FANTASY-NO MAGIC

[The Bookwyrm he/him]

Just now, Spark of Hope said:

The owner stopped at an open door and held out the key for her. Jolane exited the room and went down the stairs to the kitchen.

Ma'tani took the key and ducked into the room. "Thank you." She shut the door politely, but also somewhat firmly.

There's something a little...off...about that man. 

She sat on the edge of the bed, swung her pack of her back, and looked around the small room. It wasn't too bad. It had a window, which was nice, and several candles that were already lit. There was a cupboard, a desk, and of course the bed. It was a little dusty, but Ma'tani had been in far worse places.

After she was sure she was alone, she pulled out her flute. Made from the sturdy stalk of a plant that was alien even to the islands of To'atani, where she had grown up. She ran her fingers over it's smoothed surface, painted with a black lacquer, and accented with red and gold. It was beautiful. And she'd carried it all this way.

Jianzi...where are you?

[Through the Living Hope]

Just now, The Bookwyrm said:

Ma'tani took the key and ducked into the room. "Thank you." She shut the door politely, but also somewhat firmly.

There's something a little...off...about that man. 

She sat on the edge of the bed, swung her pack of her back, and looked around the small room. It wasn't too bad. It had a window, which was nice, and several candles that were already lit. There was a cupboard, a desk, and of course the bed. It was a little dusty, but Ma'tani had been in far worse places.

After she was sure she was alone, she pulled out her flute. Made from the sturdy stalk of a plant that was alien even to the islands of To'atani, where she had grown up. She ran her fingers over it's smoothed surface, painted with a black lacquer, and accented with red and gold. It was beautiful. And she'd carried it all this way.

Jianzi...where are you?

After a few minutes, a knock sounded on her door.

Quote

...Imma summon Almond so he knows which thread it is. I mean I'm sure he'd figure it out anyway but

@Exotic Almond

[The Bookwyrm he/him]

Just now, Spark of Hope said:

After a few minutes, a knock sounded on her door.

@Exotic Almond

Ma'tani quickly tucked the flute back into the folds of her robes and went to answer the door.

[Through the Living Hope]

Just now, The Bookwyrm said:

Ma'tani quickly tucked the flute back into the folds of her robes and went to answer the door.

The girl from the lower floor stood holding a tray which contained beef stew, a small loaf of bread, and a glass of water.

[The Bookwyrm he/him]

2 minutes ago, Spark of Hope said:

The girl from the lower floor stood holding a tray which contained beef stew, a small loaf of bread, and a glass of water.

Ma'tani took the tray and nodded her thanks, then hestitated.

"You look a little young to be working here," she said. "Or do the standards of this kingdom only drop as you get closer to the capitol?"

[Through the Living Hope]

Just now, The Bookwyrm said:

Ma'tani took the tray and nodded her thanks, then hestitated.

"You look a little young to be working here," she said. "Or do the standards of this kingdom only drop as you get closer to the capitol?"

Her face flushed and she rubbed her right wrist. "I'm not supposed to say..."

[Exotic Almond he/him]

6 minutes ago, Spark of Hope said:

After a few minutes, a knock sounded on her door.

@Exotic Almond

Quote

Maybe, I'll have to think of a character if I do decide to join.

 

[The Bookwyrm he/him]

Just now, Spark of Hope said:

Her face flushed and she rubbed her right wrist. "I'm not supposed to say..."

Her eyes narrowed. That's not a good sign.

She put the tray of food on the desk, then turned back to her. "Says who? The innkeeper? He does realize that forcing you not to say anything about it makes him look suspicious, right?"

[Through the Living Hope]

Just now, The Bookwyrm said:

Her eyes narrowed. That's not a good sign.

She put the tray of food on the desk, then turned back to her. "Says who? The innkeeper? He does realize that forcing you not to say anything about it makes him look suspicious, right?"

She nodded about her first questions. To the third, she responded, "I don't know."

[The Bookwyrm he/him]

1 minute ago, Spark of Hope said:

She nodded about her first questions. To the third, she responded, "I don't know."

"You can't be older than twenty cycles. Younger, probably. Eighteen?"

Ma'tani herself wasn't very old. She was in her thirty-second cycle, but had seen enough during her travels to assume she was wiser than many. At least in this land.

She wondered how the young girl thought of being suddenly interrogated by a stranger in foreign robes, light brown skin, and hair in intricate braids. Her people weren't seen commonly by those in this kingdom, and despite her skill with their language, she was still an outsider.

[Through the Living Hope]

Just now, The Bookwyrm said:

"You can't be older than twenty cycles. Younger, probably. Eighteen?"

Ma'tani herself wasn't very old. She was in her thirty-second cycle, but had seen enough during her travels to assume she was wiser than many. At least in this land.

She wondered how the young girl thought of being suddenly interrogated by a stranger in foreign robes, light brown skin, and hair in intricate braids. Her people weren't seen commonly by those in this kingdom, and despite her skill with their language, she was still an outsider.

"Y-yes..."

[The Bookwyrm he/him]

12 minutes ago, Spark of Hope said:

"Y-yes..."

Her correct guess brought little satisfaction into her mind. There were places in the world where girls much younger than her would be pressed into similar, or worse, kinds of service, but this kingdom had been better than many about it. Until here, at least. And in a tavern like this, it was dangerous for someone like her.

"You can't leave, can you?"

[Through the Living Hope]

Just now, The Bookwyrm said:

Her correct guess brought little satisfaction into her mind. There were places in the world where girls much younger than her would be pressed into similar, or worse, kinds of service, but this kingdom had been better than many about it. Until here, at least. And in a tavern like this, it was dangerous for someone like her.

"You can't leave, can you?"

She didn't move or respond, an answer in itself.

[The Bookwyrm he/him]

1 minute ago, Spark of Hope said:

She didn't move or respond, an answer in itself.

"What is he going to do to you if you break his rules?"

What has he already done to you?

[Through the Living Hope]

3 minutes ago, The Bookwyrm said:

"What is he going to do to you if you break his rules?"

What has he already done to you?

She opened her mouth, closed it, opened it, whispered, "Stop protecting my virginity."

Quote

I had NO IDEA how to word this without sounding incredibly awkward...

 

[Through The Living Glass She/They]

4 hours ago, Spark of Hope said:

Of course she was. Why would someone be there for her?

”He was just downstairs,” she said. Behind the locked door, her head hung. No, no one really noticed her. Why would they.

"Oh." The door seemed to be locked. That's certainly suspicious.

"Well... thank you." Niamh said, then walked back downstairs.

She saw the tavern keeper walk into a room behind the bar. He was... doing something she couldn't quite see.

His back was turned to her, so she walked in. He was moving some keys around a small table drawer.

She knocked on the wooden wall next to her. "I've come to collect my payment for the evening?" She said to him.

[Through the Living Hope]

2 minutes ago, Through The Living Glass said:

"Oh." The door seemed to be locked. That's certainly suspicious.

"Well... thank you." Niamh said, then walked back downstairs.

She saw the tavern keeper walk into a room behind the bar. He was... doing something she couldn't quite see.

His back was turned to her, so she walked in. He was moving some keys around a small table drawer.

She knocked on the wooden wall next to her. "I've come to collect my payment for the evening?" She said to him.

"Ah, yes," he said. He opened a drawer and removed 200 schlaff, which he then handed over.

[Through The Living Glass She/They]

19 minutes ago, Spark of Hope said:

"Ah, yes," he said. He opened a drawer and removed 200 schlaff, which he then handed over.

"Ah," she took the money graciously. "Thank you."

She turned to go, but stopped and looked at him. He had continued rifling through the drawer.

"Might I inquire about the locked door at the top of the stairs?"

@Spark of Hope

Edited August 26, 2024 by Through The Living Glass

[Mags she/they]

Quote

wow

some stuff really went down . . . uh

July was still in the tavern common room. He'd watched everything unfold from a dark corner, not really wanting to get involved.

He'd made that mistake before.

Now, things were quiet. Night had failed. But July stayed at his table.

The past few months had been a chaotic storm, tracking the gem, finding it's location, failing to retrieve it himself, hiring a thief to get it for him. Everything had been about getting that gem back.

So now that it sat comfortably in his pack, he had no idea what to do with himself.

Everything he'd done was an effort to get the gem away from certain people. Now, he supposed, all he had to do was keep running so they never found him.

That wasn't the sort of goal that told you what to do on an empty night like this. Where should he go? Who should he talk too?

July was unused to freedom like this.

Wanting to do anything but continue sitting there, he stood and approached the tavern keeper, leaving his half finished pig stuff  behind.

"Uh . . . hello." Maybe he could strike up a conversation.

@Spark of Hope

[Through the Living Elan He/Him]

"BARKEEP! WATER!!!" Lord Insanitus Crababius, the Faint of Heart screams at the top of his lungs.

@Spark of Hope

Quote

Is that you?

 

[Through The Living Glass She/They]

8 minutes ago, Ancient Elantrian said:

"BARKEEP! WATER!!!" Lord Insanitus Crababius, the Faint of Heart screams at the top of his lungs.

@Spark of Hope

 

Quote

Yeah she's doing the tavern owner.

 

[Through the Living Elan He/Him]

4 minutes ago, Through The Living Glass said:

 

Quote

Awesome.

SPARKY! WATER!

 

[Through the Living Hope]

50 minutes ago, Through The Living Glass said:

"Ah," she took the money graciously. "Thank you."

She turned to go, but stopped and looked at him. He had continued rifling through the drawer.

"Might I inquire about the locked door at the top of the stairs?"

@Spark of Hope

“Servant’s room,” he said plainly. 

41 minutes ago, J. Magi said:

July was still in the tavern common room. He'd watched everything unfold from a dark corner, not really wanting to get involved.

He'd made that mistake before.

Now, things were quiet. Night had failed. But July stayed at his table.

The past few months had been a chaotic storm, tracking the gem, finding it's location, failing to retrieve it himself, hiring a thief to get it for him. Everything had been about getting that gem back.

So now that it sat comfortably in his pack, he had no idea what to do with himself.

Everything he'd done was an effort to get the gem away from certain people. Now, he supposed, all he had to do was keep running so they never found him.

That wasn't the sort of goal that told you what to do on an empty night like this. Where should he go? Who should he talk too?

July was unused to freedom like this.

Wanting to do anything but continue sitting there, he stood and approached the tavern keeper, leaving his half finished pig stuff  behind.

"Uh . . . hello." Maybe he could strike up a conversation.

@Spark of Hope

“Hello. Can I get you anything?” Then Crabsbius called, and Robert said, “Hold that thought.” He gave him his glass of water and came back to July. “My apologies.”

28 minutes ago, Ancient Elantrian said:

"BARKEEP! WATER!!!" Lord Insanitus Crababius, the Faint of Heart screams at the top of his lungs.

@Spark of Hope

 

14 minutes ago, Ancient Elantrian said:

 

Quote

Can’t access the Shard during guitar class! Sorry!

 

[Through The Living Glass She/They]

9 minutes ago, Spark of Hope said:

“Servant’s room,” he said plainly. 

56 minutes ago, J. Magi said:

"Why is it locked?"

Quote

All good!

 

[Through the Living Hope]

Just now, Through The Living Glass said:

"Why is it locked?"

 

“For her own safety.”