luxuries, leisure, and cultural enrichment

Pippa is left alone in the luxurious guest room and has the room as well as the bath to herself for the time being

Pippa uses the bath to relax herself.

[inner voice] "Regis, i'll take a bath, i think you could wear off, I hope to take you back later"

the armor pulls back until it is nothing more than a ring around her arm she could easily take off

Pippa drops all her clothes on a shelf near by. She grabs a soap bar that seems to smell nicely, and she checks that there will be a towel ready. She enters the bath slowly.

"That's nice"

the basin is filled with warm water that makes soft waves. it is clear and she can see the whole pool is carved out of the stone and polished to be smooth. the water trickles down one of the walls, fills the pool and then seeps away through intended cracks in the floor. it's about breast high for the gnome with a shallow end and a deeper end

Pippa stays in the first step in the pool, not wanting to have to swim.

She washs herself fully with the soap.

the soap is soft and pleasant, cleansing and pleasing Pippa's tormented skin

Pippa is savoring the bath, it is really relaxing. Her body was craving for such treatment

She hears some simple noises in the next room. someone is meddling with cutlery/ plates and she hears the rustling of fabric. but it takes only afew minutes

Pippa also cleans her hair with the soap.

Once it's done she stays a little longer to relax.

nobody bothers her while she's here

When she's fully relaxed, she exits the bath, dry herself and her hair with a towel.

Then she takes another towel to dress in it, and wanders to the next room.

in the main guest room somone put a platter with fruit and small bites (think meaty snacks) on the table, together with a crystal glass and a pitcher of wine. on a chair nearby Pippa can see a few dresses. each of them is of amazing craftsmanship and adorned with jewelry but also rather revealing. her clothes seem to be gone, but her gear is all here

Pippa chooses a dress, a glamorous one but not too slutty. She prefers to eat a fruit than some meat. Then she pours herself a glass of wine and tastes it.

the fruits are sweet and exotic, the meat succulent, not too fat and rather tasty. the wine is full and fruity, and Pippa herself gets a bit aroused from all of it, it is clear her host was intending for her to enjoy all that will happen here and not see it as solely a duty or a means to an end

Pippa takes another glass with her, and wanders looking for the snakelike lady

the halls and corridors seems trangely empty, Pippa comes across a large room that seems like some sort of ritualistic place

from what she can gather of relies in the wall and paintings and murals this was once a place where creatures like her host praised the sun and worshipped it. it seems she is likely the last of these creatures or one of the very last. apparently they are or were able to summon otherworldly spirits to to their bidding.

while Pippa stand in the room and contemplates she can hear the scales scratch over the stone nearby. it seems Kallayshjia is on her way to where Pippa currently is

"thanks for the bath, I needed that.

the murals here are beautiful. That's great artwork."

Kallayshjia slithers next to Pippa

"They tell the story of this place. Once it stood in a lush jungle but some event long ago thrust it here. Once it was full of life, now i am its sole guardian."

from the murals Pippa can guess that under her hood she has snakes as hair and that they can turn living things to stone. she wears an equally beautiful dress like Pippa but much more revealing

"erm... Should we take some precautions for your... erm.. hair, for during... hum... activities?"

her hand caresses your face, sending jolts of lightning through your body upon the touch (in a sexual sense)

"I wear the hood to make sure not everyone i meet is turned. It'll stay on and protect you, dear."

"well ... How do you suggest we get next step?"