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

Pipre arrived, either by herself or with any persons that took up her offer, and got to work. She opened the tied up, white cloth slip and arranged its contents near the sheer wall of the pool. It was deep and had some sort of outlet into an underground stream or other watershed feature so it was more or less safe from sickness and it was clean and clear. A block of soap, a washing cloth, some oils and unguents for soft skin and sleek hair, and a razor that glittered out of its leather buffing pad and sheath. Then she disrobed, spending some time undoing the leather cuirass and bustier, and then the jacket that buttoned onto it before removing it all and stripping down to the small clothes there. A few more movements and that was piled at the water's edge as well, exposing her pale chest, tipped with pink and though not particularly large, well formed and youthfully taut. Then she had some trouble scrunching her bottoms down over the widest point of her hips and bottom, but soon she nakedly slid into the water with an involuntary giggle at the chill of the pool.

Her belt full of vials and explosives were kept close at hand, as well as the last portion of her supplies. Two bottles re-purposed to hold amber ale are double checked to insure the integrity of their cork seals before being lowered in to chill at the deepest, coldest point of the pool. When she came up, however, she had two more bottles in hand from the last visit and a big smile on her face, which had her dark hair sticking wetly to it. A wide enough smile to show her missing eye-tooth on the right side of her mouth, which she usually kept pretty well hidden behind the cushions of plump, red lips. The cork popped as she opened one of the chilled bottles and she drank deeply, giving a loud sigh. "I'm going to build a house here," she said to herself, to anyone who came with her, or perhaps to the sky.

In reply to Pipre (msg # 2):

Viktoria came through the bushes behind Pipre, carrying a simple bar of soap and some oil with a rag from her pack, her swords hanging from her belt like always, her axes left with Lolli to sharpen.

Her hair was matted with sweat, and she unbelted her armoured coat, and removed the underclothes she had worn to the pool, slidding into the water.

"It certainly is serene, though you'd so well to root out any dwellers in the wood or ground."

Vik was all work, running the soap across her body and massaging her muscles with oil, a symphony of cracks and pops as she stretched out her limbs.

"I must say, it is nice to bathe with someone who can hold a conversation. The last time I had another woman to talk to was . . . four years ago I'd think. Back home."

"Little dwellers, huh? I think I remember a few concoctions for vermin bane, might be good to spread around," Pipre says thoughtfully. The business of washing and the actual act of bathing prompted her into action as well. Soaking is better done once clean, after all. She scrubbed and washed and applied creams and oils, but also pulled the razor across her skin on many places, more than the usual amount of places. She also had an oil to soothe the caress of the razor.

"That long, huh? I had a pretty lonely upbringing myself, to a point, and then again after that."
This message was last edited by the player at 06:17, Tue 31 May 2016.

In reply to Pipre (msg # 4):

"If I might ask, where do you come from?"

Vik leaned forward, intrigued by a chance to learn about her ally

"Ah, down south. Raised by my mother, she is a..." Pipre pauses, searching for an appropriate descriptor, "Hermit. I learned a lot from her but my friends and tutors were books. How about you?"

Pipre piled her wet hair messily atop her head and drank of the chilled ale. She offered the bottle over to Vik. "Don't mind sharing, I'm clean as a sparkle. Much of my alchemical pursuits have been, ah, health and beauty related. Are they working?" She asks, batting long, feathery, and black eyelashes.

In reply to Pipre (msg # 6):

"I lived up north. My family fished and sailed on the lake of mist and veils. When I got to a certain age, it was decided due to . . . temperament, that I'd take on work on a ship. That's where I learned to fight, with axe and blade."

Vik took a drink of the ale, savouring the taste

"Better than anything else we've drank on the road so far, I approve."

At the question, Vik took a cursory look over Pipre and sank back slightly into the pool's water

"Yes, you've certainly maintained a very lady-like appearance."

Pipre laughed in good nature, not really having expected an answer and she takes the compliment to the ale in stride, taking another drink. "Temperament, huh? I think I know what you mean. I feel like you have possibly found a group of people that share traces and hints of that same temperament. It isn't too uncommon to volunteer to become a settler in one of these reclaimed lands but it takes a certain.. temperament, to volunteer to help do the reclaiming, especially if it isn't an army doing the reclamation."

She jumps slightly, not having been paying the closest attention as she shaves any trace of hair from her legs. Barely a drop of blood runs down her raised shin before the small slice seals back up as though it had never happened. Pipre winks at Victoria, "A little alchemist trick, that. My body is a reservoir of reagents that combine during the initial stages of clotting to work at an increased effectiveness. I'm still working on a theorem that would allow me to heal other's wounds with it, as well."

>Graveyard via Watchtower

Bai made her way to the watchtower that she had quarters in and gathered up a bit so that she'd have what she needed to take a bath and generally clean herself up. Then content with that she made her way to the small pond a short walk from the outpost that she'd heard some people mention. As she got closer she heard a few voices and took some time to disrobe, stepping out of the bushes and quickly getting into the water with her clothes with her. She began washing as she looked at the other two women. "I hope I'm not intruding too much, I just was in dire need of some semblance of cleanliness." She decided to keep to herself in the event that the women didn't appreciate her intrusion and instead just focused on cleaning herself and her clothing.

By the time Bai slips into the water Pipre has shaven herself clean from the nape of the neck down and rubbed in enough creams and unguents to make herself shiny. "Oh, by all means. You aren't intruding." She leans back, taking a long pull at the chilled ale, her head and shoulders, as well as a knee, shin, and most of her pale foot poking out of the darkening water. "Seems you've been busy whispering in ears and putting plans in motion. Anything you could use some help with?" she asks while leaning up out of the water and cutting a slice of mustard glazed smoked sausage she brought from her rations.

Bai smiles as Pipre lets her know she isn't intruding though that shifts to a confused look as the woman continues. "Whispering in ears?" Bai looks at nothing in particular as her eyes shift, almost as if she was making an inventory of the last few days, "I... I don't think I've been hiding anything... What do you mean?"

Pipre looked at Bai, wondering if she was being intentionally oblique or not. "Rook and Henry, just today."

Bai let out a small laugh, "The brief aside with Master Sanderson was just explaining what had happened, but doing so out of earshot of the bandits, no I suppose that's not right. We really will have to come up with a way of referring to them as something more than bandits or ex-bandits... But no, there wasn't anything secretive there." He mirthful laughter died off as she started soaping her upper body. "As for de la Maistre, it was a personal concern, just something that is a bit embarrassing, that's more an issue of modesty than secrecy." Rinsing off her body, Bai sets to cleaning her clothes, the water quickly clouding with the dust of a few days travel. "I haven't really made any plans yet, I need a better picture of the area before I can really do that. You seem to have your plans set though, don't you? A casino was it?"

Pipre nods along, losing interest as the matters seem fairly mundane and not at all juicy. "Ah, well. I can help more with the area later, I'd rather draw it down than explaining it all over again. And yeah, perhaps a casino. But that won't be for a while, will it? Doesn't make much sense to have a gambling hall and no one to go to it. We need an infrastructure first but the Hall and everything is just something to look forward to."

"I suppose it's all a matter of where you hope to set up shop. What of you Viktoria, have you some great plans out here, or are you here to start over like a few of us seem to be?" Bai tossed her clothes into the air and the seemed to settle on a branch a distance away, unusually gently. Her soap, however, seemed to go skittering in the other direction as if she'd thrown it. With a sigh the woman swam off towards the middle of the pond, retrieving the soap.

In reply to Bai Kao (msg # 15):

"No great plans, just making gold faster than I would previously. A ship on the coast might be my lot, but for now I'm content to spend a little time hacking and hunting, and build up a lodge or two along the lakes of the region."

Bai returned from retrieving her soap. "All this talk of building, perhaps that's not a bad idea, just have a little home with a library, or better yet a library with a little bedroom." She laughed quietly at her joke and relaxed in the water. "Have you heard anyone else's plans? Or is Pipre the only truly ambitious one out of us all?"

Pipre looks over at Victoria, a bit of a smile tugging at her lips. "We might could use a boat, before long. There are such a thing as lake and river pirates that disrupt water trade further west, they got a little marsh town called Drowned Trees. We'll probably be glad for your expertise by then."

She takes another drink before addressing Bai, "Remind me to show you my library if we make it out that far south."

"Pipre, I hope it's ok to ask, but who are you? You know an awful lot about the local banditry, you have a home further south, at first blush it wasn't a hard assumption to think you were a bandit. That's not the case though, I suspect you're something else all together, might I ask what brings you to working for de la Maistre and where you came from?" Bai looked at Pipre with a tinge of concern, she knew this was likely pushing her luck, but the questions had been weighing on her for some time now.

Pipre's eyes light up with caprice, a small smile playing at plush lips, "I don't mind telling you but first I must know what you're suspecting. You can say it, it won't anger me."

Bai return the smile, "Well my suspicions have ranged from former bandit in exile to a supplier for them, though each suspicion I have seems to have a flaw when I reflect on what I've heard."

Pipre looks a bit let down, "Aw, I thought it was going to be something juicy." She leans back in the water, stretching out a bit. "Yeah, I was in a bandit gang back before the Stag Lord took over. Things became less fun and more violent after that. Before we only took from those who could afford it; we used fear or distractions rather than killing.  We didn't live lavishly but we got along, especially since we didn't have to send up most of our earnings to a big jerk like the Stag Lord." She lifts her left wrist where a small, crude little tattoo is shown, "We were the Black Hatchets, and we were pretty great for a while there, but that was only one part of my life. I never really hung my identity on being a bandit so I was quick to leave before things got bad." The tattoo is, as expected, a black hatchet.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:22, Thu 02 June 2016.

Bai keeps her face serene as she stretches in the water, glancing towards her drying clothes on the bush just out of the water. "I know it really isn't my place to pass judgement on other people's past, I haven't been in these parts long enough to learn enough of how things work out here. But I have to ask, you seem pretty proud of your past in that gang, do you think it would be hypocritical to pass judgement on people doing what you use to do?"

Vik finished her washing and climbed out of the pool, getting back into her small clothes and armour.

"I shall leave these discussions for you two to sort out. I must see to it that my squire hasn't got herself into trouble."

--->To the Fire

"I fail to see the hypocrisy and perhaps you've noticed that I've been trying very had to convince them to leave the profession that I myself did. I could understand you accusing me of hypocrisy if I was or still intended to be a bandit, but I'm not and I don't. A reformed bandit trying to get other bandits to reform seems to be the least hypocritical thing I can think of." She has taken to washing her own clothes by this point. "But, what about you? I think I've opened myself to enough clumsy scrutiny-- what's your story?"

Bai nodded, perhaps in agreement or maybe something else. "I do hope it hasn't come off as too clumsy, it wasn't my intent to insult. I just don't really understand that lifestyle, that's all. I just asked because you seemed to dislike the Stag Lord, or is it lords, for doing what seems like much of what you did. I doubt it's something as simple as because they stopped you from doing what you did, but I just don't see the difference. Thomas always said I was a bit too blunt at times, so I'll assume that's what I did here." She looked down at the water for a bit which seemed to ripple away from her. "I don't think I really have much of a story, to be honest. I'm a widow who has a knack with picking things up. I married young, but sickness took my husband a few years back. I heard about the expedition here and I figured that perhaps I could help out, idle hands and all that you know." As she told her short tale Bai didn't emote much, instead focusing on her fingernails.

"Ah, sorry to hear that," Pipre says, letting a thoughtful moment pass before continuing, "One of the things you've picked up seems to be some knack with magic and the wind. I've never hid my proclivities as an alchemist but I'm not sure exactly what to classify the source of your magic. It doesn't seem exactly arcane." After oiling her leather cuirass she wrings out and ties up her hair, the tousling allowing the pleasant floral fragrance of the essential oils she used in it to diffuse into the air around her. She hops up onto the bank, sitting on a thick cloth that she dries her shiny, hairless skin off with, the chilled bottle resting between her thighs.

Bai smiled but shook her head, "Thank you, but it's my past. What's done is done, you know. What do you mean about the wind though?" She looks a bit confused at Pipre, while reaching out of the water and grabbing an overhanging branch and breaking it off "I'll be the first to admit I don't really understand much of it. I just seem to be able to do things, though what causes it or where it comes from, I won't pretend to fully understand." She focuses on the branch for a moment and flinches a bit and the end of the branch starts to smolder and slowly catches fire. "Something like this, I know what I want to happen and I know how to do it, but I couldn't really explain how I go about causing it to happen." She shrugs and places the branch on the ground under her clothes, not close enough to set them alight but still it will speed up the drying.

"Hm. Can't say I really understand either. Must be nice." Pipre continues toweling off, putting on the loose white slip and a pair of arm cuffs to keep it from falling completely off of her slim arms. The neck is quite wide and slouches down to expose the top of her chest and delicate shoulders. She ties her cloth 'shoes' back on, really just thatched soles that cover the ball of her feet and are kept on with broad cloth wraps. "Do you want to walk back together?" Pipre asks, the opened bottle of ale dangling from pale, fragile fingers.

Bai watched the flame dance on the branch as he clothes continued to slowly dry, the turned to regard Pipre when the woman asked her about returning, "No, I think I'll sit a little while yet, my clothes still need to dry too. Thank you though."

She picks up the bundle of her supplies and nods, "Suit yourself."

--> Tower 1
This message was last edited by the player at 16:46, Fri 03 June 2016.

Bai relaxed in the water for a while after Pipre left, she was pretty sure that the woman still didn't like her, but not everyone in the world would. When she felt her clothes were fully dry she left the water and stood naked next to the fire, letting the water dry naturally. Something about drying without a towel always seemed to help stress just drift away. When she was finally content she nodded towards the fire and muttered a bit and a quick splash of water appeared above the fire, dousing it. She dressed slowly, taking her time and then when was finally dressed she took a few moments to do what she could to return the pool to how it had looked before the women had visited it. Finally satisfied she left the pool in search of something to eat.

>Fire

---

New Day

---

--> From Around about Oleg's -->

Andalon walked out from the bushes that screened the pool from the path and headed straight toward the water. He glanced around briefly and selected a convenient log near the pool to sit and start to remove his gear. He laid his weapons and other gear down on the poolward side in front of the log then started unbuckling his studded leather armour.

As Andalon pushed through the bushes, he catches a glimpse of what could be someone in the pool area.
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:36, Sat 11 June 2016.

Pipre was splashing lightly with her movements. In the sun her pale skin, bruised hips, thighs, and shoulder shone with a fragrant oil she was rubbing into her soft skin. She was sitting on an underwater rock shelf and as Andalon approached she shifted slightly. Her knees were raised out of the water, she pressed them together and let her calves maintain a bit of modesty, for Andalon's sake. She didn't seem worried about her bare chest. "Ah, hey there. The water is nice, feel free to come in." she said in her low, smoky tone.

"Thanks, I will. I'm sorry to disturb you. I didn't realise anyone else was here," Andalon replied.

Andalon sat down at a log near the pool and shed his gear and studded leather armour. He avoided looking at the alchemist in the pool as he didn't want to cause any embarrassment. When he was fully undressed he walked down into the water and sank down into its cool embrace. Only then did he turn to face Pipre.

"The water feels so good ..." he began before the expression of contentment on his face suddenly turned to embarrassment as his eyes fixed on her chest.

"Oh, gods! I'm so sorry. I didn't realise you are a girl!"

(Edited - Pipre is not a Halfling ;o)
This message was last edited by the player at 04:06, Sun 12 June 2016.

(lol, I do not know what idea you got about me. Not a halfling and I walk around in short shorts and with tits nearly out- I have a character description with an unmistakable feminine figure. 5' 3" which is short but not halfling short :p)

(oops - I hadn't read your character description and Andalon was just oblivious! He had only thought of Pipre as a short alchemist without ever thinking of her gender. ;o)

Pipre arched her half-eyebrow. "Not very observant, are you?" She asks, non-plussed. She stands up, proving she was indeed all woman as rivulets of water glisten down the bell of her hips and long, shapely legs. "Enjoy the bath." She moved up onto the bank, squeezing out her hair as best she can before putting it up in a pair of short, voluminous pigtails at either side of the back of her head, her bangs tousled and swept to one side.

After putting on her shorts she sets out- she didn't seem to have brought a towel and was going to let the rest of herself sun dry on the walk back to Oleg's. She walked away gingerly, a bit of a stutter-limp to her step that mostly disappeared by the time she made it back.

Andalon was horrified that he had made such a blunder.

"Wait!" he called as he saw Pipre leaving. "You are injured. Allow me to relieve that at least."

Without waiting for permission he splashed out of the pool, grabbed his holy symbol and held it forward to channel the power of his god into a wave of healing energy.

"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.