DreamLyrics™ Play-by-Post Forums Fantasy SKT: The Storm King's Thunder 3Ca - The Wink and a Kiss (Bern, Davroar and Jaliera)

DM

The three long time friends that had all come from the Neverwinter area decided to forego the luxury and comfort of the Pearl-handled Pipe for a different place to spend the night. They exited into the street and made their way to the market square. Now came the challenge of finding such a place in a strange city on a chilly night. That didn't bother any of them but where would they start? They are not alone in the street. It is still early evening, barely after sunset.

Davroar

Looking around if there is no building that stands out as a inn he will ask Bern and Jaliera, "Guess just ask someone?"

Jaliera

"Good idea,"

She smiles at him and notes a likely passerby.

"Excuse me, is there a tavern nearby?"

<Bern>

He nodded his agreement to the plan, then he joined the search.

DM

Jaliera stops a man and he says "The Wink and Kiss is over there. It's a festhall," he says pointing to a nondescript building at the far end of market square. "Then there's the Coin Toss in the north of town. Head past the Wink and turn right."

<Bern>

"Shall we check 'em both out first ... or just pick the closest one", he asked.

Davroar

His stomach is grumbling, so he says, "Wink and Kiss sounds good enough for me."

Jaliera

She thanks the man and then grins at Davroar's stomach rumble.

"Let's check out the Wink & Kiss and if it seems OK, at least for food, then maybe we eat there? I think Davroar is hungry."

She chuckles.

"By the way, Zhu somehow sent a mental message to me, asking that we mark the outside of the place we stay in so they can find us. Clever idea. No idea how she does that but she's a real mage and so knows what she is about. Shall we go? I'll mark the building once we have decided and secured rooms."

<Bern>

He smiled at the rumbling stomach next to him and nods, "sounds fine to me."

Davroar

Picking up his pace now that they have made a decision, he knows that some festhalls allow patrons to simply sleep in the common area. Whatever is allowed, he asks Jaliera, "How do you mark a building? I doubt the owner will like us carving our initials in his door."

Jaliera

"Zhu suggested a small mark, a hollow circle with a solid dot in the middle. It will hardly be visible but she thinks she will find it. And then once we have rooms, we just leave a message with the barman as to where we have gone."

She grins.

"I could just leave Whisper on the roof I suppose but we might want to take her with us."

She heads towards the Wink & Kiss.

<Bern>

"Could you leave some sort of a 'magical mark' that only a magic user would be able to see? Then we just 'dispel' it after we hook up."

Jaliera

"That might be possible for a mage. I don't know. But it's not something I can do."

She smiles, not considering herself much of a magic user really.

Davroar

As they approach the building he asks, "Big place. Does it matter where you put the symbol?"

If it is going to have to be anywhere near the entrace, Davorar figures they can probably just stand to either side of Jaliera to hide the fact that she is carving the mark.

Jaliera

"No idea. Near the door I would guess, that's where I'd look first."

She should have asked. But maybe Zhu has a way of telling?

(OOC - The location of where to put it was in the PM.)

ooc: Assumption made that there was a level of coordination between Zhu and Jaliera. We don't have to stress about specifics

DM
Jaliera digs into her pack and takes out a piece of chalk to make the mark that Zhu suggested near the entrance to the Wink and a Kiss. This way, if they happen to not like the place, the mark could be erased. Then she led her two friends into the festhall.

The Wink and the Kiss was not the Pearl-handled Pipe. The two places could never be compared. Where the Pipe was civilized elegance, the Wink was not. The door opened into a entered into a dark foyer. Sitting on stools at the far end of the foyer were two big men. Along the walls, to either side, were storage lockers. There were well over one hundred lockers. Some had a key in the lock but many didn't.

"Pick lockers, the ones with keys, to store your weapons in," one of them said. The other man lifted the top of a crate that was next to his seat. Inside the crate were masks.

<Bern>

He could only smile as they entered and he 'took in' the ambiance.

He nodded at the 'door man' and placed his weapons in a locker and placed the key in his pocked.

He waited for his friends to do the same.

Jaliera

She had no idea what to expect but shrugs. They need to take a look and ideally eat a hot meal. She follows Bern's example. Of course she is not entirely defenceless, she has spells but little intention to use any.

Davroar

He does as instructed putting his staff and knives into the locker, pocketing his key, and once all that is done says to his friends, "Now, Let's get some food!"

DM

With your weapons away, the men hold out the three masks for you to take. Refusal is greeted with a stern look and until you don them, they do not let you pass. After giving up your weapons, taking a mask seems relatively harmless so you accept them, even if reluctantly, and the men part the curtain to invite you into the festhall.

Once you enter, you realize that the Wink and a Kiss is set up in a rather uncommon manner. It is not so much of a singular place rather it is a labyrinthine collection of small rooms, hanging curtains, secluded galleries, private nooks and so on. It was mostly dim, lit only by scattered candles and and lanterns. There were people, many people inside but they were scattered and huddled in smaller, private groups and engaged in various activities, some of which were exotic and salacious. Everyone was masked. As you moved deeper into the establishment you finally reached a bar area of some sort, the sounds of music, voices and laughter drew you there. A juggler and a minstrel wandered about the area. There were booths and nooks with tables, some open and available. Attendents, male and female, wandered about, looking to please.

<Bern>

It was one thing to surrender your weapons. He understood that. But the mask thin was making him think that they had picked the wrong place.

He looked to his friends to see if they might have similar feelings.

Davroar

He tentatively takes one of the offered masks while muttering, "This town is just full of surprises." No matter, his hunger gets the better of his judgement as he steps through the doors and follows the the music to the bar all the while looking rather wided-eyed at the patrons. Reaching the bar he will ask the closest attendent, "You got food?"

If there is nothing but drink and raunchiness served here, he is going to walk straight back out.

DM

"Of course we do," the attendant, a man said. "Why don't you grab a table and I'll be right with you."

Jaliera

She dons her mask, not too worried by that but wondering why they need them. Once inside she gets an idea and is grateful to the mask to hide her blushes. Were it not for her recent experiences with Davroar as their relationship progressed, she probably wouldn't have set foot in here.

She is relieved when they find the bar and are assured food is available, though she wonders how difficult it will be to eat with the masks on. She studies the staff & customers with some interest, averting her gaze when things are more than a little exposed.

[OOC: How big are these masks? Full face?]