<strong>Inspiration:</strong>2 (Natasha, Senfra), 1 (Ellen, Zhandi)<strong>Conditions:</strong>Potentially under an enchantment spell (Natasha)<br/><br/>An agreement was struck, and Zhandi gave Natasha a piece of walnut as gratitude for her aid.<br/><br/>Fortunately Natasha was able to discern quite a bit in her investigations even by being a wallflower. The attack got many women talking, and she only had to listen in on conversations and see which slave-girls were staring daggers at each other more than usual in order to build a potential list of suspects.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Suspect 1</div><div class="spoiler_body">(https://i.imgur.com/HMlrpnm.jpg)<br/><br/><strong>Lilinea La-Sahrán:</strong> An elf from Imystrahl, much like Thrasorn. Was a great warrior, only to fall victim to the Black Milk. She’s a junkie who will do anything for the next fix, but as such a potent drug can knock elves out for 18-22 hours, it’s only given to her on ‘light shifts’ which makes her quite irritable...and also desperate. Being a member of a once-proud people, she and Senfra share similar fetishistic niches among the customer base.</div></div><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Suspect 2</div><div class="spoiler_body">(https://i.imgur.com/ioJSw0E.jpg?1)<br/><br/><strong>Yorshiva S’sastrah:</strong> A rarity, one of the few Serpent People living outside the Serpentine Ward. She keeps to herself and does not socialize much, and in other lands her kind is viewed as a blight upon civilization for their worship of Set. As slaves in Ikath are taken from all over Thule, there’s a lot of bad blood that can flare up between tribes, faiths, and ethnicities if not properly managed. The Atlantean goddess Asura is known to be one of Set’s enemies, and their divine dominance over dawn and night respectively reinforces their cosmic struggle.</div></div><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Suspect 3</div><div class="spoiler_body"><div class="floatleft">(https://i.imgur.com/J7s6UbD.jpg?1)</div> <strong>Laila Maritsdottir:</strong> A Nimothan and former reaver, her tall stature and red hair make her quite visually distinctive. Like many of her people she’s quick to get physical, both for fun and for settling disputes. Url Phor’s slavers tried to tame her violent urges in their typical torturous ways, but some feel it’s only a matter of time before she snaps or channels that fury into more surgical, subtle ways.</div></div><br/><hr/><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;"><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: papyrus;"><strong>The Awakening</strong></span></span></div><br/>There might not be any honor among thieves, but there certainly was honor among slaves. Natasha learned this early on as Zhandi made sure to repay her assistance by snagging the Black Swamp Adder corpses. They were already shedding, their scales coming off in large flakes. Fortunately the runic markings were intact, and could be easily rolled up and carried for later consultation. During one of her periods of rest Natasha got the opportunity to take a glance at them.<br/><br/>Like a child intuitively learning to speak, or how the human body knows to enter fight or flight when in the presence of danger, Natasha’s mind reflexively opened itself to the knowledge of the runes. Or was it the runes instilling the knowledge in her mind on their own? It mattered not, for in that instant Natasha learned the mysteries of the cosmos...even if but a sliver. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-i6O4v05Nlg)<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">OOC</div><div class="spoiler_body">Gain 2 1st-level spells of your choice. Spells from the official sourcebooks (PHB, SCAG, Tasha’s, etc) are open to you, as well as the spells within Primeval Thule. You can also suggest spells from other 3rd party sources, but I’ll need to approve them first.<br/><br/>The shed scales can act as a spellbook-in-progress, although you can change to a more traditional tome when you get the proper supplies later if you so desire.</div></div><br/><hr/><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;"><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: papyrus;"><strong>Blurred Lines</strong></span></span><br/>(https://i.imgur.com/bBfwFCd.jpg?1)</div><br/>Natasha is able to visit Senfra and the priestess attending her. Although initially blocked by more bald guards, they’re waved through when one of them mentions that “Thrasorn made an exception for her.”<br/><br/>The chamber was octagonal, with stone benches lining four out of eight sides. They were large enough for a person to lay down on, and one of them served as an impromptu operating table and bed.<br/><br/>Ellen stood over Senfra, her concentration not breaking even as Natasha entered the room.<br/><br/>“O-okay,” she muttered to herself. “Ishtar, I need your help right now. She seems to have gotten better, but maybe just a tiny bit more magic to ensure the best recovery?”<br/><br/>Chanting in the language of magic, Ellen’s hands glowed as she touched the resting Atlantean’s wounds. The poison had already been sucked out, evidenced by a nearby spittoon with black stains and drool running past its rim.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Arcana DC 12</div><div class="spoiler_body">This is a healing spell given to Ellen by the goddess Ishtar. She is channeling the spell through her necklace which serves as a magical focus.</div></div><br/>Turning around after the spell ended, Ellen faced Natsha with tears in her eyes. She was better-dressed than at the baths, although now she bore a necklace bearing an eight-pointed star.<br/><br/>“That was so...hard!” she cried out. “But I think she’s going to be okay!”<br/><br/>Running to embrace her friend yet again, she couldn’t stop talking. “I was actually here earlier today, but wanted to surprise you...but then I heard that one of the girls got bitten by a snake and…”<br/><br/>She finally broke the embrace. “Well, I’m glad that I was here. It was most fortunate I came when I did.”<br/><br/>Moaning, Senfra sat up. “Ellen told me about you while I drifted in and out of consciousness. I don’t remember everything, but I know that you’re lucky to have a friend like her.”<br/><br/>“I’m only doing what is right,” Ellen replied with a wave of her hand. “And I’m not exactly sure on the...long-term effects of this magic. I should stick around for an hour, see if you stay the same.”<br/><br/>“I may not be a priestess like yourself,” Senfra continued, “but I know the hands of a healer when I see one. You saved my life thanks to Ishtar’s benevolence; don’t downplay the gift she gave you.”<br/><br/>Ellen shook a bit as she clutched the eight-pointed star. “Y-yes...you’re right, I didn’t mean any disrespect to you or the goddess. Speaking of doing what is right, Natasha, I came here originally to tell you the news. The Temple of Ishtar cannot purchase you right now, but the senior priestesses made an arrangement. I’d help provide medical services to the establishment, and in exchange my contributions will be incorporated into any final asking price regarding you. Also, I’ll be close by and able to see you from time to time!”<br/><br/>She blushed a bit. “Also, the priestesses had another way of helping you.”<br/><br/>Ellen took Natasha’s hands in hers. Chanting, she cast the same spell upon her as she did Senfra. The aches, pains, and exhaustion of prior days faded away. The experience was nearly euphoric. During this time Ellen pulled her in for another embrace, her face edging closer to hers.<br/><br/>“I hate that you have to suffer so,” she whispered. “I can ease that away, as your friend. Trust me…”<br/><br/>Suddenly Ellen kissed Natasha on the lips! Natasha’s lips and tongue felt tingly, her body lightweight, as her friend held her back to support her.<br/><br/>“You’re a slave, so you have no choice,” Ellen said as she broke off from the kiss. “So you can’t really sin for what you’re being put through. So why not enjoy yourself while you’re with all these men? Even if not forever, maybe for a brief moment…”<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">OOC</div><div class="spoiler_body">Ellen casts Cure Wounds, healing 10 damage on Natasha. (https://elliquiy.com/forums/dicebot.php?r=152450) Natasha is now at full Hit points!<br/><br/>The other spell is transferred via a magic item rather than Ellen herself (magical lipstick), but Natasha must also roll a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. If she fails, she is affected as though by a Suggestion spell (https://roll20.net/compendium/dnd5e/Suggestion#content) for 8 hours. Hopefully the command is self-evident. ;)</div></div><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;"><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: papyrus;"><strong>Later...</strong></span></span></div><br/>Once again Natasha had to depart her company of friends to attend to male lust and instinct. Ellen looked a bit remorseful as she said her goodbye.<br/><br/>Taruza was a landowner of a lumberyard outside Ikath as well as a noted whoremonger, and he grew fond of Natasha as a repeat customer. He was one of the better ones; not once during any of their sessions did he strike, slap, choke, or otherwise be violent with her, and he was rather admiring of her albeit in the way only a perverted man can be.<br/><br/>“By Nergal’s turgid cock!” he gasped as Natasha went down on him. “Your lips suck stronger than the northern winds at sea!”<br/><br/>Taruza reached down to stroke Natasha’s cheek. “Such a shame that you’re a slave,” he said wistfully. “If you were free, I’d marry you in a heartbeat and fill your womb with strong children.”<br/><br/>His cock throbbed within her mouth, touching the back of her throat as his hips jerked forward. Every so often he looked like he was about to say something else, but Natasha’s distracting ministrations brought his mind back into a more primitive mode, causing Taruza to utter various fantasies of how and in what positions he’d fuck her once she’s done blowing him.