Shadows - IC (Starting!)
<h1 id="title">Elliquiy Role Playing Forums</h1>
		<h2 id="linktree">Play-By-Post: Extreme =&gt; Extreme Small Groups =&gt; Topic started by: Roen on 05-01-2013, 17:51:10</h2>
		<dl id="posts">
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Shadows - IC (Starting!)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Roen</strong> on <strong>05-01-2013, 17:51:10</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div align="center">(http://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/a/a6/Evergreen.jpg)</div><br><br><div align="center"><em><strong>"Turning my eyes to the horizon, I saw a sunrise breaking out of the ocean's depths<br>I wasn't able to think about tomorrow, for my heart was overflown with worry"</strong></em></div><br>[New-Evergreen, 2 days earlier]<br><em>As I stood there that morning, on the highest balcony outside my room towering above the royal palace, a tearstained scroll clenched in my hand, I saw them entering. One by one they walked through the streets, some only now arriving past the gates: A ranger, a rogue, a merchant, an acrobat and a whore, all completely oblivious to my spying eyes. A tiny sad smile appeared on my wet and painted face. I spread my hands to the sides <br>and jumped.</em><br><br><div align="center"><em><strong>"A bird flew outside my window, and I wondered:<br>Was it able to find light?"</strong></em></div><br><div align="center">(http://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/e/e9/Shadowstitle.jpg)</div><br><br>[New-Evergreen, current day. The first day of Winterfest] <br>What is it about those gleeful days of holy festivities, which gets us into such depressing depths of sorrow and melancholy? <br><br><div class="floatright">(http://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/3/3e/Lanterns.jpg)</div>The first day of the Winterfest, which was, by majority, the most cheerful holiday in the alliance calendar, was celebrated the day after the day I died; So, while the candle bearers, the honor guard, the orchestra and the band of grievers were all preparing for my funeral up there at the royal palace, the citizens of New-Evergreen did the best they could to celebrate the joyful festival of winter, in spite of the actual winter (which was, also according to the majority, nothing to be so cheerful about). Colorful lanterns were hung high above every doorstep, decorating the ceiling of every single tavern with the festive colors of red and blue. Festive cakes and baked snacks, coated with a snowy sugary frosting and seasoned with spicy Scorch seeds, were traded across most pastry stands and handed to every paying patron across the tavern-riddled kingdom. Fathers and mothers around the enlightened world all made plans to sneak shiny coins under the pillows of their gullible offspring, and young priests- followed by their choir boys- traveled from home to home, inn to inn, singing on every doorstep, imposing their holiday cheer and preaching for kindness, courage and unrelenting seasonal bliss. Indeed, people were laboring above and beyond to preserve the empty-yet euphoric- holiday atmosphere.<br>However, should the observant of men take a closer look, he would be able to notice the sarcastic bitterness behind every foolish grin, the deep sorrow plaguing most pairs of misty eyes and the unmistakable despair hiding behind every liquor-flustered set of cheeks. For you see, it is during these rare days of the year, when the masses are as gleeful as a bunch of drunken nuns and the expectancy to rejoice is in an all times high, that we can't help but ponder on all of the things we lack in our lives, all of the painful hollows of our existences and every last wrong that the merciless gods have chosen to bestow upon us. After all, there is truly nothing as depressing as watching your fellow man being as gay and as unperturbed as a fat monk right past the blessing ritual of the ceremonial whine, and there's nothing that shines quite as gloomily at the light of a carefree man, as one's personal misfortunes.&nbsp; Should you seek a proof to the woes of being out of the lady luck's traitorous grace; you need not look far beyond the very center of New Evergreen's market district, where Mr. Verik Galean has dared to set up his stand.<br><br>I say dare and almost fall victim to a giggly fit, to be honest, since among the very colorful variety of mankind, you are unlikely to find a man less daring than Verik Galean. That gray little man might be even too cautious to risk mouthing the word and for a good reason indeed. For you see, when it comes to bad luck- the spoiled merchant has had more than his fair share. He didn't come from a particularly unfortunate background, his merchant of a father was reasonably successful- to the point where his son could afford raising a spoiled brat such as Verik used to be. He wasn't extremely unfortunate himself, he didn't descend to poverty as his father's humble trading company was handed to him, he never had to fall to his knees on the streets and beg, nor has he ever truly suffered real pain or misery. No. Verik's bad-luck was a lot more patient than that, he was allowed small-yet-predictable winnings, nothing that would ever perk any brows or even make a maiden's loins wet with greed; Verik usually gained just enough to make it through the winter, and every time he gained some, he lost some back- sometimes even twice the amount, just to put some strain on him. It was when he tried too hard, when he actually had the nerve to dare, that bad and unlucky things would happen. Ships got lost in the open seas, convoys fell victims to bandits and wildlife, safe gambles were suddenly trampled by unexpected overturns and perfectly good and rare merchandize got destroyed for no good reason. Each and every time Verik dared raising his nose up, he was smacked down by the unexpected, as if fate pulled out its cosmic belt to show the unsuspecting man his place; and so, Verik quickly learned his place in the world: cautiously somewhere in the middle.<br><br>(http://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/c/c8/Greatmarket.jpg)<br>To be perfectly honest, he never wanted to put up his stand on the first day of Winterfest, nor did he plan to do that at the dead middle of the market square. It was the weather that forced him to take that ostentatious leap of faith, since he did not believe the open market would be fit for trading for the next couple of rainy days. It was his trader of a friend that has loaned him his lot at the center of the square, the man's ship was running late, and he probably thought he was doing Verik a favor. In the weeks to come, Verik would probably wonder whether his friend had survived long enough to realize how wrong he has been. <br><br>And so, during that late morning hour, as the dark clouds slowly formed above the western shores of Avalon, Verik has just finished spreading his goods across his newly acquired stand, and already he was able to close a deal, sending the content dwarf on his little way. For a moment there, things were going pretty well, his merchandize was selling in a reasonably pleasing pace, buyers and prospecting servants found interest in his wares, promising to return should he offer a deal or two, and the man was more than happy to oblige. Counting the coins in his hands, he almost cautiously decided it was going to be a lucky day after all. Thinking back, he probably shouldn't have done that. There are certain sentences and claims specific people just need to keep away from, they vary from a person to person. In Verik's case, the man should never think, let alone say: "Ah, this is going well."<br><br>As the old man stabbed the edge of the table with the knob of his twisted cane, Verik was just about to ask one of his guards to watch the table, as he suddenly felt fairly weak. Verik turned to look at his new customer, and found himself eyed by the most improbable set of peepers, one was overly larger than the other, and there was something about his face… his coat… his everything. Everything about the old man screamed 'Bad Omen', and Verik had his fair share of those. Judging by his weird getup, he probably did not have many coins to spend, and people started rerouting their steps away from the booth.<br>The merchant was about to say something, the words 'away with you!' came to his mind, as the stranger reached his bony and tanned hand forward and opened his claw-like fingers. Six coins were held in his palm, and as his fingers started to jitter and tremble- much like an old man's hand would- the coins started shaking and moving restlessly, clinking against each other. There was something about the spectacle that made Verik's stomach turn. His weakness grew, and he felt it spreading from his stomach to his legs, weakening the joints in his knees, unhinging his limbs. He could feel the cold and irrational fear creeping up his spine, taking a hold in his mind, turning this mousy man into a frightened critter. <br>His palms were already shaking, but he didn't realize it until he felt the cold sweat dripping from the tips of his fingers. Verik took a step back, just as the coins started dropping from the shaking hand. Everything around him turned darker, and his heart felt as if it was forcefully clamped inside his chest. His breaths became heavier and straneous, as if something was taking a grip on his throat, he tried to ask, he tried to scream, he tried to call for help, but all he managed was a helpless yelp, as the darkness grew around him. It was then, as the first coin hit the wood of the table- a sound which sounded as loud as thunder in his head- that the darkness started to take form. Forms, actually. The darkness had forms.<br><div class="floatright">(http://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/7/74/Shadowfiend.jpg)</div>These forms grew bodies, developed heads and limbs, though nothing about them seemed human, they were beyond deformed, they were the embodiment of sick mockery and demonic insanity. Their heads were raised behind every counter, their bodies emerging out of every dark alley, they grew in numbers and they were all heading for him. Verik's primal instincts said 'Run', His body said '<em><strong>Run</strong></em>!', his mind screamed '<em><strong>Run, you fool!</strong></em>'<br><strong>Run<br>Run!<br><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class="bbc_size">RUN!</span> </strong><br><br>And so, without as much as a word to anyone around him, since they were all drowned in darkness anyway, Verik pulled all the strength his sudden illness left him and fled for his life.<br><br>That day, as the storm clouds gathered above the great capitol of New-Evergreen, mercilessly casting their lightning bolts and rains in every which direction, as the celebrators fled from shelter to shelter, gathering their younglings and covering their littler heads while hoping to find a dry seating in the next building. Verik, as we now know, was fleeing for an entirely different reason. He was fleeing his chasers. <br>He could feel them; he could see them from the corners of his eyes: abominable shadow creatures, their bodies blackened as coal and their eyes were as hollow as old snake holes. They were dead on his heels, hurling their poisonous spears at his heels, sending their tridents at his back- trying to skewer him on their curved blades, to stab the flesh and tear it open. Verik's tortured body was poisoned by every spear and skewered on each trident, he could feel his weakened flesh getting hooked and butchered by the wicked steel, he could actually feel the corrosive poison coursing through his body, eating its way through his dying limbs, each rotting and melting away to a painful and blackened pulp, he was screaming with pain and boiling with fever, he drew his last breaths and immediately pulled back from death's loving arms for a renewed round of tortures. The fleeing merchant died a thousand deaths and there was nobody there to put an end to his misery.<br><br>Truth be told, there were a lot of people there, but in their eyes- all they could see was a madman running down the streets, screaming incoherently and spewing drunken nonsenses. Some of them actually tried to help him, but he couldn't be stopped, others quickly pulled their women and their young closer- fearing the unstableness of the moonstricken stranger.<br><br>Fortunately for him, and for the rest of the street dwellers, Verik wasn't long for the aimless running, as he finally reached his unplanned destination: one of New Evergreen's most frequented taverns, its name- 'The Starting Point', which was especially busy and crowded for the first day- and last- day of the celebrations, Humans, Elves, Dwarfs and other more exotic forigners enjoyed the warmth of the in, and all the joyful singing that mastered the great hall and the flavorful food, which kept emerging out of the kitchens. Merchants, common men, fighters and crafters all huddled around the same round tables, singing and laughing or trying to manage a conversation over or under the loud chaos. <br>A band of mixed bards and a beautiful singer were standing on a lantern decorated stage across the hall, and the blond singer, Shira was her name, used her river-water clear and resonating voice to bring the winter cheer to the hearts of the tavern's patrons.<br><br>(http://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/d/d1/Startingpoint.jpg)<br>It was extremely crowded and loud indeed, with some people taking their lunches and ales standing, yet Verik did not pay any attention to them, nor did he hear the angry protests of those he had pushed aside. He wasn't sure exactly what he was looking for, all he wanted was for the pain to stop, so he ran forward- practically blindly, and dove head first into the most relatively open table he could find. A nearby bar maiden widened her eyes and prayed to Cadria as she saw him collapsing over the table, his clothes drenched in sweat and his body shaking due to some sort of a feverish fit.<br>One of the younger tavern maidens screamed as she noticed the collapsed man, and the singing suddenly stopped.<br><br>"Excuse me." Said the only visitor at that table, a cloaked figure, a pretty expensive cloak at that. He was young with curly locks of dark chocolate waves, addressing the older maiden that rushed in, "There seems to be a wet beggar in my soup." 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shadows - IC (Starting!)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Nighteyes8765</strong> on <strong>08-01-2013, 01:11:59</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<strong>Shannon</strong><br><br>The city was no place for a wolf.<br><br>This singular truth kept Faolan outside, and Shannon alone. Pity, as the wolf proved to be better a companion than any he'd yet met within these walls of stone - smelled better too. The closeness of them made his skin itch, as it always did. The air here was filled with the scent of food, bodies, and all of it without the blessing of wind, keeping it stale and overly full. No birds sang, though the woman on the stand proved to be prettier than any of the miserable feathered pests. <br><br>He sighed and slouched against his chair, an untouched mug of watery ale sitting in front of him. Be here. That's all he knew, just be here. It was the next step in the plan, the next move in the dance, and all he knew; Leaf and stone, if he had a fletched arrow for everything he didn't know.<br><br>The air moved, signaling the opening of the door again, and then, a scream. High, female, young; alarmed and startled, but not truly terrified or in any danger. Fifteen paces away, not facing him, so she looked toward the window. Shannon stood, his movement fluid and small, and he missed his spear. That, he'd left, though he'd brought a length of stick along, hanging by a loose tether at his hip, its length brushing lightly against his snug leather breaches. <br><br>Through the crowd, he spotted the slumped man over the table, and then sighed. It wasn't his business, wasn't his duty; this wasn't his people, so he had no mandate to protect them, or lead them to wisdom he didn't have. Still, this may be the signal from his ethereal dancing partner, warning him of a change. Best be sure.<br><br>Pushing through the crowd, the wood elf approached the table. "Pardon," he said in serviceable common. "I know something of healing. Allow me to take a look." He reached out and started to check the slumped man for signs of health, or illness.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shadows - IC (Starting!)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheHangedOne</strong> on <strong>08-01-2013, 14:19:51</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The large, burly, broad-shouldered warrior sat laughing and sharing stories with a few people at one table; people he could not remember the names of, and would not care to, in a tavern he was never likely to ever come to again, in his rambling quest. It was fine enough company, though; all of them,&nbsp; the rough and tumble warrior type. A member of the City Watch who was off duty, a few caravan guards who were spending their holiday bonus on the cheer and warmth that good, strong liquor and cooked, seasoned meat could provide. <br><br>And as they sat, all drawn together simply by virtue of two things--lack of space, and an inclination towards the art of fighting-- they shared stories, both of success and failure. The caravan guards had worked together plenty of times, and the two seemed to alternate between telling stories meant to belittle the other, and telling stories to make themselves look greater. The member of the Watch mostly talked about some of the weirder things he's seen and had to deal with in the city, with some occasional grousing about things. And the man who went by the name of 'Jolly Jack', he talked mostly about the places he's been and seen. <br><br>Of course, when the maidens that worked at the tavern drew within their line of sight, one should not be surprised to see the rowdy warriors giving them a good look over; occasionally, someone comes up with some crude innuendo about things they'd like to be doing right about now, though it all seemed to be in good fun.<br><br>A fun that came to an end when screaming started.&nbsp; The men turned to look and observe; the caravan guards did not care about what was going, and the member of the Watch probably should have done something, but this was his day off, dammit! And Jack... well, Jack saw no benefit in getting involved right now.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shadows - IC (Starting!)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Brittlby</strong> on <strong>08-01-2013, 20:46:03</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<strong><span class="bbc_u">Character's Name:</span></strong> Mezolene Myndar<br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Location</strong></span>: The Starting Point tavern<br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>With whom:</strong></span> Open<br><br>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br><br>Winterfest was not Mezolene's favorite time of the year...<br><br>She was sentimental enough that she loved the companionship and general sense of good nature that was shared by everyone. But it was simply the worst time of the year for one of her Order. While there was no lack of clients for a Scarlet Companion during the rest of the year, Winterfest was that one time of year where even the greatest of bastards scraped together what meager morality they had. No one was quick to call upon a servant of Diana during the festivities, as if it would be unforgivably rude to stain the streets with blood or the bedsheets with semen on this holy occasion.<br><br>Mezolene was a strict advocate of etiquette, and so she bore the lack of business dutifully, knowing full well that the coming weeks would be all the busier for the vendettas and lusts stored up during the holiday. She had taken a personal day, her traveling clothing mended and the dyes refreshed. The indigo and burgundy stripes about her arms were positively vibrant, the faux velvet adorned with her rank and adorations of the Order. To those acquainted with the Scarlet Companions, it told the story of her service in short hand, a woman who had spent equal time honing her skills as Hunter and Lover. <br><br>She was overdressed, even for the holiday, but then it was important to her that as Diana's word given flesh, she was to look her best. Satin hugged her body like a lover, a thin chain mesh woven cunningly into the soft pastel fabric. The boots she wore were handtooled from a thick green hide whose origin was not immediately apparent. Clearly old and well worn, they were of such durability and quality, the patterns and glyphs across the hide were unscuffed and clear. <br><br>To speak of her weapons, they were clearly a matched set with her elegant bronze gauntlet. Stories of Diana were etched in loving detail across the length of her clawed gauntlet, and while it was certainly lovely, it was so thinly forged it was clearly ornamental strictly. Her sword and dagger were also well decorated, but of no real substance should it come to a fight. They had been chosen because she thought the bronze went well with her belt.<br><br>Mezolene sat at the table alone, her only companion a slender oblong case that was perched in the seat across from her. While she was enjoying a fresh melon and a black tea with a liberal amount of cider, her companion was having nothing. A seven foot length of chain united her with the case and it tinkled merrily whenever she reached for her cup and saucer. <br><br>She cradled the saucer beneath the cup protectively as Verik made his paniced entrance, his hip bumping her small patio table as he staggered forward blindly. As he made his swan dive onto the far table, Mezolene stood up slowly. Winterfest or not, staggering drunkenly into the middle of someone else's personal space could result in a brawl. She stirred her tea idly as she circled around her table, the chain rattling on the hardwood as she left her case where it was seated.<br><br>If there was to be a brawl, she wanted an unburdened view. When good nature prevailed, and people rushed to the drunken man's aid, she let out a soft sigh. She had hoped for something to distract her from the bard's singing. She found it was still a better alternative to watch the drama unfold as a wood elf made his way to the table to help the drunk. A bawdy limerick occurred to her, but given that her only companion tonight was her case, she stifled it in favor of calling out, "Too much Winterfest cheer, I should think!"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shadows - IC (Starting!)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lithium</strong> on <strong>09-01-2013, 00:20:08</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<span class="bbc_u"><strong>Character's Name:</strong></span> Johara Qussandei<br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Location:</strong></span> The Starting Point tavern<br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>With whom:</strong></span> Jack, whoever else might be nearby<br><br><hr><br>New Evergreen was certainly a rather queer place to be around Winterfest, or at least it seemed that way to Johara. Behind the masks of empty joy and veils of faux-mirth that everyone put on for the festivities hid an insidious sadness that was eerily reminiscent of the life that she'd once had, and when she actively thought on it, it chilled her down to the bones even more than the weather. At least her eclectic group of companions seemed as unaffected and merry as usual, drinking and laughing unrestrainedly as they sat around one of the establishment's larger tables. <br><br>As for Johara herself, her situation was quite the contrary to the of the city's denizens; she probably looked miserable, huddled up under a thick fur cloak that Tiriana had gifted her, shivering noticeably as she cupped a goblet of hot spiced apple cider that she'd been sipping on, but she really wasn't. Her body was simply unused to the cold, and especially the humid sort of cold which she'd never had to face in the desert, not even at nighttime, but other than that she felt fine.<br><br>Other than the being in the company of her friends and adoptive family of sorts, Shira's singing was surely also playing a big part in maintaining Johara's good humor. Her voice, sweeter even than the honey in Johara's delicious drink, filled the tavern with a sort of cozy warmth and made it feel just a little bit more like one of those magical places that you heard about it songs, fables or stories. Jo couldn't help but look on affectionately as the lithe blonde's body swayed from side to side airily up on the stage, losing herself momentarily into memories of last night when Shira's prodigious silver tongue had been singing a very different tune, buried between her thighs.<br><br>Apparently, her little daydream had been the most effective thing for warming her up, and she soon found herself having to remove her cloak, leaving it on the back of her chair instead. Jo also started to feel a bit restless, possibly because Basal had shut the carnival down earlier than usual that day due to the stormy weather and she hadn't really gotten a chance to do much, so she decided to go have some fun and dance. It was of course one of her specialties, but more importantly it was something that Jo loved doing just for the sake of doing it, and on top pf that it was an excellent way of keeping warm!<br><br>Now clad in nothing but her performing outfit, she was certain to draw a lot of attention as she gracefully waded through the sea of chairs and tables. Adapting to the whole winter theme, Jo had designed something more specifically appropriate for the occasion. Instead of her usual purples or reds, the wispy strips of silk that made up her long skirt were a soft baby blue, and so was the halter style bra that she wore as a top, although the cups were mostly covered in snowflake patterns of imitation diamonds. Even her jewelry was different. Her headdress and long, dangling earrings were all fashioned out of silver and more of the same fake diamonds, as was Jo's necklace, which was connected to her matching belly button piercing by a thin length of chain. Another chain, also connected to her navel piercing, looped around her taut belly and dangled a couple of inches above the thick belt made of ornate silver discs which sat loosely upon Jo's hips. All in all, the girl's ornaments jingled and jangled merrily with every step that she took, as was the intention.<br><br>She hadn't even made it out from between the tables when the presumably drunk man stumbled into the tavern noisily, causing a brief distraction and moment of silence, but it wasn't until a few seconds later - when the music had picked back up and everyone started getting back to their business - that a rushing serving girl bumped into her without even as little as an 'excuse me'! Although she stumbled momentarily and was unable to regain her footing in the cramped space that she found herself in, Jo managed to recover at least partially, twirling prettily before landing right into some stranger's lap and throwing her arms around his neck as if that had been what she'd meant to do all along.<br><br>Being the sociable and extroverted creature that she was, Johara decided to make the best of the situation, flashing a charming smile towards the three other men around the table and then finally treating the man whom she was sitting on to the same pleasure. "My savior," she offered playfully, taking a moment to get a better look at him. Definitely well built, she'd been able to gauge that just from feeling his neck and shoulders as she held on to him, and not at all unpleasant to look upon either. For stumbling onto a random person inside of a tavern, Jo could certainly have done much worse.<br><br>"Join me for a dance so that I can repay you?" Without giving Jack the chance to reply, she hopped off of him and was already on her way towards the small open area in front of the stage, her hand lightly trailing across the entire length of his arm before tugging on his wrist suggestively as she jingled away.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shadows - IC (Starting!)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheHangedOne</strong> on <strong>09-01-2013, 19:37:27</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<span class="bbc_u"><strong>Character's Name: "Jolly Jack"</strong></span><br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Location: The Starting Point Tavern</strong></span><br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>With whom: Johara, some warriors at the table</strong></span><br>"...Go on, why don't'cha, the songstress would make for a pretty bird, eh?" Jack was saying to one of his companions, pepping him and pushing him to go on and do something besides pine. "You can't just sit around, waitin' for a lovely lass to fall into your lap. You've got to make a go for the treasure, lad." Jack would say, his voice perhaps loud enough for Johara to hear him; especially since he had said this mere moments before she had so gracefully fallen right onto his lap.<br><br>The sudden arrival of the beauty stirred plenty of laughter from the others, precisely because of what Jack had said only moments ago.<em> "Well, ain't that some kind of luck?" </em> One of the warriors said, while Jack took a moment to admire the woman whom was in his lap. She might feel a bit of cold metal, depending on how she landed; Jack was carrying his dagger, after all, so it was entirely possible that her landing would result in the cool, leather-wrapped hilt or metal pommel touching her skin.&nbsp; Then again, she might very well be graceful enough to have avoided those small protrusions.<br><br>Jack, with a wide and honestly joyful smile, seemed more than happy to rise from his seat, trailing after the lass without need of her encouragements. "T'would be an honor, beauty." Their seemed to be a genuine warmness and mirth coming from the man, no false pretenses designed to hide sorrows here. <br><br>His own clothing, she may note, is a compliment to her own; darker shades of blue, perhaps, but blue nonetheless, with snow-white accents. He also seemed to have no cloak, just the solid looking clothes; and a bandanna besides, which wrapped around his head, hiding his hair and ears.&nbsp; If she hadn't noticed it before, she might be able to see a slight bulge along his left side, his dagger being concealed from idle eyes. Given the company he shared, though, and his physique, it should not seem out of place; the beauty might very well mistake him for a caravan guard or mercenary, given the company he had previously been in. <br><br>"Folks call me Jolly Jack, though you may call me whatever pleases you." He would say, with ample charm that was enhanced by his warm, vibrant personality. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shadows - IC (Starting!)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lithium</strong> on <strong>10-01-2013, 01:30:24</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<span class="bbc_u"><strong>Character's Name:</strong></span> Johara Qussandei<br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Location:</strong></span> The Starting Point tavern<br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>With whom:</strong></span> Jack, whoever else might be nearby<br><br><hr><br>"You seem to wear that name well," Johara remarked with another smile of her own as she got a chance to better observe Jolly Jack's appropriately jocund countenance. Aided by her rather vast experience in dealing with an extremely varied array of people, her eyes drank in all of the details swiftly and instinctively, and she could clearly tell from the way that the man's lips curled and the way that the skin at the corners of his eyes wrinkled that he was genuinely having a good time. That was most definitely a pleasant surprise compared to almost everyone else that she'd run into ever since arriving in New Evergreen a few days earlier, and it only made Jo's mood that much better as she practically seemed to feed off of the positive energy.<br><br>"Johara, the hapless maiden," she added with a tinge of self-deprecating humor as she took a low and respectful bow, which she then pirouetted out of gracefully. "Delighted to make your acquaintance." The statement was punctuated by a sharp thrust of her hips outwards and to the right, her belt and chains clinking in tandem with the percussion of a pair of cymbals as if they were just another one of the band's instruments. Having already jumped into the beat of the music, Jo followed that up with a few more staccato thrusts, each one moving her closer to Jack until finally they were so close that she had to switch and start going back the other way.<br><br>She realized that most men weren't really fans of dancing themselves as they were of watching women dance, and that didn't bother her, so she was perfectly fine with dancing <em>for</em> the blue-clad warrior rather than with him until he decided to join in (if he ever did at all). Jo's arms rippled smoothly as she held them out to the sides like two halves of the same snake that was being charmed and hypnotized by the band's melody and Shira's sweet vocals while she showed off a bit more.<br><br>Treating Jack to a playful but also quite bewitching smile, Jo started by rolling her well trained stomach muscles in an out so that they moved in a constant wave, giving off the momentary illusion that her body was devoid of ribs. She threw in the occasional hip shimmy or shoulder isolation before finally adding another move that Jack would probably find enjoyable, assuming that the same blood which ran though most men's veins coursed through his as well.<br><br>As her belly was fully sucked in and the wave was rolling towards her chest, Johara thrust her solar plexus - and by extension, her pretty generous bust - up and out, adding yet another layer and level to her fluid oscillations. Raising her still-rippling arms vertically above her head to provide that final extension to her movements, her body resembled an undulating wisp of smoke as she kept the illusion going while slowly spinning around to give Jack (and any other onlookers) a clear view from every angle.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shadows - IC (Starting!)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheHangedOne</strong> on <strong>10-01-2013, 02:02:39</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<span class="bbc_u"><strong>Character's Name: "Jolly Jack"</strong></span><br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Location: The Starting Point Tavern</strong></span><br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>With whom: Johara, open</strong></span><br><br>"Ahh, a sweet name for a lovely lady!" He spoke boisterously, but also a bit loudly, due to the general din of the crowd gathered into the practically packed tavern. Though their was the bitterness of some brew on his breath, he seemed to not even be tipsy; or perhaps just at the cusp of becoming tipsy. "It is indeed a delight to become acquainted with you."<br><br>Perhaps contrary to her expectations, she would find the large man joining in with her; and actually following her lead with an admirable effort. For sure, his bulk worked against him in the finer arts, but he definitely has more dexterity than most; just not<em> that</em> much extra.&nbsp; His mistakes could be moreso attributed to unfamiliarity with the maneuvers, rather than a lack of grace on his part. <br><br>It was true that he was much more fond of women dancing for him than with him, but--perhaps all the cheer, his company, or the booze he had had-- he seemed willing to indulge in something different.&nbsp; However, around the point where she starts to truly show off, he would stop his efforts, and become content to observe the fluidity in which she moved; she must have spent years practicing her art, much as he had his own. <br><br>When the attention seems to all be placed upon her breasts, like most men, his eyes become firmly fixed and entranced with the sight of that part of her body; however, when she begins to move once again, he manages to avoid being a complete lecher, instead choosing to take in her whole form, in its exquisiteness. "My dear, I have been to many places in the world, and have seen many women and many dances, but by and far, I am finding yours the most pleasing to the eyes." Though verbose, his words rang with truth and sincerity. He could not recall ever having been quite so enraptured with a woman's dance. <br><br>"And yet, your voice marks you as being native to elsewhere. I must admit to being quite curious about the&nbsp; roads you've walked." 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shadows - IC (Starting!)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lithium</strong> on <strong>10-01-2013, 03:12:41</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<span class="bbc_u"><strong>Character's Name:</strong></span> Johara Qussandei<br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Location:</strong></span> The Starting Point tavern<br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>With whom:</strong></span> Jack, whoever else might be nearby<br><br><hr><br>Jack's willingness to join her had been a very pleasant surprise for Johara. Even though she wouldn't have held it against him at all if he'd preferred to simply watch, it was always something that she greatly appreciated whenever someone was willing to step a little bit outside of their comfort zone to try something new or different. Not to say that her partner had been doing a bad job by any means for somebody who'd clearly dedicated many years to learning how to perform an entirely different and more deadly dance which employed razor-sharp blades as props rather than colorful fans or chiffon veils.<br><br>His compliments, which sounded sincere enough as far as she could tell and not just as if they were just empty words meant to seduce her, coaxed another charming smile out of Jo, but it would take a lot more to make her blush. After all, as one might have guessed, she'd heard it just about all while traveling and performing, from the most flowery praise to the raunchiest of catcalls, so she'd naturally developed a bit of tolerance.<br><br>A few more hip thrusts brought her mere inches away from Jack once again, but this time she pivoted to give him her almost entirely naked back rather than moving away. Sashaying from side to side seductively while standing in place, she ran a hand through her thick, raven hair, lifting it up to expose even more of her caramel flesh as she turned her head to glance at Jack over her shoulder.<br><br>"So then what are you waiting for to offer me a drink?" Jo asked, her voice carrying a hint of sultriness now that was only highlighted further by her slightly heavier breathing. Ever the flirt and tease, she intentionally pushed her rear so close towards Jack while gyrating rhythmically in front of him that it may even have grazed over the front of his breeches once or twice.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shadows - IC (Starting!)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheHangedOne</strong> on <strong>10-01-2013, 03:25:34</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<span class="bbc_u"><strong>Character's Name: "Jolly Jack"</strong></span><br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Location: The Starting Point Tavern</strong></span><br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>With whom: Johara, open</strong></span><br><br>"I wait for the right time. As we both know from our work, different as it may be, everything is about...&nbsp; the proper timing." He responded to her question, his eyes admiring every inch and curve of her body, though his eyes always seemed pulled more to the breasts than anywhere else; at least until her rear became became rather central. One might note that yes, he is making an assumption about her work; but with the moves she has, how could her work <strong>possibly</strong> be anything but professional dancer?<br><br>If she were to brush against his breeches, which were somewhat worn but otherwise well taken care of, she might very well feel something that indicated what she probably knew already: her dancing had very much aroused the large man.<br><br>"What would you like to drink, then?" He'd ask, as he guided them back towards his table; the men that had been there previously seemed to have wandered off to do their own things elsewhere. Though their was that part of him that went <em>Jack, Jack, hey, listen, she would look awesome with her clothes on the floor of your room, this has to happen, and it should happen now,</em> their was also a part of him that was far more curious about her as a person; and, as he mentioned, where she has been, and what she has seen.&nbsp; 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shadows - IC (Starting!)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lithium</strong> on <strong>10-01-2013, 08:20:17</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<span class="bbc_u"><strong>Character's Name:</strong></span> Johara Qussandei<br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Location:</strong></span> The Starting Point tavern<br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>With whom:</strong></span> Jack, whoever else might be nearby<br><br><hr><br>Johara was anything but offended by the rigid bulge that she got an inkling of when her and Jack's bodies had briefly touched; it was a great and honest compliment, and besides, it would have been awfully hypocritical of her to get outraged over something that she'd pretty much intentionally provoked. "True enough!" she replied agreeably while being whisked away, back towards the recently vacated table. The three men who'd been occupying it along with Jack earlier seemed like decent enough fellows, but truth be told, Jo didn't mind the extra bit of privacy one bit.<br><br>"Apple cinnamon rum...with ice," she added the final request with a slightly fatigued sigh. Her cheeks were a little flushed and a her face and chest were coated in a thin sheen of sweat as she tousled her own hair a bit to let it breathe, but Johara was still smiling just as prettily as before, if it wasn't even more. Maybe it was Jolly Jack's company that had her in such a good mood, or maybe it was the cider from earlier...probably a bit of both, but what did it matter as long as she was feeling good?<br><br>Now, talking about certain areas of her past could be a touchy subject, but she was a fairly open person and so far Jack seemed like a pleasant enough person that she wouldn't mind sharing with. Now, whether they'd end up sharing a few scattered details about their lives and a bed or some sort of lasting and more meaningful relationship, only time could tell, but for now Jo was content to just go with the flow and enjoy the ride.<br><br>"I hail from the Dead Desert, to the east." She'd waited for her companion to order their beverages before finally answering his earlier inquiry about her origins. "My people only seldom have contact with foreigners, so there is a certain separation from the rest of the continent. But Avalon is my home now," Jo finished, still with a smile, but a faint glimmer of sadness could be seen momentarily flickering in her eyes.<br><br>"And what of you? I sense that you've got an adventurer's spirit, yes? Surely you have some far more interesting tales to share than anything that I could conjure up!" She was genuinely interested more than she was trying to steer the conversation away from her own past, but it was a little of that too.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shadows - IC (Starting!)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheHangedOne</strong> on <strong>10-01-2013, 13:58:59</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<span class="bbc_u"><strong>Character's Name: "Jolly Jack"</strong></span><br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Location: The Starting Point Tavern</strong></span><br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>With whom: Johara, open</strong></span><br><br>'Ahh, a realm I am wholly unfamiliar with.&nbsp; I try to avoid places with the word 'Death' in it." He says with a laugh. Sure enough, though, the conversation would momentarily be put on pause as he caught sight of one of the over-worked serving lasses, and&nbsp; made a sharp, beckoning gesture with his hand in the air, drawing her over. <br><br>"Apple cinnamon rum, with ice, for my lovely friend, and more mulled cider for myself." He'd order for them, before turning his attention back to the dancer. <br><br>"I'm from all over, really. Born on the road." He said, at no point breaking the sincerity he has shown throughout the night. He spoke openly, without hesitation; clearly he has enjoyed his life, and had no misgivings about it. "My father was a minor merchant, worked for one of the larger establishments as a caravan master.&nbsp; My mother worked alongside him, and so I've been wandering the world since before I could walk." <br><br>"I dare say I've been to nearly everywhere in Avalon over the years, save for the Still Lands and Death Desert. I didn't take on the family business, though I do often spend my days traveling with caravans. It gets me places, gets me money. Don't let the romanticized tales fool you, though, there's no glory in&nbsp; it. Mostly, it's avoiding the road apples." Which was a polite way of saying 'horse droppings'. <br><br>"But then, there's also been the times where I strike out on my own, exploring the wilderness, doing whatever it is that I please. I only seldom find something of interest when doing that, but when I do, I feel quite pleased with myself. Besides, it keeps me in shape. The wanderer's life isn't for the weak of body, or mind, you know?"&nbsp; <br><br>"I'm building myself up, though. I know I'm a fool for it, but one of these days, I'm going to go after Heliopolis. I don't believe in no curse; I think all the doom that falls upon other adventurers is simple failure to prepare for its traps. And even if I should die, at least it's doing what I love. By and far, not enough people get that privilege." He spoke oddly when it came to death, by virtue of the fact he seemed to view it as... well, no big deal. Most people spent their lives being afraid of death, avoiding it, or perhaps enamored with it; but for Jack, it seemed, death held all the fascination and terror of an unpainted clay jar. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shadows - IC (Starting!)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lithium</strong> on <strong>11-01-2013, 02:45:49</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(http://i.imgur.com/iGTTE.jpg)</div><br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Character's Name:</strong></span> Johara Qussandei<br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Location:</strong></span> The Starting Point tavern<br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>With whom:</strong></span> Jack, whoever else might be nearby<br><br><hr><br>Johara smirked slightly at Jolly Jack's very reasonable comment about the desert, equal parts unable and unwilling to add anything that might make her homeland seem like a more attractive destination. "Yes, whoever came up with the name must not have been very concerned with tourism!" she agreed, trying to keep herself from recalling the bittersweet memories of her past so as not to sour her mood or the atmosphere. <br><br>She listened intently to the rest of Jack's brief account of his life and the path that he'd forged for himself, observing the way that his lips moved as he spoke. If she had to guess, Jo would say that the man was probably being rather modest, based solely on the quiet confidence that he radiated and the way that he seemed so at ease. It was refreshing to meet a man who didn't feel the overwhelming need to brag and boast and exaggerate, thinking that it would impress her.<br><br>They seemed to both share a love for exploring and seeing different places, but it wasn't until Jack shared one of his future goals that Jo's eyes <em>really</em> lit up. <em>Heliopolis!</em> She'd already been around most of Avalon, and of course she wanted to visit all of the other continents as well, especially Tzur and Azaraw, but walking through the Forbidden City had been a life-long dream of hers. It probably had something to do with everyone always saying that it was impossible and that she couldn't do it, and maybe it was a foolish and stubborn desire that would prove to be her doom, but it was something that she knew she wanted to do, deep down inside of her heart.<br><br>"I've always wanted to see Heliopolis..." Jo added softly, as if she was already daydreaming about the city and all of its golden glory as the sun shone down upon it. "Then again, if you told me not to jump down a well, I'd probably want to see the bottom, so who knows." She gave a small shrug and a smile before taking a sip from her newly arrived drink, relishing the way that it felt like both fire and ice as it went down her throat.<br><br>"So, is it the festivities that drew you here or something more specific?" She didn't mean to pry, but she did have a very curious nature, especially when it came to men or women that she was attracted to (but then again, doesn't everyone?).
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shadows - IC (Starting!)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheHangedOne</strong> on <strong>11-01-2013, 03:30:51</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<span class="bbc_u"><strong>Character's Name: "Jolly Jack"</strong></span><br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Location: The Starting Point Tavern</strong></span><br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>With whom: Johara, open</strong></span><br><br>Yes, it seemed that Jack knew that the best course of action was to stick with the facts, and not blow things out of proportion; he knows all too well what can happen when one has said they are capable of more than they truly are.&nbsp; It would explain any of the small scars on his arms, white with age, that speaks of some violence or trauma in his youth. <br><br>When he saw her eyes light up, practically gleaming like the gold that the fabled city was said to be made of, his smile, which had been omni-present, managed to grow into a carefree grin, his mouth wide open as if in silent joy or laughter. "Ahh, a woman after my own heart! Now, that's something to drink to." He says with his usual mirth, bringing his tankard up to his lips, and taking a good, long drink of the warmed, spiced ale. <br><br>"Oh, I came to town a little ways back with some fellows.&nbsp; I decided to stick around for the festivities, as I figured it was as good a way as any to spend my coin and relax.&nbsp; Once it's all settled down, and the city-wide hangover passes, it'll be off to looking for work, though." He would say with a nod of his head. "Lucky me, that I came when I did, as I still have my room. I dare say their isn't a free one in the city itself." <br><br>He paused to have another sip of his drink, before posing the very same question to her. "And what brings you here, my dear?&nbsp; Work, fun... or, perhaps, a bit of both?" Curiosity seemed to be a trait they both possessed, in more or less equal proportions. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shadows - IC (Starting!)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lithium</strong> on <strong>11-01-2013, 04:56:11</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(http://i.imgur.com/iGTTE.jpg)</div><br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Character's Name:</strong></span> Johara Qussandei<br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Location:</strong></span> The Starting Point tavern<br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>With whom:</strong></span> Jack, whoever else might be nearby<br><br><hr><br>"I am fortunate, they are both one and the same for me. I perform with a traveling carnival, so I'm able to make a living by doing what I love. Naturally, festivals are good for business, so we always end up in New Evergreen around this time of year." Jo paused to take another gulp of her delightfully spiced rum, so lost in the moment and the conversation that she completely forgot about the need to pace herself.<br><br>"You should come see us in the market some time when the weather is more agreeable, I think you would enjoy yourself. I promise that you haven't seen anything yet," she added knowingly, leaving it up to Jack to draw his own conclusions as to whether she was still talking about the carnival, or implying that there was more of <em>her</em> in particular that he might get to see that evening.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shadows - IC (Starting!)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Roen</strong> on <strong>12-01-2013, 18:51:04</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(http://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/8/89/AngeloB.jpg)</div>"Aye, aye." Said the young man at the table, as Shannon rushed in and offered some aid, his currently green eyes were somewhat annoyed, "Quite right, he should help, and he should start by moving this poor soul to a destination which will better suit his treatment needs." Angelo pointed across the room, "Somewhere over there, might I be so bold as to suggest." The young male was wearing a long and fine dark green leather cloak, gilded with golden wool at the hems, its wide hood pulled up to shade his face- even in this well-lit and warm inn- yet his cold teal eyes and fair features could be seen to the light of oil lanterns, which were hanging low on iron chains dangling from the wooden ceiling. <br>"'Pologies, Milord." Said the older tavern maiden, her dress was strung tightly to her corset around her lush upper body, flowing down in folds of cotton from waist down, she seemed experienced in the ways of a tavern, handling the rest of the staff herself, she had a slight ring of old common Maneheim accent to her words, "tere is no free tables to be had!" the maiden leaned to Verik's side, placing the tips of her fingers in front of his mouth, "Prais' Hakete, he lives." She said with relief, pressing a wet piece of cloth to the merchant's hand.<br>"And the nation can once again sleep soundly." Angelo snarled and narrowed his eyes at the women, "I paid good coins to be left in peace! You have no right to just use MY table as a resting stop for your charity cases!" he turned to look at the woodelf, "can you not put him to the floors? I have a strong feeling the man is accustomed to it, surely he would feel more at home."<br><br>A couple round tables away, an old man was sitting by the great fireplace at the center of the room, being treated with a great and sturdy old armchair, which was stuffed with a couple of cushions to better accommodate the historian's aging bones. Seated on the carpet around him was a group of eager young children, all with their backs erected and heads attentively directed to the man, much like a patch of enthusiastic little cabbages. "Old man Brock!" squeaked the older of the cabbage kids, "Go on, Old man Brock, please, tell us what happened next!"<br>"Bah…Wher…wha…eh?" The old man shook himself out of that same state of haze old men his age are prone to occasionally sink in to, "Oh… Ye yes… Of course I will, young one, no need to be..errmm.. so impatient…yes, that's the word…where was I? Ah, yes, yes… It was more than a thousand years ago, more than twenty, so you know… before they even started scribing history down to stone or parchments, that man had yet to master the lands and the beasts and accept the graces of the gods. It was then that the mighty land of Medegasken was under the unending rule of summer, its humans being slaved by the mighty and deviously monstrous fire dragon, Fiero-"<br>"NOOO, old master Brock!" squealed a most adorable little girl, her fiery hair was tightly braided into three thin braids, "You've already told us that part! You were just about to tell us about the white bird!" <br>The old historian wrinkled his forehead, effectively joining his thick snowy and messy brows together, "Ah…erm…yes, yes, was only checking to see if ye all listen, lass! So, as the great fire dragon, Fiero, was about to punish the rebels of Medegasken with a deadly breath that would incinerate the land and all of its habitats- A great snowy phoenix rose from the far mountains to the north. The great Articore, the bird of ice, swooped down from her frozen territories, and on its back- old wizard Rattaka was riding with his great magical staff! The giant fire dragon was furious, he roared with unmatched anger, RRAAAAR!" The old man tried to roar at the wide eyed kids, and immediately started coughing violently, until one of the maidens rushed to him with his heated cup of tonic. "Bless you, dearie." He nodded after taking a slurpy sip off the steaming cup, before he turned back to his tensed audience, which were mostly starting to get anxious for their story-teller's general well-being, "Every last man around the land could feel how the air was getting hotter and heavier, the rivers started boiling, the humans' meager crops turned black, as the demonic dragon was about to execute his final most deadly attack!" the old man widened his eyes dramatically at the younglings, "But then! Wise old Rataka guided the ice phoenix to fly right into the great beast, and Articore dove in, razor-sharp beak first, into Fiero's furans-core of a heart! A loud explosion enveloped the skies! The world trembled as the two legendary creatures collided! Continents broke, splitting in half, parts of them being carried by the restless waves away to unknown destinations. Not one man, woman, or animal was able to remain on their feet, and mighty old trees collapsed down, giving to the powerful wave of force! Thick layers of smoke and steam covered the skies, and none knew who would emerge victorious…" He looked around at the fascinated kids, secretly smirking.<br>"And then what?" asked the impatient little boy.<br>"And then, as every last man, women and animal raised their heads to the skies, the smoke cleared to reveal that… the great fire dragon has gone! One by one they got to their feet and cheered, as the unbearable heat began to fade away, being replaced with the unfamiliar chilled breeze, and not only that- but the disappearance of the fire dragon made room for the clouds to return to the Madageksen skies, and for the first time in more than a thousand years, it started to rain- And not just water! But gold! Pure coins of gold from the evil dragon's hidden lair in the sky, raining down to the now freed humans of the land, marking the end of the Terrible Fiero's Summer Reign, and bringing winter back to the masses."<br>"What about Rataka and Articore?" Asked the girl with the braids.<br>"Aye! What happened to them?" demanded one of the boys, to the nods of his fellow tiny peers. <br>Brock smiled widely, "why, that's a very good question, children. Since good old Rataka and his faithful Articore were so successful in getting rid of the evil dragon, the gods have rewarded them with eternal life, and they live together up the far north at the continent of Madagesken, hidden in the icy mountains of the cold approach." He said, and then he leaned in, as if to tell a secret, his low baritone was blessed with a pleasant hoarseness, which always got his listeners so very fascinated and thrilled. "But once a year, for the first three days of Winterfest, Old wizard Rataka mounts his trusty ice-pheonix, Articore, and flies down around Maridion in search of good and obedient little kids, such as you, to visit their houses while they're asleep, and sneak golden coins under their pillows."<br>"My momma says that's hogwash." Said the impatient boy, who was the oldest of the pack, "My momma says Rataka isn't real at all! And that the parents put the candy coins under the pillows!"<br>Old master Brock smiled calmly as he sat back in his armchair, taking another sip of his heated tonic. "Well now, I can't imagine your mother received many coins in her childhood days, then. Naughty pups don’t get visits from The Wizard."<br><br>Skimming through the room, Angelo noticed Mezolene sitting by her table, and he pointed at her. "Why don't you take him there?" He asked abruptly, "There's a priestess there, she can heal this poor beggar, and rid us all of his presence."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shadows - IC (Starting!)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheHangedOne</strong> on <strong>12-01-2013, 20:02:56</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<span class="bbc_u"><strong>Character's Name: "Jolly Jack"</strong></span><br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Location: The Starting Point Tavern</strong></span><br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>With whom: Johara, open</strong></span><br><br>"Ahh, now that's a fine way to be livin', lass. I must admit to feeling bad for those who must labor, rather than enjoy their work.&nbsp; By and far, not enough people get the simple blessing you and I have."&nbsp; His eyes briefly glanced around the room, making an occasional note of who was up to what; the glancing about is fairly&nbsp; non-conspicuous. If she were to notice, she might draw the conclusion that he was accustomed to slyly keeping track of what happened around him, while looking like he wasn't, at first glance.<br><br>"Hmm, if I can see more of you, my dear, I believe I shall have to come back when the weather isn't ready to kill the unprepared." he would pause, so that he could drink down more of the cider. "Pleasant company is a rare treat, you know, and you've honored me thus far with it. However, this din makes it hard to appreciate it fully. Would you care to take a step away, some place a bit quieter?" 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shadows - IC (Starting!)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lithium</strong> on <strong>12-01-2013, 20:46:02</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(http://i.imgur.com/iGTTE.jpg)</div><br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Character's Name:</strong></span> Johara Qussandei<br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Location:</strong></span> The Starting Point tavern<br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>With whom:</strong></span> Jack, whoever else might be nearby<br><br><hr><br>"Wonderful! You shall be my guest of honor," Johara chimed in happily when Jack told her that he would take her up on her invitation. Truthfully, of course, what she'd <em>really</em> been waiting for was was for Jack to make an invitation of his own, so she was even more excited when he didn't disappoint. Smiling half-innocently, Jo glanced briefly over towards the table where many of her friends and companions from the carnival were seated as if she was considering the proposal for a moment, but really her decision had already been made a few minutes ago at the least.<br><br>"A bit of quiet sounds tempting," she finally agreed before downing the remainder of her drink and waiting for Jack to offer her his hand before standing up (Jo wasn't certain that she wanted to risk trying to get up on her own after how quickly she'd just gone through her rum).
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shadows - IC (Starting!)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheHangedOne</strong> on <strong>12-01-2013, 21:43:28</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<span class="bbc_u"><strong>Character's Name: "Jolly Jack"</strong></span><br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Location: The Starting Point Tavern</strong></span><br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>With whom: Johara, open</strong></span><br><br>"Ahh, you're a flatterer, you know that?" He would say with a smile, both on his face, and in his words, in a manner of speaking.&nbsp; He stood from his seat as he spoke, took a moment to down the rest of the mulled cider, then pushed his chair in, before offering her his rough, calloused hand; hands that have seen their share of hard work, no doubt. They're even cracked in a few spots, from the weather more likely than not. <br><br>Once her hand was within his own, he would guide her through the crowd of people, and towards the stairs. Up they went, the large man moving with no signs of intoxication; a large frame and robust constitution, coupled with drinking lighter alcohol, meant that he was barely tipsy. <br><br>It would be down all the way at the end of the second floor hall, before he'd stop, and pull his hand free from hers. He untied one of the many pouches on his belt, and dipped a hand in, removing an old, slightly rusty and tarnished key, which he used to unlock the door. He pushes it open, and allows her to come in after him; once she was in, he'd shut the door. <br><br>He didn't seem to have much in the way of personal effects up here. On the small, somewhat dingy table of the room, sat a bedroll, all folded up, next to a portable tent, likewise, all packaged up into an easy-to-carry bundle. On a chair sat a large backpack, which was rugged looking and made from leather; designed to take the sort of abuse that a man who traversed through the wilderness might subject it to. <br><br>Off on the nightstand by his bed was a leather sheathe, the contents of which was one rather nicely crafted sword. If she were to look at it, it was a simple, no frills affair; a weapon designed purely for efficiency, and which seemed quite fitting for the owner.&nbsp; Next to it, she would see some rags, a container of some sort of oil, and the sort of small, square stone that is used to hone a blade.&nbsp; Clearly, he knew how to take good care of his stuff, even if some of it was starting to show its age. <br><br>"And this would be my current residence." He says with a slightly sheepish laugh.&nbsp; It wasn't all that great; but then again, one must consider that this is a tavern, not an inn. Taverns were not prone to having nice rooms. Their was the aforementioned small table, nightstand, single chair, a covered chamber pot off in one corner, and a rickety looking bed meant for only one person.&nbsp; 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shadows - IC (Starting!)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lithium</strong> on <strong>12-01-2013, 23:56:57</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(http://i.imgur.com/iGTTE.jpg)</div><br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Character's Name:</strong></span> Johara Qussandei<br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Location:</strong></span> The Starting Point tavern, Jack's room<br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>With whom:</strong></span> Jack<br><br><hr><br>It wasn't until Johara had stood up that the full effects of the alcohol really began sinking in. She wasn't drunk, but she did have a pretty solid buzz which seemed to fill her up with a warm and euphoric sensation. Everything seemed brighter and more cheerful as she followed Jack across the tavern's main room, from the lights all the way down to the faces that she saw, which no longer seemed to be harboring any secret sadness. It was mostly just in Jo's head, of course, but at the time she didn't really realize that or care, she just knew that the ambiance surrounding her was pleasant.<br><br>By the time that they'd reached the second floor, she also started becoming increasingly aware of her own libido which was growing more agitated with each passing second. It was probably helped along a little bit by the pleasant high that she was feeling, but the root of her desire was basically just the attraction that she felt for Jack, and her yearning to be in the company of somebody whom she felt could understand her on a deeper level. Most people simply didn't get her need for independence, in spite of how much they liked to think that they did, but on this night she'd found somebody who seemed to have been bitten by the same bug as her.<br><br>The interior of Jack's rented room was nothing if not unsurprising. Very utilitarian would have been the best way to sum it up, but that was more or less what Jo would have expected from a rugged, traveling warrior, and she was perfectly content with that. Besides, it wasn't the decor that she was interested in, nor Jack's material belongings, otherwise she probably would have tried to land in some bombastic merchant's lap instead of his.<br><br>"Charming," was Johara's only reply to the man's comment before she pivoted and practically threw herself into him, trusting the broad-shouldered warrior to be able to handle her without any problem. Pushing herself up onto the balls of her feet, she pressed one hand against Jack's chest, right over his heart, and a second one on the side of his jaw, steadying and guiding it while her lips made their way to his. <br><br>Never having been one for strictly (or even loosely, for that matter) adhering to traditions, Jo saw no reason to wait for Jack to make the first move, especially not when they both knew exactly why they'd gone up to the room together in the first place.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shadows - IC (Starting!)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheHangedOne</strong> on <strong>13-01-2013, 00:24:37</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<span class="bbc_u"><strong>Character's Name: "Jolly Jack"</strong></span><br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Location: The Starting Point Tavern, Jack's room</strong></span><br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>With whom: Johara</strong></span><br><br>When her thin frame collided with her own, by her own design, their was not so much as a budge from the solidly built lad.&nbsp; His senses were such that he could see the movement as it began, and brace for it; but it was also his own natural strength that allowed him to remain unmoved as well.<br><br>As her lips went towards his, his own went to meet her halfway in a kiss that was rough; moreso because it seemed in his nature, rather than from inexperience. Her hand on his heart, would note a steady, strong,&nbsp; but not rushed, beat. <br><br>His own hands were quick to move as well, sliding down along her sides, over the swell of her hips; then around, to grasp her rear firmly, with his hands that were practically large enough for her to sit in.&nbsp; <br><br>He was actually quite ecstatic that she was being so forward; though he wouldn't know how to call it, when it came to the bedroom, Jack was fairly submissive.&nbsp; Her taking the lead kept things from devolving into awkwardness, though she may not ever realize that. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shadows - IC (Starting!)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lithium</strong> on <strong>13-01-2013, 02:22:52</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(http://i.imgur.com/iGTTE.jpg)</div><br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Character's Name:</strong></span> Johara Qussandei<br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Location:</strong></span> The Starting Point tavern, Jack's room<br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>With whom:</strong></span> Jack<br><br><hr><br>While she could certainly appreciate the subtleties of a soft and refined kiss, Johara was also just as happy to indulge herself with something more primal as well, and sometimes even more so, depending on just how hot her desire was burning at the time. This was definitely one of those times where passion and roughness were appreciated, since she was already so excited that even her clothes felt as if they were burning her skin, and she wasn't shy about making it known.<br><br>With her head tilted to the side, Jo gave back even more roughly and aggressively than she got, spurred on even further by the two strong hands cupping her bottom. Her parted lips devoured Jack's almost frenziedly as her nimble tongue ventured out boldly to lick and coax the man into granting her access to the inside of his mouth. <br><br>Meanwhile, the hand that had been resting along Jack's jaw moved to cradle the nape of his neck and pull him in closer, and just in case he needed any additional motivation (or perhaps because Jo wanted to make him squirm just a tad), her other hand quickly slid down the front of the man's robust body to find the bulge in his breeches. Breathing hard into his mouth and intentionally pushing her breasts against his broad chest, Jo began to stroke Jack's manhood through the material of his pants with slow and measured movements, hoping to rile him up and dissipate any sort of inhibitions that may have still been lingering around in his mind.<br><br>When Johara had a man, she wanted to have <em>all</em> of him in his purest and most raw form, and she was only too happy to work for it by doing anything that she could to drive a lover wild with lust. Half the thrill was in the journey, after all, and the more that the road winded and weaved, the sweeter the eventual payoff became.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shadows - IC (Starting!)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheHangedOne</strong> on <strong>13-01-2013, 02:38:48</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<span class="bbc_u"><strong>Character's Name: "Jolly Jack"</strong></span><br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Location: The Starting Point Tavern, Jack's room</strong></span><br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>With whom: Johara</strong></span><br><br>He, himself, felt as if they were both far too over-dressed for this occasion. Though he seemed content, for now, in rubbing her rear, and letting her be so very arousingly dominant with him. <br><br>His mouth opens for her all too easily; though the window of opportunity to take advantage of that is quite small. Her roving hands easily find his good sized member; a part of his body that was large, like the rest of him, although it was still a manageable size. <br><br>He groans as he feels her rubbing at him through the now annoyingly too constrictive breeches. His grip on her tightens a bit, and, in the next moment, she would find herself rising up into the air; he is quite literally lifting her up, and carrying her straight over to the bed.<br><br>Though he was careful not to hurt her when doing so, he was not particularly gentle with her, either, when it came to placing her on the bed. Once she was down on it, his hands would be quick to work on getting her freed of her clothes; being no savage, though, he is, of course, mindful not to ruin the garments. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shadows - IC (Starting!)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lithium</strong> on <strong>13-01-2013, 03:27:42</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(http://i.imgur.com/iGTTE.jpg)</div><br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Character's Name:</strong></span> Johara Qussandei<br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Location:</strong></span> The Starting Point tavern, Jack's room<br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>With whom:</strong></span> Jack<br><br><hr><br>A cross between a moan and wolfish laugh briefly escaped out of Jo's mouth and into Jack's when he suddenly lifted her up as if she weighed no more than a down pillow, her tongue swirling ardently all over his. With her arms wrapped around his neck and her legs around his waist, she held on tight and continued the impassioned embrace all the way to the bed, making the most out of the very short voyage.<br><br>The way that he laid her down on the bed certainly got Jo's attention, and she gazed back up at him with a rapacious hunger in her eyes that made her seem both incredibly excited and also defiant in a way, as if she were daring Jack to keep going. He did just that, and she did whatever she could to help him get her clothes off faster, feeling a wave of relief wash over her flesh once it was no longer burdened by anything.<br><br>Jack would find Jo's vulva to be completely smooth and devoid of any hair whatsoever, but he wouldn't have too long to admire her body before she sprung up onto her knees and grabbed him by the bottom of his shirt. She pulled it up and over his head before hastily attacking the draw-string on his breeches, eager to finally get at his manhood.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shadows - IC (Starting!)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheHangedOne</strong> on <strong>13-01-2013, 03:49:44</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<span class="bbc_u"><strong>Character's Name: "Jolly Jack"</strong></span><br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Location: The Starting Point Tavern, Jack's room</strong></span><br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>With whom: Johara</strong></span><br><br>Meanwhile, the primary noises coming from Jack was a mild increase in his breathing. Not so much from exertion as it was from anticipation and arousal. <br><br>He did take a moment or two to admire her body, once it was fully freed from her clothes, which now lay in an unceremonious pile on the floor. His own clothes were quick to join hers; the moment she began working on his shirt, he assisted her in the effort.<br><br>Their did, however, come one step before the drawstrings getting removed: his belt and pouches. They simply had to be removed, and though it only takes three or four seconds, it does require a moment of separation from her to get the contraption off. Sadly, what was a convenience on the road was the smallest of burdens in the bedroom. <br><br>Soon enough, however, she would have the time to take in his own naked, mostly hairless body; the sight of which may arouse curiosity and some degree of horror or sadness. The back and front of his chest, as well as the thighs and upper legs, were home to numerous scars, blemishes and marks; it looks like, throughout his life, he has been scourged, whipped, flogged, stabbed, cut, burned, branded, and had a series of other horrors inflicted upon him.&nbsp; If every scar was a story, he could easily write a book large enough that it could double as a cudgel. <br><br>He, however, spends no time dwelling on those things. Instead, he leans down to kiss her again; to hopefully keep her from becoming startled or turned off by the display. He would move to climb on top of her, his arms on either side of her, hands positioned to either side of her head to support him. <br><br>Assuming she showed no complaints, he would line himself up above her, and finally, 'sheathe' his 'sword' inside the warm, wet, velvety folds of her body, all the way to the hilt in a single thrusting motion. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shadows - IC (Starting!)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lithium</strong> on <strong>13-01-2013, 04:40:40</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(http://i.imgur.com/iGTTE.jpg)</div><br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Character's Name:</strong></span> Johara Qussandei<br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Location:</strong></span> The Starting Point tavern, Jack's room<br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>With whom:</strong></span> Jack<br><br><hr><br>Johara was of course curious when she laid eyes upon Jack's innumerable scars and marks, wondering what could possibly have happened in his life for him to accrue all of them, and her first instinct was to feel sorry for the man, but she made a conscious effort not to, more for his sake than her own. Although they'd only known each other for a very short time, she doubted that he wanted anyone to pity him, much less the woman whom he was about to have sex with.<br><br>On a purely aesthetic level, the scars did nothing to decrease or increase Jack's attractiveness as far as she was concerned. They simply <em>were</em>, as he <em>was</em>, and he would not have been the same person without them. Unfazed, Jo smoothly slid right into the kiss that Jack planted on her lips as he climbed onto the bed, her arousal having ascended to nearly unbearable levels by the time that he was hovering over her, his sex oh so teasingly close to her own.<br><br>Johara pulled back from his lips just long enough to whisper, her voice husky with desire, "Take me." Somehow, it sounded both like a command and a plea.<br><br>She gasped and shuddered with delight when he finally entered her, her back arching slightly as Jack's hot, nicely sized member easily slid its way through her already well-lubricated tunnel, granting Jo that wonderfully gratifying sensation of fullness and pleasure inside of her. <br><br>"Yes...Oh gods..." she nearly hissed, squeezing Jack between her thighs and biting down lightly on his bottom lip when he came to the end of his first thrust, the full length of his manhood buried deep within her inviting warmth and wetness. He might have even been able to feel Jo's delicate fingers trembling slightly as they touched the sides of his face, pulling him down so that they could continue their passionate kissing. Flicking her hips up and forward a bit, she silently begged for Jack to keep going while at the same time causing his shaft to stir inside of her, for which she was rewarded with an additional jolt of pleasure. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shadows - IC (Starting!)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheHangedOne</strong> on <strong>13-01-2013, 23:15:15</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<span class="bbc_u"><strong>Character's Name: "Jolly Jack"</strong></span><br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Location: The Starting Point Tavern, Jack's room</strong></span><br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>With whom: Johara</strong></span><br><br>Her assumptions would be correct; pity was not something he needed or wanted. Given his earlier joviality, whatever happened to him, he must surely be at peace with it; or else, he's been wearing a mask for so long that he could fool everyone around him. <br><br>Though their was no outward sign of it, their was a small, inner thrill that Jack received when, moments before doing so, she had practically commanded he enter into her body.&nbsp; He was more than happy to oblige her request/demand.<br><br>He kept their lips more or less locked, only breaking them apart when he sensed her moving to do so; he seemed quite intuitive, in this regard. Perhaps the man is an experienced lover, as well as adventurer?&nbsp; But, all that seemed besides the point as he felt her almost impatiently coaxing him to further action.<br><br>He slid his member out of her body; not all the way, he left just barely the tip within her. However, before she could even raise a protest to the evacuation, she'd find his member plunging headlong back into the warm, wet confines of her body. <br><br>He would continue this pace, for the time; quick, powerful thrusts in, with a somewhat slower, almost-full withdrawal, that led to another thrust, the power of which made the bed they were upon creak and groan loudly in protest. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shadows - IC (Starting!)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lithium</strong> on <strong>14-01-2013, 02:07:03</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(http://i.imgur.com/iGTTE.jpg)</div><br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Character's Name:</strong></span> Johara Qussandei<br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Location:</strong></span> The Starting Point tavern, Jack's room<br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>With whom:</strong></span> Jack<br><br><hr><br>Conveying her satisfaction quite clearly through her moans which coincided with Jack's thrusts and the noises that the bed was making, Jo let her nails lightly trail down her lover's back before her hands diverged towards his hips. She used them to guide his movements, silently telling him to raise himself up over her some more so that he could thrust down and forwards into her rather than just forwards so that the top side of his manhood would rub fully against her clit with every stroke.<br><br>"Yes, yesss, like that! Slowly," Jo breathed as she broke away from their kiss again, wanting to really take the time to enjoy the blissful sensation that the slight shift in position was granting her. She didn't move to resume the kissing this time, however. <br><br>Instead, her hands moved back up to hold Jack by the back of his neck and the top of his head before pushing him down somewhat insistently until his lips hovered right above one of her stiff light brown nipples which ached and yearned for some attention.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shadows - IC (Starting!)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheHangedOne</strong> on <strong>14-01-2013, 02:51:45</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<span class="bbc_u"><strong>Character's Name: "Jolly Jack"</strong></span><br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Location: The Starting Point Tavern, Jack's room</strong></span><br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>With whom: Johara</strong></span><br><br>He couldn't hide an obvious smile on his face; perhaps because of how much he was enjoying himself right now, or how much she was enjoying him; in the end, perhaps it was more half-and-half. <br><br>He groans a bit when he feels her nails, even as he is frustrated she was not a bit rougher with him; still, a man can not always get everything he wants. He mentions nothing, so as not to freak her out or startle her with the, what he saw as, odd request. <br><br>However, he was willing and able to follow her advice; he hadn't ever thought to do it like that, himself, and what partners he has had haven't given him the idea before. When he sees how much she enjoys what a minor shift in position can do, he files away a note in his head. <br><br>Also, at her command, he does slow down; though the speed itself changes, she will find that the power behind each and every thrust does not.&nbsp; It seemed that, even if he was above her, he was enjoying how she guided him, made him do as she wished.<br><br>And just as she wishes, she would soon find him getting the obvious hint, and parting his mouth. His tongue darts out, and flicks across her nipple several times, before moving to rub along her areola, in a rather concise circle. This would occur for only several seconds before he shifted a bit above her, lowering his mouth more fully so that he could take the sensitive flesh into his mouth, sucking with much eagerness. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shadows - IC (Starting!)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lithium</strong> on <strong>14-01-2013, 03:50:32</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(http://i.imgur.com/iGTTE.jpg)</div><br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Character's Name:</strong></span> Johara Qussandei<br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Location:</strong></span> The Starting Point tavern, Jack's room<br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>With whom:</strong></span> Jack<br><br><hr><br>Between the tingly buzz from the alcohol and the way in which Jack was giving her everything that she was asking for and more, Jo couldn't help but find herself in a state of profound exaltation. She was also growing a bit bolder after having noticed that Jack didn't seem to mind it when she scratched him and feeling more feisty as the pleasure that she was feeling continued to increase, prompting her to push the envelope a little bit further.<br><br>Practically purring like some sort of exotic jungle cat while he licked and sucked on her diamond-hard and extremely sensitive nipple, Jo dug her nails into the soft flesh on the back of his neck and dragged them down all the way to his shoulder blade much harder than she'd done before. More than likely, she would have left four bright red streaks across Jack's neck and back that would take at least a day or two before disappearing, and she was curious and also excited to see if her hunch was right or if he'd rear up indignantly. <br><br>All the while, for every powerful thrust that he laid into her, Jack would find that Johara was giving back at least as good as she was getting, her hips thrusting up to meet his almost challengingly. As she hooked her other hand around to his back and dug a second set of nails into him, it became pretty obvious that the time for taking things slow was quickly coming to an end.<br><br>"UUGHHH! Right there, yes, harder! Oh gods...ooohhh...harder!!" Jo demanded greedily, her nails digging in further and her hips bucking up more and more wildly as if she was not just telling him what to do, but herself as well.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shadows - IC (Starting!)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Nighteyes8765</strong> on <strong>14-01-2013, 04:57:52</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<strong>Shannon</strong><br><br>Shannon tilted his head to the side and studied the other man, his hand still lightly lay on the back of the man prone to misfortune. This callous attitude wasn't new, but that didn't mean it wasn't unwelcome. Distantly, he could feel Faolan growl, likely sensing the situation. "Coin buys peace, yes?" he asked, bushy eyebrows rising. "I shall only hope that if you gather enough of it, you can buy some empathy as well. Come now, good lady, I'll help bring him away." <br><br>Without another look at the rude man, Shannon twisted and gathered the prone merchant into his arms, straightened with a slight grunt at the weight, and started toward the priestess that had been indicated.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shadows - IC (Starting!)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>windwhisperedsecrets</strong> on <strong>15-01-2013, 06:30:42</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Verrik's eyes crack open, trying to look about the room while moving as little as possible. He was not entirely certain where he was, nor did he entirely remember how he got here. One thing which still stood out was the feeling of intense dread he felt before passing out. That still lingered with him, even though it was fading. A tavern... ah, not so bad. Maybe things weren't as bad as they had at first seemed. He sits up slowly, his chest still hurting from the extended run. His grey eyes sweep over the room now that he has righted himself, taking in his surroundings more fully.<br><br>His fingers run through his short, and now messy hair. The lapse in dignity would only be momentary, least if he had any say in the matter. Deep breaths work to calm him, and his composure begins to wander back. His black wool outfit is straightened next, the cut of it conservative and of a fashion which would've been considered stylish a year ago. Next he checks to make sure his sword is there, and his expression becomes one of relief to find that is still the case.<br><br>Pushing himself up, Verrik wanders over to the bar. His flight was thirsty work, and as much as he loathed the expense he was going to get a beer or two before leaving. That and it would likely go a long way toward easing any unpleasant gossip about him and what must have transpired to get him here. "Um, excuse me. I'll have a couple of... whatever you'd drink." He says to whoever is behind the bar, leaning forward with his elbows on its surface. <br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shadows - IC (Starting!)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheHangedOne</strong> on <strong>15-01-2013, 14:17:01</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<span class="bbc_u"><strong>Character's Name: "Jolly Jack"</strong></span><br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Location: The Starting Point Tavern, Jack's room</strong></span><br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>With whom: Johara</strong></span><br><br><br>Their was a small, sort of laughing sound in his throat, as if he found amusement in the way she purred; she was certainly a strange one, but, he liked this. He liked her brand of strangeness. <br><br>When the nails first bite into his skin, he tenses up a moment; for just a singular moment, she might be uncertain of whether he likes it or not, but the shudder that passes throughout his entire body, followed by the particular way in which he groans and nearly drools, must surely mean she has found that he is... well, into pain.&nbsp; Certain kinds under certain circumstances, at least.<br><br>Their was some disturbance in the otherwise perfect rhythm of his thrusts he had going, but, he couldn't help it; the nails really were something that caused him no small amount of pleasure, and with what he was already getting by giving to her, it made him feel nearly drunk or otherwise intoxicated. <br><br>Still, though, she will find herself practically being driven down into the bed, under the furious assault of his 'thrusting sword', which obeyed her command for things to&nbsp; be harder. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shadows - IC (Starting!)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lithium</strong> on <strong>18-01-2013, 01:53:15</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(http://i.imgur.com/iGTTE.jpg)</div><br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Character's Name:</strong></span> Johara Qussandei<br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Location:</strong></span> The Starting Point tavern, Jack's room<br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>With whom:</strong></span> Jack<br><br><hr><br>Seeing Jack react the way that he did actually turned Jo on as well, and even better was how it got him to <em>really</em> start driving into her. Her screams were probably a very clear - and loud - indication of that, and it was a good thing that there was such an animated party going on downstairs, otherwise the whole tavern would probably have heard her too.<br><br>As Jack continued to pound her into the well-worn squeaking mattress, Jo wrapped her legs tightly around his torso to hold on while using her nails almost like reins, clawing across her lover's already scarred back. She didn't go easy on him, just like she didn't want him to go easy on her, digging deeply enough to leave bright red criss-crossing lines and maybe even drawing a bit of blood here and there, but she was still able to throw in some slight variations to either speed or pressure, wordlessly communicating her desires which Jack would react to almost immediately.<br><br>It was so much more efficient and viscerally exciting than just using words! The physical pleasure was divine, but it was more than just that. The most amazing phenomenon was how Jo could feel so vulnerable, lying there completely exposed beneath a man who was twice her size and who could snap her like a twig if he wanted to...and yet how she could feel so in control, so invincible at the very same time. She'd gotten that feeling a few times in the past, but it had never been anywhere close to this extreme.<br><br>The first orgasm hit her before she knew what was happening. Waves of heat and ecstasy radiated outwards from Jo's sex as she lost all control. Her toes curled and her legs tightened like a vice around Jack's waist, pulling him all the way into her and keeping him there while her inner walls spasmed around his manhood. What's more, the powerful release of tension also brought out even more of Johara's more ferocious side, prompting her to lean forwards and bite down hard on the thick, hard muscle in between Jack's neck and shoulder, though even her muffled moans were still plenty loud.<br><br>She was panting and her heart was beating at an insane rate by the time that her body finally relaxed, nails and teeth releasing her prey as the marvelously euphoric feeling which she was enveloped in made her feel sleepy and lethargic.<br><br>"Ooohh...ooophhh. That was...ahh...just- just a second..." It was hard to think straight, let alone speak. Jo certainly wasn't done with Jack just yet - she would never leave a man unsatisfied, especially not one who'd treated her so well - she just needed a few moments to recover. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shadows - IC (Starting!)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheHangedOne</strong> on <strong>18-01-2013, 17:05:35</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<span class="bbc_u"><strong>Character's Name: "Jolly Jack"</strong></span><br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Location: The Starting Point Tavern, Jack's room</strong></span><br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>With whom: Johara</strong></span><br><br>The drawing of blood was not something that bothered the big man; he enjoyed the pain, not quite so much as he enjoyed the act of viciously and relentlessly fucking her, but quite close to it.&nbsp; Still, one might wonder if masochism explained the scars, or if scars explained the masochism. Though, at this point in time, who could possibly be thinking about that? The end was coming close.<br><br>While Jo, meanwhile, reveled in the power she was able to hold over him, despite the disparity in their physical size, Jack was drawing no small amount of pleasure from the act of submitting to her. Down below, he had seemed so confident, and in charge; and in fact, for the most part, that's how he was.&nbsp; It only seemed to be here, in the bedroom, where most men wanted control, that he wanted to just release his control; to give it to another.<br><br>He could feel the sudden tightness and how her muscles worked, squeezing him in more ways than one, and for a moment, a pleased smile spread across his face; he truly did derive pleasure from knowing he has pleased his companion this night. However, that smile soon fades away, for as she bites him,&nbsp; his lips part to let out a long, drawn out groan.<br><br>He was so very close to climaxing within her, but&nbsp; things slowed down and seemed to fade away as she needed a moment to gather herself. That, in itself, got a grin from the man. "Of course. Take your time." He said as he pulled himself free from her, just for the moment.&nbsp; He seemed to be nothing but sincerely obedient. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shadows - IC (Starting!)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Brittlby</strong> on <strong>19-01-2013, 15:53:34</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Mezolene remained entirely still, only moving to sip at her beverage over the last few minutes, watching curiously as circumstances developed. Her chain danced around her wrist with a soft rattle each time she replaced the cup on her saucer. There was a second after each long swallow that she took to adjust the cup, as if she were not entirely certain it was centered in the ring of the saucer. And then she would lift her eyes back towards the bar for a few moments, then repeat the whole process. <br><br>It was times like this that Mezolene felt the social advantages of being a psychopath far outweighed the negatives. It was certainly a lonely existence at times, but loneliness was for the boring. If a person wasn't good company for themselves, how could they be worthwhile companions to others? Mezolene was relatively certain the natural distance her skewed perspective afforded her allowed her to appreciate people and their interactions on a considerably higher level than most. It was akin to the difference between a wine connoisseur and a drunkard. <br><br>When she met a person, she liked to piece together what she could from observation alone before conversation, often going so far as to skip the discussion part of interacting with people when she felt comfortable that either she had nailed it or the truth of the matter would be less entertaining than the life she had made up for them. Most Scarlet Companions were people watchers, regardless of if they were hunters or lovers. Mezolene was no exception, and there were few things she enjoyed more.<br><br>Unfortunately, her night of quiet observation was not to be. As the outdoorsy gentleman and the bar wench made their way to her with the ill man in tow, she felt a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. It was a feeling most commonly reserved for voyeurs who had been sighted from their place behind the peephole. She had been more curious to see more of his plight, rather than she was interested in being of assistance to the man. The whole thing left a bad taste in her mouth, like a dinner theater that encouraged audience participation right after the first bite of the meal.<br><br>As keen an observer of human interaction as she was, Mezolene Myndar knew what was coming unfortunately, because there was a sizable percentage of the population that did not understand the intricacies of the Church of Diana or the domain of the Golden Lady. The Goddess of Love and the Hunt, her followers were students of anatomy only in so far as it pertained to killing and pleasure. <br><br>Of course, that did not mean she COULDN'T be of assistance to the wounded. Simply put, healing was a hat her order didn't wear very frequently. It was akin to asking a banker to explain charity. While certainly a Usurer knew charity existed, it was likely they were only versed in how it pertained to tax exemptions. Further as a Scarlet companion, she was most versed in Mercenary practices rather than Mercy. Their blessings came with tangible expenses, the more desirable services having quite dear costs for the client. And so it was amusing to her that the ranger spoke of empathy to the drunk five tables down, when Mezolene was equally if not more morally bankrupt. <br><br>Fortunately for the sick man, while she was not generous by nature, she was a keen observer of etiquette. While charity did not warm her heart nor pay the bills, anything else would be impolite. Doubly impolite during Winterfest, in fact. And she was nothing if not courteous. The boorish never got far in life and in her experience, seven out of ten times, selfless acts were rewarded in due time. <br><br>And so, as she always did in a situation where she was tasked to aid those in need. As they approached her, she smiled pleasantly and asked what she asked all of her clients, "A pleasure, I am sure. My name is Mezolene Myndar, a Scarlet Companion. May the Golden Lady Diana lessen your burden through me?"<br><br>It was at this point the stricken man stirred and began to straighten his clothing. Mezolene watched wordlessly as the man came to his senses and tried to compose himself. After a few adjustments, he sauntered off towards the bar, leaving her with the barmaid and the ranger. She offered a bemused smile to them both, "It is not often that her blessings come so quickly. You are welcome."<br><br>At this point, she did not think his ailment was alcohol related, but drinking could not help at this point, whether his actual ailment were physical or mental. A part of her was curious what exactly was wrong with him, but not so curious she was going to unsheathe her hand for free now that he clearly wasn't dying, "How else can I be of service? 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shadows - IC (Starting!)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Caehlim</strong> on <strong>20-01-2013, 10:24:17</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(http://i425.photobucket.com/albums/pp340/daggeroflath/Tad_zps22b3703c.jpg)</div><strong>Name</strong>: Tad<br><strong>Location</strong>: Starting Point, Common Room<br><hr><hr><br>Tad was having a wonderful Winterfest. The massive crowds moving throughout the streets of the city were a pickpocket's dream. He had expended the last of his coins reaching Avalon and New Evergreen, but it had been a worthwhile expense. He doubted any of those pursuing him would be willing to travel across the seas to another continent. Now, within a single day he had regained those coins spent on his travel and more. <br><br>He was taking a break from lightening the loads of the festival-goers, relaxing within the Starting Point spending some of his stolen coin on getting a meal and a mug of their warm cider. He sat at the side of the bar closest to the old man and his eager flock of children, enjoying listening in to the tale of dragons and frost-birds. He had first been drawn over when his keen ears had picked the word 'wizard' from the old man's story. It had turned out to be simply a fantastical tale suitable for children, but it was still an amusing diversion while he ate from his bowl of stew. The sips he took from the cider were careful and measured. It was his aim this evening to take advantage of drunken fools, not to become one and he had never had much tolerance for alcohol. <br><br>When the strange merchant had crashed through the doorway and collapsed onto a table, Tad had barely noticed. He was aware that it was happening, but didn't see how it had any relevance to him so he had avoided getting involved. The last thing he wanted was attention from the guards if they arrived to investigate the man's fate. The merchant's conundrum though drew more of his focus when the elf began to drag him towards the bar, near where he relaxed. They had brought the unconscious man over to some form of priestess. He did not recognize the specific order, but it seemed that the supplicants were asking for her to intercede with her god or goddess for a miracle. <br><br>He watched with keen interest, wondering if he was about to see magic performed. She spoke a brief prayer to the goddess Diana and the man seemed to instantly recover, staggering immediately over to the bar for more drink. The timing seemed like quite an amazing coincidence if it were not a magical healing, and yet, nothing about it had seemed uncanny.<br><br>As he finished the last of his stew and washed it down with the last trickle of cider, he approached the gathering group of charitable individuals who had been helping the stricken merchant. <br>"Your goddess works quickly my lady," he said, uncertain of the proper form of address for a priestess of Diana, "what do you think was the matter with that fellow?"<br><br>He was not truly too concerned over the fate of the merchant, but a strangeness had seemed to surround his arrival, collapse and recovery. Where there was this much strange activity, he thought magic of some sort could not be far behind.<br><br>He was dressed in the local manner of a reasonably prosperous man of middle-class, perhaps an independent merchant or wealthy tradesman. Although the clothes were not originally his, they fit well enough on his wiry frame and did not draw too much attention when he mingled with just about any crowd. His hair though and accent stood out marking him as being from the far north, but traders from those lands were not unknown in these parts and he hoped he himself would not seem too strange.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shadows - IC (Starting!)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Nighteyes8765</strong> on <strong>21-01-2013, 04:56:33</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<strong>Shannon</strong><br><br>Watching the priestess work interested Shannon, so he stopped to watch carefully. It wasn't every day that the elf got to see divine power wielded in such a blatant way. That the woman interceded without being asked or alerted to the man's plight also impressed him. It stood in sharp contrast to the rude man's behavior just seconds before. <br><br>"Your help was timely and, if the man was in his right mind, I am sure he would be thanking you himself," Shannon said, offering the holy woman a friendly smile, though his eyes remained serious. "Among my people, an intercession of this magnitude is not given freely. I do not know your ways - tell me, am I in your debt for this?"<br><br>A man came up beside them and broke into the conversation. The intrusion surprised Shannon, which showed by a slight widening of his eyes, but he didn't speak to stop it. Who knew the local customs? Perhaps this is how all private conversations in public spaces were treated, as invitations to a feast. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shadows - IC (Starting!)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Roen</strong> on <strong>21-01-2013, 10:29:41</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Once relieved from the pesky presence of the Elf, the Bum and the Barmaid, Angelo shook his head and returned to his hot beverage and writing. On the ale stained table in front of him there was a long sheet of parchment spread, nearly half of it was already filled with the young male's need driven writings. His soft and flawless lips parted and joined as he muttered to himself, while his quill yielding hand carried on scribbling feverishly. <br><br><div style="text-align: justify;"><em>"Raising her yet half asleep eyes to the darkness above her bed, the bound maiden met those wickedly gleaming peepers of her court jester. <strong>'Wakey wakey, Sleeping whore. It is I, Old mister wizard, who had come to do his festive chore!</strong>' The jester's giggles were far too horrible for listening, screeching and vicious, his face painted as a wide eyed demon – only barely visible through the darkness of her bedroom. <br>The maiden tried screaming, only to discover the wooden gag in her mouth, her entire frail and nurtured body was in bonds, and she only became aware of her nudity once the next drop of the Jester's drool hit the fair skin of her stomach. 'What do you want with me, Fool?' she wanted to ask, but all she could master was a chain of muffled sounds. <br>The jester then cackled devilishly, as he pulled out a six inches long metal claw, curved and wickedly sharp, <strong>'Have you been good or bad? Old wizards need to know. Only the color of your guts could tell, for-'</strong>"</em> </div><br>Angelo ceased his writings and turned his head to look at the windows, as something was obviously bothering him, a nagging feel that couldn't be described with words. As an aspiring author, the young male found that sort of thing practically offensive. Leaving his half-finished story behind, the dark haired teenager rose from his seat and walked over to the windows at the west end of the tavern, which was the closest wall to his table, and so he unintentionally managed to save his own life. Peering through the stained glass of the window, he could barely see the dark streets outside, which he found to be odd- since it wasn't remotely nighttime- and then it happened once again, the same thing that made him wander away from his current 'masterpiece'. A lightning struck and illuminated the street with its brief explosion of light, but that particular lighting was anything but ordinary, so much so, that Angelo took a step backwards, his eyes widening at the impossible sight. None of the other guests of the Tavern noticed what was apparently extremely wrong. It might have been the colorful lanterns hanging across the ceiling and around the streets, painting the rooms and streets with bright shades of red and blue. <br><br>"Our deepest gratitude, Crimson Sister." The older barmaid bowed to the scarlet companion, "I will make sure you will be charged no coin for your food and drinks, milady." She then walked back to the bar, eyeing the wet merchant with an unfavoring and harshly disapproving stare. "I'd imagine milord would fancy himself with a couple more drinks to be had?" She asked dryly, and as another loud explosion of thunder shook the walls of the tavern, the tavern's maid turned to the stage and gave the singer a signal to switch to a more cheerful melody. <br><br>Upon the stage, surrounded by a band of string, flute and drums players, some of which she knew- others just gathered around her to share the admiration and random coin, the singer named Shira quickly met the strict barmaid's demand, as she instructed her band to key in the new melody, which was more vibrant and rhythmic, definitely a crowd's pleaser. The singer had an averagely tall and fit body, curvy around the right edges, wrapped in dark pink and light blue chiffon, her brightly blond hair was a bit longer than ear-long, inhomogeneous in lengths and curling out and upwards in a bouncy sort of way, her eyes exotically wide and diagonal, and her perky short lips made men lose their senses every time she rewarded the crowed with one of her impish smiles. Despite her pixy-like appearance, her instrumentally amplified voice was warm and colorful, and swayed the room into a renewed holiday cheer as soon as she opened her mouth and sang the first couple of lyrics:<br><br><div align="center"><em><strong>"Old Mr. Wizard will soon drop a blizzard,<br>He'll blow, sweep and freeze all your troubles away!<br>Everybody's waiting for the man with the bird,<br>Winter is coming again.<br><br>Prepping his phoenix, he'll ride on those frost winds,<br>He's got coins to drop at every stop of the way.<br>Everybody's waiting for the man with the bird,<br>Snow storms are here again!<br><br>He'll be here… With the answers to the prayers that you've made through the heat<br>You'll get yours… If you've done everything you should-<br>Extra special good!"</strong></em></div><br><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class="bbc_size"><strong>OOC</strong></span><br>Melody and lyrics are based on The Man with the Bag (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfRBUSBUv1E#). <br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shadows - IC (Starting!)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Caehlim</strong> on <strong>22-01-2013, 15:37:47</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(http://i425.photobucket.com/albums/pp340/daggeroflath/Tad_zps22b3703c.jpg)</div><strong>Name</strong>: Tad<br><strong>Location</strong>: Starting Point, Common Room<br><hr><hr><br>Tad had been intent in his focus on the priestess and had largely disregarded the elf who had been charitably assisting the staggered merchant. Yet as he approached and asked after the strange events he had witnessed the elf had seemed surprised by his interruption. He hardly wished an argument with the elf to distract from the more interesting conversation that was possible regarding the man's recovery. So he tried to placate the elf with a warm smile and wracked his brain for a few moments, trying to remember what the elf had been saying as he approached and interrupted. The question was answered for him, when the bar-staff volunteered to take on the debt for whatever services she had provided for the man in the forms of food and lodging. <br><br>"Excuse me miss, but what of this elf who carried the man out of the press of the crowd and over here to safety. Surely he deserves a reward as well for his charitable actions." He said, hoping that putting in a good word on the elf's behalf might help him to forgive and forget Tad's interruption or at the very least distract him from pursuing it further while Tad obtained the information he sought. <br><br>The storm seemed bad outside, Tad was glad that he had sought shelter indoors before it had broken. Doubly glad if he may have stumbled upon something more interesting than his day of petty thievery. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shadows - IC (Starting!)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lithium</strong> on <strong>26-01-2013, 20:57:43</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(http://i.imgur.com/iGTTE.jpg)</div><br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Character's Name:</strong></span> Johara Qussandei<br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Location:</strong></span> The Starting Point tavern, Jack's room<br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>With whom:</strong></span> Jack<br><br><hr><br>Having had a few seconds to breathe and collect herself, Johara was able to get over the hump of lethargy brought on by her climax and was more than ready to go again. She swiftly raised herself off of her back and onto her knees in front of Jack before giving his broad chest a hard shove to make him lay down. <br><br>Gazing down at her peculiar but undeniably talented lover with fire in her eyes, Jo crawled over him and positioned herself so that she was straddling him, the length of his shaft pressed in between her glistening lower lips. Placing one hand on the man's taut stomach so that she could feel his abdominal muscles and the scars that covered them, she started to slide back and forth over Jack's delightfully hot member, making sure to apply the most pressure towards the front so that her clit received a constant influx of pleasure.<br><br>In what seemed a bit like an even more erotic version of her earlier dance, Jo smoothly pushed her belly out when she slid forwards and sucked it back in when she went the other way, the rest of her upper body also falling in line and undulating accordingly. <br><br>"Tell me what you want," she ordered sternly while her free hand found Jack's left nipple. She rolled the little nub lightly in between her fingers for a couple of seconds to make sure that it was nice and hard, after which she began to squeeze and twist it considerably harder, though not yet going all out. At the same time, Jo's sliding motions became considerably harder and faster as she deliberately tried to make it harder for Jack to answer. "I said, <em>tell me</em>."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shadows - IC (Starting!)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheHangedOne</strong> on <strong>27-01-2013, 06:59:59</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<span class="bbc_u"><strong>Character's Name: "Jolly Jack"</strong></span><br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Location: The Starting Point Tavern, Jack's room</strong></span><br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>With whom: Johara</strong></span><br><br>He seemed more than willing to acquiesce to whatever she wished of him; and when she wished him to be the one laying down, he was quick to do so, his member staying rigid and pointing straight up, even as the rest of him relaxed against the bed.<br><br>A slight shudder passed through his body as she began to press down upon him, sliding and gliding upon the most sensitive part of his body, bringing them both renewed pleasure.&nbsp; She is actually able to elicit a small moan from him when she seizes his nipple, despite himself.&nbsp; "Mm I want..."But, just as he was about to answer, the&nbsp; 'pain' intensified, and he winced for a moment; but not truly in pain. He was enjoying this.&nbsp; <br><br>She went faster, and he felt as if he might cum just from her sliding upon him, such was her skill. "Please... continue." He manages to get the words out, between long, low, lusty groans, his words full of desperation and desire. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shadows - IC (Starting!)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lithium</strong> on <strong>05-02-2013, 05:19:42</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(http://i.imgur.com/iGTTE.jpg)</div><br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Character's Name:</strong></span> Johara Qussandei<br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Location:</strong></span> The Starting Point tavern, Jack's room<br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>With whom:</strong></span> Jack<br><br><hr><br>Valuing freedom like she did, Johara had never been one to wish for the sort of power that would allow her to completely control or dominate another individual in real life, especially after some of the things that she'd seen, but trying it out purely in a consensual and erotic context was quite intoxicating. Perhaps it was the fact that she was getting a taste of the forbidden and the debauched without actually having to deal with any of the repercussions or moral dilemmas, or maybe it was just the excitement of trying something new, but Jo was really getting into it.<br><br>Wanting very much to bring Jack to the edge and to hold his own climax in the palm of her hand, so to speak, she sped up her rocking motion even further, focusing more now on grinding her engorged clit directly against his frenulum. Like an experienced equestrian, Jo payed close attention to every subtle hint - voluntary or not - that her lover's body gave while she rode him, bringing him right to the edge before slowing down just enough to keep him there.<br><br>"Ah, ah, ah!" she murmured teasingly while leaning down to trap Jack's other nipple between her teeth, her own nipples and breasts dragging pleasantly against his stomach, feeling every imperfection left by the scars which he'd suffered. Jo gave the pink little nub a flick of her tongue while still making sure that she was only sliding over his manhood at an agonizingly slow pace. Then she bit down hard on Jack's nipple with a growl and tugged on it briefly as she pulled away, getting back into a sitting position atop of him.<br><br>"Not until I allow it!" she murmured domineeringly, or at least as domineeringly as she could manage. This sort of thing was still brand new to her, but Jo was embracing it as much as possible, finding that she was getting almost as turned on by it as Jack was.<br><br>Before she could even think about or realize it, she even found one of her palms stinging from having harshly slapped her lover right across the side of the face. For a moment, a jolt of fear and guilt paralyzed Jo as she feared that she'd gone too far, and she was just about to jump out of this new 'character' that she'd adopted and start apologizing, but she caught herself before doing that. Instead, she mustered up all of her courage and confidence and attempted to own up to her actions instead, hoping that she hadn't just scared her companion off by veering off the deep end.<br><br>Queerly, even the pangs of doubt and nervousness that Jo was experiencing only added to her arousal, and she desperately wanted to slip him back inside of her...so much so that she grabbed Jack's cock and held it upright so that she could sit on it before even registering whether he'd reacted negatively to the slap or not.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shadows - IC (Starting!)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheHangedOne</strong> on <strong>05-02-2013, 16:14:58</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<span class="bbc_u"><strong>Character's Name: "Jolly Jack"</strong></span><br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Location: The Starting Point Tavern, Jack's room</strong></span><br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>With whom: Johara</strong></span><br><br>Jack had his own reasons for loving this sort of thing, though debauchery couldn't really be counted as one of them. His fascination came about as a result of familiarity, and the sort of sexual life he's <em>always</em> had. This was pretty much 'normal' to him, even if he was aware that most peoples definition of normal sex did not include half the things he did or had done to him.<br><br>He could feel his orgasm so very, very close, precum beading at the tip of his member, leaking out. Her holding him there, right at the precipice, at the edge, aroused frustrated sounding groans from him.&nbsp; And yet, he must surely love it, for he took no effort to put an end to the 'torment'.&nbsp; Her biting of his nipple made him buck a bit underneath her; it was not unpleasant, but it did shock him. <br><br>A second shock came to him from the slap he took to the face, which did drew out a grunt that did not sound particularly happy. And yet, again, she would find him remaining relatively still beneath her, even though it would be absolutely trivial for him to put an end to this. So, obviously, the slap didn't bother him.&nbsp; A sly, slightly cracked grin, further proved that yes, he had enjoyed it. <br><br>His breathing, which had become somewhat ragged during the course of her playing with him, finally seemed to become even and steady once more. He watched her as she slid him back into her, and shuddered a bit as the familiar, warm wetness engulfed him. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shadows - IC (Starting!)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Caehlim</strong> on <strong>08-02-2013, 08:57:34</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(http://i425.photobucket.com/albums/pp340/daggeroflath/Tad_zps22b3703c.jpg)</div><strong>Name</strong>: Tad<br><strong>Location</strong>: Starting Point, Common Room<br><strong>Tagging</strong>: Mezolene, Shannon<br><hr><hr><br>The bartender did not seem to realize that Tad was hinting that the elf should be given some sort of reward, or more likely was pretending to be oblivious to avoid giving out any more complimentary offerings. Taking matters into his own hands, he set some of his recently liberated coinage onto the countertop, "Please provide this good elf with whatever drinks, food or lodging he requires out of this money. He should be rewarded for his charitable deeds alongside the priestess whose goddess seems to have favoured this establishment."<br><br>He turned his most charming smile on the pair, it made him look younger as his smiles were filled with an air of boyish excitement. He'd found most people responded to it well and looking innocent it kept others from being too suspicious of him.<br>"So please, tell me, what happened here with that man? I saw your noble actions only at a distance, perhaps you could tell me what you experienced."
			</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>