Pendar - Session 4

41 Merrysest, Watersday -
Following their arrival in Seskesa, the party stops to purchase better gear before working out their next plan.

Maximilian: "Hm, even if we get a suit of full plate each, we still have a fair amount of funds left over."
Blacksmith: "Messenger told me something about you people wanting to kit out a pet, too?"
Maximilian: "Ah, our noble heroic companion."
Sana: "But yes, we would like some armour for him too, please."
Atremis looks at the blacksmith, attempting to look friendly.
Blacksmith: "Cute little guy. I can do that, but it'll take... at least a day, depending on what you need."
Sana: "U-um... I would like a suit of full platemail, please."
Maximilian: "I think Atremis would need something to complement his agility."
Sana: "Hn... I read up about a material known as "darkleaf""
Atremis tilts his head curiously.
Sana: "it's said to make armour very light... it could be a good idea for my fox friend, given he would prefer something... didn't weigh him down much."
Blacksmith's Apprentice: "Darkleaf? It'll cost a little extra. That is one pampered furball, I'll say."
Atremis seems happy with the thought of armor not weighing him down.
Maximilian: "He's a cunning fighter, and I daresay saved our lives once already!"
Atremis grabs onto the token voucher set aside for him with his mouth and climbs up onto the counter, as if offering it to the blacksmith.
Blacksmith carefully takes it from the fox, studying him as he climbs.
Blacksmith: "Lightweight, easy to move in, and won't snag fur, is it?"
Atremis nods.
Blacksmith: "Plate would only take a short time to assemble the right sized pieces, but this... How long are you staying in the city? Not long, I assume, if you need this kind of gear."
Maximilian: "Mm, you have the right of it. Though I daresay out last bout was fierce enough we'll have to stay a while regardless!"
Atremis looks at the blood staining on his fur."
Sana: "(Atremis, when we get back to the house, I'll make sure to give you a wash, and clean you up~)"
Blacksmith's Apprentice: "Where next? Could help us out if we knew what you were planning for. Different kinds of armor to deflect different weapons and the like."
Maximilian: "Ah, I see."
"Well, we're investigating the points on..."
Maximilian pulls the map out of his bag and unravels it.
Maximilian: "...this map. Some unscrupulous folk have been plotting attacks and kidnappings!"
Blacksmith's Apprentice glances at the map.
Blacksmith's Apprentice: "Somebody smuggling something?"
Atremis sniffs at various objects on the counter, careful not to disrupt anything.
Blacksmith: "Jen, don't pry. That's not anything you need to know."
Maximilian: "Uhm."
Blacksmith: "Fox, be careful, I'm not to blame if a shield falls on you."
Atremis backs away from the shields laying against the wall and sticks to sniffing at the stuff flat on the counter.
Blacksmith's Apprentice: "Can't figure why else a knight'd be looking at a merchant route."
Maximilian: "Could always be escorting someone, you know."
"But I suppose either way, the master is right."
Blacksmith continues looking Atremis over, muttering to herself about how much material would be needed for his armor.
Atremis feels somewhat uncomfortable getting scrutinized but does his best to tolerate it.
Blacksmith: "Come back in two days, aye? That's the fastest I can make anything of decent quality, even with the layabout here making himself useful for a change."
Maximilian: "Splendid, thank you for helping us."
Sana: "He's a very good fox, you know. W-We're not crazy for wanting him armoured up..."
Blacksmith's Apprentice: "I've seen crazier. Would he bite me?"
Maximilian looks at Atremis curiously.
Sana: "N-No..."
Atremis looks at Maximilian back.
Maximilian: "No, this one's too crafty. Not your average beastie."
Atremis turns around and looks at the apprentice, swishing his tail idly.
Blacksmith's Apprentice nods, and approaches Atremis carefully, holding up a length of cord near one of his paws.
Blacksmith's Apprentice: "Hey, fox. Stay still a moment, will you?"
Atremis tries to hold still, his eyes following the cord.
Blacksmith's Apprentice takes a few measurements, still a bit wary of the fox.
Blacksmith's Apprentice: "'Least he's little. Would take you longer to get something that odd otherwise."
Maximilian: "Maybe one day I'll ask you to make barding for my horse."
Maximilian chuckles.
Blacksmith: "That's normal enough. Wouldn't take so long."
"Still. Two days, maybe three. Two for the plate, at least."
Maximilian: "Righto, thank you, ma'am."
Blacksmith's Apprentice: "Be careful about rust if you're gonna march through that swamp, too!"
Maximilian: "Oh! Do you have anything for that?"
Atremis continues holding perfectly still, unsure how long the measurement thing is supposed to go on for.
Blacksmith: "For repairing rust? Basic toolkit's all you need."
Blacksmith's Apprentice shoos Atremis off the counter.
Atremis leaps from the counter towards Sana. [Acrobatics: 39]
Atremis lands on Sana!
Maximilian: "I suppose we best be on our way, then."
Sana catches Atremis in her arms.
Sana: "Well, we can go back to the manor, now?"
"I... personally haven't washed since we arrived here, it would be nice to take a little rest."
Maximilian: "I don't know if they'll let us back in, but we should definitely wash."
The rest of the city is beginning to look a little more lively, although the presence of the guards is still more noticeable.
Maximilian furrows his brow, and walks towards a guard with Marigold by his side.
City Guard: "Problem, sir?"
Maximilian: "Did something happen in this town recently? It's uncannily quiet, aside from guard presence."
City Guard: "Nothing unusual 'sides the threats about Lady Valdya. Is it busier where you come from?"
Sana: "Yes, much more so."
Maximilian nods fervently with Sana.
City Guard: "If you ask me, it's just Lord Seskesa's insistence we waste time on every petty criminal. Nothing new about that."
Maximilian: "Ah, I see. I pray the reunion will cause your duties to ease up somewhat."
City Guard: "Do I ever hope so too. I don't know about all these rumors, I just want a peaceful day for a change."
Sana: "As do we all..."
Sana tugs lightly on Maximilian's sleeve, looking towards the big house.
Maximilian: "Ah? What is it?"
City Guard: "Need help finding the way around?"
Sana: "Shouldn't we be going to your, um... lady friend?"
Maximilian: "Something tells me they don't really want us back, but I suppose we can try..."
City Guard shrugs and turns his attention elsewhere.
Maximilian swallows, and starts walking back to the mansion.
City Guard: "Was there something more you needed, sir?"
Maximilian: "Um... the young miss..."
City Guard: "Here to see Lady Valdya again?"
Maximilian: "Ah, y-yes!"
Sana: "He wants to see the lady, yes."
"(He should romance her~ heehee~)"
As if on cue, a familiar dark-haired girl opens the door and scampers out, then stops in surprise.
Maximilian: "Ah! Lady Valdya!"
"Help! I... um, mean, it's good to see you!"
Valdya: "Max! You're still here? They told me you left to go look for the kidnappers!"
Maximilian: "It's going to take a couple days for the armour we commissioned to be ready."
Valdya: "Oh! So you'll stay here?"
Maximilian: "If you'll have us. Perhaps we can run an errand or two while we wait."
Valdya: "Errands? Can I help? I won't get caught sneaking out if I'm with you, right?"
Maximilian tilts his head to one side as he considers things for a moment.
Maximilian: "I mean, technically, you're safe with us."
Atremis: "(...Sneaking out?)"
Sana: "We should still check things with the lord of the house..."
Maximilian eyes the two guards nervously.
City Guard sighs audibly, as if all too familiar with Valdya's antics.
City Guard: "Don't let her leave the town and I'll pretend I didn't see anything."
Valdya: "So I can come with you, right, Max?"
Maximilian: "Evidently so!"
Valdya tries to pet Marigold.
Marigold snorts with acceptance, being used to weird people in fancy clothes.
Maximilian: "Oh right, Sana wanted to borrow your baths, though..."
Atremis: "(...let her? Does she... do this a lot?)"
Sana: "U-Um..."
"(...evidently so)"
Valdya: "Oh! Yeah, you can do whatever you want. But take me with you after that?"
Maximilian: "That works!"
Sana: "Thank you, miss."
Atremis starts thinking about the implications.
Valdya: "I'd better tell the servants to let you in, but if I'm with you it's okay if I sneak out, so it's okay if I get caught now."
Maximilian scratches his head, getting slightly lost in her words.
Atremis begins to mumble thoughts to himself, though it comes off as little more than small fox sounds to anyone but Sana.
Maximilian: "(You must be very patient folk to work here.)"
One: of the guards nods glumly, as Valdya runs back inside.
The party is led back inside by a very confused servant, and Sana given a chance to wash up, before Valdya reappears.
Sana takes Atremis into the washing room with her to get him cleaned up, too.

Maximilian: "So, are there any interesting rumours you want us to investigate, Valdya? I suppose you just got here, mind."
Valdya: "Rumors? What kind of rumors? About pastries?"
Maximilian: "Pastries! My stomach quests!"
"Yes, we will need to be well stocked for this venture."
Valdya: "Well stocked? Aren't you staying here?"
Maximilian: "Well, I suppose not right away."
Valdya: "You're not staying right away? So you're coming back later?"
Maximilian: "No, no, I meant, we won't be venturing just yet."
"Well, not to the roads on the map at least."
Valdya: "The roads off the map are scary, though!"
Maximilian: "That's not quite what I... ah, never mind."
"Point is, our bold adventure isn't for a day or two."
"So there's no rush to pack pastries!"
Valdya: "Make sure your pastries don't get stolen!"
Halfling Servant: "You're... the Sir Maximatthias who milady keeps talking about?"
Maximilian: "Yes, ma'am."
"(Well, it's Maximilian, really, but...)"
"You really talk that much about me, Valdya? I'm honoured!"
Halfling Servant: "I think I see what happened. Is it true that you're going to go look into the source of that threat?"
Valdya: "But I can't come with you, can I...? It's too far?"
Maximilian: "That's right! A conspiracy is afoot, and I'm ready to wrestle the truth out of the dastards!"
"I don't know, Valdya, that's not my decision to make."
"It would certainly make ferreting out the rotters much easier though!"
Valdya: "Ferrets? Wasn't he a fox?"
Maximilian: "Ah, well, no... I mean, yes, but..."
Halfling Servant: "If I may have a moment of your time? Milady remembered something her captors said that could be of use to you."
"(Although, I think she only remembered for a moment.)"
Maximilian: "Ah, that would be very important to hear!"
Halfling Servant: "One of the brigands was sent off to carry a message to... a peddler, I'd guess. Something about 'going to the wagon'. Of course, you seem familiar with the source of this information..."
Valdya: "Mallery, can we have some pastries? And where did the fox girl go?"
Halfling Servant: "One moment, milady. Miss Sana shouldn't be long."
Halfling Servant looks at Maximilian sympathetically, before leaving.
Maximilian: "There wasn't a wagon where we found them..."
Valdya: "You're taking a wagon? To bring more pastries?"
Maximilian: "Valdya, did the thugs bash your head at all when you were attacked?"
Valdya looks as if she's considering the question, then seems to lose interest and wanders into the next room, leaving the door open.
Maximilian looks in, hesitant to enter, but looks around for anything artsy.
Valdya's room looks more well-decorated than even the rest of the manor, but mostly with simple, childish things.
Valdya pokes her head back out a moment later, looking very happy.
Valdya: "I don't remember!"
Maximilian: "I suppose I would be happy to not find such a memory, too..."
Valdya: "Why, did they bash your head?"
Maximilian: "You're thinking on the same lines as I am."
Maximilian sits down on the top step.
Valdya sits down on the floor next to Max, staring at him.
Maximilian: "I just hope you'll be okay, Valdya. This must be a very trying time for you."
Halfling Servant returns with two plates of apple tarts, handing one each to Maximilian and Valdya.
Maximilian thanks the servant, and happily devours one.
Valdya: "Trying what?"
Maximilian: "Trying. Like, stressful, or hurtful, or hard."
Valdya screws up her face trying to think, before apparently giving up and turning her attention to the food instead.
Maximilian: "Well, I suppose things are much easier if you put those fears aside and keep on enjoying life."
Valdya: "Okay, Max!"
Maximilian: "Thanks, Valdya. I think you made things easier for me, too."
Valdya: "I helped?"
Valdya thinks for a moment, and suddenly tries to hug Maximilian.
Maximilian is startled, but after a moment, hugs Valdya back.
Atremis tries to shake himself dry after being toweled.
Maximilian: "We'll make it through these battles, don't worry."
Valdya: "You'll come back after that? We can sneak out and eat pastries together and no one gets bashed in the head?"
Maximilian: "Exactly!"
Valdya grins, calming down a little and tracing doodles on the floor with one finger.
Halfling Servant: "Hm. If I may? There were a lot of places marked on that map, sir. Where was it you were going to look? I'm not unfamiliar with the area..."
Maximilian: "Well, way I see it, we should push either north, or south."
"Since there's a pair of spots in either direction..."
Halfling Servant: "The road south to Netulen is through the swamp, could make for a harder march. Iranri and Zuroz to the north are more crowded cities."
Maximilian: "Ah, the swamp. Hm, I imagine we're more likely to encounter the culprits northwards, then."
Halfling Servant: "I don't know what it is you're looking for, but a traveler would stand out in Netulen or Kettik, even just merchants."
Maximilian: "Exactly. Whoever is causing this trouble is likely no simple traveller."
Halfling Servant: "Clever thinking. I've got nothing more to say on that."
"(Hope that girl hasn't fallen asleep and drowned...)"
Maximilian: "Mmm, what is taking her?"
Valdya seems to have dozed off leaning against the doorway.

Atremis: "(Sana... that girl seems strange.)"
Sana: "The noble girl? She does seem pretty strange."
Atremis: "It seems like she... wants to get kidnapped?"
"She may not like it here..."
Sana: "It seems like she wishes to go out and see the world for herself, instead of staying here."
"A noble's daughter could get awfully bored and lonely... cooped up in a house with nowhere to go, no-one to talk to.."
Atremis: "I... think I understand."
"I have freedom but I never really understood things until I... awoke?"
"...It really does feel like a dream, back then..."
"I didn't have to worry about anything. I could just eat vegetables and hunt and nap in the sun..."
Sana: "True... things are more complicated for you now, Atremis."
Atremis: "But I never had anything like... this before."
"This... how to put it."
"Having an owner, I suppose."
Sana: "A-An owner?"
Atremis relaxes in the wash, seeming to enjoy the sensation of being scrubbed and cleaned.
Sana: "I...um.."
"I...don't want to be your owner."
Atremis: "But isn't that what this is?"
Sana: "I want to be your friend, Atremis, not someone who owns you."
Atremis: "I don't understand."
"All this time, you've been telling the other people that I'm your fox."
Sana: "Well, um..."
Atremis: "I don't understand what's wrong. I like being with you. You treat me nicer than the other people."
Sana: "....I suppose for now it is fine."
Atremis: " 'For now'?"
Sana pets the fox as she scrubs behind his ears.
Atremis: "Are you going to leave me at some point, miss Sana?"
Sana: "I will not leave you, Atremis."
Sana: "For as long as you want, you can stay with me, okay~?"
Atremis: "I'm glad. Things feel nice."
"People treat me better when I'm with a human."
"They don't yell at me to go away when I'm with you."
"I don't think I would have ever gotten to enjoy something like this... bath, you called it?... back then."
Sana: "It's a bath! We have these often here."
Atremis: "Often?"
"You humans are so lucky, miss Sana."
Sana: "Having your fur scrubbed with the nice smelling stuff is nice, isn't it?"
Atremis: "It's really nice."
"That's why I like having an owner."
"I get to be scrubbed with the nice smelling stuff and given delicious food and everything."
Sana: "And you get to beat up bad guys."
Atremis: "Hopefully... more effectively than last time..."
"I was scared, but..."
"I think I'm getting better."
Sana: "You will get better, with the armour, too."
Atremis: "I'm not used to, well, biting people, but I think I'm finding a way to do it effectively."
"Claws are no good for hurting people but they're good for keeping balance."
Sana: "If you're fighting a man, try to go for in-between the legs~"
"I have read that they are weak, there."
Atremis pauses for a bit, as if trying to parse what Sana said.
Atremis: "That doesn't seem very useful advice."
"I have better luck attacking parts not protected by armor."
Sana: "But doesn't it hurt more when they're attacked there?"
Atremis: "Um, I don't want them to hurt."
"I want them to stop hurting us."
Sana: "Sometimes that is the best way."
Atremis: "I don't think so."
"It's... like hunting a chicken."
"It's a waste to attack it in places that it's hurt most by."
"I just bite down on the neck and then it stops struggling."
Sana: "Hm... true..."
Atremis: "...It feels conflicting."
"I want to be strong so I can help miss Sana and mister Maximatthias."
"But I want things to be where I don't need to protect them."
Atremis: "And I can just be a fox with an owner and not have to worry about that and just nap in the sun and get baths."
Sana: "Then work towards it."
"After we've gotten strong, we can do all that stuff."
"After we...beat up all the bad guys~"
Atremis: "I'll do my best to protect you, miss Sana."
"I don't want you hurt."
Sana: "...I don't want you to be hurt either, Atremis."
"Let's do our best to protect each other, okay?"
Atremis: "I'm okay with that."
Atremis seems happy, thinking about things as Sana scrubs his fur.
Sana: "You are a good fox, Atremis, you're my favorite~"
Atremis: "Thank you, miss Sana. You're my favorite human too."
Sana: "Anyway, we seem nice and clean now, do you want to stay in the bath or get out now?"
Atremis: "Let's not stay too long. My fur is feeling soggy."
Sana produces one large towel, and one small towel, towelling Atremis dry first.
Sana: "...maybe we should go out to meet with the others...but I'm not sure I want to get back into the same old sweaty clothes...I need to wash these too...but..."
Atremis: "Hm?"
"Is there something wrong with how you are?"
Sana: "Well, Atremis...humans and people tend to not go around with no clothes on."
Atremis: "But you said I was a people."
Sana: "True but...."
Atremis: "Nobody seems to have minded me."
Sana: "You don't look like a people."
"And you also have fur to cover your skin....humans however, do not."
Atremis tilts his head.
Atremis: "I think you look nicer like this though."
"Before you were all big and metal."
Sana: "The metal also protects my body, Atremis."
Sana: "And the clothes keep me warm."
Atremis: "...It must be hard not to have fur."
"Suddenly I feel sorry for humans."
Sana: "I would like to have fur... or a nice tail..."
Atremis: "Hopefully you can do that and still be a people, I don't want to get chased away for not being near a people."
Sana: "Hopefully, yes."
Atremis: "So why are the 'old clothes' not any good?"
Sana: "The old clothes... smell."
Atremis sniffs at the clothes.
Sana: "I just made my body clean and nice-smelling, and I'd be undoing the nice smelling by wearing them."
Atremis: "...Why not bring the clothes into the bath and make them clean and nice-smelling?"
Halfling Servant: "Anything the matter, Miss Sana?"
Sana: "A-ah!"
"No! Nothing's the matter!"
Atremis is alerted by the sound of an external voice.
Sana: "But... um..."
"...if you have any clean clothes, may I have a set, please?"
Halfling Servant: "I'll get you some spare things."
Atremis waits until he thinks the external voice is out of earshot.
Atremis: "I can kind of understand wanting to mask your scent to throw off predators, but do peoples even have predators?"
Sana: "Um... no, we don't."
"But smelling nice is well... nice."
Halfling Servant cracks the door open a few minutes later to leave a simple woolen dress for Sana.
Sana: "Ah, thank you, miss."
Atremis pokes his head into a hole in the dress.
Atremis crawls into the dress, poking his head out of the neck-hole and curling up.
Maximilian lowers his voice as he speaks to the servant.
Maximilian: "(Forgive my rudeness, but has Lady Valdya always been this... inconsistent?)"
Sana lifts Atremis up off the dress and puts it on herself.
Halfling Servant: "For the seven years I've known her. It's why milord sent her away, so she wouldn't be burdened by all the expectations of a noble heir."
Maximilian: "She did enjoy it more over there, she told me."
Halfling Servant: "You'll pardon me saying so, but I'm glad she's found a friend, even one who won't be here long."
Atremis waits for Sana to finish, having finished licking his fur into a sufficiently matted-down style.
Maximilian lowers his eyes.
Halfling Servant: "After this nonsense about the coronation winds down, she should be able to return."
Maximilian: "Ah, the coronation. That would explain the threats..."
"Well, it gladdens me that she won't have to suffer this too long."
Sana: "Well, since we are ready, do you want to go out to see the others?"
Atremis: "Yeah. I'm bored getting pent up here."
Valdya: "...fairies?"
Valdya mutters as she wakes up suddenly, then gets to her feet.
Valdya: "Max? You're not gonna get bashed in the head, right?"
Maximilian: "I swear it!"
"(It's a good think I'm getting a helmet with the new armour...)"
Valdya: "I want to help. Don't sneak away!"
Valdya scampers off to her room again
Sana opens the door and steps out with Atremis
Maximilian raises an eyebrow as she disappears.
Atremis stretches his legs, glad to be mobile after that long bath.
Valdya reappears, holding a small rune pendant out to Maximilian.
Maximilian: "Whoa!"
Valdya: "I want to be able to help. So nobody gets bashed in the head. I've got this since I lost it before, so you can take it!"
Maximilian: "Such a valuable token... I'll wear it gladly."
Atremis barks in approval.
Valdya: "I can help this way?"
Maximilian accepts the pendant, examining it carefully.
Valdya: "Fox girl! Foxie!"
Sana: "...Sana, Atremis, yes."
Maximilian: "Oh, Sana!"
Atremis ducks under the people, heading up to Valdya.
Maximilian: "And yes, I feel this will be a great help, Valdya!"
Valdya tries to pet Atremis.
Atremis doesn't try to avoid the pets, allowing her to touch his freshly washed fur.
Valdya: "Are you all staying here? Are we gonna sneak out?"
Maximilian: "Uhm, I think we should head out and see what's going on in town."
Valdya: "Is something happening?'
Maximilian: "Not that I know of, it's just the best way to find work for the day."
Halfling Servant: "You could check in at the guardhouse. I've heard milord keeps them too busy policing the town and they need extra hands."
Maximilian: "I'll do just that, then!"
Sana: "I could try helping with that."