I instruct my warcat cub to “stay” outside (it's a specific command, she's trained… although I can talk to her directly too… also pnts, rocks, bodies of water, anyone who speaks a nguage I don't know, and a zillion other things… Mom handed me a lot of random abilities), and check the sign as I go into the wooden building next to the guildhouse: The Shed Skirt. The name is typical of a public house for historic reasons… it doesn't actually imply that the pce is a brothel, although enough of them are. I need to avoid getting it on with anyone, though: Mother would know despite any precautions I might take, and she hates needing to clean up accidental infections (although she did take care of the baby problem with a spell, which will st until I utter a specific nonsense phrase which I can't forget due to the same spell that caused it: I'm technically cursed to be sterile… or barren, whichever applies at the time).
Yes, infections: I'm an unusual type of natural lycanthrope: Thanks to my mother's efforts, it's just her, my “gene donor” (Oscar) and myself. Fortunately, despite Uncle C's original predictions, I do NOT go out of control in my alternative forms… literally every male in sight does, however. Why? I'm a were-woman. I actually have three forms: My birth form, a male; my full lycanthropic form, a well-endowed woman; and a hybrid form that includes everything from both… and for unclear reasons has teeth and cws fit to kill a man: Uncle C tells me that's just how Lycanthropy works, even when it's not animal-based. I grew up this way, and I'm perfectly comfortable in all three forms. As a guy, I'm a normal man… which is most of how I know that's my base form. As a woman, I gain a literally irresistible attractive beauty… at least, as far as humanoid males are concerned (although I seem to be immune to the irresistible nature, at least of those I infect... untested with Mom or Oscar: Mom never changes, and they don't let any living person near Oscar when he's a she). In my hybrid form, I can't speak (which is why I learned sign nguage), but everyone who's of age finds me irresistible, men and women alike… this of course makes my male form the one to use when I want to make friends or do business, so it's what I'm using now. In my hybrid or female form, anyone I bite has a considerable chance of becoming a werewoman themselves. In any form, anyone I bed has a good chance of catching it… and for whatever reason, my strain manifests immediately rather than on the next full moon, with the infectee changing immediately into a beautiful woman of insatiable lusts until daybreak, and usually not remembering any of it. I mean, Mom always knows, and captures the poor woman, curing her before she has a chance to get in a family way… which is good, as apparently she'll get stuck for the duration if she does… and while her mind returns with the dawn, her lusts and attractiveness won't let up… irrespective of whether or not she was a “she” before.
Or so Mom says: It's her domain for now, so she's probably right.
I gnce around the room: This pce uses oil mps… which is a little bit of a fire hazard in a wooden building, but they're cheaper to get than Continual Fme spells (a basic oil mp costs a silver, same as a pint of oil, and the oil will burn for six hours… vs. a Continual Fme spell which costs over a thousand times as much to hire… but gets fuel magically from the local dungeon, and won't set anything on fire if it spills).
Of greater importance is that the pce is packed. Let's see… we have three dies of the night looking for work, two of which have clearly gotten some recently based on the smell… a half-dozen town guards still in their standard issue armor with their standard issue weapons enjoying a pint before going home… a dozen mercenaries in their own standard-issue gear discussing whether or not they want to try for a better offer from a different merchant… a party of adventures discussing how they're going to distribute the loot from the test haul… ah, those three guys will do: The long faces suggest they're mourning a lost comrade, they have distinct gear, and no magical auras: A half-orc warrior type with a breastpte, a big two handed axe, and a composite longbow; a halfling in leathers with two shortswords, a shortbow, and various tools of the trap smith's trade; and an elf in a robe with a pointy hat, dagger and a light crossbow at his side. All three have backpacks at their feet… and none of their gear registers as magical, nor does any of it look finely crafted. I focus on each in turn… the man in the pointy hat has first circle arcane spells avaible, but that's it. Perfect: They're going to be new to this.
Like me, technically.
I approach my targets, trying to seem friendly, “Hey… I hope it isn't too soon, but… do you need a healer?” I'm registered as a Druid, this will work fine.
The three turn to me… the half-orc has a wound on his face that hasn't healed yet, the halfling cringed as he turned, but the elf is fine… yeah, they're fresh out of a dungeon. The halfling speaks first, “Maybe… show me what you got.” He looks at the elf out of the corner of his eye, who nods… ah, he was getting confirmation that the elf is watching and will make sure I don't try anything nasty. I can read these people like an open book… and everyone else except my retives on Mom's side, thanks to Mom's graduation gift.
Not that they could do anything, but I'm not trying to hurt anyone, “Okay then…” I cast a simple Cure Moderate Wounds spell. Mom loaded me up all the way to ninth circle spells known with Expanded Arcana, although I can't cast anything above the fifth circle yet… too much strain despite the “Suffer the Flesh” and “Create Magic Tattoo” spells from Mom boosting me (the tattoos are invisible). For slots, I use the “Versatile Spellcaster feat”, and pay for it via “the Spheres of Power adaptation notes”... in order to go higher, I need to exercise. Still… I know basically all the spells, and can cast them spontaneously, all day: It's nuts. My other form of casting is far more flexible, but is harder to expin when someone knowledgeable is paying attention.
I'll need to eventually if I hang out with these folks very long, but it can wait.
The spell washes away the halfling's injuries, and he gnces at the man in robes, who tries to hide his smile, unsuccessfully, “a mediocre spell… but sufficient.” Yeah… they've got a code. He's saying, “lock him down, now.”
The halfling nods, “Well… do you have enough divine juice for Bearcw there?”
Oh yes. As much as Mom blessed me, I could literally do this all day, “I think so, yes. Here…” I heal him up too, no problem.
As his skin closes up and the scabs fall off, Bearcw nods, “Yes… we might be able to cut you in….”
We get into negotiations in earnest… I don't really need money anymore beyond the occasional indulgence (I haven't felt the need to eat, drink, or sleep since Mom's gift, so the only reason for any food or lodging is the taste and feel; and magic items… well, I have the “camper” from Mom, and nearly anything I'd use personally is completely eclipsed by my graduation present), but I negotiate a fair share anyway: One fifth of the party's loot. And yes: That is fair, it's what everyone else is getting, too. The remaining fifth goes to a party fund, used for things that everyone finds useful (except me, but that's okay): Curative wands (everyone gets injured occasionally), the “essential emergency potions.” Their list of things everyone should have in case of emergency; in their case, Invisibility (for running from things too strong for us… not a concern for me, and anything that might be a threat wouldn't be fooled anyway), Spider Climb (for getting out of pit traps and things… Mom gave me some rather rocking magical flight), Air Bubble (it helps avoid drowning… I don't even need air anymore, and have a permanent Life Bubble besides), and Cure Light Wounds (in case it's the healer and halfling that are down, or we're separated… but I heal really, really fast now from what little can actually injure me), and it also covers the various fix-it spells we might need to hire (in case someone gets poisoned or something and we need to pay to clean up the ability damage back in town… yeah, I'm not worried about me). Still, while useless to me, personally, it's a good call to do such things.
When we're done, everyone finishes up their drinks, and we go register my addition to the party at the guildhouse right next door… and then we grab a mission, because everyone's poor, and head off to the wilds….
