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The Fall of Plaguestone (Lord_Red x ShadowPlay)

"I mean! Well... No," she admits, embarrassed. "I've not really seen anyone naked besides myself. I mean, sometimes when it's in the warmer months, some men go around without a shirt, but that doesn't really count, I think." Jennifer blushes a deeper red. "Elves aren't really different from humans anyway, right? I mean, you'd just look like me, but taller, really."
 
Mina was surprised about the girl's innocence and lack of experience. But she was such a cute girl and Mina tried to go easy on her. "Well. Most elves are more or less like humans in that regard. So in most ways I'm just like you. But I'm what you'd call a special girl." She explained. She was quite certain that she'd give Jennifer a heart attack, if she said that she had a cock hidden in her panties. If that was something that the young girl should learn about, then it would have to be revealed gently.

"But do you mean that you've never seen anyone naked? Not even other girls?" Mina was a little surprised. While she wasn't a sex fiend herself, she had had several lovers, both men, women and girls like herself and had seen plenty of naked skin, both on human partners as well as on elven partners.
 
"Uh... Um..." she stammers out. "No? It's just... It hasn't come up!"

Jennifer sighs. "I was focused on just getting by before Gunder took me in. I guess I kinda missed some of the fun parts of life."
 
Mina put a hand on Jennifer's shoulder and looked the girl in the eyes. "Don't worry girl. You are young and have all the opportunities in the world before you." Minathina didn't mention that she'd love to teach Jennifer a lot of things about naked people. Instead she added, "Well. If we stay together, I promise you that I'll give you a few pointers and help you."
 
"Thank you," Jennifer replies, still blushing, but looking her back in the eyes. "I... Uh... Do you think I'm pretty? Because you're tall and slender and your face is... I mean, you're pretty."
 
Mina gave Jennifer a sweet smile. "Don't worry girl. You are very pretty. I'd even say that you are cute, standing there getting all red in the face." She moved closer and whispered in her ear, "I bet a lot of guys... and girls would love to get to see you naked."
 
Jennifer's face goes from recovering a bit from her earlier blushing to a deep, full red. "I... Uh... Um..." she stammers out again, completely at a loss for words.
 
Around that moment the wagons rolled into town just a few hours before dusk. All of the wagons headed for the Feedmill, the only inn and tavern in the small community. Most of the simple wood-and-thatch homes in Etran's Folly looked identical to one another and were in a similar state of disrepair. A number of the houses clearly looked abandoned, their roofs collapsed.

As they passed through the middle of town, the wagons went around the ancient plaguestone, a large, flat, cylindrical rock standing 2 feet high, with a hole in its center and a bowl-shaped depression off to one side. When the plague ran rampant, the townsfolk left food for the sick in the bowl, while the sick left coins in the center hole (which was filled with vinegar to cleanse the coinage of contamination). Now, the stone was nothing more than a moss-covered relic.

Upon arrival at the inn, the teamsters secured the caravan for the night while Bort traveled around town to conduct business with the crafters and families that called Etran's Folly home.


Finally arriving, Mina had a few moments to redress her wounds. This time she healed the damage the wolves had done.

d20+7 = 23 - Medicine (DC 15) [ 2d8 = 13 ] HP healed
 
Quite happy to be done with the travelling, Jennifer sits in the tavern section of the inn/tavern and sees about getting a meal and something to drink.

"Nothing too strong to drink," she asks for. "I like to keep a clear head."
 
As Jennifer and Mina approached the tavern, the first local they met was the halfling woman, Edra Wythe. She was the stable hand at the Feedmill. She greeted them immediately began worrying about the condition of the horses. Mina tried to ensure Edra that the horses, while being scared by the wolves were alright.

Soon after, the two of them met Delma Fulst, the bartender of the tavern. She was a human and bid the two women welcome.

A man, that introduced himself as Kolnral, showed them to a table and said. "I'll bring something for you. And I think Amora is cooking something good for tonight."
 
"We kept them safe," Jennifer tells Edra. "Only person that got hurt was Mina."

With Delma and Kolnral, Jennifer gives them each a sincere smile. "Thank you for the warm welcome," she says.

As the two wait for their food and drink, she eyes some of the metalwork around the tavern, whether it be candlesticks, a chandelier, or anything else. Using what Gunder taught her, she appraises the quality and craftsmanship.
 
The place was run down. Almost everything in the tavern would have needed replacement or repairs several years ago. But still the people seemed content with the place.

A young human girl, perhaps 19 years old, brought them each a mug of light ale. "Here you go travelers." She said. "I'm Trin." She continued with a smile. "Where are you from?"
 
First taking a quick sip of ale, she tells Trin "I'm from Almas myself. Born there, raised there, and never left it much till recently. Went to Elidir, but it's... I mean, it's not Almas, but honestly, it's not that different. Big cities are big cities."

"This is a nice little town, though. Etran's not big, but it feels cozier than the city. Quieter," Jennifer continues, taking another sip. "What do you get up to here? Anything exciting?"
 
Trin was happy to have some young and interesting people to talk to. "That sounds so interesting. But this town is so boring. Nothing happens and there's really no future here. What are my prospects? Marrying my cousin, getting fat and old with eight creaming kids? No, I want to see the world, experience things, go on adventures, fight monsters. Just like the two of you." She said with a voice of longing.

Minathina shrugged, but smiled at the girl. "Well it's not that glamorous. I've only just recently traveled from Kyonin and today I got bit in the leg by a wolf. I can assure you that it hurt like hell. I was lucky that Jennifer was next to me. She fought the wolf with her bare hands and killed it."

If Mina's intention was to downplay their meager achievements, then it failed miserably. Trin sat with her mouth open and listened. "That is so cool! You killed a wolf with your bare hands? If only I could go on adventure and be a hero like the two of you..."
 
Jennifer blushes slightly at the praise. "I've... Got a knack for fighting. But it's practice and learning from the school of hard knocks," she says. "Trust me, Trin-violence isn't really that good. If you want more than the village life, maybe try learning to work as a scribe or something? That could get you out of here, without having to risk your life."
 
Trin kept going back to Jennifer and Mina, several times during the next hour. She wanted to hear more stories about their travels and adventures. And even though the two young women had little to share, Trin was taken by their fascinating lives.

In the early evening, Bort returned to the Feedmill and invited the Jennifer and Mina to supper. He had reserved a table upon the dais next to Flonk, the town's bard, who was tuning his instrument just as the meal is served.

The rest of the Feedmill was full of local farmers. Kolnral and Trin were serving the guests tonight, while Delma tended bar and Amora is busy in the kitchen. Phinick, the small goblin helper, could be seen doing odd jobs all over, but once dinner began, he spent most of his time helping Amora in the kitchen. By the time dinner started, Sir Lawren, an old drunken ex-paladin was deep into his cups, leaning back dangerously in his chair, while Farmer Eallom was busy gambling and getting drunk with Olf and Ulf, the two teamsters from the caravan. As the first dishes came out (wild game and roasted turnips with a side of burnt seed cake, coupled with watery turnip ale), Bort was busy asking Jennifer and Mina where they were from and where they were going, and telling some of his fabulous tales.
 
Jennifer shares some of her more recent stories, but stays mum about her earlier life. She doesn't want to dwell or kill the mood with her rough childhood.

To Bort, she tells him of her plans to return to Gunder. "I went to Elidir, but it's all just the same as Almas," she says, "so I might as well go where I've got friends. But you were telling us about your last trip? Or was it the one before that?"

As Flonk's music starts, Jennifer finds her tapping her feet in rhythm with the sounds. She gets up after getting some food inside her, and starts to dance. "Come on! It's a good day, let's have some fun!"
She's had some drinks and is feeling just a touch tipsy, making her normally graceful movements a little slow and clumsy, but she's enthusiastic at least.

Rolled a 9 total in the room for dancing.
 
Jennifer got up to dance a little, however the alcohol on the unaccustomed young woman, didn't help her coordinate her movements.

Toward the end of the meal, just as a dessert of warm turnip porridge was being served, Kolnral accidentally bumps into Farmer Eallom as he was sitting down with another ale, causing the farmer to spill all over himself. Eallom stood up and started yelling at poor Kolnral.
 
"Hey! Hey!" Jennifer moves over to Eallom. "It was an accident! I'm sure Kolnral will help you clean up and apologize, but don't be an ass!"

If possible, she moves in between the two men, making sure that no one throws a punch or anything.
 
Eallom was about to swing an arm at Kolnral when Jennifer stepped in between the men. The injection of a tiny woman to the fray, served to help disarm the situation. Instead of punching Eallom began cursing at Kolnral and the other returned the curses. That caused several others to stand and begin shouting. Soon the whole room was arguing and shouting. Bort also tried to calm the angry farmers in the bar. He stood on a chair but was soon pushed by a nearby bystander, sending him tumbling on the floor.

Pushing and shoving was ensured, but no one seemed to start punching hard or using weapons to fight each other, at least not yet.
 
"Gods above," she mutters to herself. "Men."

She moves her way to the edge of the room, and just watches. As-is, she's not very interested in a barfight. If someone throws some punches, she'll still sit it out, but if anyone pulls a weapon, she'll move to intercept before anyone gets REALLY hurt.
 
Mina sat close to Jennifer. She rolled her eyes, "Yeah! Men." She said as she ducked a mug flying through the air. "I'm not getting into this, but you were quite brave, trying to calm them down." She told Jennifer as the barroom broke out into full on brawl. Luckily they fighters only used their fists to try pummeling each other.

A few minutes after the fight broke loose, Delma - who apparantly had left the bar - returned with Rolth Garley, the town's sheriff. The gruff sheriff took all the offending farmers to a table in the corner for a stern talking to.
 
"It's over, finally," Jennifer says. "And did you see their technique? Bloody awful-they'd be lucky to knock a kitten out with punches like that."

She yawns, and absentmindedly leans against Mina's body. Perhaps it's the alcohol making her talk, but... "You're really warm. And you smell nice."
 
Mina put a slender arm around the young woman. "And you are really soft." She whispered. She stroked Jennifer's back and enjoyed the closeness. Mina couldn't help but feel a stirring in her loins at the closeness of the beautiful woman.

The barroom had gotten a lot more quiet and people were returning to their tables. Bort waved at the two women, "Oi, lasses. Come join me for some dinner. I promised you a good meal once we arrived."

Dessert was about to be served before the fight began, and Bort proclaimed to all that the turnip porridge here was his favorite, which explained the extra large bowl of it sitting before him.
 
With a little giggle, Jennifer stands and heads for the table with Bort. "Thank you, Bort. We appreciate the kindness."

Her stomach full and her body warm, she gives another yawn and a big stretch. "How much do rooms cost for the night?"
 
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