Stories of Alpha Gem. IC and OOC thread
<head>
		<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8">
		<meta name="robots" content="noindex">
		<link rel="canonical" href="https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=273100.0">
		<title>Print Page - Stories of Alpha Gem. IC and OOC thread</title>
		<style type="text/css">
			body, a
			{
				color: #000;
				background: #fff;
			}
			body, td, .normaltext
			{
				font-family: Verdana, arial, helvetica, serif;
				font-size: small;
			}
			h1#title
			{
				font-size: large;
				font-weight: bold;
			}
			h2#linktree
			{
				margin: 1em 0 2.5em 0;
				font-size: small;
				font-weight: bold;
			}
			dl#posts
			{
				width: 90%;
				margin: 0;
				padding: 0;
				list-style: none;
			}
			dt.postheader
			{
				border: solid #000;
				border-width: 1px 0;
				padding: 4px 0;
			}
			dd.postbody
			{
				margin: 1em 0 2em 2em;
			}
			table
			{
				empty-cells: show;
			}
			blockquote, code
			{
				border: 1px solid #000;
				margin: 3px;
				padding: 1px;
				display: block;
			}
			code
			{
				font: x-small monospace;
			}
			blockquote
			{
				font-size: x-small;
			}
			.smalltext, .quoteheader, .codeheader
			{
				font-size: x-small;
			}
			.largetext
			{
				font-size: large;
			}
			.centertext
			{
				text-align: center;
			}
			hr
			{
				height: 1px;
				border: 0;
				color: black;
				background-color: black;
			}
		</style>
	</head>
	<body>
		<h1 id="title">Elliquiy Role Playing Forums</h1>
		<h2 id="linktree">Non-Adult Sandbox =&gt; Non-Adult Roleplays =&gt; Topic started by: Captain Maltese on August 16, 2017, 07:10:25 am</h2>
		<dl id="posts">
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Stories of Alpha Gem. IC and OOC thread</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Captain Maltese</strong> on <strong>August 16, 2017, 07:10:25 am</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				This is an experimental thread for storytelling from the mythical world Alpha Gem. Please post by invitation only. Actual story posts should have <em>italicized</em> text. There will be multiple stories in varying styles.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Stories of Alpha Gem. IC and OOC thread</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Captain Maltese</strong> on <strong>August 16, 2017, 07:52:04 am</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<em>The ship, a four masted heavy rigged trader with the full hull plowing deeply through the ocean waves with a strong wind in her back, steered toward a blurred vision of two improbable standing water columns which around sunlight bent and glittered and seagulls circled with maddened screams of delight. The Captain stood beside the oarsman with his hands on his back, watching the portal with a stern smile. Their voyage from the last port had been unusually benign, with not a pirate on even the most distant horizon and the wind powerful yet steady behind them for every day. Even the crew had been in a good mood. Certainly they were going to make the port of Getson in good time and earn a good fee, and certainly the sailors would be able to partake in the upcoming festivities and with money in their pockets. Certainly this was the kind of voyage sailors dreamed of!<br><br>As the bark swung into the port in the evening sun, most of its white sails already furled, one of the sailors waiting by the ladder was shouldering his duffel bag. He'd signed on for this single voyage only, simply working his way from one port to another. Somniatis was a wiry man of indeterminate age, with high chin bones and piercing blue eyes in a face framed by long dark grey-streaked hair which was only visible when the hood of his robes was lowered. While waving amiably to his brief traveling traveling companions, Somniatis was gone into the port shortly after the ladder was lowered onto the dock.<br><br>Everyone has a goal, if not necessarily a purpose. Somniatis the Dreamscaper's goal for this was voyage was not just to experience the mad feasts of the Bright Side of Olympus, but to ply his highly unusual trade. Before midnight he had arrived at the Ruins of Cilla, a forested area of old and new temples and holy stones where the human and the eternals mingled during the festivities, and not just in spirit. Near the Moonlight Pool he settled comfortably at the roots of a giant tree, almost vanishing in the darkness but for his 'shop light' - a crystal on a string around his neck whose bright light came from within and whose shine changed color at every heart beat of his. A signal everyone in this world should be able to recognize as a message that its wearer was blessed by the Deities in some magical way, because these Fairy lights were lethal to any mundane wearer. And so Somniatis, merchant of dreams, waited for a customer and hoped he would not have to forge yet another nightmare. </em>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Stories of Alpha Gem. IC and OOC thread</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Captain Maltese</strong> on <strong>August 16, 2017, 08:13:41 am</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				I have a thing for everything naval and love to use the element in my stories, even when it does not affect the plot in any direct way. Here it is a way to bring the character into the world. The second intent of the first paragraph was to hint that the sea voyage was strangely dreamlike. Then the next paragraph established the character, and the third set the place of meeting and the reason why to meet. Slightly more open ended than I prefer but as yet I know very little of what my cowriters character will be like and appear like, so it had to be this way.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Stories of Alpha Gem. IC and OOC thread</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>ladyfickle</strong> on <strong>August 16, 2017, 09:42:30 am</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<em>“Young man, you are dressed improperly for a festivity,” said a bell voice, accompanied by two azure eyes sparkling from divinity. The lady was strikingly beautiful, fair-spoken and with hair shining in gold. <br><br>"I am Venus, a Goddess of Beauty and Love.<br>I see that you are selling dreams. I have had a lot of trouble with a God of Sleep named Hypnos. So how powerful is your magic? What a time has set in – the Bright Olympian Gods have to ask help from the mortals! But I can’t bear the guy. Every time I meet him he talks about how my nipples… well, he is a nuisance. I would love to put him to sleep for several ages to come, but he is still probably going to dream about me and pester me. I keep receiving flowers, parrots, bonbons, his portrait – beautiful stuff except the latter. I keep falling asleep in all kinds of situations. And sometimes he enters my dreams and I have no peaceful moment. He couldn’t learn, the insolent auld lout. Needless to say, I’d be very happy if he could…well you heard, what can you suggest?<br><br>And the Great Goddess smiled benevolently and showed a perfect row of pearl white teeth. </em><br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Stories of Alpha Gem. IC and OOC thread</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Captain Maltese</strong> on <strong>August 18, 2017, 05:54:34 pm</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Hah! Nice one. Making a dream for a third party would be highly illegal. But how do you say no to a literal goddess? I'll think of something.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Stories of Alpha Gem. IC and OOC thread</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Captain Maltese</strong> on <strong>August 18, 2017, 07:14:36 pm</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<em>Those who have once been burned by fire will forever be wary of flames, yet still feel strangely attracted to them. And in the same way, those who have once been touched by the Gods will forever be aware of their presence. On the other hand... who is not attracted to the Goddess of Beauty? Somnatis stood up, pulled down his hood to the neck and bowed to Venus, eyes not able to look away. Somber as the visitation was, a slow smile was forming on his lips as he heard her query. "I am honored by your presence and attention, oh Fairest of All. And in all honesty, a little shocked that you think I can take on one of the most powerful deities there are. Not to mention that he is technically the God that governs those gifts I have been given... but that, perhaps, might be the very reason you choose to come to me with your challenge. Perhaps I might be able to help you, oh Luminescent one. Let me think."<br><br>As Somnatis spoke he was fidgeting with the medallion, which had found a new and additional power to its light as Venus had approached. Now its light was so strong that it shone straight through his hand, pulsating and creating an orb of light around the two of them, obscuring their profiles to anyone who might come close enough. "A human, even one with gifts beyond the mortal realm, does not send the Deity Of Sleep to his bed against his will. Or paint dreams in his dormant mind against his will. But with his will, now there is a different thing. I may have an idea for a reprieve for you from his attentions for a while, if you allow me a brief moment of contact to tie the right knots on the line to Hypnos, so to speak." And at that, Somnatis crossed his fingers for luck, stepped forward and embraced the Goddess Of Beauty. People had been turned to frogs for less, and his brief touch on her neck with his lips before he let go would have turned such frogs into something extra crispy. But Somnatis was just human, after all. What were the chances he could ever experience a moment this blissful again?<br><br>A caster of dreams, one who knows his business, does not simply wave a finger and say a spellword. No, he reaches out to the target through the customer who normally either is the target or knows them very well, like a little spider jumping from one branch to the next, then weaves together a few familiar pictures with a hope or desire or fear, and plants it like welcome mat in the targets mind where they go when they fall asleep. It is mostly reading and connecting then, and its effect depends on the caster's skills and strength. As with everything else in life. But with Venus in his arms for a moment, oh, Somnatis' strength grew like a branch into a tree, and her ability to create desire gave him a parched throat, troubled loins, and a veritable sledgehammer to crack into Hypnos' vast dreams. And after all, Venus was already in there, as Hypnos' greatest dream. <br><br>Somnatis let go of Venus, wistfully but smiling broadly. "With the aid of your presence I have given Hypnos a gift he might have thanked me for, after killing me that i... he will dream of you now. And as he sees you in his dream he will hear you invite him to sleep and dream of you. And so he will fall asleep and dream, and fall asleep IN his dream, and again and again like a cocoon within a cocoon. Who knows, by the time he does wake up again Hypnos just might be a little weary of chasing your image." Then the man looked positively bashful. "One does not ask a Goddess for payment. But if I was to, I would ask for... a kiss. As a memory of the occasion." Not that it was likely that Somnatis was going to forget this night, regardless. But a man can - dream.</em>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Stories of Alpha Gem. IC and OOC thread</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>ladyfickle</strong> on <strong>August 20, 2017, 02:26:41 am</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Well, my partner solved the problem of my protagonist in a few paragraphs and placed me in a very peculiar situation - Goddess Venus is left without a compelling need in the beginning of the narrative. While she is supposed to be grateful for this, Somniatis has already entered her personal space, and she has a husband and a lover, mighty Olympic Gods...But how should she explain this, without hurting the man?<br><br>I will think of something.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Stories of Alpha Gem. IC and OOC thread</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>ladyfickle</strong> on <strong>August 20, 2017, 03:11:06 am</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<em>Venus was flabbergasted. She defied Hypnos finally, and in the very same moment, she equipped herself with another insolent suiter, well, a much more attractive, and much less wearisome, but still...<br><br>The Great Goddess of Love had two great liaisons, two amorous deities shared her endearments, two mighty Olympic Gods, who would faint with jealousy had they learned about the proposal of the man, to compensate for the help with a kiss.<br><br>"I will give you ten golden Olympic coins. That's enough to live on for the rest of your life. I will give you my grace. I will give you the chance to meet the most beautiful young woman in the country, the daughter of Helena and Leonidas. I will present you to the nymphs in their forest realm. But do not plead for a kiss, because you will enrage my husband and my lover. I am a Goddess of Love, and I bestow love and beauty and grace, but I do not involve in intimacy with everyone since every mortal desires me. You solved my problem. I am not ungrateful. But here is another problem. My delights are not a trading unit. I am a sublime creature and can communicate sensually only when I am in love. That Hypnos did not understand, but I hope you will. I am an affluent and magnificent Goddess, especially celebrated by the Bright Side, and though a Goddess of Love I am not promiscuous. Know that you are spiritually a child for me."<br><br>That said, the Great Goddess bowed and kissed his cheek with a kiss soft as the warm breeze Zephyros. Then she said: "Do not brag about this young man, or you might get in trouble." Rustling crinoline, she headed to the spot of festivity, her golden hair shining as if sprinkled with fairy pollen. </em>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Stories of Alpha Gem. IC and OOC thread</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Captain Maltese</strong> on <strong>August 21, 2017, 05:27:59 pm</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<em>Hah. Somnatis was not being burned to a crisp for his impertinence. Even if he had deserved it. But even if he had been, it would have been worth it. As it was, the man for whom dreams was a business had been given all a man could dream for. All that any man could dream for! Bowing deeply for the Goddess of beauty as she departed, Somnatis knew he had been given impressions that men - and some women - would pay dearly for to experience in the dreams he made his livelihood from. The touch of skin, the scent, the honeyed voice... the biggest challenge for Somnatis the Dreamscaper was whether he could tolerate sharing this moment with any idiot with a coin. And now he himself had ten Olympic coins... TEN! Perhaps there was another challenge for him in that handful. With these golden coins he could settle down, have an orchard to tend, and be a dreamer no more. Smiling to himself the waver of dreams tossed all of the coins in the pond for someone else to find and maybe fulfill their dreams, then vanished in the night so he could sign up with a new ship in the morning. Money comes and goes, and nymphs may brighten your whole week, but in the end what do you want to keep? Your dreams. And now Somnatis could dream of Venus.</em>
			</dd>
		</dl>
		<div id="footer" class="smalltext">
			
			<span class="smalltext" style="display: inline; visibility: visible; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><a href="https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?action=credits" title="Simple Machines Forum" target="_blank" class="new_win">SMF 2.0.19</a> |
 <a href="https://www.simplemachines.org/about/smf/license.php" title="License" target="_blank" class="new_win">SMF © 2021</a>, <a href="https://www.simplemachines.org" title="Simple Machines" target="_blank" class="new_win">Simple Machines</a>
			</span>
		</div>
	
</body>