Jungle of Desire (Mind Flayer) GMed by ranger

[ranger]

Re: Jungle of Desire (Mind Flayer) GMed by ranger

Sera pulled up the chainmail armo..bikini throwing a curious glance at Mother Esther. "Oh that was a gift from an amazonian princess. I never dared to wear it myself but couldn't bare to through it away." Looking into the chest with the questionable armor still hand Sera found a rather wore mace covered in dark markings. June meanwhile was pondering the questions Sera had posed earlier. "I never really thought about it much but I guess you could say I studied the arcane arts more than the spiritual ones. It was hard but master Simon taught me how to heal the body and let me know that I had some skill in light magic though I never really got a chance to see it in action." June smiled at her own joke waiting to see what Sera thought.

 

[Mind Flayer]

Re: Jungle of Desire (Mind Flayer) GMed by ranger

"An amazonian princess huh. Are you sure that you didn't just want to look sexy when you were younger mother Esther? Hmm... I wonder if it would hamper my abilities to use my powers? If it doesn't then I'll take it, if you don't mind that is mother Esther," Sera said to mother Esther with a giggle, teasing the elderly nun a little bit as she looked closer at the chainmail bikini.

Sera glanced over at June while the young nun pondered the question that Sera had asked about which she had any training in, arcane arts or spiritual arts. "Well June, as long as you've got some sort of training in something then that's fine. Because there's a good chance that we'll end up having to fight after leaving here and I'd rather you be able to fight somehow so I don't have to keep an eye on you and fight our enemies at the same time, it's quite hard you know. I can understand though about you never really being able to see the results of your learning, I mean it does make sense," Sera said to June, patting her on the shoulder as she spoke, giggling a little at June's joke. "Still though what sort of physical weapon would you think that you could use easily? I mean a mace like this one here is a very simple weapon, kind of like a club. So something like that would likely be the best thing for you, something that you could just swing and hit someone with to knock them out if need be," Sera added as she gestured at the mace she saw in the chest, meaning that June could probably use it or at least a weapon such as it.

"What sort of mace is this exactly mother Esther? What are all of these markings I see on it?" Sera asked mother Esther as she reached out and picked the weapon up to inspect it closer.

 

[ranger]

Re: Jungle of Desire (Mind Flayer) GMed by ranger

"Oh that my dear was a cursed mace. I broke the curse after a while but it sure did cause some issues till I figured it out." Holding the object in hand Sara could see the marks where divine scripture written on it. The thing felt powerless now but it surly must of had a story at some point. Other than that the only other object of note besides random primitive necklaces or strange claws and stingers was a deformed shield. THe once sturdy metal framed object had been bent and burnt.

 

[Mind Flayer]

Re: Jungle of Desire (Mind Flayer) GMed by ranger

"A cursed mace huh. Well I'm glad that you managed to break it and all, but I'm curious. What was the curse meant to do exactly?" Sera said when mother Esther told her of the curse on the mace.

Looking a little more closely at the mace, Sera could see the divine markings written on the thing. It was obviously a powerful curse back when it still had the thing on it, but Sera could tell that it was once a magnificent and beautiful weapon at one point. "It must have been a powerful curse to have left it this blackened afterwards," Sera said after setting the mace down where she saw the heavily damaged shield laying there, which she picked up to inspect a little more closely. "And this thing. What the heck happened to this shield? It looks like a dragon tried to rip it out of your hands before you could get away," Sera went on to ask, looking closely at the shield and noticing the necklaces, claws, and stingers laying in the chest below after pulling it out.

 

[ranger]

Re: Jungle of Desire (Mind Flayer) GMed by ranger

Esther looked at Sera a moment and turned to June. "June dear I'm feeling rather thirsty please go fetch me some of that mango juice that delightful man in the stall sells." June in reply cocked her head. "But Mother Esther thats by the gardens. It will take me 20 minutes to get there and back." Mother Esther just smiled. "I know dear but please will you fetch me some." June nodded and got up taking a few coins that Mother Esther handed her. With June off on her errand Mother Esther asked for some privacy from the steward in the room. When he left as well Mother Esther finally spoke. "Well Sara now that we are alone I can tell you that cursed mace was my own weapon at one point. It was just after I had started to adventure on a regular basis. Before I had gone on missions for the church but never gone for my own reasons. The open road can be addicting and I soon left the church much as June will be leaving. But that was a long time ago you want to know about the mace. Needless to say I had built a vast fortune finding relics killing monsters but I didn't do it alone. I had a few trust worthy companions or so I thought. There was Peter a noble knight making a name for himself, Terra an treasure hunter, Venzil a powerful mage, and myself. We had many a successful adventure. However our success would be our downfall. Venzil had gained considerable power during our travels gaining knowledge and increasing his arcane potency." Mother Esther sighed and took the battered shield in hand.

"The trouble with power dear Sera is that it corrupts. Venzil was no different. So blinded by our success we and more importantly myself failed to notice his deals with dark powers. Little did I know that Venzil had long fancied me but my refusal and vows denied him the desires of his heart." Esthers eyes began to water and she sighed once more. "He set the party up for an ambush. We simply thought it was another relic hunt that our primary researcher had discovered. So confident and trusting we didn't even question the inconsistency in the story he weaved for us. Once we reached the location of the artifact we where beset by demons. At first the battle was easy. The demons we where fighting where weak but numerous. So numerous in fact I had to use massive amounts of my energy to fend them off. It was then that he struck turning his own power against his friends. Peter was blasted down a ravine while Terra was knocked unconscious leaving just me. Still it was a losing fight and the number of foe's soon overwhelmed me." Mother Esther cleared her throat and rested her voice a moment.

"I awoke later bound and chained in some slutty dark garb that barley covered anything. Venzil sat in a throne chair in the ruins we had explored sometime ago. His hands had blood on them and he had a crazy look in his eye. I tried to use my powers on him but the bastard had placed a sealing collar on me. Laughing he told me what he had done and what he was going to do. He told me that he had sacrificed Terra to his new master granting him a powerful boon. Venzil's eyes once friendly and compassionate now only reflected insanity and evil. With a nasty grin, he told me what the boon was, power over his heart's desires, in other words, me. Using some arcane power that I was unfamiliar with Venzil tried to ensnare my heart and mind but I fought him fought him hard. Bold was my claims of resisting him. Maybe that's what he was waiting for. He then told me Peter was dead killed in the battle in the ruins. It was that news that broke my resistance for I had long loved Peter but could never act. His death sent me into despair which in turned allowed the foul magic to enter me and corrupt my mind and heart." Mother Esther paused again taking a deep breath to steady herself.

"I was no longer Esther Champion of the Stargod . Instead I was Esther dark mistress and champion of Venzil. He defiled my body and the scary part was I enjoyed it. He took my mace and enchanted it with darkness and to reenforce his spell on me. Thankfully Peter had survived and came to end this finding me a willing servant to Venzil we did battle my mace against his shield. Seeing him alive renewed my struggle but I had been under Venzil's sway for to long my ability to fight him nearly nonexistent. The most troubling part that still haunts me is I blamed Peter for it which fueled the dark enchants on me. In the end though I was defeated and Peter slayed Venzil but the damage was done his wounds where to great and my holy powers broken by my time stuck as a thrall. He died in my arms but not before he gave me one last kiss." Mother Esther cleared her throat waiting for Sera to speak.

 

[Mind Flayer]

Re: Jungle of Desire (Mind Flayer) GMed by ranger

Sitting there, Sera glanced from mother Esther to June, then back to mother Esther as the elderly nun persuaded June to go and get her some mango juice from one of the market stalls out in the town somewhere. To Sera it was quite obvious that mother Esther was wanting some time alone with Sera to give them privacy with which to talk, but she didn't know if June caught it herself. Once June was gone, with Sera telling her to be careful and hurry back, Sera looked over to mother Esther as the elderly nun told the steward that she wanted some privacy with Sera.

Sera sat there and listened to mother Esther's story, not interrupting her once and letting her speak until she was done with her tale. As the elderly nun went further on into her story, Sera felt tears well up in her eyes more and more until she had a few streaming down her cheeks. She felt so sorry for mother Esther and now understood why she was the way she was... because she'd seen the world, the good and the bad and she knew what the world could do to a person. She imagined that the chainmail bikini she saw might have been a part of the slutty garb that Venzil had forced on her, but she didn't know for certain. When mother Esther finally finished her story, Sera moved over and hugged her close, sniffling a little bit as she did.

"Oh mother Esther, that's terrible what happened to you. I'm sorry for even speaking about it, please forgive me," Sera said, hugging mother Esther and pleading with her for forgiveness. "If you don't want to keep talking about it then I'll understand. But... how did you get away from there and back to here? Or wherever you went to afterwards to rejoin the church. And where did you go afterwards," Sera added curiously, taking a breath before continuing, waiting for mother Esther to answer her on her questions before talking to give her the chance to speak again. "And also I don't remember if I told you or not, but I do remember telling June. I'm not an angel of the stargod myself, despite what everyone in the village has said about me, and I honestly dislike him and some of his followers, for the hatred that some of them have for other peoples religions and the strict teachings he demands of his followers. I mean I know that his followers are a lot less strict nowadays in comparison, but I've read books of them in the past being very strict and detesting other religions to the point of killing others just for not following his teachings, plus he's never once shown himself to even help any of his followers as far as anyone knows, so why should he ask such strictness of the ones that follow him is what I think. I don't mean all of you of course mother Esther, but some of the others I've heard about. I mean you all have been so kind and helpful to me, so I know you all aren't like his old followers and such. I hope my words don't make you hate me, for speaking against your teachings. I think everyone of course should be free to worship whoever or whatever they wish myself honestly, I just personally don't like the gods that ask so much of their followers and give nothing in return for their loyalty and such," Sera went on to say afterwards, letting mother Esther know her views on the stargod and such, but asking her to please forgive her if she said anything to anger her.

 

[ranger]

Re: Jungle of Desire (Mind Flayer) GMed by ranger

"No need to be sorry Sera. Its good to get it out and let it go. After the death of my friends I returned to the small town that was our base of operations. There I sent the shares to each of the family members with a letter telling them of the unfortunate death of their loved ones. I spared them the details of what exactly happened. Eventually I found my faith again though I was never the same afterwards. I retired here for a life of contemplation and tried to bring about change in the church. Sadly I failed though there are glimmers of hope. June, Keri and the other younger priestesses seem to have opened their hearts to the reform I've been teaching." Mother Esther hugged Sera. "Now listen to me Sera. You have great conviction and compassion. You do not have to be sorry about your beliefs stand by them."

 

[Mind Flayer]

Re: Jungle of Desire (Mind Flayer) GMed by ranger

"I can understand that I guess mother Esther, I'm glad that it didn't break you completely, because I've heard of it destroying someone's mind when something such as that happened to them. You're made of much sterner stuff than I imagined, and you're a very good person to send their shares to their families afterwards," Sera said to mother Esther with a kind smile. "Yes Keri told me about later on when you were gone that she planned to move somewhere else and start a church that adhered to your teachings and that she'd planned on taking some of the younger priestesses with her that were of the same mind, I offered to come back when the time comes so that I could help them get to Glassmoor or wherever they planned on going," Sera added to mother Esther as she hugged her.

"Thank you mother Esther, I'm glad you aren't angry. Do you want to continue talking about what happened? Before June gets back I mean. I'll understand if you don't want to, but I would love to hear it all if you'd like to talk about it," Sera said to mother Esther after a moment when she released her from the hug.

 

[ranger]

Re: Jungle of Desire (Mind Flayer) GMed by ranger

"Oh dear not used to so much attention. Well Sera what would you like know?" Mother Esther looked to Sera and waited to see what else the Angel would like to hear.

 

[Mind Flayer]

Re: Jungle of Desire (Mind Flayer) GMed by ranger

"Well whatever you'd like to tell of course mother Esther. Like how did you get away from there and back to here? Or wherever you went to afterwards to rejoin the church. And where did you go afterwards exactly? Not meaning to pry or anything, just wondering is all," Sera said letting mother Esther know that she need not tell her if she didn't wish to do so.

 

[ranger]

Re: Jungle of Desire (Mind Flayer) GMed by ranger

"Oh well that was a long time ago let see...... Oh yes I remember now. As I said before Venzil had taken us to ruins we had already cleared so I was already familiar with the area and while I didn't my powers I still had my weapons. Besides most of the dangerous creatures had been killed or left after we passed threw the first time. Returning to the little village that we had made our base of operations I set my companions affairs in order. After ward I lived a life full of remorse and despair. I still had the dark urges thanks to Venzil's tampering and for a while I lived a double life. One that revealed in carnal delights during the night and one that mourned for my fallen friends during the day. It was hardly a way to live life. I needed to move on embracing one or the other. Thankfully a messenger from my old church arrived and told me the priest was looking for someone to run a small retreat in Kost. I was still familiar with the teaching and practices of the church so I could at lest help till an actual priestess could be found and I let them know as much. It was here that I found my faith in helping a little blind girl." Mother Esther smiled a moment. "Speaking of which.." No sooner had Mother Esther muttered the words than June came walking in with three drinks. Her face was flush from running but she still had her breath.

 

[Mind Flayer]

Re: Jungle of Desire (Mind Flayer) GMed by ranger

Sitting there listening to mother Esther continue on with her story some, Sera felt bad for the elderly nun. "Oh mother Esther, you are a good person. And everyone has those sorts of desires regardless, even I have all of those lewd and naughty desires, despite what you might think of us angels. Personally, I honestly believe that vows of chastity and celibacy are silly, because people have needs, needs that shouldn't be neglected in my opinion. I'm glad though that you managed to overcome what happened in your past though mother Esther," Sera said, showing her a kind smile and giggling a little when June came back in, looking like she'd run a mile and carrying three of the drinks mother Esther had sent her for.

"Oh June you're back, come and sit down and catch your breath sweetie, you didn't need to run," Sera said to June, taking the drinks from her and gesturing for her to sit back down as she handed mother Esther one of the drinks, then she handed June one and kept the last for herself as she sat back down and sipped on the drink.

 

[ranger]

Re: Jungle of Desire (Mind Flayer) GMed by ranger

June sat and took her drink. "Aww dang I missed it." The young priestess frowned. "Missed what dear?" Mother Esther raised and eyebrow in June's direction. "You always tell people you old adventuring stories when you send me away." Mother Esther got a surprised look on her face before regaining her calm squinty look. "I guess I haven't been as clever as I thought." The old nun laughed slightly before coughing rather fiercely. This prompted June into immediate action instantly she was at the Nun's side hands aglow with magic. After a moment Mother Esther motioned June away. "Its okay June I'm alright magic cannot heal old age. Come lets finish our day shall we I feel so very tired." With that they quickly finished up their business with Sera allowed to take anything she desired from the chest and the stewards handing over stack of papers. Sera later found out they where credit slips totaling an amount of 300 denari. Still after setting the old nun to bed June went outside to sit awhile.

 

[Mind Flayer]

Re: Jungle of Desire (Mind Flayer) GMed by ranger

Sera couldn't help but giggle a bit at June's words to mother Esther and then mother Esther's reply to the young nun. When mother Esther went into her coughing fit, Sera moved to help her along with June, though she didn't try and bring her powers up like June did, knowing that they wouldn't help much if any at all in any case just as mother Esther said as much herself to June. "Here mother Esther, have a drink to wash it down," Sera said as she patted mother Esther on the back to help her with her coughing fit.

Once mother Esther was over her coughing fit, Sera looked in the chest thoroughly to see what all was inside that she could possibly use on her journey, or something that June could use. In the end Sera saw that the majority of the stuff there was unusable to her and would most likely be useless to June as well. She did however decide on grabbing the chainmail bikini and she checked the bedroll to see if it would be one large enough for both her and June together, as that would take one item off their shopping list that they would need to get.

...

After they left, Sera found out what the papers were that they had been given by the steward... it was the denarii mother Esther was giving to June. Just the thought that mother Esther would leave June such a gift made Sera smile at the elderly nun's kindness... making her think to herself that mother Esther most likely saw June as her own child in every sense of the word.

After they got back to the church, Sera would help June to get mother Esther settled into her bed to rest for a while, telling her that she would like to hear some more of her adventures before they left if she wanted to talk of them, but for now she needed to get the things that her and June would need for their journey, as it was likely going to be a tough road ahead, and they would need every advantage they could get. So with that, bidding mother Esther farewell for the time being, Sera headed on out, following June, where once she caught up to her she would call out to her.

"Hey why don't we go on and collect our stuff that we'll need when we leave, that way we'll have it. If you don't mind that is," Sera said to June when she caught up to her, wrapping an arm around her new companion as she went. If June agreed, then Sera would walk with her around town, collecting all of the things she mentioned that they would need, minus the bedroll if mother Esther's old one was large enough for the both of them.

 

[ranger]

Re: Jungle of Desire (Mind Flayer) GMed by ranger

The bedroll was for a single person but still usable if not a little dirty and in need of cleaning. Taking the chainmail bikini Sara stashed it in her own pack. Sadly Mother Esther was so tired out from the day she had no energy to tell Sara any more stories so the angel let her sleep. Catching up with June was fairly simple as the young nun had not made it far.

Wrapping her arm around June she found the young nun leaning against her taking comfort in the angel's arms. "Well what should we pick up first?"

 

[Mind Flayer]

Re: Jungle of Desire (Mind Flayer) GMed by ranger

Seeing that the bedroll wasn't fit for two people, and barely fit enough for one from the amount of dust and dirt on it, Sera figured that would have to be June's backup bedroll after they cleaned it up a bit. Sera stashed it into a bag to take with them so she could clean it out for June to have a backup one since Sera already had her own for a backup. After grabbing the chainmail bikini and noting that she likely wouldn't be able to wear it easily with her extra equipment between her legs, Sera decided that June may be able to wear it, though it wouldn't add much protection for the young mage priestess.

Once they reached the church again and they helped mother Esther into bed, Sera saw the elderly nun was exhausted, so she didn't ask her for any more stories for now and told her they could talk more later. Catching up to June and wrapping her arm around her, Sera noticed June leaning against her as they walked. Smiling, Sera led the way, but followed June's directions to the different shops to get their supplies. "I think we should get you equipped first June, with a weapon and some sort of armor, unless you'd like to take the battlemage's robes I got extra for you to have that is. After we get you outfitted with a weapon for backup just in case, then we can head on to get you a pack and then we can grab the food that we'll need, but let's try and make sure that it won't be anything that won't spoil before we eat it, so any fruits or vegetables we take with us would have to be used first, and then the extra food rations would go," Sera said to June, telling her what they should get, and that the battlemage's robes she'd gotten earlier were intended for her if she wanted them, but that she would keep them as a reserve for one of them in case their own robes got destroyed.

Sera let June lead the way to the nearest blacksmith to find the young nun a suitable weapon or two that she could wield that wasn't too hard to use. Then she would let June lead the way to a general store to get her pack and some necessities to have in the pack such as flint and steel and things like that. Once they had everything else, Sera and June would head to get some food rations stocked up, at least enough for 2 or 3 weeks, and Sera would also get a dozen potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, and onions each to put into their packs to use for a while so they didn't waste their food rations, and she would make sure that June and herself both had 3 waterskins each which she'd fill with water before they left the next day, unless June didn't wish to leave for a few more days, in which case Sera would hold off on getting all of the food until the evening before they left.

"Hehe, I also got that chainmail bikini of mother Esther's so that you could wear it under your clothes," Sera told June after they got through with their shopping, giggling a little and waiting to see June's reaction.

 

[ranger]

Re: Jungle of Desire (Mind Flayer) GMed by ranger

"Oh" June blushed but didn't say no or yes on the matter. Looking away trying to hide her embarrassment June went threw the items they had purchased. It consisted of one backpack and a double sized bedroll. Some basic adventuring gear like a rope and such. Lots of preserved food rations and some extra cloths including two sets of battle mage robes. At the blacksmith June had settled on a fairly big spear figuring it was simple to use and could double as a walking stick on the longer marches. They also picked up a machete just in case they had to blaze a trail. Still that left June with plenty of money to spend. "I never new adventurers needed so much stuff."

 

[Mind Flayer]

Re: Jungle of Desire (Mind Flayer) GMed by ranger

As they went around getting extra food and such to begin their journey together the next day, Sera smiled as June when she blushed after she told her about the chainmail bikini. Sera decided not to tease June about it any more for now, but figured that she would eventually get her into the chainmail bikini. "Oh yes sweetie, adventurers need a lot of supplies to make sure they don't starve or freeze or anything on the trail. When I first left home I had to make sure that I had a month's worth of food on me," Sera said to June as she picked out a good sharp machete for them to use to cut through the thick brush if need be. "Good choice on the spear I think, it's something simple and easy to use, and it can double as a walking stick for you while we're walking along, would probably be good to have a dagger too just in case though," Sera added after June picked out her spear for her weapon.

Once they had everything, and an extra dagger for June to wear on her hip if she wanted to go ahead and get it that is, Sera would head on back to the church with June in tow, telling her they would have one little stop to make the next day for a last minute supply run, at the butcher to get them a little bit of meat to eat on their journey, telling her since it was something that would spoil quickly they would have to get it the day they left, and they couldn't get a whole lot of it so that it didn't go bad on them before they ate most if not all of it.

"Alright June, are you prepared to leave tomorrow? Because when we go we probably won't be back for a good long while. So make sure that you've said all of your goodbyes today alright, because we'll leave as soon as we can in the morning, just a few minutes after breakfast I was thinking," Sera asked June, telling her that they would be leaving the next day unless she wanted to wait another day. "We'll get the meat from the butcher on the way out of town so that we have as much time as we can possibly get before it spoils on us, I'm thinking some bacon and a bit of ham since we can carry a lot of bacon at one time becaus of its small size, and some beef jerky to munch on for lunch or while we walk," Sera went on to say.

 

[ranger]

Re: Jungle of Desire (Mind Flayer) GMed by ranger

When Sara mentioned that they where leaving tomorrow June got a misty look in her eyes. "I see well I better make sure I'm ready." Given Sera a hug the young nun made her way into the monastery leaving Sera outside with Ivy making an appearance. "I bet she'll be home sick in a couple of days." Looking to Ivy Sera noticed one of her more perverse looks cross her face. "Hey Sera want to make a bet?"

 

[Mind Flayer]

Re: Jungle of Desire (Mind Flayer) GMed by ranger

"Alright June, I don't want to pressure you into leaving tomorrow, so make sure you're ready alright, if you don't feel that you've gotten everything done then we can always wait an extra day, but the sooner we get going the sooner we can maybe get back," Sera said to June as the young nun went off inside the monastery.

Sera glanced over at Ivy and giggled a bit at her words, knowing that June likely would get homesick in a couple of days because she did so herself. "Oh? A bet you say. What sort of bet we talking about here Ivy?" Sera asked her little companion as she headed on back inside the monastery to her room so that she could get all of the gear squared away and ready for tomorrow.