After a brief bit of discussion, the others agree to step outside the tent for a while where they would certainly be continuing their questioning with Taly. Once Deylia and Raylin are alone in the small space she looks at the man, and notices just how pale he's become. She'd say he looks as if he's seen a ghost...but that's really rather close to the truth of things, considering. Deciding to try and make things more casual, she nods towards the table. "Raylin...ah, might I sit?"
The noble quickly nods and pulls a chair out for her, righting Arlon's tumbled seat while he's at it. "Of course! I - Deylia! Allow me to apol - " The words are shushed by a finger on his lips, as Deylia takes the offered chair.
"That's what I wanted to speak with you about, Raylin. You have nothing to apologize for. My actions were entirely of my own free will."
Raylin reclaims his own seat, shaking his head. "But you only had to take them because of my own. But I don't...I don't understand, Deylia. Sansie is your mistress, not I. And what we had...it was good, but it was not..."
He trails off, but Deylia finishes his statement for him. "Not love. No, Raylin, I did not do it for love. Nor obligation, though some might say there was honor in my sacrifice."
"There certainly was, and I'll be sure to let everyone know of it! But then, why?"
A slight smile touches the Maid's lips. "To be honest, had I a few minutes to think about it, I probably wouldn't have done it. But in the moment, with a split-second decision? I just...I suppose I knew I would always regret it if I didn't. Knowing I could have saved your life and not. Every time Sansie would have mentioned you, I would have remembered my own lack of action...and I suppose I'd rather regret something I did do than something I didn't. Not that I expected to be in a position where I could regret anything at this point."
Raylin's smile is a bit rueful. "And now I'm the one who needs to regret. But...if you're happy now, I will try to take that to heart. You are...happy? With your...situation?"
Deylia needs to look away for a moment, considering her response. "To be honest, at the moment it still feels quite unreal. So much has happened! I've...I've learned so much, and I feel like I've only just begun! And I will miss being with Sansie, and you and the others. But...I think it's a place where I could learn to be happy, yes. The others, my new colleagues, seem quite...cheerful about everything, after all."
"Yes, your new position is rather...something. A priestess of the Goddess of Fertility? And managing the infamous Floor Five? I know you said it wouldn't be 'like that', but it's certainly an, ahum." Raylin clears his throat, looking a little awkward. "An interesting career shift?"
"Yes, well..." Deylia looks around, making sure no one's listening at the tent entrance before leaning in with a whisper. "I didn't want to say as much in front of Sansie or the others, but, well...I have the option of making it 'like that' if I choose to, and, ah..." Deylia checks the tent flap one more time. "Apparently the dungeon just gained access to a new ability, where anyone who has a sexual encounter with a dungeon monster gains bonus rewards on their next boss victory. Quite new, not even the Association knows about it yet."
Raylin's eyes grow a bit wide, not entirely sure if Deylia is implying what he thinks she is. "Are you suggesting that the next time I visit, we should..." Deylia responds with a smirk.
"Well, it might not be just you, of course. We hardly had a proper relationship before my demise, and now I'd say monogamy is quite off the table - at least as far as Challengers are concerned. But perhaps it will help show you I feel no ill will towards how things played out, hrmm? Also...perhaps it will encourage you to continue challenging the dungeon? I don't want my death to ruin your desire to continue trying, Raylin."
"That's, ah, certainly more than I feel I deserve, to be honest. And I see you're still supporting our house's claims on the region, ha?"
"Mrmm, I should say, the dungeon certainly has no particular interests in the competition, not that we've discussed it much so far. I think she might be rather cross with me if I do anything to blatantly favor one party over another. That said, of course my loyalties remain with you and House Perlin."
"I'm glad to hear it. Is there anything I can do for you, however?"
"Well, now that you mention it, perhaps it would be good if I could write a quick letter to my brother? Might you pass me the writing utensils there?" Raylin does so, sliding some paper and a quill set over towards her, and the Maid begins to write. "In the meanwhile, why don't I tell you a bit more about meeting the goddess? It was nothing like I would have expected, I can tell you that!"
"Yes! That sounds amazing, I'd love to hear it!" Raylin leans over with interest, although as he does so, he notices something interesting. While Deylia has written down a few words to her brother Dram on one sheet of paper, a second next to it appears to be getting used for an entirely different purpose. As Deylia describes the Eternal Forest...her hand is busy sketching out a map.
Half an hour later Taly and Deylia are in another part of the camp, picking through a few containers. Deylia's personal items had been packed up to be sent back to her family, and some of them would still be heading in that direction, but there were a few mementos the woman wouldn't mind keeping at hand. As they sort through the bags and boxes, Taly checks in on her new companion.
"So...feeling better? I know it was rough for me, that first talk with Sely - and she knew immediately what had happened to me, I didn't 'come back from the dead' for her like you did with the Perlins there."
Deylia nods. "I do, actually. I'll admit, part of me does wish I could just stay out here, or return home, but I understand that's not an option. At least I've managed to settle my affairs I suppose, and I feel relieved that I've set Raylin somewhat at ease."
"I can imagine. Although..." Taly pauses in her sorting, thinking something over. "I dunno, I wouldn't write off going home one day entirely, you know. At least for a visit. I mean, sure, right now we only have one or two slots open and we need those for other business. But we're in this for the long haul, and who knows? Worthy Dungeon's done crazier things, maybe one day we'll have dozens of people hanging out in the dungeon, and we'd have plenty of room to spare for you taking a vacation or something."
Deylia snorts at the thought. "What, reliably? I know in larger dungeons it's not uncommon for parties to need to camp out for multiple days, particularly when it doesn't use shortcut portals. But a party of half a dozen might leave at any time, and then poof, you lose half a dozen 'slots', isn't that right?"
"Yeah, we'd definitely need to be a lot bigger for that to be reliable, also it's probably way more likely to happen when it ain't so fuckin' cold out here. Unless...we somehow got..." Taly's eyes lose focus for a few moments, but just as Deylia's about to ask what's happened, she refocuses on the Maid. "Del, I can't wait to get back to tell Xenia something. I just had a terrible idea."
As usual there were no Challenger parties at the dungeon that day, as Challengers tended to avoid recently-milestoned dungeons until a fresh Association inspection could be done. Likewise, Association teams avoided dungeons on that particular day as they would often still be in flux as the dungeon made various upgrades. The next morning however, Alizz and her team were first up the mountain. Although Sely had of course informed Alizz about much of what had occurred at the party, an official inspection still needed to be done.
Or at least, they thought they were the first up the mountain, but as Alizz, Kelsey, Sely and Renter make the final turn they're beaten to the top by a flash of lightning. As they blink away the spots in their eyes they notice the lightning standing there, waving to them. "Ah, hey there! Didn't see ya, didn't fry no one or nothin', right?"
After doing a quick check of her team, Alizz shakes her head. "Ah, seems we're all fine...Zappy, yes? We haven't seen you around here for a while, have we?" Behind the elemental, Doorman shouts out in agreement.
"Been a few weeks! How's my apprentice been doing?"
"Alright! Well...bored. Everything's so dull when it's cold out! No one's climbing the mountains, the air feels dryer, and there's hardly any birds for me to play with!"
Alizz opens her mouth to ask just how a lightning elemental plays with birds, and then thinks better of it. "That's...too bad. People do tend to stay indoors more during the winter, yes."
"Yeah, it's supposed to be hotter down south though, right? Was heading in that direction, but figured I'd check in! See what's charged! I mean, changed!"
Doorman gives the flickering woman a smile. "Then you picked a good time to come by! You might want to talk to Sincere and your elemental friends when you get a chance, I understand there's been big changes for them recently. As for the rest of you..." Doorman turns his gaze on Alizz and her party. "I imagine you're here for an official inspection, yes? Will you be reviewing the entire dungeon today?"
The drider shakes her head. "Fortunately, Worthy Dungeon isn't known for redesigning its early floors to any large degree, though if you have I'd certainly appreciate a heads up. But otherwise we'll probably focus on the last few floors, see if we can perhaps clear Floor Seven ourselves today."
"I see, I see. Well in that case, I've been told to ask you to take the shortcut portals down to Floor Five today, then. There has indeed been a bit of a redesign, you might say."
The other members of the Association party take a cautious step back from Alizz as the drider narrows her eyes. "Floor Five, you say. Might I ask what this redesign has involved?"
"Sorry! I've been told not to spoil the surprise. ...Also I haven't exactly seen it myself."
Zappy throws her hands in the air. "Well, I'm excited! Let's see it!"
Alizz repeats the words, but with a very different emotion in her voice. "Yes...let's see it."
The party, plus Zappy, make their way through the provided shortcut portal one by one and indeed find a Floor Five that they do not at all recognize. The room they've stepped out into doesn't look at all like Section One of the floor, or indeed any of the floor's old sections. In fact the entire chamber matches no other space they've seen in the dungeon before. The room is two stories high, with an open first floor and the second containing a balcony looking down. The walls appear to be made of a mix of brick and wooden supports, and large wooden beams hold up a certainly fake ceiling also made of wood, from which hang a number of iron chandeliers. Behind the balcony on the second floor are lined up a row of numbered doors, while the first floor is occupied by a number of open tables and...a bar. Deylia stands in one corner of the room, but behind the bar appears to be a number of other rabbit-folk bartenders or barmaids, none of them matching the squires Alizz remembers seeing before.
Much closer to the portal, standing behind another counter - and presumably upon a stepping stool of some sort - smiles Lollyp. "Alizz! Kelsey! ...Zappy? Well, welcome! To the Worthy Dungeon Floor Five Inn! Or as we call it here - the Rabbit Hole!"
Deylia shouts across the room from where she's standing. "We're not calling it that!"
Lollyp's smile remains as she tries again. "Welcome to the Name Pending!"
Alizz smiles back, but it's an expression forced to her face by default as she attempts to process exactly what it is she's looking at. "Lollyp...what is Xenia up to now?"
After a brief bit of discussion, the others agree to step outside the tent for a while where they would certainly be continuing their questioning with Taly. Once Deylia and Raylin are alone in the small space she looks at the man, and notices just how pale he's become. She'd say he looks as if he's seen a ghost...but that's really rather close to the truth of things, considering. Deciding to try and make things more casual, she nods towards the table. "Raylin...ah, might I sit?"
The noble quickly nods and pulls a chair out for her, righting Arlon's tumbled seat while he's at it. "Of course! I - Deylia! Allow me to apol - " The words are shushed by a finger on his lips, as Deylia takes the offered chair.
"That's what I wanted to speak with you about, Raylin. You have nothing to apologize for. My actions were entirely of my own free will."
Raylin reclaims his own seat, shaking his head. "But you only had to take them because of my own. But I don't...I don't understand, Deylia. Sansie is your mistress, not I. And what we had...it was good, but it was not..."
He trails off, but Deylia finishes his statement for him. "Not love. No, Raylin, I did not do it for love. Nor obligation, though some might say there was honor in my sacrifice."
"There certainly was, and I'll be sure to let everyone know of it! But then, why?"
A slight smile touches the Maid's lips. "To be honest, had I a few minutes to think about it, I probably wouldn't have done it. But in the moment, with a split-second decision? I just...I suppose I knew I would always regret it if I didn't. Knowing I could have saved your life and not. Every time Sansie would have mentioned you, I would have remembered my own lack of action...and I suppose I'd rather regret something I did do than something I didn't. Not that I expected to be in a position where I could regret anything at this point."
Raylin's smile is a bit rueful. "And now I'm the one who needs to regret. But...if you're happy now, I will try to take that to heart. You are...happy? With your...situation?"
Deylia needs to look away for a moment, considering her response. "To be honest, at the moment it still feels quite unreal. So much has happened! I've...I've learned so much, and I feel like I've only just begun! And I will miss being with Sansie, and you and the others. But...I think it's a place where I could learn to be happy, yes. The others, my new colleagues, seem quite...cheerful about everything, after all."
"Yes, your new position is rather...something. A priestess of the Goddess of Fertility? And managing the infamous Floor Five? I know you said it wouldn't be 'like that', but it's certainly an, ahum." Raylin clears his throat, looking a little awkward. "An interesting career shift?"
"Yes, well..." Deylia looks around, making sure no one's listening at the tent entrance before leaning in with a whisper. "I didn't want to say as much in front of Sansie or the others, but, well...I have the option of making it 'like that' if I choose to, and, ah..." Deylia checks the tent flap one more time. "Apparently the dungeon just gained access to a new ability, where anyone who has a sexual encounter with a dungeon monster gains bonus rewards on their next boss victory. Quite new, not even the Association knows about it yet."
Raylin's eyes grow a bit wide, not entirely sure if Deylia is implying what he thinks she is. "Are you suggesting that the next time I visit, we should..." Deylia responds with a smirk.
"Well, it might not be just you, of course. We hardly had a proper relationship before my demise, and now I'd say monogamy is quite off the table - at least as far as Challengers are concerned. But perhaps it will help show you I feel no ill will towards how things played out, hrmm? Also...perhaps it will encourage you to continue challenging the dungeon? I don't want my death to ruin your desire to continue trying, Raylin."
"That's, ah, certainly more than I feel I deserve, to be honest. And I see you're still supporting our house's claims on the region, ha?"
"Mrmm, I should say, the dungeon certainly has no particular interests in the competition, not that we've discussed it much so far. I think she might be rather cross with me if I do anything to blatantly favor one party over another. That said, of course my loyalties remain with you and House Perlin."
"I'm glad to hear it. Is there anything I can do for you, however?"
"Well, now that you mention it, perhaps it would be good if I could write a quick letter to my brother? Might you pass me the writing utensils there?" Raylin does so, sliding some paper and a quill set over towards her, and the Maid begins to write. "In the meanwhile, why don't I tell you a bit more about meeting the goddess? It was nothing like I would have expected, I can tell you that!"
"Yes! That sounds amazing, I'd love to hear it!" Raylin leans over with interest, although as he does so, he notices something interesting. While Deylia has written down a few words to her brother Dram on one sheet of paper, a second next to it appears to be getting used for an entirely different purpose. As Deylia describes the Eternal Forest...her hand is busy sketching out a map.
Half an hour later Taly and Deylia are in another part of the camp, picking through a few containers. Deylia's personal items had been packed up to be sent back to her family, and some of them would still be heading in that direction, but there were a few mementos the woman wouldn't mind keeping at hand. As they sort through the bags and boxes, Taly checks in on her new companion.
"So...feeling better? I know it was rough for me, that first talk with Sely - and she knew immediately what had happened to me, I didn't 'come back from the dead' for her like you did with the Perlins there."
Deylia nods. "I do, actually. I'll admit, part of me does wish I could just stay out here, or return home, but I understand that's not an option. At least I've managed to settle my affairs I suppose, and I feel relieved that I've set Raylin somewhat at ease."
"I can imagine. Although..." Taly pauses in her sorting, thinking something over. "I dunno, I wouldn't write off going home one day entirely, you know. At least for a visit. I mean, sure, right now we only have one or two slots open and we need those for other business. But we're in this for the long haul, and who knows? Worthy Dungeon's done crazier things, maybe one day we'll have dozens of people hanging out in the dungeon, and we'd have plenty of room to spare for you taking a vacation or something."
Deylia snorts at the thought. "What, reliably? I know in larger dungeons it's not uncommon for parties to need to camp out for multiple days, particularly when it doesn't use shortcut portals. But a party of half a dozen might leave at any time, and then poof, you lose half a dozen 'slots', isn't that right?"
"Yeah, we'd definitely need to be a lot bigger for that to be reliable, also it's probably way more likely to happen when it ain't so fuckin' cold out here. Unless...we somehow got..." Taly's eyes lose focus for a few moments, but just as Deylia's about to ask what's happened, she refocuses on the Maid. "Del, I can't wait to get back to tell Xenia something. I just had a terrible idea."
As usual there were no Challenger parties at the dungeon that day, as Challengers tended to avoid recently-milestoned dungeons until a fresh Association inspection could be done. Likewise, Association teams avoided dungeons on that particular day as they would often still be in flux as the dungeon made various upgrades. The next morning however, Alizz and her team were first up the mountain. Although Sely had of course informed Alizz about much of what had occurred at the party, an official inspection still needed to be done.
Or at least, they thought they were the first up the mountain, but as Alizz, Kelsey, Sely and Renter make the final turn they're beaten to the top by a flash of lightning. As they blink away the spots in their eyes they notice the lightning standing there, waving to them. "Ah, hey there! Didn't see ya, didn't fry no one or nothin', right?"
After doing a quick check of her team, Alizz shakes her head. "Ah, seems we're all fine...Zappy, yes? We haven't seen you around here for a while, have we?" Behind the elemental, Doorman shouts out in agreement.
"Been a few weeks! How's my apprentice been doing?"
"Alright! Well...bored. Everything's so dull when it's cold out! No one's climbing the mountains, the air feels dryer, and there's hardly any birds for me to play with!"
Alizz opens her mouth to ask just how a lightning elemental plays with birds, and then thinks better of it. "That's...too bad. People do tend to stay indoors more during the winter, yes."
"Yeah, it's supposed to be hotter down south though, right? Was heading in that direction, but figured I'd check in! See what's charged! I mean, changed!"
Doorman gives the flickering woman a smile. "Then you picked a good time to come by! You might want to talk to Sincere and your elemental friends when you get a chance, I understand there's been big changes for them recently. As for the rest of you..." Doorman turns his gaze on Alizz and her party. "I imagine you're here for an official inspection, yes? Will you be reviewing the entire dungeon today?"
The drider shakes her head. "Fortunately, Worthy Dungeon isn't known for redesigning its early floors to any large degree, though if you have I'd certainly appreciate a heads up. But otherwise we'll probably focus on the last few floors, see if we can perhaps clear Floor Seven ourselves today."
"I see, I see. Well in that case, I've been told to ask you to take the shortcut portals down to Floor Five today, then. There has indeed been a bit of a redesign, you might say."
The other members of the Association party take a cautious step back from Alizz as the drider narrows her eyes. "Floor Five, you say. Might I ask what this redesign has involved?"
"Sorry! I've been told not to spoil the surprise. ...Also I haven't exactly seen it myself."
Zappy throws her hands in the air. "Well, I'm excited! Let's see it!"
Alizz repeats the words, but with a very different emotion in her voice. "Yes...let's see it."
The party, plus Zappy, make their way through the provided shortcut portal one by one and indeed find a Floor Five that they do not at all recognize. The room they've stepped out into doesn't look at all like Section One of the floor, or indeed any of the floor's old sections. In fact the entire chamber matches no other space they've seen in the dungeon before. The room is two stories high, with an open first floor and the second containing a balcony looking down. The walls appear to be made of a mix of brick and wooden supports, and large wooden beams hold up a certainly fake ceiling also made of wood, from which hang a number of iron chandeliers. Behind the balcony on the second floor are lined up a row of numbered doors, while the first floor is occupied by a number of open tables and...a bar. Deylia stands in one corner of the room, but behind the bar appears to be a number of other rabbit-folk bartenders or barmaids, none of them matching the squires Alizz remembers seeing before.
Much closer to the portal, standing behind another counter - and presumably upon a stepping stool of some sort - smiles Lollyp. "Alizz! Kelsey! ...Zappy? Well, welcome! To the Worthy Dungeon Floor Five Inn! Or as we call it here - the Rabbit Hole!"
Deylia shouts across the room from where she's standing. "We're not calling it that!"
Lollyp's smile remains as she tries again. "Welcome to the Name Pending!"
Alizz smiles back, but it's an expression forced to her face by default as she attempts to process exactly what it is she's looking at. "Lollyp...what is Xenia up to now?"
