Ancient Lands CYOA
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Ryu Doppler
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Re: Ancient Lands CYOA
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Re: Ancient Lands CYOA
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Re: Ancient Lands CYOA
Our tale begins in Usol, during the Festival of Indulgence, a holy day held in honor of the God Dalonin. It was said that to appease the Lord of Plenty, all within the city should take this night to indulge at least one of their great desires, and it was considered a grave sin to deny someone their pleasure...
Eirin stood in the stage wings, preparing for her first ever performance on the stage during the Festival of Indulgence. The crowd was larger than ever before, but that did not frighten her. It was not the dance that concerned her, but what would happen AFTER the dance. It was tradition for Usolian dancers to be primary targets of Indulgence. Men with dreams of lust, harbored for many months, would approach a dancer after her dance and pledge their requests for a night of bliss in front of all - and as it was a sin to refuse everyone, it made for an uncomfortable compromise. Eirin did not appreciate the religious observance, for she owed no special place in her heart to the God of Plenty.
Her master, a pig-faced man named Owuut, had made it clear that he expected her to indulge the highest bidder, so as to earn him the most money. That was not necessarily in-tune with the idea of the festival. An Indulger was meant to be given freedom of choice in whom they indulged, and it was expected that they too be allowed to make a request for indulgence. But Owuut was not a very religious man either, and merely saw the entire exercise as a way to make more money off of his fine looking servant girl.
Eirin put Owuut out of her mind and looked out upon the dance floor as a pair of identical twins were finishing up their exotic snake dance, each of them sporting a python snake around their shoulders and dipping in between their bare breasts. Their performance was getting quite the approval of the crowd. Eirin could only imagine the price they would fetch in exchange for their indulgence.
"Nervous?"
It was a woman's voice, coming up beside her. Eirin recognized it immediately. It belonged to one of the few people in this debauched city that made life livable. She turned to look at Diane, a woman old enough to show the first signs of lines upon her face, but she was still clearly good looking. She used to be a soldier, but that was before she lost her right foot. Now she helped to train the dancing girls so that they kept in good form. She seemed to know a lot about dancing, but had never made it clear how she knew so much. Eirin owed most of her technique to Diane.
Tapping her walking cane against Eirin's thigh, Diane smiled at her. "Don't be. I met Joron on Indulgence Night. And I've never regretted that. Just follow your instincts out there. Your skill will do the rest."
Joron was Diane's blacksmith husband. The contraption she wore on her right limb to simulate a booted foot was of his design. The quiet, slightly balding man seemed far too meek to have ever earned Diane's warrior eye, but somehow the two had come together, in Usol of all places.
Eirin smiled tightly and nodded, but she did not share Eirin's positivity. There were lechers aplenty in the crowd tonight. Esmera, a friendly tavern girl who was working the tables tonight had warned her that there was a couple magistrates in the crowd with fat purses, buying up dancers' indulgences left and right.
The music for the twin dancers ended and there was loud applause, followed by loud professions of love from many in the crowd. She heard the tinkle of coins, sudden bouts of laughter, perhaps at some coy refusal, and then finally an applause as the dancers descended the stage.
The music began again, and the room hushed. Diane nodded once more in support and then Eirin stepped out onto the stage. Draped in transparent red silks, her slim, athletic frame was on full display for the packed house. Her tanned skin was glittering from sprinkled gold-dust, which served to give her an even more exotic appearance in the flickering torchlight. Her eyes were shadowed darkly, and her face was framed by her wild red hair, a unique color in this part of the world. Already there was a whooping from the crowd and promises of undying love from the crowd, even before her dance had begun.
The music picked up pace, the strum of the citar and the beat of hand-struck drums, added to the enchanting melody as the professional musicians played their own version of the Rondo of Fire. Eirin let slip from her hands two long ropes, on the end of which were blocks of black iron wrapped in oil-soaked cloth. As the music's first movement reached its crescendo, Eirin flicked her hands and the thin cords shot out, their metal ends alighting in the torch fire at the front of the stage.
For the next five minutes, Eirin twirled and spun and kicked and stretched, two fire ropes dazzling about her, showing off amazing grace and practiced skill. Many in the crowd hushed themselves in amazement at the display, only breaking their calm to applaud a particularly skillful jump or difficult-looking sequence with the fire ropes.
At last the music ended and the building came alive with applause, leaving Eirin standing mid-stage, doused fire ropes smoking beside her as she held herself in her final pose, sweating and heaving in deep breathes.
All around the front of the stage, men of various ranks and stations called up to her.
"Eirin, I pray to thee..."
"... in Dalonin's name, I beseech thee..."
"...on this most holy night, I ask for nothing but you..."
"...I pledge the pick of my next harvest to you!"
"Hah! Away with the farmer, I shall give you the gifts of fine satins!"
"Nay! My need is greater, oh Eirin, will you not stay with me tonight?"
The attention was somewhat overwhelming and Eirin could not help but smile at the absurdity of it all. Who were these men?
There was a large jostling in the crowd and six soldiers pushed themselves through to the front, knocking others out of the way. Among them, being dragged as if incredibly reluctant, was a familiar face. A young soldier whom Eirin had noticed watching her practice performances with some regularity. He'd never spoken a word to her, but she'd noticed him. Now, one of his soldier companions spoke up with a loud voice.
"Hail good lady! This one we bring with us is Dannon, the youngest member of our company. Every day and night for months we have had to put up with his pining for your beauty and his lamentations that a boy such as him could never gain your sweet attentions. We beg of you, as a company of men, indulge us all by caring for him tonight. The boy's truly lovesick and we're quite sure he'll never shut up unless you grant him an indulgence. Here!"
They pushed him forward. He was as red-faced as a cherry and could not bring himself to look her in the eye. His loud companions put down a pouch of coins in front of him. "It's his month's wages plus a bit of our own for good measure. Take it as a token of our gratitude for putting an end to his nonsense."
Dannon, for his part, put a hand to his face and finally rose his eyes to look at Eirin. "I... I..."
"Do not bother with the spineless boy," came a loud voice from the other side of the stage. A wealthy looking fellow in furs, holding an ornate stave with bejeweled fingers laid his own purse in front of himself on the stage. He opened it enough to show that it contained silver and *gasp* was that the glint of true gold? The man smiled and showed off that one of the previous dancers was already sitting next to him, her head coming to rest on his shoulder.
"I shall pay you more than any man here could do, and show you a night of luxury in my estate. Come, leave these filthy people and join me. I have the means of doing so much more for you."
At this, the young soldier looked crest-fallen, and his somewhat grinning compatriots now began to scowl at the rich man.
Eirin was caught between the two parties when suddenly a perfumed scent wafted by her and she turned, almost as if compelled, to look towards the corner of the room, away from the stage, where an enigmatic, woman with her hair bound up in a top knot before hanging down in a long pony-tail was motioning to her with a crooked finger. Seated at the table with the woman were two large, musclebound men who wore no tops.
"Come with me," a woman's voice said, from out of nowhere. It took a moment for Eirin to realize the voice was coming seemingly from within her own mind. She gazed at the woman in the corner and saw her smiling widely and motioning to her again with her finger. "Come with me, and I will take you away from this sordid life you now lead. Indulge me tonight, and I will share with you secrets of power that none of these idiot men will ever know, and I will free you from your bondage. All I ask is one night of complete obedience."
Something about the woman's voice inside her head seemed chilling and... wrong, but the offer of freedom from her master was something that Eirin had long dreamed of... but what would be the cost? Complete obedience?"
Suddenly, Eirin was aware that the room had quieted down. They were waiting for her to make a decision. Who would she indulge?
A) I've always wondered about this young man, Dannon ... I can tell by the way he's so shy and embarrassed that he'd probably treat me with respect tonight. I'll show him my affections. Maybe this was how Diane met her Joron?
B) Owuut was really clear that I needed to take the highest bid, and that's certainly this rich magistrate. I've always wanted to see inside one of those palaces... I'll bet there's all sorts of riches in there, and this guy can probably deliver the good time he's promising. I'll take the money and go with him.
C) That woman, she's promised me freedom. Usolian law is brutal when it comes to punishing runaway slaves and indentured servants, if this woman had a way around that, it was worth checking out. I'll go with her.
D) This festival is ridiculous. I'm not some piece of meat up for auction! I won't go with any of them! Festival rules be damned!
Winning votes were B, B, and C
Our tale begins in Usol, during the Festival of Indulgence, a holy day held in honor of the God Dalonin. It was said that to appease the Lord of Plenty, all within the city should take this night to indulge at least one of their great desires, and it was considered a grave sin to deny someone their pleasure...
Eirin stood in the stage wings, preparing for her first ever performance on the stage during the Festival of Indulgence. The crowd was larger than ever before, but that did not frighten her. It was not the dance that concerned her, but what would happen AFTER the dance. It was tradition for Usolian dancers to be primary targets of Indulgence. Men with dreams of lust, harbored for many months, would approach a dancer after her dance and pledge their requests for a night of bliss in front of all - and as it was a sin to refuse everyone, it made for an uncomfortable compromise. Eirin did not appreciate the religious observance, for she owed no special place in her heart to the God of Plenty.
Her master, a pig-faced man named Owuut, had made it clear that he expected her to indulge the highest bidder, so as to earn him the most money. That was not necessarily in-tune with the idea of the festival. An Indulger was meant to be given freedom of choice in whom they indulged, and it was expected that they too be allowed to make a request for indulgence. But Owuut was not a very religious man either, and merely saw the entire exercise as a way to make more money off of his fine looking servant girl.
Eirin put Owuut out of her mind and looked out upon the dance floor as a pair of identical twins were finishing up their exotic snake dance, each of them sporting a python snake around their shoulders and dipping in between their bare breasts. Their performance was getting quite the approval of the crowd. Eirin could only imagine the price they would fetch in exchange for their indulgence.
"Nervous?"
It was a woman's voice, coming up beside her. Eirin recognized it immediately. It belonged to one of the few people in this debauched city that made life livable. She turned to look at Diane, a woman old enough to show the first signs of lines upon her face, but she was still clearly good looking. She used to be a soldier, but that was before she lost her right foot. Now she helped to train the dancing girls so that they kept in good form. She seemed to know a lot about dancing, but had never made it clear how she knew so much. Eirin owed most of her technique to Diane.
Tapping her walking cane against Eirin's thigh, Diane smiled at her. "Don't be. I met Joron on Indulgence Night. And I've never regretted that. Just follow your instincts out there. Your skill will do the rest."
Joron was Diane's blacksmith husband. The contraption she wore on her right limb to simulate a booted foot was of his design. The quiet, slightly balding man seemed far too meek to have ever earned Diane's warrior eye, but somehow the two had come together, in Usol of all places.
Eirin smiled tightly and nodded, but she did not share Eirin's positivity. There were lechers aplenty in the crowd tonight. Esmera, a friendly tavern girl who was working the tables tonight had warned her that there was a couple magistrates in the crowd with fat purses, buying up dancers' indulgences left and right.
The music for the twin dancers ended and there was loud applause, followed by loud professions of love from many in the crowd. She heard the tinkle of coins, sudden bouts of laughter, perhaps at some coy refusal, and then finally an applause as the dancers descended the stage.
The music began again, and the room hushed. Diane nodded once more in support and then Eirin stepped out onto the stage. Draped in transparent red silks, her slim, athletic frame was on full display for the packed house. Her tanned skin was glittering from sprinkled gold-dust, which served to give her an even more exotic appearance in the flickering torchlight. Her eyes were shadowed darkly, and her face was framed by her wild red hair, a unique color in this part of the world. Already there was a whooping from the crowd and promises of undying love from the crowd, even before her dance had begun.
The music picked up pace, the strum of the citar and the beat of hand-struck drums, added to the enchanting melody as the professional musicians played their own version of the Rondo of Fire. Eirin let slip from her hands two long ropes, on the end of which were blocks of black iron wrapped in oil-soaked cloth. As the music's first movement reached its crescendo, Eirin flicked her hands and the thin cords shot out, their metal ends alighting in the torch fire at the front of the stage.
For the next five minutes, Eirin twirled and spun and kicked and stretched, two fire ropes dazzling about her, showing off amazing grace and practiced skill. Many in the crowd hushed themselves in amazement at the display, only breaking their calm to applaud a particularly skillful jump or difficult-looking sequence with the fire ropes.
At last the music ended and the building came alive with applause, leaving Eirin standing mid-stage, doused fire ropes smoking beside her as she held herself in her final pose, sweating and heaving in deep breathes.
All around the front of the stage, men of various ranks and stations called up to her.
"Eirin, I pray to thee..."
"... in Dalonin's name, I beseech thee..."
"...on this most holy night, I ask for nothing but you..."
"...I pledge the pick of my next harvest to you!"
"Hah! Away with the farmer, I shall give you the gifts of fine satins!"
"Nay! My need is greater, oh Eirin, will you not stay with me tonight?"
The attention was somewhat overwhelming and Eirin could not help but smile at the absurdity of it all. Who were these men?
There was a large jostling in the crowd and six soldiers pushed themselves through to the front, knocking others out of the way. Among them, being dragged as if incredibly reluctant, was a familiar face. A young soldier whom Eirin had noticed watching her practice performances with some regularity. He'd never spoken a word to her, but she'd noticed him. Now, one of his soldier companions spoke up with a loud voice.
"Hail good lady! This one we bring with us is Dannon, the youngest member of our company. Every day and night for months we have had to put up with his pining for your beauty and his lamentations that a boy such as him could never gain your sweet attentions. We beg of you, as a company of men, indulge us all by caring for him tonight. The boy's truly lovesick and we're quite sure he'll never shut up unless you grant him an indulgence. Here!"
They pushed him forward. He was as red-faced as a cherry and could not bring himself to look her in the eye. His loud companions put down a pouch of coins in front of him. "It's his month's wages plus a bit of our own for good measure. Take it as a token of our gratitude for putting an end to his nonsense."
Dannon, for his part, put a hand to his face and finally rose his eyes to look at Eirin. "I... I..."
"Do not bother with the spineless boy," came a loud voice from the other side of the stage. A wealthy looking fellow in furs, holding an ornate stave with bejeweled fingers laid his own purse in front of himself on the stage. He opened it enough to show that it contained silver and *gasp* was that the glint of true gold? The man smiled and showed off that one of the previous dancers was already sitting next to him, her head coming to rest on his shoulder.
"I shall pay you more than any man here could do, and show you a night of luxury in my estate. Come, leave these filthy people and join me. I have the means of doing so much more for you."
At this, the young soldier looked crest-fallen, and his somewhat grinning compatriots now began to scowl at the rich man.
Eirin was caught between the two parties when suddenly a perfumed scent wafted by her and she turned, almost as if compelled, to look towards the corner of the room, away from the stage, where an enigmatic, woman with her hair bound up in a top knot before hanging down in a long pony-tail was motioning to her with a crooked finger. Seated at the table with the woman were two large, musclebound men who wore no tops.
"Come with me," a woman's voice said, from out of nowhere. It took a moment for Eirin to realize the voice was coming seemingly from within her own mind. She gazed at the woman in the corner and saw her smiling widely and motioning to her again with her finger. "Come with me, and I will take you away from this sordid life you now lead. Indulge me tonight, and I will share with you secrets of power that none of these idiot men will ever know, and I will free you from your bondage. All I ask is one night of complete obedience."
Something about the woman's voice inside her head seemed chilling and... wrong, but the offer of freedom from her master was something that Eirin had long dreamed of... but what would be the cost? Complete obedience?"
Suddenly, Eirin was aware that the room had quieted down. They were waiting for her to make a decision. Who would she indulge?
A) I've always wondered about this young man, Dannon ... I can tell by the way he's so shy and embarrassed that he'd probably treat me with respect tonight. I'll show him my affections. Maybe this was how Diane met her Joron?
B) Owuut was really clear that I needed to take the highest bid, and that's certainly this rich magistrate. I've always wanted to see inside one of those palaces... I'll bet there's all sorts of riches in there, and this guy can probably deliver the good time he's promising. I'll take the money and go with him.
C) That woman, she's promised me freedom. Usolian law is brutal when it comes to punishing runaway slaves and indentured servants, if this woman had a way around that, it was worth checking out. I'll go with her.
D) This festival is ridiculous. I'm not some piece of meat up for auction! I won't go with any of them! Festival rules be damned!
Last edited:
TentanariX
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Re: Ancient Lands CYOA
D. Is asking for trouble.
C. Sounds horribly tempting but could be a hoax, though I am strongly leaning towards it.
A. Is also tempting, I'd rather have sex with someone whod treat me with respect and adoration rather then some rich swine, though there's a chance of being mistreated if we do something any of them don't like. But for some reason is one of the ones I think would be best.
B. Seems to be the easy way out, but rich people can mistreat us and get away it a lot easier then others.
Ultimately I am torn between A and C.........
And after flipping a make shift coin made out of a button, I choose A.
Dannon
D. Is asking for trouble.
C. Sounds horribly tempting but could be a hoax, though I am strongly leaning towards it.
A. Is also tempting, I'd rather have sex with someone whod treat me with respect and adoration rather then some rich swine, though there's a chance of being mistreated if we do something any of them don't like. But for some reason is one of the ones I think would be best.
B. Seems to be the easy way out, but rich people can mistreat us and get away it a lot easier then others.
Ultimately I am torn between A and C.........
And after flipping a make shift coin made out of a button, I choose A.
Dannon
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Re: Ancient Lands CYOA
Very tough choice between A and C.
-The woman seems like a great place to start in toughening up the hero who has such a tale ahead of her, but it doesn't seem in best interests to go with the woman at this moment.
-Perhaps Dannon falling in love would give him the spine to stand up for you and forcefully break the chains or your attachment from Owuut. But it doesn't guarantee her freedom or release.
-B doesn't seem like a step in the right direction, and D seems to be sidestepping the problem completely while avoiding possible solutions
A) though the inevitable breaking away from this Dannon's heart seems painful.
Very tough choice between A and C.
-The woman seems like a great place to start in toughening up the hero who has such a tale ahead of her, but it doesn't seem in best interests to go with the woman at this moment.
-Perhaps Dannon falling in love would give him the spine to stand up for you and forcefully break the chains or your attachment from Owuut. But it doesn't guarantee her freedom or release.
-B doesn't seem like a step in the right direction, and D seems to be sidestepping the problem completely while avoiding possible solutions
A) though the inevitable breaking away from this Dannon's heart seems painful.
Ryu Doppler
Evard's Tentacles of Forced Intrusion
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Re: Ancient Lands CYOA
A. Help the poor shy Dannon out. Let's not forget that getting some soldiers on our good graces could come to be advantageous in the future.
A. Help the poor shy Dannon out. Let's not forget that getting some soldiers on our good graces could come to be advantageous in the future.
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Re: Ancient Lands CYOA
Dannon seems nice, but the lady has telepathy, and that's my fetish.
Also I am kinda having flashbacks to Fable 3 with Dannon, he might die if we pick him or something. We can find him later probably, right?
C. What could possibly go wrong.
Dannon seems nice, but the lady has telepathy, and that's my fetish.
Also I am kinda having flashbacks to Fable 3 with Dannon, he might die if we pick him or something. We can find him later probably, right?
C. What could possibly go wrong.
LadyAliciaRavenhurst
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Re: Ancient Lands CYOA
D is just going to get us in some major trouble.
B... well, I just don't just him. Orders be damned, but you portrayed him in a very slimy "I have enough money to kill half the city and bribe the other half to get away with it" attitude. If Owuut wants this guy's money, then he can shag him.
A is likely to gain us some soldier allies and Dannon seems like he has the potential to be really friendly later on. Also, shy boys like that are always ridiculously cute to me and kind of a turn-on.
Finally, C does sound like it might be the start of something very helpful down the line, but, while the telepathic control is pretty hot, I don't think it's anything we should be going for tonight. If we encounter her again, I'm likely to be all for it, provided we don't have something hugely important to do at the time.
So, my vote is for A, Dannon. Let's show the nice boy a good time.
Also, for God's sake, have ALL the reputation! *spams the rep button on all your posts*
Oddly enough, I was getting that impression too.
D is just going to get us in some major trouble.
B... well, I just don't just him. Orders be damned, but you portrayed him in a very slimy "I have enough money to kill half the city and bribe the other half to get away with it" attitude. If Owuut wants this guy's money, then he can shag him.
A is likely to gain us some soldier allies and Dannon seems like he has the potential to be really friendly later on. Also, shy boys like that are always ridiculously cute to me and kind of a turn-on.
Finally, C does sound like it might be the start of something very helpful down the line, but, while the telepathic control is pretty hot, I don't think it's anything we should be going for tonight. If we encounter her again, I'm likely to be all for it, provided we don't have something hugely important to do at the time.
So, my vote is for A, Dannon. Let's show the nice boy a good time.
Also, for God's sake, have ALL the reputation! *spams the rep button on all your posts*
Tiffanian
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Re: Ancient Lands CYOA
Hmm... Between A and C, and I can't say as I know which I'd rather have. The sentimental dolt in me wants to pick A, though part of me thinks that it might be more in keeping with the overarching plot to pick C...
Ah well, A.
Hmm... Between A and C, and I can't say as I know which I'd rather have. The sentimental dolt in me wants to pick A, though part of me thinks that it might be more in keeping with the overarching plot to pick C...
Ah well, A.
Ranger Princess
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Re: Ancient Lands CYOA
A
Eirin seems like the type of girl that likes to be in control.
A
Eirin seems like the type of girl that likes to be in control.
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Re: Ancient Lands CYOA
I thought so too, but then I remembered
and thought "...ooh jesus no, sexy mindsexslaves"
OP
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Re: Ancient Lands CYOA
With more effort than she cared to dwell upon, Eirin tore her eyes away from the woman and two men sitting in the corner of the room. She took a momentary glance over at the magistrate then, eying his pouch of wealth - more than she'd ever seen in one place, that was real gold! But she knew that even if she took it, Owuut would be the one counting the coins, not her. So at last she turned once more to look at the youthful soldier, his dark hair curled and matted from having been under his helmet all day on watch.
With deliberate grace she stepped toward him, and stooped down to pluck up the small pouch of copper and a few silvers that his comrades had laid in front of him. Eirin held it close to her chest and with her other hand, ran her fingers across his thick hair.
"I choose this young soldier to receive my indulgence," she said, and there was some mild applause from the crowd, whilst Dannon's soldier friends clapped loudly for him. Eirin held out her hand then to Dannon, and though he took it, he seemed to be so awestruck that she had chosen him that he could hardly do anything else but stare at her with his mouth slightly agape.
His loud friend came to his rescue. "Help the girl off the stage, you dolt! And close your mouth, you look like an idiot."
"Oh! Right. Sorry Miss... Eirin..." Dannon said bashfully as he firmed his grip on her and, supporting her by the hip, helped her down from the stage and into his arms. Eirin smiled coyly at him when he held her close like this. The lad was showing off some of the strength that came from basic training in the Usolian military camps. He wasn't a large man, in fact he and she were almost the same height, but he had lean muscle, like herself, the kind of strength that belied sheer mass. His sword arm looked solidly built, probably from days on end of drills, swinging the same piece of metal over and over again.
"All right you two, go on and get yourselves out of this crowd," the boisterous soldier said, clapping Dannon on the shoulder. "You take proper care of this lady now." The bigger soldier grinned generously, showing large rows of yellowed teeth surrounded by pink lips and his dark beard. "Go on now, get!"
Smiling from ear to ear, with Eirin's arms wrapped around his neck, Dannon led her from the stage, heading towards the exit. As they walked, Eirin took a last peek over her shoulder to look at the rich magistrate. Disconcertingly, his gaze was affixed to her still, his eyes narrowed and his jawline tight. Only once she had met his stare did he turn around to speak with one of his bodyguards. After that the crowd got in the way and she saw him no more. Turning to look at the corner of the room, Eirin was surprised to see no sign nor trace of the strange woman and her two bare-chested associates. The table there was now empty.
At last the two of them reached the doorway and stepped out into the moonlit streets of Usol. They stood in one of the city's many plazas, and outside were many minstrel acts and food vendors looking to make a heavy profit on Indulgence Night - which was known as much for its consumption of cuisine as it was for its promiscuity.
"I apologize for the way this all came about," Dannon said, loosening himself from Eirin's waist and placing his hands around her own.
"Why are you sorry?" Eirin asked, curiously.
"It wasn't my idea to approach you like this, on Induglence Night. I never thought..." He paused, having trouble finding the right words.
"Do you not desire me?" Eirin said, discovering that she enjoyed the way such a simple question could make this young man blush so furiously.
"No! I mean yes! But it - it's not just your body that attracts me so!" Dannon stammered as they stood there together outside of the entertainment hall.
"Go on. Tell me what else attracts you to me." Eirin teased, tossing her hair to one side as she spoke.
Dannon winced and laughed lightly. "You're going to make me embarrass myself even more? How much can one man take?"
"Surely you've stared at me enough times during my practice routines, you must know what you like about me." Eirin pressed him, then smiling she turned her hips and let her hand pull away the red dancing silk's to reveal her long leg and a decent portion of her firmly shaped buttock. "Was it this perhaps?" She asked, patting herself.
Dannon guffawed and turned his eyes skyward trying to avoid staring at her obvious flirtation. Still, Eirin noticed there were other parts of his body that gave away his obvious appreciation of her form.
"I... so you've noticed me watching you, hmm? I don't suppose you remember me from when we were little?"
This caught Eirin off-guard. "When we were little? What do you mean?"
"I thought you might not remember. Us Usolians... all of us with dark hair and our dark complexions, all with the same brown eyes, a young pot washer wouldn't stand out much to a floor cleaner with that amazing fiery hair and those soft, pale eyes," Dannon said, half ruefully, half wistfully.
"Pot washer? You mean you worked for Master Owuut in the tavern kitchens?" Suddenly a deeper recognition dawned on Eirin, and the image of a scrawny, short, and perennially dirty boy always buried to his elbows in soapy water and dishes looking up at her from a memory ten years in her past. "Dany the Mute?!"
"I was never mute," Dannon said, shaking his head from side to side.
Eirin looked him up and down once again. The tiny little scamp had grown so much. It was uncanny, but as she dug into her memory, she realized that it must be true. He had the same dark eyes, the same thick eyebrows, the same unruly hair on his left side that stood up in the back. How could she have not recognized him?
"Not a mute? I never heard you speak a word the entire time!"
"You were always in the front anyway, I was in the back, and the head cook didn't appreciate talking in his kitchen, especially not from little guys like me," Dannon said as they started to walk down the street, passing by a three person juggling act.
Eirin bent her head in thought, and then pulled up another memory. "But you were there when Diane first took notice of me! You were the one with the blacksmith puzzle, the one that Joron made! Remember? You were trying to solve the puzzle but couldn't and --"
"--And I threw it down in disgust. Yes, I remember. You saw and picked it up. Took three seconds to look it over and then solved it right in front of me." Dannon laughed, looking at her sheepishly out of the corner of his eye. "Beautiful and clever. No wonder I ran from you."
"But why?" Eirin asked, stunned at this renewal of a childhood acquaintance. "You just stared at me and ran back into the kitchens. I thought you were odd in the head or something!"
"Maybe I was, eh? Pretty stupid thing to do. I don't really know why I ran. But I heard after that day that you'd been chosen to be a dancer... then you stopped being around the tavern so much after that. Two weeks later, I accidentally spilled a hot pot on the cook's foot and was tossed out on the streets. I had to work up river on a fishing boat after that, so I didn't come back to the city until I joined the militia. It wasn't hard to find you though... you'd become a proper dancer and you still looked so different." He paused and glanced at her before adding, "In a good way! You'd gotten so... pretty, I was shocked. I started taking deliberate patrol detours to come and watch you train."
Eirin bit her lip, blushing slightly. "I couldn't have been that good..."
"Oh but you were! You are!" Dannon said, almost admonishing her for not having faith in herself. "You're so quick, and you almost never fall after seeing something done once!"
"Hmm, you really have been watching me a lot, haven't you?"
Dannon scratched his head and looked away. "I -- uh, I'm sorry. I guess maybe it's a bit disturbing?"
"No... it's not." Eirin replied, patting him on the shoulder. "It's nice to meet someone who seems to believe in me more than I do." Suddenly, Eirin's stomach began to rumble. "Hmm, I guess I'm sorta hungry."
"Yeah, we could go eat someth -- oh..." Dannon had put his hand to where his belt pouch had been, only to realize that all of his money was in Eirin's possession, dangling by a leather string from her wrist. Seeing where his eyes focused, Eirin laughed lightly and pushed the moneybag into his hands.
"Here Dany, why don't you take this collection and spend it on us tonight? I think I'd much prefer that."
Something about the way Dannon looked into her eyes after that stirred up some unusual emotions inside Eirin's chest. No one had ever looked at her like that, and she was at a loss to explain what it was she saw in his eyes. It was... very nice, whatever it was.
"Come on then," he said, suddenly having confidence in his voice that hinted at him truly being a soldier. "Telgar says there's a great place to get roasted waati lizard around here."
"Telgar?"
"Oh, he's my sergeant, that loud guy who introduced me tonight. Taught me everything I know about being a soldier."
~~~
The evening seemed to fly by in a whirlwind, but everything under the glowing stars appeared wonderful in Usol that night, at least to Eirin. Dannon had been right about the food -- roast waati lizard dipped in sweetbutter and paunti spiced sauce was amazing, so much better than the strict diet Diane made her adhere to for training purposes.
Then the two had made their way to the Plaza of Lights, where merchants from the West had shown off a marvelous display of alchemical fires, creating flames in a myriad colors: whites and greens and purples, flashing sparks and dancing shadow puppetry. She'd never had time to properly watch these displays before, but they were miraculous and magnificent to behold.
They looked at many fine shops and laughed at many quirky wares that the traders had to offer. At one point, Dannon slipped away for a moment while Eirin was absorbed in an old man's explanation of his glass staining techniques. When he returned, he made no explanation for where he'd been.
The pair then walked, through the Eastern Parade, crossing the bridge over the River Pol, and arrived amidst the temple park district, where tall trees and shrines to the various gods of mankind dotted the grassy landscape. It was here that Dannon stopped and turned to her.
"Eirin, I know I may seem like an odd man..."
"And you are~" She giggled, poking him the sides, causing him to pause and grin before pressing on.
"Seriously... I may be odd, but I think I have an advantage over any other suitor you might have in this city." He paused, but Eirin made no response, just looking at him and smiling. "I know what I want, and that is to be with you, not just tonight, but every night, for as long as you would have me - if you'll have me."
Then he took out from behind his back a necklace of polished silver beads and fire opals and presented it to her. Eirin had never been offered a piece of jewelry before - at least, not as a gift. The only adornments she had worn had been owned and purchased by Owuut, and were allowed to her only when she danced. This necklace, though simple, was perhaps the sweetest thing she'd ever been given.
She gave him the barest of nods, and taking that as encouragement enough, he put the necklace around her and clasped it about her neck, adjusting it slightly so the biggest fire opals stood out in the front.
Looking up at him, Eirin had finally understood what she saw in Dannon's eyes that night. "I know what I want for my indulgence tonight," she told him.
"What's that?" he asked, his face suddenly innocent and naive again.
In response, Eirin pushed the silks off of her shoulders, letting them fall away from her body to the ground. She then tugged at the knot of fabric at her waist and let he last of her clothes fall away, so that she was clothed now only in the necklace that he had given her.
Taking him silently by the hand, Eirin led Dannon to a place of her choosing, someplace sacred, where the god most dear to Eirin could watch and bless them. (1)
A) Lead him to the shrine of Ellona, Lady of Life. (+1 Appeal, +1 Defense, Healing Touch, fertility)(Healer +1)
B) Lead him to the shrine of Bain, God of Battle. (+1 Strength, +1 Melee, +1 Hand to Hand, Battle Frenzy, merciless)(Warrior+1)
C) Lead him to the shrine of Tham, Lord of Storms (+1 Agility, +1 Ranged, Weather Sense, temperamental)(Shaman +1)
D) Lead him to the altar of Mard, the All Father (+1 to lowest stats, Marked by the Gods, honor-bound)(Priestess +1)
E) Lead him to the shrine of Cellimoor, the Wayfinder (+1 to Mind, +1 Ranged, Expert Tracker, wanderlust)(Ranger +1)
F) Lead him to the shrine of Landra, Goddess of Love (+2 to Appeal, -1 Strength, Attractive, lustful)(Seductress+1)
G) Lead him to the altar of Syr, Goddess of the Stars (+1 Mind, + 1 Melee, Marked by the Gods, magic vulnerability.)(Sorceress +1)
H) Lead him to the shrine of Duul, God of Strength (+1 Strength, +2 Hand to Hand, Fists of Iron, distrust of sorcery)(Gladiator +1)
I) Lead him to the shrine of Ismir, God of Time (+1 Mind, +1 Defense, Insightful, taciturn)(Scholar +1)
J) Lead him to the shrine of Vaelyn.... (Suggest a God/Goddess and appropriate boons/flaws)(Choose a profession bonus)
With more effort than she cared to dwell upon, Eirin tore her eyes away from the woman and two men sitting in the corner of the room. She took a momentary glance over at the magistrate then, eying his pouch of wealth - more than she'd ever seen in one place, that was real gold! But she knew that even if she took it, Owuut would be the one counting the coins, not her. So at last she turned once more to look at the youthful soldier, his dark hair curled and matted from having been under his helmet all day on watch.
With deliberate grace she stepped toward him, and stooped down to pluck up the small pouch of copper and a few silvers that his comrades had laid in front of him. Eirin held it close to her chest and with her other hand, ran her fingers across his thick hair.
"I choose this young soldier to receive my indulgence," she said, and there was some mild applause from the crowd, whilst Dannon's soldier friends clapped loudly for him. Eirin held out her hand then to Dannon, and though he took it, he seemed to be so awestruck that she had chosen him that he could hardly do anything else but stare at her with his mouth slightly agape.
His loud friend came to his rescue. "Help the girl off the stage, you dolt! And close your mouth, you look like an idiot."
"Oh! Right. Sorry Miss... Eirin..." Dannon said bashfully as he firmed his grip on her and, supporting her by the hip, helped her down from the stage and into his arms. Eirin smiled coyly at him when he held her close like this. The lad was showing off some of the strength that came from basic training in the Usolian military camps. He wasn't a large man, in fact he and she were almost the same height, but he had lean muscle, like herself, the kind of strength that belied sheer mass. His sword arm looked solidly built, probably from days on end of drills, swinging the same piece of metal over and over again.
"All right you two, go on and get yourselves out of this crowd," the boisterous soldier said, clapping Dannon on the shoulder. "You take proper care of this lady now." The bigger soldier grinned generously, showing large rows of yellowed teeth surrounded by pink lips and his dark beard. "Go on now, get!"
Smiling from ear to ear, with Eirin's arms wrapped around his neck, Dannon led her from the stage, heading towards the exit. As they walked, Eirin took a last peek over her shoulder to look at the rich magistrate. Disconcertingly, his gaze was affixed to her still, his eyes narrowed and his jawline tight. Only once she had met his stare did he turn around to speak with one of his bodyguards. After that the crowd got in the way and she saw him no more. Turning to look at the corner of the room, Eirin was surprised to see no sign nor trace of the strange woman and her two bare-chested associates. The table there was now empty.
At last the two of them reached the doorway and stepped out into the moonlit streets of Usol. They stood in one of the city's many plazas, and outside were many minstrel acts and food vendors looking to make a heavy profit on Indulgence Night - which was known as much for its consumption of cuisine as it was for its promiscuity.
"I apologize for the way this all came about," Dannon said, loosening himself from Eirin's waist and placing his hands around her own.
"Why are you sorry?" Eirin asked, curiously.
"It wasn't my idea to approach you like this, on Induglence Night. I never thought..." He paused, having trouble finding the right words.
"Do you not desire me?" Eirin said, discovering that she enjoyed the way such a simple question could make this young man blush so furiously.
"No! I mean yes! But it - it's not just your body that attracts me so!" Dannon stammered as they stood there together outside of the entertainment hall.
"Go on. Tell me what else attracts you to me." Eirin teased, tossing her hair to one side as she spoke.
Dannon winced and laughed lightly. "You're going to make me embarrass myself even more? How much can one man take?"
"Surely you've stared at me enough times during my practice routines, you must know what you like about me." Eirin pressed him, then smiling she turned her hips and let her hand pull away the red dancing silk's to reveal her long leg and a decent portion of her firmly shaped buttock. "Was it this perhaps?" She asked, patting herself.
Dannon guffawed and turned his eyes skyward trying to avoid staring at her obvious flirtation. Still, Eirin noticed there were other parts of his body that gave away his obvious appreciation of her form.
"I... so you've noticed me watching you, hmm? I don't suppose you remember me from when we were little?"
This caught Eirin off-guard. "When we were little? What do you mean?"
"I thought you might not remember. Us Usolians... all of us with dark hair and our dark complexions, all with the same brown eyes, a young pot washer wouldn't stand out much to a floor cleaner with that amazing fiery hair and those soft, pale eyes," Dannon said, half ruefully, half wistfully.
"Pot washer? You mean you worked for Master Owuut in the tavern kitchens?" Suddenly a deeper recognition dawned on Eirin, and the image of a scrawny, short, and perennially dirty boy always buried to his elbows in soapy water and dishes looking up at her from a memory ten years in her past. "Dany the Mute?!"
"I was never mute," Dannon said, shaking his head from side to side.
Eirin looked him up and down once again. The tiny little scamp had grown so much. It was uncanny, but as she dug into her memory, she realized that it must be true. He had the same dark eyes, the same thick eyebrows, the same unruly hair on his left side that stood up in the back. How could she have not recognized him?
"Not a mute? I never heard you speak a word the entire time!"
"You were always in the front anyway, I was in the back, and the head cook didn't appreciate talking in his kitchen, especially not from little guys like me," Dannon said as they started to walk down the street, passing by a three person juggling act.
Eirin bent her head in thought, and then pulled up another memory. "But you were there when Diane first took notice of me! You were the one with the blacksmith puzzle, the one that Joron made! Remember? You were trying to solve the puzzle but couldn't and --"
"--And I threw it down in disgust. Yes, I remember. You saw and picked it up. Took three seconds to look it over and then solved it right in front of me." Dannon laughed, looking at her sheepishly out of the corner of his eye. "Beautiful and clever. No wonder I ran from you."
"But why?" Eirin asked, stunned at this renewal of a childhood acquaintance. "You just stared at me and ran back into the kitchens. I thought you were odd in the head or something!"
"Maybe I was, eh? Pretty stupid thing to do. I don't really know why I ran. But I heard after that day that you'd been chosen to be a dancer... then you stopped being around the tavern so much after that. Two weeks later, I accidentally spilled a hot pot on the cook's foot and was tossed out on the streets. I had to work up river on a fishing boat after that, so I didn't come back to the city until I joined the militia. It wasn't hard to find you though... you'd become a proper dancer and you still looked so different." He paused and glanced at her before adding, "In a good way! You'd gotten so... pretty, I was shocked. I started taking deliberate patrol detours to come and watch you train."
Eirin bit her lip, blushing slightly. "I couldn't have been that good..."
"Oh but you were! You are!" Dannon said, almost admonishing her for not having faith in herself. "You're so quick, and you almost never fall after seeing something done once!"
"Hmm, you really have been watching me a lot, haven't you?"
Dannon scratched his head and looked away. "I -- uh, I'm sorry. I guess maybe it's a bit disturbing?"
"No... it's not." Eirin replied, patting him on the shoulder. "It's nice to meet someone who seems to believe in me more than I do." Suddenly, Eirin's stomach began to rumble. "Hmm, I guess I'm sorta hungry."
"Yeah, we could go eat someth -- oh..." Dannon had put his hand to where his belt pouch had been, only to realize that all of his money was in Eirin's possession, dangling by a leather string from her wrist. Seeing where his eyes focused, Eirin laughed lightly and pushed the moneybag into his hands.
"Here Dany, why don't you take this collection and spend it on us tonight? I think I'd much prefer that."
Something about the way Dannon looked into her eyes after that stirred up some unusual emotions inside Eirin's chest. No one had ever looked at her like that, and she was at a loss to explain what it was she saw in his eyes. It was... very nice, whatever it was.
"Come on then," he said, suddenly having confidence in his voice that hinted at him truly being a soldier. "Telgar says there's a great place to get roasted waati lizard around here."
"Telgar?"
"Oh, he's my sergeant, that loud guy who introduced me tonight. Taught me everything I know about being a soldier."
~~~
The evening seemed to fly by in a whirlwind, but everything under the glowing stars appeared wonderful in Usol that night, at least to Eirin. Dannon had been right about the food -- roast waati lizard dipped in sweetbutter and paunti spiced sauce was amazing, so much better than the strict diet Diane made her adhere to for training purposes.
Then the two had made their way to the Plaza of Lights, where merchants from the West had shown off a marvelous display of alchemical fires, creating flames in a myriad colors: whites and greens and purples, flashing sparks and dancing shadow puppetry. She'd never had time to properly watch these displays before, but they were miraculous and magnificent to behold.
They looked at many fine shops and laughed at many quirky wares that the traders had to offer. At one point, Dannon slipped away for a moment while Eirin was absorbed in an old man's explanation of his glass staining techniques. When he returned, he made no explanation for where he'd been.
The pair then walked, through the Eastern Parade, crossing the bridge over the River Pol, and arrived amidst the temple park district, where tall trees and shrines to the various gods of mankind dotted the grassy landscape. It was here that Dannon stopped and turned to her.
"Eirin, I know I may seem like an odd man..."
"And you are~" She giggled, poking him the sides, causing him to pause and grin before pressing on.
"Seriously... I may be odd, but I think I have an advantage over any other suitor you might have in this city." He paused, but Eirin made no response, just looking at him and smiling. "I know what I want, and that is to be with you, not just tonight, but every night, for as long as you would have me - if you'll have me."
Then he took out from behind his back a necklace of polished silver beads and fire opals and presented it to her. Eirin had never been offered a piece of jewelry before - at least, not as a gift. The only adornments she had worn had been owned and purchased by Owuut, and were allowed to her only when she danced. This necklace, though simple, was perhaps the sweetest thing she'd ever been given.
She gave him the barest of nods, and taking that as encouragement enough, he put the necklace around her and clasped it about her neck, adjusting it slightly so the biggest fire opals stood out in the front.
Looking up at him, Eirin had finally understood what she saw in Dannon's eyes that night. "I know what I want for my indulgence tonight," she told him.
"What's that?" he asked, his face suddenly innocent and naive again.
In response, Eirin pushed the silks off of her shoulders, letting them fall away from her body to the ground. She then tugged at the knot of fabric at her waist and let he last of her clothes fall away, so that she was clothed now only in the necklace that he had given her.
Taking him silently by the hand, Eirin led Dannon to a place of her choosing, someplace sacred, where the god most dear to Eirin could watch and bless them. (1)
A) Lead him to the shrine of Ellona, Lady of Life. (+1 Appeal, +1 Defense, Healing Touch, fertility)(Healer +1)
B) Lead him to the shrine of Bain, God of Battle. (+1 Strength, +1 Melee, +1 Hand to Hand, Battle Frenzy, merciless)(Warrior+1)
C) Lead him to the shrine of Tham, Lord of Storms (+1 Agility, +1 Ranged, Weather Sense, temperamental)(Shaman +1)
D) Lead him to the altar of Mard, the All Father (+1 to lowest stats, Marked by the Gods, honor-bound)(Priestess +1)
E) Lead him to the shrine of Cellimoor, the Wayfinder (+1 to Mind, +1 Ranged, Expert Tracker, wanderlust)(Ranger +1)
F) Lead him to the shrine of Landra, Goddess of Love (+2 to Appeal, -1 Strength, Attractive, lustful)(Seductress+1)
G) Lead him to the altar of Syr, Goddess of the Stars (+1 Mind, + 1 Melee, Marked by the Gods, magic vulnerability.)(Sorceress +1)
H) Lead him to the shrine of Duul, God of Strength (+1 Strength, +2 Hand to Hand, Fists of Iron, distrust of sorcery)(Gladiator +1)
I) Lead him to the shrine of Ismir, God of Time (+1 Mind, +1 Defense, Insightful, taciturn)(Scholar +1)
J) Lead him to the shrine of Vaelyn.... (Suggest a God/Goddess and appropriate boons/flaws)(Choose a profession bonus)
This is basically the last bit of character creation, anything else Eirin picks up will be from experience. The god you pick will come into play at some point in the story and will likely have an affect on possible career paths going forward. (IE: Don't pick Duul if you want Eirin to learn magic, and don't pick Tham if you want Eirin to be all sweet and diplomatic.
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