Always Ascending

[Nihtgenga]

Retiaria frowned as she felt the cushion... kiss her? Then she mentally shrugged and wiggled her butt a little, getting comfy. She watched with curiosity as the drinks were made. Why all the steam?

"Thanks much. Hey, I've got some waterskins that need refilling, that gonna cost me something as well?" Taking the drinks, she flicked Lattisha a gold coin. Savouring the experience, she took a moment to close her eyes and just inhale the delicious aroma before sipping from her first cup.

[Dichotomy]

I feel keenly suspicious of this new place. "You all are just going to... drink a strange thing from someone you don't know?" I ask "After what we've all seen? Without seeing anyone else do it first?" I shake my head, checking the alterations I had done for myself "I mean, I'll be happy to write proper notes about whatever may happen to you, so I shouldn't complain but..." I shake my head "Any port in a storm I suppose."

[Alice]

THe woman smiles, "Please do remove them." Your not entirely sure if it's necessary of if she just likes the idea of you naked.. "So far as getting you down to size goes... I think we can manage that..75 gold and you can name your size!"

The drink is tasty, milky with a vanilla taste with an undertone of something bitter and sweet at the same time, slightly smoky but leaves you with a sense of fresh energy...

((yes.. you did just drink a fancy coffee))

[Roselli]

I put down my coin and take out a pint to fill with my own beer. I'm curious of the taste and will be a nice chaser for the whiskey.

I look at the woman, "back in the place where we started there was a woman who...she knew too much, like you seem too. She was with the Lady of Excess. You know anything about that?" I ask point blank feeling suspicious about this whole thing.

[Alice]

She just nods, "Oh yes, Amber Lemon.. She's such a sweet girl."

She walks back behind the counter, "Yes, I'm one of her servants. But.. The lady isn't your enemy." She rests against the counter, "Keep going up and you'll see. The higher up you go.. the more we'll be able to tell you."

[Roselli]

"What else can we do to curry her favor?" I ask curious of our options since we thought getting rid of the queen would do that.

"Also, could you help me out with this form?" I make a slimmer figure shape, "maybe keep beer from coming out of my tits."

[Ordos]

Naethra grumbled a little under her breath when Oric used her magic to tidy her up.  Doggy-Oric seemed... more cheerful.  She wasn't certain if that was a good thing.

And, sure enough, the door led the group to a new... well, shop.  She recalled the place where they left the dungeon, the woman she couldn't see.  From what she remembered the other people talk about, it sounded like that place was as fancy as well kept as this.

She wondered what she could see if she was still the unchanged tiefling she was two days ago.  The last place looked disused, abandoned, and more than a little spooky... what would this place look like?

She decided not to take a seat, instead standing towards the rear of the group, trying to look inconspicuous.  And she tried not to laugh when this strange woman said the Mistress of Excess wasn't their enemy.  She was able to get her reaction down to a brief, sharp exhale. 

Last time, the Lady had chided her for her suspicions.  Now that she could see the Lady's servants... she wanted, more than anything, not to. 

"Oh, we came across some poor woman who had run afoul of some ogres.  We saw her... sort of smushed into a bag of flour.  I think we still have the bag.  Is there anything you can do for her?" she asked, keeping her tone carefully neutral. 

[Alice]

She becomes animated, "You are all doing so well at doing that!"  She begins to pace. "Get stronger, climb higher, indulge your desires!" She looks you over, "Do you really want to give up anything you have right now?"

She takes a deep breath settling her self, "The woman is gone. When you are driven out of your will to fight, totally giving in, the lady takes you are delivers a reward to those who helped you on your way." She smiles, "So don't worry you wouldn't be eating a woman, just the prize you stole.. You didn't think those ogresses turned into coins you are thinking of spending right now did you?"

[darlingng01]

Oric:

I strip down and hand over my clothes to the woman, leaving myself completely in the nude... though the fur does help cover things a bit. "If you could also alter them to feel less weird with my fur that would be nice." I think about her offer to change my height "It's an interesting offer but I don't really mind trying out being tall. I'd just like to skip the learning curve of figuring out how to move if possible."

[Ryuforce]

Duran took her share and stuffed the obsidian gems into her pouch for now. Along with most of the money. However she made sure to take out 10 Gold pieces to put in her alms box for those in need or the nearest Aircame temple they find. Regardless when hearing the offer for that sweet smelling drink, Duran too gave away 5 SP to get herself a cup. Still as she sips and enjoys the rather sweet aroma and taste, Lou makes a valuable point about the willingness of them all taking a drink which made her think of the treats Amber gave them. The same one that made the dragonborn rather... fat for a while. Perhaps she should volunteer next time to try the wares out first before the rest of the group does. That way if it's got an ill effect, she'll be the one to endure it. That... and the weight wasn't all bad...

However as she heard Lattisha speak of the Lady her focus shifted and she clutched the tea cup tightly. That 'the Lady' was not their enemy yet there was several events up to this point that contradicts this. In fact, the reason she's been wanting to press forward is to some how make this Lady pay for putting them all in this mad realm in the first place. For what became of those who couldn't push as far as they did. For that temple display of the gods, she saw in the village. "Then... if she's not our enemy, what does she do to those who lose? Like the adventurer who was replaced with flour?" She asked quizzically but did not wait for an answer. "What about the fact that we seem to only be here because she forced us here... or what about how everyone who didn't make it this far either is helpless, taken, or nothing more then a mere farmer that's drained of their former self?" She tried to hold her cup steady in her hands as she looked down at the coffee-less mug. "And what of the idol of her's that shines brighter then all that symbolize the real gods? Is she so bold to think herself as high as them?" The dragonborn looked over to Lattisha, full of disbelief at the very notion of saying the Lady wasn't a possible enemy. "Because that sounds like blasphemy right there. Sorry, Miss Lattisha. But I'm finding it hard to believe she isn't an enemy."

[Ordos]

While Naethra shared much of Duran's sentiments for once, she decided to take a step further away from the dragon-born, hopefully out of the radius of divine/infernal/outsider smiting.

Still, Latisha had just given them their best insight into their for yet.  Their Lascivious Patron had been maddeningly vague on what, exactly, she wanted from them.  Apparently, she likes it when people have into their desires.

"Right now, my greatest desire is to be free of this place, and not being a plant would be a close second.  I don't suppose you have anything that can help with either of those?"

[darlingng01]

Oric:

I briefly contemplate buying a drink as well, but decide against it. how would I even drink it with a muzzle? I listen to Duran speak and contemplate her points "Considering the alternative is being ground into bone-dust by normal ogres I feel like that one adventurer probably ended up in a better situation. It's really unpleasant, they don't even always kill the person before they start." I shudder, remembering a particularly bold and stupid would be adventurer I once worked with. "As for the people who end up as farmers... farming is a normal profession. Plenty of people decide they'd rather make their own food and work the land than mess around with fighting monsters. I know I've considered retiring and becoming a farmer in the past. Never actually did it, but still." I don't mention that when I retire I want to set up a clothing store and make my own clothes. Because I totally don't. that's a dumb thing, why would I want that? Stupid brain. "As for the shrine... I doubt the gods would care much. their shrines are often no more than sticks and cloth cobbled together into their divine symbol. None of them promote the kind of excess that would encourage a shinning golden statue... except maybe Gilshar? I don't really know much about them though." The idea of her not being our enemy bumps around in my head a bit "She isn't our enemy, but she isn't our friend either. If I had to guess, she's not trying to be malicious, she just doesn't understand or care. You wouldn't say a windstorm is good or evil, it just happens. That was always the feeling I got when practitioner with the fey at least."

[Nihtgenga]

"You all are just going to... drink a strange thing from someone you don't know?
 After what we've all seen? Without seeing anyone else do it first?"

"Hey, last trader we found was fine." Retiaria replied, "And hey, someone's gotta be first, right?" Retiaria replied with a shrug.

She let out a little moan of pure joy as she drank the beverage. "Holy fuck, this is so good..."

"Yes, I'm one of her servants. But.. The lady isn't your enemy. Keep going up and you'll see. The higher up you go.. the more we'll be able to tell you."

"So who is she then? And why'd she bring us here? Like, why us out of all the people in the world?" Retiaria asked. "If you can't say I get it, but... anything you can tell us would be cool."

"And what of the idol of her's that shines brighter then all that symbolize the real gods? Is she so bold to think herself as high as them?"

"She may as well be, far as we're concerned..." Retiaria muttered.

Finishing her first cup, she eagerly got started on the second.

[Dichotomy]

I snort at the barista's cryptic answers "Not our enemy?" I shake my head, fidgeting to adjust my newly tailored underwear... I'm fairly certain I didn't do it quite right. "Perhaps not. I certainly don't assume the stable master thinks himself the enemy of the fresh stallions he captures and gelds." I blush and fidget... that analogy may be a bit too on the mark "The spurs only come out to help the horse know his place and his role- for his own good really, of course they're not enemies. Skill, ask the gelding for a different story."

That was good. A formal complaint lodged at least. I continue, unable to leave a good speech when it's finished. "The gelding was perfectly happy without the bridle, the ribbons-" I pluck at my simple dress, sending my breast jiggling "- and can't imagine why it's better off for knowing the finer points of dressage when all he were trying to do was learn how teleportation worked and..." I take a deep breath "That last was likely a bit too specific, but that's still the most generous interpretation of events I can manage... can you help me with some clothing that might actually fit, and support properly? Acknowledging of course the Sisyphean futility of such resizing. I tried it myself but I for whatever reason my knowledge of the finer workings of feminine undergarments isn't up to the task."

[Ryuforce]

While Oric did make a good point over the fact that whatever happens to the person is probably better then outright death. But, they still don't know what it is. Could it really be better? Or could it be worse. "Surely though, there's more to life then being either an adventurer or a farmer.. Yet those who find they can't be one are force to bew another? What of those who rather be clergy men or pastors? Or all ab out that technowhatever that had something to do with working machines? It didn't seem they got any choice but to live as farmers." She shakes her head, further explaining. "And it's not so much I think the gods have an issue with their symbols being made of stocks and stones but rather, that in the same shine, her's shines brightest. As if to mock the gods who saved our world."