<div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote"><a href="https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=208691.msg11294737#msg11294737">Quote from: Autocad on 28-05-2015, 17:59:40</a></div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote"><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">Twentieth Day in the Gilded Cage</span></div><br/>The first order of business was to get a complete sense of the palace's layout, which also provided a good opportunity to see whether Zelda was willing to join in the escape plans. Menya and Hanifa sat on either side of Zelda. Finding the maps and descriptions that they were looking for was easy enough. Looking around and making sure that nobody else was close enough to eavesdrop, Menya broached the subject. The mermaid might have been canny enough to figure out what they were up to already, after all searching for maps of the palace wasn't an everyday thing.<br/><br/>"Zelda, have you ever thought about tellinya your people of your findinyas about ancient Azlant? Maybe not just writinya a book about it... but perhaps... tellinya them in person yourself?"<br/><br/><em>(Perception: 23. Success 1/4!)</em> (https://elliquiy.com/forums/dicebot.php?r=76310)</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div><br/>"Yeah," Zelda said after a long sigh.  "There are renowned academies in the City of Glass, but the marid tend to dominate the scholarly fields.  If I tried submitting my work there, I fear that a lot of folk will think that Sultan al-Samara wrote it instead of me.  And it would be nice to visit my homeland again..."<br/><br/>She lazily swam about in the air before drifting to the floor, laying there.  "I mean, I do want to go, but even before the current unpleasantness, Ahriman told us that we were too high-profile to go about the planes without escort.  And they can't show favoritism to me, there are probably many other girls here who feel the same way."<br/><br/>Zelda flew up to meet Menya, but did not speak.  Her mouth scrunched a bit, as though wrestling whether or not to tell her something.  "Sometimes I wonder if I ever got the chance to return to a normal life, a freer one, if that would be good.  I mean, this is a nice life, don't get me wrong, but the other ladies can be quite cruel.  You've seen Faliensk, but she isn't the only one.  But it's unlikely...life as a renowned scholar, that could be intriguing..."<br/><br/>The merfolk lost herself in daydream before returning to the waking world.  Then her voice came to a low whisper.  "By the way, Arensha, why are you and Silent Girl so keen on the palace map layout?"<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Tell the Truth</div><div class="spoiler_body">Zelda's face goes blank for a while.  Beads of sweat form upon Hanifa's brow as the silence fills the room.<br/><br/>"I've always suspected that neither of you would be content," she said.  "But I understand and will not tell a soul.  It's been hard, you know, living a lie as though the two of you were years-long residents here.  Truth be told, we were made to go along with this whenever a catgirl lost her memories.  I'll keep your secret, but in exchange you need to let me escape as well.  I need to bring these pieces of Azlanti history to the masses!"</div></div><br/><hr/><br/><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">Being near Judi and al-Samara, Menya wasn't sure what to feel. Even with her memories recovered, her feelings towards al-Samara remained, and she still couldn't bring herself to take any night tea herself. She still wanted to bear his child, she realized, and she found herself looking into the leviathan scale he had gifted to her, holding it up to the light at various angles and watching the iridescent reflections, when she was alone in her room.<br/><br/>Menya talked to Judi about the city of Glass, feigning an acute interest in the metropolis in the hopes that Judi would decide to take her on a tour of the city so she could see it with her own eyes - well, the interest wasn't entirely feigned, and as a Pathfinder and a bard Menya was genuinely interested in finding out more as well.<br/><br/>She continued to be a bubbling fountain of enthusiasm as the request went up to al-Samara himself, even going so far as to ask whether her friend Silent Girl could come along as well - she was so obviously excited by the prospect, there was no way al-Samara could turn her down, was there? And besides, she would most certainly show him how very much grateful she was for the opportunity, come the evening...<br/><br/>Diplomacy (Judy): 22 (https://elliquiy.com/forums/dicebot.php?r=76311)<br/>Diplomacy (al-Samara): 29 (natural 20!) (https://elliquiy.com/forums/dicebot.php?r=76312)<br/></blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div><br/>"Of course she can come along!" al-Samara answered.  "It's been nearly a month since you first came here, I suppose you can use some fresh water.  Very well, after I vet the process with Ahriman the three of you can be escorted about the place, although naturally you'll be confined to the safer neighborhoods."<br/><br/>Judi was waiting for her in the atrium.  The vaguely shimmering form of some entity nearby hovered at the marid's side, which Hanifa noticed as well.<br/><br/>"He doesn't mind the stares, but once we go outside pretend you don't notice him," she advised.  "He's our bodyguard."<br/><br/>Hanifa simply beamed at her, taking her hand and Menya's as the three girls and the invisible sentry exited the building.<br/><br/><hr/><br/><div align="center">(http://i.imgur.com/C3kMzwo.jpg)</div><br/>The first entry to the city was still fresh in Menya's memory, but being able to experience it up close was something else entirely.  In their current neighborhood, manor upon manor belonging to some noble family stretched without apparent end, until a translucent red wall separating them from the rest of the city ended.  With a permit they were let through  once one of the guards gave the signal to a sentry on the wall. A hole materialized and stretched out to allow passage into the into the stately Merchant's Quarter.  This was a high-security area where the merfolk and aquatic elf guards were clad in armor of living coral.  Tubes of water in mid-air arced between buildings, sometimes splashing onto the ground to form rivers which gave to long curves thanks to the city's gravity pulling towards the outer sphere.<br/><br/>Having a blue and red striped purse of holding for just such an occasion, Judi looked through the various shops and markets.  Well-armored locathah caravans made from floating spiral shells offered pearls and jewelry, an aquatic elf asked if they'd be interested in setting up an account at her bank, and even a triton sold sweet treats wrapped in kelp!  Even then, Judi was a cautious spender, and it seemed forever until she settled on a high-end clothing store, managed by a snobbish merman who seemed welcoming to the marid but not so much to the catgirl or Garundi.<br/><br/>"I've been thinking for a while of something to give you two, but I want my gifts to be practical as well as stylish.  Mammito, do you have any fabrics which can enhance the vitality and luck of its wearers?"<br/><br/>"That depends on a variety of factors," the merfolk replied.  "We do have a line of spider-weave cloaks which do such, although the style of magic is rather unimaginative..."<br/><br/>Judi rolled her eyes.  "It's just an act," she whispered to Menya and Hanifa.  "To get you to go for something even more expensive."<br/><br/>"Can you show me these cloaks at least?"<br/><br/>The merfolk snapped his fingers, and a pair of well-dressed aquatic elves came out, carrying white cloaks whose fabric shimmered in the light.  Upon donning one, Menya could feel a sense of empowerment, as though the cloak itself was warding her from harm. (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/wondrous-items/wondrous-items/r-z/scarf-of-the-suggestive-dance)  And in a way it was.<br/><br/>"180 Imperial Pearls for the pair," Mammito said.<br/><br/>"We'll take them!" Judi said, reaching an entire arm into her purse and pulling out a literal string of pearls which seemed to go on and on and on...<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Spellcraft Automatic</div><div class="spoiler_body">A Purse of Holding</div></div><br/>Hanifa enjoyed the cloak so much she continued to wear it even after they left the store.<br/><br/><em>Menya and Hanifa now possess Cloaks of Resistance +3</em><br/><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;"><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: andale mono;">Touring the City, Portal District</span></span></div><br/>The next place they visited was the Portal District, which served as the 'docks' of the City of Glass.  Here were many mechanical canals build alongside the glass shield to let in travelers' ships, zaratans, and other vehicles sailing the Elemental Plane of Water.<br/><br/>One thing did happen to catch Menya's eyes, however.  In the town square was a series of portals, all erected so that people could walk or swim through without incident.  Even then they were in active use, an influx of people of many cultures and races coming and going...<br/><br/>...a portal in the northwest corner was blocked up, causing Judi to briefly pause. "Oh my, it looks like whoever's on the other side is holding up traffic."<br/><br/>A series of burly humans clutched at ropes, heaving as they dragged a large lopsided granite statue through.  Standing atop it was a merchant barking out orders in Osiriani.  And not just that, the people who came through the portal were conversing in the same language, and many bore the distinctive traits of Garundi humans, and the flowing desert robes common to the northern and eastern reaches of that continent!<br/><br/>Hanifa skipped a beat upon this sight, although Judi mistaken it for a rallying cheer as the crowd finally dragged the statue out of the way of traffic.  Looks like she and Menya found their best route home!<br/><br/><hr/><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;"><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: andale mono;">Al-Samara's Bedchambers</span></span></div><br/>That night al-Samara sprayed his seed into Menya's tight pussy as Amvi sucked his balls.  The marid fell asleep with the two women's heads comfortably napping on his chest.<br/><br/><hr/><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;"><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: andale mono;">Twenty-first Day in the Gilded Cage, Morning</span></span></div><br/>"So, congratulations on your revenge against Faliensk."<br/><br/>Amvi and Menya were together in the personal restroom of al-Samara, using the time to freshen up as the Sultan went for an early breakfast.  Unlike other water closets this one was well-appointed, with a sink with running water summoned by a turn of the faucet, along with a cabinet full of soap, shampoo, skin lotion and other hygiene products.<br/><br/>"Did you know, she's spending time in the dungeons now for compromising the safety of the Palace?"<br/><br/>Smiling, the Vudrani applied a bit of lip balm as she admired herself in the mirror.  "Poor al-Samara was unhappy, but Roshul's word was law in regards to the harem.  Be glad you weren't there to see it; he was incensed upon hearing how far she went, but he was also sad.  Poor fool blamed himself for being blind to your rivalry and not intervening sooner!  But hey, better you than her."<br/><br/>Something about her rubbed Menya the wrong way.  Her smile, the tone in her voice as she talked about the incident, it was all strangely familiar, a regrettable trait she's seen among people during her time traveling the world on behalf the Pathfinder Society.<br/><br/>"Keep this up, and you may take on her new role.  Then nobody will think to mess with you, oh hohoho..."<br/><br/>Amvi was<em>enjoying</em>this.  From the politicking, the pleasure in the thought of Faliensk suffering, to the hidden wars behind al-Samara's back...it was all a game to her.<br/><br/>"It's a shame, though, that our fair Sultan seems intent on seeding us.  The Palace is more apt to be merciful on a pregnant prisoner.  Although maybe her obsession can be exploited should the assassins attack again...having her in the line of fire..."<br/><br/>She shook her head.  "Oh silly me, fantasizing about hypotheticals!  She's shackled, and this Palace is safer than ever.  Aaaand I'm just about done!"<br/><br/><hr/><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;"><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: andale mono;">Breakfast</span></span></div><br/><em>Menya can perform any of the Escape Plans, sans Befriending Judi (although if you want more role-play encounters with her, that can be arranged).</em>