THREE HUNDRED TWENTY FOUR
(I/C)
Frowning and wrestling with his decision, Kovid took a heavy sigh and made to enter. “Alright Abraxas,” he grumbled, eyebrows bristling as he scowled. “I guess we can go in, seems safe enough.”
“I follow you, Senor.” The Fighter walked in after the dwarf, the two of them paying attention to the Matron as well as the rest of the party.
“Hmmph, I won’t be bathing with the greenskin though.” He looked around, paying close attention to the room. “Let’s keep our eyes and ears open just in case.”
(Save vs spells: <Abraxas Blue 2, >Kovid +2 Goblin Yellow 7)
“Gentlemen, welcome,” Candella said. “Honrado Salazar, would you be a help and close that door as well? It will keep the warm airs in and it will also prevent interested eyes or ears from worrying about what goes on in the baths.”
“Um, Si Abuela,” The Fighter closed the door to the bath, and then the small grated door set in the top of the main door as well.
“Thank you, my dear. There is a lock on that portal as well, if you wouldn’t mind.”
Looking down, he could see an iron bar set in the stone that he dragged across the door, locking it in place. “Done, Abuela.”
“You are a peach,” the Matron smiled. “I can see why she likes you.”
“Who?” Abraxas frowned.
The goblin chuckled softly and turned back to Brendon. “Are you about finished, Pirateson?”
The Scout took a deep breath and dived to the bottom of the bath where he felt around and then let himself float to the top. Shaking his head free of water he stood up and moved to the stairs with a smile. “I am now.” He pulled himself up and took the offered towel happily, wrapping it around his midsection. “Thank you lady Candella, I really did enjoy the pool, very invigorating.”
“So glad you felt so. That’s what I was striving for. And Candella or Matron would suffice, I have never been nor would I wish to be a Lady, all the thanks otherwise.”
Feeling good, he took her hand and bent low over it, pressing his lips to the back of it, before standing up again. “Mayhap. We could debate the term all day but it will not dissuade me for the respect I feel your due.”
“As you wish, young one.” She looked over the rest of the party. “Would anyone else like a bath? It will relax you, cleanse you, and allow some other conversation if you are so inclined.”
Wyn took his bow and shield off, ready to remove his quiver. “Madame, I would be willing to take de next plunge, as long as ye cen promise en tell us truthfully that ye require no fee or, um, cost from us, oui?”
“Sieger,” she said with a grin, “As you are visitors in the castle and I suspect at the behest of the Ispan, emphasis on ‘in waiting’, you are accorded my services here to the best of my limited ability and capabilities. So no, there is no cost other than your company.”
The elf gave a toothy smile, rapidly stripping off his armor and then doublet. As he pulled the uniform off his head, it turned inside out and the place that would be over his belly had the elven symbols for “3” and “4” there. Giving them a brief glance he thought and realized that he had enacted the ‘locking’ ability 3 times so far. “Most likely 1 left,” he thought. “Gonna have to eventually do a detect magik to be sure and learn more. Later.” He turned his attention back to the Matron and added, “I know, I know. Monsieur du Lac has already partaken, but I just wanted to make sure dat de bath en services provided therewith are offered freely.”
“Yes indeed, Sieger,” she took the blue gem off the stand and held it over the water before letting it touch the surface. And the water just…disappeared. Placing it back on the stand she looked over at Wyn and asked, “Hot or warm?”
“Tres bien! Hot water, s’il vous plaît.”
She took the red gem off the stand and placed it just inside the pool and it rapidly filled with water that then began to steam gently. “Please, Sieger, come and be cleaned.”
The elf took off the last of his clothes and stepped into the water, groaning in pleasure as he did so. “Ohh.. OOooohhh. Dat is soooo nice.” He took the soap that was offered by the Matron and proceeded to build up a lather quickly.
Meanwhile, Candella had stepped up to Brendon and took his towel and washcloth from him with a small nod of her head and brought them to the far end of the north side of the room. A small bench, scrubbing bucket, and washboard was there as well as a copper brazier and drying rack. She placed the wet and soiled items in the washtub and returned to the rest of the group. “Feeling good, Master Wyn?”
“Oui! Indeed.”
Brendon was getting dressed and asked, “I was going to ask what the other gems do when placed in the pool, but the blue one was already displayed.”
“The yellow one would have a cooling effect on the waters.”
“Ah. Nice. Do they work on other bodies of water as well?”
The goblin shook her head. “No, young one. Their enchantment is limited to this chamber,” she sighed softly, “As are other things as well.” She looked over at Lannis and Lyra. “Would either one of you be bathing next?”
Lyra shook her head hesitantly, while Lannis merely chuckled. “Yeah, I don't super trust my swimming ability right now,” he said ruefully, “Plus I’d have to take off my robe and they,” he pointed his thumb in what he assumed was the direction of the rest of the group, “get upset when I do that.”
“Magister Lannis, I think you belittle yourself needlessly. A strapping measure of manhood and wizardry such as yourself I am sure has nothing to be worried about.”
“Wow, um, thanks!” Lannis looked around with a frown. “You can see right? Like, you can see better than I can right now, right?”
Candella laughed. “Indeed I can, Magister.”
“Ok, um. Just checking.” Lannis was blushing, face growing warm, trying to ignore Lyra’s snickering from behind him. Scrabbling for conversation with a woman he could not see but was feeling real comfortable with, “So…um…so. Hmm. So...why aren't you dead?”
“Damn it, Lannis,” Brendon scolded him. “Not cool.”
“What? No! No no no, I mean, No.” Lannis frowned and tried again. “Corfard seems pretty mad at this castle, figure he would have eaten you by now. Seems like a weird oversight is all.”
“I’m curious too,” the Cleric nodded. “Why haven’t you left this place yet? Seems like a dangerous place to want to live.”
Candella froze for a moment and then shrugged, looking weary. “This is my home, Summer’s Child. It has been for a long spell of years. If I leave it now, how much less effort is needed to uproot me the next time? No, I stay because I love this place and it is a part of me. As for your direct question, Magister, that is one in the same. The usurper has done great and terrible things to what was once this beautiful castle. He has corrupted it, hurt it, blinded it, and maimed it. His hatred for anything wonderful and alive is an affront to the broken worm he has become. But my standing as Matron as befitted me by the poorly departed Halgafar does protect my life.” She spread her arms, showing the myriad of scars and wounds across her body. “It does not offer me invulnerability though. So I limit myself to where I can and keep out of the worm’s way. But to answer your question, Magister. Yes, the worm Corfard has made the attempt to ‘eat me.’ And it was as unpleasant as you can imagine.”
“I’m sorry,” Lannis bowed his head. “I regret asking you that.”
The Goblin smiled. “That is ok, Magister. Regrets are nothing to apologize for. They are instead tools to help us learn.” She turned to Brendon and with her one milky eye fixated on the Scout, she asked with an intense and forced sounding casualness, “So, Young One, Is there anything that you regret as of late in your life?”
Brendon had his britches on and was lacing up his shirt when he lifted his head, caught the Matron’s eye, and then turned to Abraxas. “Yeah. I do.” He walked right up to the Fighter and stuck out his hand. “I regret my actions earlier this week. I was way out of line in my unprovoked and unwarranted attack on Jowass. I was wrong, and apologize without rancor for what I did. It has put a strain over our party and what I thought was a good relationship between us. I could have handled it better, and at the very minimum, I should have trusted in your judgment on your decision to let the kobold go and I would have wanted you to trust in my judgment for a decision I would have made.”
The party was silent, jaws open, eyes wide at seeing this. There was a faint ‘ploit’ sound as Wyn dropped the soap and had to bend down and scramble about to find it again. “Sacre blue,” he swore. “Dat came out of left field.”
Candella grinned. “Sometimes a good bath can wash away not just dirt and filth from the outside, but also any grime that might be affecting someone within.”
“Wow. Brango.” Abraxas seemed nervous, but looked at the Scouts earnest expression and extended hand and decided to take it. “I..I accept your apology.” He seemed to relax a little. “Gotta admit, I never thought I’d hear one come from you.”
“Not a problem, Doc. Mea culpa.”
Wyn was using the dipper to rinse his hair clean, feeling fresh and in good spirits. The goblin had a towel ready for him when he finished when Lannis snapped his fingers and asked, “Oh! That reminds me. Anything you can do about this ringing sound? It’s making me nauseous."
Candella shrugged. “I am the Matron of the baths, Magister. I am not a healer or medic. I can tell you that a bath could not hurt though if you were so inclined.” She looked over the party. “Is anyone else interested? If anyone else wants a bath I can keep the doors locked a bit longer without issue. It’s up to you.”
Kovid had been near the doors listening and frowned for some time. “I can’t hear a damned thing on the other side of this door,” he muttered. “Not a groan of the castle, a distant clang. Nothing. We set fire to a room, killed two giant snakes, and slaughtered a room full of Adepts. There is a backstabbing thief running around who KNOWS where we were and I have heard nothing. No alarm, no noise, no alerts. Nothing.” He glanced back at the goblin, taking in her hurt and ruined form and frowned. “Something fishy is going on here.”
Time now is Day 8, 9:10 AM
(OOC)
42 minutes on Lannis’ Light blinding. Ok, more questions answered. Anyone else want a bath?
And Brendon’s regret is real – called him up directly to get an answer.
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