right direction. Or simply want some extra security, I suppose. I need something to do with my newly gained free time after all~ All that said, while I suspect I might be able to like you lot well enough, I don't like to sit on my hands and don't work for anyone but myself anymore, so you probably shouldn't count on me being around here with any reliability unless something happens to be going on to hold my interest, and you probably shouldn't count on my bringing in any coin for you either. Particularly in the way that Alona gains it." She said that last bit with just a hint of distaste in her voice, but figured that that was enough to leave her position on prostitution clear.
"Even so," she continued quickly, "I think, unless you have anything else you think I ought to know, that I might go and visit Alona at some point anyway... To introduce myself. Do you own the brothel that she works at, or will I need to tell them something in particular in order to get in to see her? Or show them something? I don't intend to go right away unless some urgency would demand as much, as I have other concerns to attend to today."
Re: Gangs of Havenport (Tassadar) GMed by Takimaru
Status:
Isolda: HP = 91/91, PP = 41, EP = 42/42, Status = Normal
"Oh, yes," Oribel replied aloud. "That whole... chains and collar thing is sort of why I try to avoid the city as much as possible. But I know that if some slavers do try and get me around here, I'll at least be covered for that. Right?" She shot a glance to the others, as if waiting for a verbal confirmation.
Nottis laughed. "Of course. Lone wolves--or cats, in this case--rarely survive for long."
"Exactly! As for the more bloodthirsty ones, erm, I guess I'll go ahead and apologize on their behalf. Other Felvari who aren't... well, emancipated like I am, tend to be a bunch of savage religious freaks. Sort of why I left in the first place. But believe me, they definitely don't make it easy to! Probably why there are so few of us 'free' Felvari to begin with."
At Isolda's compliment of sorts, she cracked a hesitant grin and shrugged. "Thanks, I... think! I'd like to believe that I'm neither of those, too. Sometimes it's tough to fit in."
The leader of the Black Hepta seemed all too pleased to have gained Isolda's cooperation for the time being, though the visual evidence he provided for such a sentiment remained relatively subtle. "Fanatics seems a proper descriptor for those we may be going up against in the near future. If it's violence you're after, I'm sure a suitable challenge may be upon us soon enough, so I will make sure to keep you posted on the matter."
He raised a brow at her mention of Alona, but didn't seem too plussed by it. "She seems to enjoy her current dwelling, hence the temporary separation, due to having acquired an odd taste in humans. I suppose you might be of the same cloth, so to speak... but you could always speak to her about the matter personally, if you are that concerned about it. But I will say that there is no binding manner of staying in the Hepta--unless, that is, you owe me a debt, which you do not as of now."
"If there was, I wouldn't even be here!" quipped Oribel.
"The crest of the Hepta is enough for free entry," mentioned Nottis. "I'm sure you might have acquired a ring or two from your... previous encounters? Don't put them to waste, if you have. In fact, it would bring me no small amount of comfort to know that you do have them in your possession. The change of roster still isn't... official, of course, so I would have one of us accompany you to the Silver Quarters. That way, we can ensure that you don't encounter any unnecessary trouble."
"I'll go," offered the catgirl. "I'd like to get some fresh air anyway, no offense to your fiiine establishment. But feel free to cook these!" She made a feigned toss of her quarry to Eira, then chucked the dead rabbits towards Nottis, who swiftly caught them with one hand.
"Do bring her back, won't you? If she hesitates, tell her that it's... important," ordered Nottis, to which Oribel simply nodded a few times.
"Yah, I gotcha. We'll be back tonight... prolly," purred the feline beauty before giving Isolda's cloak a light tug and leading her outside. She received no verbal farewell from Eira, though the others bid her acknowledgment as she left. Never before had the half-elf received such a welcoming air from a group of other Voidic beings.
With that, the two made their way from the warehouse to the Silver Quarters, where Isolda had first met Ciran. It was still a fair distance away, and Oribel used the time to make some small talk after throwing her hood over her head to hide her Voidic features.
"So, how'd you come across our little group? 'Cause, those rings... ah... well, I-I won't ask too much on the details of how you got them. But you being able to walk around like this with them on you is still pretty surprising, I gotta admit, especially when Nottis knows about it all. I think he must like you a lot, or you must've done something to get him to be more, erm, forgiving. I mean, he's civil to just about anyone who's Voidic and willing to listen to his cause, but it probably helps that you kinda check almost every box in his preference list," explained the Felvari, her eyes shifting to the side as she idly scanned Isolda's frame.
"Definitely prettier than Denth and Berthane put together, though, so I guess I can't complain on that end," she quipped with relative indifference. "Beggars can't be choosers when it comes to collecting Voidic misfits and even the occasional human though, so we're bound to have a few heads butting here and there. As you can see. I haven't gotten along too well with Eira as of late, 'cause... well, let's just say that 'she' isn't quite what she looks to be. Still, they're the closest thing I've got to a group around here, since moving around Brevnia didn't do me a whole lotta good, and everyone in Greybourne simply wants to own me," Oribel huffed as the two continued on towards their destination.
"If I had it my way, I'd just be out there in the wild by myself all the time, but... it does get a little lonely, and it's nice to know that someone would have my back if I got into any trouble."
Isolda: HP = 91/91, PP = 41, EP = 42/42, Status = Normal
"Oh, yes," Oribel replied aloud. "That whole... chains and collar thing is sort of why I try to avoid the city as much as possible. But I know that if some slavers do try and get me around here, I'll at least be covered for that. Right?" She shot a glance to the others, as if waiting for a verbal confirmation.
Nottis laughed. "Of course. Lone wolves--or cats, in this case--rarely survive for long."
"Exactly! As for the more bloodthirsty ones, erm, I guess I'll go ahead and apologize on their behalf. Other Felvari who aren't... well, emancipated like I am, tend to be a bunch of savage religious freaks. Sort of why I left in the first place. But believe me, they definitely don't make it easy to! Probably why there are so few of us 'free' Felvari to begin with."
At Isolda's compliment of sorts, she cracked a hesitant grin and shrugged. "Thanks, I... think! I'd like to believe that I'm neither of those, too. Sometimes it's tough to fit in."
Isolda quirked an eyebrow at the exchange between Nottis and Oribel, though after a moment's thought her surprise at the understanding between the Felvari and the Hepta leader quickly faded. The Black Hepta were essentially a gang, after all, and the whole point of a gang was that the members of the group tried to look out for one another, and even though she was apparently a less common sight around here than the others Oribel's voidic bloodline ensured that she was a more respected member of the group than Berthane, who had rejected the portion of him connected to the void, and Denth, who'd had no voidic connection whatsoever, might have. That realization put a lot of things into context for Isolda, and while she wasn't sure if she had a complete picture of how things worked among the Black Hepta just yet, she did believe that she was starting to get it. Did she like it, on the other hand....
"No need to apologize for things that were done by someone you've never met," Isolda replied casually to Oribel's apology, cracking a slight grin of her own, "by that logic I'd have to apologize for all of the foolishness perpetrated by the elves just because I have pointy ears!"
The leader of the Black Hepta seemed all too pleased to have gained Isolda's cooperation for the time being, though the visual evidence he provided for such a sentiment remained relatively subtle. "Fanatics seems a proper descriptor for those we may be going up against in the near future. If it's violence you're after, I'm sure a suitable challenge may be upon us soon enough, so I will make sure to keep you posted on the matter."
"Thanks~ I'm sure that this arrangement will work out favorably... For both of us," Isolda replied, and then was content to leave her tentative alliance with the Black Hepta at that.
He raised a brow at her mention of Alona, but didn't seem too plussed by it. "She seems to enjoy her current dwelling, hence the temporary separation, due to having acquired an odd taste in humans. I suppose you might be of the same cloth, so to speak... but you could always speak to her about the matter personally, if you are that concerned about it. But I will say that there is no binding manner of staying in the Hepta--unless, that is, you owe me a debt, which you do not as of now."
"If there was, I wouldn't even be here!" quipped Oribel.
"The crest of the Hepta is enough for free entry," mentioned Nottis. "I'm sure you might have acquired a ring or two from your... previous encounters? Don't put them to waste, if you have. In fact, it would bring me no small amount of comfort to know that you do have them in your possession. The change of roster still isn't... official, of course, so I would have one of us accompany you to the Silver Quarters. That way, we can ensure that you don't encounter any unnecessary trouble."
"I'll go," offered the catgirl. "I'd like to get some fresh air anyway, no offense to your fiiine establishment. But feel free to cook these!" She made a feigned toss of her quarry to Eira, then chucked the dead rabbits towards Nottis, who swiftly caught them with one hand.
"Do bring her back, won't you? If she hesitates, tell her that it's... important," ordered Nottis, to which Oribel simply nodded a few times.
"Yah, I gotcha. We'll be back tonight... prolly," purred the feline beauty before giving Isolda's cloak a light tug and leading her outside. She received no verbal farewell from Eira, though the others bid her acknowledgment as she left. Never before had the half-elf received such a welcoming air from a group of other Voidic beings.
"Truth be told, I'm not particularly concerned about it," Isolda would remark on the matter of Alona, "I merely mention it because you brought her up and figured a degree of openness would make it easier to rid the room of assumptions."
When the subject turned to the rings she'd taken from Berthane and Denth, Isolda cracked a grin again and offered Nottis a reassuring nod, "yes, I do still have them. we're a bit lucky, actually, as I was in a pawn shop earlier today, ironically just before we met, and would probably have sold them if I had remembered that I had them. Makes it a bit easier to keep anyone from sneaking into your strongholds, not having those floating around."
For the remainder of the exchange between Oribel and Nottis Isolda allowed herself to remain silent, having nothing particularly important she felt the need to add, and when the felvari tugged on her cloak the wanderer nodded and gave a one-handed salute to the rest of the Black Hepta. "I suppose I'll see you all later then? I'm sure you won't regret leaving Oribel here in my sinister clutches~" she said with a brief moment of mock menace in her tone, though if any of them expressed any real concern the wanderer would let out a bark of laughter to signal her joke more clearly.
With that, the two made their way from the warehouse to the Silver Quarters, where Isolda had first met Ciran. It was still a fair distance away, and Oribel used the time to make some small talk after throwing her hood over her head to hide her Voidic features.
"So, how'd you come across our little group? 'Cause, those rings... ah... well, I-I won't ask too much on the details of how you got them. But you being able to walk around like this with them on you is still pretty surprising, I gotta admit, especially when Nottis knows about it all. I think he must like you a lot, or you must've done something to get him to be more, erm, forgiving. I mean, he's civil to just about anyone who's Voidic and willing to listen to his cause, but it probably helps that you kinda check almost every box in his preference list," explained the Felvari, her eyes shifting to the side as she idly scanned Isolda's frame.
"Definitely prettier than Denth and Berthane put together, though, so I guess I can't complain on that end," she quipped with relative indifference. "Beggars can't be choosers when it comes to collecting Voidic misfits and even the occasional human though, so we're bound to have a few heads butting here and there. As you can see. I haven't gotten along too well with Eira as of late, 'cause... well, let's just say that 'she' isn't quite what she looks to be. Still, they're the closest thing I've got to a group around here, since moving around Brevnia didn't do me a whole lotta good, and everyone in Greybourne simply wants to own me," Oribel huffed as the two continued on towards their destination.
"If I had it my way, I'd just be out there in the wild by myself all the time, but... it does get a little lonely, and it's nice to know that someone would have my back if I got into any trouble."
After saying her goodbyes, Isolda would follow Oribel out of the warehouse, and when the felvari struck up a conversation almost immediately the wanderer was all too happy to respond, the odd group having put her in a good mood all things considered. She wasn't sure how things would pan out from here, but Isolda had never met a group of others with voidic save for a group of orcs seen from across a tavern and a handful of felvari, and those had not been encounters that she remembered with any fondness. Despite her good mood, however, Isolda couldn't help but be frank, and when Oribel questioned how she had come into contact with the Black Hepta she simply replied; "A pair of thugs bearing your insignia who worked for Denth threatened a pair of men I'd befriended, so I killed them. Axodd and... You know, I don't think I remember the other guy, but I still have his cleaver! Oh, wait, it was.... Grush.... Gus.... Gursh! His name was Gursh! Anyway, after that I decided to kill the rest of the Hepta, figuring you were just another gang of pointless thugs with aspirations of importance, and strolled on over to Denth's bar to start with him since that was where Axodd pointed me. After that I got cleaned up, had a bit of, ahhhh... Still messy but less murderous fun with my new friends, and then went off to meet Berthane.
"Him I liked a lot more than Denth, at least until he changed, but still ended up killing. I got the impression that Nottis wasn't too fond of either of them, and.... Well, I don't think you're wrong about me being prettier than them, particularly if Nottis shares as many appetites with me as he seems to~" Isolda paused briefly to offer a knowing smirk, a slightly noticeable shift in her gait adding a bit of emphasis to her figure having occurred during Oribel's examination of her. "I had no idea the man I was intending to hunt down and murder would find me so appealing though! It's almost flattering really! Though I think I'll see how much toying with him I can get away with before I seriously think about letting him see some of my... Other talents~" she continued, and then glanced Oribel's way to give the felvari the same glance over that she had given to Isolda only moments prior. "Though... The mention of preferences does open up some... Interesting questions, doesn't it? Maybe yours aren't so different from his, hrm? Also, Berthane mentioned that Nottis had taken some enjoyment out of Alona before I killed him, and thinking on that I can't help but wonder who hasn't seen who without clothes on among the group," she added inquisitively, curious to see how Oribel might react, either to the implied interests or onto the more straightforward question on who might be banging who among the Hepta. It was a rare occurrence for Isolda to seek gossip, but she also rarely had people around whom she was as naturally comfortable as this lot, particularly Oribel who seemed as much a naturally loner as Isolda herself, and the opportunity to follow a more commonly "feminine" interest wasn't one that Isolda was going to pass up on without putting a lot more thought into the matter than she was currently.
"Ahhh, yes, I did notice a bit of tension there," Isolda remarked when the subject turned to the less lewd interactions within the group itself, "after you came in I almost felt bad for how I'd treated Eira! It was almost like we were ganging up on her." An eyebrow rose at Oribel's implication, however, and she puzzled over it for a moment before saying; "Not what she looks to be? What, is Eira actually a man under the dress or something" Her tone had been joking, but Oribel's reaction to her statement gave Isolda a moment of pause before she let out a bark of laughter that grew into a fit that lasted for a few moments before she was able to continue, "hah! Heh... Hahahahaha! You're kidding, right!? Eira, she... He's a boy in a dress? ...Why!?" Isolda seemed genuinely confused about the idea, and after a moment she added; "I mean, to each their own, but.... I can't fathom why a man would want to go around pretending to be a woman. Does he swing for the same team or something?" Well, that put Culdan's reaction to Eira's jealous outburst about how the armored orc had eyed up Isolda into a bit more context at least.
A more serious subject was quick to come up, however, and again Isolda felt an unwanted ping of jealousy at the hints of comraderie that Oribel seemed to hold for the other Black Hepta members. "Mmmm, were you one of the ones that Nottis pulled out of a cage? He said that two of the Hepta had been found as slaves, and I was wondering which ones," the wanderer questioned, her tone curious but not pressing, and should Oribel react as if it were a touch subject Isolda would be fine with letting it go unanswered. "I know a bit of what that's like, having to feel like everyone's looking to take advantage of you just because you're different," Isolda remarked understandingly, though her tone was also fairly frank, and she continued without pause; "I was a bit luckier than you though, all I need to hide my ears is long hair. I haven't really had it that bad since I got out of Elynsor city and got away from the Redclaws. I wouldn't know how it is to have someone at your back though, not yet at least, but.... Maybe. I haven't ever needed it though, except maybe once."
Re: Gangs of Havenport (Tassadar) GMed by Takimaru
Chat session!
Status:
Isolda: HP = 91/91, PP = 41, EP = 42/42, Status = Normal
GM:
At Isolda's answer regarding the rings, Nottis nodded, the slight look of relief evident in his eyes. "What luck, if one could call it that. Provided, the members have changed in the past, so the rings are the primary tokens of identification that grant their holders free access and use of our branch establishments, like the Silver Quarters and the Ebonstone. Though I feel as if the latter might be less... cozy, than it usually is. I would let you know that such rings have never actually been successfully taken from their owners before--not by non-members, that is."
Her parting quip was received in good stride by the other members for the most part, although Nottis raised a brow at the suggestion.
~~~~~
Oribel's mouth crinkled as she caught a hint of Isolda's sultry behavior. "I can tell Nottis likes you and all, but are you sure you want to open that box with him? I hear that he's err, really ravenous when it comes to women, even though he -seems- to be pretty good about it around you. Killing Denth and Berthane in a day might have played a part in that though! Like I said, I don't know how hard they were to kill for you, but that's something of a big deal. I mean, I could prolly beat the human, if he were a good enough distance away. But that old guy was pretty scary when he got mad enough," she explained. "As for Alona, she's... one of the members that actually has been with Nottis, so I'm sure she could tell you aaaall about it," Oribel added. "Nottis and Culdan are nice enough, but I'm just not sure I wanna go there with them, because once some doors are open with certain guys, they're just so hard to close, y'know? I have enough trouble with trying to keep Eira away, so yeah. I'm not sure what that time spent locked up did to him, but it's made him really, really, uh... aggressive. At least of the two former slaves, Culdan is more laid back, but I figure that's because he's seen enough bloodshed to last someone a good while. I guess he used to be a bound gladiator or something..." she trailed off before pausing to take a glance behind her, then continuing to move on. A few seconds later and she'd look around once more.
"Sorry," said Oribel. "Just a little paranoid, since I sort of feel like I'm being watched, I guess. Maybe I've been in the wild for too long and all these sounds from the city kinda throw me off. I figured maybe Nottis sent Rill to keep an eye on us... maybe thinks that you're gonna try to violate me or something," she added with a slight laugh. "But if I have to be honest, it's Rill who creeps me out the most, since he just... I dunno, it's hard to explain. Something's just off about him, not to mention he never, EVER talks."
PC:
“Oh really?” Isolda remarked curiously at Oribel's warning about Nottis, her tone playfully light and curious. “I had suspected as much... Since I'm more or less the same, though not necessarily only with one sex or the other, if you catch my drift.” Isolda offered a nod at Oribel's suggestion that killing the two other Hepta members might have been a reason for Nottis' overall caution where she was concerned, but when mentioned her estimation at her own chances in a fight against Denth and Berthane the wanderer couldn't help but quirk an eyebrow.
“Denth wasn't very hard, if I'm going to be honest. He relied too much on how intimidating his sword must be to the average fighter around here.... But now I get to learn to make better use of it~” she replied brightly, the joy in her tone bordering on lust. “As for Berthane, he was a little bit tougher, but nothing I couldn't handle. Do you prefer the bow over the sword then? I had suspected as much judging by your lifestyle, but didn't want to assume. I used to have one, but the body of it was broken when someone I'd intended to use it on got closer than I liked, and I just haven't picked another one up since. Its been... Damn, probably two years since I've even held one, heh.”
When the subject turned to sex among the various members, Isolda listened intently, smirking all the while and offering a nod when she suggested asking Alona about Nottis and a more emphatic one when she mentioned that she hadn't been with any of them yet. “Yes, that does tend to happen with men... Sometimes I like that, but it can be annoying when they get to pushy, so I don't suppose I can blame you too much for wanting to avoid that sort of drama if they're the only people you feel comfortable around.” The wanderer tilted her head idly and quirked an eyebrow after another mention of Eira, and after giving a thoughtful hum she asked; “Does that mean you found out what's under the dress first hand then?” Even though she hadn't commented on them or asked further, Isolda did take some interest in what Oribel revealed about Culdan and Eira's pasts, the fact that the orc had once been a gladiator not particularly surprising given his stature and overall attitude, and that Eira had been abused likewise not much of a shocker.
Oribel's nervousness did not come as much of a surprise either, and she knew without needing to ask what the source might be. Following Oribel's apology and subsequent explanation, Isolda shrugged and replied; “I wouldn't be surprised if he did send the assassin to make sure that I didn't lure you into an alley and murder you, to be honest. It's not like any of you have any reason to trust me, and you're seemingly part of the family where Nottis is concerned.” She then briefly mulled over the felvari's attitude towards the man and her own revelation regarding the mysterious masked figure before adding; “It's because he isn't all there, I think. His aura was... Blank. Like, not even present. Even regular humans and animals have something, but Rill was like a piece of empty air. That he doesn't talk is... Disappointing, but I can't say that I'm surprised. Have you ever even seen him without the mask on? Assuming that Rill is even a he.”
A brief pause, not enough for Oribel to answer, and Isolda would smirk and playfully add; “Besides, he might be quite right to send someone to look after you after leaving you alone with me! Who's to say that I won't try to... Violate you a little, as you put it~”
GM:
"Oh... wow," replied Oribel to Isolda's assessment of her previous opponents, lacking no dishonesty in her apparent astonishment. "I'm not quite as obsessed with swords and stuff as Nottis and them, but that's pretty impressive. And yah, I use a bow, mainly for hunting. It's a lot easier than running after things in the forest trying to hit them with a sword, I'll say that much," she explained, unable to help but giggle at the odd mental image that came up in her own mind. "I'm uuusually quick enough to get out of the way before having to deal with any of that nasty melee stuff. Or I just stay a good distance away from it all. Less hassle that way!"
A blush appeared on her face after Eira was brought up, and the catgirl rapidly shook her head in response. "N-No way. Listen, I didn't get NAKED or anything, okay? I just kinda... felt it while he was being touchy-feely and err, needless to say, the surprise wasn't a terribly pleasant one. Especially when he makes such a convincing girl, as far as looks go! This was a while ago, mind you... but things have been pretty awkward between us ever since. It's part of why I don't visit nearly as often as I probably should, but the city is also just a bit suffocating for me at times. Too many people here and there, so many things to watch out for. And on top of that, there's just so many unwritten rules about people here, with no guidebook for them! Know what I mean?" she replied in a hushed voice, as she didn't seem too proud about the admission.
"And uhm... no, now that you mention it. Rill's just kinda, there. Well, barely there, but he's there when you look. I thought I was pretty good at being sneaky due to being a Felvari and all that, but he's just on another level. Kind of why I..." She paused to glance left and right, and the top of her hood could be seen shifting slightly as her ears twitched. "Always like to make sure that he's not actually creeping about. He's not though, as far as I can tell, which is good." The cloaked girl gave a sigh of relief after her brief bout of mild paranoia.
Oribel blinked a few times as Isolda's suggestive quip before finally getting the hint that the white-haired one may not actually be kidding. "O... Oh," she replied, managing a polite yet slightly nervous smile. "I think that might actually be the first time another girl's actually threatened to 'violate' me, but I guess there's a first for everything, huh? It probably... doesn't happen enough," said the Felvari quietly, "but my race is usually so strict about how they do things. Tends to happen when you're a generations-old race of religious freaks. But honestly, you're not..." She swallowed as the hint of a blush appeared upon her cheeks. "actually serious about that... are you." Her relative inexperience in dealing with certain social nuances, particularly Isolda's sense of humor, began to show.
PC:
“Haha, oh don't I know it! I only ever regretted not grabbing another bow... Probably once, since most of the places I visited were pretty well settled. Having to forage for food that I didn't need to try and outrun when I didn't know what was edible and what was poisonous was kind of a bitch!” Isolda replied mirthfully at the mention of chasing after game with a sword. She opted to leave out the part where she had ended up using her voidic gifts to run down an animal after a particularly frustratingly hungry couple of days.
When the subject turned to Eira and Oribel became so completely embarrassed, however, Isolda couldn't help but smirk a little bit wider. “Tsk, a cat letting a rabbit catch them? Isn't it supposed to work the other way 'round?” she quipped, but her amusement made way for a lascivious grin that Oribel would thankfully miss while looking around for Rill. She would leave her suggestive remarks for later, however, in favor of discussing the mysterious assassin who may or may not have been following them. She did, however, give a remark about the felvari's discomfort in the city, saying; “Understandable, I would often feel that way when I was going someplace new, but that was honestly part of the fun of it! Havenport's probably a little bit harder to adapt to than most if you really want to get involved in it, being so multicultural and all.”
“Mmmm, perhaps you're just more used to looking for him then. I didn't feel a thing off of him, but I was only around him for a few minutes. Maybe I need to acclimate.” Glancing around herself for a moment, she frowned briefly and said; “I used to be a bit of a sneak myself, when I was a kid. The whole, half a foot taller than the average man development kinda made sure those skills didn't get to see a lot of use though. I doubt I'd be anywhere near as good as you at it even if I had though, given your choice of lifestyle.” Glancing back at Oribel, she smiled again and continued; “I'll have to take your word on not having a lurker after us, so on that note... How soon do you need to be back with Alona, hrm?”
The felvari's nervousness quickly turned Isolda's grin to one that was absolutely predatory, and even though they were still walking forwards she slid a step to the side, lightly invading Oribel's personal space but not quite touching her. Her aura flared, not powerfully or even consciously but in a small amount, and in a tone quiet enough that one would need to be close in order to overhear, the pale half-elf said; “Oribel, dear... I am deadly serious~ You don't seem too terribly interested in any of our male counterparts, and you let Eira feel you up until you felt what was under her... His dress. That leads me to believe that you lean towards the fairer sex, and if you do... Well, I certainly wouldn't have any objections to seeing you naked~”
GM:
"Yup. So many people here with all their different ideas about what's what... I used to think Greybournians were intolerant of Felvari, but now I realize that they at least don't want us all dead, unlike Elynsorians. It's actually kind of nice to know that the whole xenophobic religious zealot thing isn't limited to my own people, though!" she exclaimed with a shrug. "Helps me feel like less of a... weirdo, I guess."
"Hmm! Yeah, you definitely have the whole... incredibly tall... thing, going on," commented Oribel when the topic shifted a bit towards height, looking to the side towards her conversational partner in order to better observe her. The wanderer was at least a head taller than her, and so the catgirl's eyes were about level with the other woman's collarbone. "It's a little intimidating, kinda like Nottis, but also like him, you're surprisingly easy to talk to," she admitted. "But then again, I don't really go out of my way to socialize all that much, so what do I know?"
"Besides, I--... huh? Oh, uuuhmm... I dunno," she replied to the question about the timeliness in which they needed to fetch Alona. "I'm honestly not sure. He said it was 'important', but he didn't seem as rushed about it as he could have been... so I can't really say," Oribel continued, before realizing what Isolda was implying. The streak of red over her upper cheeks grew deeper as she turned her gaze to the ground. Had she been found out?
Then, as she lifted her field of view upwards, Isolda was practically upon her, easily in what might be considered her 'personal space', and already Oribel's heart was pounding. What was she doing? There was undoubtedly a very direct, sexual undertone with the bold approach--even many men were not this aggressive, but there she was. And then came Isolda's revelation of her so-called secret, one that caused the shorter woman's chest to drop a little. "I-I... no! Well, I mean, y-yeah, but. Ah, how'd you..." The catgirl seemed unaware of the all the rather obvious hints about her sexuality that she herself had dropped earlier in their conversation, as it was so easy for her to get lost in the gossip. Her former manner of speaking, normally confident and flowy as it were, was now stuttered and quiet in the face of the white-haired beauty's advance.
She swallowed hard, pausing to look around once more, as if someone would eavesdrop on their conversation--even if nobody was there by Isolda's own senses. "You mean... you... and me, auh, now?" A bead of sweat began to roll down the side of her face as her nerves kicked in. It was unbelievably direct, and certainly sudden, but the spontaneity of it had Oribel's heart racing. Yes, she had always been attracted to women, but never did she have an opportunity for that to simply move right in on her like this.
PC:
“It isn't always bad, but yeah, a lot of people from Elynsor can be a little bit... Crazy. In my experience there are always people who will hate you and people who will like you pretty much anywhere you go, but the ratios can definitely fluctuate a lot, particularly for people like us. I actually tend to have a bit of trouble around Brevnia if I let people see my ears, since the elves there sometimes cause trouble for people.”
When speaking of herself, Isolda smirked at Oribel's remark about her height, and then smiled sweetly at the mention that she was easy to talk to. “Thanks! I do try to get a lot of practice. It helps when you travel as much as I do,” she said brightly, “you should try to be more sociable. You might meet a few people you'd like! At the very least try to come 'round that hideout more often, I promise to keep Eira off of you!”
Oribel's reactions to Isolda's flirtations did much to reinforce her predatory grin, the other woman's obvious nervousness both endearing and igniting the wanderer's domineering side, which had certainly seen plenty of opportunities over the last few days to be stretched. Though she didn't blush herself, seeing the red spread across Oribel's cheeks was exciting in and of itself, and since Oribel wasn't pulling away she let herself become a little bit more bold.
“It wasn't hard to guess,” Isolda remarked flatly in response to the felvari's fumbling, and the shift from her smooth manner of speech to this nervous stuttering prompted Isolda to ask; “You aren't very experienced are you? Are you a virgin?” The wanderer chuckled softly, and her pace slowed as Oribel glanced around nervously as if someone were close enough to overhear them. “Here and now? In the street?” she asked with mock incredulity, “I'm adventurous, certainly, but that's a bit much even for me!”
After another chuckle, however, Isolda would grin lewdly again, and afterwords would say in a suggestive purr; “Now and in a private room somewhere, however.... That I wouldn't mind~ A few events today left me a little bit, ahhhh, ready to go I would say. We could just as easily wait for later though, if you're nervous and want to see to Nottis' demands first.”
GM:
Oribel didn't move... or perhaps she couldn't. It was hard to tell. While Isolda's directness was a little jarring at first, the level of intrigue that the half-elf's comments brought out in her was something she hadn't felt before. Yes, she had indeed longed to be with a girl during those lonelier nights spent in the wilderness. But to have the opportunity simply come so quickly on a single visit to the city, where she normally stayed under wraps save for being in the presence of the Hepta... it was definitely a bit of a shock. Given her pursuer's apparent beauty, magnetism and friendliness, it certainly wasn't easy to just refuse her outright. Had Isolda been a man, this conversation would be over.
"What?! 'Course not!" Oribel blurted out in reply to Isolda's accusations of her being a virgin. "I just... don't get the opportunity to do stuff like what you and Nottis probably do all that often. Kind of unfair when you guys could pass as human. For us Felvari, there aren't exactly half-breeds or anything. Our so-called deity is cruel like that, I g-guess," she stammered, averting her gaze momentarily. Oribel didn't seem to be lying, from what Isolda could tell, but she was trying to change the subject, at least for a moment. She should have known better, though, as the taller woman was not about to let her get away... and she found herself in no position to really refuse. Why did this other lady have to be so gorgeous and understandably Voidic at the same time?
"Wait! Sshhh," she suddenly urged after Isolda made her quip, waving her hands at shoulder level. "I didn't mean HERE! You're just... uhhnn, I can't believe you!" exclaimed the Felvari. After once again confirming that nobody was watching and / or chuckling, she made a pouty look. "Geez, are you really just part-Voidic?" That must have been the reason behind this wanderer's inexplicably high libido, as well as her own growing lust at the mere thought of her actually having a proper partner for tonight. Being Voidic was a convenient excuse as to why she wasn't saying 'no'. The actual promise of being together with Isolda was... a little bit of a turn on, the more she thought about it. Had she become this lonely?
Then, after another moment of contemplation, she gave the slightest hint of a nod. "S... sure, but you owe me dinner and something nice after all this. It's pretty backwards of what humans usually do, I hear, but... I'm not human, so I guess it works..." said Oribel quietly, her eyes finally wandering to meet those of the other woman.
A glance not too far from where they currently stood would, conveniently enough, reveal the sign to a rather cheap inn, as they had been closing in on the heart of the red-light district. Alternatively, there was a more expensive hotel not a block down...
PC:
Isolda giggled softly at Oribel's exclamation after her question about the felvari being virgin, and she tilted her head at the defensive woman and more smoothly replied; “Oh, I'd bet that plenty of people would take you, kitty bits and all. Without having to put a collar on you first too! Though some might put one on for fun if you happen to be into that~” Her attempt to change the subject was obvious, but contrary to what Oribel might have thought Isolda did have a degree of empathy for that nervousness. She had been similarly nervous about sex not all that long ago, after all. That said, she also didn't back down from her brazen attitude either.
The outburst following her mock suggestion that they do it right here in the street drew an outright laugh from Isolda, and she let Oribel glance around again and responded to her pout with a cocky smirk. “Just part~ I was on a boat for months with no one to fuck! Well, no one to fuck that I wanted to. I don't like relying on my hands to scratch the itch.”
The more she seemed to think about it, the more Isolda could see Oribel contemplating the idea favorably. When she finally gave her tiny nod and, in a voice even more nervous than she had before, both agreed and demanded something more proper after they were done, Isolda let out a low chuckle and said; “Treating me like the man in the relationship huh? I don't mind. It's a deal~ We can eat first if you're hungry, my treat.” She met the felvari's green eyes with her blue-gray ones, and in a purr added; “Or, if you're really looking forward to it... We could hurry.”
A glance up the street would reveal a cheap inn in which they could find shelter for their union, but given the quantity of coin she had on hand and the partner she was bringing in Isolda opted to go for the more expensive one. She pondered trying to hunt down the Wandering Lady, and perhaps even see if Samia was interested in joining in, but then decided that Oribel could use a more personal touch the first time they were together. Sliding an arm around Oribel's waist, she pulled the cloaked felvari along and said; “Come on... Lets go somewhere more private.”
Re: Gangs of Havenport (Tassadar) GMed by Takimaru
GM:
The feline beauty huffed at the collar comments, wrapping her arms around her torso. "I'm not very fond of collars, for obvious reasons! Reminds me too much of what some people from Greybourne wanted to do to me, so let's um, skip that kinda stuff, if we can help it."
The blush upon her face was quite obvious at that point, as she had practically given her consent for the most part. There was no going back now, it seemed... but, at the very least, Isolda's beauty and natural allure made the decision that much easier when Oribel took another look at her future partner.
"I... see," responded Oribel to Isolda's story of being on a boat, looking somewhat thoughtful as she pondered the implications of it a little too much. Was this another subtle yet successful read on the wanderer's part? The catgirl had never been on a boat, but the sole manner in which she enjoyed herself, sexually at least, was via manual stimulation. It was the best one could often manage while spending the majority of their time out there alone. "Hey, that's... using my hands is all I can manage, most of the time," she admitted quietly. Playing with herself was a somewhat guilty pleasure and an indulgence of her Voidic origins, to be sure, but it certainly wouldn't compare to an experience with someone else, especially a member of the fairer sex.
"I didn't mean that as an insult! You're quite pretty, and I mean that. But you are as bold, and apparently as strong, as a man... so I think it suits you," she replied to Isolda's joke. She blinked her green eyes back at the other woman and bit her lower lip. The opportunity to hurry gave her something of a rush, one that traveled up and down her spine. Oribel was, for the most part, used to a more routine existence, such that spontaneity at such a level was new--and admittedly a little arousing--to her. In a small voice, she answered, "we... we can hurry."
Feeling the taller, stronger woman's arm slide around her frame, Oribel allowed herself to be pulled in, giving a faint nod to the suggestion. At that point, she didn't care about where they headed, but it was certainly a nice gesture to see the swordswoman eschew the cheaper options in favor of someplace a little more luxurious.
They stopped by a fairly fancy inn called the Toleren Suites, where even the woman at the front desk appeared somewhat surprised to see a battle-hardened traveler and her hooded companion wandering in amongst the well-to-do nobles that often stayed there. Still, if Isolda was willing to cough up the hefty 100 gold charge, she would gladly offer a key and a voucher for a meal for two in their restaurant on the first floor--or for room service to bring it up. Oribel gently latched onto Isolda's arm in return.
PC:
“That's quite fine by me~ It's not like I carry that kind of stuff around with me anyway!” Isolda replied in a light, comforting, and mirthful tone in the hopes of easing Oribel's concerns. The collar comment had been meant to be entirely lighthearted, and she wanted to make sure that her would-be partner understood it as such.
“Mmmmm, but you could get better if you wanted it,” Isolda remarked thoughtfully, though she then smirked and continued; “If you were a little bit more... Adventurous, at least. As for me on the ship, I... Technically could have had better too, but I learned a long time ago how ship etiquette and sex aren't really compatible. Sailors that know each other like to share, and unless you're only doing it with an officer you're liable to have someone try to get you drunk on grog and pass you around. Plus, I didn't exactly have apothecary access at sea, and landing on shore halfway through carrying some bonehead's bastard doesn't exactly appeal to me. I was the only woman on the ship at the time, so that wasn't exactly an option either.... Ehhhh, I think I'm rambling a bit now, so that's probably enough of that!”
When the felvari, blushing and nervous but eager like the virgin Isolda had accused her of being, admitted to wanting to hurry, Isolda's predatory grin widened. “Well then.... Lets hurry,” she said, and then shortly thereafter they were off. The odd looks that they got upon entering the more luxurious inn that Isolda had stumbled across, an armored warrior and a cloaked figure among lesser nobles and merchants, would not be something that Isolda would allow to bother her, and she would inquire about a room and then hand over a hundred gold from her copious quantities.
Oribel's shift from being held against her side to being on her arm like a proper lady drew an approving grin from the pale wanderer, and she idly said; “So then, shall we go and examine our quarters?” Assuming that Oribel agreed, Isolda would lead the way to the room they'd been given, and upon arriving would usher her inside and then close and lock the door behind them.
GM:
Oribel managed a nervous laugh. "I guess I'm not missing much in the way of boat stuff, then, ehheh... that whole being passed around thing doesn't really sound appealing to me," she remarked softly. She was happy enough to move on from the subject, however, as dirty sailors and their bedroom habits were apparently fairly low on the catgirl's list of things that got her hot and bothered. Much higher up was beautiful women, and the swordswoman certainly managed to qualify for that, despite her amazingly direct approach. But while it was sudden, it paid off in the end, as an unofficial member of the Hepta was now willingly accompanying the half-elf to an inn to do just one thing...
The Felvari could only nod at Isolda's proposal, and her rapid heartbeat could be felt against the wanderer's arm as they proceeded from the lobby and down a carpeted hall, into their assigned room. It was a lavish setup, certainly worth the price, and actually more luxurious than Ciran's own home or the room he had gotten for her in the Wandering Lady, albeit a bit grandiose, boasting floors of cool marble and furniture of white lacquered wood. A large bathtub sat on one end of the chamber, and in the center stood a four-post bed with red bedsheets, big enough to easily fit four people on it.
"Wow..." Oribel gasped in awe, unable to believe the degree of luxury that had been purchased just for her sake. It was more than just a little flattering in its own way, and that in itself did wonders for her libido. When the door was shut behind them and the click of the lock was heard, her heart jumped. The catgirl was as ready for this as ever, and Isolda could tell as much. She slowly allowed herself to peel away from the other woman's side before removing her cloak, which revealed a simple set of traveler's clothes, meant more for functionality than anything, but their fitted nature revealed a body that was undoubtedly fit from years of hunting. Oribel was much shorter than Isolda, and her bust obviously smaller, but unlike Eira there was still a bit more than a handful to fondle, and her athletic build was certainly nothing to scoff at either.
PC:
As they headed down the hall, the entirely composed Isolda couldn't help but be amused by the rapid rate at which she could feel Oribel's heart beating through the arm being held on to be the shorter woman. Her own heart beat at its normal calm, steady rate despite the prospect of making love with the felvari beside her, but that wasn't to say that Isolda wasn't excited by the prospect by any means. It was among the behaviors she had that were, admittedly, fairly masculine from a traditional viewpoint, and while Isolda would never be ashamed of anything she did, that particular detail about the way she acted around others was something that even she sometimes questioned.
It wasn't to be questioned now, however, and when Oribel slid away from her and removed her cloak Isolda's attention was entirely focused on her. The woman, to no great surprise, wore a traveler's outfit beneath her cloak, but it clung nicely to her toned figure and suggested a number of very interesting things once they started peeling those clothes off. Offering a brief smile, Isolda would glance around the room, spotting the tub first and grinning, “mmmm, that should be fun later.” Her gaze shifted to the bed first, which could have comfortable accommodated two more partners with ease, “but there first! Maybe next time we can invite a friend or two to help fill the extra space, hrm? I know a couple of guys you might be able to like~”
She slid forward until she was within Oribel's personal space again, an arm reaching around to gently slide around the shorter woman's waist while the opposite hand settled onto her hip. “But for now.... You're all mine,” Isolda purred softly, looking down into Oribel's emerald eyes as their faces slowly drew nearer. She wanted to remain within Oribel's comfort zone, and that would necessitate a bit of experimentation before she could start getting really adventurous. As such, when she moved in for the first kiss of the night she did so slowly, allowing Oribel time to puzzle out what she was doing – the girl really was more oblivious than Isolda would have thought possible – and respond however she liked before the pale half-elf's lips slowly pressed against her own.
Isolda's eyes would slowly slide closed, and a moment later she would slowly tilt her head and allow her lips to part slightly. Another few seconds later and her tongue would stretch forth to lightly flick against Oribel's bottom lip, and if she responded in kind Isolda would gently flick against the felvari's tongue, exploring it but not as roughly as she might have were she with a partner she would consider more experienced. The kiss was not a brief one, but it was one that she would take no farther than that unless Oribel opted to try and go further, and after a few moments she would slowly withdraw. Breaking their oral embrace, Isolda would open her eyes and grin at Oribel for a moment before gently guiding her over to the bed, and once they were at the foot of the bed she would pause and separate from the no-doubt eager felvari.
“We won't be needing any of this~” she said lightly, and then reached up to unstrap her crimson cloak, which was quickly tossed aside onto the floor. Her pack, her sheathed greatsword, Berthane's transforming weapon, and serpentius were quickly laid on top of it, the lattermost weapon coiled up after she gently pulled it from around her waist, and then she pulled the coin bag she'd stuck between her breasts and tossed it onto her bag as well. It was all within easy reach of the bed, in case such should be needed, and the pile was far enough from any entrances that Isolda was confidant that not even Rill could possibly sneak in to disturb her things without them noticing well beforehand. “Ahhh, my many toys~” she cooed idly as she began unstrapping her armor, a simple task for the main plate that covered her torso, and after a few more seconds the breastplate would clatter quietly as it was gently laid onto her spread cloak.
After that Isolda would stretch, raising her hands high and arching her back in a way that was more appealing to any onlookers than functional, and while she wasn't sure what Oribel might appreciate about the female form, everything that Isolda had to offer was on display. Clad only in her thick leather skirt, the simple cloth she wore under her armor for padding, and the greaves and bracers that completed the set, all of Isolda's generous assets were on display to one degree or another as she posed. Her generous bust, her taught, toned stomach, her wide hips and generous rear were all plain to see, and plenty of pale, unblemished skin was on offer as well as she glanced back at Oribel over her shoulder, having turned to face mostly away from her while she stripped most of the more practical portions of her garments off.
Her boots were kicked off shortly afterwards, and then she would bend down to undo the straps of her greaves and toss them aside as well. Finally, her bracers would follow, leaving Isolda in leather and cloth and absolutely nothing else, but the rest she would leave on for now to see how Oribel wanted to continue, whether she'd like to continue undressing separately or start taking one another's clothes off in a more fun manner. One thing that would likely be hard to miss, however, would be the bloodstain on the left side of her chest wraps, where Berthane had struck her the day before. The wound beneath had been fully healed thanks to the generous (and unwilling) donation of some of the mutants that the old man had looked after, but the stain was there nonetheless, and if Oribel asked after it Isolda would likely have some explaining to do before any further pleasure could be had.
GM:
Oribel couldn't look away when Isolda pulled her in close. If she were to be honest with herself, she was almost nervous to the point of bring scared, but still wasn't exactly sure why. Perhaps it was due to her being the 'prey' for once, rather than the proverbial predator, that she felt such a hint of unease, or that she let her loneliness and this relative stranger's allure get the best of her. Her nerves would be calmed a notch or two with Isolda's touch, however, and when the other girl closed in for a kiss, so as to start things off, she wouldn't move away from where she stood. Instead, she responded to it in kind, and over the length of the embrace she would feel herself growing more comfortable, even more bold with the way she returned it as her Voidic instincts began to take over from any previous tendencies towards hesitating.
At the wanderer's testing licks, Oribel would part her lips wider, giving a wordless invitation for her partner to go further at her leisure, and soon enough things would progress further. It gave Isolda a feel of the catgirl's soft, wet, and textured tongue against her own. Oribel, despite the impression of relative innocence she gave, would be more receptive over the span of the extended and deepened kiss. Her deft lingual muscle circled around that of the swordswoman's, indulging in the slow yet passionate dance between their oral faculties. Oribel showed herself to be a rather good kisser--primarily because she allowed herself to focus on the kiss alone moreso than some others. It was an act done for the sake of the act itself, unlike the hasty, half-assed embraces that many men made upon Isolda en route to the main course--which to them, was simply the notion of access to the proof of her femininity. Not so for Oribel, who took the sign of affection as an honest expression and returned the sentiment in kind. In addition, she was quite good with the use of her tongue, which might have given the half-elf more reason to believe that her current partner kept an eye almost exclusively for other women.
Oribel managed a deep, throaty purr as she allowed her hands to wander in turn only to find Isolda's breastplate in the way. She exhibited a hint of frustration as she began to paw at it, searching around with her fingertips for the latches that would allow its release. If the warrior needed help in removing it, along with her other garments and tools, her feline partner would be all too happy to assist. The wanderer's crimson cloak, bracers, and assorted weapons would be tossed aside with haste, as they were far from the catgirl's focus at the time.
Isolda's body, however, gained all the attention it could ask for from the perceptive Felvari's eyes. As she had helped do away with the breastplate first and foremost, Oribel looked intent on gaining access to Isolda's ample bust, though she would stop upon seeing the bloodstained wraps and glance up at the other girl with a curious look. Should she receive the proper approval for it, she would then carefully remove the wraps, freeing the other woman's ample bosom for her to see. The wanderer certainly wasn't lacking in substance and size, to behold and to feel, which Oribel wasted little time in taking advantage of. With her own lips, she worked her way from Isolda's chin, to her neck and collarbone, trailing gentle nips and kisses while bringing her hands to the other girl's hips and sliding them smoothly along her sides until meeting her full, plump breasts. She would then knead at them, gently, gaining what reactions she could before greeting the hardening nubs at their tips with her mouth.
Isolda felt the catgirl's tender, even licks upon her sensitive nipples, one then the other, before they were enclosed between those warm, wet, soft lips. Oribel proceeded to suckle upon her teat, as if to coax milk out of them, and when she found that they indeed leaked such a substance, she wouldn't stop to ask despite the peculiarity of it for some. Voidic beings were capable of having various mutations, after all, and she knew this much. Instead, she was content to take advantage of such a feature, fondling the main mass of Isolda's breasts as she turned up the suction, the pucker of her cheeks somewhat visible from the taller one's view. Her tongue danced and played around the very tip of each nipple even as she squeezed upon Isolda's large, pink areolas with her lips, and the stream of milk that the wanderer secreted was enjoyed in full, lapped up and swallowed down by her eager feline partner. This continued for several minutes, and Oribel would make little attempt to undress herself thanks to her apparent fascination with the other woman's assets. For once, Isolda would actually be left feeling as if her reserves were gradually drained by her partner, who eagerly sipped as much as she could from each breast, then gently squeezed them to see if they had more to give. The curious catgirl might not have been hungry, but apparently she was very, very thirsty...
Re: Gangs of Havenport (Tassadar) GMed by Takimaru
Isolda glanced back as Oribel moved to help her undo her armor, a task that she didn't really need help with but opted to appear grateful for anyway. The felvari had, notably, opted to help Isolda undress rather than undress herself, but Isolda resolved to see that changed quickly once they got right down to it. The glance at her bloodied wraps distracted them briefly, but when Oribel's attention became fixated on it Isolda merely said; "Berthane tagged me before I brought him down. It's already healed, no need to worry about it." It was a statement meant to be passed over lightly, but such swift healing was hardly a common occurrence as far as Isolda knew, and she wouldn't be surprised if it earned her another questioning look of some sort before she and Oribel could continue on.
That out of the way, Isolda was all too happy to have her generous bust unwrapped, and once the dirtied cloth was tossed aside she resolved to see to it that they were replaced at the earliest opportunity, possibly by something more solid. She wasn't about to go around without her armor on, but some proper padding instead of the improvised stuff she'd been using certainly wouldn't hurt her, and while she was at it she would need to have her armor itself adjusted and repaired. Her concerns about what she wore aside, Isolda was always glad to have it all off for an eager partner, and the alluring sight of her impressive bust rarely failed to entice any potential partners if her more obvious charms hadn't attracted them already.
Oribel seemed no less resistant to the siren call of her bounteous orbs than any of her other partners, and upon having undisputed acces to them Oribel was quick to take advantage. Isolda watched with a wry grin as the felvari leaned in to deliver a series of soft kisses starting at her chin and proceeding steadily downwards while her hands made a trail in the opposite direction up from Isolda's waist. It was a pleasant tactic to say the least, and when Oribel passed beneath her chin Isolda tilted her head up to expose her neck and further emphasize the flesh over which her partner's kisses would pass, her lips parting in a low moan and her eyes slowly sliding closed. She would lean forward slightly as Oribel's lips passed her collar, her hands reaching the wanderer's floating ribs at about the same time, and as those two different sources of pleasurable touches traveled towards her breasts a constant stream of encouraging cries and coos would pass from between her lips. Her own hands would not be idle as Oribel fondled, kissed, and nibbled at her bare flesh, but they wouldn't be able to reciprocate in kind with the felvari's tight clothing still in the way, and so they set about fixing that as best they could, undoing any buttons or straps that she could reach and trying at the very least to get Oribel topless, pulling her clothes up over her head just before she was about to reach the wanderer's bosom with her hands if need be.
Whatever interruption was necessary, it would be as brief as Isolda could make it, and once Oribel was back on track she would let out a gasping moan when Oribel finally began to tend to her chest in full, first kneading her heavy breasts but then, slowly, drawing ever closer towards her hardening peaks with that trail of kisses. Isolda would open her eyes again and glance down at Oribel just as her trail brought her to the first of her nipples, and though she initially nibbled her lower lip in an effort to stifle it Isolda couldn't suppress the soft moan that occurred when the felvari's tongue first passed over one of her hardened pink tips. She had seen a lot of action to make up for her long dry spell on the boat trip to arrive at Havenport over the last couple of days, and every one of her partners up until now had taken special consideration for her ample bosom in some fashion or another. Not a one of them had been as proficient at giving her pleasure through such attention as Oribel, however, and as her highly textured tongue flitted across the sensitive tips of Isolda's breasts as a bit of initial attention the wanderer couldn't help but shiver with erotic delight.
Her legs spread into a wide stance during those initial licks, dropping her height slightly and leaving Isolda on stable footing for what was to come. As such, when she was made to shudder and gasp anew as Oribel's lips sealed over one of her peaks and began to apply pressure while the felvari's rough, agile tongue flicked about against her sensitive flesh, Isolda was even quicker than usual to surrender the delicious liquid that her breasts leaked when she was aroused. Oribel picked up on it quickly and without question to, also something of a rarity, and that left Isolda wondering what, if any, unusual features the felvari might have. Such concerns could wait a while, however, as Isolda was all too happy to let herself revel in the sensation of having one breast and then the other suckled on. The flow of her milk from each breast would steadily grow stronger the more Oribel drank, the pleasure of having her milk drained by her feline partner while her tongue circled the milk-spewing tip slowly causing the all-too-familiar knot of delightful pressure to begin building in the pit of Isolda's stomach. whichever breast wasn't receiving her partner's oral attentions at the time would inevitably begin to leak, her milk dribbling down her own pale skin until it touched a part of Oribel's hand and prompted her to switch.
While her own hands might not have been idle during the period in which Oribel was suckling at her breasts, her palms cupping and kneading her partner's smaller but still appealing chest, it would be hard to claim that Isolda's efforts were more effective at bringing Oribel pleasure than the other way around at that point unless the felvari was extremely sensitive there. She certainly put effort into returning the stimulation given her, to be sure, but as Ciran had discovered before her, Oribel would quickly find that Isolda's chest was incredibly sensitive, and while this time she might not be likely to cum from it unless Oribel kept at it for a while, it was certainly doing plenty to arouse the pale half-elf. Another consequence of her journey had been a degree of fullness to her breasts, a source of mild discomfort particularly when she had her breasts crammed into the tight confines of her armor, but as Oribel continued her dedicated efforts Isolda would feel the last of that built up pressure gradually began to fade away. Even as Oribel began to squeeze to encourage her to release more Isolda would continue to provide her milk in copious amounts for her, but Isolda would feel the drain begin to tap into her reserves after only a few minutes more, and as pleasurable as it was to have Oribel suckling at her chest Isolda decided that it was time to move on to the next phase of their session.
"Mmmmm, ahhhn~ I should have... Mmmnnn... Known that you'd like doing that, heehee... A kitten who loves milk, who'd have thought?" she purred with a mirthful note in her voice, but then she gently pulled Oribel away from her chest and then pushed her backwards onto the bed. "Leave some for later, hrm? Besides, it's my turn!" she continued brightly as she stepped forward, but before she climbed onto the bed after Oribel she unbuttoned her skirt and slid it down, bending over briefly to do so and then straightening without a shred of clothing covering her equally toned and curvaceous body. If Oribel hadn't opted to remove her own trousers while Isolda finished disrobing, that would be the wanderer's first target when she followed Oribel onto the massive bed, a luxury that Isolda was no less unfamiliar with than her partner likely was.
First, however, she would climbed over her and engage Oribel in another kiss, hanging over the felvari on hands and knees in a position such that Oribel wouldn't be able to crawl away as she dove in for their second embrace. This time Isolda was a goods bit more adventurous, quickly trying to work her tongue into Oribel's mouth and, when she was successful, flicking the tip against Oribel's in an effort to draw it to some motion of its own. The felvari had proved quite adept with that particular muscle so far, and Isolda opted to go for a more teasing approach than she might normally have used to see what else she might be capable of, prompting Oribel to action with teasing licks only to dart away and circle it, and upon being caught attempting to twist it up in her own.
As daring and aggressive as that kiss was, Isolda only held it for a few moments before pulling back and straightening until she was in a kneeling position. If Oribel's pants hadn't joined the rest of their clothing on the floor, Isolda would quickly reach down, undo them, and then slowly slide them down their wearer's legs before chucking them over with the rest of their stuff. Once she was without pants, Isolda would leave her in her panties for now and lean down for another kiss, this time moving on top of Oribel and making the embrace of their mouths intimate and affectionate rather than combative like the last had been. For several moments she would remain there, her bust lightly brushing against her partner's more modest one as she shifted in sensual patterns over Oribel while resting her weight on one of her hands, leaving the other free to caress the felvari's abdomen. Drawing lines slowly across Oribel's skin with just the lightest brushing of her fingertips, Isolda teasingly drew them one way and then the other, edging towards the hem of Oribel's panties but never sliding under despite repeatedly getting close, only to go towards one of her breasts only to edge away just before she would have begun to ascend up their curve.
She would hold that position for a few minutes, kissing and teasing, before breaking the union of their mouths suddenly only to issue a soft peck against her chin. From there the wanderer would make the same trail that Oribel had, spending a few moments kissing her way down the felvari's neck before she took to nibbling and sucking on her soft, sensitive skin, pausing there for a few moments while her fingers glided around the hem of Oribel's undergarments. Her trail picked up again soon, however, and the further Isolda got to Oribel's chest with her lips, the more her fingers drew closer to slipping beneath the hem of her panties. They broke that barrier only when she had begun ascending the curve of one of Oribel's breasts, her shift towards that peak coming more quickly than her descent had been as she simultaneously slowly slid her digits closer and closer towards the felvari ranger's sex. She stopped her hand over her pubic mound, but her mouth continued to give the tip of one of Oribel's breasts a kiss, sealing her lips over the sensitive nub of flesh and gently suckling at it until she was sure that it was fully hard. She switched to Oribel's other breast to repeat her suckling a moment later, but once that one was ready Isolda would gently flick her tongue against it, and then pause a moment before skillfully wrapping her lingual muscle around the tip and rubbing against the sensitive surface. Another withdrawal and another pause, and the wanderer would give the sensitive nub a trio of quick but short flicks, and each reaction would be noted to see which Oribel seemed to enjoy most.
Her experimentation would continue for a while before her fingers, having settled into drawing teasing circles, would slide from their position without warning to begin rubbing against Oribel's petals and begin the same sort of experimentation. They would only slide back and forth over the felvari's outer lips at first, ensuring that her arousal would rise to a point where she could stand more, but after a few moments she would shift her attention briefly towards Oribel's clitoral hood, seeing if she sensitive gem hidden beneath was ready for stimulation or if it would require some more coaxing first. A moment after that, her central digit would slip between Oribel's petals to begin running back and forth between them, drawing ever closer to her hole but not yet pushing into it. She would see how Oribel reacted to her various teasing before going further, for to Isolda that was what all of her attentions had been so far. It was her normal practice for any female partners, and it was actually one of the reasons for her mild preference for male ones; had Oribel been a man, Isolda would have already mounted her, and while she sometimes ached for the more affectionate and passionate encounters that she could have with women - as she did now to a degree - sex was just usually a great deal more simple when she had it with men. Such was not a concern that she had now, however, as she was simply enjoying her partner's reactions to her attentions and the sheer physical appeal that the exotic Oribel possessed too much to worry about the need for the added physical teasing.
Re: Gangs of Havenport (Tassadar) GMed by Takimaru
Status:
Isolda: HP = 91/91, PP = 41, EP = 42/42, Status = Normal
As Isolda moved to get Oribel's top off in turn, perhaps to return the favor, the Felvari would not make it very difficult for her. She swiftly moved her arms over her head in order to undress herself as quickly as possible. This was, of course, simply for the sake of getting back to her initial fixation in the half-elf's sizable bosom. The period that Isolda's breasts went without stimulation was kept at a bare minimum as her spunky lover latched on to them once again, even re-doubling her efforts at showing the glorious mounds proper tribute, as if the few seconds of time spent away had been an eternity. It was hard to deny the catgirl's zeal in such an act as she went on, as she proved herself all too thirsty for the wanderer's tasty secretions, pushing the little nubs in various directions with her ever swiveling tongue as she suckled upon the crinkling areolas with her soft, wet lips.
Even if the flow of Isolda's milk grew stronger, Oribel would take up the slack with her delightfully firm suction, and in that moment the swordswoman might have caught just a glimpse at how delightful release might be from stimulation to her breasts alone. The only thing that kept the degree of contact from being long enough to achieve such a peak was the fact that Isolda had two breasts while her feline lover only had one mouth, but apparently this wouldn't keep the other girl from attempting to lap up every dribble that came out of either one. Every stray trickle was almost like a waste to her, and so whenever a droplet or two of excess milk rolled down the underside of Isolda's bust, Oribel was all too quick to catch it with her tongue as needed. She purred in delight upon seeing the increased output of the other Voidic beauty's nourishing liquid, and the vibrations felt in her throat resonated all the way to her textured tongue, which would increase Isolda's stimulation in turn. In such a way, her partner's pleasure quickly became her own in turn and vice versa.
Sliding a hand down to return the service upon Oribel's smaller but perky chest would reveal to Isolda that her partner was hardly immune to her attentions. Her little nips stiffened against the wanderer's fingertips, and it didn't take too much fondling to get the catgirl to purr a little more for her. But if anyone was 'winning' such a contest as far as pure stimulation went, it was no secret that Oribel took a bit of a lead due to their current positions, as well as the natural sensitivity of Isolda's chest-bound assets. Surely, this deficit had to change, and so the swordswoman gently pulled the thirsty feline away from her milk-dribbling mounds. Even as she did so, Oribel reached out for them longingly, but then stopped when her eyes met those of the other Voidic woman's. Her lips were momentarily covered in traces of the wanderer's tasty milk, but the catgirl's capable tongue soon emerged from between them to fix that, licking up and around the excess. She purred loudly afterwards. "Purrrrhh... I'm glad you had some to give, Mama~" she cooed playfully.
Oribel allowed Isolda to push her back onto the bed, not that she had the strength to fight. However, in spite of the tables being turned with her now in less of a position to do the pleasing and more of one to do the receiving, the lustful look in her eyes did not fade in the slightest. If anything, the mere act of pleasing the half-elven beauty in such a manner had flipped some sort of switch in the Felvari, and the bashfulness she first exhibited in the face of Isolda's flirtations had all but vanished by that point. When the wanderer began to remove her skirt, Oribel hurriedly followed suit, managing to strip herself down at about the same time, revealing a pair of burgundy side-tie panties in the process. Those would undoubtedly come off soon enough, but before all that came another kiss, one that was initiated by Isolda as she slid herself on top of the shorter girl.
The Felvari accepted it more readily this time around, allowing herself to sink into the featherbed's soft surface as she locked lips with the swordswoman. Her tongue mirrored her partner's motions at first, only to transition into some playful flourishes of her own, soon curling around that of Isolda's and squeezing it gently as if providing a massage of sorts, from base to tip, with its curious texture making for a most stimulating deep kiss. After the white-haired beauty's pink muscle, deft in its own right, had been paid proper tribute, Oribel would be sure to follow up with several nice, long licks, maximizing the time of contact between them and in turn emphasizing the feel of her soft bristles. Parting her thighs and wrapping her arms around the wanderer's neck, she was all too happy to welcome the other girl into her embrace.
This would last for several blissful moments before Isolda pulled back and worked her trail of kisses down to the feline beauty's chest while seeking her womanhood with a free hand. Oribel responded all too positively to this, releasing a languid sigh and a purr to her partner's advance. Her breathing was heavy enough, but Isolda could also feel the Felvari's rapid heartbeat through her chest, broadcasting her excitement at being the one to receive the treatment this time around. And though her nipples had already hardened in response to the wanderer's skilled ministrations, they wouldn't provide any milk, not in the peculiar way that her partner was capable of doing. Yet the lack of such a mutation didn't take away from Oribel's honest reactions, which were far more expressive than what many men had shown Isolda thus far. To be treated and appreciated in such a manner, it was something of a rare treat for the feline beauty, and that much she was content to savor. She longed for the caring touch of one who might actually accept her, but even if the act was purely physical on Isolda's end, just the promise of intimacy was enough for Oribel.
The gentle flicking motions that Isolda made with her tongue earned the loudest cries from the one underneath her. When the swordswoman's hand slipped beneath her partner's panties, teasingly making its way over the catgirl's pussy, Oribel moaned, bucking her hips forward and up, pushing her crevice ever closer to the fingers threatening to grant it such long sought-after pleasure. The very first contact of Isolda's fingertips upon the Felvari's lower lips would notify her of how wet and slick they were from her natural secretions, making them a tad slippery to the touch. This caused the wanderer's digits to slide about at first, which triggered even more gasps and coos of delight from her partner. A deep flush had overtaken Oribel's features, and if Isolda wasn't too preoccupied with her breasts she would hungrily seek yet another kiss, so as to muffle her own moans and sighs.
It wouldn't last for long, however, as Isolda's continued services would eventually earn a few stronger reactions out of the catgirl, who would need to break the kiss in order to voice her delight, especially when her tiny node, exposed by that point, was touched down upon briefly. As distracted as she was, however, Oribel would not allow herself to play the passive role for too long, and almost frantically sought to return the favor even as her own levels of pleasure steadily rose. She slid a hand down Isolda's abdomen, finding the other girl's pussy and stroking its surface ever so gently with her middle and ring fingers. Once that she found that Isolda was about as wet as she was, or had gotten her there by way of such teasing, she would then change the pressure of her strokes to firmer ones, first starting with her petals. After those had shown the proper signs of arousal, she'd move to teasing the 'shaft' of the other Voidic beauty's clitoris, rubbing it from side to side just above the hood, until it too was ready to receive further stimulation.
She would hold off on penetrating the swordswoman's pink cunny with the digit, instead resorting to external teasing during the exchange. Only when Isolda thought to take it further by sinking a finger into her depths would Oribel seek to copy her at exactly the same time, giving her a needy look as she pressed her forehead against that of her partner's. Her orange bangs messily clung to the sides of her face from the sweat, but she didn't care--she was that turned on already. Still, she would match paces with Isolda, managing to show her a lewd grin, one that would only be intermittently interrupted by her more lustful expressions.
"Oooohhh... hahh, nnnn~! You tryin' to race me or something? Hehe," she teased, rubbing her thumb against Isolda's clit as her middle finger sunk in between the pale one's tender folds. Then, equal pressure was applied on both sides to the wanderer's G-spot and the surface of her little bud... followed by slow, yet gentle circular motions, delivering the kind of stimulation that Isolda rarely got to feel from her often simpler male lovers.
Oribel was still very tender in her affections despite suffering no shortage of passion. She apparently possessed a good feel for Isolda's level of feminine sensitivity, which certainly helped in not making things too rough too quickly, but when the half-elf wanted firmer pressure, she got exactly what she needed not long afterwards. The transitions from gentle to firm, from slow to fast, were as smooth as she could ask for, and before long Isolda felt her first orgasm just over the horizon. Oribel seemed keen to accompany her there, softly fondling the other girl's breasts with her free hand as she said in a near-whisper, "almost there? Nnnhh... hauhh, m-me too," she sighed before biting her lower lip and increasing the speed of her manual ministrations. "Let's go together," she suggested between gasps and short pants.
Faster, and faster still her hand went, just as the quarter-demon needed. While the exchange wasn't quite as primal or simple as coupling with a man had proven to be, it was certainly more skilled, and arguably more passionate--as Oribel allowed herself to be far more expressive than Isolda's recent lovers. Gradually, their bodies tensed up in sync with each other as simultaneous release came closer and closer still... then, with a hard shudder and a sharp exhale, they came. Oribel buried her head into Isolda's shoulder as she whimpered, quivering and pushing her hips forward as she continued to jill the other girl off as she would to herself.
At that point the wanderer felt a curious sensation--copious sprinkles of liquid onto her palm and wrist, and the catgirl writhing and crying out louder than ever before. A glance down would show that Oribel was... squirting. And she let out no small amount of it, either; her juices drizzled out onto Isolda's own body and all over the bedsheets, leaving the both of them soaked in secretions. "Nnnn! Ahuu... NNNNNN!! Aaaaah~!" she cried out, resisting the urge to simply bite into the other girl's shoulder. It wasn't until several seconds into her ejaculation that she noticed it and suddenly grew self-conscious, making an attempt to cover herself with one hand so as not to soak Isolda further in her girlcum.
"Kyah! I'm s-so sorry! H-Hahh... ooohh," she stammered aloud as she blushed, allowing the spurts of her liquids to gradually die down. "Ahuhhhnnnfffhhh... hahh, hahh... I, I really should have... nnnh, warned you about this. It's just been so long, so uhm, I almost forgot that I, well... y'know," Oribel whimpered, looking as embarrassed as ever.
Re: Gangs of Havenport (Tassadar) GMed by Takimaru
Though it was a comment she'd heard before when certain partners drank the bounty offered by her breasts, usually one intended in jest, Isolda had yet to find it funny or arousing when someone called her "mama" or the like. In fact, partners that did so usually didn't get a return visit, and the slightly annoyed look that briefly crossed her features would possibly warn Oribel that her comment had not been received kindly. Even so, it was impossible Isolda to remain angry at the felvari for any length of time, particularly with how aroused she'd become thanks to Oribel's lengthy attention to her chest, and so she got off with only a light pinch of her bottom and a quip; "Careful now, or you'll have to be spanked~"
Isolda would be all too pleased to find that Oribel had lost her apparent shyness in the face of her charms, eagerly stripping off her own bottoms while Isolda did the same, though that Oribel had underpants while she herself did not still left the felvari as the more clothed between them. Not that that mattered, as Isolda was able to fully explore her partner's body over the next few moments anyway even with the other woman's panties still protecting Oribel's flower from view. The kiss that followed once Isolda got on top of the felvari proved quite invigorating and introduced Isolda once again to the potential wonders offered by Oribel's deft and oddly textured tongue, though it wouldn't be until later that Isolda would be able to feel it in more detail again. That wasn't to say that she didn't enjoy the kiss, not by any means, but even as much as she enjoyed the extended stimulation of her lingual muscle Isolda didn't seek to extend it.
That her partner's breasts didn't possess the same odd mutation that her own did was neither surprising nor disappointing to Isolda, who licked and suckled on the sensitive pink nubs that peaked Oribel's breasts anyway. She certainly appreciated the felvari's reactions, and while a part of her might share in the other woman's hunger for greater intimacy it was a part that Isolda rarely considered very much, particularly in times like these in which she was mostly concerned with raw physical stimulation. It was an example of another one of the reasons that she generally opted for male partners even though she could have easily swung either way most of the time, that she often preferred the simple and direct approach to the intricacies of building emotional intimacy, and an aspect of Isolda's personality that was perhaps more on the side of masculine from most traditional viewpoints. It didn't stop her from appreciating Oribel's growing arousal, however, and it certainly didn't stop her from appreciating her own when the felvari reached between her legs to start returning the stimulation that she was providing.
Oribel would find Isolda already quite wet, both as a result of the natural beauty of her partner and the excitement she naturally built up from providing stimulation to others, and because of the pleasure that her partner had already provided in the form of the extended attention to her bust. Her experimentation on Oribel's body was quick to bear fruit, and soon enough Isolda's tongue would be giving rapid but gentle flicks against Oribel's peaks with occasional pauses for busts of suction. Her fingers soon ended their teasing caresses and descended to find her partner's petals practically dripping with excitement both within and without, and again Isolda would find herself quick to discover the best ways to please the woman lying beneath her. Not before she was drawn away from Oribel's bust and into another deep kiss however, though that would do nothing whatsoever to slow the work of her fingers, it merely changed what her tongue was darting against.
It wasn't long before both women finally slid a finger into one another after a short bout of teasing, Isolda letting out a low moan as Oribel broke their kiss to press her forehead against hers. Strange of orange hair were matted to her face by her sweat, and Isolda could see the tension readily apparent in her expression even as the pale warrior's own silky hair brushed against her soft skin. It was a mark of her superior stamina in comparison to that of the felvari that Isolda was not in a similar state, as she wasn't as sexually charged as Oribel at that point even with her built up tension and the steady pumps of Oribel's fingers bringing a steady stream of moans from between her lips. It was likewise a mark of Oribel's pent up state, likely from having had no partners for quite some time, and that was certainly something that Isolda could appreciate given the similar state she'd been in upon arriving in Havenport only a few days prior. The needy look with which Oribel gazed upon her was returned in the form of an eager grin that was nearly but not quite predatory, and would start rapidly sliding her fingers in and out of her feline partner's folds only a heartbeat after recognizing the desperation in the felvari's eyes.
The attentions made to the wanderer's own womanhood, despite being slow, were delivered with exemplary skill on Oribel's part, stimulating two of her favored sensitive spots at once in such a way that it ensured a steady build that would have a potent payoff. Within only a few moments Isolda's legs would begin to tense, the muscles in her thighs quivering as they worked themselves into knots as a way to ground some of the pressure that was building in her core. It was pleasure unlike what she was more normally used to, powerful but gentle, and a welcome change from the sort she'd been getting from her various male partners. Leaning in to give Oribel's neck a brief nip, Isolda would silence her moans just long enough to issue a reply to her teasing challenge, one that was delivered in a deep, throaty purr; "Mmmhhmmmm... Think you can keep up?" Another moan followed by another nip against her neck, this time located just under where her ear would have been if she were human, a spot that was fairly sensitive on her own body but, given the difference in physiology because of Oribel's cat-like ears being on the top of her head rather than on the sides, might not be so on Oribel.
Isolda would certainly find out, and if it was still a pleasure zone she would continue giving the felvari's neck those soft pleasure bites intermittently, occasionally suckling on the sensitive flesh instead. If it turned out otherwise, she would note it in her memory and instead go back to kissing Oribel while their fingers did their deft work on one another. Oribel's ministrations upon her were undoubtedly effective, and the head start she'd had certainly left Isolda ready to go over the edge, but there was no matching the wanderer's aggression in bed. She was no different with women than she was with men, a decidedly domineering streak leaving her highly aggressive to the point that she would sometimes put women seeking more tender care off by her actions. Oribel was both voidic and highly in need, however, and so it was unlikely that the less delicate sort of attention would cause any sort of problems for her. With her restraints removed, Isolda's hand moved rapidly as she pumped a finger in and out of Oribel's pussy, practically becoming a blur by the time her own lower half had begun to shudder. Every swift pump had the pad of her finger sliding across the felvari's g-spot, her pressure guided by Oribel's reactions to the point that it was just right and then the only variation being her speed unless it became apparent that something else needed to change. It was easy to keep her rhythm even with her partner's panties still slightly in the way, and Oribel's clitoris would be rubbed between her knuckles for about half the time, unstimulated only when she was pulling back. Her transitions came, like Oribel's, just as needed and only then even with her somewhat more rough tactics, and her pace would steadily rise until she reached a plateau at which she could feel the other woman's body tensing in preparation.
"Nnn... Yes!" she gasped in response to Oribel's question, the rising tension causing her legs to begin to shake outright as she steadily neared her peak. She couldn't have agreed more with the suggestion that followed, and the pace of her finger thrusts began to grow again in sync with Oribel's motions. The pressure built inside both of them seemingly in perfect sync as they rocketed towards their orgasms. As expressive as Oribel was, Isolda was just as much so, both in terms of the sounds she made and the expression on her face, allowing the felvari to track every step on her partner's journey toward her climax.
It would be a brief one too, and when Oribel knelt into her shoulder and let out her climactic moan Isolda only stifled hers slightly when she leaned in and closed her teeth gently onto Oribel's neck, biting down softly enough that she wouldn't break skin. Waves of pleasure rolled through Isolda's body in time with the ones wracking through Oribel's, her body quaking on its perch and threatening to tumble forward onto her partner at any moment, but if there was one grand difference between their peaks in the physical sense it was the resulting flow of their juices. While Isolda certainly started to drip onto their sheets, Oribel let loose a veritable geyser of her juices onto the wanderer's hand and her own undergarments. She hadn't known that Oribel was a squirter, but it was hardly something that could bother Isolda in the moment, and certainly didn't stop her from jilling Oribel until she was finished with her seemingly glorious peak, by which point point her release had soaked her undergarments and produced a small puddle that was slowly soaking into their bedding.
'I do seem to leave messes wherever I go, don't I?' Isolda thought silently to herself wryly, though outwardly she would merely pant in contentment with a rosy glow on her pale cheeks. The attempt to cover her hand to prevent the squirting only caused Isolda to dip even deeper into her folds, and her bashful reply would cause the pale warrior to chuckle softly. "It's alright" Isolda would say, withdrawing her fingers delicately so as to avoid causing Oribel any discomfort, "I don't mind getting a little messy!" Bringing her fingers up to her lips, Isolda would lick them clean in her normal casually lewd manner, and once the last digit came free of her mouth with a soft pop she would say; "I hope you've got some stamina left, because I'm far from finished with you~"
Unless Oribel protested, Isolda would endeavor first to slide the felvari's panties off and then tossed the damp garments aside, revealing her nether region in full. Ever bold, Isolda would shamelessly swing a leg over the felvari's body, leaving her own highly aroused sex fully exposed to Oribel even as she leaned in to give her beautiful partner's mound a gentle kiss. A short trail would take Isolda's mouth close to her sex, and with a gentle shift Isolda would be able to view the felvari's pink crevice from upside down. "Hmhm~ So pretty.... I could just eat it up!" she cooed playfully, and it would only be a second or so before the wanderer's lips parted and delivered a soft kiss against the felvari woman's petals.
Her tongue was quick to dart forth, circling her outer lips and then sliding in to do the same against her inner ones, a pattern that would be repeated twice before Isolda shifted her attention to Oribel's clit. She started her attentions upon that sensitive nub using the same treatment that had worked on the tips of her breasts, but experimented from there with more rapid flicks of her tongue and light bouts of suckling to see how Oribel liked to be pleased. Her hips would shift back and forth teasingly while she worked, tempting Oribel into delivering the same sort of attention that she was giving, and if the catgirl obliged she would find Isolda's body highly responsive, already primed for more stimulation however she wished to provide it. Her stamina was not something that any of her partners had ever scoffed at, and even if she didn't intend on going for quite that long with Oribel it wasn't unheard for Isolda to keep going for hours if she had the opportunity. Her efforts, for all their physical rooting, were anything but passionless, her desire to leave Oribel physically satisfied like she'd never been before quite genuine whether or not she returned that desire, and given what the felvari had displayed so far the latter option didn't seem particularly likely in Isolda's mind.
Even with how intense she was initially, however, Isolda would not seek to rush Oribel to her peak again. After a few moments she would abandon her partner's clitoris with that thought in mind, sliding her tongue into her depths and lapping up some of the excess of juices she had released instead. Her delving would go deep, the wanderer making expert use of the gift of her elongated tongue, and once she had wormed her way into Oribel's depths Isolda would slowly swirl her tongue first in one direction and then another. Further attention to her partner's sensitive gem would come later, but it would come in the form of a few soft flicks followed by slow circles that saw more time out of contact with her clit than in. Rebuilding Oribel's tension was Isolda's ultimate goal, and when the felvari was right at the point where want would begin to cross the line into need she would resume giving her full and dedicated attention to Oribell's clit in whatever form had proven most effective so far, her hands tightening their grip on the felvari's thighs to keep whatever squirming her assault caused from disrupting her efforts.
