The Monastery (IC)

[Littlemankitten]

Harper looked around the room they had just entered quickly, taking in every detail she could. Looking at what Lianna was messing with, she was surprised to find the ancient scripture covering the doorway, she hadn't seen this kind of writing in a very long time, as few books were written in it. Turning to Lianna, she gave her a deadpan look. "It was more along the lines of me seeing you stumble upon it and having to tell Heidi." Walking towards the door, she inspected it and felt it, trying to understand what she was seeing. She listened to Heidi's assessment as she did this. A puzzle. Harper was good at those, unfortunately she wasn't very good at Ancient Starspeak, it was one of the few languages she frequently found herself struggling with. "Do you think it is worth the risk of finding out Heidi?" Harper didn't really wait for an answer, her inquisitive mind getting the better of her almost instantly as she began deciphering the words she could recognize and rearranging them.

[Mark3000]

Time: Day Phase 1

Iona

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

With not a word from the prostitute, Iona and Morgaine make their way to the brothel. Once they enter, their ears are assaulted with the sounds of rough lovemaking. The interior of the whorehouse straddle the line between rustic and. Though it seems prostitutes are a little more deferential then the one you talked to before.

“Well I more meant to investigate, but … “ Morgaine was beginning to say until you run into the prostitute from before talking to a man with slick black hair and a thick beard. He had a slim face and a lean body. But it was hard to tell as he was clothed in well made fabrics and a litany of rings on his hands.

It doesn’t take long for the two of them to the attention of the prostitute and her pimp. “These are the two I was telling you about Boss” She said with a sly smile as she stood behind the man.

The slick haired man approached the two of you with a bit of a scowl. “So I heard ya’ll were bothering my girls, poking around my clients” He said playing with his rings.

Morgaine merely stepped forward and pulled out a small sac of coins and jiggled them. “Not at all good sir. In fact we are prospective clients. At less we were until your little princess over their brushed us off. If that’s how your clientele I’ll take my business elsewhere”

The slick haired man looks at Morgaine, then her sac of coins and then to the whore. Before she can answer, the man smacks her across the face. She falls to the ground holding her face. “So not only did you come back empty handed, you’re chasing business away!” He yells. “Go to my room and fetch Maia, Gloria and Valeria” he said. The wounded whore retreated quickly from your sight.

Turning back to Iona and Morgaine, he gave them a large smile. “I’m sorry for that, these girls get popular and they think they can run the place. I go by Axel. Hopefully my girls haven't dissuade you from having a good time. To make it up to you. I’ll offer you my best merchandise”

Just as he finishes, the wounded whore returns with three girls:

Maia https://danbooru.donmai.us/posts/3335538
Gloria https://danbooru.donmai.us/posts/2007160
Valeria: https://danbooru.donmai.us/posts/2958523

Magz

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Magz easily walks into the shack just as a mug hits the wall right beside her. It seems like the shack was the meeting spot for most of the vagabonds in the area. A brawny looking man with a thin moustache hands cups of ale so strong you can smell it from the doorway. The centre of the room is open with one or two tables to the side. Most of the men here were talking about possible ‘job opportunities’, most of which involve theft, deceit or more. It seemed as though the young paladin had walked into a literal den of thieves

At the back of the shack you notice a door leading to another room. Posted outside were two guards, both of them heavily armed. None of the other patrons had noticed the young paladin. Though her luck wouldn’t last long.

Priscilla

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

“Oh a Paladin!” Gustuv said with a modicum of interest. “A dying breed if word is to be believed.” He said taking a swig from his mug. “Me and my boys call ourselves the Hellcats. We happen to be heading to Fort Claymoor to help out the soldiers.” He said.

“On the king’s dime no less.” One of the men said with a large laugh. Gustuv smirked as her turned back to Priscilla. “Yep, the kings been hiring Mercenaries to help with certain...jobs the knights can’t handle.” He said downing his drink and beckoning the bar wench for another. “Though I don’t pity you having to cover for these guards. They’re pretty much hooked on the Verta Leaf.” He said pointing to the group of armored men sitting around the hookah on the table.

“I doubt you’re even being paid for guarding this place. If you wanna make some real money, you should join a mercenary band. It just so happens we’re looking for new blood” Gustuv said with a smirk.

Sasha

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Eyeing the Red Headed bar wench, you are struck by her freckled face and rather full figure. A fact the male patrons are sure to remind her of. But she manages to brush them off with a simple smile.

She returns with a bowl of chicken soup and a mug of the house ale. When you ask about the guards, the red head rolls her eyes and gestures to the slightly armored men sitting around the hookah. “If they’re not drinking their asses off, they’re smoking that Verta Leaf. The head of the militia had to conscript a few locals since our best guards were scooped up by that guy”

As she spoke she nodded towards the table Priscilla was sitting at. “Half those mercenaries are from here. He promised them women and adventure and he seems to be keeping his end of the bargain.”

Meredith

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

The six of you moved to a room just behind the main hall. I housed a small painting of the Goddess Ki’ra and a few scrolls and books resting in a small bookcase. All signs would point to it being Father Donovin’s private office.

“It started about two months ago. A man fell to his knees clutching his head. He was a devout follower, would visit the chapel when every he could. At first we thought he was merely ill and brought him to the apothecary. But when the sun went down, he became feral. He attacked men, woman and children alike. We were able to subdue him but our prayers couldn’t reach him. In this time, two other men fell victim to this curse. Normally I would send for help from Whitemore for help. But they seem to be preoccupied at the moment”

Donovin pauses for a moment before continuing. “But I seem to remember you have some training in exorcisms Sister Evaline. If you could help us, it would be appreciated.” He says with a solemn look. Sister Evaline nods and takes the priest’s hand. “I’ll do everything in my power to help”

Ecstatic the priest nods in return. “Very good. After a bit of rest, I’ll bring you to the first victim” Showing you to a small room with a few beds to rest,

------------------------Rest Break--------------------------

After getting up the next morning, Sister Evaline is eager to visit the first victim of the curse. She left out with Meredith, Angelica and Father Donovin in tow. You all soon arrive at a moderately sized barn.

“His name is Chase. We’ve had to store him in here to protect the other villagers.” Father Donovin said as he went to opened the side door. When he did, two woman step out. Both dressed in black clothing, each wielding a staff.

https://danbooru.donmai.us/posts/2927169

https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/aig ... 1118064133

“Oh you must be the priest of this quient hamlet” The purple haired woman said with a sultry smile. She stood about a foot and a half taller than her black haired counterpart. “My name is Morgana and this is Luna. We were sent by the Church of the Black Ocean to respond to these mysterious possessions.” She turning to Evaline.

“I see you called for assistance, but that won’t be necessary. I’ve already cured Chase of his curse. I think I’ll look around a bit before visit the other two, come Luna.” Morgana said as the two took their leave. Luna gave your group a polite nod. Though it wouldn’t take much to catch up with them.

Harper

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Mentality Roll:
Rubric Door: 2 + 10(1d20) = 12
Harper: 5 + 14(1d20) = 19

While Harper’s Ancient Starspeak is rusty, she does recognize a few patterns. Without thinking, she begins to rearrange the circles until it spells out three different phrases. Translated they roughly translate to:

The vigilant hunter stands firm
The vengeful hunter finds release
The inquisitive hunter invites doom

The runes soon begin to glow as the door begins to open. Heidi stands their with a surprised look, while Lianna had a more indignant look, but nonetheless she seemed impressed.

“Well done Harper. It might have taken me half a day to decipher this.” She said as she began to peer into the room. She hadn’t answered your question, seemingly enraptured by this new discovery.

As all three of you look inside you see a bare room covered in marking. At the centre was a vase similar to the one described in Lily’s journal.

Mentality Roll:
????: 6 + 15 = 21
Harper: 5 + 1 = 6
Heidi: 4 + 15 = 19
Lianna: 4 + 2 = 6

“It’s rare that I get visitors” A voice said as it resonated through your mind. “And what an eclectic group. A woman scorned by her lover and research partner and forced into exile. The child of a nobleman and a whore, unwanted by either. And an orphan born a freak with no one to love her. But I’ll accept you three. Please come closer, it’s been a while since I’ve had visitors” the voice whispered softly.

Despite yourselves, all three of you walk into the chamber and approach the vase. Until you’re all within striking distance of the strange item.

[mrblah]

As they rested, Meredith had taken the time to try and calm her mind of her impure thoughts. She had closed her eyes and focused more on the teachings of Ki'ra, but... it wasn't so easy. The passerby whisper or question of her religion passed through her mind, and a seed of doubt was planted in her. Wouldn't a kind Goddess have saved her and the others from their meaningless debacle from earlier? Wouldn't a loving Goddess have saved her old team back in the forest, and have shielded her from the judgment of her church?

Meditating eventually took to actual sleeping, but her dreams had been no more peaceful than her day thus far. Later, when she woke up and left with the others, she'd been feeling a tad bit on edge, as if there'd be more misfortune in her near future. That feeling didn't shake her certainty that this job would still ultimately go well, but the revelation of what that feeling possibly might have been telling her did.

Now in the present, Meredith was glaring at the two recently introduced Black Ocean members, and as they moved to walk past them, she hadn't let up. 'Cured' him? What would they know of the miracle of healing? She bet they probably raped the poor man until he was tired out and called it 'curing' him! Her grip tightened on her staff, and she imagined herself marching up to them and showing them their folly for all the world to see. She imagined exposing their evil and cruelties to the world, and bringing the swift hammer of justice down upon their deserving heads...

But she didn't. They were just one part of the problem. Meredith turned to Evaline, after taking a calming breath to soothe herself. "Should we observe the damage they'd no doubt caused to Sir Chase, or should we hurry to the others before they do any worse, Head Priestess? Time may be of the utmost importance with those people here..."

[MiscChaos]

"And investigate we shall. I was just trying to see if we could get more information out of the other woman before we do." Iona says once they're out of earshot of the silent whore. "I was trying to make her worried about getting in trouble to see if she would give us the information we needed. Unfortunately it really does look like all that mouth is good for is slurping down semen." She shrugs at that as all that really means is she'll get to look upon beautiful, nearly nude ladies. Actually, thinking about it that way, why did she bother sticking around the street? Going straight to the brothel would have been a WAY better idea!

The instant they enter the whore house, Iona feels more at peace than she has in a long time. The sounds of ladies and gentlemen enjoying the company of each other is something she's heard only once before, but, well, it was when she lost her virginity. Being another one of those voices, cause while the man was seedy as hell he knew how to treat a lady, was something that left a bit of an impression on her. Looking around to what ladies weren't currently doing business they more than met her expectations. And they weren't rude as hell either so that's definitely a bonus. While Iona is looking over the goods, Morgaine is apparently dealing with the master of the brothel. Iona really only starts paying attention when said master pimp slaps the woman who had insulted the both of them and she feels a serene smile spread across her face. Well, she knows that the man knows how to treat his customers right. And really, that was about the smallest punishment he could have inflicted upon the working girl for both being rude to customers and bringing back no money. In her wild days, she'd seen prostitutes beaten in areas covered by what clothing they wore, subjected to brutal gang rape, forced to fuck animals, or many other punishments for much less severe infringements. So the man, to her at least, knows how to take care of his girls and make sure they stay humble.

Then his best girls come through and all of her thought processes stop. Maybe it's the 9 years of nothing but her hand for company. Maybe it's the fact that she could only have that company sparingly. Maybe it's constantly being surrounded by beautiful women she has no chance of laying her hands on. Maybe it's a combination of the three. Either way, she sees the trio arrive and feels her engine crank all the way up. If she thought she could have gotten away with it, she would request all three of them. As it is, the maid's outfit is enticingly brief. She would love to have the woman service her. "Thank you very much for the honor." she manages to get out. Still the sound of her own voice manages to cut through her haze of lust. They still have a mission, she supposes. She wonders how would be the best way to go about it. Should she ask the girl first then the pimp? Maybe the other way around? But if the pimp gets offended by her asking, he might withdraw the opportunity to spend some time with his best girls. And after 9 years of being forced to ignore it, she's not sure if her libido would ever forgive her for that. So first, have some fun with the maid, then see what she knows, then if she knows nothing, see what Axel knows. Sounds like a sound course of action to her! Now she just needs Morgaine to go along with it. "If you don't object, I think our dear maid has everything I need. Maybe one of the others does it for you? If not, we can come back and ask Axel later." She hopes the message she's trying to get to Morgaine is clear enough. She doesn't want to outright say it just in case.

[Blue56]

Priscilla simply smiles politely and continues to take the occasional drink from her mug of ale as Gustuv and his men begin to speak freely, just as she had hoped. She offers only small responses to what she is told, choosing to listen for the most part. "I confess I know little of what goes on outside the monastery, but we have plenty of recruits that train alongside me. If paladins are dying, they won't be for long." She tells the men honestly before the topic turns to the Hellcats and their mission. She idly wondered if this threat the king's men couldn't handle had something to do with the resurgence of monsters that the merchant from earlier had spoken of. Still, since Gustuv had been intentionally vague she doubted that prying would get her anywhere. "It sounds like dangerous work, but you all seem to be a formidable force equal to the task." She keeps her replies simple on the off chance flattery will coax more details out of them.

At last, the conversation turns to the towns guard situation and Priscilla is surprised to learn that the town's guards are in this very bar and apparently to busy with something called Verta Leaf to do their jobs. Though the real shock comes when Gustuv propositions her to join his band of mercenaries, and it was plain on her face and in her tone as she stammered out a response. "Wh-why... Truly, it's an... honor that you think highly enough of me to make such an offer, and s-so soon after we've met..." She begins, her mind racing on how best to respond. Certainly turning her back on the church was out of the question, and if wealth were a driving force for her then she never would have left her home to begin with. Still, she needed to diplomatically turn him down as Gustuv could still be a valuable ally, or a formidable foe. Priscilla takes a deep breath before continuing. "I'm afraid I must decline however... I work with the White Flame for more than just coin you see. You and your men have been most accommodating and I would be pleased to assist you should you find yourself in need... But I cannot join you at this time."

[RandomRoninKitten]

Magz

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Magz easily walks into the shack just as a mug hits the wall right beside her. It seems like the shack was the meeting spot for most of the vagabonds in the area. A brawny looking man with a thin moustache hands cups of ale so strong you can smell it from the doorway. The centre of the room is open with one or two tables to the side. Most of the men here were talking about possible ‘job opportunities’, most of which involve theft, deceit or more. It seemed as though the young paladin had walked into a literal den of thieves

At the back of the shack you notice a door leading to another room. Posted outside were two guards, both of them heavily armed. None of the other patrons had noticed the young paladin. Though her luck wouldn’t last long.

Magz looks around the place... the word "Nope." resounds through her head, then she proceeds to walk backwards out of the structure. That slightly complicates things, it would be better to regroup with the others, as it could jeopardize her mission if she ended up having to throw down with the entire inhabitant body at once, especially if the target chose to leave during the ensuing chaos. If she brings the others, it would dissuade them from attacking her. Great JUSTICE would have to wait until she has told her companions what she knows.

She makes her way back to where they split off, then, not seeing them anywhere in the crowds of people, she chooses to start checking for them in the various building in the area. Once she finds the two of them, she'll tell them what she was told by the merchants.

[Lorielle]

Sasha couldn’t help but feel a bit of envy as she saw the red headed girl dance and slip between tables. That sort of social interaction was always lost on the young paladin given that until she joined the monastery she only knew her parents and the couple of merchants who stopped by the house.

But she tried not to linger on the problem too much when the wench comes back with food Sasha is all smiles and in her bubbly tone she speaks to her. “Oh well that’s not good, shouldn’t these men care more about helping people than adventure?” She says as she leans over to look at Gustav and Priscilla. “Those ones smoking as well Verta leaf? I’ve never heard of it. What does it do?” She says as she takes a drink of the ale and starts to eat the soup.

[Mark3000]

Time: Day Phase 2

Meredith

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Evaline took a moment to pause and think on the situation. But Angelica couldn’t wait. “We can’t let those two run around like they own the place!” She exclaimed as she ran off after the two dark priestesses. “I’ll follow them and see what they’re up to” She said before the paladin was out of ear range.

With a sigh, Evaline turned to Meredith. “Myself and Father Donovin will attend to Chase. Can you keep an eye on Angelica. I could sense it the moment I saw them” the Head priestess said as she paused. “Those two are not to be trifled with”

_________________________

It doesn’t take long to catch up with Angelica as she kneels outside the window to a home of the road. A pale purple light filtered out of the window and Angelica peered in time and again. As you get closer, the paladin beckons you over.

“Sister Meredith!” She whisperers with urgency. “You HAVE to see what they’re doing to this man.” Angelica says as she motioned to the window. When you look inside, your eyes are meet with a shocking display.

A magic circle lit the room as a man was pinned under Morgana. The dark priestess is naked as the day she was born riding upon the man’s cock. He was thrashing under the woman’s weight as if possessed by some unholy force. His eyes glow red as he tries to reach for Morgana’s neck. The moment he tries to move, his hands and legs are bound by ethereal black ropes. To the side of the room, Luna has her staff in the air as she chanted.

“Fear not child of the depth, I will free you from your prison” Morgana said as she continued to bounce on the man’s cock. Her hand caress the possessed man’s face

Iona

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Maia gave Iona a polite bow as Axel rubbed his hands while grinning. “I wouldn’t mind some time with her” Morgaine said as she pointed to Gloria.

“You two have excellent taste, I have two rooms available” Axel said as Morgaine handed him a suitable amount. “Maia, Gloria, take our guesses to their rooms” He said as he wrapped his arms around Valeria

“Yes Master” The two replied in sync before taking each of you to adjacent rooms. Before the two of you are separated, Morgaine leans in and whispers into your ear. “This goes without saying but this stays between the two of us” Morgaine says before she enters the room with her partner.

Once Iona and Maia enter their room, the young monk is meet with a space more on the rustic side of things.Small candles lit the room as a large bed lay at the centre. There was also a night table to the side with a litany of oils. Turning to you , Maia bowed again and gave you a subservient smile

“Thank you for choosing me as your partner. My name is Maia and I live to serve. You’re free to use me as you like” She says as she saunters closer to Iona.

Magz

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Search Check (Mentality Check, 21)
Magz: 1 + 4 = 5

Magz has no luck finding her compatriots at first. Despite the shanty town’s small size, finding them proved nearly impossible. Near the end of her search, she ends up in front of the brothel. By process of elimination, they had to be inside. Despite there being a few prostitutes in the front of the establishment, it seems as though you wouldn’t have any problems entering.

Though Magz notices something as she approaches the building, a woman with a bruised face appears to be leaving through a side door.

Sasha & Priscilla

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

The waitress merely sighs. “You would think, but most of these boys don’t know how to use what’s between their ears” she said with a slight chuckle. When Sasha asks the second part of her question, she pauses and turns to Gustuv’s table. The waitress then leans over and whispers into Sasha’s earn. “Verta Leaf is suppose to calm the nerves and relax the body. They were the ones that brought that stuff into town. But I heard Gustuv's gang are into some pretty hard stuff.”

While Sasha is conversing with the waitress, she notices Gustuv stand and move around the table to sit beside Priscilla. "That’s a shame kid, you’ve got heart” He told Priscilla as he sat beside her. Wrapping his arm around her, Gustuv gave her shoulder a rub “But I appreciate you’d be willing to help us. Just for that, Here’s a little gift” He said as put a vial down in front of her. (Priscilla has gained a Bottle of Night Petal Essence: (3 Uses) Gain 25% Critical chance for an entire battle. Highly Addictive)

As Priscilla’s eyes drift to the vial, Gustuv’s hands drift lower to her chest. Just as he was about to grope the young Paladin, the door to the pub burst open.

“SASHA! PRISCILLA! FALL IN!” At the doorway was Emma. As if by instinct, the two of you rise and rush to meet your superior. “ I told you two to head to the inn to check us in. Explain what you’re doing here!” She said staring the two down then casting her gaze to Gustuv. The large mercenary got up and proceeded to the exit.

“Well I know where I’m not wanted, let’s go boys” He said as he signaled his men to follow. Once they were gone, Emma turned her attention back to her two students.

“Anyway, I have your guard assignments. Sasha, you’ll be guarding the northern gate. Priscilla, you’ll be guarding the southwest gate. If you need my assistance , I’ll be by guarding the southeast gate. The Head guard has also provided a few of his remaining guards to assist. Do you understand?”

Harper

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

A small silence filled the room as Harper, Lianna & Heidi starred down at the vase. It takes a moment for anyone to speak up.

“Who, What are you?” Heidi said. Her voice sounded as though she already knew.

“Hmm, you can call me Mento. I am a wandering spirit that was trapped in this vase by a zelous demon hunter named Lily. She mistook me for a demon because of my strength and trapped me in this vase” Mento said in a soft voice.

“But when you opened the door, I could feel your sadness, uncertainty and despair. I called out to you hoping we could help each other. All I need you to do is touch the vase to release me. In return I’ll grant you a portion of my power. With it I’m sure you could obtain whatever it is you desire. I’m sure I could help you find a place in this world”

Lianna and Heidi are frozen in place by the spector’s honeyed words. Harper continues to grip Lily’s journal tightly as Mento’s words ring through her mind.

[RandomRoninKitten]

Magz

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Search Check (Mentality Check, 21)
Magz: 1 + 4 = 5

Magz has no luck finding her compatriots at first. Despite the shanty town’s small size, finding them proved nearly impossible. Near the end of her search, she ends up in front of the brothel. By process of elimination, they had to be inside. Despite there being a few prostitutes in the front of the establishment, it seems as though you wouldn’t have any problems entering.

Though Magz notices something as she approaches the building, a woman with a bruised face appears to be leaving through a side door.

When Magz saw the bruise on the woman's face, she got distracted from the task at hand, and made her way directly to the woman, in a hurry. "Madame" she started, as she grabbed her wrist, firmly but not roughly "What caused that bruise on your face, and if it was an individual, why did they do so?" she asked, keeping her tone serious, but neutral as she asked the question. If a man had struck her, they were no friend of JUSTICE and would need to be treated in kind. They would find her metal gauntlet striking them across the face to be far more dire of a punishment than the simple slap which they would have hypothetically given this woman.

[Lorielle]

“H-harder stuff?” Sasha could barely whisper as she steals a glance down the red-head’s chest but before she could even regret her choice Emma shouted from across the room. “Ma’am! We’re in the inn I thought?” Sasha says being a bit of a country bumpkin all these buildings looked the exact same to her. “Understood ma’am!” As she says that she double checks her gear and gets a move on to the northern gate somewhat deflated by how much she had messed up.

[Blue56]

Priscilla smiled, relieved that her rejection of Gustuv's offer didn't seem to anger him at all. She stiffened slightly as he put an arm around her, an involuntary reaction to such a bold move that most men wouldn't have dared try on her in her old life, but Gustuv had been surprisingly kind and respectful thus far so Priscilla allowed it. Her attention was drawn to the unknown vial her gifted her, so much so she didn't notice his hand beginning an even bolder maneuver. She was about to thank him and inquire as to its contents when the door to the pub burst open and an all too familiar voice shouted her name. Out of sheer habit that had been ingrained into her being after all their training, Priscilla was standing in an instant, quickly pocketing the vial and moving to stand at attention before Emma. She mouthed a silent apology to Sasha as her fellow recruit joined them, this had been Priscilla's idea after all and she wasn't about to let her comrade take blame for that. "Ma'am! My apologies! I thought it would be prudent to gather information about potential threats we face in guarding the town. Since I had the gold, Sasha had no choice but to follow me. The pub's close proximity to the inn led me to believe this would be a quick detour." She explained, her tone changing drastically from when she had been speaking with Gustuv and his men earlier as she bowed her head deeply before the Head Paladin.

Rising from her bow, she produced the pouch of coins Emma had entrusted them with to show her they still had it. Seeing Gustuv depart, Priscilla merely nodded to him, not daring to say anything else in the presence of the commander. She hoped she could properly thank him and say goodbye before he left town though. The mission came first however, and Priscilla nodded resolutely once she received her orders. "May I secure our rooms at the inn as you instructed before I head to my post, Ma'am?" She asks, hoping that being allowed to finish her task would redeem herself in Emma's eyes. If so, she would pay for their rooms at the inn before heading to the southwest gate to being her guard duty.

[MiscChaos]

"Of course. No one else has to know." She says with a smile as Morgaine walks away with her chosen companion. After all, with the enforced chastity of their stuffy religion, all telling someone about this would do would be to get the both of them in massive trouble. That's not really a problem for Iona since she's planning on disappearing at the earliest opportunity once the job is done, but for gifting her the chance to get off for the first time in 9 years, Morgaine deserves quite a bit of consideration. The poor woman's already likely to get in trouble for losing one of her charges, not that much she hopes since Iona was labeled as a flight risk so they should have seen this coming, so there's really no need to compound the issue if she doesn't have to.

All such thoughts leave her mind once she finds herself alone in a room with the amorous attention of a beautiful woman on her. She can feel her sex drive almost ignite when Maia walks towards her all sexiness and subservience. The words that come out of her mouth do nothing to quell the flame that's burning her from her core outwards. Almost without conscious thought, she walks to meet the maid halfway, gathering her into her arms and planting her lips on the woman's neck. Maia's scent, the soft feeling of her body and breasts pressed against her, it fills Iona's mind with wool and makes thinking damn near impossible. Trailing kisses the entire way, she presses her lips against the maid's ear and briefly licks the lobe before she whispers huskily, "It's been 9 long years since I've been with someone. Now that I have you, I feel like I'm going to explode with how repressed I've been. You say you live to serve? Well, I need you to serve me right here." She says, grabbing the woman's arm and pressing it firmly against her own pants covered pussy. "I don't care how, but if I'm not screaming for the heavens by the time we're done I will be most cross."

[mrblah]

Meredith watched the young paladin run off, reaching out as if to stop her with the words of such on the tip of her tongue... but she withheld it and turned to Evaline. It seemed like they had the exact same thoughts in mind, and the priestess nodded to her superior's request. "Of course. I'll make sure she doesn't run into trouble." Or get her out of it if she's too late.

Meredith ran off to catch up to Angelica, thankfully managing to do so rather quickly thanks to the easily navigable small village. Meredith had felt a disturbing feeling at the sight of the strange lighting. It didn't say anything good was happening inside. "Sister Tempest," started Meredith in a quiet but stern voice as she moved over to Angelica's position, "you shouldn't be running off after possible hostiles alone like that. In the presence of enemies, it is even more important to stick together than ever outside of safe territory." Her lecture was kept short, however, and she said no more as the paladin directed her to the window. She had a sneaking suspicion that she might know the cause of the strangeness within the building.

And her suspicions were confirmed as she peered into the room. Her eyes narrowed at the sight of the naked woman clearly raping one of the victims they were meant to help. The dark ritual was aided by her companion off to the side, who was still armed with her staff. That would be important if they decided to go on the offensive... though, Meredith wasn't so confident of their chances. After all, they'd lost to normal bandits...

She shook her head at the brief memory. Victory or failure, she had a job to the people and to her Goddess. She can't ignore this. "Sister Tempest, we need to put a stop to this. We'll go in through the front door to attempt diplomacy, but be prepared to fight in the case that fails... and in the possibility that we're losing, please don't hesitate to leave me and go get Sister Evaline." Her last comment was whispered a little quieter. She didn't like the idea she proposed, but the priestess knew the ramifications of loss, now much more intimately. She couldn't put the young paladin through that again.

Without waiting on the girl's response, Meredith stood and marched over to the door. If it weren't barred or locked, she'd open the door and step in quickly with a stern expression. "Cease your foul ritual at once!"

[Littlemankitten]

As soon as Harper had entered the room she felt immediate regret. Well, she was happy in a strange way. The scholar in her was happy to find a previously hidden entity that was hidden right beneath her nose! More knowledge, even if its bad knowledge, is always welcome to Harper. This did seem to be bad knowledge however. Absolutely nothing about the situation sat right with her. A supposed spirit mistaken for a demon, by a now apparent demon hunter who is also one of if not the most important person in the Church of the White Flame. The chances of it being a mistake seemed slim to none. Realizing she still had the book, Harper clung to it even tighter. Turning to Heidi, Harper gave her a nervous smile. "You know, it has now occurred to me perhaps the door was locked for a reason." Smooth move Harper. Turning to the vase, Harper straightened up and tried her best to not seem scared or nervous. Acting was not her forte. "I am not sure what you take us for, but we aren't just about to release a random so called spirit that was purposely trapped by one of the most important figures of the church. Based only off of words of potential 'great things'" She said, trying her best to ignore the fact she had basically already done said thing by opening the sealed door willy nilly without a second thought.

"So you won't help me?" Mento said with a bemused voice. "And what say your two friends?"
Instantly you turn to face Heidi and Lianna. The two had remained silent while you said your piece. But it looks as though a cloud had been lifted from their minds.
"To think that Harper of all people would be the one to talk the most sense" Lianna said with a haughty voice as usual. "But she's right. I have too much pride to place my fortunes in a wayward spirit who I and fairly certain is a demon"
Heidi nodded "Indeed, I've read too many stories where specters promise power only to take the poor victims for all they're worth."
Just as the three of you come together you hear a sigh from the vase. "I had hoped I wouldn't have to resort to this but you three leave me no choice" Suddenly the vase begins to shake as a thick crimson fog seeps from the top and congeals on the floor. It rises to form a body similar to the one depicted in Lily's Journal.

"I had hoped to save this for when that bitch Lily or some other fool showed up. But that door put a seal on even the small amount of power I was able to save." Mento says stretching her arms. "It my merely be a shadow but it'll be enough to drain you three for all you're worth. Then I can really have some fun!"

Harper was taking quite a few steps back, acting may not be her forte, but fighting was even worse on that list for Harper. She glanced this now very apparent demon up and down. A demon could take so many shapes... A horrid monster, a frail old person to lure people in, a animal, or something the human mind cannot begin to comprehend. Yet no, it decided to take the form of a amazingly attractive woman, despite having no need for seduction. How funny, what did it take them for? Males? Nearing the door, she finally spoke up. "I don't fancy the idea of being sucked dry, so how about we just close the door and you can spend another few eternities musing about your revenge plan? Sounds like a good idea to me!" Harper was slightly panicking, her mind felt a little foggy in the presence of a true to life demon being right in front of her, and whether or not just closing the door would actually solve anything was less important than just getting away from the situation.

The manifested demon merely smirked at Harper's threat. "If you think you have what it takes deary." She said crouching down like a predator ready to strike "If you think the three of you are fast enough, go ahead and run for the door. I'm pretty confident in my speed"

Harper didn't have to be told twice, before the demon could even finish it's sentence she was gunning for the door, giving Heidi and Lianna a look of, 'would you hurry the fuck up?' as she did. Did she think she would make it? Not really, everything she read about demons showed that she would be hopelessly outclassed, even without the need to wait on her two companions. Chances are she would be sucked dry, not the way she expected to ever go. She always thought one of the more reverent paladins would of struck her down before a demon.

The three of them run with everything they got only for a gust of wind to run right past you. Standing between you and the door is the demon's shadow. She licked her lips as she stared down at her prey. "I guess I'm going to have to work for my meal then" Mento said as her finger nails extended to form claws.


(battle)

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Harper shook a little when she saw the demon rush past her like she was just a turtle. She knew the demon would be fast but until seen with her own eyes she couldn't quite comprehend how fast a creature can be. It didn't help that she had to cover her ears when the thing shouted in some unholy tongue that gave her a splitting headache, as if whatever language it spoke wasn't meant for human ears. Shaking her head, she did her best to analyze the situation. Think harper think, what was a common weakness among demons? What type of demon did this one look like? Did it have any visible weakpoints? It was so damn hard to focus now, but she managed to try....

Taking a step back Heidi passes to assess the demon before her. Something had come up time and again in her readings was an aversion to light, preferring to stick to the darkness. Lily's notes also mentioned always aiming for the head when hunting monster.

Lianna began chanting some incantations and weaved her hands in the air, a strange pure white mist formed around her, before it suddenly speed towards the Demon, covering it in the mist. The demon stumbled around a little, trying to catch its footing, it seemed like it was blind now. Unfortunately, Heidi seemed even worse off than Harper, as she clutched her head and let out a groan of pain, seemingly unable to do anything. Using that to its advantage, the demon then rushed for Heidi, but it seems spending an eternity in a vase made it forget how to properly moved, and it missed Heidi by quite a lot, despite her being a unmoving target.

Harper struggled to get behind both Lianna and Heidi. They were pretty close by but walking was pretty hard at this point. So was focusing on making a spirit to help support her allies. Harper didnt really know any offensive spells herself, but what she could do was help support those that did. Chanting, she weaved her hands in the air as water from the environment slowly collected into a ball and formed a spirit of water, then sent it over to Lianna.

Lianna grunted what sounded like a thanks? How nice of her, she seemed to think Harper was actually being useful. Using the added mental power gained from the spirit, Lianna clumps her hands together, forming a magic bullet, then fires it at the demon. It strikes the demon straight in the chest, and it lets out a otherworldly screech, sounds like it hurt. The demon regain its footing and tried to claw at Lianna for daring to hurt it, yet it tripped over itself a little and she was able to dodge out of the way. Heidi continued to clutch at her head, still unable to do anything. The demon focused on Lianna again and seemed to stare at her for a few moments, yet it didn't do anything else, Lianna gave it a odd luck, then it seemed annoyed, as if something was supposed to happen.

Harper was starting to feel much better, it seems her mind stopped trying to comprehend whatever the foul demon said and her headache was subsiding. Being able to focus more, she figured she need to do something herself. She began chanting again, this time sparks forming between her hand eventually culminating into a burst of fire. If the demon didn't like light, then she would bring light to the demon.

The Demon's Shadow hisses as the Spirit of Fire illuminates the Dark Room. It's glow forcing the creature back a bit. Lianna took that as an opportunity to use another magic bullet. Ironically, the demon's flailing against the light made it a harder target, and she ended up missing. She cursed and seemed quite annoyed by the miss. Heidi, finally regaining control of her body, weakly starts casting, occasionally clutching at her head, but it seems the incantation still succeeded, and a barely visible barrier formed around Lianna. The demon didn't seem to like that, and it went for Heidi again. As the spectral demon approaches Heidi, her phantom claws extend out into the scholar's chest. She lets out a scream as she feels something being drained out of her.

Harper focuses on the Demon's location and starts chanting again, the ball of fire hovering above her burns even brighter and after becoming to bright to even look at it discharges a small ball of fire straight at the demon, simmering down afterwards. Unfortunately, Harper was never the best at aiming, and it hits the wall behind the demon, though the demon didn't seem to like the sudden flash of light that whizzed past it.

Lianna began chanting again, this time a sickly green fog formed around here, gathering from nothing. It spread to the demon, but the demon ignored it, seemingly unaffected by the fog. Heidi chants as well, a circle etching itself into the floor of the room, a painful scratching noise rings out as something unseeable scratches magical circles into the stone, giving Heidi a small layer of stone to cover her. The demon seems to target whoever does the most useful thing, and so it goes for Heidi again, this time re-learning how to strike and actually hitting Heidi in the side with its claws.

Harper was out of steam, at least magically anyway, she thought she trained harder than this, but it turns out in the heat of battle panic depletes your reserves even quicker than in training. With the fire spirit bolstering her attack though, she sends it to cover her staff, not burning it, but mostly for the light, so it hits the demon harder. With a nervous cry, Harper charges and swings at the demon. Perhaps it was a bad idea, but Harper didn't want to just sit in the back uselessly. The demon dodges it as if Harper was moving at a snails pace, giving her a slight grin at her attempt. Harper whines a little, not liking how close she suddenly was to the thing.

Lianna doesn't do much, but simply takes a defensive posture, seemingly trying to recover her magical reserves after expending it all. Heidi on the other hand puts her hands together and fires a ball of energy right at the specter's core. Its smug face suddenly turning into one of horror and disbelief. It then howls as it disperses and retreats to the vase with in the once sealed room.

Harper sighs in relief and leans against on the walls, shaking her head. That was... Actually pretty easy, everything she read about demons said she should be very dead or corrupted at this point, yet somehow the demon seemed to not know how to do anything until the very end. It must of been stuck in that vase even longer than Harper thought. Looking towards the other two, Harper gave a nervous smile. "Man, imagine losing to a bunch of scholars when your supposedly a all powerful demon." Harper snickers a little, trying to joke in order to distract from the panic she still felt.

[Mark3000]

Time: Day Phase 3

Magz

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

The bruised woman is surprised by Magz’s sudden arrival. But after a moment to think, she turns the paladin with tears in her eyes.

“I-It’s terrible. “ She says in a soft voice. “Everyday the master of this brothel beats us for the slightest mistake. I got this for trying to warn the other girls inside of a pair of suspicious characters”. She said moving in to hug the young paladin.

Looking over her shoulder, the woman turned back to you. “I’m actually planning leaving this shithole and starting a new life somewhere else. My lover will be here soon. But even if we leave, the master will chase us to the ends of the earth.” She said continuing to cry softly.

Sasha & Priscilla

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Emma listens to her two proteges and nods. “Very well. Hopefully the two of you gathered some valuable information. If you could Priscilla, please secure our rooms. After a bit of rest, we’ll attend to our guard stations. Best of luck with your assignments.” She says giving you both a salute.

-------------------Rest Break---------------------

Sasha reaches her guard station just outside the northern gate. This part of the town housed many of the tradesmen. Blacksmiths, carpenters, tailors and other craftsmen ran through the street. The sounds of raw materials being cut and hammered into new items filled the air. But a different sound could be heard from the small guard station. It sounded like … snoring.

Peering inside, Sasha saw a blue haired man sleeping on a stool ( https://danbooru.donmai.us/posts/2690025 ). Of to his side was a modest longbow and a quiver of arrows. Besides the sleeping guard, the station was rather sparse. There was a small rack for weapons, a warning bell and a small pantry with some dried meat and a loaf of bread.


Priscilla meanwhile reached the southern gate to find a bit of a commotion. A man with brown hair ( https://danbooru.donmai.us/posts/2660667 ) was fighting a man about twice his side. Though the battle was rather one-sided as Priscilla watched the brown-haired stranger get tossed to the ground.

“You think I’d let you get away with flirting with my wife again Fredric!” The large man said as you notice a woman standing right behind the large man.

Just as Priscilla begins to wonder where the guards are, she notices that Fredric has a guard’s uniform on, similar to the ones worn in the pub.

Iona

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Morgaine gave Iona a knowing smile before ushering her playmate into one of the rooms.

Back to Maia, she moans as Iona trail kisses along her body. The sweet scent of her body lingers in Iona’s nose. As she guides Maia’s hand to her crotch, Maia coos. “It sounds like you’ve had to hold yourself back for a while.” She said as she rubbed the monk’s bottom lips with her fingers. Kissing Iona on the cheek, she leans in and whispers into her ear. “I’ll have you howling for Steorra’s grace”

While she was talking, Iona didn’t notice her pussy was completely exposed. Maia lead Iona to the bed and sat her down. Giving the monk a deep kiss, she lets their tongues intermingle. Pulling back, she begins to trail kisses down her neck and between her chest down her belly. Until finally she reaches your waiting snatch. She gives the outer lips a light kiss while brushing her nose against Iona’s clit. But it doesn’t take long for her tongue to find it’s way to your moist entrance.

Her tongue masterfully messages Iona’s inner walls as the sounds of sex permeate through the walls. Iona can even hear Morgaine’s high pitched moans pierce the wall. But among this noise, someone else’s voice sticks out.

“What caused that bruise on your face, and if it was an individual, why did they do so?”

Was that Magz?

Meredith

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

The door is locked but is quickly opened by a woman in a modest overall dress. “S-Sister what are you” before she can finish both Meredith and Angelica charge in.

Just as Meredith makes her demand, Morgana and the possessed man let out blood curdling moans. Their voices straddle the line between sensual and horrific. All of you are blinded by a purple light. When the light dies down, Morgana is still straddling the man for a few more seconds before standing up. A grey coloured semen dripped from her cunt as she motioned for Luna to fetch her dress.

“Mrs Potbarrel, you needn’t worry about you husband. I have extracted the demon possessing his body” She said rubbing her womb.

Holding her hands to her face, Mrs. Potbarrel rushed to husband’s side and hugged him.
“Dear! Dear can you hear me?” she asked as she cradled his body. His eyes opened as they took a healthy colour. “Bellamy!” He said hugging her wife in return. “It’s gone! The voices are gone!” He said with tears in his eyes.

Satisfied their job was done, Morgana turned to Meredith and Angelica. “Looks like there's only one victim left to visit. Then we have to take care of the source of these pesky spirits” She said adjusting her dress. “Why don’t you leave the rest to us Sister? Or if you want to finish the job that’s fine by me. I’ll even tell you where the demons are coming from. All I want in return … is a kiss”

Harper

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Despite the dangerous encounter, Lianna gave the two of you a nervous laugh. “I-indeed. This demon wasn’t all Lily made it out to be.” She said trying to put on a brave face.

Immediately to the side of the room, you see Heidi hunched over clutching her chest. In truth she was the one who took the worst of the demon’s assault with Lianna protected by a barrier and Harper hiding behind the two of them. “Yes it was a rather one simple battle, given the enemy was already sealed and fighting us with merely a fraction of its power, outnumbered” The head scholar said as she tried to regain her bearings. “Let us be off. The sooner we can seal off this blasted place and inform the other head mistresses, the better” She says exiting the small room.

As Heidi works to reset the Rubic door, Lianna and Harper wait in Lily’s old hunting den.

“Hey Vampris… you handled yourself pretty well back there” Lianna said with a blushing smile. “I wouldn’t mind working with you on something a little less life threatening.”

Loot:
Demon Hunter’s Rapier (One-Handed Sword, Wood Class) 1d4/Dexterity/Engaged, +1 Speed
Demon Hunter’s Coat (Body, Bronze Class) +1 Endurance, +1 Speed
Demonic Residue (Bronze Class), Raw Reagent, use Alchemy to transform into an usable item.

Obtained Lily’s Journal (Trinket, Silver Class) +2 HP, +2 AP, +1 Charisma

[RandomRoninKitten]

Magz

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

The bruised woman is surprised by Magz’s sudden arrival. But after a moment to think, she turns the paladin with tears in her eyes.

“I-It’s terrible. “ She says in a soft voice. “Everyday the master of this brothel beats us for the slightest mistake. I got this for trying to warn the other girls inside of a pair of suspicious characters”. She said moving in to hug the young paladin.

Looking over her shoulder, the woman turned back to you. “I’m actually planning leaving this shithole and starting a new life somewhere else. My lover will be here soon. But even if we leave, the master will chase us to the ends of the earth.” She said continuing to cry softly.

Magz narrowed her eyes and was filled with righteous fury at the woman's testimony and didn't even stop to question her further. "Fear not, madame, I shall bring great JUSTICE down on this man's head, and he shall be crushed by the weight of his misdeeds." she drew her sword and made her way towards the door "He will not pursue you, nor will he bother you again. At the very least, he will give up his life of injustice." she concluded, as she moved to kick the door down and confront the owner in regards to his supposed actions.

[mrblah]

Despite herself, Meredith's strong front faltered at the loud moaning and the sudden light show, her raised staff wavering slightly. The ritual was a strange display that incited worry and disgust within the priestess... but also intrigue. When Morgana lifted herself off the man and the results of their copulation were made known, Meredith wasn't sure how to react. "..." She felt uncomfortable. Why did she feel like an intruder..? The woman only felt more uncomfortable as the reunited lovers happily embraced, and she couldn't find it within herself to keep her staff raised in defiance.

But she did glare at Morgana as she addressed them, until the proposal was brought up. "A — what?" She looked at Morgana dumbly, then looked at Morgana as if SHE were the dumb one. "Why would you ever ask for something l-like that? And why would you offer that information? Whatever way you look at it, this isn't to your advantage." The priestess was skeptical with hostility still clear in her tone, but she didn't immediately deny the offer. It didn't seem so dangerous, and it would benefit them in the long run. To her knowledge it wouldn't be a sin, and her partner in this task at least looked appealing...

No, she didn't just think that and her eyes didn't just glance at that witch's lips. The clear temptation was likely a ploy anyways.

[Lorielle]

As Sasha walked through the artisan’s district there was a certain pang of homesickness that crept into the young paladin’s heart. The clanging of metal and sawing of wood reminded of her father who wasn’t the best blacksmith or carpenter, but she loved how self-sufficient he was. Hopefully that’d rub on her but who knows. She liked helping people, though... a peek into the guard station makes the young woman frown. She should just wake him up... well he’s asleep so maybe he’s just tired? Sasha shrugged her shoulders she’ll give the man a bit more time to rest, it’ll be a long night anyway. Sasha tightens her shield around her arm before she does a quick perimeter check once that’s done she could wake up her partner and start a real patrol.

[Blue56]

Priscilla can't help but feel relieved as Emma seems to accept her explanation. "Understood Ma'am. I'll be sure to report on my findings once guard duty is over." She replies, returning her commanders salute before heading next door to pay for their rooms like she was supposed to and drop off anything she won't be needing for her patrol.

Once at the gate, Priscilla immediately witnesses a situation that seems to require her intervention. One of the towns guards she presumably would be partnered with, knocked flat on his back by a significantly larger man who's wife said guard had apparently been hitting on. Priscilla let out a deep sigh as she pondered what to do. Her first instinct is to let him get what he deserves, however..... Priscilla had been thinking on what was best for Basinburgh since her conversation with Gustuv. Most of the towns guard were too busy with their Verta leaf now and if the ones who remained were like the one she's looking at right now, then simply patrolling for a few days was only addressing the symptoms rather than the heart of the issue. For the town to be truly safe again, the guard would need to be returned to their former strength.

The Verta leaf was something she would seek guidance from Emma on, for now she would start small and try her hand at whipping her current partner into shape. Gaining some respect from the guard by helping to diffuse the current situation would help with that ideally. With that in mind, Priscilla steps forward to stand beside the guard and address the larger man and his wife with a polite smile and a bow of her head. "Good evening sir, ma'am. My apologies for intruding. My name is Priscilla and I am a paladin in training from St. Lily's monastery, sent her to aid with guard patrols. Might I ask that you be so kind as to leave it at this for now?" She requests in a sincere tone, gesturing to the guard on the ground next to her. "I am to patrol with Frederic here tonight and even a lecherous pair of eyes will help keep us all safe until dawn. I assure you that there will be no repeat of this incident so long as I am here, and I shall be sure to include his misdeeds in my report once our patrol is done."

[Littlemankitten]

Harper's nervous smile disappeared completely when she noticed Heidi struggling and laying down the truth for them. It seems Heidi wasn't in the mood for lighthearted quips. Rushing to her side, Harper tried to help her to her feet. "Ah, I'm sorry, are you alright? You should get some medical care." Harper nervously trailed behind Heidi as she walked out the room, seeming to want to help her yet not really knowing how. She felt pretty bad that Heidi took the brunt of the damage. As they neared the exit, Harper noticed a coat with a rapier strapped onto it dangling from a hook. It seems no one noticed it in the panic of meeting a demon and the ensuing fight. Taking it from the hanger, she produced a small vial and scrapped out some strange essence that had splattered onto it as well. Coat over her should and vial in pocket, she rushed out of the room.

Harper shuffled around a bit as she waited for Heidi to reset the door, concerned for Heidi's well being but also not wanting to disturb the delicate task. Noticing Lianna walk up to her, Haper prepared herself to hear something along the lines of how Lianna took down the demon almost singlehandly, or otherwise twisting the tale into something that would make her seem superior to Heidi and Harper. What she got instead though surprised Harper. Lianna had... Complimented her? The demon attack must of put severe mental strain on Lianna and she has clearly gone delirious, it was the only explanation for her to compliment Harper of all people. In Harper's mind anyway. Harper clasped her hands together and nervously, yet in a cute way, looked away. "Ah, thank you. I didn't even hit the thing once though, It was you and Heidi that did all the work." Harper then numbly nodded. "I-I think, I would l-like that t-though." Harper stammered through her words, referencing Lianna's final comment. Harper was completly unprepared for any kind of compliment, she was almost always being insulted or begrudginly considered 'ok' at what she does by her colleuges, so getting complimented and even invited to work with others, Lianna even, really threw her for a loop.