[center][img]https://db4sgowjqfwig.cloudfront.net/campaigns/33680/banners/298837/carrioncrown_title.jpg?1398104802[/img][/center] [hr][color silver][center] ℜ𝔞𝔳𝔢𝔫𝔤𝔯𝔬 | 13𝔱𝔥 𝔬𝔣 ℜ𝔬𝔳𝔞, 4711 | 1800 [/center][/color][hr] The town's dampened atmosphere was a welcome change from the bit of indignation that had arisen after the Inquisitor's inadvertent blurt. "Excess" indeed and Iris kneaded the thought around in his head until it was little more than a misshapen impression of Ganth. He had believed the knight to be awkward and shy and the sort who stood his ground over the silliest of matters. But to be called excess by someone like that was biting, because he already knew he didn't fit with the group of scholars and warriors that the professor had collected, that he wasn't fit to fill in the ranks. It felt sharp against his ribs, like an accusation that had all but reversed the knight's assertions the day prior. Stay, because it was disrespectful to ignore the dead's last wishes, but salt in the wound because he was "excess" here. He shouldn't have felt so personally offended, but having an honest conversation with the Inquisitor last night had allowed him the illusion that maybe they understood each other somewhat. As with so many things in his life, he was wrong, again. So he threw caution to the wind in a fit of spite and dressed once more in the provocative dancer's outfit that he knew would attract the prolonged stares of anyone interested, leaving his skin slightly damp from the bath and his hair just wet enough to entice. But he was past caring at the moment, because this was the only skin that fit him, so he exited the estate and stepped into town, leaving behind only the large silk outerwear that usually draped over his form. To the outfit's credit, without the light material covering its wearer, it looked all the more lascivious--a scandalous affair in the otherwise quiet town and Iris watched the wholesome families shield their children's eyes from him while the more austere looked ready to drop dead from heart attacks. There was only one public place to go with such an outfit and it was the town's tavern, easy enough to find when he questioned a passerby and watched the young boy point him towards the building with a baffled look at his attire. The town had certainly taken notice of Iris, and the reaction inside the tavern was very similar to that outside. Nearly everyone stopped and stared the moment that the courtesan stepped inside. One man look a deep breath of his dinner in surprise, while another nearly shot his drink out his nose; both incidents invoking coughing fits from their respective actors. Sitting at one of the tables along the wall, a woman wearing a loose-fitting leather vest grinned coyly at the sudden intrusion, taking a deep puff of the skinny pipe she held in her hand. The tavern was dead silent for a moment, even the usual boisterous laughter of its owner had been halted. The silence was finally brought to a sharp end with a loud [i]'CRASH'[/i]! One of the Varisians who had been setting up had accidentally dropped his music stand, and it clattered noisily to the floor. The sudden shock caused a few people in the establishment to jump in surprise, and a general murmur fell back over the tavern. It was certainly quieter than before, and Iris would easily be able to note the numerous glances sent his way. Some of disgust, others of curiosity, and one of amusement from the woman to the side. Along the bar, one man was brutally squeezing his friend around the waist, forcibly expelling the hunk of steak he'd inhaled. The man's chastizing tone could faintly be heard from Iris's position: "[color f7976a]Good heavens, Heimlich! Be more careful when you're eating![/color]" With a mischievous smile, Iris sauntered to the bar top, seating himself beside a burly man who was doing his best not to stare. [color 7588ff]"Care for a drink, my lord? I'll pay."[/color] [color f7976a]"As generous as you are bold?[/color]" the man said, scoffing slightly and casting a not-too-subtle glance up and down the courtesan. "[color f7976a]Works for me; I'll never turn down a free drink. Zokar! Dwarven stout, on the fancy lad here![/color]" The portly bartender brought up a glass, pausing for a moment to get some sort of visual confirmation from Iris. No point pouring the drink if nobody was actually going to pay for it, after all. The Aasimar flashed a sweet smile at the bartender, fishing through the cleverly tailored pockets in the light, opaque sleeves of his current outfit and withdrawing the silvers for pay, placing them carefully on the far end of the table, easily in range of the barkeep. That done, he turned back to the man beside him. [color 7588ff]“The meek may inherit the earth, but the bold get things done.“[/color] He leaned closer, coy smile and honeysuckle perfume drawing near. [color 7588ff]“And I wouldn’t mind a bit of [i]bold[/i] fun from you later.“[/color] [hider Mechanics] Iris rolled a [b]23[/b] on Charisma [/hider] "[color f7976a]Well...if the rest of you is as [i]welcoming[/i] as your personality, I'd say we could be very bold later. But you've got to be honest lad, and I won't hold it against you; are we talking business or pleasure here?[/color]" [color 7588ff]"Today? You're in luck. It's on the house."[/color] "[color f7976a]Well, in that case - why don't you scoot a little bit closer to me.[/color]" the man said, slipping his hand around Iris's back and forcefully pulling the barstool next to him. "[color f7976a]You can keep my lap warm during the performance if you'd like.[/color]" [color 7588ff]"I love people who get started immediately."[/color] Iris licked his lips, slipping easily off his barstool and onto the man's lap. He straddled the hips without even feigning interest in the performance on stage, body facing the grinning patron. His fingers found the curves of ears and jaw and he traced a teasing touch while the man took a swig of alcohol. [color 7588ff]"I'll give you a personal performance later, too, for being so accommodating,"[/color] he whispered, lips next to the man's ruddy cheeks. The inquisitor Ganth chose that exact moment to wander in, following the possibility of unrest into its very nest: the local tavern. Immediately, his eyes caught the almost transparent gilded outfit Iris was wearing, and the inquisitor frowned before he could catch himself. Then again, Iris [i]was[/i] a courtesan. He was free to seek entertainment from anywhere and anyone, and it was definitely not any of Ganth's business. So he smoothed the frown away and made his way into the most crowded part of the tavern, casting his gaze around for any particularly interesting character. Someone who wasn't garbed in [i]far too tight[/i] sheer and silk, at least. However, his search turned out to be fruitless. With little choice left, he went toward the bar and took a seat after ordering a drink for himself. Still, he found himself stealing glances at Iris and his...companion. On Iris's part, the glances went mostly unnoticed, occupied as he was with caressing the neck and shoulders of his current partner, hands dipping teasingly into the collar of the man's tunic while lips and tongue left small marks across the exposed shoulder and collar bone. For a second Iris’s eyes met Ganth’s and the courtesan regarded coolly the drink in Ganth’s hands. The Inquisitor’s Lady considered the whore “excess” but apparently the vice of imbibing was perfectly fine. It reeked of choice and convenience and a man who wasn’t as honest and principled as Iris had first thought. He looked away, returning to the sweaty scent of his current company. Having had nothing else to do, Tomomi had decided to simply revisit the tavern, and perhaps drink something more conventional than the ghost drink she had before. It was delicious, but she did not think she could keep up that sort of expenditure for long, not before she had all those platinums anyways. Again, her mood slightly lifted at the thought of all that money for so simple a task. Humming slightly to herself, she entered the tavern and sat down at the bar before realizing most were gawking at... a rather familiar figure, though wearing the most outrageous of outfits in a rather outrageous situation. This was what she was supposed to travel with? "[color 8dc73f]B-by the gods! Ha-[/color]" She started blushing a deep shade of red as she tried to calm her mind. "[color 8dc73f]H-have you no shame!?[/color]" It took a moment for Iris to realize the outburst was directed at him and even longer to care enough about it that he finally lifted his head from the man’s shoulders. Only to flash a brazen smile at Tomomi and run a tongue over his lips. He returned to slow kisses and small marks soon enough, the woman’s reaction hardly new to him. The man on the receiving end of the kisses gave a small chuckle, turning to face Iris. "[color f7976a]You tease. Keep this up and I'll have to-[/color]" he started, slowly lifting the courtesan up onto the polished wood of the bar. He'd no sooner done as much than the barkeeper slid over. "[color f7976a]Hey you two! Ass off the bar - I just cleaned that.[/color]" he said in a slight authoritative tone, as the target of Iris's affections slowly set him back into his lap. Meanwhile, the soft tune of the band started up; a rather lively piece that seemed to brighten the overall mood of the entire room. Ganth simply coughed awkwardly into his mostly untouched drink, eyes darting between Iris and Tomomi. The lady's reaction was most certainly uncalled for, given their current location. Then again, it wasn't any of his business to intervene. Iris seemed to be taking care of himself well enough. [color 7588ff]”Let me know if you’d like to leave early. Perhaps somewhere more private after the show, my lord,”[/color] Iris murmured into his customer’s ear, hands still sweet against rough skin as he kneaded the tension from the man’s torso in touches that alternated between flighty and firm. "[color f7976a]How can I turn down such an irresistible off-[/color]" The man started, interrupted before he could start standing from his barstool. In the midst of the performance, a ragball-sized object smashed through one of the windows, scattering small pieces of glass across the unfortunate patrons along the wall. The curious object hit the ground and rolled for a moment, before two buzzing wings revealed its true nature and lifted it up into the air. The large wings were accompanied by a fairly large needle sticking out of the thing's face, and it seemed to bounce around in the air, searching. From the window, a second one followed in, also bouncing across through the tavern a few feet off the ground. There was a single moment of confusion before the tavern erupted into panic; people immediately diving under tables, the musicians all dropped their instruments where they stood, and those that could flee out the door could. The possible exceptions to these were the three adventurers, the bartender, and the man currently impeded by being under Iris. The bug that had crashed through the window immediately took the advantage, bearing down on one of the tavern guests that had frozen in surprise. Still sitting in his chair, eyes wide with shock as the remains of his spilled drink dripped off the table, the insectoid immediately went to work. Flying down, the bug drove it's proboscis into the soft part around the man's collarbone. "[color 8dc73f]Tch.[/color]" Almost immediately her hands dropped down to her weapons, but the first zipped by her and stuck its head into that man. Too late to prevent that one, and the others will surely take care of it. Tomomi could still prevent the other from attacking another innocent. Letting out a piercing whistle to attract its attention, she readied herself for the second bug's inevitable attack. The second bug turned to face Tomomi, her shrill whistle apparently having its intended effect. Similar to the first bug, it swooped down at her, proboscis ready. However, in the middle of swooping, it seemed to pause for a split second; just enough to throw Tomomi off guard and allow the bug to sink its own needle into the same area, piercing through her soft skin. Tomomi would already feel some of the effects, as she experienced the indescribable sensation of her blood being siphoned away. Nearby, Ganth's eyes widened as he stood up, uncaring of the drink that he just knocked over. Reaching for the morningstar on his belt, he swung it down at the creature attacking Tomomi. From its stationary position on Tomomi's shoulder, the bug was fairly easy to hit. With a great swing of his mace, Ganth crushed the bug, killing it immediately. The blow was enough to dislodge it from the samurai's shoulder, and it crumpled wetly to the ground, a mixture of insect blood and her own blood staining the spot on her armor where Ganth had squished it. The last to respond, Iris had disentangled himself from the man beneath him and had finally turned to face the creatures. His first instinct had been to run, but that had luckily passed while he maneuvered off the man's lap. More importantly, there was music in the air and he wasn't sure if anyone had noticed it yet. He had heard the song first, before the sound of breaking glass signaled the start of chaos, an ethereal sort of instrument that he couldn't identify but music was as much a part of him as his bardic magic and where song was the medium, he could stand as the combatant. It wasn't his first idea, or even his second, but he had none of his weapons with him and at least the bugs seemed responsive to sound. Too responsive, actually, and their movements seemed synced to the lilting notes of that unseen musician. So he wondered if one magical song could clash with another. He stood protectively in front of his companion, almost unknowingly. Then sang. It was an entertainer's song, one of many that the brothel played, full of catchy refrains and upbeat rhythms meant to stir excitement in their guests, but nonetheless it was a song and in it he imbued as much supernatural force as he could muster. There was a noticeable effect as Iris began to sing; namely that the unheard song grew louder, as if issuing a challenge. Where Iris's song grew in rhythm, the nearly imperceptible tune attempted to match. It went back and forth; a battle between teh courtesan and the unknown musician as the breathy tune rose above the din of the tavern to the point that everyone could hear it. The bug pulled its large proboscis out of the man's skin, blood trickling down his body as he slapped his hand over the wound and quickly ducked under the table. Like a snake to its charmer, it lazily bobbed towards Iris as he sang, wings fluttering to the tempo of the dueling artists. On his part, Iris looked increasingly disgusted as the bug neared. When Iris's voice reached a crescendo, the other music ceased entirely, as if it had admitted defeat. The bug in the air seemed to spasm and circle around for a moment, seemingly confused. Scrambling to pick up the nearest unoccupied bar stool, Iris swung it clumsily at the nearest airborne arthropod, making weak contact just as the creature moved midair. The impact was hardly sufficient, but at least knocked the bug several feet away. Tomomi gave out a rather unsightly shriek as Ganth swung his mace uncomfortably near her face. Thankfully the bug and her armor combined protected her from having her shoulder blades crushed, but it still was an experience she'd rather not go through again anytime soon. Cursing in her language, she turned towards the last bug, drawing her old trusty sword, before running towards the bug and attacking it, drawing a slash aimed towards it. The slash landed, the finely folded steel of Tomomi's blade cutting almost effortlessly through the carapace of the creature. Two pieces of bug fell to the ground, a small portion of silvery wing fluttering through the air as the insect's bloody meal slowly oozed across the polished wooden flooring. [hider Combat] [hider Initiative] Bug #1 Rolled a [b]15[/b] for Initiative Tomomi Rolled an [b]11[/b] for Initiative Bug #2 Rolled a [b]9[/b] for Initiative Ganth Rolled a [b]2[/b] for Initiative Iris Rolled a [b][color red]2[/color][/b] for Initiative [/hider] [hider Round 1] Bug #1 Rolled a [color green]12[/color] against Miron (Commoner), dealing [b]1[/b] point of Constitution Damage Tomomi took a Defensive Action, raising her AC to 19 (+4) Bug #2 Rolled a [color green]21[/color] against Tomomi, dealing [b]1[/b] point of Constitution Damage Ganth Rolled a [color green]15[/color] against Bug #2, dealing [b]7[/b] points of bludgeoning damage and killing it. Iris Rolled a [b]26[/b] on Perform and a [color red]5[/color] against Bug #1. [/hider] [hider Round 2] Bug #1 took no action. Tomomi Charged Bug #1, rolling a [color green]19[/color] to hit and dealing [b]10[/b] points of slashing damage, killing it. [/hider] [/hider] Silence fell over the tavern as people slowly started to emerge from their hiding places. The bartender rose from his position behind his bar, while the man Iris had been accompanying himself with hadn't moved at all; stunned even after the bard had squirmed off him. [color 7588ff]"Hey, are you okay?"[/color] Iris asked, running his hands over the man's arms and shoulders to check for any bugs they might have missed. He looked shell-shocked and frankly Iris felt the same, but he at least was coping with it a bit better. The man quickly composed himself, anxiously brushing the front of his shirt as he spoke. "[color f7976a]Yeah. No, I'm perfectly fine. Just a little surprised, is all.[/color]" His surprise quickly melded into a curious combination of admiration and curiosity, as he looked at the courtesan with inquisitive eyes. "[color f7976a]What did you do just now? It was...enchanting.[/color]" [color 7588ff]”Some bardic magic. Nothing spectacular, but I saw one respond to the whistling. Thought it couldn’t hurt.”[/color] He sighed in relief as the physical search turned up no further bugs before leaning onto the man. [color 7588ff]”Sorry, did that spoil your appetite?”[/color] A quick glance at the wounded man surrounded by folks working to stem the arterial bleeding forced Iris’s hand. He raised an arm towards the general location of the small crowd as bright, sparkling magic danced over his fingers and palms, the spell forming and taking effect. White and gold lights like tiny stars danced towards the injury, coalescing around the wound until it was no longer visible before dissipating, leaving only healthy skin behind. Iris turned back to his willing companion once the spell had finished its task. [color 7588ff]”Do you still want to leave early...?“[/color] "[color f7976a]Well, the show is over, so I don't think it's leaving 'early' any more. I think we'd be leaving right on time.[/color]" the man said, standing from his barstool. "[color f7976a]Plus, [i]someone[/i] should show you a little gratitude for what you've done.[/color]" he said, wrapping a burly arm around Iris's petite waist. [color 7588ff]”I don’t need much, and nothing of value,”[/color] Iris smiled, tracing fingers down the man’s arm as they walked towards the door. [color 7588ff]”It’s enough gratitude that you’ll indulge me.”[/color] Meanwhile, Ganth glanced over that the shattered glass, before quickly running outside, determined to catch the culprit before they could escape. However, there was no villain to pursuit; nothing but the darkness of the night waiting for him. Disappointed, the inquisitor took a few moments to inspect his surroundings, then went back inside the tavern. Inside the tavern, things were slowly coming back to normal. Most of the patrons had crawled out of their hiding spots, the band was slowly picking up their instruments and gathering up the sheet music that had fluttered across the ground in their panic, and a few people were gathered around one half of the deceased insect, one person prodding it gently with their foot. Tomomi however, opted to stay, going to the bartender, sparing only a glance at the rather risque bard, and the inquisitor. At the very least, she knew now the bard was more competent than they looked. "[color 8dc73f]This happen often?[/color]" She asked the bartender, rubbing the spot on her shoulder where the bug bit her. "[color f7976a]Not like that, it hasn't. I've never seen the damned things be [i]that[/i] aggressive. Certainly never seen 'em come through a glass window, neither.[/color]" the bartender said, pulling a clean cloth from a space underneath the bar. "[color f7976a]You want something for your shoulder, by the way? I ain't got nothing but rags and drink, but they can make do in a pinch.[/color]" She stared at the dead bugs for a while longer, before turning towards the bartender. "[color 8dc73f]I'll be fine. What are those anyways? I've not seen anything like those yet in my travels so far.[/color]" "[color f7976a]I don't know if they've got an official name, but we call 'em Stirges. Every now and then they'll blow in from the swamps, but they usually just satisfy themselves feeding on the livestock and float back from where they came.[/color]" Sighing, Tomomi grabbed a bar stool and sat down. "[color 8dc73f]Don't suppose you have anything strong to drink? For those two as well — [/color]" she started to gesture towards Iris and Ganth, though the former seemed to have already left,"[color 8dc73f] — if they're so inclined, though I see that small one has already left..[/color]" "[color 8dc73f]Where are these swamps? What would these Stirges be doing all the way out here?[/color]" "[color f7976a]On the house.[/color]" The bartender said, pouring from a bottle into a small glass; it was a fine whiskey, one of the finer options the local tavern had on tap. "[color f7976a]There's a small swamp a few miles south of here, but I wouldn't recommend going there. Not very many footpaths, and there might be beasties about. Probably not safe if the stirges are acting like this.[/color]" If he were going to add anything else, it was cut off by the inquisitor. "[color goldenrod]Indeed.[/color]" -Ganth concurred, finally lifting his gaze off the dead creature lying on the floor -"[color goldenrod]They aren't known to attack settlements. Something must have...drawn them out.[/color]" -He frowned slightly at his own conclusion. It was too vague for his liking, still based mostly on guts feeling and intuition, instead of concrete evidence. Still, at least, he knew where he would heading next. "[color goldenrod]I must depart.[/color]" -Turning abruptly, the Inquisitor nodded a curt goodbye to the barkeep and Tomomi, before heading into the night. "[color 8dc73f]Thank you,[/color]" she spoke to the bartender, giving only a nod towards the Inquisitor as he left. Downing a bit of the whiskey, she grimaced at its taste, before going back to finish it. It helped the pain somewhat. It was probably just a coincidence, the way these bugs came out here. Perhaps they were driven by hunger, or had simply wandered too far from their usual path. But, combined with the incident during the walk at the funeral, it felt rather... convenient? Odd? It was probably nothing, but she felt like she should investigate the swamps regardless. If there was nothing there, at the very least all she would have lost is some time in exchange for peace of mind. "[color 8dc73f]That was great.[/color]" Tomomi spoke as she finished her drink. Rising up from the stool, she checked her weapons before heading out and waving farewell. "[color 8dc73f]Better get some big sticks. Just in case more bugs come.[/color]"