Chapter #3A Welcoming Party From the Party Of Unwelcomed by: Biff Studwell   As the guildmaster passes through you catch glimpses of many parties at different tables. Some are seen discussing plans, others enjoying food and drink, and even a few take note of you as they greet the guildmaster. After several tables you keep expecting one of them to be the group that showed interest in your abilities. Surely every team would be in need of a healer, right? You crane your head up at the woman holding you in the palm of her hand. "Wow, this sure is a big guild huh?" you say, trying to shake off your sudden unease of the situation. She glaces down at you and with a a wry smile says "I'm sure to you most guild halls would seem quite spacious, hm? But yes, we are one of the more extensive guilds in the land with nearly a thousand to our name." She looked ahead as she continued, nearing the end of hallway. "And yet, when your application came in there was only one group with a particular interest in you." Her face stiffened a bit "Just so you know, there won't be any consequences for you should this group end up being a bad fit. They've had many a healer part ways in the past. Although in your case it might prove more difficult to find a replacement party, the option is always there." A twinge of fear now crept down your back as those words sunk in. Several healers? What do you mean no one else was interested in your abilities? And most of all: what kind of group was she now taking you too at the end of this dimly lit hallways with scarce few parties in sight?
As you approach the lone table at the end of the hall you can hear a few voices chatting, and the sound of a lyre being tuned. The low lighting shows you only silhouettes from here, but one thing's for sure: one of them seems massive, and the other incredibly short, perhaps a gnome? Sighing, the guildmaster waves her hand and the lantern at the end of the hall magically ignites, seemingly startling the women sitting there. "You're aware glooming in the dark won't make you more popular among fellow guildmates, correct?" The woman tuning her lyre, who you can now see is leaning back in her chair, shoots a cross glance at the guildmaster "I happen to like glooming, thank you" The guildmaster pays her no mind as she sets you down on the table "This is the our healer, his credentials are quite extensive so I'm sure he'll be very useful to you. Just please be on your best behavior with him, it really is a headache cycling through so many healers for one party." And with that she swiftly strides away, leaving you stranded on the table with four unfamiliar women.
You now have a very good look at everyone present, although with the four of them surrounding you you find it hard to focus on many at once. You hear a scoff from the woman tuning her instrument "As if anyone else would want a healer that you'd lose track of in battle" As you looked her over in the brighter light you could see she was a human, particularly pale and somewhat slender with shoulder length dark hair. She wore a long black dress with a surprisingly low cut, exposing much of her egregiously ample breast as they swayed with her chair's slow rocking. Seemingly one with her lyre she set it down and turned her attention to you. "So," she said yawning "How exactly is a pipsqueak like this supposed to keep us healthy in the thick of things?" It was hard to read her gaze upon you, she didn't seem disgusted but at the same time she was too focused on you for it to be disinterest. "Oh hush, you!" another much louder voice cheerfully exclaimed from behind you "I think he'll be a perfect fit four us! But oh dear, where are our manners."
Before you can turn around you feel a hand grasp you and quickly spin you around as you're brought directly to the face of a wide eyed grinning woman. She appeared to be elven ,with green eyes, blond hair in a very long ponytail alongside a darker skin tone. "Hi there! I'm Shalenna, sort of the head of this little group you're currently seated with. Y'know I guess we really don't have a, like, proper leader? Now that I think about it?" Her excited voice boomed around you, she spoke to you as if you were two tables across, her hot breath threatening to knock you back. You heard an sudden quiet "Eep!" from another part of the table "Uuuhh, Shalenna, please be careful! You might hurt him, he's just so small y'know?". The elf seemed to catch herself, although her voice did not lower much "Oh yeah, hehe, sorry little guy. Forgot you have tiny little ears and stuff. Well, I'm a paladin of the holy order of Hysisei! Pleased to meet you!" She extended a pinky to you, which you shake, and set you back down at the table. Getting a better look at her, you can tell she's pretty well built, but not as toned as you would expect, her outfit exposing her midriff. What you also notice is she has four cleared plates stacked up next to her, and is currently working on her fifth. As soon as she sets you down she grabs her spoon and continues digging into what appears to be chicken, mashed potatoes, corn, gravy, grapes and porridge all mixed into one horrific mess.
With her mouth still full she continues "Oh, the woman who spoke to you earlier, that's Delilah. She's our bard, she's really at playing magic to harm enemies and make them weaker!" Delilah, for her part, gives a nod and a smirk. "Best part of the job, if you ask me." she responds.
Shalenna noisily gulps her current mouthful before proceeding with introductions. "Oh! And speaking being of good with magic, Magoza here is like, super smart and knowledgeable about all sorts of magical stuff!" You turn and to your surprise you see an absolutely massive woman, clearly over 6 feet tall in a set of blue robes that hug tightly on her form, as if too small for her. You can tell she'd be what is commonly described as "pear shaped" with an absolutely gargantuan rear end and thighs, as well as a a fair bit of chub in her midsection. She sets her book down and you can not tell she's an orc, which explains her size as she looks at you with a shy smile. She sports a small pair what seem to be reading glasses, a very well kept short bob cut with bangs, and small tusks jutting up from her under bite "Oh dear, she talks me up too much. Don't let her fool you I do my best but, I think I'm only average compared to many of the others here... I'm only good with protection spells, that sort of thing." She looks away for a moment before bringing her attention to you "But you seem fascinating! I've never seen a human at your size before! Do you come from a long line of fairies? Oh, that might be too personal I'm sorry..." she says somehow blushing even deeper.
"Well, I suppose I should be glad I'm no longer be the shortest then" you hear a serene voice wash over you. As you turn to the source you see a goblin woman with long silky smooth flowing hair of silver. Wearing a red and revealing but flowing robes to match her hourglass figure, she appears to be sitting cross legged in her chair as she gives you a smile. "My name's Eldia dear, a practitioner in martial arts and the meditative arts. Commonly refereed to as a monk, although I tend to find that title a bit dismissive." She looks upon you and speaks with an absolute confidence that seems to put you at ease. Your moment of zen however is interrupted as Shalenna squawks "Yeah! She's like, really good at hitting stuff hard, probably better than me! And she doesn't even use weapons, I still can't figure that out.". Glancing back at Shalenna you can see her plate is finished as she crashes it on top of the others, patting her belly as she licks her lips. Eldia makes a mildly disgusted face "You'll get used to her dear, she has some wondrous advantages to have on a team, I can assure you."
As the rest of the party finish their meal they begin discussing their rooming situation. Delilah groans "Well, as of right now we're pretty broke so we'll need to take on another mission sometime soon. We've only got enough for one more night's stay for the four of us." She blinks before glancing at you "Oh. Right. There's five of us now. Who's gonna babysit our new healer?" Shalenna's eyes light up as she squeals "Please please please pleeeeaaase let me keep him! Oh my god he'd be so cute to cuddle up next to, and like I could tell him secrets and stuff! It would be so cute to give him a little kiss before drifting off to sleep or maybe just put him o-" Before she can continue rambling you hear Magoza slam her book shut "Absolutely not! K-knowing you you'd probably just end up eating him in your sleep or something, you're far too reckless to keep him safe!" Everyone at the table falls silent as Magoza's voice suddenly returns to her usual murmur "Well I mean, I know protection magics very well so I could enchant him to keep him safer at bed time... And y'know I have scrying magics so even if he does go missing I can immediately find him so I think it just makes the most logical sense? Her voice trailed off and she looked down blushing so heavily you could mistake her face for a tomato. "Hey, as long as it isn't me." Delilah mutters, seemingly already checked out of the conversation. "Now now, ladies," Eldia chimes "I think it's bets we let the little man decide himself. After all whoever he chooses he'll likely be getting to know pretty intimately, since we'd be sharing a bed."
"Now tell us, young healer: Who's room would you like to stay in tonight?"  indicates the next chapter needs to be written. |
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