"No, no-" she starts, but not before the balmy wave of revitalizing energy swept through her. "I'm just a bit sore," she finishes, dropping her hands. Her thick lips press down into a neutral little line as her eyebrows raise; she stares at Andalon for a few moments, topless and dripping water. "Remind me, were you in the Gnarlmarche or Hermit team?" She walks towards the cleric, close enough for her floral, feminine scent to enter his senses, looking at him through lowered, thick, and feathery black eyelashes.

"Oh, good, I'm glad you are alright," Andalon replied. "I am to visit the hermit with Valoria, Cyrus, Percy and Vik."

He looked a bit flustered when Pipre came close as if he had just remembered he was naked.

"I, er, I better finish getting washed," he stammered and quickly stepped back into the pool.

The corner of her mouth curled and she reached into her bundle, opening the second of the chilled bottles of ale and takes a long pull at it as she turns and starts walking to the trading post. She put on her leather bustier after the sun had kissed the remaining dampness from her skin.

--> to Oleg's

Cyrus emerged from the dense foilage to find Andalon deeper in the water still bathing. "From the looks of Pipre, I am glad I waited until just now to find this pool. What did you do to make her leave topless?" Cyrus says trying to strike up a witty conversation with Andalon.

When he was finished stripping down he got into the water. As far as he could tell Andalon was the only one around so he spoke openly to him in private.

His voice rose a bit after all that and any who happened to be nearby might have heard him say, "I am sorry we got off on the wrong foot with the offerings, I do hope we can put that behind us."

Andalon looked startled when Cyrus announced his arrival but he relaxed when he realised Cyrus had come for a bath.

"I ... retreated," he responded to Cyrus's initial question with a shrug. "Don't worry about our previous misunderstanding. The ways of Abadar often need to be explained before they are understood and appreciated by those who do not worship him."

He drew a bit closer and continued the conversation much more quietly.

"Ha!" Cyrus says loudly in response to Andalon's description of retreat and then continues, "I can't say that I blame you, that one is particularly brazen, it's probably what makes her a good alchemist, she's not afraid of what others think."


"We shall have to continue our discussion of the ways of Abadar again on the road tomorrow, as I'm sure I still have questions." Cyrus says loud enough for any to overhear.


Cyrus ducks his head under the water and swims about a while, letting the water clear the dirt of the trail off his skin while stretching his arms and legs letting blood flow in ways that riding and his sword exercises cannot. "I must say, this is quite refreshing. I do hope we find more pools like these on the trail. I think we should get back to the camp, I've got a few orders to put in with Borric before they leave."

Cyrus climbs out of the pool and shakes the dripping water off briefly before donning his clothes and waits for Andalon to do the same.

"You are probably right," Andalon replied.

He too climbed back out of the pool, brushed as much water off as he could and dressed so they could both return to the trading post.

"Thank you for letting me interrupt your bath for this matter. Shall we?" Cyrus says as he starts off toward Oleg's.

---> Oleg's

About half a mile from Oleg's, a small stream opens up into a shallow pool, partially surrounded by bushes.

Bai stopped by the tower to change out some of what she was carrying, leaving only with a small bag with a few things in it. Next she made her way over to Oleg and handed him a few coppers in exchange for a bottle of mead. Finally she made the slow walk half mile walk towards the bathing pool. Taking a few moments to undress in a bush just off the water, Bai slipped into the pool and let out a sigh of relief.

After a minute or two of just laying there in a silent revery she opened her eyes and started the slow task of cleaning her clothes. There was a real peace to letting the filth and dust of the road drift down the stream and away from her, taking the stress with it.

Pipre had come as well, but she didn't have much to say during the walk. She had entertained the idea of sleeping before visiting the bathing pool but she wasn't drunk enough to abide her hygienic state. She shed her own clothing on the rocks surrounding the pool, next to the bundle she always seemed to bring with her to the pool. Two recycled bottles from the last visit, filled from the barrel her yak carries with ale. She puts them at the bottom of the cold pool and brings up two previously chilled bottles.

"Not exactly what the storybooks describe of adventure, is it?" the young girl asks before putting the bottle opening to her plump lips and leaving it tipped for an impressive amount of time, probably drinking a good half of it; of that half a small portion of it ends up running down her chin and long neck, spilling from the corners of her mouth.

She put down the half-finished bottle and lets down her long hair, suddenly surrounded by a glossy semi-circle of black that floated just under the surface. "'Enry seems to fancy you?" she asks, soaking in the pool while lighting up a roll of her tobacco blend.

"I'd be so lucky, I think he's just being polite more than anything." Bai reached back and pulled a bottle of mead and a cup, pouring and placing the cup on her pressed together knees and put the bottle back. She sighed and took a sip while leaning back against a rock. "As to adventuring, yes and no. I knew that it would be dirty and boring, I've read enough accounts to know that, but I hadn't expected half as much bickering." The sip was followed by a longer drink. "And now Henry says I'm to lead a group to meet the fey, which is an honor to say the least, but I wouldn't be surprised if it turns out to be just Zorah and I that go there. The other group seems very close and I can't blame them for all jumping at the bit to head out to finish what they'd started, but I wouldn't be surprised if Rook and Aris'ta both choose to join them, and I wouldn't blame you either." She sighed again and emptied the cup, leaning back more and looking towards the sky.

Andalon strode swiftly along the path to the bathing pool. He enjoyed the walk and the chance to stretch his legs more freely than he normally could when constrained by the pace set by his companions. So he virtually burst out of the bushes around the pool before he was fully aware how close he was to his destination. He stopped awkwardly when he saw the two women in the water.

"Oh, hello Bai. Hello Pipre. Sorry, I didn't think. Um, is it alright if I have a wash or I could come back later if you would prefer?"

Why he would address that question to the shrubbery beside the pool is anyone's guess.  ;o)

Bai held her hand over her mouth to hide a smile, and sank a bit lower into the water to hide other things. She glanced towards Pipre, fairly certain the woman wouldn't mind Andalon joining them, but then looked back to the cleric. She wasn't sure but it looked like he was blushing, suddenly looking far more boyish than he normally did. In the most gentle tone she could muster she answered the cleric. "I think you might have a more relaxing bath if you gave us a bit dear. You seem, a bit, ehh, less than at ease right now, that's all."

If Andalon tried to disguise the look of relief that swept across his face at Bai's words he failed utterly in that attempt.

"Er, yes, thanks, that's probably for the best," he agreed rather too quickly.

Without waiting a moment longer he turned and departed as swiftly as he had arrived.

"Especially polite, I should say," Pipre says, grinning before she puts the paper roll back in her mouth and issuing an exhale of silver ribbons fragrant with pleasant herbs. "I intend to tilt with the fey, along your side. We ought to convince someone from the other group to come along. It is not good that we are already forming cliques and societies among ourselves. I am a native to this land and I have no intention of allowing foreign aristocrats to overwhelm the civilization we build here. Not that I ween they deserve less than anyone else, but they certainly do not deserve more for their gilded birth."

It was about then that Andalon burst in to the scene. Pipre smiles, "Twice is a coincidence, thrice is a conspiracy, Andalon." she calls after him as he turns to leave.

She settles back down into the water and leans in conspiratorially to speak to Bai's ear. It wasn't even certain she did these sorts of things intentionally; her smoky voice fraying so close and intimately that it could raise hackles, her hand at Bai's shoulder, her breasts lightly pressed against the other woman's arm, breath brushing at the sensitive inner ear. She was naturally flirtatious; some may say a natural strumpet, but that might be too far. Maybe. She says some things before settling back comfortably into the water.

 She crosses one leg over the other and produces a straight razor from her bundle, spreading a cream over her exposed leg before running the blade up along her skin producing the metallic singing, scraping that is so distinctive. "You know, from my study Fey tend not to listen to reason. They very well may demand some fantastic quest or another before accepting our offer of peaceful cohabitation. That would be exciting, wouldn't it?"

Bai finished washing her clothes and set them on a branch, sparking a bit of tinder under it to aid in the drying. She wasn't sure if Pipre had been attempting to make a flirtatious advance or if it was just her nature, but she decided to err on the side of caution and ignore it, no sense in unintentionally hurting the woman's pride. "In regards to foreign aristocrats, I can't speak for everyone, but I don't think someone would just leave their seat of comfort if they didn't need to. Some are here for glory or for wealth, but I think some are here because they don't have any better options." Bai frowned for a moment and watched the water near her start splashing on its own and shrugged. "But you're right, there needs to be an effort to keep everyone on friendly terms and not in cliques or we could run the risk of replacing the bandits with a group of fighting strongholds."

Bai poured herself another drink and took a swallow of it. "I'll be honest at this point I don't think I've had more than a passing word with Cyrus, Valoria, or Andalon. I think I overheard that Cyrus and Valoria are getting married, and Andalon is her brother, I believe, so it's not surprising that they're close, I imagine they all go back quite a while." Leaning back, she took another long drink and held it in her mouth for a bit. "Well it's food for thought anyways."

She placed the cup down and pulled out a small razor and set about the slow task of shaving, it wouldn't do to look bad when she met Henry later that evening. "I honestly hope you're right about the Fey. I'm sure whatever they tasks they could send us on could lead us to very interesting and exciting things."

Pipre 'hmms' and 'haws' over the various things that Bai says but in the end doesn't have much else to add until the fey discussion.

"I've also read that they throw great parties. No way I am missing the chance for a bacchanalia." With that she takes another long drink before going back to her grooming regime.

"Can you help with my hair? I know that I should cut it but my ma'rm always insisted I shouldn't. Even bandits love their ma'rms." She offers a slim, decanter like bottle with fragrant oil to be used on her excessively long, black hair. Except where it was singed short at the side of her head along with part of her eyebrow.

Bai finished up her last bit of shaving and washes the razor before putting it away. Stoking the small fire under her clothing she turns and accepts the bottle from Pipre. "So how does a girl who loves her ma'rm end up as a bandit? From what I've seen you've got the training and skills that you could have made your mark as an alchemist." Bai's tone was different this time, before she'd been trying to figure out Pipre as if she was a potential threat. Now though it was more of earnest curiosity, the idea of someone willingly taking up a life of banditry, so foreign to what Bai knew.

"There wasn't much around. Basically, there wasn't anything around. My ma'rm had peaceable dealings with the bandits, an understanding. I got my books from deals made with the Black Hatchets. I made friends with a few of them. It wasn't really a decision; when I wanted to hone and test my formulae and concoctions, it was natural to join together with them." She shrugs her bare shoulders, they poking out through the glossy veil of her black hair. "If I had grown up in a city it might have been different but I grew up in a hut."

She leans forward against the rocks as Bai helps rub the oil into her hair, the oil of her own concoction that would keep her improbably long hair sleek and shiny and fragrant. Her chest pressed against the smooth stone, arms folded atop it as she finished her cigarette and worked towards the dregs of the second bottle. "I've only seen my first city in the past year, where I met 'Enry and everyone. I should have liked to of seen more but then I got the chance to help make them and I ken that isn't an opportunity that comes often."

Bai listens to Pipre's tale and nods along as she does. When she's finally finished speaking, Bai places the bottle on the ground, a foot or two from the water's edge and washes the oil off her hands. It wasn't a bad scent, but Bai had never been a fan of perfumes and didn't necessarily want Henry thinking of Pipre should he get close enough to smell her hair. "I think you're right about this being quite the opportunity. I think the odds of us having the chance to meet with a Fey court were much much slimmer had we not signed on." Finishing washing her hands she exits the water and crouches near the small fire and moves her now clothes away from it. "I more wonder what they could lead us to, but that's me just getting lost in hopes again." With the clothes moved away, she adds tinder to the fire and waves her hands around it, stoking the flames until it's radiating considerably more heat. Backing a step back Bai lets her body dry as she starts to pick up her things. "I hope you don't mind too terribly if I take my leave. If I spend too much time in here I'll likely fall asleep. It's just too relaxing after these last few days."

>--->From the Graves, after a few hours nap, while everyone else is partying and celebrating>--->

It hadn't been the best of rest, but it had been better rest than she had managed to have for the entirety of the trip. Now more restful and with the absence of the others, she crept herself off to have a quick cleansing in the bathing pool some of the others had mentioned. Mindful that there were many others who frequented this spot, she was careful to keep her more 'feminine wiles' hidden beneath twists of cloth and fabric. The pool was cool on her heated skin, and she was contented by dipping her head into the water and washing the grime away. Resurfacing, the water spilled down her face and she gave a contented sigh, pleased to rid the rest of the week away from her.

After a decent cleaning and a bit of time to dry off, the dark elf re-dressed herself in the items obtained from her bag - namely a pair of dark green trousers, and a creme colored tunic, and made her way back to Oleg's in search of food and drink. Along the way she finger combs her silver tresses, still damp from their soaking and hanging well past her lower back as they remain free of their usual clasp. As they dry, the ends slowly begin to bend and curl in stubborn locks, but she pays them no mind, either too tired or too distracted to care.

Hearing nose and the sounds of jubilation she pauses in hesitation, unsure of how to proceed, but dropping her belongings against the wall, she places her hands on her hips. Pursing her lips she makes her mind up. After all, it is the day of her 100th year, and she knows in her heart that her father would not have wished her to spend an occasion alone, though she had never understood the simple human tradition and no one here would know the significance.

So, leaving boots, belts, and bags behind, she heads towards the fire to see what all the commotion is about.

--->To the fire.---->

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This message was last edited by the GM at 19:08, Tue 05 Sept 2017.

After hearing some of the plans and stories of the rest, Pipre goes about collecting some new bottles to chill and her quite expansive grooming kit. During her movement about the trading post she introduces herself to many of the new faces, particularly those of scant cladding or of youthful eagerness. She invites them, and any others not currently strapped with duty, along, not sure if anyone has introduced them to the bathing pool. She is quick to kindness or compliment as she meets the others and before long heads out to make the short trek to the bathing pool.