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[thcdoomed]

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|| @fiendrites

Thank you so much, friend! This really warmed my heart! Right back at you.

[thcdoomed]

It's the first time since Karlach left for Avernus that Dronia sleeps peacefully. No nightmares, no twisted faces of the dead, no visions of herself losing control to her dhampirism. Just warmth and peace in the loving embrace of the woman she'd thought about constantly since they parted. The woman she loves. Here she feels calm enough to not even dream at all. A better rest she hasn't had in months.

And she looks forward to many more sleeps like this, where she can rest her body and mind and not think of the horrors of the past year.

Her sleep was framed by the gentle hum of Karlach slowly dying off and the sunlight creeping through the small parting of the tent flaps. The bustle of the others outside getting ready to start their day slowly awakens her, red eyes creaking open. It's rare that she's not the first one up. One of the first things she notices is the welcoming warmth of Karlach's skin against her cheek, the second is how her back no longer aches, she feels refreshed. Rejuvenated.

She's not even mad that Karlach didn't wake her up like she said she would, why would she be? The poor woman probably needed a good rest as much as she had. Instead, she smiles, leaning up to press a gentle kiss against her lips. "You look so peaceful when you sleep, you know." She whispers.

to be quite fair , there is no 'residing' there. there is only a innate and vicious need for survival. sometimes there's moments that don't feel like you're always fighting day to day , but she only got those moments because she was zariel's pet. in a chaotic pub , surrounded by shrieking creatures.

after everything they've fought to get here ... and this is the last thing. the last thing before peace could be an option.

karlach's long fingers find dronia's hair and run through it , she picks up a very soft hum of an old tune her mother used to hum just as well. it always seemed to comfort her and most of the time when she does it , it's subconscious. just a happy , little memory that picks itself up as a happy reminder.

she said she'd wake dronia up , but if they were to be honest , they had to have both known that karlach would also drift to sleep. and it didn't ... even particularly take long either.

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Dronia is certain she's not the fastest thing in the land, not by a long shot, but she can outrun any human on a good day. A talent she didn't have until a few months ago, one of the odd boons gifted to her by her curse. Her swiftness and ability to traverse any terrain she encounters works to her advantage here, moving deftly through the uneven surface of the forest floor while keeping a good hold on the Goddess across her shoulders.

"I am obligated to keep those I care about safe. I failed once, I will not fail again." It is a foolish promise, she can't save everyone, but by the Gods, she will die trying if she must. She owes Winterdale as much. "You're too strong to die here, Artemis." And she means it, this is a Goddess, and while Goddesses have died in the past, Dronia will not allow Artemis to perish on her watch.

Dronia pivots at the tap, barely losing balance or speed as she redirects to follow the yellow markings. Her eyes seeing things in the dark her human-self never would have. "Black waterfall, got it." It doesn't take too much longer until she can see it in the distance. "There it is, just hold on!" Upon reaching the bank of the water, she gently lowers Artemis to the ground.

Dronia has her over her shoulders much like a sack of flour. It would be comedic in any other situation, what with the sheer height of the Goddess hefted over the broad curve of the other woman. The breath is stolen from her when they begin to move--faster than she had expected to be sure. Flora and fauna blur in the limited vision she has at the angle she is held.

"Do not make such foolish promises," Artemis retorts, the wheeze apparent in her voice as warm gold continues to seep from the wound and onto Dronia. "There will be no need," she says quieter, but even she does not sound so certain. She gives up on holding herself up and simply keeps her arms against Dronia's back to avoid bumping against her in their movements.

They blur past an oddly-marked tree in the depths of the forest and Artemis taps Dronia on her back. "Go northwest, follow the yellow markings upon the trees--you will come upon a black waterfall," Artemis calls out, coughing through her words. "Drop me there."

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small small small little lore change but I realized I've been doing it more out of habit but Winter Dale is now going to be spelled like the rest of the Dales as Winterdale. It's been bothering me for a while so now I'm just going forward with it as one word from now on.

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also, i'll be doing replies tomorrow morning, I'm tired tonight.

[thcdoomed]

KISS ME .. an assortment of kissing prompts .

sharing a kiss while sitting by a campfire.

a kiss that leaves behind lipstick marks.

a kiss given between ocean waves.

kissing your lover because you believe you're going to die.

kissing the tears that roll down your lover's cheeks.

a kiss while being held bridal style.

a playful kiss given between laughter.

finally kissing the friend you've been yearning for.

kissing your enemy while holding them at knife point.

a kiss in the aftermath of a fight.

forbidden lovers sharing a kiss in the shadows.

kissing down your lover's body.

kissing at a crowded party.

a kiss shared against a tree.

a kiss to end sexual tension.

kissing to pretend that you are in a relationship together.

a kiss to prove you no longer have feelings for your lover.

a kiss shared to make someone else jealous.

a kiss that leads to undressing each other.

a kiss to say goodbye.

kisses against a wound.

a kiss to the forehead, meant to soothe.

a kiss to the neck from behind.

an 'i love you but i can't be with you' kiss.

an 'i'm in love with someone else, but you're here' kiss.

passionate kisses that end in ripped clothing.

an 'i forgive you' kiss.

a kiss shared at a masquerade ball.

your lover going to walk away, but you grab them and pull them back in for a kiss before they go.

a kiss shared underneath fireworks.

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I'll be on in a bit. just kind of chilling right now, enjoying my evening.

[thcdoomed]

"Ah, Waterdeep. I wish to travel there someday, my mother was Waterdavian. Moving out to the Dales with my father was probably very jarring for her." From all she heard from Gale about the city, it was impressive, and maybe a bit too large for her liking. She prefers small towns to cities and woodlands to small towns. Typical ranger, she was in that regard.

The Dales were a mixed bag of folks. Winterdale shared many similarities with Daggerdale, for instance, but her people were much more welcoming than they were. They had their reasons to be wary of outsiders and stuck to themselves, while Winterdale welcomed travelers who had often wandered in from the dangers of the woods.

"It did. My father took me hunting in those woods, we've hunted the spiders there for generations. It's how we made our money, selling the parts to spellcasters. When I grew older, I took over operations and also acted as a guide through the woods and the mountain pass of the Desert Mouth." An interesting childhood indeed. "Truly. I just hope I can set the less acclimated at ease, nature can be a beast, but there is so much beauty and serenity here too. You just need to know where to look."

. "She married a woman that came from Waterdeep for healing a few years ago. Some self-important scholar that had her charms." He liked scholars, generally. Those who sought knowledge tended to earn his favor- but there was an arrogance to the woman that he remembered. Comparing to Gale, Halsin wondered if Waterdeep wasn't simply full of those types- affable, but self-aggrandizing.

He probed his memories for the Dalelands- fits and spurts of greenery and small villages filled with timid people flitted between thoughts of the fauna that littered the Dalelands comfortably. It fit her, in a way.

"Ah, Spiderhaunt Wood, that I can remember. I imagine it made for an interesting childhood growing near there." He grinned as she spoke of the beauty of nature. Now that he could effortlessly agree on. "It seems easy for some, for the rest of us, I don't think there is a time nature cannot outdo itself. There is worth and beauty in every acorn and blade of grass."

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She remembers dancing, those carefree nights at the festivals to Mielikki, as the lutenist and flautist played their hearts out. In some ways, Dronia had envied the musicians. Her childhood was spent with a head full of whimsy, wondering what it would be like to be a bard or a wizard instead of a ranger like her father was raising her to be. She doesn't regret her path in life, but sometimes she dreamt of another. The music simply takes her back to those more simple times, and she starts to forget what no longer is.

They do make for an interesting pair. An older Goddess of the hunt, and the dhampir who led a small army to victory in Baldur's Gate, saving Faerûn while struggling with her own demons. Not quite the venerated hero others saw her as, but she would never argue with them. They do remain the two most powerful beings in the room and a part of her wonders if the other revelers have any inkling of that.

She's loosening up, remembering the old moves of more traditional caroles, keeping in step with Artemis. She is a fast learner and a quick study after all. The initial panic starts to subside and she can actually enjoy herself.

Until she remembers the next part of the carole, two other dancers interrupt them to take a few spins in the circle dance and Dronia nearly yelps in surprise. This is different than dances with Artemis or her old village, these were strangers, even if well-meaning. When they are released back to one another, Dronia can feel the flush clear across her face.

Dronia falls back into step with Artemis, lacking her usual grace for a moment. "I haven't danced this carole in some time. I forgot about that part."

The Goddess is an uncaring spirit in the middle of the room. The music overtakes her body and fuels the energy moving all of her muscles at once. No one was capable as she at losing themselves to the flow of music, a symphony of sound wrapping around her senses and temporarily drowning out the cacophony of the world at large. For all the things she held domain over, one of the least known would be the art of dance.

Of course, she still remembered Dronia, who she had dragged out with her. This unlikely companion of hers on their travels, a Goddess relatively unknown nowadays and a venerated heroine throughout all of the land. What a pair they made! And what hidden power they carried between the two of them.

Artemis cannot help but smile widely as they jaunt about on the dance floor. She flickers her gaze between Dronia's red eyes and the pacing of her feet, matching them up so that she could predict what moves the Dhamphir would think to pull out next.

It is not until two other villagers pull them apart to spin them round once or twice that the Goddess is taken by surprise. She laughs, loudly over the music, looking over at Dronia while they narrowly missed each other once--and then were released, stumbling directly into one another with the momentum.

"Sorry!" Artemis shouts above the din. She grabs hold of Dronia's shoulder for a moment to steady them from the unexpected movement.

[thcdoomed]

there is so much intimacy in creating something together

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I'll try to get replies tonight, but it's also my friend's stream night and I gotta mod for them. So if I don't get anything tonight, it'll happen tomorrow. Just clear it all out.

[thcdoomed]

"The compensation is getting these damn tadpoles out of our heads. We all benefit from that." However, the idea of monetary compensation was tempting, if only because without a home, she no longer had work. Winter Dale was obliterated and it was one of the entrances to the Spiderhaunt and the meeting point with the Desert Mouth Mountains. And while their group was... complicated, they weren't the worst people she's had to lead. She took a group of nobles through the Spiderhaunt who wanted the experience and the damned fools nearly got themselves killed because they couldn't listen to her guidance.

"I do enjoy your company, but I try not to let bias shape my statements. I am not known to lie." Withhold, certainly, and maybe fudge how she's feeling deep down, but not about other people, only herself. Dronia just had to gauge every situation as they came. Make sure that they don't have too much on their plate. And she couldn't have two groups doing things, that would leave everyone tired and the camp vulnerable. She just had to be strategic in her planning.

"Maybe I need to be kept on my toes, can't get too complacent at camp." They had to be on their guard anyway. So many strange going-ons, far more than what seemed normal in this region. But she was an outsider (though less than Lae'zel was), so it was all speculation on her part. "But a good ranger is always prepared for whatever comes their way." She said confidently as she followed Shadowheart through the parting and headed for her tent.

Dronia quirked a brow, "You're in good standing right now. I'd like to have you by my side tomorrow regardless, your talents will come in handy." She suspected any fight that could break out there would be a dangerous one, healing would be of great help. "I would never actively encourage such behavior... but I will look away and act as if I hadn't seen it." She had her own grief with Selûne, given the massacre of her people happened under the moon's watchful gaze. She felt any guidance from her had long since left.

"Definitely a step up from safety guiding. If only we'd be able to compensate you in some way," said Shadowheart in wonderment. She should be paid ... having to deal with some of the people they have to talk to. Not to mention that Dronia seemed rather ... good-natured, if secretive like she was. There were definitely things Shadowheart wished to uncover but she'd respect her space just like Dronia was respecting hers.

"I have a feeling you're a bit biased in that you seem to enjoy my company ... if I'm not mistaken. The others ... are more resolutely aligned in what they believe in/ Good or bad." Sometimes with Dronia, the good heartedness... sometimes she wondered if they'd one day bite off more than they could chew. If helping ... saving someone would eventually show it's drawbacks. Not everything was so black and white as Lady Shar would be proud of her for thinking. So far, with them on their way to rescue this ... Halsin ... it didn't seem yet that were drawbacks.

"Don't say it like that or I really will wait for the long haul," Shadowheart threatened with a playful squint of mock suspicion as she heard Dronia's answer and stepped ahead to part the trees for the view of their encampment. The others were already there and talking among themselves and Shadowheart made to stop at her own tent before letting Dronia go off to speak with them and report of their findings to them.

"Well, I do want you to hold me in a favorable opinion tonight at least," Shadowheart concluded with a small nod of affirmation. "After all, I'd like to accompany you tomorrow morning for the goblin camp. I had seen from a distance that it was at a Selûnite temple ... and you wouldn't deprive me the pleasure of joining in on the vandalism, would you?"

[thcdoomed]

Send a ❦ if you'd consider shipping our muses.

bonus if you add a type of ship you’d like them to be or a thread idea for our muses.

[thcdoomed]

When your asthmatic coughing fit is so bad that your smart watch congratulates you for being active.

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Still, she couldn't shake the feeling that she's had since she stumbled on this scene. Self-defense or not, there was something about the woman herself that she couldn't shake. Something all too familiar that her mind wouldn't let her figure out. She had to know what it was that was bothering her so...

Dronia could still feel that hunger stirring, the man still bleeding out, even if he was now very much dead. The shimmer of wet red on the dress. "Probably, yes." She managed through trained breathing. Breathing she didn't need, but it somehow worked to ground her.

"Agreed." Not that Dronia had anything to do with this, but the guards weren't the kind to ask too many questions around here. It was easier to just throw people into a cell and investigate later. Her red eyes glanced back up, shimmering in the darkness. "I can." She shouldn't and yet... she's faced hags and an avatar of Myrkule, surely this would be nothing. "We'll stick to the backstreets where you'll be less likely to be noticed." She paused, taking her cloak off and handing it to her. "Here, you can cover yourself with this in the meantime."

She only hoped she wasn't making a grave mistake.

"Exactly." Her tone has turned breezy, as if that entirely settled the matter between them. It wasn't as if her reason made any difference in a practical sense; the man was just as dead either way, and Ysabel didn't seem inclined to feel bad about it. Her dress, however...

Ysabel glanced up from inspecting her dress, the shine of the light catching on her eyes and the wetness of the blood that coated her. "I suppose it's for the fire, in that case." She slid the hand holding the knife into what appeared to be a pocket in the side of her skirts, coming back free from weapons and possibly less threatening for it. Then again, considering her particular nature, probably not.

"We really ought not stay here. Whoever happens upon us next might not be so understanding, after all." Ysabel said it both very casually, and in a way that implicated Dronia in her mess all of a sudden, and most likely against her will. "Would you mind walking with me a little way? An unaccompanied young woman covered in blood is likely to draw... negative attention. I have a cart, if you don't object."

She can be quite disorienting to talk to in these circumstances.

[thcdoomed]

Dronia will make sure Karlach has her moment, her revenge against the man who sold her to the devil. And then she'll give her all the love and affection she wants afterward. They are both on a path of revenge, but she's glad Karlach's will be more immediate, she's suffered longer, and she's lost an integral part of herself. And while killing Gortash won't give back what he took (just as killing Demasc won't achieve the same), she deserves to take everything from that man.

In all honesty, Dronia wants to punch the man herself, not kill, just punch, hurt. As much as she hates how her mind shifts to violence so often these days, sometimes the violent thoughts are warranted. Some people don't deserve the life they have.

She wonders what it will be like for Karlach once her tormentor is dead. Relief? More grief? An emptiness in her chest? Her father had taught her that when one is wronged, you don't wrong them back, it makes you no better than them. But... maybe he's wrong for once. Maybe some people deserve retribution for what they've done. Maybe some people deserve the death that's coming for them.

"Really?" It's said so softly. "We should bring some flowers for them. Fresh ones." Her hand gently cups her cheek, feeling the warmth of her skin against her palm. They need this, amidst the calm of the morning, a chance to process those feelings they've been holding in all this time.

a goal is nice. a goal wrapped in love and peace is even nicer. and for some reason if they don't make it there , dying for it would be well worth it. karlach has made it this far , she isn't about to let gortash accomplish whatever shitty plan he has in store. she will kill him. THAT'S A PROMISE SHE MAKES.

maybe she should tell gortash that he's actually partially responsible for helping her meet the love of her life. karlach doubts that'll effect him in anyway. he doesn't know how to love. it's possible he doesn't even have a soul. A HUSK .

to be quite honest , as long as gortash is alive , everything does still feel marred. she'll talk about it when he's dead and his name is forgotten and she'll remember all the soft things that her parents did for her that made her unwaveringly kind.

" they would absolutely love you. " karlach's voice is soft and steady and she always shifts into dronia's touch. it's just a quiet habit by this point , but her eyes blink open for a couple seconds to blink away those tears welling up.

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There was no uncertain amount of apprehension in coming here. Those who deal in such things often asked a steep price for the information they have, one that often was too much to pay. But she'd lost everything from her life before, she'd risk damn near anything for revenge. Even herself.

"So keep an eye out on the local publications, listen to what the guards are saying, talk to the people on the street." The beggars often acted as the eyes of the city, seeing things most others didn't. Pinching the bridge of her nose, the dhampir thought about this knowledge. "Looks like I'm going to have a bit of a scavenger hunt once I enter Suzail."

Demasc's undead status wasn't exactly a secret, even in the outskirts of the Dales his name was whispered with fear.

Dronia's jaw set at Zahrosa's words. Owed. She was, wasn't she? The only survivor of the Four Dale Massacre. Her entire life was ripped away. She nodded. Her heart trembled at the thought of driving a stake through the vampire's heart and taking his head. Hunger, oh that word took on a new weight now. She hungered for something, something more than just revenge. "Very."

Perhaps it was a rare impulse toward benevolence that overtook Zahrosa, listening to that little bit of her story, seeing the desperation in her search for knowledge. Perhaps she just wanted to show off her expertise.

"A vampire in long term residence creates certain patterns. The movements of their thralls, comings and goings, animals to slaughter..." Zahrosa counted off on her fingers, dark against dark, always a measure of strangeness in her. "Disappearances, of course. Stories tend to appear in surrounding villages. Powerful vampires become complacent about hiding their nature, in my experience."

One of the problems with being functionally immortal was that it became very easy to equate with invincible. Rarely was that true.

Zahrosa's expression shifted in a way that was difficult to read. Darkened, perhaps. "You are owed your revenge." Never mind that Rosie has done equally destructive things in her time, more than once, and would have flattened anyone who sought revenge against her. She leans forward a touch. "You are hungry for it, aren't you?"