Return to Pleasure Kingdoms (Open: PM for info)

[The GrandMage]

Return to Pleasure Kingdoms (Open: See OOC or PM)

The town of Mercille wasn't particularly large. It had cropped up along a road, and acted more as a resupply point and night's sleep under a roof than anything else. A few outlying farms existed, but most gathered in the town's walls at night, being too far out in the wilderness to be safe from monsters.

Zarl sat in the Prancing Bear, eating one of the few well-cooked meals he'd eat. He wore a baggy shirt, his wings pulled tight against his body. He wore a large, ratter beaten looking cloak, that helped to hide what would surely get him killed. He'd shifted his skin color to a tan. Normally the idea of trying to hide himself as a human would disgust him, but he'd been on his own a long time, and the idea of a hot meal, a hot bath, and a clean bed had been too much for him. In addition, he'd had several crystals to turn in for money.

He sat at the bar, back to the door. He reached down to his belt. His belt was tight, and had large packs hanging off the back and right, his sheathed katana at his left. Straps went up under his shirt, going over his shoulders to help support the weight. It was uncomfotable as hell, but considering he had two other limbs sprouting from his back, a normal pack had been out of the question.

He pulled out a few coins, and put them on the bar, stretching a bit as he dreamed about his hot bath. He looked over at the busty wench serving customers, and smiled to himself. Perhaps before he left, he could convince her to go somehwere alone with him. He laughed quietly to himself, and ordered another ale.

 

[Lotharian]

Mercille. A small town on it's own against the creatures of the Void.

Auduin was here intent to help it with it's problems with the darkness. Also, to improve his skills through more field combat away from some of his fellow Monster Hunters. Though many of his comrades wondered of his choice to choose to focus fully in the blade instead of some form of imbueing and certain style like most. Auduin's answer was always that the Monsters had little skill with such, and he would prefer to have the ability to cleave through Goblins and stand strong against a group of Hobgoblins.

The young hunter came upon the time in the later part of the eve. He nodded his head to the guard at the gate who came to stand before him.

"And wut's yet business in Mercille?" The guard asked, appraising the monster hunter.

"I come here to help with your situation with monsters." Auduin simply said to the guard. "Where is the Captain of your guard? I would enjoy to speak with him and set up some form of strategy."

"Well, we could be usin' sum help. We found poor Violet yesterday after a group of Orcs..." The guard said taking a deep breath. Obviously this violet was someone whom he knew.

"She shouldn't have left on her own. But if you truly wish to help ensure such not happening again, you'll first need to let me pass." Auduin said, motioning towards the gate. The guard looked at Auduin as if hurt for a moment then huffed. Most didn't like the bluntness his type used. But the guard soon moved to the side, allowing Auduin to pass into town.

"The Cap'n is normally doing else by this point. Ye'd best see 'im in the morning." The guard said as Auduin rode past.

It wasn't that bad of a town. But the stench of fear was on the air. Obviously they were troubled by the beasts near town and that this 'Violet' wasn't an isolated incident. Auduin thus began to search for a suitable place to stay the night.

 

[katalynn]

It's been three weeks since Scynthrina left home and not one town came across her path. She needed to find a place soon, her food was running out and there wasn't much to forage in these parts of the woods. Figured she would travel a little longer, there were hints of other life around here. Including a recently traveled path. After about an hour of walking she finally came across a little village. More of a refuge point than anything else, but it will have food a decent place to sleep most of all..... a hot bath!! These river baths were getting tiresome.

Saw how a man was talking to the guards and there was a big enough gap behind the guard and the entrance. Though, she took hold of her staff, pulling her hood over her face and pretended to be blind as she walked past. At first she didn't know if it would work or not, just then the other guard came up with wondering eyes. She just simply said she lost her way and that seemed to work, letting her in. Leaving the guard to remind her how dangerous the roads were, to her, blah blah's of things.

Remained hidden in the hood of the cloak and wondered over to the tavern, finding a dark corner booth to sit in and stay un-noticed while she ate. The whiteness of her skin and the markings on her arms would give her away, with this remained within cloak as she ate. Every now an then she could feel eyes upon her direction, all she did was ignore it.

 

[shadowoftheheart]

Lisandra Bearsdaughter

The Journey had become a routine. Walking ever into warmer lands, meeting fewer familiar animals, more of them strange and even lately some of them polluted with Darkness.

She was in her light, warm-weather leathers: breechcloth, short, sleeveless leaher top, feet wrapped securely in leather straps, all but her toes, and leather wrapping around her forearms. Her wooden shield was slung on her back, her pouch hung from her left shoulder, and her iron ax hung at her right hip. In her right hand, she used her iron-tipped spear as a walking-stick.

The Elders had taken her crystals, and she had only a few tiny, weak ones in her pouch. Her flints also had run out and she was unable to make a sufficient cook-fire. The taste of raw meat, while familiar to all of the Tribe, was groiwng old.

But on this day, fortune smiled upon her, for ahead was a villiage. Reflexively, she stroked her ear, used to having locks of hair there to push aside. She sighed again, wishing they had not shorn her hair. It had already started growing back, but still lay close against her scalp.

Walking forward boldly, she hailed the guard with a wave.

"Another stranger? And what business have you in Mercille?"

"I seek the comforts of hot food and a soft bed. I have traveled far and through the wilds to reach here."

The guard looked her over, uncertain what to make of this barbarian woman. She certainly looked to be of the North, and if true she certainly had come a ways.

"Pass then. But mind, we're a civilized town. None of your barbaric practices are welcome here."

She simply smiled, his words having little meaning to her, and walked into town.

Fear. Much fear. She had not felt so much fear since four winters past when the cattle had all but died and the Tribe began to follow. No, such fear was not fit for what her elders had called Civilization.

She watched several other travelers enter a building that was under a sign holding some kind of drinking goblet made of a clear material, and filled with an amber liquid.

She wandered to, and then into, this building. She was hit at once with the Feastlike atmosphere. There was music, drinking, eating, and an atmosphere of subdued revelry. Subdued, because even here a pall of fear covered all like snows over the forest's trees.

Many looked up at her, many gave her strange looks. She heard again and again, whispered or muttered, "barbarian." It was a word without meaning to her, but she gradually realized that to these people barbarian signified her, and perhaps her tribe.

Slowly, with apprehension, she approached the bar, and sat on a high stool. The bartender looked at her wordlessly.

"Beer and mutton," she said.

Several persons near her looked up as she spoke. Her Common was heavily accented, but serviceable.

"You have gold?"

She nodded, and placed a large gold coin on the counter. He smiled thinly, took the coin, and shortly returned with a mug of beer, a skewer of mutton, and a dozen small silver coins.

She ate and drank with relish, glad to feel cooked food and fermented drink in her body again after so long a time. She glanced up, feeling yet more eyes on her. Something, she supposed, she would have to get used to in these Southern lands.

 

[Sky Jade]

It had been almost a month since she left the safety of the temple, which had been her home as well. Evee had spent all 24 years of her life in the temple of the Golden Dragon, studying magic and the ways of her sect. It was only a month ago that her mother, the Head Priestess, decided she needed to journey and learn more about the ways of the world outside the temple walls.

And so here she was on the road, carrying a small bag of gold, a pouch with a few crystals she had managed to get from killing a few gobilns, her staff, and the clothes on her back. She had a map of the region as well, at least the 100 miles of area around the temple. The town of MErcille was right of the edges of the map she had, so she knew it would no longer be useful in the town.

As she approached the gate, she pulled down the hood of the black robe she was wearing over her normal dress. The robes were semi-loose, just barely outlining her slender figure. She pulled out the pendent of a Golden Dragon that the priestess of her sect wore, which her mother said would get her through things very easily. The guards straightened up for a moment to bar her way before they noticed her necklace.

"Oh holy priestess. Please come in for the night. We don't wish harm to you."

She gave them a smile before passing into the town, her robe whispering softly as she moved. As a begger asked her for money, she reached into her pusre and gave him two gold. Her mother had told her that her odd hair color would cause her to be the center of attention, and she was right. Evee could feel the townspeople who were about looking at her. She gave a smile to each one before she pushed into the Prancing Bar to search for some place to lay her head.

 

[Logan2]

Sakoran streched his legs under the table and looked around the filled tavern. He still tried to figure out how to find the a teacher that would teach him real power. It was out of the question to ask someone to teach him void magic, that just would get him killed faster then he could say his name. But it shouldn't be that hard to fine someone to hone his skills in light and air magic. His last teacher had told him about a person (he not even was sure about the sex) who could create powerfull illusions with light and in combination with air they could even get better, but so far he only had found this small town and no teacher whatsoever.

This was the third day he sat in this bar and watched people. He had enought money to last him perhaps another week but after that he either had to find a teacher, a job or some monsters to kill so he could sell crystals. The last option didn't sound very appealing to him since his magic wasn't that strong and his fighting prowess was nearly non-existing. He took another look around the Prancing Bear. There was this big guy in the baggy clothes that somehow looked wrong. Sakoran had watched him the whole evening and he still wasn't sure what was wrong about him. He was human, that much was sure, but something wasn't quite right about him.

Then there's this shadow person in the darkest booth near the back of the tavern. He/she/it came in some time ago went straight to a place from where someone could see the whole tavern but where oneself was hidden mostly by shadows. Sakoran believed this person to be female, since she moved with a grace that in his opinion no male could match. The barbarian who had come in just a few minutes ago was definitly female and she showed it as much as possible without beeing completly nude. She was everything Sakoran expected from a babarian, beautifull but boisterous and from the way she ate aparently without much manners, or very hungry.

Another women entered the tavern and Sakoran threw her a measuring look as well. The robes she wore where without doubt the most expensive article of clothing and it's black contrasted nicely with her long pink hair. Sakoran shook his head, he never head seen a woman with pink hair in his live, nature did work in strange ways in these chaotic times. His eyes lingered on her for another moment, since the robe somehow allowed her slender figure to shine through and she was very pleasing to the eye.

He took another swallow from his ale and nodded to the wench who was fetching his bowl with the remains of his meal. Nothing to do besides sittting here and and waiting, he thought. He really should get going again, it was clear that he couldn't find a teacher in this town.

 

[katalynn]

Scynthrina watched the tavern, it seemed to be getting a bit crowded in here. She could sense there was something different about this one man in particular. The elders have talked about this one race and how they can change into human form to *blend* in. Though, she wasn't positive if that was the case with him. The beer, sweat and smoke hid any scent he had. Admitted herself that the men here weren't half bad looking.......... considering they were mere humans..... And it has been while since she *played* with one. A sly grin crossed her lips at the thought and felt a sudden hit of lust seep in.

Only sighed though, it has been a rough journey and seeing how three more people came in, she figured it was time to take her leave to her room. The barbarian caught her eye though, she's only heard stories about them. Never thought she'd see one anytime soon. Slightly wondered what brought her down this way. Then this pink haired woman walked in, instantly having a crowd stare at her a few beggers at her feet. Scyn guessed she was a priest of some sort.

Took notice of a few others, picking out possibilities for later before she left this little town. Had more than enough gold to stay here however long she'd like. But, the world awaits. With this, she slipped from the booth and took leave for her room.

 

[Lotharian]

Auduin glanced into the Prancing Bear, a tavern on his path. It seemed pretty full. He'd have to find somewhere else to stay. Auduin continued to guide his house through the streets of the small town before coming upon another inn/tavern called the 'Red Oak'. It had a stable and it seemed to be capable of suiting his needs.

Auduin brought his horse to the stable and dismounted, the brown travelling cloak he had russling slightly. He wore it for the colder, rainy nights on the roads. A stableboy came out and Auduin threw him a silver coin that the boy looked at with a gape gaze.

"Tend to Justice well." Auduin said simply as he patted the side of his mount. "And that should cover for at least a week, aye boy?"

The stableboy simply nodded and lead the horse into the stable. Auduin had no idea how long he'd be here but he wanted to let the people know the big warrior was their friend, not a threat. He didn't want to raise enemies like he did at the last town...

Auduin entered the simple inn that had a couple of patrons that seemed to be farmers and the such. The innkeeper visibly went pale as he saw the monster slayer, but he quickly compossed himself somewhat. Auduin walked up to the desk and the innkeeper began a hasty welcome.

"Uhm wel-welcome to the Red Oak-k your Lordship-p." The innkeeper greeted, obviously unsettled. Many whom looked like Auduin only meant trouble for towns like this. Trying to use their swordarms for greed than the good of people. Truly something saddening...

Auduin placed a gold coin on the desk and the innkeep quickly returned his palor and a smile came to his face. "I want a meal and a room for a while. I'm here to help the town with it's monster troubles. And if I finish before this is used up, the change is yours." Auduin said simply. One of the people to have on your side was the innkeep. That way they wouldn't get worried if you began interrogating, and they won't rumage your room (usually) and leave you to your devices.

Auduin then made his way to a seat in the corner of the common room/bar and awaited his meal to arrive. It'd been a while since he had a warm meal and he'd maybe request a glass of wine to accompany it.

 

[Sky Jade]

Evee looked around the tavern with a look of emtremecuriousity upon her face. Her mother had been right that therewas more of a world beyond their home. Her eyes wandered over everyone slowly, studying each in turn. She wasn't quite sure what to make of the barbarianess, watching her eat the way she did. This was a new sight for her. It took her a few moments to notice the beggers and dropped a few silver to them.

She wasn't hungryyet, in fact she was pretty full from the meal of deer she had while in her dragon form earlier. She forgot that she was in need of paying for a room and headed upstairs, only a few moments after Scynthrina left. She started hmming a little tune, mostly to herself but easily eard in the hallway. She wasn't paying any attention as she turned one of the corners and ended up running into Scyn and falling back on her ass on the floor.

"Oww..."

Her robes at parted a little near her feet and a glimpse of something golden could be seen before she got up on her feet, rubbing her tush for a moment.

"Oh, I'm sorry for bumping into you Miss."

 

[katalynn]

Scyn was walking and wondering if this town sold horses here. She would have brought her own, sadly though, it would have been way to obvious that it would have been a demon horse. Felstead to be exact, black beast with a flaming mane, hoofs, eyes and snout. He was such a wonderful and she hated to leave him behind. If she was to stay un-noticed she surly couldn't be riding a horse such as he.

The htoughts were suddenly disturbed as someone bumped into her, quickly recovered from it and turned around to who it was. It was the priestess, one of the last ones to walk in.

"It's alright.... What matters is are you ok?"

Her voice was smooth as silk, thick elven accent with a hint of something else. A black, silky gloved hand reached out to priestess, helping her up. Since everyone was busy down stairs Scyn had her hood at least away from her face and Evee could see the fine elven features, silvery white skin and eyes that could match the blue seas.

"I assume you have a room for the night?"

Noticing she didn't see any keys on the girl, course it could have been tucked away somewhere. It seemed as if the priestess' mind was else where, or she would have been watching where she was going.
Spoke while unlocking the door to her room. She didn't remember the last time she played with a female and this one did look pretty tasty. Priestess or not, Scyn didn't care what their bloodline ever was, if they looked good enough to play with... She would get them. Scyn chuckled to herself at some thoughts she was having.

"Well, M'lady. If you don't have a room for the night. I'm sure I can manage to share this one. Meanwhile, I hear the bath calling to me. So I bid you farwell for the night."

With that Scyn walked into her room. Leaving the door slightly opened, just in case. Even though she wasn't really expecting the sweet priestess to actually take the offer. It didn't take long for Scyn to undress and find herself sinking into the heat of the candle lit bath.

 

[shadowoftheheart]

Lisandra Bearsdaughter

"A room for the night, and another beer."

The bartender took back the silver, and asked for several more coins which she gave to him reluctantly.

He returned with a fresh mug and a key.

"Don't leave a mess in there or you'll be charged double on the morrow."

The elders had told her 'Civilized' people would assume her to be mean and wild. Why, they had not told her. She sighed, and drank her beer down without pausing to breathe.

She walked up the stairs, glad to have had the elders' training in how to move in civlizied buildings. The log greathouses of her people were all single floor buildings, and the only other buildings of consequance were tents. Still, she held her breath as she ascended the stairs, worried that they might collapse. To her eyes, they looked unsteady, and far less capable of holding her weight than the sturdy oak and pine trees from her homelands.

A pink-haired woman was standing here, looking ata half-opened door. The door had a different symbol than the key she held, so she ignored it.

She walked past the woman, ignoring her also until she proved of use or a threat.

Finally, she found the symbol the key held on a door. She smiled proudly, because such symbols were not really part of her tribe's learning. The elder priests knew Runes, but she had not been privy to their mysteries.

She closed her eyes, trying to remember what the elders had told her about keys. Slowly, carefully, she placed the iron key into the keyhole, and tried the doorknob. She was confused.

"Is this not the right key?"

She realized she had spoken aloud, and glanced sheepishly at the pink-haired woman.

 

[The GrandMage]

Zarl (In Disguise)

Zarl glanced around and put down his ale. He raised a hand, and ran it through his dirty, shoulder-length hair. It was a dark blue, and needed to be cut as well as cleaned. He stood up, and started for the stairs. He stopped, and glanced over his shoulder at the people still in the room. He shook off the feeling of being watched, and went upstairs. He saw two women in the hall.

He glanced at them both. Priestesses were dangerous, they devoted their lives to totems, and could be quite dangerous. He looked at the other woman. She looked dangerous. Definitely out of her element. That meant travel. A single female who travelled alone what not something Zarl saw as a mark. He sighed, and unlocked his door.

Besides which, rape was something best put off until leaving a town, not when one first got there. He walked into his room, glancing over it. He nodded. Nothing quite as nice as a fine place to sleep. He turned to the door, ready to lock the room up so he could undress and get cleaned up.

 

[Sky Jade]

She took the offer of the elf's hand, steadying herself for a moment. She smiled and nodded softly at Scyn's question if she was ok.

"Yes, no harm done and thank you for your help m'lady."

She took a moment to look Scyn more fully now that her hood was down. She thought the elf was very beautiful, though she considered most people beautiful in their own ways.

"A room for the night? Oh no, I think I forgot to get one for the night."

At the offer of a room for the night, she smiled and bowed her head for a moment.

"Thank you very much for the offer M'lady. I will have to think about it."

After Scry left the door partly open, she wondered if it would be a good idea to do such a thing so soon. She was a little low on mana and an opprtunity was presenting itself. She was brought out of her state of spaced outness when the barbarianess spoke aloud and turned to look at her.

"Oh, is there something I can help with?"

She gave the woman a sweet smile before walking over to her, her robes whispering gently. She bent forward a little to look at the key and then the door itself.

"Well, it seems to match up..Maybe the knob's stuck. Why not try a little harder?"

She grinned softly and stood back up.

 

[shadowoftheheart]

"I .. do not know much of such things. I placed the key in the key-eye, but the door, remains locked."

She looked frustrated. It was something so simple to a civilized woman, but her people never had locks, or keys. Only the elders knew of such things, and only told her because it was her punishment to go to the Southern lands for her pennance.

 

[Sky Jade]

She hmmed for a moment as she listened to the woman.

"Here, let me try something then."

She reached out and took the key from the woman gently. She placed the key back in the lok and turned it. There was a soft click for a moment and Evee turned the door knob, pushing the door open for the girl.

"There you go. You need to turn the key itself and then the lock would open."

She pulled the key out of the door and handed it to the woman.

"Here you are. Oh, allow me to introduce me self. I'm Evee and I am a priestess of the Golden Dragon."

 

[shadowoftheheart]

Lisandra blushed a deep shade of red, and took back the key, holding it gingerly.

"I ... Thank you, Evee. I am Lisandra Bearsdaughter. I ... will one day be a preistess of the Great Bear."

 

[Sky Jade]

She smiled as she arched on her tiptoes for a moment before settling back down.

"It's my pleasure Lisandra. Oh, a priestess of the Great Bear? I believe I have heard of that totem, though I don't know much about it myself."

She tilted her head for a moment as she glanced towards Lisandra's door.

"Are you going to go in? I don't want to keep you away from anything that you were going to do."

 

[shadowoftheheart]

"Yes, I am going to enter and bathe. It will be a treat to have hot water on my skin after so long!"

She smiled and entered the room, stopped a moment, then looked back out.

"Priestess? Do you ... require anything for the help you have given me? I have some gold, a few crystals, meagre provisions I can share...."

 

[Sky Jade]

She smiled and shook her head softly when the girl asked if she wished anything in return.

"No, it was my pleasure to help you. Please go and enjoy your bath."

She hmmed for a moment and then smiled.

"Would you mind if I came in and talked to you about your Totem? I am very interested in learning more about it, if you would allow me to."

 

[shadowoftheheart]

"Well, there is little that I can tell you, but you are welcome to come in and talk. I was ...."

She paused for a moment. The Priestess might shun her if she told her why she had left without finishing her training.

"I left before I could receive the full weight of training. Much of what little I know comes from the Great Bear Himself. It may mean little to you, without the ... relationship I share with Him."

 

[Sky Jade]

"Well, what little you know would be much more than I do. And thank you for inviting me in."

She waited for the girl to open the door a little more so she could come im. As she walked in, she placed her staff beside the door frame before slowly taking off her gloves.

"It feels wonderful to be inside after a few days in the forest, altought the forest is just as nice."

 

[shadowoftheheart]

"Of course."

Lisandra set her spear and pack down, and began to unstrap her shield from her back.

"What questions do you have?"


Setting her shield down by her spear, she pulled the light leather top off over her head, and began to pour hot water from the cauldron over the fire into the washtub.

So many little things she would not have known but for the Elder's guidance.

 

[Sky Jade]

"Well, what sort of powers are you granted to use? I know each Totem granted certain things."

She watched Lisa partly undress for a moment before she slowly pulled open her robe and pulled it off. She wore her usual form-fitting black dress beneath, the length cut just long enough to hide her dragon tail. She folded her robe carefully and laid it over a chair before sitting down on the bed, crossing her legs.

 

[shadowoftheheart]

"I have not yet learnt all of the powers the Great Bear will grant me. I know that I can ask for help from his Cousins, the Bears of the Wild. I know that I will be granted His strength in battle, but also His ferocity. As a Priestess of the Great Bear I will be expected to fight alongside the men of my tribe. I know little else of what powers he will grant."

She sat on the bed near Evee and began to unwrap her feet.

"Oh, and I am able to See as the Bears see in the woods. Know where to forage, what is safe to eat, how to catch fish from the streams."

She tossed her leather footwraps to one side, and stood, taking the ax off her hip and laying it on the bed. She then loosened her breechcloth and allowed it to fall to the floor.

She stepped away from her clothing, and poured the rest of the hot water into the tub, and climbed in.

 

[Sky Jade]

"Those sound like wonderful gifts to have. How would you be able to fully attain priesthood?"

She folded her hands over her lap, watching the girl. She was tempted to ask if she could join her, but she was unsure of the customs of Lisa. She also wasn't sure how she would react to her tail she had hidden at the moment.