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Penny's Dungeons and Dragons: Hard Bargains

"My brother?" The woman's face falls. For a moment, she forgets to work the pedals to Zeona's machine, giving her some respite. "His experiments, no - well, yes, but - it - it was complicated."

She blinks rapidly and takes a deep breath. It seems to help, and she regains her composure before she starts to work the pedals again - but far less severely, now. "My mother is...without wasting time on details, she is politically ambitious - enough so for Szass Tam to exile her from Thay. Everyone and everything is a tool to her, including Ossimar and my brothers and I. But Kandik wasn't the tool she wanted. He was a deeply intelligent wizard and researcher, but he had no interest in courtly intrigue and subterfuge. He couldn't and wouldn't play the political games she wanted from him. That made him more useful as a sacrifice than an asset."

She scowls bitterly, but it's not directed at Zeona, and the machine's dildos remain merciful. "Again, without wasting time on the details, my mother can earn goodwill and sympathy from various nations if a Cormyran assassin slaughters her own family in her own city. If that family is inconvenient to her, so much the better, in her mind."

She sighs softly before continuing with Zeona's other questions. "My given name is Azara. I never had any others - none that would give my mother pause. I won't take your place on the gallows, but you could wear my face as an illusion. It won't fool her for long, though. She mastered wizardry before I was born - she'll know the magic when she sees it. But I'm a mage myself, and I have agents loyal to me. We'll strike when she's distracted."

She thinks for a moment, touching a knuckle to her lips. "Your clothes from the ball? It will be unusual, but I can arrange for you to be wearing them on the gallows, so long as they provide - " She grimaces slightly. " - access to your body. Your ring and the money will be among them. You're sure a hundred gold will be enough for ship's passage?"
 
Resting a little as the movements of the wooden dildos stopped, Zeona tried to clear her head and think. "I really hope I could slip away and find the ship I already found. That much gold would have to be enough, can't just carry around more, and passed to me secretly, unless you add some platinum coins, gems, or jewelry... My clothes I exchanged for the ball gown that got lost in my ordeal should be good enough, they are travelling clothes... I shouldn't have to wear them on stage, just be at hand for when I flee. Feel free to find something distracting of your own, and a hooded cloak over them... How else can we play at being it being you there? ... I also have to get a better look at you, Azara, one your mother would surely have. The longer this little play is distracting her, the easier your thing will be with your help. Oh, and by the way, I heard there is possibly to raise the dead, so maybe you can bring him back? If you get it done fast, he could be another surprise.... And of course if you can not do that, animating his body, or just putting someone else as him... even an illusion... could serve us right."

The half-elf was having serious doubts about the plan, some even about Azara, but if she wanted to get away, there wouldn't be another chance if they wanted to kill her. Shuddering at the rape on stage idea, that one she could at least offer up to her patron, and who knows, maybe she would even like it, like she was this contraption and torture... Azara definitely wasn't too heavy handed with it.
 
"Platinum coins." Azara raises her eyebrows thoughtfully. "They're not commonly used, but I can access some. I'll provide gold and platinum both.

"Clothing is no trouble. We have everything you had when you were captured, and can provide a cloak. If you don't want them on stage, I will arrange for it to be nearby, but there is the risk you will be unable to retrieve it as you flee. The people of Ossimar think of you as your enemy. You must assume everyone you see is against you, so don't dally in leaving the city.

"I cannot raise my brother before your execution tomorrow." Azara goes quiet and sighs morosely. "There is no one in the city strong enough in that magic. Even if there were, they would not act against her. She must die before he can live again. But an illusion may be possible. That would give her pause."

She cocks her head to the side slightly, giving Zeona a probing look. "What do you mean, a better look at me?"
 
"As naked as I would be... or as I am now. After all, if I want to capture the Matron Mother's attention, there should be flawless copy of you being there in place of the 'enemy of people of Ossimar'... Get that mage who put up that false picture of me to show it again with a little more exaggerated, to make the difference all the more evident... I can provide that outlook too, maybe my real one will be less obvious." Zeona counted on making a distinct enough difference between the hated idea and her fleeing self so no one would give her a pause after she duck out of sight.

"If it counts for anything I can retell the truth to how it happened, if you get someone here who can cast a spell you will believe. I wanted to offer all the help to your family to get the real killers, but as it seems your mother stands behind it all, I give this to you, if you want to." the half-elf offered, thinking how one step further would be something out of stories she read about far away places. But no, she wouldn't offer to be the dead's wife, just to accompany him on his way to the afterlife... nor did she wanted to be the slave of his in the other side. Still hoping to have the interesting young man back in life for his sister's sake, Zeona wasn't feeling ready for marriage.
 
Azara hesitates. "My mother has not seen see naked for years - nor anyone else in this city. But...no, of course. We must leave as little as possible to chance."

She flushes red and avoids eye contact with Zeona as her slightly shaking hands move to undo her robe. After a moment, she pulls it aside and lets it drop off her shoulders to the floor. She wears nothing underneath. She has little to no muscle tone, but is slim, all gentle curves. Her skin is milky pale, her pink nipples distinctive and visibly stiffening in the open air. Her pubes are neatly trimmed - unusual for a red wizard, who typically shave their entire bodies.

"Is this...enough?" Azara lifts her arms above her head and blushes beet red. "No...obviously. Sorry."

She turns around to give Zeona a look at her back. "Anyway," she says, her voice quavering, "y-yes. Tell me what happened. No spells necessary. And, while you're at it, tell me exactly what you plan for tomorrow, just so I know we're in agreement."
 
Eyeing the naked woman Zeona hums a little, trying to put what she is seeing to memory. "Do you have any birthmarks? ... Does anyone know you did not bother to shave? But it would be obvious because of your hair... Thank you the opportunity to see... I wouldn't mind able to touch either." the half elf slyly tried to make Azara think about it and at least blush more and be bothered about it, or who knows, maybe flush and be curious about how that would feel...

"When I was introduced to the room, and walked in with my entourage, I overheard something from above. It was Lord Kandik, as later I realized, and your mother....
"Must I stay the entire night, mother? What's the point of talking with these people? Look at them. Look at their empty eyes. Half of them are already drunk."
"There's more out there in the world than your studies, Kandik. Maybe you'll even meet a girl. You can't just sleep with the servants forever."
"Can't you just arrange a marriage for me? My experiments - "
"Are already being taken care of. Go, Kandik. Do it for me. I promise, you won't be missed."​
So of course I tried to welcome him when he came down with a lift of my first glass to the success of his experiments, before disappearing into the crowd, you know, just to make it more interesting for him. Now, as I try to remember, I realize that while my girls was conversing mostly with others of their position or lower, Safira chatted with a very interested looking young noble man dressed in Sembian fashion. Hm. Anyway, it was several minutes before who was introduced as your brother managed to catch up with me and say hello, asking for a dance that just started. I liked his smile... Of course, it is always a honor to dance with the host ... even more so if he looks like a prince. I said that too, trying to keep his attention away from my meager dancing skills... Then we danced and conversed, he spoke about his studies, and how even his clothes was chosen by his mother, and that he knew that she was working with foreigners to set all of it up including the arrangements... It is really unfortunate that his divinations did not spoke to him about what would follow. By the way, maybe they did. You should check his notes or journal, he must have kept some notes for himself, even if his tutor could know something too. ... He kept monologuing, getting more and more inebriated. That must be why he grabbed my derriere, which earned him a light slap. I also left him there at the focus of the crowd, leaving the parket, but wanted to turn back for him on the side... But that is when he was shot in the neck. Must have been to stop him from casting or shouting... the next arrow got him in the back. And a dozen or so more starting hitting people all around. I went to the floor too, trying to get close to him, to see if I could help, but it was no use. My dear Carran came for me to protect and get me to safety."

Zeona's eyes glass over with the bad memory, her voice turns monotone as she sags in her manacles. "Sara, lying on the floor with an arrow sticking out of her ribs, calling out for us... Carran urging me towards the door none the less... A woman stepping into view on the second floor, overlooking the door, resting her hands on the banister. "Stop!" she commands, her voice authoritative. Carran stops, staring up at her... It was some kind of magic." Zeona shakes her head, trying to clear her mind. "She commanded her to kneel, and Carran fallen to her knees, the shield falling with her, as the attackers started spreading out the ballroom itself. They killed her and Sara too. Caught Minara and made her kneel next to the half-elf boy who was manning the door. Then Safira came forward and made it obvious she was with the attackers, and not just some henchwoman either. She stopped them taking advantage of their upper hand over me, shouting that nobody would be paid if I wasn't still a virgin when they got me where they wanted to take me. Of course I fled when I could, and was trying to leave the city, after it became obvious they made me the main enemy." She does not say that it was the Matron Mother or not orchestrating the capture, but it definitely wasn't Safira up on the balcony.

Zeona is too lost in the past and the horrific memories to think and speak of the future or any kind of plan.
 
"Birthmarks?" Azara sighs testily, flushing deeper. "I'm already naked. What you see is what you have. And it's not that I don't bother! ...I just like my hair. My mother is Thayan, but I was born here on the Sword Coast. Anyway, no one knows besides my handmaidens, but that's enough."

She gives Zeona an annoyed look. "How could you touch? You're chained up. I'm supposed to be torturing you, remember." Suddenly reminded, she puts her foot on the pedal and pushes the dildo into Zeona, though not harshly.

She keeps pumping the dildo as Zeona recounts her story, maintaining a steady and not unpleasant rhythm. It soon becomes clear that she's doing it without thinking, because Zeona's story makes her too angry to think about anything else. Embarassment over her nakedness disappears; her flushed cheeks remained, but it's clearly the result of burning fury.

"It's not enough that she killed him," she mutters. "She had to mock him! You won't be missed, she said. She's wrong and she'll die for it. Shot in the neck...the cowards. Craven, clever cowards."

She takes a deep, slow breath to calm herself...slightly. "I don't know Safira or this Sembian. They may be involved with the Waterdhavian. As for my mother, I'm sure she wasn't there for the massacre. She doesn't do her own work anymore. She's old and out of practice, which is the only reason we have a chance. She's still an elite wizard - strong enough to conquer this city decades ago. The same for her personal bodyguard. Some of the family guard is loyal to me, but he answers only to her.

"Here's my plan. We have to convince the crowd that my mother must die. If you can disguise yourself as me, then we can pretend she is disguised as well, and trying to kill the Charr family. In the confusion, we can launch a surprise attack on my mother and her bodyguard, and you can slip away. You must get away unnoticed so that no one can tell that you aren't actually me. Do you understand so far?"
 
"If only..."Zeona murmured when Azara flushed, making her eyes follow the reddening of skin spreading on the speaking woman. "Oh, I could find a way if you would step closer, my tongue is very agile..." she teased, but then the restarting of the dildos helped her focus on her story. While her mind was away in the past as she retold what happened, her body shook with the opposing sensations and feelings, the only common ground being the heat that burned with the various sources of fire - making her flushed and ready for anything, reaching for the fires that was hotter than the material plane, to the fires of hell that could stroke lust, hate, and burn the very soul to cinders...

Then Azara's 'plan' helped Zeona focus on something else than the past and present, planning for the future. "I can look like you, maybe even act like you, but I do not know your words and what would you say. Care to coach me, Azara? Or instruct me to what is to your liking? But come closer, better nobody hears your full plan just I... Come, sit on my lap, it would be torture to feel you and not able to touch with my hands..."

Zeona tried to invoke her Patron mistress with her thoughts, hoping that Azara would get close enough to embrace with the otherwordly leathery wings of lust for revenge. She knew that her meager new knowledge and few magic tricks wouldn't make it possible to do the get away unnoticed part without some serious luck or help.
 
Azara hesitates, shocked out of her anger, then blushes deeper and looks away. "Save your tongue. You'll need all its agility tomorrow."

She crosses her arms over her chest. "I can't teach you all my words in the time I have. I can't stay for long - I shouldn't even be here. Best you say as little as possible. But it must be enough to convince the crowd..." She sighs. "I've never had my mother's skill with words. What do we tell them?"

If you want to persuade Azara to do get closer or do anything else in particular, please roll Persuasion. If you have any other abilities that can help, go ahead! Be creative!
 
"I won't loose my tongue, but if you rather let loose my arms..." Zeona looked at Azara with lustful eyes, her body covered with a sheen of perspiration as her various arousal turned to more than pleasure. It was her imagination or supernatural reality, but she felt almost like back in hell with her Patron watching them - and Zeona wanted to please both so badly she squirmed on the two wooden dildo in her bondage. "I shouldn't be here either, but at least I got to meet you and this wondrous torture..." she licked her lips and almost willed her captor to step closer.

"Tell them the truth. Our love and lust for your brother, his coming of age to take over from your mother, and her being jealous. Also, her being zealous in following Thay's orders for the city, to put all of them in chains of slavery in life and death... for money and power of course. Or at least in bondage like she would put her own daughter, aka me... She would have to make a show of ordering them to rape me of course before that. Showing off the animated body of your poor brother wouldn't hurt either, I hope that he would still want to come back in his raising after that..."

Persuasion: 19
Nothing else without Somatic component...
 
Azara eyes Zeona's arms for a long moment, then shakes her head. "No - not your arms. It's too dangerous. I don't know the knots, and if the guards realized I loosed you...even for a moment..."

She closes her eyes, then steps forward and gently cups the side of Zeona's face with one hand. "I'm sorry. You don't deserve this. If I could ease your suffering..." Her eyes drift down Zeona's body to the dildo lodged inside of her. "...even if this torture is wondrous for you."

She frowns. "I don't think that plan would work. The people are loyal to my mother, not to me or my brother or the system. She pays her enforcers well - almost all of them are mercenaries from elsewhere, without ties to this land. The rest of the people fear her. They wouldn't turn against her for love of my brother, nor me.

"But you have an outsider's perspective. Do you see something that I don't?"
 
"Would be better if it was just about the two of us, then I wouldn't mind your attention even like this..." Zeona leans her head into the hand cupping her face, then sighs.

"Unfortunately I do not see what your Matron gets out of this, as neither of you two seems like a danger to her power... Do she have a favorite third child? Or a promise to some power so she would need to have the heavy lead in the city? I did not hear about a husband, so I imagine she is the lawful ruler of the land at this time?" the half elf prisoner tried to wriggle closer to the hot naked body standing there, nuzzling and kissing the hand, arm, and maybe would be able reach something else...

"A loving mother would be still in power, so there is something else in play seeing that she killed him and you plan against her... Are you sure she is who she says she is? Didn't she change in her demeanor or methods some time back?"
 
Azara studies Zeona for a moment, then takes a half-step back and puts a foot on one pedal, pushing the dildo into Zeona. "I'm afraid you're not my type. But you're welcome to enjoy my attention."

The hand on Zeona's cheek trails down the side of her neck to one breast. Her thumb brushes back and forth over a nipple as her foot continues to work the dildo. "I do have another brother, but not in the city. He wanders far north from here, seeking secrets in Icewind Dale." She gives a bitter smirk. "I thought he was foolish to go, but it seems I was wrong. He'll be safer there than here.

"I can't see into my mother's mind...but I think I know her reasons. She wants us to be her legacy, and my brother never could. He was intelligent - brilliant - in magic, but he lacked her political hunger. Or cold-bloodedness. He was not...useful for her." She sighs angrily through her nose. "But I am more like my mother, enough to know how she thinks. I don't know what she's planning, but she probably needs justification for it - like an attack on her family, in her city. She may specifically want reason to retaliate against Cormyr, which gives you more reason to help me."

She puts a finger to the side of her jaw, thoughtfully. "There may be another reason. I know little of demonology, but I've seen hints of it around the manor...I know they trade in concepts. The betrayal itself may have bought her power."
 
Gritting her teeth, Zeona hissed in disappointment, but tried to disguise it as her reaction to the dildo. "If she has plans against Cormyr, she would loose, as would her demons... Unfortunately for the whole city and your family, there is no winning if she tries either one... You would be safer to disappear too, as you said you can't really win against her... if you are not becoming what she wanted you to become... And what kind of man is your type then, Azara?"

Gasping a little and crying out in utter hopelessness, Zeona shuddered as she tried to shake off the manacles of the situation from her soul, emotions and mind - even if she could not free her body after all. "Give me a name, Azara, who is your mother's intended patron? ... Would you be amicable making your own deal with an otherworldly force to help against her? ... That would be more betrayal after all... Unless you are ready to do some closer deals with someone who is not necessary your type... even if there are possible surprises for you later."

The half-elf intended to do some scheming in the background, even trying to get something going behind the prime material plane, if she could...
 
"Not open war with Cormyr," Azara says thoughtfully. She grabs Zeona's other breast with her free hand, squeezing them both gently but firmly. Zeona feels the dildo push deeply into her as Azara pinches her nipples between thumb and forefinger. "She has only a city on the far side of Faerûn. But I know she resents your kingdom, almost as much as she does Szass Tam himself. She wouldn't waste the chance to leverage this against you."

She leans forward and slips a hand downward over Zeona's belly and waist until her fingers probe tantalizingly close to Zeona's clit. She presses into the skin just above for a moment before her fingers split, tracing down on each side of Zeona's vagina, squeezing her on the dildo.

"Know this," she whispers. "My mother is powerful, but not invincible. With my allies and surprise, we can kill her, but I need you to make her vulnerable. That way I keep this city - perhaps even revive my brother, as you've said. Don't you want that? To slay a red wizard and enemy of Cormyr?"

One foot shifts to another pedal, and Zeona feels the dildo against her ass press more insistently against her, though not pushing inside. "As for my taste in men? One not of the nine Hells. I'm in no hurry to sell my soul. It would only trade one sword over my head for another." She shakes her head. "I know nothing of fiends anyway, even of whatever my mother deals with - if anything."
 
Biting her lips and pushing herself into the caressing hands, Zeona shuddered with her building pleasure. Panting and looking at Azara with lust, she lazily replies "I am not a killer, wouldn't want anyone dead who is not wanting to kill me or my loved ones... But the law of the land should come for evildoers... Just have no idea about the law of this land." trembling on the edge, she pushed her ass against the prodding other dildo as much as she could.

"It would take me some time and experience to be the perfect lover to you, Mistress Azara, but I hope we will have time to explore the possibilities together now and later... I would do everything in my power to distract whoever you say, just have no idea how how else I could do that than like this... Are you distracted enough, Azara?" Zeona focused on forming the words, whispering back, while she tried to keep herself on the edge of the coming wave of pleasure, wanting to give the other young woman the pleasure to be the one pushing her over with her next move - or to keep her on the edge if she wanted to.
 
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