<div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">Thankfully for all involved, Zelda wasn't content to remain cooped up in the harem forever, just as Menya had guessed. "Menya," she said, grasping Zelda's hand. She reached out for Hanifa too, linking the three girls in a triangle. "Menya, that's my real name. She's Hanifa." She squeezed. "We're all in this together now."</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div><br/>"Menya, that's a nice name," Zelda said with a smile.  "I look forward to using it more in the future."<br/><br/><hr/><br/><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">So, despite it leaving a sour taste in Menya's mouth, she decided to keep Amvi amused and on her side as long as possible. "It's not like al-Samara will knock her up in the dungeons now, would be?" she asked curiously. "Unless she was already pregnant," she quickly added as an afterthought.</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div><br/>"Even so, it will be just one more weakness to exploit," Amvi quickly said.  "But right now I've done enough pondering; right now I want to relax."<br/><br/><hr/><br/><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">Besides Hanifa and Zelda, Alfreldi was one of the people Menya trusted most in al-Samara's harem, and Menya would never forgive herself if it turned out that the other catgirl wanted to leave the harem but was never given the chance. Unlike the other two, however, Alfreldi seemed relatively content with her place here. If she didn't want to leave, but knew of the others' intention to escape, who would she side with? Would she remain silent for her friends' sake, or tell what she knew to al-Samara?<br/><br/>It was with this question in mind that Menya sought out Alfreldi while they were in the baths. "We haven't been together in a while, just the two of us," she suggested playfully. Menya guided her fellow catgirl over to a secluded section of the baths where they could have some privacy. As she rubbed soapy lotion over Alfreldi's back, Menya related the tale of yesterday's trip out to the city, paying close attention to the responses she got... was Alfreldi yearning to see the outside world as well? Or was she perfectly happy to live out the rest of her days in a gilded cage?</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div><br/>"I agree," Alfreldi said as she followed.  "Truth been told, I had my own obstacles to handle lately which prevented me from coming around a bit, but now that you're here I plan on making the most of it."<br/><br/>"That sounds like a lot of fun!" Alfreldi exclaimed as she heard about Judi's shopping trip.  "I always treasured those rare trips when we left, if more for a difference in environment than anything.  I guess I can confide in you a bit; I have no right to complain about my lot in life, considering my previous master and all I have here, but I do dearly miss seeing a real sun, the sensation of warm sand and well-trod grass beneath my feet, genuine friends who aren't jockeying for power plays..."<br/><br/>Alfreldi paused for a while to mus as Menya groomed her.  She offered to scrub her back in kind as she continued the conversation.  "Arensha, you are one of my few friends here.  I'll be honest, you're actually a recent arrival, not the five-year story given to you earlier.  It's just another layer of games and half-truths by Roshul to provide stability in the harem.  My own memories have felt muddied at times, too, but after looking at the life I have now, it was...an acceptable loss."<br/><br/>Menya's friend looks away, worried at her reaction.  "But one can't juggle so many lies so often without stumbling, and in regards to recent events, from the threats on Sultan al-Samara's life to Faliensk's arrest, it feels like my ideal world is falling apart, and I don't know if I can go back to living a life of carefree bliss after all that has happened."<br/><br/>She kisses Menya on the lips.  "I love al-Samara in my own way, but I love you too!  It's hard to pretend that this life is ideal in light of all that I said, but I'm afraid of what I will give up should something happen to you.  I'm also afraid...of losing you, whether to Faliensk or Roshul.  Whether you respect me or hate me, at least I want to be truthful with this."<br/><br/>Alfreldi got out of the bath to retrieve a box right by her folded-up clothes.  "I've been hard at work on making something, but I didn't want you to see it until I was finished."<br/><br/>As Menya opens the box, inside is a silk scarf of varying shades of red, yellow, and orange tasseled with tiny beads. (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/wondrous-items/wondrous-items/r-z/scarf-of-the-suggestive-dance)<br/><br/>"This scarf is infused with my magic, enhancing one's abilities to dance, entrance, and fascinate.  In the library I read about enchanted garments used by Varisian bards, and figured that I'd try making one.  It looks like I succeeded, and thought that it would make a wonderful gift for you...that is, if you're not mad at me for going along with a lie."<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Menya forgives her</div><div class="spoiler_body">Alfreldi's eyes light up with joy.  "Oh thank you, thank you, thank you!  You are truly a saint!  I was so afraid that I would lose you as a friend, but now I'm glad I dealt with this guilt.  It can be hard to do the right thing, but I'll remember this day ever since to help steer me on the right path."</div></div><br/><em>Menya senses that Alfreldi feels conflicted about the recent happenings in the harem, and the entry of her as a new friend has made her question her world.  Escape doesn't seem like something brewing in her mind, but Menya can still suggest it.</em><br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Suggest an escape plan</div><div class="spoiler_body">Alfreldi gives a deathly serious look to her, but she nods.  "If you want to, then you have every right.  But for me to come with...?  I don't know, it's a huge proposal.  Where will we go?  What kind of life will I have to live?  I will help you every step of the way, but for me to come as well...give me some time to think, I'll get back in a day or so."</div></div><br/><hr/><br/><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">One last thing to do before the end of the day - Menya wasn't sure what she hoped to accomplish, but she was trying to visit Faliensk in the dungeon. It wasn't to gloat, though. Part of it was to assuage her own guilt, after all Menya couldn't deny that her own actions had played a certain part in causing matters to end up as they were now. Things had definitely gone more grimly than she meant them to. Perhaps she could ensure that her former rival was comfortable, in something akin to house arrest rather than rotting in a dungeon cell.</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div><br/>Getting into the dungeons was a non-issue for Menya.  Her own magical talents and skills made it trivial to slip a ring of keys off a distracted guard to get past the adamantine door leading into the basement.<br/><br/>Faliensk was in a small cell.  It was not the filthy dank places common to many jails, but it was featureless with but a chamber pot and bed and nothing else save for the presence of eunuchs.  She paced back and forth, full of energy with she could not express or find an outlet for in this restricted place.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">If Menya tries to talk to her</div><div class="spoiler_body">Faliensk stares daggers into her rival's eyes, but does not alert the guards.  "Oh hello there, Ms. New Girl Who Ruined My Life!  Did you come to parade your little victory and kick me while I'm already down?  I hope you're happy now; if you thought that I was mean, then wait until you have to deal with Amvi and Roshul!  Your top status just made you a new target."</div></div><br/><em>As Faliensk is Hostile and marking her up to Unfriendly is a DC 30, it's unlikely that Menya will be able to improve her mood.</em><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-second Day in the Gilded Cage</span></span></div><br/>Bakr summons Menya to his office for an appointment, but it becomes clear that it's not official.  "I...I'm sorry about earlier.  I heard the news after a tongue-lashing from Garetz, that the concoction did not work.  'She could have forgotten<em>everything!'</em>he told me.  But at least I'm glad to see that I didn't reduce you to a vegetable."<br/><br/>"The Sultan will probably have forced me to drink every potion in my lab as punishment; and I would have deserved it."  The alchemist laughs nervously a bit.  "Sorry, gallows humor.  Anyway, how are you feeling?"<br/><br/><em>Menya's remaining escape plans include getting the remaining half of floor plans, locating the armory, and redoing a eunuch head count.</em><br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">If Afreldi is a co-conspirator</div><div class="spoiler_body">Later, Alfreldi comes to visit Menya.  "I've made my decision.  I'd like to go with you.  If I lose you, I don't think I can continue living with the likes of Faliensk and Roshul.  So, are there any others in on this?  Maybe meet to coordinate efforts?"<br/><br/>Hanifa and Zelda were hiding spell components behind some bottles in a spice rack when Menya introduced Alfreldi as their newest co-conspirator.<br/><br/>"Now that I think about it, I'm not surprised," Zelda mused.  "I take it as her buddy you don't want to stick around to see the elf gang's wrath, huh?"<br/><br/>"Not just that," Alfreldi said.  "This is my way of redeeming myself.  Arens-Menya, you, Zelda, and Silent Girl are the top priority.  I've acclimated here far longer than the pair of you newbies, and it would be a shame if Zelda's findings never saw the light of day.  If it comes down to it, go on without me if it means a guaranteed shot."<br/><br/>"No," Zelda said.  "We're all in this together.  No woman is an island."</div></div><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-third Day in the Gilded Cage</span></span></div><br/>Meanwhile, deep inside Menya, the seed of her marid lover ended its long journey.  Countless waves of sperm swam together, yet only one of them collided with the egg in her womb and lost its tail.  In time this union would bring a new soul into the multiverse, a fusion of mortal and elemental bearing the legacy of a noble genie bloodline.<br/><br/>In the meantime, al-Samara was visibly bearing the fatigue of many sessions of love-making.  He was short of breath and his loins ached as Alfreldi began to suck him dry.  Hanifa performed an erotic dance for him to watch as the catgirl's lips worked their magic, and one his cock gave a spurt of seed into her mouth, she crawled over to the nude Garundi and performed cunnilingus, her sperm-coated tongue licking the insides of her pussy.<br/><br/>Al-Samara slumped over onto his back and quickly fell asleep.  Alfreldi cozied up to him, knowing that this session could be one of their last, while Hanifa took a cloth to wipe the fluids from between her thighs and retrieved a book to read.<br/><br/><em>Menya can perform 2 more tasks today, as normal.</em><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-forth Day in the Gilded Cage</span></span></div><br/>In one of the living areas Valerie the tiefling had an artist's collage of pictures and runes hanging on the wall.  "Free tattoos!" she beamed.  "Want to add some lovely body art to your god-given form?"<br/><br/>Zelda looked on in puzzlement.  "What's going on here?"<br/><br/>"Valerie was a tattooist by trade before becoming a concubine," Alfreldi said.  "She recently got access to some needles and ink, and now she's eager to try out her skills."<br/><br/>The tiefling beamed with joy as the prospective customers approached.  "My decorations aren't just for show; I can instill magical powers in them as well."<br/><br/>"Hmm, what can they do?" Zelda asked.<br/><br/>"Well, I can make tattoos which allow you to detect magic of a specific kind of school; tattoos which can draw the eyes of people in a near-hypnotic trance, tattoos which can store spells within them to be cast at a later time, temporary tattoos which can function as magic scrolls, and tattoos which can manifest as shadowy snakes for self-defense purposes."<br/><br/>Hanifa gestured at a design of a golden web-like rune, and pointed to her back on where it went.  When Valerie ran down the magic, she nodded at the magical detection one, and by detecting the school of illusion.<br/><br/>"Heh, you don't like being deceived, huh.  Well, it is a rather popular choice among the magically knowledgeable and paranoid, so just lay down on this bed and I'll get to work."<br/><br/>Valerie can add a tattoo to Menya on any desired body part, although I'm keeping a track record of gained magic items for gp value purposes.  The picture in question is left up to you, although it should at least be cool and/or enticing. (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/wondrous-items/wondrous-items/r-z)<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">If Menya wants another tattoo</div><div class="spoiler_body">"Well, it takes some time just to inscribe one onto you, and I have other ladies in waiting.  Perhaps come see me tomorrow?"</div></div><br/><em>Once again, Menya can do 2 more tasks for escape plans.  Or if she's succeeded on the remaining tasks, then she has some free time now.</em><br/><br/><strong>Free Time:</strong>The maps assembled, the guard patrols memorized, Judi befriended, and the armory purloined, Hanifa, Zelda, and Alfreldi are all beaming with confidence.  They are so close to freedom they can taste it.  Zelda's already discretely packing some personal belongings and research notes into a knapsack, while Hanifa stretches her arms and legs for exercise.<br/><br/>"I think that tomorrow's an ideal time," Alfreldi said.  "Judi wants to take us on another trip about town."<br/><br/>"But if it doesn't happen, we can always use what we have," Zelda said.  "Oh, and one more thing."<br/><br/>She produced a blue veil. (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/wondrous-items/wondrous-items/r-z/veil-of-veils)<br/><br/>"I only have one of this, but it can prove useful.  I think that Menya should take it; it was weaved by a priestess of Bast.  I don't know if you honor her, but since she's a patron goddess of catfolk, it might be best in her hands."<br/><br/><hr/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">If breaking into the armory is successful</div><div class="spoiler_body">With some tinkering, the vault door's magic seem to recognize Menya as al-Samara, which was strange; normally that doesn't happen without some powerful illusion, although it was easy enough to do.  Hanifa was able to take out the two eunuchs with ease, pelting them in the heads with some coconuts.<br/><br/>Once inside, Menya and Hanifa found a veritable storehouse of war.  Swords, bows, armors of all materials and metals, and wands lined the place.  One <em>bag of holding</em> held 2,000 gold pieces inside, and could help transport any of the armaments inside here.<br/><br/>Hanifa reached for a delicately-crafted elven bow as part of her prize, then helped Menya scour what they needed but no more.  Hanifa grabbed two scarab beetle amulets off a shelf, immediately recognizing them as <em>Amulets of Natural Armor.</em><br/><br/><em>Including the +3 Cloak of Resistance (9,000), Scarf of the Suggestive Dance (3,000), the Veil of Veils (3,300), a potential tattoo, and the +2 Amulet of Natural Armor (8,000), Menya has 23,300 gp worth of magical gear, not counting the Tattoo.  For Wealth by Level guidelines Menya should have 9,700 gold pieces to spend not including the tattoo, so after deducting the tattoo cost (if you chose one) spend the remainder on armory stuff.<br/><br/>Hanifa has a +3 Cloak of Resistance (9,000 gp), an Amulet of Natural Armor +2 (8,000), a +1 frost composite shortbow with +1 strength bonus (8,500 gp), a Type I Bag of Holding (2,500 gp), a runeward tattoo of illusion (1,000 gp), and a +1 scimitar (2,315 gp), leaving her with a floating 1,685 gp left over.</em></div></div>