(css: "font-size: 70px;")[(align:"=><=")[(text-colour: #B96ABC)[A Tempting Fate]]]
(align:"=><=")[An adult card-based game.
(text-style:'underline')[You must be 18 or over to play.]
(text-colour: #928cbf)[(if:$RCompleted is >=1)[//Take on the role of Thep, an agent injected into the heart of a aristocratic party.
Mingle with guests, seduce your target, and change of the course of history.//](else:)[//Take on the role of Thep, a man tasked with infiltrating an aristocratic party.
Mingle with guests, seduce your target, and don't cause a fuss.//]]
//(It is recommended to play this game on a Desktop PC-- preferably 1080p.)
A huge thanks to Commander Wilhelm KitsuneBorn, Kernog, Shikuchi, BoyBoyBoy, CodeBreaker, L-2118, Offline User and PoshBum for playtesting! Couldn't have got this finished without their help.
Current Version: 1.3//]
(link:"Click here to record your achievements.")[(if:(save-game:"Slot A"))[Achievements saved.](else:)[Fate twists, and something goes wrong.]]
(if:(saved-games:) contains "Slot A")[(link: "Recall your past achievements.")[(load-game:"Slot A")]]
(link:"Want to know how to play? Click here!")[(goto:"HowToPlay")]
(css:"font-size: 38px")[(align:"=><=")[|BBB>[Click here to start a new game.](enchant: ?BBB, (text-style:'bold'))]]
(click:?BBB)[(goto:"NewRun")]<div class='img-container-turn'>
(css:"line-height: 2em;")[(css:"font-size: 60px")[Turn $Turn]]
</div>
(link:"Check your journal.")[(goto:"Journal")]
<div class='img-container-play'>
(if:$turn1stf is true)[(if:(either:1,2) is 1)[The party remained in full swing. You were still near the beginning of the night, so it was no surprise to you that people were still laughing, jeering and downing their glasses of wine. Waiters weaved and mingled, sweeping past guests and offering full glasses to the party's patrons. Nobles talked, played games, and some even argued all in front of your eyes.
The majority of the patrons of the party don't interest you, but 4 individuals in particular somehow caught your eye despite the diverse range of species there.](else:)[The party was still as strong as when it started. To your left and right, nobles, servants and waiters alike mingle, share stories, offer drinks and more, and though you weren't currently interacting with anyone you still felt a part of it all, strangely enough. Beyond the banquet halls, the corridors leading into private rooms were quiet and tranquil, a stark contrast to the bustling hubbub of the hall.
Your attention was drawn to 4 distinct people in the party, who seemed to be chatting with others or idly standing around across the entirety of the banquet hall, or even outside where the pool was.]](else:)[When you entered House Dawland's party, it became clear that you were a little late-- most of the guests had already arrived and very few of them were still coming in, and the party was effectively already in full swing. However, being fashionably late wasn't necessarily an issue; it gave you plenty of time to scope out the patrons of the party without being announced like a noble and drawing everyone's attention to you.
In front of you in the House's main hall is a large banquet table lined with little appetizers, foods, and the occasional empty glass. Though the banquet table was the main landmark of the hall, there were still other smaller tables, with tablecloths that almost touched the tiled floor, dotted around the room. Glittering chandeliers above with lit flames kept the room illuminated despite the starry night outside.
The party was bustling with activity, and your attention was drawn to 4 individuals...(set:$turn1stf to true)]
<div class='img-container-continue'>{(if:$Havoc is >=0 and <50)[People at the party didn't even know you.]
(elseif:$Havoc is >=50 and <100)[People at the party were on edge, for one reason or another.]
(elseif:$Havoc is >=100 and <150)[People recognised you when you walked around, but you didn't know how they felt about you.]
(elseif:$Havoc is >=150 and <200)[People whispered when they saw you, and you felt eyes in the back of your head.]
(elseif:$Havoc is >=200 and <250)[People were starting to openly glare at you. You've made too much of a ruckus.]
(elseif:$Havoc is >=250 and <300)[Rumours of you on the wind are plentiful and insulting. You could be kicked out at any moment.]
(elseif:$Havoc is >=300)[(goto:"HavocEnd")]}</div>
</div>
{(if:$RER is true)[<!--Do Nothing--!>](elseif:$RER is false)[|REC>[(if:$Turn is 2 or 4 or 6)[<div class='img-container-event'>{(set:$ET to (random:1,6))(set:$REC to $REvents's (random:1,$REvents's length))
|RE>[(if:$ET is 1)[Fate branched into a new path...](elseif:$ET is 2)[Fate diverged, forming new pathways...](elseif:$ET is 3)[Chaos twisted current events into something new...](elseif:$ET is 4)[The Wheel of Fortune turned, beckoning...](elseif:$ET is 5)[Fate had intervened, creating new pathways...](elseif:$ET is 6)[Events unfolded, as secretly foretold...]]
(click:?RE)[(goto:$REC)]
}</div>](else:)[(hide:?REC)]]]}
|TPTC>[(if:$TPTwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|TPT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$TPTwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?TPTC)]]
(if:$RaltGone is true)[<div class='img-container-card'>(display:$Target1)</div><div class='img-container-card'>(display:$Target2)</div><div class='img-container-card'>(display:$Target4)</div>](elseif:$RaltGone is false)[<div class='img-container-card'>(display:$Target1)</div><div class='img-container-card'>(display:$Target2)</div><div class='img-container-card'>(display:$Target3)</div><div class='img-container-card'>(display:$Target4)</div>]
{(if:$SeedofFate is true)[With your mission completed, you could choose to (link:"leave the party early.")[(set:$LeftE to 1)(goto:"NatEnd")]](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]}
(text-style:"underline")[(if:$MetDu is false)[A Distant Hyena](elseif:$MetDu is true)[Duldes Dawland]]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#50a565)[Target Card]]]
(if:$MetDu is false)[Cold and observant, holding a
barely-touched drink.](elseif:$MetDu is true)[Firstborn of House Dawland,
and heir to the estate.]
(set:$DulR to (random:1,4))
(if:$DulR is 1)[He stands with all the
elegance of a noble, yet his
face bears a sad melancholy.
You almost pity him.](elseif:$DulR is 2)[A tension crosses his face
as he chews thoughtfully on
a little appetizer, the drink
in his hand full and untouched.](elseif:$DulR is 3)[He mingles with other nobles,
but his wide smile and light laughter
doesn't reach his eyes, his
cold facade calculating.](elseif:$DulR is 4)[He stares down at his drink
before up towards the patrons.
You see him briefly sneer, before
his face smoothes over.]
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$NN to "Dul")(goto:"DulI")](align:"<==")[On a warm summer evening in the eastern kingdom of Gromarch, a couple of lone carriages trundled and rocked down a quiet worn path, the glow of the moon above illuminating their journey. Large oak trees, with stretching branches that reached across the path and gave shelter in the sun, only served to provide darkness in the quiet night.
You sat within the confines of a carriage, staring longingly out the tiny window into the darkness beyond. The carriage moved slowly, and the silhouette of trees crept on by. Your mind was filled with thoughts of the evening ahead of you, and of your mission.
Sitting across from you was a man whom you barely knew, but was probably the only person you could trust. You knew him only as //'The Preacher'// and nothing more, and he was never inclined to give any details about himself-- honestly, you never thought to ask, either. He sat mulling over a few rolls of parchment, but seemed to easily notice your gaze. He looked up from his work and you were met with his piercing lilac eyes, hidden beneath a convenient, ornamental mask.
"Keep your mind focused," He warned. "Where we're about to go is no peasant festival."
"...I know." You turned to look back out the window and awkwardly adjusted your fancy clothes. They were a little tight, but not that stifling-- the billowy shirt beneath your form-fitting, reasonably comfortable blue doublet was loose and airy against your gray and black fur, though your jacket collar feels a little invasive up against the edges of your jaw. Your trousers were contrastingly pressed, squeezing your legs and clasping to your ankles firmly, enough to vividly outline the entirety of your musculature-- but they were manageable. Ultimately, it just felt a little uncomfortable to you, and it was not the kind of garments you were used to wearing. However, this outfit was part of your job; to infiltrate a party full of nobles, one must look like a noble themselves.
In the distance between the thick outline of the trees, you spotted faint lights, that glow brighter and brighter the closer your horse-drawn carriage gets. As your carriage rounds the corner of the path, the view of the exquisite, aristocratic house spreads out before you. Heavy string and wind music emanates from its open doors, and the occasional bark of laughter rings out through the night, suggesting a good time.
House Dawland, an upper class, centuries-old family local to Gromarch, was holding a small dinner party for the local dignitaries, as well as some foreign nobility in what is best considered to be their 'summer getaway mansion', outside the encompassing reach of Gromarch's capital, Unilai. Only those invited were allowed to enter.
Luckily for you, you happened to snag an invitation.]
<div class='img-container-continue'>[[Continue.->Intro2]]</div>{(set:$Targets to (a:"Duldes Dawland", "Sat Ipfeld", "Raltarndarv Raltandavi", "Berlis Dawson"))
(set:$RTarget to $Targets's (random:1,4))
(set:$Target1 to "Duldes Dawland")
(set:$Target2 to "Sat Ipfeld")
(set:$Target3 to "Raltarndarv Raltandavi")
(set:$Target4 to "Berlis Dawson")
(set:$TList to (a:$Target1,$Target2,$Target3,$Target4))
(set:$PV to (random:1,3))(set:$DuRV to $PV)
(set:$PV to (random:1,3))(set:$SaRV to $PV)
(set:$PV to (random:1,3))(set:$RaRV to $PV)
(set:$PV to (random:1,3))(set:$BeRV to $PV)
(if:$RTarget is "Duldes Dawland")[(set:$StartPro to "Let him know he shall disappear.")
(set:$Prophecies to (a:
"Eyes as cold and deep as an iceberg.", "A man more loyal to himself than his house.",
"A man of bloodshed.", "A man born to rulership.", "Here his status is high, his morals low.",
"Pure blood, and pure regret.", "Knows honour, for good or for ill.",
"His insults as sharp as his sword.", "Scarred from a life of violence."))
(if:$DuRV is 1)[(set:$Prophecies to it + (a:"Brandishes a vaunted heirloom of his house."))]
(elseif:$DuRV is 2)[(set:$Prophecies to it + (a:"Drinks deep of a cherished cup."))]
(elseif:$DuRV is 3)[(set:$Prophecies to it + (a:"A duelist extroadinaire."))]
]
(elseif:$RTarget is "Sat Ipfeld")[(set:$StartPro to "Let him know his will be done.")
(set:$Prophecies to (a:
"A servant to his people.", "Knows honour, for good or for ill.",
"His insults as sharp as his sword.", "Scarred from a life of violence.",
"Ideals clean as his doublet.", "Misplaced trust begets a miserable life.",
"Born to a loving home.", "No fur to guard against the cold.", "No breathing brother to bother them."))
(if:$SaRV is 1)[(set:$Prophecies to it + (a:"The responsibility of life in his hands."))]
(elseif:$SaRV is 2)[(set:$Prophecies to it + (a:"Drinks deep of a cherished cup."))]
(elseif:$SaRV is 3)[(set:$Prophecies to it + (a:"A sharp sweetness makes the heart grow fonder."))]
]
(elseif:$RTarget is "Raltarndarv Raltandavi")[(set:$StartPro to "Let him know he shall disappear.")
(set:$Prophecies to (a:
"Eyes as cold and deep as an iceberg.", "A servant to his people.",
"A man born to rulership.", "Ideals clean as his doublet.",
"Misplaced trust begets a miserable life.", "Pure blood, and pure regret.",
"Tossing and turning, a storm in his head.", "A sharpened hatred simmers beneath the surface.",
"To grovel, to survive."))
(if:$RaRV is 1)[(set:$Prophecies to it + (a:"A duelist extroadinaire."))]
(elseif:$RaRV is 2)[(set:$Prophecies to it + (a:"A sharp sweetness makes the heart grow fonder."))]
(elseif:$RaRV is 3)[(set:$Prophecies to it + (a:"The heavens have his heart."))]
]
(elseif:$RTarget is "Berlis Dawson")[(set:$StartPro to "Let him know his will be done.")
(set:$Prophecies to (a:
"A man more loyal to himself than his house.", "A man of bloodshed.",
"Here his status is high, his morals low.", "No fur to guard against the cold.",
"To grovel, to survive.", "Born to a loving home.", "Tossing and turning, a storm in his head.",
"A sharpened hatred simmers beneath the surface.", "No breathing brother to bother them."))
(if:$BeRV is 1)[(set:$Prophecies to it + (a:"The responsibility of life in his hands."))]
(elseif:$BeRV is 2)[(set:$Prophecies to it + (a:"Brandishes a vaunted heirloom of his house."))]
(elseif:$BeRV is 3)[(set:$Prophecies to it + (a:"The heavens have his heart."))]
]
(set:$MetDu to false)
(set:$MetSa to false)
(set:$MetRa to false)
(set:$MetBe to false)
(set:$NN to "None")
(set:$ICards to (a:
"Debate", "Compliment", "Gossip About the Hosts", "Chat About Current Events", "Play a Party Game",
"Bring a Drink", "Place a Bet", "Insult", "Recite a Poem", "Ask to the Pool", "Butt In",
"Tempt", "Flirt", "Ask to Dance", "Get Alone", "Touch", "Insult the Head of House", "Make a Pass",
"Harass the Help", "Joke", "Make a Toast", "Admire",
"Openly Grope", "Footjob Under the Table", "Hot Date", "Flash", "Drag Into a Closet"
))
(set:$ICardC to $ICards's (random:1,$ICards's length))
(set:$STwists to (a:
"On a Wing and a Prayer", "Natural Armour", "Lucky Bastard",
"Big for my Age", "Cutie-pie", "Audacious",
"Subtle Presence", "A Broken Gear", "Destiny's Intervention"))
(set:$Twists to (a:
"The Eye of Death", "The Preacher's Favour", "Their Fleeting Interest", "Eye of Deceit",
"Four Leaf Clover", "A Closet Quickie", "Apple of Their Eye", "Hustler's Helper",
"Wolf Whistle", "Luck of the Draw", "Love at First Sight", "Necklace of Adonis",
"Mirror of Prophecy", "Lens of Smuggled Goods", "Dancing Shoes", "Ring of Full Counter",
"The Preacher's Care", "Horsehair Brush", "Swim Briefs",
"Fairy Heart", "Medal of Distinction", "Drinking Cup",
"Monster-Made Ring", "Unique Perception", "Dueling Gloves",
))
(if:$TList contains "Duldes Dawland")[(set:$Twists to it + (a:"Monster Tooth"))](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]
(if:$TList contains "Sat Ipfeld")[(set:$Twists to it + (a:"Folder of Secrets"))](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]
(if:$TList contains "Raltarndarv Raltandavi")[(set:$Twists to it + (a:"Letter from Master Dawland"))](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]
(if:$TList contains "Berlis Dawson")[(set:$Twists to it + (a:"A Hidden Blade"))](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]
(set:$REvents to (a:
"Seance", "PoolConvo", "DrunkFight", "BlindProphet", "MDSpeech", "Intruder",
"SpiltDrink", "FingerFoods", "TargetFish", "SusNoise", "LostHouse", "ForeignNoble",
"Gamble", "WaiterPro", "UnwAdmirer", "Headache", "LawnDuel", "HandlerTrouble",
"Pranksters", "DizzyMaid", "BobbingApples", "Opera", "Cesin", "CesinN"
))
(if:$TList contains "Duldes Dawland")[(set:$REvents to it + (a:"DulSick", "DulRejectNoble"))](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]
(if:$TList contains "Sat Ipfeld")[(set:$REvents to it + (a:"SatMonsterIdeals", "SatSick"))](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]
(if:$TList contains "Raltarndarv Raltandavi")[(set:$REvents to it + (a:"RalMonsterMen", "RBWildAnimals", "RalSick"))](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]
(if:$TList contains "Berlis Dawson")[(set:$REvents to it + (a:"BerAltVinters", "RBWildAnimals", "BerSick"))](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]
(set:$species to "canine")(set:$skin to "fur")(set:$skinned to "furred")(set:$height to 5.5)(set:$nose to "muzzle")(set:$ec to "blue")(set:$dl to 6)(set:$foot to "paw")(set:$feet to "paws")
(set:$DulSway to 0)(set:$SatSway to 0)(set:$RalSway to 0)(set:$BerSway to 0)
(set:$RER to false)(set:$CCC to false)
(set:$Havoc to 0)
(set:$LChance to 0)
(set:$TPTwists to (a:)) (set:$IPTwists to (a:)) (set:$PITwists to (a:))
(set:$ProList to (a:))
(set:$UPTurnCount to 3)(set:$DGTurnCount to 6)(set:$EDTurnCount to 6)(set:$HHTurnCount to 6)
(set:$NecklaceU to 2)
(set:$OTwists to (a:))
(set:$turn1stf to false)(set:$turn2ndf to false)(set:$turn3rdf to false)
(set:$PoolConvo to false)(set:$PoemSat to false)(set:$BerSick to false)(set:$PoemBer to false)
(set:$SeedofFate to false)
(set:$RaltGone to false)
(set:$DSed to 0)(set:$SSed to 0)(set:$RSed to 0)(set:$BSed to 0)
(set:$LensSeen to 0)(set:$MCount to 3)
(set:$JVis to false)(set:$LeftE to 0)
}
(goto:"Intro1")(align:"<==")[Slowly but surely, the carriages moved in single file down the path and to the left, where they followed a twisting gravel road that circled around a vast, exquisite fountain. Several well-dressed men and women sat around talking by the water, drinks or food in hand, and as the carriage came to a halt in front of the doors leading inside it became clear that this was no ordinary party.
You moved towards the door to step out, but The Preacher stopped you, putting a hand on your shoulder. When you turned towards him, he reached into his pocket and pulled out 3 separate pouches of varying sizes. You had no idea of the contents, but you had a feeling they're important in some shape or form. You raised your hand to grab one and he holds up a single, clawed finger, before loosening the bunched-up tops so that you can see the contents. You knew enough about magic-- and even had some practical experience-- to know that each of these tools is dripping with magic. You could only assume that they're artifacts, and probably have powerful properties.
{
(set:$ST1 to $STwists's (random:1,$STwists's length))
(set:$STwists to it - (a:$ST1))
(set:$ST2 to $STwists's (random:1,$STwists's length))
(set:$STwists to it - (a:$ST2))
(set:$ST3 to $STwists's (random:1,$STwists's length))
(set:$STwists to it - (a:$ST3))
}
"One," He insisted. "And only one. This will help you with your mission, but I can't do everything for you."
You looked down at the three pouches and hesitated, before choosing one.]
<div class='img-container-card'>(display:$ST1)
</div><div class='img-container-card'>(display:$ST2)</div><div class='img-container-card'>(display:$ST3)</div>
Alternatively, you can (link:"decline taking one.")[(set:$ST to "None")(goto:"Intro3")]
(text-style:"underline")[(if:$MetSa is false)[A Polite Plover](elseif:$MetSa is true)[Sat Ipfeld]]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#50a565)[Target Card]]]
(if:$MetSa is false)[Tense yet content, clutching
a small glass of alchohol.](elseif:$MetSa is true)[Adjutant to Lord Ailyn Carein,
a trusted individual of his Lord.]
(set:$SatR to (random:1,4))
(if:$SatR is 1)[He looks like he's not used
to these kind of parties, but
he seems to be handling
himself well enough.](elseif:$SatR is 2)[He nibbles on a cracker,
looking over the party-goers.
He looks to be lost in thought
as he chews, eyes vacant.](elseif:$SatR is 3)[He idly chats to some
random stranger, before looking
down at a journal in his
hands, lost in thought.](elseif:$SatR is 4)[He seems a little uneasy,
though not because of anything
in particular. Rather, he
just looks...nervous and shy.]
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$NN to "Sat")(goto:"SatI")]
(text-style:"underline")[(if:$MetRa is false)[A Hulking Bear-Monster](elseif:$MetRa is true)[Raltarndarv Raltandavi]]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#50a565)[Target Card]]]
(if:$MetRa is false)[Tribal, monstrous, and looking
significantly out of place.](elseif:$MetRa is true)[Leader of the Raltandair,
the laughing stock of nobility.]
(set:$RalR to (random:1,4))
(if:$RalR is 1)[He walks with a brutish gait,
and his eyes are cold and
searching. He looks a little
intimidating, at first glance.](elseif:$RalR is 2)[He chews hungrily on a
piece of visibly raw meat,
his eyes closed as he
relishes the juicy taste.](elseif:$RalR is 3)[He stands taller than
most of the party's patrons,
his grizzly appearance and
shaggy mane easily visible.](elseif:$RalR is 4)[He looks stifled and
restrained in his stretched,
yet tailored noble clothes.
You feel bad for him.]
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$NN to "Ral")(goto:"RalI")]
(text-style:"underline")[(if:$MetBe is false)[A Proud Reptile](elseif:$MetBe is true)[Berlis Dawson]]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#50a565)[Target Card]]]
(if:$MetBe is false)[Flattering yet restrained, with
measured gestures and smiles.](elseif:$MetBe is true)[Head of House Dawson, with
no heir to his name, yet.]
(set:$BerR to (random:1,4))
(if:$BerR is 1)[He stands with a firmness
that one might expect from
a noble, yet his face looks
relaxed and natural.](elseif:$BerR is 2)[He idly nibbles on a
cracker in his hands, looking
as if he both enjoys and
dislikes it. It's hard to tell.](elseif:$BerR is 3)[He bows and flatters a
noble in front of him, but
his eyes seem cold and steely.
His expression is hard to read.](elseif:$BerR is 4)[He laughs with another man,
the two of them sharing an
inside joke. He looks like he
naturally fits in noble parties.]
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$NN to "Ber")(goto:"BerI")](align:"<==")[(if:$ST is "Avian")[You took the tool-- a slim bottle-- and at The Preacher's fervent gesture downed the contents. A tingle crept across your body and you looked down at your hands to see your fur falling from your body, feathers growing in its wake. It didn't hurt, but it was horrifying to look at, and in the interest of keeping your sanity you squeezed your eyes shut until the tingling sensation stopped. When you opened them again, The Preacher greeted you to a mirror, and you saw that your furry features were now distinctly avian-- your markings were the same, but your legs were now scaled, your feet avian-esque and your muzzle a beak. It was a little shocking to see yourself so differently, but you looked as normal as one might expect.(set:$species to "avian")(set:$skin to "feathers")(set:$skinned to "feathered")(set:$nose to "beak")(set:$foot to "talon")(set:$feet to "talons")](elseif:$ST is "Reptile")[You took the tool-- a slim bottle-- and at The Preacher's fervent gesture downed the contents. A tingle crept across your body and you looked down at your hands to see your fur falling from your body, scales growing in its wake. It didn't hurt, but it was horrifying to look at, and in the interest of keeping your sanity you squeezed your eyes shut until the tingling sensation stopped. When you opened them again, The Preacher greeted you to a mirror, and you saw that your furry features were now distinctly reptilian-- your markings were the same, but your entire body was now covered in scales, your feet four-toed and clawed, your muzzle firm and rugged with scales. It was a little shocking to see yourself so differently, but you look as normal as one might expect.(set:$species to "reptile")(set:$skin to "scales")(set:$skinned to "scaled")(set:$nose to "snout")(set:$foot to "foot")(set:$feet to "feet")](elseif:$ST is "Lucky" or "Audacious" or "Subtle" or "A Broken Gear" or "Mulligan")[As soon as your hand touched the tool within the pouch, a tingle ran up your spine as magic flowed into you. You slipped the tool from its nestled housing and then slid it into the inner lining of your jacket pocket, keeping it close to your body-- there, the magic flowed across your frame and you felt the artifact passively working its magic for you.](elseif:$ST is "Tall")[You retrieved what looks like a small rounded object from the pouch. With a gesture from The Preacher, you lifted it up towards your mouth. Nervously you swallowed it, and a tingle spread through your body. You looked down at your legs and they stretched before your eyes, forcing the trouser legs further up your shins. In a matter of seconds you'd grown just about half a foot, and now stand a little over the average height of a man.(set:$height to 6)](elseif:$ST is "Short")[You retrieved what looks like a small rounded object from within the pouch, and at The Preacher's gesture, you brought it to your muzzle and swallowed it down. A shudder rolls over your body and your skin tingles as you feel your legs and body beginning to shrink-- in a matter of moments, you lose around half a foot of height, and your once form-fitting clothes now felt baggy and loose on you.(set:$height to 5)](elseif:$ST is "None")[You hesitated, hand hovered over the pouches, before you retracted it, shaking your head-- ultimately, you chose not to take one. The man opposite you didn't complain.]
The Preacher withdrew his hand along with the pouches, briefly looking you up and down to make sure you're ready. He grunted his approval before sliding a small slip of paper from his pocket.
"This will aid you in your mission." He said nothing more about it and simply pushed the paper into your hands, then reached over to slide something into the chest pocket of your doublet. Before you could even ask him what it meant or what he had given you, he pushed the door to the carriage open and stepped out, leaving you on your own.
With a frown, you unfurled the little slip and read the contents. Inside was a cryptic message you did not understand.]
<div class='img-container-twist'>$StartPro(set:$ProList to it + (a:$StartPro))</div>
(align:"<==")[You slipped the note into the inner lining of your jacket and mulled over the meaning as you shuffled towards the carriage door, stepping out as the other man goes ahead. You felt your chest pocket and felt a small, hard object-- you had to assume it would come in handy for your mission at some point...and you had a feeling you'd know when to use it. Your shoes crunched against the gravel, but the sound was quickly drowned out by the raucous laughter from within. The Preacher has already gone ahead-- you've no idea where he went, but you had a feeling you weren't going to see much of him at this party. After all, the less you knew of each other, the better.
You approached the door, but no-one came to stop you from entering, for the guest list was VIP only and you would have been stopped long ago if you weren't on the list. Inside, the party is nothing like you imagined it-- you expected idle talk, violin strings and fancy foods, but instead you're met with a party more akin to ones that may take place in peasant towns, quite the contrary to what The Preacher said. Games, gambling, banquet tables and loose, unrestrained dancing assault your vision of what you would have considered to be a 'dinner party', though you can't complain too much. If anything, this makes your job easier.
A tingle crept up your spine, and you feel drawn to some people within the party. You couldn't be sure if it was magic or something more at work, but you know what you came here to do: seduce a specific man, and nothing more.
With a deep breath, you stepped inside and began to mingle.]
(set:$Turn to 1)
<div class='img-container-continue'>[[Begin.->Turns 1 to 6]]</div>
(text-style:"underline")[On a Wing and a Prayer]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#33a3c8)[Twist of Fate Card]]]
Change your external visage
to something more feathery.
This might net you more favour
with those who prefer birds,
and avians in general.
Your form may change, but
your identity will not.
(link:"Choose this Twist.")[(set:$ST to "Avian")(goto:"Intro3")]
(text-style:"underline")[Natural Armour]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#33a3c8)[Twist of Fate Card]]]
Exchange your fluffy
fur for impressive scales.
This might net you more favour
with people who prefer reptiles,
and the splendour of scales.
Your form my change, but
your identity will not.
(link:"Choose this Twist.")[(set:$ST to "Reptile")(goto:"Intro3")]
(text-style:"underline")[Lucky Bastard]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#33a3c8)[Twist of Fate Card]]]
You are significantly luckier than
the average noble. How nice!
Gain +5% increased odds to
most chance encounters. Being
luckier can make things easier.
//Chance encounters include
seduction, gambling, etc.//
(link:"Choose this Twist.")[(set:$ST to "Lucky")(set:$LChance to it + 5)(goto:"Intro3")]
(text-style:"underline")[Big for my Age]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#33a3c8)[Twist of Fate Card]]]
You grow an inch or two,
or maybe four, or five.
Holds more merit in those
who like taller men,
if such men exist.
They say that the taller the
man, the better the bloodline.
(link:"Choose this Twist.")[(set:$ST to "Tall")(goto:"Intro3")]
(text-style:"underline")[Cutie-pie]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#33a3c8)[Twist of Fate Card]]]
The smaller, the better. Shrink
yourself down to a petite size.
Holds more merit with those
who like smaller men,
if such men exist.
For some, shorter men
can be considered to be cute.
(link:"Choose this Twist.")[(set:$ST to "Short")(goto:"Intro3")]
(text-style:"underline")[Audacious]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#33a3c8)[Twist of Fate Card]]]
You're the life of the party.
You live and breathe fun.
The Havoc you cause generates
Sway for your potential targets,
spread evenly amongst them.
Those who are the centre of
attention tend to be oft loved.
(link:"Choose this Twist.")[(set:$ST to "Audacious")(goto:"Intro3")]
(text-style:"underline")[Mirror of Prophecy]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#33a3c8)[Twist of Fate Card]]]
A shiny mirror, that you can
see your reflection in.
When you stare into your own
eyes, you sense an feeling in
the back of your mind. Strange.
The Preacher claims this mirror
holds some sort of ancient power.
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$TPTwists to it + (a:"Mirror of Prophecy"))(set:$Twists to it - (a:"Mirror of Prophecy"))(set:$OTwists to it + (a:"Mirror of Prophecy"))(hide:?CC)(set:$CCC to true)]
(text-style:"underline")[Lens of Smuggled Goods]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#33a3c8)[Twist of Fate Card]]]
A small spyglass, with the unique
property to see through garments.
It feels a little invasive to
you, but you'll admit your body
tingles at the thought.
Though apt for lewd pranks, this
artifact might reveal hidden goods.
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$TPTwists to it + (a:"Lens of Smuggled Goods"))(set:$Twists to it - (a:"Lens of Smuggled Goods"))(set:$OTwists to it + (a:"Lens of Smuggled Goods"))(hide:?CC)(set:$CCC to true)]
(text-style:"underline")[Dancing Shoes]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#33a3c8)[Twist of Fate Card]]]
A pair of very fancy shoes
made for any kind of dancing.
They're magical in nature, you
assume. Wearing these might
incline others to dance with you.
(if:$species is "canine")[On your $species feet, these shoes
cover the top and your toes. Neat.](elseif:$species is "avian")[On your $species feet, these shoes
hug your ankles and heel. Nice.](elseif:$species is "reptile")[On your $species feet, these shoes
cover all of your foot. Cool.]
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$IPTwists to it + (a:"Dancing Shoes"))(set:$Twists to it - (a:"Dancing Shoes"))(set:$OTwists to it + (a:"Dancing Shoes"))(hide:?CC)(set:$CCC to true)]
(text-style:"underline")[Ring of Full Counter]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#33a3c8)[Twist of Fate Card]]]
A ring with a dazzling set ruby
that glitters in the light.
This ring will supposedly reflect
any Havoc gained and convert
it to Sway for the target.
The ring reflects anything it
comes in contact with, real or not.
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$PITwists to it + (a:"Ring of Full Counter"))(set:$Twists to it - (a:"Ring of Full Counter"))(set:$OTwists to it + (a:"Ring of Full Counter"))(hide:?CC)(set:$CCC to true)]
(text-style:"underline")[The Preacher's Care]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#33a3c8)[Twist of Fate Card]]]
The Preacher comes to your aid
when you most need it.
You don't know how he knows,
but The Preacher will give you
a Prophecy for a target.
The Preacher claims the prophecy
won't be relevant to your mission.
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$TPTwists to it + (a:"The Preacher's Care"))(set:$Twists to it - (a:"The Preacher's Care"))(set:$OTwists to it + (a:"The Preacher's Care"))(hide:?CC)(set:$CCC to true)]
(text-style:"underline")[Subtle Presence]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#33a3c8)[Twist of Fate Card]]]
You are like a shadow and can
barely be noticed, if you want.
Because you can blend in more,
you are able to mitigate some
Havoc generated in your mission.
Having the elegance of a nimble
assassin will surely help you.
(link:"Choose this Twist.")[(set:$ST to "Subtle")(goto:"Intro3")]
(text-style:"underline")[Swim Briefs]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#33a3c8)[Twist of Fate Card]]]
A pair of form-fitting briefs
that snugly fit around your crotch.
These uniquely enchanted briefs
will supposedly make targets
inclined to take a dip with you.
The briefs feel tight around your
crotch and reveals too much...
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$IPTwists to it + (a:"Swim Briefs"))(set:$Twists to it - (a:"Swim Briefs"))(set:$OTwists to it + (a:"Swim Briefs"))(hide:?CC)(set:$CCC to true)]
(text-style:"underline")[Fairy Heart]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#33a3c8)[Twist of Fate Card]]]
Despite it's name, it's a small,
exotic flower not native to here.
Wearing or offering this flower
might give you more Sway with
those who appreciate beauty.
This flower makes it's home in
Osiena, in western Kliega.
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$TPTwists to it + (a:"Fairy Heart"))(set:$Twists to it - (a:"Fairy Heart"))(set:$OTwists to it + (a:"Fairy Heart"))(hide:?CC)(set:$CCC to true)]
(text-style:"underline")[Medal of Distinction]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#33a3c8)[Twist of Fate Card]]]
An old military medal, awarded
for many years of loyal service.
Offering or using this medal
might sway some targets in your
favour, or put off others.
These medals seems to originate
from the Laquain Empire, you guess.
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$TPTwists to it + (a:"Medal of Distinction"))(set:$Twists to it - (a:"Medal of Distinction"))(set:$OTwists to it + (a:"Medal of Distinction"))(hide:?CC)(set:$CCC to true)]
(text-style:"underline")[Drinking Cup]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#33a3c8)[Twist of Fate Card]]]
An exotic, golden goblet that
sparkles in the light.
Though oft used for drinking,
taking a sip out of the cup seems
to incite others to join you.
The goblet looks like something
used more for religious rituals.
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$IPTwists to it + (a:"Drinking Cup"))(set:$Twists to it - (a:"Drinking Cup"))(set:$OTwists to it + (a:"Drinking Cup"))(hide:?CC)(set:$CCC to true)]
(text-style:"underline")[Monster-Made Ring]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#33a3c8)[Twist of Fate Card]]]
A stone-like ring with a
shimmering, swirling purple jewel.
Offering this ring to the
the right person might make
them see you in a better light.
This ornate ring looks too big
to fit on any normal finger.
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$TPTwists to it + (a:"Monster-Made Ring"))(set:$Twists to it - (a:"Monster-Made Ring"))(set:$OTwists to it + (a:"Monster-Made Ring"))(hide:?CC)(set:$CCC to true)]
(text-style:"underline")[Unique Perception]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#33a3c8)[Twist of Fate Card]]]
You gain a unique observation
skill, allowing you to see more.
You will be able to see how much
a target likes you, but only
once every 3 'turns', strangely.
Those with a keen perception
were originally considered mages.
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$IPTwists to it + (a:"Unique Perception"))(set:$Twists to it - (a:"Unique Perception"))(set:$OTwists to it + (a:"Unique Perception"))(hide:?CC)(set:$CCC to true)]
(text-style:"underline")[A Broken Gear]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#33a3c8)[Twist of Fate Card]]]
A gear that looks to be broken,
but vividly pulses with magic.
With this, you may be able to
extend your stay at the party
by 1 additional turn.
An additional turn may help
you in your mission.
(link:"Choose this Twist.")[(set:$ST to "A Broken Gear")(goto:"Intro3")]
(text-style:"underline")[Horsehair Brush]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#33a3c8)[Twist of Fate Card]]]
A brush used to comb a Horse's
mane. It's made of dark wood.
This uniquely enchanted tool
will supposedly make you more
desirable, in the nether regions.
You've heard tales on the wind
that some men prefer a larger tool.
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$TPTwists to it + (a:"Horsehair Brush"))(set:$Twists to it - (a:"Horsehair Brush"))(set:$OTwists to it + (a:"Horsehair Brush"))(hide:?CC)(set:$CCC to true)]
(text-style:"underline")[Debate]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#e36011)[Interaction Card]]]
Challenge the target on a
pivotal point, and delicately
navigate a heated debate.
The art of debating has long
since been a tradition of nobles,
whose tongues are sharp and
their wit even sharper.
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$CD to "Debate" + $NN)(goto:$CD)]
(text-style:"underline")[Apple of Their Eye]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#33a3c8)[Twist of Fate Card]]]
They can't seem to stop staring,
captivated by your figure.
With a smile and a gentle
touch, your chosen target is
swayed by you significantly.
Your efforts are successful, but
you will raise Havoc as a result.
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$IPTwists to it + (a:"Apple of Their Eye"))(set:$Twists to it - (a:"Apple of Their Eye"))(set:$OTwists to it + (a:"Apple of Their Eye"))(hide:?CC)(set:$CCC to true)]
(text-style:"underline")[Hustler's Helper]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#33a3c8)[Twist of Fate Card]]]
You aid a hustler at the party,
known to smuggle contraband.
Every so often, you are able to
make a favourable conversation
turn bad, thanks to his influence.
They say that one should never
judge a rugged book by it's cover.
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$PITwists to it + (a:"Hustler's Helper"))(set:$Twists to it - (a:"Hustler's Helper"))(set:$OTwists to it + (a:"Hustler's Helper"))(hide:?CC)(set:$CCC to true)]
(text-style:"underline")[Wolf Whistle]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#33a3c8)[Twist of Fate Card]]]
A whistle intended to keep
dogs in line, should one use it.
Using this whistle is bound to
hurt the ears of many. Havoc is
lowered by a small amount.
So many people gasping in pain
will throw attention off you.
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$TPTwists to it + (a:"Wolf Whistle"))(set:$Twists to it - (a:"Wolf Whistle"))(set:$OTwists to it + (a:"Wolf Whistle"))(hide:?CC)(set:$CCC to true)]
(text-style:"underline")[Luck of the Draw]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#33a3c8)[Twist of Fate Card]]]
You draw a particularly good
lot in life, and you feel lucky.
With your fancy luck, you
might be able to force a
sudden, random event.
Is it a twist of fate? Someone
looking down on you? Hmm...
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$TPTwists to it + (a:"Luck of the Draw"))(set:$Twists to it - (a:"Luck of the Draw"))(set:$OTwists to it + (a:"Luck of the Draw"))(hide:?CC)(set:$CCC to true)]
(text-style:"underline")[Love at First Sight]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#33a3c8)[Twist of Fate Card]]]
All it took was one look,
and they became hooked on you.
Significantly increases Sway
for a chosen target, but your
efforts also raise Havoc.
Is it the $skin? The $ec eyes?
The sizeable loins? Who knows?
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$IPTwists to it + (a:"Love at First Sight"))(set:$Twists to it - (a:"Love at First Sight"))(set:$OTwists to it + (a:"Love at First Sight"))(hide:?CC)(set:$CCC to true)]
(text-style:"underline")[Necklace of Adonis]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#33a3c8)[Twist of Fate Card]]]
A pretty necklace that glimmers
in the light when you twist it.
The magical properties of this
necklace negate any Havoc
you've caused in the last while.
This beautiful necklace was once
said to belong to a princess.
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$PITwists to it + (a:"Necklace of Adonis"))(set:$Twists to it - (a:"Necklace of Adonis"))(set:$OTwists to it + (a:"Necklace of Adonis"))(hide:?CC)(set:$CCC to true)]
(text-style:"underline")[The Eye of Death]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#33a3c8)[Twist of Fate Card]]]
The Unholy God Death
smiles down upon you.
Drastically reduce current Havoc,
making it easier for you to
cause a ruckus, with Death's help.
Death himself may frown at
your request and snuff you out.
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$TPTwists to it + (a:"The Eye of Death"))(set:$Twists to it - (a:"The Eye of Death"))(set:$OTwists to it + (a:"The Eye of Death"))(hide:?CC)(set:$CCC to true)]
(text-style:"underline")[The Preacher's Favour]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#33a3c8)[Twist of Fate Card]]]
Your mysterious yet helpful
associate changes the party's
opinion of you.
Current Havoc is reduced
by a reasonable amount.
He may be vague, but at
least he has your back.
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$TPTwists to it + (a:"The Preacher's Favour"))(set:$Twists to it - (a:"The Preacher's Favour"))(set:$OTwists to it + (a:"The Preacher's Favour"))(hide:?CC)(set:$CCC to true)]
(text-style:"underline")[Their Fleeting Interest]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#33a3c8)[Twist of Fate Card]]]
You've caught their eye,
and soon they won't be able
to look away.
Increases sway on a chosen
target by a small amount.
You never considered yourself
to be charismatic, and yet...
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$IPTwists to it + (a:"Their Fleeting Interest"))(set:$Twists to it - (a:"Their Fleeting Interest"))(set:$OTwists to it + (a:"Their Fleeting Interest"))(hide:?CC)(set:$CCC to true)]
(text-style:"underline")[Eye of Deceit]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#33a3c8)[Twist of Fate Card]]]
A peculiar glass eye that
moves entirely on it's own.
Such an artifact can twist
even unfavourable conversations
into kind ones.
An artifact as old as this
can only be used 3 times tonight.
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$PITwists to it + (a:"Eye of Deceit"))(set:$Twists to it - (a:"Eye of Deceit"))(set:$OTwists to it + (a:"Eye of Deceit"))(hide:?CC)(set:$CCC to true)]
(text-style:"underline")[Four Leaf Clover]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#33a3c8)[Twist of Fate Card]]]
The luckiest thing in the world,
outside of escaping death.
With this in your possession,
you feel about +5% luckier.
Seems quite handy.
Some consider a four leaf clover
a sign of good luck, you think.
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$TPTwists to it + (a:"Four Leaf Clover"))(set:$Twists to it - (a:"Four Leaf Clover"))(set:$OTwists to it + (a:"Four Leaf Clover"))(hide:?CC)(set:$CCC to true)]
(text-style:"underline")[A Closet Quickie]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#33a3c8)[Twist of Fate Card]]]
In the midsts of a bustling party,
you slip away to take a "breather".
Pleasing a simple man keeps you
out of trouble, for a time.
Havoc is lowered as a result.
What's more fun? Prying eyes
or loving, hungry hands?
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$TPTwists to it + (a:"A Closet Quickie"))(set:$Twists to it - (a:"A Closet Quickie"))(set:$OTwists to it + (a:"A Closet Quickie"))(hide:?CC)(set:$CCC to true)]
(text-style:"underline")[Dueling Gloves]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#33a3c8)[Twist of Fate Card]]]
A singular white glove, used
for duelling another noble.
Duelling at the party is a bad
idea, but this would give you
the option to do so.
It's well known that nobles tend
to be well verse in swordsmanship.
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$IPTwists to it + (a:"Dueling Gloves"))(set:$Twists to it - (a:"Dueling Gloves"))(set:$OTwists to it + (a:"Dueling Gloves"))(hide:?CC)(set:$CCC to true)]
(text-style:"underline")[Monster Tooth]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#33a3c8)[Twist of Fate Card]]]
A pointy, sharp monster fang,
from a great creature.
Handing this to the right person
might make a certain other person
upset, diminishing their sway.
It looks to be a tooth from
a large creature, maybe a bear.
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$IPTwists to it + (a:"Monster Tooth"))(set:$Twists to it - (a:"Monster Tooth"))(set:$OTwists to it + (a:"Monster Tooth"))(hide:?CC)(set:$CCC to true)]
(text-style:"underline")[Folder of Secrets].
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#33a3c8)[Twist of Fate Card]]]
A folder containing some pretty
lucrative noble secrets.
Handing this to the right person
might make a certain other person
upset, diminishing their sway.
You're pretty sure owning this
will likely get you killed.
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$IPTwists to it + (a:"Folder of Secrets"))(set:$Twists to it - (a:"Folder of Secrets"))(set:$OTwists to it + (a:"Folder of Secrets"))(hide:?CC)(set:$CCC to true)]
(text-style:"underline")[Letter from Master Dawland]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#33a3c8)[Twist of Fate Card]]]
A letter written by the
Head of House Dawland.
Handing this to the right person
might make a certain other person
upset, diminishing their sway.
If you remove the wax and read
the contents, people will know.
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$IPTwists to it + (a:"Letter from Master Dawland"))(set:$Twists to it - (a:"Letter from Master Dawland"))(set:$OTwists to it + (a:"Letter from Master Dawland"))(hide:?CC)(set:$CCC to true)]
(text-style:"underline")[A Hidden Blade]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#33a3c8)[Twist of Fate Card]]]
A blade hidden within a leather
bracer. Used for assassination.
Handing this to the right person
might make a certain other person
upset, diminishing their sway.
No weapons are allowed at the
party, so how did this get in?
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$IPTwists to it + (a:"A Hidden Blade"))(set:$Twists to it - (a:"A Hidden Blade"))(set:$OTwists to it + (a:"A Hidden Blade"))(hide:?CC)(set:$CCC to true)]
(text-style:"underline")[Compliment]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#e36011)[Interaction Card]]]
Compliment the chosen target,
be it on their fashion, their
body or otherwise.
They say that flattery is the
highest form of deception.
Though your intentions may be
impure, your adulation is not.
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$CD to "Compliment" + $NN)(goto:$CD)]<div class='img-container-turn'>
(css:"line-height: 2em;")[(css:"font-size: 60px")[Turn $Turn]]
</div>
(link:"Check your journal.")[(goto:"Journal")]
<div class='img-container-play'>
|TurnC>[[(if:$turn2ndf is true)[(if:(either:1,2) is 1)[In the banquet hall, nobles clamour and jeer as one unrestrained lesser noble, young and presumably the heir to his family's bloodline, dipped his furred head into a filled keg with floating apples therein. He remained under the surface of the yellow-ish brew for some time, before he suddenly threw his head back, sloshing alcohol across the floor. In his mouth he clutched an apple, and those who were watching clapped and laughed with delight.
A twine of amusement crossed your face, before you looked back out over the crowd.](else:)[Piercing up-tempo violin and cello music rumbled through the banquet hall and nobles danced and swayed to the beat, accentuated by the slapping of hands against knees and the accompaniment of a percussion instrument. Their dances were vague, and some even made you cringe, but it looked like they were having a lot of fun-- you felt a little wistful, if only because you wished you could enjoy the setting in similar fashion. Maybe soon-- after the mission is done, that is.
You watched them for a little while longer before looking back out over the crowd of those not dancing, clocking your 4 noted individuals.]](else:)[The party was now effectively nearing the mid-way point of the night, but the patrons of House Dawland's banquet were still full with energy. Despite that, it was clear that there were less people than before-- primarily because a number of people had worn themselves out early and had either left for a restful sleep or were passed out in the private rooms beyond the hall. You, however, had no intention of getting drunk and relaxing-- you were here on a mission, after all.
You surveyed over the crowd, your gaze searching and marking the 4 notable people you'd spotted before. You can't explain why you were drawn to them, but you thought it good to follow your gut.(set:$turn2ndf to true)]]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>{(if:$Havoc is >=0 and <50)[People at the party didn't even know you.]
(elseif:$Havoc is >=50 and <100)[People at the party were on edge, for one reason or another.]
(elseif:$Havoc is >=100 and <150)[People recognised you when you walked around, but you didn't know how they felt about you.]
(elseif:$Havoc is >=150 and <200)[People whispered when they saw you, and you felt eyes in the back of your head.]
(elseif:$Havoc is >=200 and <250)[People were starting to openly glare at you. You've made too much of a ruckus.]
(elseif:$Havoc is >=250 and <300)[Rumours of you on the wind are plentiful and insulting. You could be kicked out at any moment.]
(elseif:$Havoc is >=300)[(goto:"HavocEnd")]}</div>
</div>
{(if:$RER is true)[<!--Do Nothing--!>](elseif:$RER is false)[|REC>[(if:$Turn is 8 or 10 or 12)[<div class='img-container-event'>{(set:$ET to (random:1,6))(set:$REC to $REvents's (random:1,$REvents's length))
|RE>[(if:$ET is 1)[Fate branched into a new path...](elseif:$ET is 2)[Fate diverged, forming new pathways...](elseif:$ET is 3)[Chaos twisted current events into something new...](elseif:$ET is 4)[The Wheel of Fortune turned, beckoning...](elseif:$ET is 5)[Fate had intervened, creating new pathways...](elseif:$ET is 6)[Events unfolded, as secretly foretold...]]
(click:?RE)[(goto:$REC)]
}</div>](else:)[(hide:?REC)]]]}
|TPTC>[(if:$TPTwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|TPT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$TPTwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?TPTC)]]
(if:$RaltGone is true)[<div class='img-container-card'>(display:$Target1)</div><div class='img-container-card'>(display:$Target2)</div><div class='img-container-card'>(display:$Target4)</div>](elseif:$RaltGone is false)[<div class='img-container-card'>(display:$Target1)</div><div class='img-container-card'>(display:$Target2)</div><div class='img-container-card'>(display:$Target3)</div><div class='img-container-card'>(display:$Target4)</div>]
{(if:$SeedofFate is true)[With your mission completed, you could choose to (link:"leave the party early.")[(set:$LeftE to 1)(goto:"NatEnd")]](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]}<div class='img-container-turn'>
(css:"line-height: 2em;")[(css:"font-size: 60px")[Turn $Turn]]
</div>
(link:"Check your journal.")[(goto:"Journal")]
<div class='img-container-play'>
|TurnC>[(if:$turn3rdf is true)[(if:(either:1,2) is 1)[In the quiet's the party's 'wind-down phase', you watched as two nobles, a man and a woman respectively, giggling near the door on the far side of the room that lead into the corridor and private chambers beyond. They drunkely touched each other, primarily on the hips and up towards the cheek, before they slipped around the corner of the door and disappeared out of sight. You had no intention of following them-- if only because it was fairly obvious that they were going to do. You imagined it's the same for some other nobles at House Dawland's party.
You cast your gaze back out over the lesser crowd of nobles.](else:)[As the party began to wind down, your attention was brought to the laughter of nobles outside and the frantic splashing of water. You lingered by the edge of the banquet hall and stared out through the windows at a series of nobles lounging around inside the spacious pool outside, clothes tossed to the side. They appear to be doing nothing but childishly splashing water on each other and enjoying the freedom of not having to be nobles. One might almost pity them, if their privileged life wasn't so so easy compared to any lesser man.
You turned from the window and look back out over the banquet hall, clocking the appearance of your 4 notable figures.]](else:)[The party was drawing to a close, and it showed-- the nobles who still had energy left in them were now mostly sitting around, being served alcohol or occasionally water as they idly talked, but didn't really display any eccentric or energetic behaviour. Severeal party-goers had already left to go home, leaving the banquet hall feeling a little quiet and sparse in terms of patrons. Some sat outside in the pool whilst others walked around the gardens outside-- overall, people were winding down, and the party would soon be over.
If your mission wasn't done by now, then that was a cause for concern.(set:$turn3rdf to true)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>{(if:$Havoc is >=0 and <50)[People at the party didn't even know you.]
(elseif:$Havoc is >=50 and <100)[People at the party were on edge, for one reason or another.]
(elseif:$Havoc is >=100 and <150)[People recognised you when you walked around, but you didn't know how they felt about you.]
(elseif:$Havoc is >=150 and <200)[People whispered when they saw you, and you felt eyes in the back of your head.]
(elseif:$Havoc is >=200 and <250)[People were starting to openly glare at you. You've made too much of a ruckus.]
(elseif:$Havoc is >=250 and <300)[Rumours of you on the wind are plentiful and insulting. You could be kicked out at any moment.]
(elseif:$Havoc is >=300)[(goto:"HavocEnd")]}</div>
</div>
{(if:$RER is true)[<!--Do Nothing--!>](elseif:$RER is false)[|REC>[(if:$Turn is 14 or 16 or 18)[<div class='img-container-event'>{(set:$ET to (random:1,6))(set:$REC to $REvents's (random:1,$REvents's length))
|RE>[(if:$ET is 1)[Fate branched into a new path...](elseif:$ET is 2)[Fate diverged, forming new pathways...](elseif:$ET is 3)[Chaos twisted current events into something new...](elseif:$ET is 4)[The Wheel of Fortune turned, beckoning...](elseif:$ET is 5)[Fate had intervened, creating new pathways...](elseif:$ET is 6)[Events unfolded, as secretly foretold...]]
(click:?RE)[(goto:$REC)]
}</div>](else:)[(hide:?REC)]]]}
|TPTC>[(if:$TPTwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|TPT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$TPTwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?TPTC)]]
(if:$RaltGone is true)[<div class='img-container-card'>(display:$Target1)</div><div class='img-container-card'>(display:$Target2)</div><div class='img-container-card'>(display:$Target4)</div>](elseif:$RaltGone is false)[<div class='img-container-card'>(display:$Target1)</div><div class='img-container-card'>(display:$Target2)</div><div class='img-container-card'>(display:$Target3)</div><div class='img-container-card'>(display:$Target4)</div>]
{(if:$SeedofFate is true)[With your mission completed, you could choose to (link:"leave the party early.")[(set:$LeftE to 1)(goto:"NatEnd")]](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]}
(text-style:"underline")[Tempt]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#e36011)[Interaction Card]]]
You try to tempt your target to
look in your direction with a
little show of your body.
If your form somehow does not
attract your target, then perhaps
they need a little coercing
in some other manner...
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$CD to "Tempt" + $NN)(goto:$CD)]
(text-style:"underline")[Gossip About the Hosts]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#e36011)[Interaction Card]]]
Openly discuss wild rumours
about the hosts of the party,
House Dawland themselves.
House Dawland is home to many
an evil rumor. Whether they
are true or not, the party's
patrons might have an opinion.
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$CD to "Gos" + $NN)(goto:$CD)]
(text-style:"underline")[Chat About Current Events]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#e36011)[Interaction Card]]]
Discuss recent events with the
party-goers, both getting their
opinion and informing yourself.
You are vividly aware of the
Laquain Empire's tussling with
the Jria Company, but how does
it affect your target?
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$CD to "CEvents" + $NN)(goto:$CD)]
(text-style:"underline")[Play a Party Game]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#e36011)[Interaction Card]]]
Set up and play a little game
with a chosen target, either
winning or losing against them.
The purpose of a party such
as this is to have fun, and
there's nothing more enjoyable
than a little competition.
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$CD to "PGame" + $NN)(goto:$CD)]
(text-style:"underline")[Bring a Drink]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#e36011)[Interaction Card]]]
Acquire a beverage for your
target and offer it with all
the sincerity you can muster.
Finding the target's favourite
drink and offering it to them
might, in turn, make them
see you more favourably.
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$CD to "Drink" + $NN)(goto:$CD)]
(text-style:"underline")[Place a Bet]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#e36011)[Interaction Card]]]
On your money or your life,
make a bet with your chosen
target and raise the stakes.
Some enjoy the thrill of
of high stakes, especially
nobles. But be careful, for
you may not have the best odds.
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$CD to "Bet" + $NN)(goto:$CD)]
(text-style:"underline")[Insult]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#e36011)[Interaction Card]]]
Like poisonous venom, spit vile,
crude words from between your
$nose and dish out an insult.
An insult is, in itself, a gamble
on one's life. The nature of the
response could either spell
your salvation or your demise.
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$CD to "Insult" + $NN)(goto:$CD)](align:"<==")[(if:$MetDu is false)[From across the room you spotted and stared at a Hyena who, by all accounts, didn't really seem like the type for parties. Unlike the other party-goers, he looks aloof and distant, keeping to the sides whilst holding, but never drinking from, a wine glass that seemed to have been handed to him long ago. He holds it gingerly as if he's tempted to drink, occasionally raising to his striped and spotted muzzle before lowering it again, holding it loosely near his chest with one hand stuffed in a pocket.
He was dressed in a slim, prim and proper suit-- very much the epitomé of formal attire, if one were attending a significantly more formal event. A crisp white doublet with ornate golden satin wings sat over an average frame and a billowy shirt, with matching white trousers that made him almost glow against the otherwise less-than-dazzling outfits other nobles wore. His naturally coloured fur and typically rugged species was smooth and kept combed and professional, his brownish black hues a sharp contrast to his cool, piercing blue eyes that took everything in with a certain degree of scrutiny.
You started to approach him, though not because you had anything to say in particular-- rather, he just stood too out of place for you not to notice him. You're pretty sure he noticed you coming, because he deliberately avoided looking at you even as you made your way through the crowd towards him. When you eventually were close enough to talk, he finally looked in your direction. (if:$height is <6)[You were subtly aware of the difference in height between you, and had to look up to address him.](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]
"Do we know each other?" He coldly asked, though he wasn't completely standoffish. You shook your head and he purses his muzzle, scanning you up and down before reaching up and smoothing back the slick, short tufts of his black fur.
"Then I shall introduce myself," He didn't bow, but instead raised his glass in acknowledgement. "I am Duldes Dawland, Firstborn and Heir to House Dawland. I would say it's a pleasure, but..."
He looked you up and down, but his expression wasn't of disdain-- rather, just indifference. He stared expectantly, as if waiting for you to talk.(set:$MetDu to true)](elseif:$MetDu is true)[(if:(either:1,2) is 1)[You looked out over the patrons of the party and spotted Duldes Dawland from amongst them. He stood talking to what looked to be a servant, presumably one of the House. Their conversation seemed fairly amicable, but you could imagine that the servant in question was probably a little intimidated-- after all, Duldes didn't really seem warm or inviting at the best of times.
When the servant retreated, you made your way over, seizing the opportunity. He saw you approach and looked you up and down, for barely longer than a second, before his eyes met your own. You crossed the distance between the two of you until you were in front of him.
(if:$DSed is 1)["Thep," Duldes's expression warmed at the sight of you, but he smoothed his features out rather quickly. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"Just saying hello," You explained with a wry smile. "Did you miss me?"
Your little teasing elicited a slightly wider smile from the man but he didn't answer, and instead looked out over the crowd.](else:)["It's you again," He remarked. "What is it this time?"
"Just...saying hello." You explained, and he sighed visibly through his nose, bowing his head if only a little in acknowledgement, before looking away from you and out to the other nobles.]
If you had something to say suggest, now was the time.](else:)[You raised your head above the party's guests and spotted the startling white doublet of Duldes Dawland from amongst the crowd. He was mingling with other guests, but bore an air of tension one might expect from the man intended to be the heir to the very House he was standing in-- it was like he was trying to keep up appearance whilst also doing his best to have a good time.
You felt a tiny twinge of pity, before making your way over. He spotted you coming and sighed, gesturing to the guests in front of him before turning to face you.
(if:$DSed is 1)["Hello, Thep." Duldes greeted you with a small smirk, gesturing to nearby party patrons before turning his focu to you.
"Enjoying the party?" You asked him, and he rolled his shoulders, sighing through his nose.
"I'm not sure," He admitted. "But it doesn't matter. Was there something you wanted?"](else:)["To what do I owe the pleasure?" He asked.
"Enjoying the party?" You try your best to make small talk as he blinks, slowly, as if registering your small talk as nothing more than that: small.
"It is a party," He remarked. "Again, to what do I owe the pleasure?"]]]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>{(if:$DulSway is >=0 and <50)[Duldes was visibly indifferent of you. You were effectively strangers.]
(elseif:$DulSway is >=50 and <100)[Duldes could recognise you in a crowd, but it would be a stretch to say you're acquaintances. ]
(elseif:$DulSway is >=100 and <150)[Duldes seemed a little more favourable towards you then usual.]
(elseif:$DulSway is >=150 and <200)[Duldes regarded you as an associate, more than a stranger.]
(elseif:$DulSway is >=200 and <300)[Duldes could, at best, call you a friend.]
(elseif:$DulSway is >=300)[Duldes seemed to enjoy your company.] You could (link:"try to seduce him,")[(goto:"DulSeduce")] if you want.
}</div>
|IPTC>[(if:$IPTwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|IPT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$IPTwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?IPTC)]]
|MCon>[<div class='img-container-card'>(set:$ICardC to $ICards's (random:1,$ICards's length))(display:$ICardC)(set:$ICards to it - (a:$ICardC))</div><div class='img-container-card'>(set:$ICardC to $ICards's (random:1,$ICards's length))(display:$ICardC)(set:$ICards to it - (a:$ICardC))</div><div class='img-container-card'>(set:$ICardC to $ICards's (random:1,$ICards's length))(display:$ICardC)(set:$ICards to it - (a:$ICardC))</div>
(if:$ST is "Mulligan")[(if:$MCount is 0)[<!--Do Nothing--!>](else:)[|Mulligan>[Alternatively, you can request fate intervene...they will do so $MCount more times.]]]](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>](click:?Mulligan)[(replace:?MCon)[(set:$MCount to it - 1)<div class='img-container-card'>(set:$ICardC to $ICards's (random:1,$ICards's length))(display:$ICardC)(set:$ICards to it - (a:$ICardC))</div><div class='img-container-card'>(set:$ICardC to $ICards's (random:1,$ICards's length))(display:$ICardC)(set:$ICards to it - (a:$ICardC))</div><div class='img-container-card'>(set:$ICardC to $ICards's (random:1,$ICards's length))(display:$ICardC)(set:$ICards to it - (a:$ICardC))</div>
]](align:"<==")[(if:$MetSa is false)[Raising your head above the crowd, your attention is drawn to an avian who stood close to a noble, but didn't engage in conversation. Your little debriefing that you received through The Preacher gave you very little information about who was at the party, but it was clear just from looking at a distance that the avian, who looked to be a Common Ringed Plover, was not a noble-- his stance was rigid and pronounced like a soldier but his expression was a little uneasy, perhaps even meek. Curiosity got the better of you and you made your way over, weaving through various nobles and politely excusing yourself as you squeezed past.
As you approached, the Avian had his back to you and was clad in lax yet formal attire, a loose open neck shirt sitting over an otherwise lean frame. Over that was a simple jerkin, neither fancy nor ornate, with a plaid trim and a rich mahogany texture and colour common in lesser nobles and the higher dignitary of peasants, namely merchants. His pants, breeches that only covered to the knee and were fastened around the top of his thin, scaled legs, were patterned in a combination of brown and red that matched his top. You tapped his shoulder and he jumped, briefly startled, and turned to face you.
His feathers, however, were a surprising contrast: they were beige around his edges but white closer towards the softer parts of his body. A thick black band of feathers sat across his chest and along his neck, as well as over the entirety of his face bar a single strip of white between his eyes, just above his beak. Despite his uneasy expression, he looked surprisingly calm as he looked you up and down, and he cleared his throat, parting his beak to speak.
(if:$species is "avian")["Ah, a fellow avian! I don't believe we know each other, however,"](else:)["Ah, hello there. I don't believe we know each other,"] He seemed pleased before offering a quick and respectable bow. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Your Lordship. I am Sat Ipfeld, adjutant to Lord Ailyn Carein."
"A pleasure to make you acquaintance, but..." You began, lowering your hand to gesture him to rise. "You needn't be so formal, Mr. Ipfeld. I am not a noble."
"Oh!" He seemed surprised and quickly righted himself, looking embarrassed. "Shit, well, a pleasure all the same. And you are...?"
"Thep," You introduce yourself, surprised that he swore. "Just Thep."
"Well, Thep..." He breathed a sigh and glanced around him. "Quite the party, hm? A bit of a shitshow, but...anyway, you got my attention just now-- was there something you needed?"(set:$MetSa to true)](elseif:$MetSa is true)[(if:(either:1,2) is 1)[You lifted your head above the other nobles and in the crowd of talking, laughing people you saw Sat Ipfeld, lingering around near another noble who seemed lost in conversation. Though you've not yet met the Lord that the avian spoke of, you could only assume he was nearby in some fashion.
You slowly made your way over, and Sat saw you coming. He raised his hand, just a little, and offered something of a subtle yet visible wave as your approached.
"Hey, Thep, isn't it?" He smiled, remembering your name. "We sort of keep bumping into each other, don't we?"
(if:$SSed is 1)["We do," You growled, tempted to pull him in. "Did you miss me?"
"I...shut up." Sat giggled, gesturing loosely at you with a hand, but the way his eyes met yours seemed to say that he did, just a little.
"So what do you want?" He asked.](else:)["We do," You remarked, amused by his informal tone. "Though, is that a bad thing?"
"No, no. I don't mind; you seem pretty cool. Is there something you needed? I saw you...peering out from everyone else as if you were looking for me."]](else:)[You looked through and past the nobles and spotted Sat Ipfeld, standing a little out of place amongst those who were talking to each other. It seemed that he had no-one to talk to-- but an adjutant of a noble wouldn't exactly have noble friends, would he? You feel bad for how lonely he looks, and make your way over.
By the time you reach him, he wasn't even looking in your direction. A quick tap on his shoulder caught his attention and he turned, his eyes briefly wide, before he relaxed at the sight of you.
"Sorry," You apologised. "Did I surprise you?"
"Shit, A little! But it's alright," He assured you, swearing briefly. (if:$SSed is 1)["But...it's good to see you. What's up?"](else:)["I'll admit, I was lost in thought...Is there something you needed?"]]]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>{(if:$SatSway is >=0 and <50)[Sat thought of you neither fondly nor badly.]
(elseif:$SatSway is >=50 and <100)[Sat might say hello if he saw you in passing, but wouldn't stop to chat.]
(elseif:$SatSway is >=100 and <150)[Sat considered you someone to talk to-- perhaps even a friend.]
(elseif:$SatSway is >=150 and <200)[Sat had a certain fondness for you, to some degree.]
(elseif:$SatSway is >=200 and <300)[Sat would definitely regard you as a trusted individual.]
(elseif:$SatSway is >=300)[Sat enjoys your company quite immensely-- in another life, you would have been best friends.] You could (link:"try to seduce him,")[(goto:"SatSeduce")] if you want.
}</div>
|IPTC>[(if:$IPTwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|IPT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$IPTwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?IPTC)]]
|MCon>[<div class='img-container-card'>(set:$ICardC to $ICards's (random:1,$ICards's length))(display:$ICardC)(set:$ICards to it - (a:$ICardC))</div><div class='img-container-card'>(set:$ICardC to $ICards's (random:1,$ICards's length))(display:$ICardC)(set:$ICards to it - (a:$ICardC))</div><div class='img-container-card'>(set:$ICardC to $ICards's (random:1,$ICards's length))(display:$ICardC)(set:$ICards to it - (a:$ICardC))</div>
(if:$ST is "Mulligan")[(if:$MCount is 0)[<!--Do Nothing--!>](else:)[|Mulligan>[Alternatively, you can request fate intervene...they will do so $MCount more times.]]]](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>](click:?Mulligan)[(replace:?MCon)[(set:$MCount to it - 1)<div class='img-container-card'>(set:$ICardC to $ICards's (random:1,$ICards's length))(display:$ICardC)(set:$ICards to it - (a:$ICardC))</div><div class='img-container-card'>(set:$ICardC to $ICards's (random:1,$ICards's length))(display:$ICardC)(set:$ICards to it - (a:$ICardC))</div><div class='img-container-card'>(set:$ICardC to $ICards's (random:1,$ICards's length))(display:$ICardC)(set:$ICards to it - (a:$ICardC))</div>
]](align:"<==")[(if:$MetRa is false)[You didn't have to look very hard to see who stood out: well over 1-2 feet above the other nobles, who were all mostly average in height, stood what was effectively a monster in noble clothing. So stunned were you by his appearance that you felt compelled to make your way over.
Upon closer inspection, you recognised the monster's species: he was a Raltandair, one of the recent additions to the Laquain Empire. They were a bear-like species who were more lean than large, with tall frames and powerful claws-- though this one's sizeable claws were clipped and kept short. He was covered in a thick coat of black and brown fur that was partly striped but otherwise difficult to pattern. A shaggy mane travelled down his back and around his neck, ending in thick braids and framing a bear-like face with a short snout and piercing cyan eyes that stared deep into one's soul. He stood clad in a single black doublet that looked tailored to his form yet still seemed stretched over his top-heavy body, and his comparably shorter legs were just barely covered with simple, loose trunkhose that clasped around his ankles, above his flat, bare plantigrade feet.
Despite his tall form, he hunched over ever so slightly, his head kept down. The nobles near him were making comments and whispering to themselves and you soon realised that they're mocking him for one reason or another. You've heard tales of the Raltandair in the Laquain Empire, and what they're primarily utilised for-- you thought they were just rumours, but seeing the proud creature before you buckle before nobles lesser in strength only confirms them.
The nobles began to disperse, leaving the creature alone. You took the opportunity to approach, and you noticed the bear monster spot you out the corner of his eye. He didn't recognise you, and so he didn't keep his head bowed-- instead, he raised it proudly and looked you dead in the eye.
"I haven't seen you before," He remarked, eyes steely and wary. "Are you another of House Dawland's underlings?"
"No," You assured him, giving him a quick bow. "I am just Thep."
"Thep. A peculiar name for a peculiar man," He spoke bluntly, yet honestly. "Since it is customary to share names, I shall share mine. Raltarndarv Raltandavi, leader of my people. Ralt is fine, also."
"A pleasure." You bowed to him and he snorts, looking you up and down.
"I suppose," He murmured. "What do you need?"(set:$MetRa to true)](elseif:$MetRa is true)[(if:(either:1,2) is 1)[From above the head of the party's patrons you spotted Raltarndarv-- even just thinking his name was hard, given it's complicated nature. You hesitated amongst the crowd, debating whether you should head over, before you swallowed your nerves and stepped forwards.
You watched for a moment, from a small distance away, as Raltarndarv spoke to another noble-- though it seemed more like a one-way conversation. The noble was talking to Raltarndarv at length, almost like he was lecturing him, and the monster man attempted to speak on a number of occasions but seemed to realise it was inevitable. All of a sudden, the noble turns to another, makes a gesture to Raltarndarv, and then leaves to talk to the other man. The taller man sighs, and you approached shortly thereafter.
"Are you okay?" You asked, and the bear grunted, looking down at you. You could visibly see his nostrils flare, subconsciously smelling you from a distance-- though his senses were likely overwhelmed with cooked meat and alcohol.
(if:$RSed is 1)["...I'm fine," He sighed and turned to you, offering a wry smile. "It's good to see you. Do you need something"?](else:)["Fine," He replied, though he didn't sound it. "Do you need something?"]](else:)[You spotted Raltarndarv from above the other nobles and you resisted the urge to wave from amongst the crowd. Instead, you made your way over. From a distance, you saw Raltarndarv hovering around, talking to no-one. He looks drastically out of place compared to everyone else, but his doublet makes him look...proper. Almost a little amusing, but mostly just suited to the environment. You couldn't even see many animalistic traits on him-- almost like he was trying to be more 'human'.
"Hello, Sir Raltandavi," You greeted him, and he's momentarily surprised at your appearance. "Enjoying the party?"
"It is what you'd expect from Gromarch nobility," He remarked. "I have been to a few. They are all very similar."
(if:$RSed is 1)["I see..." You hummed, and Ralt lowered his head down towards you, breathing in your scent.
"I have missed you," He murmured. "But I know you are a man with purpose. Did you need something?"](else:)["Right..." You nodded along sagely, though you couldn't say you could relate.
"Is there something you needed?" He asked, looking you up and down.]]]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>{(if:$RalSway is >=0 and <50)[Ralt viewed you like one of the other nobles.]
(elseif:$RalSway is >=50 and <100)[Ralt considered you something of an acquaintance, but was still wary of you.]
(elseif:$RalSway is >=100 and <150)[Ralt looked at you a little more as a friend.]
(elseif:$RalSway is >=150 and <200)[Ralt considered you a close friend, perhaps even trusted.]
(elseif:$RalSway is >=200 and <300)[Ralt was comfortable around you, or at least appeared to be.]
(elseif:$RalSway is >=300)[Ralt looked at you favourably, like a childhood friend. He was very fond of you.] You could (link:"try to seduce him,")[(goto:"RalSeduce")] if you want.
}</div>
|IPTC>[(if:$IPTwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|IPT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$IPTwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?IPTC)]]
|MCon>[<div class='img-container-card'>(set:$ICardC to $ICards's (random:1,$ICards's length))(display:$ICardC)(set:$ICards to it - (a:$ICardC))</div><div class='img-container-card'>(set:$ICardC to $ICards's (random:1,$ICards's length))(display:$ICardC)(set:$ICards to it - (a:$ICardC))</div><div class='img-container-card'>(set:$ICardC to $ICards's (random:1,$ICards's length))(display:$ICardC)(set:$ICards to it - (a:$ICardC))</div>
(if:$ST is "Mulligan")[(if:$MCount is 0)[<!--Do Nothing--!>](else:)[|Mulligan>[Alternatively, you can request fate intervene...they will do so $MCount more times.]]]](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>](click:?Mulligan)[(replace:?MCon)[(set:$MCount to it - 1)<div class='img-container-card'>(set:$ICardC to $ICards's (random:1,$ICards's length))(display:$ICardC)(set:$ICards to it - (a:$ICardC))</div><div class='img-container-card'>(set:$ICardC to $ICards's (random:1,$ICards's length))(display:$ICardC)(set:$ICards to it - (a:$ICardC))</div><div class='img-container-card'>(set:$ICardC to $ICards's (random:1,$ICards's length))(display:$ICardC)(set:$ICards to it - (a:$ICardC))</div>
]](align:"<==")[(if:$MetBe is false)[From within the crowd of people, a roaring laughter caught your attention, and you turn to look over at a man who, by all accounts, is unashamedly sucking up to a well-dressed noble.
The bowing, complimenting man was a reptile, short-ish in stature and leanly built, bordering thin and lithe. His scales were a mixture of dark green and black, with those shiny blackish scales mostly framing an otherwise green face. His eyes, a sharp blue, were calculating, yet his face was bright and wide with a smile as he stood, hunched over, humbling himself before nobles greater in status. He bore an ornate jerkin that revealed his wealth with clasped wrists, and a set or average formal trousers, the entire combination of clothes a dull greyish purple that looked more akin to lavender. Regal purple shades were reserved for kings, so his clothes were almost a statement, or a sort.
As you drew closer, you could hear his babbling talk as he praised the other nobles over and over, congratulating them on small achievements and otherwise expressing his gratitude for an invitation to House Dawland's dinner party. You watched from a distance as the nobles talked amongst themselves about him, before the ones he was complimenting dispersed, either to get drinks, food or to mingle with other people. Once they were gone, the reptile raised himself up and stood firm, with a stance fitting for a man of his status. Despite his recent suck-up attitude, everything about him exuded wealth and authority.
You hesitated, before you approached. The reptile noticed you pretty quickly, and he frowned, before looking up and down your appearance. His facial features were smooth-scaled yet spiky in areas: his eyebrows bore little spikes and an array of small spines ran along his head, serving as 'hair'.
(if:$species is "reptile")["Another reptile...though you're not of my House. Can I help you?"](else:)["Can I help you?"] His voice dripped with a mixture of disdain and confusion and you immediately felt put off, but swallowed your annoyance.
"I just saw you from across the room and, well, I don't believe we've met," You offered a simple and clean bow. "I'm Thep."
(if:$species is "reptile")["So, you aren't revealing your title? Strange, but I see,"](else:)["I see,"] He seemed perturbed that you didn't give him a full title, but introduced himself. "Lord Berlis Dawson, Head of House Dawson."
He neither bowed nor extended a hand, and visibly kept his distance, to a degree. You know a little of House Dawson-- unlike House Dawland, they aren't nearly as influential. At best, they can be considered middle of the road for noble houses, which in itself wasn't bad-- that kind of wealth was still in the top 10% of the kingdom.
"Did you want something?" He questioned, assuming your sudden introduction to mean something in particular.(set:$MetBe to true)](elseif:$MetBe is true)[(if:(either:1,2) is 1)[Through the various nobles around you, you spotted Berlis Dawson lingering amongst some other nobles, lost in conversation. Unlike before, where you had seen him bend over backwards to please nobles above his status, he seemed more at home with the ones he was currently talking to-- perhaps they were close to his own status or similar, but he looked a lot more relaxed and unrestrained than before. Perhaps even content, if a noble could be.
You kept your distance for a while, watching and waiting until those he was talking to eventually separated for one reason or another, giving Dawson enough downtime for you to slip your way into a conversation with him. You approached from the side and he saw you coming, downing the rest of the wine-- of which there was little-- before turning to face you.
(if:$BSed is 1)["It's you...Thep, I believe," He remarked. "What is it?"
"Just saying hello," You assured him. "...And admiring the view."
"Stop." Berlis scoffed, but you could see he was enjoying the little flirtation. However, you couldn't keep a conversation up with just that-- if you had something to do, you should do it now.](else:)["It's you, the not-noble," He remarked. "What is it this time?"
"Just saying hello," You explained. "Are you...enjoying the party?"
"Could we skip the small talk? You wouldn't approach unless you wanted something." His tone sounded cold, but you could see that his eyes were a little warmer than previously. Maybe you were lucky enough to catch him in a good mood.]](else:)[As you mingled with other guests, you kept your eyes peeled for and eventually found Berlis Dawson, lingering off to the side with a glass in his hand. He looked a little lonely, but his expression was firm and confident and he casually sipped his drink, surveying the crowd much like you have in the past. His eyes eventually meet yours and the two of you stare at one-another, before he lowers his glass, holding it around his stomach area. You took a deep breath and approached.
(if:$BSed is 1)["I thought I saw you looking." Berlis teased and you grinned at him, before teetering on the spot, trying to make yourself look appealing.
"I simply noticed that you were on your own," You insisted. "You looked a little lonely."
"Well...I certainly appreciate the company." Berlis kept his hands to himself, but you could see his hungry gaze. You couldn't help but smirk, though realised that you should probably do what you were thinking of doing, rather than just stand there and flirt with him-- that could only last so long without getting tedious, naturally.](else:)["Is there a reason you're looking at me from so far away?" He asked the minute you were within earshot. It sounded almost like he was teasing you.
"I simply noticed you weren't mingling, or having a conversation," You pointed out. "You know quite a few nobles here, don't you?"
"They are all busy, in one way or another. A little peace is something to savour." He explained, bringing his glass to his lips and grimacing at the taste.
"Not to your liking?" You questioned, and he shrugged his shoulders from within his jerkin.
"It is suitable. Did you need something, since you approached?" He asked, dismissing your question as confidently as a man quick with his words.]]]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>{(if:$BerSway is >=0 and <50)[Berlis looked at you with a sense of disdain.]
(elseif:$BerSway is >=50 and <100)[Berlis visibly tolerated you, nothing more.]
(elseif:$BerSway is >=100 and <150)[Berlis at least had the dignity to offer you a nice conversation.]
(elseif:$BerSway is >=150 and <200)[Berlis considered you a fine acquaintance, but would be pushed to call you a friend.]
(elseif:$BerSway is >=200 and <300)[Berlis was more comfortable around you than other nobles.]
(elseif:$BerSway is >=300)[Berlis would call on you, if you were available to talk to.] You could (link:"try to seduce him,")[(goto:"BerSeduce")] if you want.
}</div>
|IPTC>[(if:$IPTwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|IPT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$IPTwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?IPTC)]]
|MCon>[<div class='img-container-card'>(set:$ICardC to $ICards's (random:1,$ICards's length))(display:$ICardC)(set:$ICards to it - (a:$ICardC))</div><div class='img-container-card'>(set:$ICardC to $ICards's (random:1,$ICards's length))(display:$ICardC)(set:$ICards to it - (a:$ICardC))</div><div class='img-container-card'>(set:$ICardC to $ICards's (random:1,$ICards's length))(display:$ICardC)(set:$ICards to it - (a:$ICardC))</div>
(if:$ST is "Mulligan")[(if:$MCount is 0)[<!--Do Nothing--!>](else:)[|Mulligan>[Alternatively, you can request fate intervene...they will do so $MCount more times.]]]](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>](click:?Mulligan)[(replace:?MCon)[(set:$MCount to it - 1)<div class='img-container-card'>(set:$ICardC to $ICards's (random:1,$ICards's length))(display:$ICardC)(set:$ICards to it - (a:$ICardC))</div><div class='img-container-card'>(set:$ICardC to $ICards's (random:1,$ICards's length))(display:$ICardC)(set:$ICards to it - (a:$ICardC))</div><div class='img-container-card'>(set:$ICardC to $ICards's (random:1,$ICards's length))(display:$ICardC)(set:$ICards to it - (a:$ICardC))</div>
]](align:"<==")[With a respectful bow, you suggested to Duldes the idea of a debate. At your offer, you could see Duldes's eyes twinkle with a mixture of delight and amusement, but his expression barely reacted to the thought. Setting his glass down, the hyena shifted on the spot and then smiled, ever so slightly.(set:$EC to (either:"Sat Ipfeld","Berlis Dawson"))
"Very well, debate we shall," He began. "What is your opinion on the current rising prices of fish due to supply and demand in Gromarch?"
You could tell he was testing you-- anyone could take one look at you and know you're not a native of Gromarch-- but you were at least moderately prepared for him to ask tricky questions.
"Well..." You cleared your throat. "I believe that the rising of the prices is deliberately fabricated to supply a larger margin to business owners."
"That's quite the accusation," Duldes's eyes widened with surprise at your bold move. "Do you have any sources to back up your theory?"
(if:$EC is "Berlis Dawson")["He's probably bluffing," (if:$MetBe is false)[A reptile to your right suddenly came to join the debate](elseif:$MetBe is true)[Berlis Dawson suddenly appeared to your right], interjecting before you could respond. "You know as well as I, Lord Dawland, that the prices are based purely on supply and demand-- we have more people in Gromarch than ever, so of course fish is going to be more expensive."
"But more docks are being built than ever, also," You pointed out. "You're making more boats to fish to offset the demand, but keeping the prices the same. You might not see the impact of how that'll affect the common man from your perspective."
"Are you insinuating that we don't have our fingers on the pulse of our own customers?" The reptile remarked, nostrils flaring, but Duldes looked unimpressed by the reptile rising to your bait, subtle as it was.
"Of course not," You assured him. "But look at it from the perspective of the common man: if they have the option of buying poultry or fish and fish costs them more to purchase, it stands to reason that the common man, who wants naught but comfort, will purchase the poultry. Surely the marginal rise of fish prices only serves to alienate prospective buyers?"
"That is a fair point," Duldes remarked, impressed. "But it's not as if the price of fish is substantially higher than that of, say, poultry and grains."
"Maybe not to you," You countered. "However, to a man who had only a few coins to his name, and works day after day just to get food for his family, those few coins could mean enough for another day's meal. If fish were the same in cost as any other meat, then they would surely choose it, and despite the increased supply and demand of fish the profits of merchants would still be substantial in turn."
"Why not just raise the price of poultry and meat to match that of fish?" The reptile suggested with a smirk, thinking himself clever. You glanced from him to Duldes and back again.
"Then you would only alienate your very customers," You pointed out. "And I believe that anyone with compassion would find it an ill solution."
The reptile grimaced at your response, but Duldes continued to look impressed. With a quiet, barely noticeable huff, the reptile excused himself and retreated from the conversation, leaving you and Duldes alone.](elseif:$EC is "Sat Ipfeld")[From your right came (if:$MetSa is false)[an avian, clad in what looked to be casual military garbs befitting that of a party.](elseif:$MetSa is true)[Sat Ipfeld, adjutant to his lord.] At first he said nothing, but he seemed to want to join the debate, so you continued.
"It's not as if I have testimony on hand, Lord Dawland," You explained. "But I am not a noble-- I've seen firsthand how the common man feels about the rising prices of fish."
"Ah, is this is about the economy?" The avian asked, glancing between the two of you. "Forgive me, though I must agree, Lord Dawland. Even supplies on the military front are slim due to both demand and also the increase price of fish-- I fear that the monarchy is struggling to afford such an expense..."
"What would you have them do, then?" Duldes asked, folding his arms and looking between the two of you. "Neither of you are merchants. If supply is raised and the price falls to balance things out, what happens if supply becomes too high and demand begins to dwindle? The people are fickle-- they could just as easily turn their attention to another type of meat aside from fish. Then the economy would suffer as a result, unable to establish a steady revenue on their own supply. Many fish would rot and go to waste."
The avian opened his beak to speak and then closed it again, grimacing. He looked unsure how to respond and, admittedly, you were the same. Duldes made a very good point from a perspective that you weren't privy to.
"Perhaps correspondence should open between Gromarch's military, the common people and the merchants, then," You suggested. "If you arrange a middle man to purchase your stock ahead of time and organise the merchants into acquiring it, then you own profits are set in stone and the onus is on the lesser merchant stalls to sell their stock."
"That is merely simply economics, Thep," Duldes pointed out. "And in some instances we already do that. But you are right...if the military is suffering from the price rise, then steps should be taken to measure it."
"After all, what is a kingdom without it's army?" The avian chimed in, before a noise to your right seemed to catch his attention. He politely excused himself and ducked out from the conversation for now, being called elsewhere, leaving you and Duldes alone.]
"I'll admit I'm surprised," He turned to you, looking you up and down. "You've quite the sharp tongue for someone who isn't a noble."
"I appreciate the compliment, Lord Dawland, sir." You bowed respectfully and you heard him scoff ever so subtly, almost enough for you to not hear. As you straightened yourself back up, he reacquired his drink and sipped, before excusing himself. With a final glance in your direction and a small smile, he headed off into the crowd with purpose, for he must have something to do.
You're thankful you left a good impression.(set:$DulSway to it + 30)]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")[With a small smile, you suggested to Sat that the two of you might debate for a while, and he looked...apprehensive at best.
"I do enjoy a good conversation," He began. "But I'll admit I am just a soldier-- debate isn't my strong suit."
"Think nothing of it, Sat," You assured him. "I am no noble either, as you know. We can keep it light. Why don't we talk about the Lords?"
"Oh? In what manner?" He seemed intrigued and you smiled in response, thankful he was interested.
Before you could start to talk however, a figure from your left came to join you: (if:$MetRa is false)[a tall, bear-like creature, that stood far above your heads.](elseif:$MetRa is true)[Raltarndarv Raltandavi, leader of his people, whom you've met before.] At first he said nothing, looking down at the two of you, before he cleared his throat and gestured.
"My apologies, please continue." He assured the two of you, and you turned back to Sat.
"You are aware of Lord Carein's position in the Laqauin Empire, correct?" You began. "They say many a noble has quite the dark side, I'm sure you must have seen it."
"Well, I am only his adjutant," Sat kept his foul mouth to himself, simply because the bear was there listening. "But I've been on the front lines with him in the civil war effort, and it's quite gruesome, but I think what he's doing to do merits some praise. A lot of his expenditure goes into renovating and rebuilding towns that had been left abandoned thanks to the war."
"I have to wonder how much of that money in renovations was out of the kindness of his heart," You remarked. "Let's be truthful, Sat: nobles are not known for being generous simply to be philanthropic. There's always an ulterior motive."
"Well...I cannot say, for I did not oversee the efforts, merely the accounting," Sat admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "But if I remember rightly, he received a great deal of praise from the mayors of those towns, in the form of tax exemption. Still, I firmly believe he deserves that praise. Lord Carein is a good man."
"That's likely it then. Though I can't say that would have helped him much with the amount of capital he put in initially...but it's clear that Lord Carein's influence is growing, or he's at the very least facilitating it's growth. I can't say I fully agree with your sentiment but I understand why you feel that way."
"I say that you cannot trust nobles, even if you work under them or respect them," The bear chimed in all of a sudden. "Nothing good ever comes of trusting too implicitly to someone of that status. They will always seek to take advantage of you, one way or another."
"Are you speaking from experience, Raltandavi, or do you just have a poor opinion of nobles?" Sat asked, and though his words sounded harsh but expression was soft and empathetic. The bear snorted in response and cast his gaze away.
"I am merely stating the obvious," He remarked. "I worry that your loyalty to your Lord may be clouding your judgement, avian."
"I...I don't believe so," Sat puffed out his chest. "Lord Carein raised me from a soldier to his adjutant and has been nothing but respectful towards me. He even gave me a place to sleep in his House-- what kind of Lord would do that, if not a generous one?"
"One who seeks to take advantage of easy prey." You remarked, and Sat lapsed into silence, frowning at your words.
"I...well, no," He sounded flustered. "He's not. He's a kind man."
To your right, the bear merely chuckles and sighs, patting the avian's shoulder before turning and making his way over to the buffet table, as if he knew where the conversation was heading. You merely shook your head and sighed.
"I pity you, Sat," You admitted. "Having blind faith may come to bite you in the behind one day."
Sat fumed for a moment, before he dropped his head and sighed through his nostrils. Realising he's lost the debate, he thanks you for the conversation and turns to leave. You're not sure if you really impressed him with your social skills, but his flustered expression did catch the attention of nearby nobles in turn. You had no doubt rumours would spread.] (set:$Havoc to it + 20)(set:$HavocG to it + 20)
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")[Bowing briefly, you suggested to Ralt that you could have a little debate. At first, he was hesitant, but then agreed to it, if only because he seemed to want some sort of engaging conversation.
"Very well. I do enjoy a good conversation." He admitted, and you had to nod in acknowledgement-- on some level, you agreed.
"So then, tell me..." You began. "Hypothetically, if you could rebel. What would you do? How would you go about it?"
Ralt paused for some time as he mulled over the question-- you had no doubt that he knew the answer already, but having such a conversation in the middle of the banquet hall seemed to make him a little nervous.
"The Raltandair are a proud and simple people," He explained. "But if I led them, they can co-ordinate. However, displays of strength are our specialty...so we'd start with the outer towns."
"Then I'd have to wonder how long it'd take you to get to the capital," You continued. "Forgive me for nitpicking, but if you started in the outer towns it'd take you quite some time to get there. News of your invasion would no doubt spread and then, by extension, reinforcements from neighbouring kingdoms would come quicker than you could plough through the enemy."
"I suppose you are right," Ralt hummed in thought. "But I believe we could topple the towns quickly."
"And what then? Once you succeed in taking over Gromarch, how will you manage a region that used to be ruled by a monarch with such a substantially small amount of troops?" You asked. "Though you are strong, you don't have the numbers to manage every town in Gromarch. That's not even considering the matter of integrating your own people in with the common folk, who would see them as monsters..."
"Yes, I understand it's quite an undertaking," He sounded flustered, but tried to counter your points. "All it takes is a little management and some aid from outside countries..."
"If they even want to help you," You countered. "I wouldn't bank my entire people's happiness on the likes of the Jria Company, if I were in your position. But then again, if you're desperate..."
Ralt shifted uncomfortably on the spot as you spoilt his potential plans for hypothetical rebellion. It wasn't even that you were mulling on his points for some time either-- such things, at least to you, felt so easy to counter that you had to wonder if he had even thought about it enough.
"Then there's the nobility, the economy, imports and exports...I've no doubt that the neighbouring countries will lock down any and all of Gromarch's exports and imports once word gets out that you've taken over the capital-- you'll effectively have the survive on your own, and for that you need the aid of the people...who, for all intents and purposes, will consider you monstrous invaders."
"Yes...I suppose then that the work starts at the root, with commoners. Swaying them to our cause will aid us greatly." He assumed.
"But Gromarch's propaganda is doing well to keep you in check, displaying your entire people as docile monsters unable to do anything without their say so," You pointed out. "So can you really do that?"
"I...I'm not sure," He looked deflated, but then puffed out his chest. "Thep, you have given me a lot to think about. Though you have quashed my hopes, I think in time it will be beneficial, so...thank you."
"Oh...I didn't mean to upset you, I'm sorry." You felt kind of bad, but the bear merely gestured with dismissal.
"Think nothing of it," He assured you. "I must use the restroom, so I will have to go for now. But thank you, again. I will see you later on."
With that, he turned and made his way through the crowd towards the doors at the far end of the hall. Pity swam through you, but you're glad you left something akin to a good impression.(set:$RalSway to it + 30)]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")[With a respectful bow, you asked Berlis, head of his House, if he wanted to take part in a debate with you. At first, he grimaced, but then eventually resigned to the idea.
"Very well," He began with a sigh. "You caught me in the middle of a thought, so I will entertain your drivel, for a time."
"What was it you were thinking about?" You asked, and he smirked, as if proud.
"I was thinking about the other Houses of Gromarch," He explained. "Their treaties, the hierarchy, who reigns on top, and what is needed to keep that position. Do you know where House Dawson is on the list, boy?"
"Um...I believe they are the 9th most influential House out of 25 houses, Your Lordship." You had remembered most of the noble houses from your briefing before the night's events. Berlis's eyes widened with surprised, but he looked even more proud.
"I'm glad that even a commoner knows of our legendary house," He beamed. "So do you know the treaties we've signed with the houses above us?"
"I...I do not," You began awkwardly. "I believe those treaties are only privy to the parties involved."
"Exactly, and you may never know," He pointed. "However, it is important to make the distinction that those treaties benefit both Houses...for now. Rest assured I will climb the ladder one way or another. Dawland, Carein, Ohki, Ghillaine, Oliander, Prain, Brientol, Calliera...they will all fall before me in time."
"Forgive my ignorance...but how will you become above them? In wealth, very few can make the most influential houses of the empire, but it's not about wealth," You began. "But about the influence those houses have over not only the capital, but the towns beyond--"
"Idiot, don't you think I know that?" Berlis raised his voice and caught the attention of nearby nobles in turn. "I've spent years of my life trying. Years! But who are you? Not even a noble, just a commoner at a party looking for free food and alcohol."
"F-Forgive me for such insensitive remarks--" You tried to apologise, aware that Berlis was flying off the handle, but it was futile.
"Who exactly invited you?" He demanded, stepping closer. "Come to think of it, you weren't announced when you entered, were you? I paid close attention to those announcements but never saw your face...who did you come here with, and why?"
"I-I..." You began, feeling distinctly put on the spot. However, Berlis suddenly back off, as if aware he was causing a stir. He cast you one final stare, looking you up and down, before he turned his head away from you and scoffed.
"You're bad at debating." He remarked, trudging off into the crowd. Nobles stared at him as he went before turning their attention to you, and you felt your face warming with embarrassment. You and he had caused quite the stir.](set:$Havoc to it + 30)(set:$HavocG to it + 30)
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>
(text-style:"underline")[Ask to the Pool]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#e36011)[Interaction Card]]]
Attempt to ask and coerce your
chosen target into taking a swim
in the House's personal pool.
Swimming is common, even
amongst the peasantry, but there
is something to be said about
swimming with others.
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$CD to "Pool" + $NN)(goto:$CD)]
(text-style:"underline")[Butt In]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#e36011)[Interaction Card]]]
Catch your target in the middle
on a conversation, and interrupt
them, giving your opinion.
Depending on whether you have
something relevant to say or
not, people might be pleased
or offended. It's a gamble.
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$CD to "ButtIn" + $NN)(goto:$CD)]
(text-style:"underline")[Recite a Poem]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#e36011)[Interaction Card]]]
From your heart, spill forth words
written within a rhythmic poem,
each line rhyming in turn.
Poems are a common source of
enjoyment amongst high nobility.
Your target may or may not enjoy
the elegant words you write.
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$CD to "Poem" + $NN)(goto:$CD)]
(text-style:"underline")[Flirt]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#e36011)[Interaction Card]]]
Subtly insinuate to your chosen
target that there might be some
fun for your both in the future.
Though subtle, you're sure that
some targets may pick up on your
hinting. How will they react, you
wonder? Favourably or not?
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$CD to "Flirt" + $NN)(goto:$CD)]
(text-style:"underline")[Get Alone]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#e36011)[Interaction Card]]]
Through whatever means you
have, you try to get your
chosen target alone with you.
Whether they'll agree or not is
its own matter, but by getting
them alone, you might be able
to learn more about them.
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$CD to "Alone" + $NN)(goto:$CD)]
(text-style:"underline")[Touch]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#e36011)[Interaction Card]]]
Stretch out your arm and touch
your target, be it the shoulder
the hip or lower...
Whether the touch is deliberately
vague or intentionally comforting,
some targets may not take kindly
to an unwanted hand.
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$CD to "Touch" + $NN)(goto:$CD)]
(text-style:"underline")[Harass the Help]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#e36011)[Interaction Card]]]
Insult, berate and generally
belittle of staff of House
Dawland, in front of others.
Some people may see you more
favourably for expressing you
authority, whilst others may
think you cruel and cold.
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$CD to "HHelp" + $NN)(goto:$CD)]
(text-style:"underline")[Joke]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#e36011)[Interaction Card]]]
Crack a joke, be it crude
or comical, and gauge the
reaction of your chosen target.
All the world's a stage, and
we are merely players: so why
not have some fun with it, at
least until the curtain falls?
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$CD to "Joke" + $NN)(goto:$CD)]
(text-style:"underline")[Make a Toast]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#e36011)[Interaction Card]]]
Raise a glass to your chosen
target and make a bountiful
toast in their honour.
Toasting to one's success and
personality is perhaps the
biggest form of flattery you
can think of. To flattery!
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$CD to "Toast" + $NN)(goto:$CD)]
(text-style:"underline")[Admire]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#e36011)[Interaction Card]]]
Watch your chosen target
creatively express themselves,
and show your admiration.
Some may call you a 'suck up'
for such an obvious form of
flattery, but you're sure your
target will appreciate it.
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$CD to "Admire" + $NN)(goto:$CD)]
(text-style:"underline")[Ask to Dance]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#e36011)[Interaction Card]]]
With an outstretched hand, you
invite your target to dance with
you in some fashion.
Most people know how to dance,
though some don't necessarily
want to. How they will react to
your offer depends on them.
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$CD to "Dance" + $NN)(goto:$CD)]
(text-style:"underline")[Insult the Head of House]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#e36011)[Touch]]]
Openly insult the host of the
party, like the ungrateful
$species you are.
They say to never look a gift
horse in the mouth, but even some
might dislike House Dawland
for one reason or another.
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$CD to "InsultHH" + $NN)(goto:$CD)]
(text-style:"underline")[Make a Pass]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#e36011)[Interaction Card]]]
Approach your target and
attempt to serenade them
with a romantic overture.
Some may have a penchant for
dramatic, romance-filled musings,
but others might just find your
approach a little disheartening.
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$CD to "Pass" + $NN)(goto:$CD)]
(text-style:"underline")[Openly Grope]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#bc40c6)[(text-style: "outline")[Fortuitous!]]]]
Reach out and openly grope your
target in their most intimate
area, with reckless abandon.
Whether your target will view it
favourably or not is entirely up
to chance, for you don't know
them well enough to know.
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$CD to "OGrope" + $NN)(goto:$CD)]
(text-style:"underline")[Footjob Under the Table]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#bc40c6)[(text-style: "outline")[Fortuitous!]]]]
Take a seat near the buffet table
and use your feet to pleasure
the target under the cloth.
House Dawland's long tablecloths
make it easy to be discreet, but
whether the target can do the
same is another matter entirely.
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$CD to "FJob" + $NN)(goto:$CD)]
(text-style:"underline")[Hot Date]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#bc40c6)[(text-style: "outline")[Fortuitous!]]]]
Set up and invite your target
to a romantic, well-thought-out
date, to win their favour.
Regardless of the outcome of
the date, you'll have made
quite a ruckus to set this
up. Will it be worth it...?
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$CD to "Date" + $NN)(goto:$CD)]
(text-style:"underline")[Flash]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#bc40c6)[(text-style: "outline")[Fortuitous!]]]]
With no regard for who might
see you, reach down and flash
your $species genitalia.
Your lewd act is bound to cause
a stir of some kind, but your
goal is how your target will
react, and nothing more.
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$CD to "Flash" + $NN)(goto:$CD)]
(text-style:"underline")[Drag Into a Closet]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#bc40c6)[(text-style: "outline")[Fortuitous!]]]]
Coerce and lead your chosen
target into a closer, for some
private time, just you and him.
You're sure that no-one will
miss their presence for however
long it takes for them to
enjoy or get bored of you.
(link:"Choose this card.")[(set:$CD to "Closet" + $NN)(goto:$CD)](set:$ET1 to $TList's (random:1,$TList's length))(set:$TList to it - (a:$ET1))(set:$ET2 to $TList's (random:1,$TList's length))(set:$TList to (a:$Target1,$Target2,$Target3,$Target4))(align:"<==")["Anyone for a seance?"
The sudden, out of context question caught your attention more than it should have. You knew full well that kind of magic was off-limits to most, especially to the Laquain Empire, and even then it was forbidden. Yet, someone here so casually offered it as if it were the most normal thing in the world. Curiosity and tension welled up within you and you felt compelled to find out exactly what it entailed. At the side of the banquet hall, you saw a portly, well-fed feline standing by the entrance, gesturing others to come to him. You approached with some other nobles, some of whom you recognise, and the rotund feline led you and the others from the banquet hall and down the corridors beyond, and towards a door along the left hand side.
The room beyond was small and cramped, and in the middle sat a large octagonal table with 2 chairs at every edge, its surface etched with runes and circles. It looked suspiciously magical in nature, and you were at least able to detect traces of magic, since you were trained to do so. Yet...the table lacked anything in terms of magical residue. It was a prop.
With guiding instructions from the leader of the group and a gesture of two, you and the others took seats around the table. You were sat next to (if:$ET1 is "Duldes Dawland")[(if:$MetDu is false)[a cold and aloof Hyena, with fancy noble clothes](elseif:$MetDu is true)[Duldes Dawland, to your surprise]](elseif:$ET1 is "Sat Ipfeld")[(if:$MetSa is false)[a quiet yet polite looking avian](elseif:$MetSa is true)[Sat Ipfeld, to your surprise]](elseif:$ET1 is "Raltarndarv Raltandavi")[(if:$MetRa is false)[a sombre, hulking creature, bear-like in appearance](elseif:$MetRa is true)[Raltarndarv Raltandavi, to your surprise]](elseif:$ET1 is "Berlis Dawson")[(if:$MetBe is false)[a proud-looking reptile, who doesn't even acknowledge you](elseif:$MetBe is true)[Berlis Dawson, to your surprise]], but you thought nothing of it. They sat to your left, whilst an unknown and plain individual sat to your right.
"I will now begin the seance," The one who had led you here began, placing his hands upon the table. "Everyone, please link hands."
You reached out, tentatively placing your hands palm down with the people either side of you. (if:$ET1 is "Duldes Dawland")[The hyena barely even grazed your hand with his own, his fingers laid flat and stiff.](elseif:$ET1 is "Sat Ipfeld")[You could feel the avian's fingers curl slightly against your touch, his feathery fingertips grazing your $skin.](elseif:$ET1 is "Raltarndarv Raltandavi")[Your hand was tiny in comparison to the clipped, large paw it was situated on.](elseif:$ET1 is "Berlis Dawson")[The nobleman's hand that lay beneath your own was lax yet rigid, almost tense. The scales were oddly smooth.] Once everyone around the table had linked hands, including the overweight feline, the leader of the group puffed out his chest and raised his head.
"Spirits within this House of Dawland, come forth!" He cried out. "Spirits with unfinished business, make yourselves known!"
A quiet, eerie silence fell upon the group, and no-one dared to speak-- some even held their breath. Across the other side of the table, (if:$ET2 is "Duldes Dawland")[(if:$MetDu is false)[a well-dressed, high-ranking noble hyena](elseif:$MetDu is true)[Duldes Dawland] rolled his eyes and seemed unimpressed.](elseif:$ET2 is "Sat Ipfeld")[(if:$MetSa is false)[an avian in casual wear](elseif:$MetSa is true)[Sat Ipfeld] quivered in his seat, looking nervous.](elseif:$ET2 is "Raltarndarv Raltandavi")[(if:$MetRa is false)[a large creature, taller than most nobles and covered in shaggy fur](elseif:$MetRa is true)[Raltarndarv Raltandavi] glowered in the feline's direction, as if offended by his fake 'magic'.](elseif:$ET2 is "Berlis Dawson")[(if:$MetBe is false)[a reptile with a framed green-scaled face amidst other onyx scales](elseif:$MetBe is true)[Berlis Dawson] grimaced and shifted in his seat, both perturbed and disappointed.] You had a feeling the entire thing was a sham, but the lack of any kind of response from the 'spirits' all but confirmed it-- at least, that's what you had initially thought.
A chill wind blew through the room, causing you and several others to briefly shudder on the spot, taken by surprise. The room only had one window, but it was firmly fastened shut due to the time of day-- there was no reason for such a cold and prominent wind to billow around the room...but that alone was enough to concern several of the nobles around the table-- all but the feline, who looked proud, perhaps even pleased.
"What was that?" One noble squeaked, retreating in his seat as the feline lifted his head up to speak again, eyes wide with delight.
"Spirits from beyond the veil, listen to my voice! Come forth and give us a sign of your presence! Tell us your name, where you're from, how you died...everything!" He cried out. You could tell his questions were pushing things a little-- though you couldn't be sure that what he was doing was legitimate, it made sense not to aggravate the potential 'sprits' any more than a hello. As if responding to his call, the wind whipped around the table with a greater ferocity, making the lesser nobles not used to being spooked quiver in their seats. (if:$ET1 is "Duldes Dawland")[The hyena to your right barely even flinched.](elseif:$ET1 is "Sat Ipfeld")[The avian beside you trembled beneath your hand and you instinctively curled your fingers down. It didn't do much to soothe him, but he seemed to relax a little.](elseif:$ET1 is "Raltarndarv Raltandavi")[The bar paw beneath your hand didn't move an inch, as still as the creature's breathing, his eyes alert.](elseif:$ET1 is "Berlis Dawson")[You felt the reptile's hand beside yours tremble, just for a second, before the man's hand curled beneath yours into a fist to steady himself.]
"I-I can't do this!" Someone from around the table yelped and a nobleman, a short canine, suddenly lurched to his feet, withdrawing his hands. In an instant, the wind that billowed around them rose into a buffeting storm that seemed centralised on the table itself. Soon enough, it wasn't only one noble that was retreating, but several. Struck with fear, they turned and barged their way out of the room as the feline tried to call them back, and you eventually began to leave as well as the wind continued to howl. You figured things were going to get messy if you stayed.
Once you and most of the others had stepped outside, you could see that the billowing winds inside the room were quietening down, leaving the leader of the group and a small handful of others lingering around, confused and dishevelled. It seemed like whatever had affected the room before had now dissipated, though you had to wonder what caused it. You turned your attention to the other guests, but by the time you'd turned around to talk to them, they'd already left. The seance had drawn a crowd and generated something of a ruckus. You quickly slipped into the crowd, not wanting to draw any more attention.](set:$Havoc to it + 40)(set:$RER to true)
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Return.")[(goto:(history:)'s last)]</div>(align:"<==")[You wandered through the halls of House Dawlan's summer home, away from the banquet hall, and eventually found yourself outside. You had been keeping an eye on the noted individual of the party but you hadn't been able to find a way to organically approach them for a while, so taking the time to explore didn't hurt. House Dawland has its own private pool, and within it were several nobles, all men-- presumably, women didn't particularly want to undress and swim to avoid lecherous eyes. Clothes lay neatly folded in little piles a good distance away from the pool's edge to keep them dry, indicating that the nobles sat around the edges talking amongst themselves were naked-- though it was impossible to see, given the rippling of the water's surface.
You decided to join them, though whether they wanted your company or not was another matter. Stripping yourself of your doublet, undershirt, trousers and shoes, you dressed all the way down to your naked parts, humanoid member swinging with each subtle movement as you approached the pool. You dipped your $species foot into the pool before sliding in, sinking down until the water covered up to your neck and soaked into your $skin. The nobles around you acknowledged you coming in, but didn't engage you in conversation-- instead, they went right back to what they were talking about before. (set:$DT to $TList's (random:1,$TList's length))
(if:$DT is "Duldes Dawland")["That Duldes Dawland...always so uptight, don't you think?" Someone commented with a grimace as you watched their conversation. This was a great time to pick up relevant information about some of the party's patrons.
"Agreed," Another grunted. "I attempted to say greet and pay my respects to his house and he acted as if I didn't exist. He has quite the large ego. Though I've heard that if you've got the bosom and features of a woman and you're as smart as a whip, he's more inclined to listen. He doesn't like stupid girls."
"Like father, like son," Another chimed. "I've heard tales of Jurn Dawland. They say he's quite the womanizer, worse than his sons."
"I pity his daughter...to be married off at such a young age, I shudder at the thought of that happening to one of my own." A canine next to you shuddered as he spoke and another from across the pool scoffed, raising himself up from the water and revealing himself, albeit not deliberately.
"As if you wouldn't leap at the chance to be politically affiliated with the most influential house of Gromarch," The man pointed out as he stepped out of the pool, his fur dripping wet, his form a little chubby and stocky. "There've been many who would kill for such an opportunity."
"Tch," The previous noble curled his muzzle back and resisted the urge to snarl. "If it meant my daughter was to be handed off to someone like Duldes Dawland, I'd rather my house go to ruins."
"That's quite the conviction," Another chimed out, sounding both amused and serious. "Don't let Dawland catch you saying that-- I've heard he would cut out a man's tongue for even insinuating such an insult."
A quiet silence fell over the nobles as the implication of their house potentially being ruined over such flippant words. You didn't blame them either: you knew well of House Dawland and the reach of its influence-- it was said they had an ear to the monarch of Gromarch, no less. One word or two in the right direction could snuff out an entire bloodline; they simply had that much power. You shuddered at the thought and the canine next to you patted your shoulder, as if trying to comfort you.
The conversation shifted shortly after that. You lingered around for a little more, casually listening to what they had to say, before you eventually got up to leave. You took a towel from a waiting servant and dried off in the nude, before putting on your clothes and taking your leave.](elseif:$DT is "Sat Ipfeld")["Have you seen that bird hanging around Carein? Did they really let personal servants into the party?" Someone spoke out of the blue and there was a murmuring of agreement from amongst the other nobles. It seemed that their opinion of him wasn't very high.
"I hear he's the Lord's administrator," Another replied. "An adjutant, or similar. I think his name was...Ipfeld?"
"Sounds like no noble house I've ever heard of. What would an administrator need to do at a party, anyway? Surely this place is just for us nobles." Another retorted, sounding almost sour about it.
"I think it's at the discretion of the man in question," Another pointed out. "If they wish to bring someone with them, they may-- House Dawland did not dictate otherwise. Besides, we know nothing about this adjutant."
"There's rumours that he's just a soldier, and nothing more-- a farmer's boy, even," Someone explained. "Though I do not believe if those rumours ring true."
"I heard him speak to a servant rather crudely, but not as a means to insult him. He has quite the dirty mouth, from what I saw," A nobleman chimed in, much to the surprise of others. "Yet he seems to polite to us nobles."
"He's just putting on a front like everyone else," Another grunted, voice dripping with venom. "No one is ever an honest individual."
"Well...he's certainly got quite the figure for just a soldier," Someone quietly muttered. "I can see why Lord Carein takes to him."
An awkward silence fell over the group of nobles, though you couldn't be sure why. You assumed it had to do with the very obvious homosexual thoughts some of them had, but in the end the conversation quickly changed over to something else. You lingered around for a little longer, listening to their conversation and keeping quiet-- which was easier than you thought, since most of them didn't even take much interest in you-- before you eventually decided to get out and naturally leave as others were getting out to dry.](elseif:$DT is "Raltarndarv Raltandavi")["Who let that vile beast into the party? Did House Dawland approve of this? I fear that it might rake my scales just looking at it funny." One reptilian noble shuddered within the pool and hunched his shoulders up, evidently over-exaggerating his 'fear' of what you can only assume to be the shaggy, bear-like creature that stands above all over nobles you've seen mingling around the banquet hall.
"Didn't you know? The Laquain Empire has quite the hold on the Raltandair," One noble replied with a chuckle. "A good thing too-- I've heard they've been quite the aid in the war effort."
"Yes...so I heard," The first replied, disdain in his tone. "So that gives them the right to parade one of them around like that?"
"Not just one of them, but their leader," Another remarked. "Quite the clever plan, if you think about it. They have the Raltaindair's chieftain by the jugular: one false move and his life is snuffed out. How will his people react if he dies? How important is he to them?"
A silence fell amongst the group, and the questions even had you wondering, too. You supposed to yourself, silently, that it depends on what the Raltandair are like as people. If they were righteous and war-hungry, then taking revenge seems like a given, but if they are meek and answer only to authority then they will likely not revolt. It's a curious conundrum.
"I wouldn't underestimate that monster," A noble to your right spoke up through the silence. "He's quite clever too. I'm sure he's here for a reason."
"Doesn't seem all that smart to me," Another grunted. "I saw him bowing and serving nobles earlier like a dog doing tricks."
"That could be part of his plan," The first replied. "Who knows what he's thinking...maybe he's angry at his people being enslaved and is waiting for the right time to strike."
The mere thought of it clearly put a chill in the noble's bones, for the conversation quickly fell off after that. No-one knew what to say in regards to the monster's intent, and eventually the conversation shifted to another topic, which put their minds at ease. You lingered around for a little longer, hoping to garner more information, before you realised they were moving onto topics that weren't of interest to you. You eventually got to your feet and took your leave, drying off thanks to a servant offering you a towel before getting dressed.](elseif:$DT is "Berlis Dawson")["I was in the banquet hall earlier," Someone began with a groan. "That Dawson fellow was grovelling to House Dawland again."
"You'd think that the lesser nobles would know their place." Another remarked with a chuckle, which caused a murmur of amusement through the other relaxing nobles.
"He's more influential than some of you," A noble to your left pointed out. "Remember when the heir to the Dawson estate was assassinated when he was just a teenager?"
"That was some 30 years ago now," Another responded flippantly. "They've declined since then."
"Only because Lord Dawland knew how to suck his way up the ladder." A noble scoffed.
"In more ways than one." Another crudely remarked, which spread another chuckle through the group. You watched with interest, wondering if this is how nobles tended to gossip when they had the freedom to do so.
"That's what House Dawson is attempting to do now," The noble to your left chimed back in. "You've seen how he grovels, trying to worm his way up to power."
"It's not going to work. Not if House Dawland has anything to say about it."
"And currently, they don't," The first insisted. "They haven't made a move for years, content with their fat bellies."
"Mm..." There was a hum of agreement throughout the other nobles, and the conversation lapsed into a brief silence as the topic drew to a close. You lingered for a little more to see if another topic might come up that would interest you, but in the end conversation moved into more mundane topics about trade, so you got up to take your leave after lingering for a little while. A servant handed you a towel and you dried off, before getting dressed and heading off to wander.]](set:$RER to true)(set:$PoolConvo to true)
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Return.")[(goto:(history:)'s last)]</div>(align:"<==")[As you mingled around the party, you started to feel rather parched. A drink suited your tastes right about now. Over near the banquet table sat various empty glasses, but thankfully waiters were weaving in between patrons and serving those outside in the pool, so getting a drink was as easy as getting a servant's attention-- when one is dressed like a noble, such things are even easier.
From within the crowd you spotted a well-dressed canine with a tray of drinks in his hand, a clear yellowish colour that sparkled thanks to the lights above. As you made your way over, however, something occurred that you ultimately weren't expecting. From the side over your vision came a man shouldering his way through the crowd-- a reptile, with shaggy black scales. You didn't recognise him from any House you knew of, but he bore fancy clothes-- or the beginnings of such, for his jerking was missing and he wore naught but a loose linen shirt with a very lower neckline, that exposed some of his scaled chest. That, however, wasn't the most important facet about him; it was the staggering, the swaying and his drunken, slurred speech that you focused on. The man was too drunk for a light-hearted noble's dinner party.
"Another glass, fine servant!" He spoke perhaps a little too loudly, and the waiter before him visibly tensed as the reptile plucked two glasses from the tray, one in either hand. He didn't heistate to bring them to his lips, opening his maw wide and pouring them right down his gullet. He downed them in an instant and visibly swayed on the spot shortly thereafter, eyes lidding slightly as he reached out to try to place them back on the tray. His depth perception didn't quite aid him in that regard, and one glass teetered on the edge of the tray. As his grip loosened, it toppled and fell to the floor, shattering around his feet.
"What the..." The reptile looked down before angrily glaring up at the waiter. "You useless...!"
Instinctively, you stepped forwards as the reptile raised his head and gestured for the waiter to retreat. The reptile saw you approach and turned, squinting in your direction.
"And who the fuck're you?" He staggered towards you and visibly teetered on the spot, making you briefly retreat. You weren't afraid of him-- in fact, given how intoxicated he was, it was only a matter of time before House Dawland's guards came to escort him out. You were here only to stop him from making things difficult for other people; with your social skills, you can handle a drunkard.
"Answer me, coward!" Your lack of a response aggravated the reptile further and he raised himself up fully, (if:$height is <5.5)[towering over you a little.](else:)[more or less near to your own height.] He took one step forwards and then swung with his fist from the right. Combat was not your expertise, but even you could avoid a bad punch. You stepped back instinctively and the fist swung awkwardly in front of you-- the sheer force of his attempted attack twisted his entire upper body and he spun on the spot, his foot catching the back of his heel. In an instant he toppled, crumbling into a heap on the floor stop the glass he'd broken by accident mere moments before.
Before he could clamber to his feet, the guards appeared through the crowd and tugged him to his feet. They were polite with their speech, but their actions were not; they dragged the reptile out as he kept shouting for you, demanding you face him 'like a man'. You grimaced to yourself, and then felt eyes on you. You'd stood up to aid a servant, and for that you'd caused a little bit of a stir, both good and bad. (set:$Havoc to it + 30)
Eventually, however, the nobles dispersed and the party returned to normal, as if nothing had happened.](set:$RER to true)
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Return.")[(goto:(history:)'s last)]</div>(align:"<==")[You were lost in conversation with a noble of the dinner party when you heard the clattering of dishes and plates, followed by fervent apologies and the dismaying cry of a disgruntled man. You turned your head in the direction of the commotion, and stared at the sight before you.
Hunched over a cane, clad in noble clothes, was an old greying avian who was rickety on his feet and unstable. He stood hunched, bowing and apologising over and over to a nobleman who was gesturing down to his clothes, angry and upset at the food that had been splattered across the front along with a glass of wine, staining the garments in a way that couldn't easily be cleaned. You had to wonder at first why such an occurrence had happened-- an altercation perhaps, or an angry dispute? The reason, however, came quickly to you when you stepped closer and caught sight of the avian's glassy, white eyes: he was blind.
You know what nobles could be like if left to handle these affairs on their own, and the blind avian's clothes didn't seem to belong to any house that you knew of; he bore a set of ornate robes, so you presumed he was part of the church or something else. You cut your conversation short with the noble in front of you and then quickly made your way over before things got too heated. Your interruption into the conversation caused the noble to calm down somewhat, if only because your own fancy doublet made you look as if you had a higher status then him. You bowed and apologised to the man before taking the avian's hand in yours and hovering the other at the small of his back, guiding him away before things could get worse.
"Thank you, young man," The avian tweeted his pleasure at your interception. "I fear that would have gone badly if I said anything more."
"Do you not have a caretaker?" You knew nothing of his title or name, but you figured it a good idea to be kind and polite-- after all, being compassionate cost you nothing. The feathers and flesh around the avain's eyes wrinkled, and you're pretty sure he was smiling brightly at you-- though it was hard to tell from his long beak.
"I was invited, but not accommodated. Perhaps it was just a pleasantry meant to satisfy my house. I'll admit I should have made better precautions." He admitted with a small sigh, moving slowly with his cane. "Would you lead me to the exit? These weary bones have had enough excitement for one day."
"Sure." You agreed and he chuckled, allowing you to lead him along. A silence fell between you for some time as you lead him across the banquet hall, where nobles separated and moved to accommodate the man until you reached the doors at the far end of the banquet hall, with a straight path leading towards the entrance to the building and out into the courtyard beyond, where some carriages were waiting to take people home.
"Do you have means of transportation?" You asked, and he hummed, nodding sagely.
"I imagine someone will be waiting for me," He admitted. "Thank you, young $species."
"Think nothing of it." You retracted your hand from him, but he reached out and suddenly grasped your hand. He pulled you closer, and you had to wonder exactly what he wanted. He leant close towards your (if:$species is "avian" or "reptile")[ear hole](elseif:$species is "canine")[ear] and whispered into it. A tingling sensation crept across your $skin as the words felt etched into your mind.(set:$RPro to $Prophecies's (random:1,$Prophecies's length))(set:$Prophecies to it - (a:$RPro))(set:$ProList to it + (a:$RPro))]
<div class='img-container-twist'>$RPro</div>
(align:"<==")[Your head hurt a little just thinking about it. When you withdrew from the avian and stared down at him, he merely smiled at you and turned, heading off towards the entrance. Confusion crossed your features and you brushed them aside-- it didn't seem like the man meant any harm...nor did you want to call out the old man's magic in the middle of an anti-magic faction.
You frowned as you watched him go, before turning and returning to the party.](set:$RER to true)
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Return.")[(goto:(history:)'s last)]</div>(align:"<==")[You were mingling with guests and exchanging pleasant conversation when the trumpeting of an instrument suddenly caught your attention, and made several others jump, startled. Heads turned to the direction of the noise and you searched for the source, your attention eventually focused on a man with an ornate bugle in his hands, standing at one of the entrances to the banquet hall. The murmur of conversation fell into a hushed silence as from the entranceway came an aging, well-dressed hyena with slick black fur-like hair and a chip on his right ear, along with a single white stripe running along the top of his muzzle. He was dressed in lavish, obviously expensive white garments with an ornately decorated doublet that clung to his middle-aged shoulders and was draped down his back. Servants scooted from behind him, carrying a small platform that they placed down on the floor in front of him, and the hyena moved to step up onto it. He reached into his pocket and retrieved a note, unfolding it in his gloved white hands.
"I thank you all for coming today," His voice rang with an authority that you weren't expecting, which reached even to the far ends of the hall. "I needn't introduce myself, since you all received my invitation to tonight's events."
After introducing himself subtly as the head of House Dawland, Jurn Dawland V, the hyena segued into a speech about the prosperity of Gromarch, the Laquain Empire's inevitable victory over the Jria Company-- all in due time, of course-- and the plans that the monarchy hand for trade and the furtherment of Gromarch's influence on the world as a whole. His speech would have been empowering to you, if you were a noble-- but for the most part, it fell on deaf ears. Whilst you at least paid enough attention to what he was saying to understand the words between the lines, so to speak, your attention was instead on the people in the hall and their reactions to such a speech.
All was as you expected; most nobles looked empowered and hyped up about Jurn Dawland's speech, excited for the future of not only their house but House Dawland as well-- presumably to you, it meant more money for everyone, and nobles loved wealth. However, some in the crowd, namely servants and those who didn't take well to House Dawland's influence, seemed less than pleased with the man's speech. That, all in all, didn't surprise you either: you've heard many a rumour about how House Dawland climbed itself to power through claw and tooth, and you shuddered to think how many people they stepped over to reach that position. Perhaps some of those people were in the crowd that night. (set:$ET1 to $TList's (random:1,$TList's length))
(if:$ET1 is "Duldes Dawland")[Within the crowd, you spotted (if:$MetDu is false)[a hyena wearing similarly coloured garments to Jurn Dawland, and you presumed they were related](elseif:$MetDu is true)[Duldes Dawland, the firstborn son of the man giving the speech]. To your surprise, the man is barely giving much attention to the speech-- he stood off to the side, not even looking in Jurn Dawland's direction and instead looking off into the distance, towards the windows of the banquet halls.
He turns his head slightly and your eyes meet, just for a fraction of a second. You avoid his gaze, but when you look back moments later, he's looking in a different direction. You decided it was better not to keep staring, but his reaction to the speech was...interesting.](elseif:$ET1 is "Sat Ipfeld")[Across the room from where you're standing, (if:$MetSa is false)[a short in stature, well-dressed avian](elseif:$MetSa is true)[Sat Ipfeld, Adjutant to Lord Ailyn Carein] stood to attention and stared wide-eyed at the man giving the speech. It was clear from the avian's face that he was a soldier and respected those in power, though you had a feeling he'd be rigidly stuck to saluting if the one giving the speech was a monarch.
Regardless, his stature didn't appear disingenuous; his eyes sparkled with a determination that you were surprised to see in such a young man, and he clutched the notebook in his hands as if his life depended on it. He was certainly quite 'noble' in his own right.](elseif:$ET1 is "Raltarndarv Raltandavi")[Not too far away, (if:$MetRa is false)[a large and imposing bear-like creature, taller than most nobles](elseif:$MetRa is true)[Raltarndarv Raltandavi] stood with a steely gaze, his expression fixed directly onto the Head of House Dawland. However, there was no pleasantry or kindness in his eyes-- they were cold, perhaps even cruel, and filled with hatred. You could see from his stature that he was resisting the urge to pounce, like a dog trapped in a corner.
He would have begun shaking on the spot if he watched any longer, but the bear abruptly turned away from the man giving the speech, not wanting to look at him. Your eyes briefly met and he stared at you for a fraction of a second before averting his eyes, trudging off through the crowd. No-one dared to stop him.](elseif:$ET1 is "Berlis Dawson")[Nearby, (if:$MetBe is false)[a reptile, with green and black scales and fancy clothes](elseif:$MetBe is true)[Berlis Dawson] stood with a hand clasped to his chest in a salute of some description, the other hand twisted around to the small of his back. He puffed his chest out proudly and lifted his head high like you'd expect a noble to do, but he looked off-- he was visibly straining, forcing himself to keep up the form as if he were trying to impress; though you're merely speculating.]
"...I wish you all a good rest of the evening," Jurn Dawland's speech was drawing to a close. "Please, feast and drink to your heart's content!"
Applause ripped through the crowd like a wave as people clapped politely for the Head of House Dawland. He stood there raking in the applause for a moment before turning and stepping off the platform, heading back through the way he came-- he had no intention of taking part in the pleasantries, it seemed. The servants picked up the platform and went off after him, and the nobles milling around the banquet hall turned to each other and went back to what they were doing. You decided to do the same-- though the speech was certainly 'inspiring', it wasn't part of your mission.](set:$RER to true)
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Return.")[(goto:(history:)'s last)]</div>(align:"<==")[You were enjoying yourself with guests at the party when the suddenly clamouring and clanking of armour and shouting, intermingled with gasps from the crowd. Nobles turned their heads and you followed their gaze, your eyes widening at the sight before you. From the other end of the banquet hall came a series of guards, canines clad in plate armour and dressed for combat. They walked in two neat rows, and somewhere in the middle they dragged a man by his arms, his knees and legs dragging against the floor. At the front of the guards was an aged Hyena in ornate white clothing, shiny like silk and trimmed with a mixture of gold and jewels. You didn't recognise him, but his clothes gave away his status, and you presumed him to be Jurn Dawland V, the Head of the house.
Jurn Dawland didn't look anyone in the eye as he stepped across the room towards the middle of the banquet hall before he turned, facing his own soldiers. They parted and made way for the two who were dragging the man, bringing him forwards. They dropped him unceremoniously to the floor and he staggered, hands clasping against the tiles. He was clad in robes, with no tail and a hood over his head, leaving his identity to be very mysterious. One of the knights grabbed his hood and yanked it back, lifting the man's head up by grabbing his hair-- he was a feline, and his eyes glimmered with magic.
"Let me make this clear," Jurn Dawland's voice boomed out through the quiet of the banquet hall. "The Jria Company is not welcome here. A spy dares to infiltrate my house, to gather information for his bastard organisation."
He nodded towards a guard next to him, and you watched as the knight approached, unsheathing a longsword from his scabbard. He held it in his hands and got onto one knee, offering to the leader of the House, and Jurn Dawland took it, holding it by the handle. He lowered it down to the feline's face and you realised why he was being executed rather quickly: he was a mage. How they got a hold of him without him escaping was something you weren't privy to, but you knew that the Laquain Empire despised mages with a passion, and considered them a stain on the world. It was no surprise to you that they'd want to execute any mage they'd find, but...you didn't expect them to make such a public spectacle of it, especially in the middle of a banquet such as this.
You tensed as Jurn Dawland wordlessly lifted his sword, bringing it backwards and swiping along. In a single, clean swing, the feline's head came free from his shoulders and slid, falling to the floor rather unceremoniously. The quiet //plop// of the head hitting the floor, accompanied by the mage's body, could have been heard throughout the entire banquet hall from how quiet it was. The sight was both sickening and also cruel. To be executed so abruptly...it made your skin crawl. They hadn't even interrogated him.(set:$EC to $TList's (random:1,$TList's length))
(if:$EC is "Duldes Dawland")[To your left, (if:$MetDu is false)[a hyena in similarly white ornate clothes, likely related to Jurn Dawland,](elseif:$MetDu is true)[Duldes Dawland, son of the very man in front of you,] turned his head to the side and ignored the spectacle, taking a large swig of the drink in his hand. Even from where you were standing, his eyes looked cold and indifferent, but the way he dropped his gaze to his glass seemed strange. His shoulders did not sag, not did they tense-- he appeared jaded, as if used to the violence.](elseif:$EC is "Sat Ipfeld")[To your right, (if:$MetSa is false)[a young military Plover, avian in appearance,](elseif:$MetSa is true)[Sat Ipfeld, adjutant to his Lord,] did not avert his eyes, but you could see from his expression that he was trying very hard to not look away. His gaze was steely and his shoulders were tense, and you looked down to see his hand clenched into a fist, trembling by his side. He was struggling.](elseif:$EC is "Raltarndarv Raltandavi")[To your left not too far away, (if:$MetRa is false)[a bear-like creature that towered over everyone else](elseif:$MetRa is true)[Ralt, leader of his people] watched with a mixture of indifference and annoyance, almost cold. He shrugged his shoulders and turned amidst the spectacle of the execution, and you had to wonder if it was due to his species. Maybe he was just to such things or was just resigned to the fact that nobles could be like this-- not that you disagreed with that either, sad as it was.](elseif:$EC is "Berlis Dawson")[To your right, (if:$MetBe is false)[a green and black reptile clad in lavender clothes](elseif:$MetBe is true)[Berlis Dawson, head of his House] watched with a mixture of delight and amusement on his face at the sight of a man dying before him, and you felt nothing but disgust for such an expression. His face was almost euphoric, but it was more akin to just the sheer amount of pride he likely felt for his people, his nobility. You shuddered and looked away.]
Suddenly, a rush hit you like a whirlwind. Those around you barely batted an eyelid at the execution, but your $skin tingled and your own magic, rudimentary and inexperienced, reacted to sensation, swelling up briefly within you before fading. Your vision flashed with an array of images that you didn't recognise, and the faintness of power touched with your core, settling within you. You could only assume that your body reacted to the residual outpour of magic that comes from a mage's death.]
{|CC>[//Please choose a Twist of Fate.//<br>
<br>
(set:$TC1 to $Twists's (random:1,$Twists's length))
(set:$Twists to it - (a:$TC1))
(set:$TC2 to $Twists's (random:1,$Twists's length))
(set:$Twists to it - (a:$TC2))
(set:$TC3 to $Twists's (random:1,$Twists's length))
(set:$Twists to it - (a:$TC3))
<div class='img-container-card'>(display:$TC1)</div><div class='img-container-card'>(display:$TC2)</div><div class='img-container-card'>(display:$TC3)</div>]}(live:0.2s)[(if:$CCC is true)[(stop:)(set:$CCC to false)(align:"<==")[You absorbed the power into your body and breathed a sigh as you felt it flow through you. You're not sure what it was or what you'd do with it, but it was sure to come in handy in your mission. It was not the mage's intention to release his magic like that after dying, however-- that was simply a natural thing to occur when a mage died. Pity struck through you, but you kept a straight face-- if anyone saw you grimacing or looking sad, they might grow suspicious.
Jurn Dawland raised his blade and took a cloth from a nearby servant, cleaning the blade of blood before handing it back to the knight. He turned once, casting his gaze through the crowd as if sending a silent message, before he stepped over the body and returned through the door he came through. The guards picked up the body, but left the blood where it was, dragging the body out.
The nobles cared not for a loss of life and went right back to their conversations as if nothing was wrong-- however, you couldn't help but feel disturbed by what you saw.](set:$RER to true)
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Return.")[(goto:(history:)'s last)]</div>](elseif:$CCC is false)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]](align:"<==")[The party was bustling with nobles left and right, and waiters swerved and dipped efficiently to serve drinks to every noble they could find-- but even some waiters weren't perfect. As you were mingling with some of the other nobles and enjoying a glass of what seemed to be aged wine, the shattering of glass and the shrill cry of a female caught your attention, and you twisted your head in the direction of the noise.(set:$ET1 to $TList's (random:1,$TList's length))
(if:$ET1 is "Duldes Dawland")[Your eyes focused on (if:$MetDu is false)[a well-dressed hyena, with white and gold clothes](elseif:$MetDu is true)[Duldes Dawland] who stood amongst a crowd of people, a waiter in front of him. The server was bowed down in apology as the remnants of several glasses of wine, along with shards of broken glass, lay strewn across the floor-- more than that, however, was the obvious red stain across the hyena's front. The waiter must have bumped into him and splashed on his clothes, leaving them stained.
For a moment, the hyena didn't say a word-- he was strangely quiet, staring down at his stained doublet and shirt. You would have thought that a high-ranking noble with such fancy garments would erupt at the thought of his clothes being so needlessly stained, potentially beyond repair. Yet, all he did was look down at himself, as if observing the damage.
"I-I'm so sorry!" The waiter insisted. "I wasn't looking where I was going, please forgive me, please...!"
The hyena stared down at the waiter for a moment, before he turned from him, looking towards the door at the back of the room.
"Clean yourself up." He demanded with a dark tone, and it looked as if he were restraining himself. He strode from the hall and towards the door, disappearing out of sight as waiters came to the servant's aid, brushing up the glass into a pile and scooping it away into a dustpan, whilst others mopped and cleaned the floor with absorbent towels and water. You watched for some time until the hyena appeared again after some time. His garments were near-identical in colour and ornate design to his previous ones, though they seemed to be subtly different in places. You can only assume he changed his clothes, but how and where you couldn't be certain.
The hyena didn't go hunting for the waiter who'd spilt the drink over him, though you could tell from the way he acted earlier that he was angry about it. It seemed like he didn't want to express his anger in front of the other nobles-- which left you to wonder exactly how he'd punish the waiter later, if at all.](elseif:$ET1 is "Sat Ipfeld")[Your gaze focused on (if:$MetSa is false)[a young avian in casual military wear](elseif:$MetSa is true)[Sat Ipfeld], who stood in front of a bowing waiter amongst a crowd of other nobles. The server was bowed low amidst shards of glass and spilt wind, with a silver tray dashed to the side. You weren't close enough to hear, but you could tell that the servant was expressing his most heartfelt apologies, and was likely begging for his life, or forgiveness, or both. The sight was pitiful to see-- but the avian didn't look noble enough to take such a rigid stance. Your prediction inevitable rang true.
You watched as the avian crouched down, offering his hands to the waiter and helping him up. With a gesture, he brought over waiters closer and they set to work cleaning up-- the avian didn't join in at first, for he was talking to the one who'd spilt the drinks, but he eventually helped to mop and sweep as the servants fervently tried to stop him as others watched. You could vaguely see from a distance that the wine hadn't just spilt all over the floor, but also on the avian's top-- his jerkin was stained with wine, but he didn't even seem to care about it.
Nobles watched with a mixture of bewilderment and disdain as the avian helped the servants to clean, before they dispersed to talk amongst themselves. Meanwhile, with the aid of a waiter who'd brought him a towel, the avian did his best to pat himself down and dry off his front, but it was clear that the wine had seeped in. He thought nothing of it, and was even surprised when a servant came to offer him a spare jerkin, one that seemed to be from House Dawland's barracks. It seemed fitting to you that they should offer alternative clothing for those who they'd accidentally spilt wine on, and despite the avian's initial protest he reluctantly accepted it, swapping one for the other. They spoke again briefly before the servants departed to go and get his jerkin cleaned, and the avian returned to conversation, as did the other nobles.](elseif:$ET1 is "Raltarndarv Raltandavi")[Amongst a crowd of other nobles, (if:$MetRa is false)[a large, almost 8 foot tall black and brown bear creature](elseif:$MetRa is true)[Raltarndarv Raltandavi, leader of the Raltandair] stands above the rest, staring down at a waiter who cowers before him like prey about to get ripped to shreds by a predator. The waiter is on his knees, apologising profusely under his breath, practically trembling on the spot. Around him lay the remnants of the tray he was carrying, the silver platter fallen to the side, with glass shards and wine spilt around him. Other servers approached to try and calm the conflict, but it was clear they were all afraid of the creature before them and what he might do if he got angry.
"It's fine." The creature grunted, looking down at the wine that had predominantly soaked through his bare legs, but left the rest of his garments clean-- it couldn't even be seen that well against his black fur. He used a large paw to wipe himself down as the other servants helped the waiter to his feet and they began to clean up. The creature hesitated, as if he wanted to help, but he faltered when he saw the amount of eyes upon him. Suddenly, he bowed his head and apologised, before turning and trudging away before the servant could respond.
His response was perplexing to you, but you could only assume that he just wanted to be polite, or he was trying to keep up appearances. The servants quickly and swiftly cleaned up the mess they'd made, but none of them dares to follow after the creature to offer to clean him-- instead, they left him to it, and the creature all but ignored the stain on his legs, as if he didn't exist. No-one made mention to it either, from what you could see. It was...confusing, to say the least.](elseif:$ET1 is "Berlis Dawson")[Across the room, you saw (if:$MetBe is false)[a reptile clad in ornate grayish purple garb](elseif:$MetBe is true)[Berlis Dawson] looking down at a cowering servant with a disdain like no other. The waiter in question had crumpled to the floor, his hands curled against his knees as he profusely apologised. Around him lay shattered glass and wine as well as a tray off to the side. From the scene before you, it was easy to guess that the waiter had bumped into the reptile accidentally and sent the tray flying along with its contents. It hadn't just hit the floor either-- you could see from a distance that the nobleman's lavender-coloured jerking was stained with blotchy red spots from the wine.
"I-I'm sorry, My Lord," The waiter began. "I didn't notice you as I was walking by, please f--"
As the man spoke, the reptile reached out and struck the waiter across the face with the back of his scaled hand. The waiter staggered to the side on his knees, reaching up to clutch his cheek, and the reptile simmered on the spot before turning on a heel.
"Clean this mess up!" He demanded, before storming off. You watched as he disappeared from the banquet hall completely, though you didn't know as to where. Meanwhile, other servants and waiters came to the first's aid, helping him to his feet and speaking quietly to him as nobles watched and murmured, before eventually dispersing-- they'd had their 'fun', it seemed. You watched from a distance as the servant's gently lead the initial one away, and you spotted the reptile appear from the other end of the banquet hall, his jerkin swapped out for a different one, for now. You presumed that he'd get the other one cleaned and handed to him rather quickly. He still looked angry, and snatched a drink from another waiter's outstretched tray, before going to mingle with other nobles. A dislike of the reptile simmered within you as you watched him.]
Once the incident was over, there was nothing more to see, so you returned to mingling with the guests at the party.](set:$RER to true)
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Return.")[(goto:(history:)'s last)]</div>(align:"<==")[As you wandered around the banquet hall and mingled with guests, your attention was brought to a series of servants who came from the doors at the far end of the hall, which led deeper into House Dawland's secondary estate. The servants carried covered trays which mysterious contents within, and there weren't just one or two of them, but several all at once, at least in the double digits. They strode with pride and purpose, their expressions straight and hard to read as they carried the trays over towards the banquet table. As they set them down, they scooped up other empty trays to take away, whilst taking the bowled covers off of each tray in turn. Beneath lay small appetizers that seemed both luxurious and expensive.
You weren't one for fancy food, but it quickly became clear that the nobles enjoyed such finery-- they soon began to pool around the table like flies, circling and picking at the food. In the end, even you couldn't resist the temptation, and you stepped forwards to do the same.(set:$ET1 to $TList's (random:1,$TList's length))
(if:$ET1 is "Duldes Dawland")[As you made your way closer, you physically bumped into (if:$MetDu is false)[a hyena dressed in white and gold finery](elseif:$MetDu is true)[Duldes Dawland, firstborn and heir to House Dawland]. He recoiled briefly from your touch and then glared (if:$height is <5.5)[down at you](else:)[at you], perturbed by your sudden contact. You quickly bowed and apologised, recognising the hyena's fancy clothes to be one of immeasurably high status, and he seemed to be satisfied with your response.
He strode past you to the table and other nobles visibly parted to let him through, watching as he plucked that looked to be a well-cooked, browned piece of meat adorned with herbs from one of the platters, popping it in his mouth. He chewed thoughtfully and reached for what you assumed to be a devilled egg and chewed that down too, before plucking another couple from the tray and holding it in his hands. He turned, giving you one final look and tilting his head subtly in acknowledgement, before striding off, departing from the banquet table.](elseif:$ET1 is "Sat Ipfeld")[As you approached, someone from your right bumped into you. You briefly staggered and heard them express their apology, and you looked over to see (if:$MetSa is false)[a young, early 20's avian dressed in casual military attire](elseif:$MetSa is true)[Sat Ipfeld].
"Apologies, I didn't see you," He began, glancing at the table. "I'll admit, I was entranced. I've never seen such fine food. Hold on a moment-- just wait there, okay?"
He gestured for you to stay and disappeared over towards the table. When he returned, both palms were full of an array of foods, and he held one hand out to you to take the food within. (if:$species is "avian")[It seemed he took care to account for your species, for his hand was full of various berries, or small cakes and pastries containing them.](else:)[In his palm lay various meat and fished based appetizers, as well as some egg-based ones.]
"Sharing is quite common in the Laquain military," He explained. "I got these for you. Please, take them."
"Thank you." You held out your palms and he tipped the contents of his own into your hands, beaming from cheek to cheek. He doesn't linger, however-- instead, he nods and walks past you back into the crowd. You quickly nibble down the food as you watch him go.](elseif:$ET1 is "Raltarndarv Raltandavi")[As you approached the table, you were awkwardly pushed to the side by (if:$MetRa is false)[an 8 foot tall bear-like creature](elseif:$MetRa is true)[the Leader of the Raltandair, Raltarndarv Raltandavi], whose way was parted by other nobles as he approached the table.
He looked over the various delicacies therein and reached out, pinching a tiny sliver of cooked meat between two fingers. He brought it to his nose and sniffed, recoiling at its smell before placing it in his mouth and chewing it down quickly and easily. He shuddered on the spot, as if it didn't suit his taste-- you initially wondered why, but then realised that it might be to do with his appearance: creatures probably didn't take kindly to cooked meats. Though, you were sure that feral dogs were fine with it-- perhaps it was his constituion that was the issue?
The bear-like creature didn't linger any longer, and ignored the rest of the other foods as he made his way back through the crowd, briefly muttering apologies as he awkwardly slipped by people, trying not to knock them over.](elseif:$ET1 is "Berlis Dawson")[As you approached the table, you bumped into (if:$MetBe is false)[a green and black reptile in lavender garments](elseif:$MetBe is true)[Berlis Dawson], who looked you up and down with a certain degree of irritation when you knocked shoulders together, albeit briefly on both accounts. He didn't know whether to scold you or to bow to you, so he instead turned away and focused on what he was there for, as were you. You decided it was better not to fight over it.
The reptile reached for the finest thing on the name and plucked several pieces of it right off the tray. No-one dared to say anything directly to him, either because they were lower in status or because they were simply to polite to do so, but that didn't stop them from muttering to one-another under their breath. Surprisingly, however, the reptile ignored them with all the grace you might expect from a person of his status-- their insults and witty quips that could barely be heard above the chatter of the banquet hall fell on deaf ears as he filled a palm with luxurious delights.
The reptile eventually retreated with good in hand, but he made a point of stopping to stare at you just for a moment longer. He parted his maw to say something, then closed it again and shook his head, stepping past you and heading back into the crowd.]
You eventually managed to get closer to the banquet table, but most of the rest of the appetizers were already gone. It didn't bother you too much, though it made you a little wistful-- you wanted to try something new, after all. With a shrug, you returned back towards the crowd of mingling nobles.](set:$RER to true)
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Return.")[(goto:(history:)'s last)](align:"<==")[You retreated to a quiet corner of the party to take a breather, and you scanned over the crowd, making a clear note of the 4 notable targets or your mission. Though you couldn't be certain of which target is attributed to the cryptic prophecies that The Preacher has been giving you, you know on some level that they're all important in one way or another-- for that reason, you don't want anything to get in the way of your mission.
However, it seemed that fate itself intended on putting a metaphorical stick in your wheel.(set:$ET1 to $TList's (random:1,$TList's length))
(if:$ET1 is "Duldes Dawland")[From the edge of the room, you watched a young and slender canine female wander up to one of your targets-- (if:$MetDu is false)[a hyena, clad in ornate white and gold garments that betrayed his status](elseif:$MetDu is true)[Duldes Dawland, firstborn heir to House Dawland]. The appearance of the woman irked you slightly, but what angered you more was her attempts to fraternise with the hyena. She walked right up to him and spoke with him at least a good metre away, but you watched from afar as she quickly began to close the distance. She plucked the glass from the hyena's hands and downed it on one, placing it on a passing waiter's tray before she slid closer to the man. Her dress was revealing around the shoulders and deliberately meant to entice him. Though it was clear from a distance that he didn't look that interested, annoyance crossed your face when he didn't look away from her womanly figure.
Though it was perhaps not the best idea, you decided to make your way over. Weaving through the crowd, you approached from a distance, but deliberately picked a spot behind the woman so that she didn't see you coming. The hyena, however, was vividly aware of your approach and he was both bewildered and perturbed at the sight. When you eventually met with the woman's back, you shifted into her line of sight, standing beside them.
"Excuse me, is this woman bothering you?" You asked, glancing to the woman before back at the hyena.
"...No, not all that much," The hyena looked her up and down before meeting your gaze, his eyes cold. Yet, when he looked at her he seemed to be almost...hungry. His eyes soaked in her form and appreciated it, but his stance made it seem like he wasn't very invested.
"And who might you be?" She asked, batting her eyelashes at you. Much like the fancily-dressed hyena, her eyes were cold, almost calculating. You could see the irritation on her face from your interruption.
"I just thought His Lordship seemed very uncomfortable with your presence...after all, I did see you making your way over from some distance, seeking him out personally. Didn't you also take his drink, too?" You quipped, causing her face to flush in response, taken aback by your forwards. She wanted to speak, but the hyena stopped her with a raised hand. He looked between the two of you, coldly regarding your both.
"Perhaps you both should leave, before you make things more unnecessary than they need to be." He suggested. Though you had every inclination that he wouldn't be happy with you interrupting, you're glad that you've thrown the potentially sneaky woman off of him, metaphorically speaking. The female fumed on the spot before turning on a heel and walking off, whereas you bowed respectfully and then retreated back through the crowd.(set:$Havoc to it + 20)](elseif:$ET1 is "Sat Ipfeld")[From the edge of the room, you watched a curvaceous, well-dressed female avian sultrily make her way across the room towards one of your targets-- (if:$MetSa is false)[a early 20's avian Plover, uncomfortable in the high-society atmosphere](elseif:$MetSa is true)[Sat Ipfeld, Adjutant to Lord Ailyn Carein]. In her hands she held a set of drinks, filled to the brim with bubbling wine, and she easily weaved her way through the party's patrons as she made her way towards him. Irritation bubbled within you at the sight of someone driving a wedge in your plans, and you watched from a distance as she approached the avian and offered him a drink, arm outstretched. You saw him politely take it from her and bow, as if she were a noble. You could hear her tittering laughter all the way from the other end of the banquet hall, and the male avian looked visibly flushed at the attention.
Against your better judgement, you decided to make your way over, quickly and easily weaving in between various nobles as you drew closer and closer. You approached from behind the male and the female spotted you making your way other, but did nothing to stop you. As you approached, you became more aware of her appearance-- she had sultry, mature features and a rich mixture of red and black feathers that gave her a regal appearance, made even more prominent thanks to her exposed shoulders and flowing lilac gown.
"It appears another intends to join the conversation." The avian female spoke clearly as you approached, and she nodded in your direction, causing the male avian to turn around, surprised by your sudden arrival.
"Oh, hello," He smiled between the two of you. "Do you two...know each other?"
"Not at all," You smiled, attempting to be charismatic. "I don't believe we're acquainted, Lady...?"
"Oh, I am no noble," She assured you. "Please, just call me Elizibeth."
"I see," You nodded. "Do you two know each other? I saw you approaching this fellow from across the room with purpose. Quite the distance to go for a complete stranger, if you ask me."
"Well...no, but birds of a feather, and all that." She chuckled, but it was clear she was both a little throw off and disturbed by your sudden admittance. The male avian, too, was a little confused with the pair of you, able to sense the tension.
"Ah, if you'll excuse me...Lord Carein seems to require my assistance." The avian made a very good excuse to leave and quickly stepped past the two of you, disappearing into the crowd. You and the female exchanged a look, almost that of rivals, before she turned on a scaly heel and walked off with all the elegance and grace of a woman of her stature, or lack thereof. Irritation swept through you, but you've at least thrown her off him for now, metaphoricall speaking...but at what cost, you wondered?(set:$Havoc to it + 20)](elseif:$ET1 is "Raltarndarv Raltandavi")[From the edge of the room, you watched as a well-dressed female, canine by the looks of it, made her away across the room with a sense of purpose and pride that you didn't really see in the nobles around her. She bore nothing in her hands, but it was clear she was heading in the direction of a certain someone-- (if:$MetRa is false)[the large, 8 foot tall creature that mingled with other nobles](elseif:$MetRa is true)[Raltarndarv Raltandavi, the chieftain of the Raltandair].
A twinge of irritation rushed through you, and you watched as she approached the creature from behind, before circling into his line of sight. The towering bear-like man had obviously been talking to no-one in particular, for his attention quickly shifted from them to her. You were too far away to hear what they were talking about, but the combination of her titilating laughter and his unreadable expression either meant he was being ridiculed or seduced; it was hard to tell, but either way you intended to put a stop to it. You weaved your way through the crowd in an attempt to approach.
"...Lord Raltandavi, you're quite the charmer," You heard her speak as you approached from behind. "The other nobles said you're so brutish, but I know better..."
"Is everything alright over here?" Your abruptly interrupted their conversation before the creature had a chance to reply. Both of them looked at you in surprise, each with different expressions.
"Uh...yes?" The woman batted her eyelashes, adjusting the strap of her dress that covered her bosom and clung around her chest. "Who might you be?"
"Just a concerned individual," You assured her. "This fellow here seemed a little uncomfortable with your presence...and I did see you making your way over with purpose. I worry you might have ulterior motives."
"That's not necessary..." The creature began, feeling put on the spot. "In fact, I'll take my leave."
"You..." The woman began, but the tall bear man merely turned and trudged off, all but ignoring the pair of you. The woman fumed for a time, glaring at you, before she turned and left as well. You've no doubt that your antics caused something of a disruption, but at the very least you've disrupted any meddling to your plans.(set:$Havoc to it + 20)](elseif:$ET1 is "Berlis Dawson")[Across the other side of the room, you saw a sultrily dressed, curvaceous canine woman making her way across the banquet hall, drinks in hand. You initially didn't notice her at first, but it was the way she walked with clear purpose and confidence that eventually caught your attention. As she walked, it became clear what her destination was, for she headed to one person in particular-- (if:$MetBe is false)[a well-dressed, mid to high-ranking noble reptile](elseif:$MetBe is true)[Berlis Dawson, head of House Dawson]. He was one of your notable figures, his fine clothes and lavender jerkin a clear indication of his status.
Irritation crossed your features as you watched her approach the reptile, offering him one of the drinks in her hand. He took it and you could see from a distance that he was being polite, but clearly eyeing her up. He seemed almost lecherous and perverted, but his gaze quickly met with her face and they took part in light conversation. You weren't close enough to hear what they were saying, nor could you read lips, but they were obviously enjoying themselves. You watched as the canine laughed loudly and reached out to touch the reptile's arm, flirting with him. Realising that she could get in the way of your plans, you gritted your teeth and made your way over.
"...You know, if you're that interested in the history of Dawson House, I'd be more than happy to give you a private tour of my estate," The reptile flirted with her as you drew close, finally catching their conversation. "I'm sure you'd find it to your liking."
"Oh, Mr. Dawson," The woman began. "You are quite the c--"
"Hello," You interrupted them, admittedly rather rudely. "Pardon me, but someone is looking for you, Mr. Dawson."
"Who?" The reptile glared at you, half-angry and half-frustrated. (if:$MetBe is false)[You admittedly didn't know who he was, so you'd merely used his name when you heard it.](elseif:$MetBe is true)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]
"I believe his surname was Carein?" He frowned. "Something about supplies..."
The reptile's eyes widened and he downed his drunk, thrusting the glass into your hand. He excused him and quickly strode past you into the crowd. Obviously you had lied through your teeth, but it was in the service of getting him away from the woman, who merely glared at you and stomped off. You're sure that your lie will come back to bite you, but it was good a good cause.(set:$Havoc to it + 20)]
With that done, you returned to mingling with guests.](set:$RER to true)
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Return.")[(goto:(history:)'s last)](align:"<==")[The banquet hall was quite busy, for the most part, and you admittedly needed a breather. You made your way to one of the ends of the room, where corridors beyond led into rooms further into the Dawland Estate. You had no intention of occupying of those rooms, but instead opted to just linger around the halls, hoping to experience a little bit of peace and quiet before returning to the banquet hall. Even you, who was only here to complete your mission, needed to take a break from time to time.
As you walked, your attention was drawn to a peculiar sound-- it was a combination of tinkling and scratching, like a domestic cat but louder and more prominent. (if:$species is "canine")[You twisted your ears](else:)[You turned your head] towards the source of the noise and then followed it towards the source, your heart beginning to quicken in your chest. The hallways outside the banquet hall weren't completely empty of people-- the occasional noble or guard appeared and walked past or departed over time-- but the majority of the time it was just you, alone. That made the noise equally as disturbing as it was peculiar.
You eventually found the source of the noise, hidden behind one of the many doors that lined House Dawland's corridors. The door itself wasn't uniquely named nor did it bear any sort of plaque to indicate its use-- it was, effectively, an unknown room. The uncertainty made you anxious, but your curiosity was getting the better of you. Sucking in a deep breath, you grasped the handle of the door knob and twisted, pulling the door open.
Beyond lay pitch black darkness as the room beyond lay unlit-- not even the light from the hallway seeped in, almost like it was devoid of all light. Then, suddenly, from the darkness came a hand. You jumped on the spot and immediately retreated, and heard a quiet chuckle in response. From the darkness came a familiar masked face-- The Preacher, your handler and caretaker during your mission.
"Did I scare you?" He teased almost playfully, before gesturing your closer. "I had a feeling you might find me if I tried hard enough. Now...take this, before someone notices."
He reached back and then stretched his hand back out again shortly thereafter, depositing a small pouch in your hand. You loosened the drawstring and viewed the contents.]
{|CC>[//Please choose a Twist of Fate.//<br>
<br>
(set:$TC1 to $Twists's (random:1,$Twists's length))
(set:$Twists to it - (a:$TC1))
(set:$TC2 to $Twists's (random:1,$Twists's length))
(set:$Twists to it - (a:$TC2))
(set:$TC3 to $Twists's (random:1,$Twists's length))
(set:$Twists to it - (a:$TC3))
<div class='img-container-card'>(display:$TC1)</div><div class='img-container-card'>(display:$TC2)</div><div class='img-container-card'>(display:$TC3)</div>]}(live:0.2s)[(if:$CCC is true)[(stop:)(set:$CCC to false)(align:"<==")[You pocket the pouch, knowing that its contents may come in handy some time in the future. You stare at The Preacher in his mask and feel a little uneasy when his gaze meets yours, purple eyes staring into your soul. There is one burning question that you feel compelled to answer.
"...Why are you hiding in this room? Why not just...hand it to me out here?" You asked, and The Preacher shook his head, tutting under his breath.
"There are eyes and ears everywhere. You have much to learn." With a final sigh, he suddenly stepped backwards into the darkness. The door to your right swung briefly and bumped with your shoulder, and you stepped back, watching it swing shut all on it's own. A quiet chuckle, as loud as someone whispering in your ear, shortly followed and you felt perturbed. When you turned, the corridor was completely empty-- The Preacher had picked a good time to help you, so it appeared. You didn't walk one step before someone rounded the corner in the distance to your left, and you turned from them, walking back down towards the door to the banquet hall.
That was enough fresh air for now.](set:$RER to true)
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Return.")[(goto:(history:)'s last)]</div>](elseif:$CCC is false)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]](align:"<==")[Fresh air sounded good right about now. You stepped away from the banquet hall and wandered out into the corridor beyond, taking a breather from the stifling atmosphere and tiptoeing around nobles and trying your best to be...well, polite.
House Dawland's corridors were quiet and empty, lined with doors on either side that lead into rooms beyond. Some doors were marked, whilst others were not, presumably used for storage or servant's quarters. Your mind wandered as you walked, mulling over the events of the night, your mission, The Preacher and a lot of things on your life, and before you knew it you found yourself in another wing of the house. The ornate, fancy walls were indicative of how off-limits the area was, but no-one was around to tell you off. There wasn't even a maid in sight dusting the walls or surfaces. It probably wasn't a good idea, but you decided to wander, just a little.
A tickling feeling crept across your body and your felt your body swell with a familiar power. You were by no means a 'mage', but you did have something akin to a magic core within you, enough for you to do some rudimentary spells-- but predominantly, it was useful for detecting magic. To your surprise, House Dawland was home to such residue, and the residual magic in the air was calling to you, almost. You felt compelled to follow it, instinctively heading deeper into House Dawland itself and following the tug of your core.
The journey to find the source of the magic eventually led you to a quiet and dark room at the back of House Dawland's western wing, is probably the most lavish part of the house, if you had to guess. There, you stood in front of a door where the pull of magic seemed to be the strongest, and you didn't hesitate to open the door. The light from the corridor seeped into the room, bathing it in a warm glow. It looked to be a bedroom befitting that of a woman, with lacy, frilly bed linens, a vanity table and generally floral, elegant furniture and decorations. You stepped inside, vividly aware you were trespassing, and followed the tingle of magic all the way over to the vanity table.
There, you pulled open a draw and found an ornate hand mirror. You grasped its handle and raised it up, staring at your own reflection in the mirror. You weren't sure why, but this thing was emanating magic. You squinted at your reflection in the mirror for a moment before a sharp pain in your head caused you to stumble. You felt the tug and billow of magic rush up your own and settle in your core, your body inadvertently absorbing its power.]
{|CC>[//Please choose a Twist of Fate.//<br>
<br>
(set:$TC1 to $Twists's (random:1,$Twists's length))
(set:$Twists to it - (a:$TC1))
(set:$TC2 to $Twists's (random:1,$Twists's length))
(set:$Twists to it - (a:$TC2))
(set:$TC3 to $Twists's (random:1,$Twists's length))
(set:$Twists to it - (a:$TC3))
<div class='img-container-card'>(display:$TC1)</div><div class='img-container-card'>(display:$TC2)</div><div class='img-container-card'>(display:$TC3)</div>]}(live:0.2s)[(if:$CCC is true)[(stop:)(set:$CCC to false)(align:"<==")[The magic settled within you, finding it's new home inside your body, and you quickly set the mirror down and pushed the drawer shut. You're not entirely sure what you just did-- magic was, as always, indescribable and fickle-- but you figured you'd probably done something bad. You swiftly turned and strode out the room before you could be spotted, and made your way back down the wing, attempting to guess the right way back to the banquet hall.
On your way, you bumped into a maid who seemed perturbed by your presence in an off-limits area, but she took pity on you when you put on your innocent, charismatic charm, and pointed you in the right direction, swearing to secrecy. You thanked her profusely and in a matter of minutes found yourself back around the corridors outside the banquet hall, with no-one to wiser to what you'd just done. Phew.](set:$RER to true)
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Return.")[(goto:(history:)'s last)]</div>](elseif:$CCC is false)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]]{(set:$TChoice1 to (a:$Target1, $Target2))
(set:$ET1 to $TChoice1's (either:1,2))
(if:$RaltGone is true)[(set:$ET2 to $Target4)](elseif:$RaltGone is false)[(set:$TChoice2 to (a:$Target3, $Target4))
(set:$ET2 to $TChoice2's (either:1,2))]}
(align:"<==")[Throughout the party, everything seemed to be...well, //normal,// if that was any way to describe it. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary, no ruckus caused by drunk nobles or arguments between patrons. You were mingling, to a degree-- though you were honestly more just wandering around, seeing what others were up to. As you wandered, you eventually came across a group of 3 people, having something of a hushed conversation near one of the doors leading out of the banquet hall. There stood two of you noted individuals: the first being (if:$ET1 is "Duldes Dawland")[(if:$MetDu is false)[a well-dressed hyena in ornate white and gold clothes](elseif:$MetDu is true)[Duldes Dawland, the firstborn heir]](elseif:$ET1 is "Sat Ipfeld")[(if:$MetSa is false)[a polite-looking avian in casual military attire](elseif:$MetSa is true)[the adjutant to Lord Carein, Sat Ipfeld]] and the second being (if:$ET2 is "Raltarndarv Raltandavi")[(if:$MetRa is false)[a hulking, ridiculously tall bear-like creature](elseif:$MetRa is true)[Ralt, leader of the Raltandair]](elseif:$ET2 is "Berlis Dawson")[(if:$MetBe is false)[a prim and proper reptile with green and black scales](elseif:$MetBe is true)[Berlis Dawson, head of his house]]. The third man, however, was completely unknown to you-- a new face amongst the crowd. He was a feline, slender with wily eyes and a particularly lavish getup. You were immediately suspicious, but decided to watch from a distance, for now. You turned your back to them and listened intently, pretending to be enthralled in something else.
"Please, just hear me out, (if:$ET1 is "Sat Ipfeld")[fellow nobles...and adjutant](else:)[fellow nobles]," The unknown man spoke as you listened, unable to see if he was gesturing or otherwise. "I implore you to consider the options available to you. You both have power in one way or another...wouldn't it be beneficial to make use of it?"
(if:$ET1 is "Duldes Dawland")["I'm listening." The hyena spoke in a hushed tone, and you grimaced at his reply, disappointed-- though it ultimately didn't surprise you.
"I have a very good business venture that just needs a little bit of capital...and a willing person with status to look the other way," The feline chuckled darkly as he spoke. "What would you say to...magic scrolls?"
"...Those are illegal by law of the Laquain Empire," The hyena responded, his tone as muted as before. "As I'm sure you're aware."
"O-Oh course, Lord Dawland, of course!" The feline sounded nervous. "B-But if you'll just turn a blind eye, imagine the possibilities! The enemies you can bury, the wealth you can accrue..."](elseif:$ET12 is "Sat Ipfeld")["I don't think there's anything to discuss." The avian's tone was hard and curt. You could only suspect he might be angry, though it's hard to tell without looking.
"P-Please, hear me out, Sir Ipfeld--" The feline began, but was quickly cut off.
"There's no 'sir'. I'm an adjutant, a soldier. I have no title." The avian insisted, his voice quivering a little with what you guessed to be nerves.
"But you have an ear to Lord Carein, Mr. Ipfeld" The feline pressed. "You have administrative rights! All you need to do is approve some things and look the other way, and all your enemies will disappear..."]
"And what about you?" The feline spoke, and you could tell he was trying to coerce the other one into his little scheme.
(if:$ET2 is "Raltarndarv Raltandavi")["I have no need to remove such enemies," The bear creature replied simply. "If I were to kill, it would be with my own claws, not through petty schemes."
"W-Well, surely there's other things you might want..." The feline began. "Wealth? Power? Fame?"
There was a strange, terse silence that made you feel awkward. Why wasn't he saying anything? Was he scared? Angry? You didn't want to risk looking behind you to see what was happening, so all you could do was speculate.
"The answer is no." The creature eventually said after a while, and despite the feline's spluttering the conversation did not continue.](elseif:$ET2 is "Berlis Dawson")["Do away with enemies, you say?" the reptile seemed delighted by the idea, then cleared his throat. "A-Ah, but, I have no need for such things. I am in a comfortable position."
"O-Of course, Lord Dawson-- there was never any doubt about that," The feline assured him. "I just mean if you wanted to gain more wealth and power..."
(if:$ET1 is "Duldes Dawland")["You dare to say such things in front of Lord Dawland?" The reptile spat, his words dripping with warning. "As if you intend for me to take his place?"](elseif:$ET1 is "Sat Ipfeld")["You dare to say such things in front of the adjutant to Lord Carein?" The reptile spat, words dripping with venom. "As if you intend for me to take his place?"]
"N-No, Your Lordship, I would never--" The feline tried to excuse himself.
"Enough," The reptile muttered. "Speak no more of it in my presence, you vile creature."]
With that, their conversation drew to a close. (if:$ET1 is "Duldes Dawland")[(if:$ET2 is "Berlis Dawson")[You turned your head slightly to see the hyena and reptile step a little closer to the feline and speak in a hushed tone, to the point where even you couldn't hear what they were saying, before they abruptly parted and walked off in separate directions. A feeling of dread sunk into your gut as your snapped your head back forwards, playing the part of being an innocent party-goer as the hyena strode past you, not even acknowledging your presence. How far does the corruption in Gromarch go, you wonder?
With nothing left to do, you return to mingling through the crowd, with renewed purpose.](else:)[You turned your head slightly to see one of your noted targets walk away, whilst Lord Dawland remained. He stepped towards the feline and they spoke in a quiet, hushed tone that you couldn't quite hear. Then, rather abruptly, they parted and went in separate directions. You quickly looked away and played the role of an inconspicuous party-goer, watching from the corner of your eye as the hyena walked past you, heading into the crowd. How far does the corruption in Gromarch go, you wonder?
With nothing left to do, you return to mingling through the crowd, with renewed purpose.]](else:)[(if:$ET2 is "Berlis Dawson")[You turned your head slightly to see one of your noted targets walk away, whilst Lord Dawson remained. He stepped towards the feline and they spoke in a quiet, hushed tone that you couldn't quite hear, but you had no doubt that the conversation was bad. Then, rather abruptly, they parted and went in separate directions. You quickly looked away and played the role of an inconspicuous party-goer, watching from the corner of your eye as the reptile walked past you, heading into the crowd. How far does the corruption in Gromarch go, you wonder?
With nothing left to do, you return to mingling through the crowd, with renewed purpose.](else:)[You turned your head slightly and watched as the avian and the large bear creature stepped away from the man and walked back off into the crowd, both of them equally as irritated and angry at the feline's suggestions and insinuations. You cast your gaze towards the feline and saw him splutter and grimace on the spot, before he turned and stomped off, muttering under his breath. It looked as if their plan was foiled.
With a sigh of relief, you returned to mingling with Gromarch's upper-class nobility.]]](set:$RER to true)
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Return.")[(goto:(history:)'s last)]{(set:$WThreshold to 50)
(set:$Roll to (random:1,100) - $LChance)}
(align:"<==")[Off to the side of the man banquet table sat a number of nobles drinking, laughing and generally having fun, crowded around a single table. Curiosity got the better of you and you made your way over, curious as to what they were doing. When you drew closer, it became clear that they were gambling-- on the table's surface sat a wide circular object with a plush green felt bottom, and an array of varying coloured dice sitting on top. Nobles shook the dice in their hands and tossed them into the tray, cursing or laughing as they lost or failed the rolls depending on what they had bet. It seemed like fun. As you lingered and watched, a man next to you asked if you wanted to join in.
"I don't think I know how to play," You admitted. "At least, not in the same capacity as what you're playing."
"It's quite simple, good fellow," The man, a polite and stocky reptile, hooked his arm around your shoulder. "Simply make a bet and try to roll a total of 7 with two dice."
"Just a total?" You blinked, and he grinned from cheek to cheek in response. He gestured to the board and you stared down at it, a feeling of anxiety swelling up within you. Was is worth the risk for a bit of fun?]
{
|EC>[<div class='img-container-event'>Will you play, and risk it all?</div><br>
<br>
<div class='img-container-event'>Will you back out, not willing to take the risk?</div><br>
<br>
<div class='img-container-event'>Will you up the stakes, and get a taste of the thrill?</div>]
(click:"Will you play, and risk it all?")[(replace:?EC)[(align:"<==")[You were, admittedly, very drawn in by the idea. You're not really much of a gambler, but something about the thought of winning based purely on odds tantalised you. However, one question came to mind, and before you could muddle over it you spoke your mind.<br>
<br>
"What will I wager?" He suggested, and the nobles glanced amongst themselves, as if they were stumped for ideas also.<br>
<br>
"How about information?" Someone suggested with a sly smile. He didn't need to elaborate further, for his insinuation was obvious-- only, you felt uncomfortable with the idea of putting what information you had on the line, especially considering the nature of your appearance at House Dawland's party. However, backing out was not something you could do easily, for all eyes were upon you, eager for you to wager and gamble away vital information. You hesitated, before reaching out to take the dice. You had every confidence you'd win anyway...at least, you hoped so. You rolled the dice in your palm, just two of them, as you nervously glanced to the nobles before you, who watched expectantly. You held your breath as you tossed the dice out onto the green felt below, watching as they tumbled and finally settled.<br>
<br>
(if:$Roll is <=$WThreshold)[A sigh of relief washed over you and you exhale when the numbers show up: 2 and 5 on either dice, totalling to 7. It was a gamble, but it paid off; you won. Your eyes flicked up to the nobles before you, who visibly squirmed in their seats, perturbed by your success. Eventually, however, the reptile beside you clasped your shoulder and beamed to the other nobles, clearly a little too drunk to really care what they thought of him.<br>
<br>
"Come then, ladies and gentleman," He began with a grin. "Our esteemed friend here has won the gamble and so he should receive his prize, should he not?"<br>
<br>
Some of the nobles grimaced, but they relented, aware that a bet was a bet and it was wise to simply honour it, rather than lose face. With that, they started to speak.(set:$GR to (random:1,4))<br>
<br>
(if:$GR is 1)["Here's something worth your time, then," One of them began. "The esteemed Duldes Dawland, firstborn to the House? There's been many a rumour on the wind about his corrupt embezzlement and...other affairs."<br>
<br>
"Oh yes," Someone chimed in. "Not just embezzlement, but slavery, perhaps even prostitution. I've heard he's quite the womanizer, but his affections aren't limited to just women..."<br>
<br>
"Yes, men too, so I've heard." Another hummed in agreement, and you looked to them each in turn, your brow furrowing.<br>
<br>
"That's not really information, that's just rumours." You pointed out, and they uncomfortably looked at each other. After a moment, it dawned on you as to why and you didn't pressure them any further-- what they'd offered was good enough, if a little limiting.](elseif:$GR is 2)["You've seen that adjutant, haven't you? Administrator to Lord Carein." One began, and you nodded along. You're sure you've seem them about the banquet hall, here and there.<br>
<br>
"Well..." The noble leant in to whisper. "I asked some of my associates to do a little background check-- you know, just for curiosity-- and I found out the most fascinating thing: he had a brother once, but lost him to that harsh winter some 15 years ago. Poor soul."<br>
<br>
"Are you pitying a commoner?" Another noble spat and grimaced, and the initial noble glanced over at them, before back at you.<br>
<br>
"He was a farmer's boy, you see," They continued. "His parents loved them both dearly, but that winter made it difficult to make ends meet...quite the gruesome end if you ask me."<br>
<br>
Though not exactly relevant information for the most part, you are pleased that the noble upheld their end of the bargain, despite the disgruntled noises from some of the others on their compassion. You briefly thank them for offering up something so valuable, and they gushed at your praise. Buttering up nobles was particularly easy.](elseif:$GR is 3)["You've seen that horrid beast skulking about, haven't you?" One noble grimaced and you think you knew who they meant.<br>
<br>
"Well, I've heard his little 'noble's pet' act is all a farce, and he's working his way up to assassinate someone." The noble seemed sure of his rumour, but you hesitated.<br>
<br>
"...Are you certain of this? Why haven't you reported it?" You asked, and the noble spluttered, put on the spot.<br>
<br>
"W-Well, I also heard that he eats raw meat. Raw! They say it's part of his diet but then why does he even cooked meat? Hmm?" The noble quickly backpedalled to yet another rumour, and you got the feeling that what he was offering was very...limited. Despite that, you pretended as if his information was vital, and bowed to thank him.](elseif:$GR is 4)["That Berlis Dawson, head of his house..." One noble began with a quick glance around him. "He's not as clean as he looks on the surface."<br>
<br>
"That is true," Another chimed in with a sigh. "Lord Dawson is a very conceited and cruel individual. I heard that he's been dealing in trafficking for quite some time."<br>
<br>
"Why doesn't anyone do anything about it?" You questioned, fully aware that it's a naive answer.<br>
<br>
"Oh, you poor thing. You don't know how any of this works, do you?" The nobles openly pitied you, but the truth of the matter was that you //did// know better. A lot better than them, probably.<br>
<br>
You thanked them for their information, though you had a feeling already that Lord Dawson was not the suck-up he appeared on the surface already.]<br>
<br>
With that, you returned to the banquet hall, having had your fill of gambling for now.](else:)[You stared with dismay at the dice reveal their numbers, not in your favour: 1 and 4, to be exact, which is nowhere near 7. You glanced up at the nobles who smirked and chuckled to each other at your loss, before leaning forwards expectantly.<br>
<br>
"Well, go on," One of them insisted. "Cough up the information, young man. I can assure you that all of us here love a little bit of gossip."<br>
<br>
"Uh..." You had to think of something, and fast. You had no intention of revealing actual important information, either about yourself or others, so a well-crafted rumour was the best option.<br>
<br>
"Well, I heard..." You leant forwards, and they did in turn. "That Kend Dawland, thirdborn son of the esteemed house, is to be married off in the future."<br>
<br>
"Really? I've not heard anything about that," Someone was shocked to hear it. "To whom is he getting married? Not many could hold a candle to House Dawland's influence..."<br>
<br>
"House Ghillaine." You insisted. The name was made up, but you'd heard the surname at some point in the past and pulled it from memory for just such an occasion. The nobles murmured amongst themselves and seemed satisfied with your answer at first glance, but you can't help but feel that when they find out you lied, they will look upon you unfavourably, or spread ill rumours about you in turn-- not that it would matter much, considering your lack of status..<br>
<br>
For now, however, it is a good stopgap-- with that, you can easily take your leave without being hounded for more information. The nobles barely registered you departing.(set:$Havoc to it + 30)]](set:$RER to true)<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Return.")[(goto:(history:)'s last)]</div>]]
(click:"Will you back out, not willing to take the risk?")[(replace:?EC)[(align:"<==")[You hesitated, then held your hands up. As much fun as this looked, you didn't want to potentially deal with the fallout of your actions if they went awry. Against your better judgement, you declined their offer to play. The nobles seem disappointed, but they don't pressure you to join in if you don't want to. With that, you step away from the table, leaving them to their game.<br>
<br>
The outcome could have been in your favour, sure, but the chance of it not being so could have spelt disaster for your mission. It was better to play it safe.](set:$RER to true)<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Return.")[(goto:(history:)'s last)]</div>]]
(click:"Will you up the stakes, and get a taste of the thrill?")[(replace:?EC)[(align:"<==")[(set:$WThreshold to 30)Adrenaline rushed through you at the thought of winning a gamble. It was like a little trick in your brain that coaxed you into the idea, and before you knew it you'd reached out and grabbed two dice in hand. You shook them leisurely in your palm, fingers enclosed around them to stop them from falling out your hand, as you looked to the other nobles. A grin spread across your face as your stomach twisted at the thought of what you were about to say.<br>
<br>
"Why don't we up the stakes?" You suggested. "Make a little more fun."<br>
<br>
"What did you have in mind?" The noble beside you, who had roped you into this game, seemed amused, and a murmur spread across the other nobles, their gaze fixed upon you.<br>
<br>
"How about a little strip tease?" A haughty, clearly drunk woman sitting at the table suggested, looking you up and down with a hungry gaze. You felt an uncomfortable shiver run up your spine, but it was quickly replaced by a tickling rush through your brain, the combination of such a risky gamble coupled with the feeling of being desirable all but convincing you it was a good idea. Your $nose stretched into a grin and you agreed, much to the mixed reaction of those in front of you-- women were entertained, as well as some men, but others were irked.<br>
<br>
"Here goes nothing, then!" You tossed the dice across the table and watched them tumble and roll across the green felt, your breath hitching in your throat as they finally settled.<br>
<br>
(if:$Roll is <=$WTheshold)[You breathed a sigh of relief when the numbers showed up in your favour: 4 and 3, to be exact. You triumphantly looked up at the nobles and they chuckled to themselves, cheeks flushed with the thought of having to undress in turn-- well, some of them anyway. Others merely turned away, loosing interest in the little 'game'. Your heart was still wildly pounding in your chest from the exhilaration of the gamble, but you're glad it paid off.<br>
<br>
"Well, a deal is a deal." You remarked, much to the mixed reaction of the nobles before you. They awkwardly glanced around, before some of them began to strip.(set:$SR to (random:1,3))<br>
<br>
(if:$SR is 1)[To your right, the reptile who had once invited you to join him suddenly began to strip, popping the buttons of his doublet all the way down and grinning from cheek to cheek as he slipped it past his shoulders, revealing the fairly loose yet fine silk shirt beneath. You hesitated, and then stepped back to silently admire as he grabbed the collar of his shirt and peeled it over his head, revealing the slightly chubby features of his scaled frame beneath, a sign of a lavish life where a full belly was a basic requirement.<br>
<br>
He didn't stop there however, despite the prying eyes of those around him. He reached down, plucking at the string that held his linen trousers up and letting them easily loosen around his midsection. You felt the heat rising to your face as his pants dropped, revealing neatly tucked-in 'love handles' hidden beneath a wrapped pair of underwear, that snugly fit to every curve and bulge of his wait and inner thigh. His bulge, flaccid yet prominent, was obvious to you and you politely averted your gaze as the man spread his arms wide, grinning as he turned to the crowd that was looking on, showing himself off. He unabashedly teased both you and the crowd by tucking his thumbs into the band between his scales and the fabric itself, insinuating he was going to drop his pants. After a moment, he did just that-- but not far, barely an inch or two. However, it was enough for you to visibly see what he was packing, before he tucked himself back in again.<br>
<br>
"Hope that was a good enough show for you," He winked at you, deliberately licking his maw and he ran his eyes up and down your body. "Though I'll admit I'm disappointed that you won."<br>
<br>
You grew embarrassed as his remark as he slowly started to get dressed again.](elseif:$SR is 2)[Opposite you on the other side of the table, a lean and well-built canine slowly removed his jerking, shifting on the spot and looking you dead in the eyes as he peeled off his clothes. You found yourself unable to shake the stare that he gave you as he slowly pulled his shirt over his head. You averted your gaze just for a moment, feeling as if the man was undressing you with his eyes as he was undressing himself, and when you looked back you were both tantalised and perturbed by the fact that he was still locking eyes with you.<br>
<br>
Slowly, he pushed his trousers down, revealing a very sculpted, form-fitting pair of underwear that left absolutely nothing to the imagination. You looked, just for an instant, and it was enough for him to chuckle. He reached down to grasp his package and jiggled it, trying to tease you, and you eventually couldn't help but look away. This wasn't what you were here for, as much fun as it was.<br>
<br>
The canine started to get dressed when more people started to look, specifically those not around the table, and by the time you looked back the canine had already put his pants and shirt on, as quickly as he had removed them. to your surprise, he looked a little embarrassed as well, as if he had enjoying showing himself off, but didn't like the amount of prying eyes upon him.](elseif:$SR is 3)[At the other end of the table, an avian rose to attention and hesitated on the spot. You frowned at him, confused, before he suddenly and abruptly reached down towards his pants, tugging them down and revealing the completely lack of underwear beneath.<br>
<br>
"What are you doing?" One of the nobles asked with a mixture of surprise and irritation. "That's not how you strip tease. If you're going to do it, do it right."<br>
<br>
"S-Sorry, father." The noble avian muttered, reaching out to cover his crotch with a hand. You found it to be rather cute, but you didn't want to interject and tell him to show himself off a little more. Instead, you watched as he tried to tug his pants back up, albeit with some degree of effort thanks to the lack of an additional hand. The one covering his crotch was occasionally forced to move to aid the pulling up of his trousers, and you caught sight of his flaccid groin here and there. A smile crept across your face, and you covered your mouth with your hand subtly to hide it.]<br>
<br>
With the lewd antics over, the nobles returned to their game, and you'd had your fill. You went back to the banquet hall's main floor.](else:)[A look of horror and dismay crossed your face as the dice revealed their numbers: 4 and 5 respectively, a total of 9, nowhere near 7. You looked up at the nobles around you and were met with a series of snickers and giggles, as well as some looks of utter disgust, mainly from those who either weren't interested in men or were too vain to consider it.<br>
<br>
"Well, go on." The reptile who had first introduced you to the game grinned from cheek to cheek and you felt the heat rise to your face. Embarrassment washed over you as you plucked at your doublet, peeling it from your frame and draping it over the back of a vacant chair. You hesitated again, glancing to see if the nobles were staring at you-- they obviously were-- before you started on your shirt. You tugged it over your head and held it gingerly in your hands, revealing your bony, slender body, covered in $skin.<br>
<br>
The women who watched covered their faces with fans or their mouths, but their eyes roamed and took you in. You declined dropping your trousers to exposing anything more, especially as more and more people were watching you. Not only that, but some of the nobles that sat around were giving you a look that made you uncomfortable. You briskly put your shirt back on as the nobles returned to the game, and they barely noticed as you slinked away, throwing on your doublet and returning to the banquet hall's floor. Though the situation didn't get any worse, you're sure rumours would spread.(set:$Havoc to it + 50)]](set:$RER to true)<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Return.")[(goto:(history:)'s last)]</div>]]}(align:"<==")[The party was going as smoothly as one could hope. People seemed happy, everyone was having a good time, and your mission was, for the most part, going well. However, even in the midsts of your mission you needed a break. A drink sounded good right about now, too.
You peered through the crowd in an attempt to find a waiter, but you didn't have to look very hard-- there were many servants that night serving drinks to the dignified and wealthy, but trying to find a waiter who had drinks available was harder than it looked. Most of the servers you found bore empty glasses and were on their way to get filled. In the end you wandered, keeping your eyes peeled whilst trying to mingle with some of the other guests.
As you briefly held conversation with a low-ranking noble who had more compassion than class, a force against your knocked caused you to stumble, and you felt the wetness of liquid on your front. You stepped back and looked down at yourself, dismayed to find your doublet stained with red wine that soaked through the fabric and into the shirt beyond. You have no doubt that your clothes were now stained, and a grimace crossed your features at the sight as nobles stood to the side, watching you as they muttered to one-another. Being put on the spot like this certainly wouldn't help your mission at all-- after all, the intent was to not draw attention to yourself.
"I'm so sorry." The waiter, a slender-looking feline, patted down your front with what looked like a small rag, trying his best to dry your features. You were attentive enough to see his hands roaming further down, and you watched as he sneakily slipped one hand against your slide, dropping something into the pocket of your doublet before patting down your front with both hands. Bewilderment crossed your features as the feline babbled and apologised over and over, before he raised his head and subtly, quickly winked up at you. The realisation of his identity dawned on you, but before you could say anything the feline retreated.
"I will get you a fresh coat at once, sir." He abruptly bowed and turned on a heel, briskly wandering back through the crowd as nobles parted to let him past. You stood there for a moment, unsure how to process what just happened, before the nobles returned to their conversation and fun. When you turned to the nobleman you were speaking too before, he had already wandered off, leaving you alone. With a frown, you reached down into your pocket to pull out what looked to be a small piece of paper. You unfolded it and read the contents.](set:$RPro to $Prophecies's (random:1,$Prophecies's length))(set:$Prophecies to it - (a:$RPro))(set:$ProList to it + (a:$RPro))
<div class='img-container-twist'>$RPro</div>
(align:"<==")[Bewilderment crossed your face before you stowed it away again. That piece of paper you had been given seemed critically important to your work here tonight, so you kept it with you in the event you'd need it. After a small period of time, an unknown servant appeared with a doublet roughly the same colour as yours, and offered it to you. It seemed that House Dawland had every intention of people enjoying themselves, especially if one of their servers caused a problem. Out of respect for them, you swapped your doublets over and felt pleased with the lack of a stained top.
With that, you returned to the party.](set:$RER to true)
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Return.")[(goto:(history:)'s last)](align:"<==")[Just when you thought that things might actually be easy for you, something came along that threw a wrench in your plans.(set:$ET1 to $TList's (random:1,$TList's length))
You stood at a distance as you kept your eyes on a prospective target, waiting for the most crucial time for you to interject. You were hoping to catch them alone if possible, for it made it easier for you to get to know them, but anything worked for you-- even joining in on a conversation you knew little about would be ideal. As you stood there waiting, however, a tap on your side, near towards your hip, caught you by surprise and you instinctively jumped, whirling on the spot to face your 'attacker'. To your surprise, you came face to face with a fairly short, yet clearly adult reptile.
He stood at probably 5 foot or so, generally shorter than you in every aspect, and he had this peculiar, cool mixture of ocean blue and turqouise scales that gave him a predominantly aquatic look. His head was flat and lacking in any sort of extra blemishes, hair or spines, and his smooth scales shimmered in the light. His beady eyes, yellow and piercing, were focused right on you, and you awkwardly stared down at him, feeling a little put on the spot by his intense gaze.
"Can I help you?" You initially asked, and he smiled, eyes twinkling with a mixture of mischief and delight.
"Abacond Percival," He offered his hand to shake yours. "I don't believe we've met, but I couldn't help but see you across the room and think... 'Wow, this man is beautiful'."
You cringed at his pickup line as you glanced over towards your target, who appeared to finally be alone. You reached out to shake his hand, distracted, before stepping back and gesturing to him apologetically.
"Uh, sorry, I've got to go." You explained loosely, before turning and making your way through the crowd towards the man you were keeping an eye on.
(if:$ET1 is "Duldes Dawland")[Stood to the side away from other patrons was (if:$MetDu is false)[a well-groomed hyena](elseif:$MetDu is true)[Duldes Dawland, firstborn heir to his house], casually holding a glass of wine and looking both out of place but also natural from his sideline position. He didn't see you coming over at first, but he soon noticed your presence when you were only a few metres away. He looked you up and down, briefly taking you in, before looking back out over the crowd as you approached.
"Hello," You began. "Um, enjoying the party?"
"I suppose..." He murmured.
"Is it not your kind of thing?" You asked, and he shrugged his shoulders.
"It was my father's idea-- I'd rather be elsewhere..." He sighed through his nose and then glanced past you to someone else. You weren't sure what he was looking at initially, but it became clear when you felt arms hook around your waist, clinging to you.
"Ah, good evening Lord Dawland, sir," The reptile from before-- you recalled his name to be Abacond-- squeezed your waist affectionately. "Don't mind my parter-to-be here, he's always been a little flirtatious."(set:$DulSway to it - 20)
"I barely even know you." You pointed out quietly, but it seemed that the damage was already done. Duldes stared at the two of you for a moment, almost sickened, before he sipped his wine and then walked off, not even giving you a brief farewell. You squirmed out of the reptile's grip and turned, glaring down at him with as much tolerance as you could muster.](elseif:$ET1 is "Sat Ipfeld")[Lingering by the banquet table was (if:$MetSa is false)[an avian, with a Plover-like coat](elseif:$MetSa is true)[Sat, the adjutant to Lord Carein], hesitating to pick what kind of food he wanted to eat. You briskly made your way over out of sight of him, intent on getting to know him a little better. Lord Carein was an important individual, but you had an inkling that the avian was too, at least on some level.
"Excuse me," You called out to him, moving to his side by the banquet table. "Having trouble finding something you like?"
"Oh!" The avian was momentarily startled, before his beak stretched into a smile. "I, um, I'm not sure what's good to eat...I wouldn't mind something sweet."
"I can su--" You began, before a mass suddenly hit your back. Thankfully, you were leaning up against the table a little, or you would have toppled face-first into the appetizers below. You felt arms hooked around your throat and the weight of a person on your shoulders. It didn't take long to figure out who it was.
"Try the berries," The reptile from before-- you recalled his name to be Abacond-- interrupted you. "They're pretty tasty."
"O-Oh, alright..." The avian glanced between you and the reptile, then back again. "And you are...?"(set:$SatSway to it - 20)
"I'm his." The reptile said nothing more than that, and you silently fumed, both embarrassed and irritated by his literal stranger. The avian leant back up and awkwardly stood there for a moment, before taking some of the berry pouches from a plate.
"Well...see you around." He smiled wryly before wandering off. As soon as he'd disappeared out of sight into the crowd, the reptile slipped off his shoulders, a smug look on his face, whilst annoyance boiled within you.](elseif:$ET1 is "Raltarndarv Raltandavi")[Across the room, standing over by the window looking out to the pool, was (if:$MetRa is false)[a large, 8 foot tall bear-like creature, akin to that of a monster](elseif:$MetRa is true)[Ralt, leader of the Raltandair]. He looked a little wistful as he watched those in the pool outside having a good time, and you slowly started to approach, hoping to catch him at a good time. You were hoping that his emotions might make him more susceptible to opening up. You approached from the side and then eventually stood beside him, not saying anything for a moment or two before you eventually turned your head a little, glancing up at him.
"Do you like swimming?" You asked him, and he took one look at you before staring back out towards the pool. He grunted.
"In my village, there were many a lake and pond. Bathing was a daily occurrence," He sighed. "This stuffy doublet and horrible trousers make me wish I c--"
"There you are, silly!" The reptile from before-- Abancond, you recalled-- suddenly appeared beside him, hooking an arm around your waist.
"Uh, excuse me? We're having a conversation here." You pointed out, irritation and confusion swelling up within you. The reptile blinked at you before smirking as he looked the bear up and down.
"Oh, sorry-- I thought animals could only grunt and growl," He remarked pointedly. "Shouldn't you go back to your den, big guy?"(set:$RalSway to it - 20)
The creature stared down at the two of you for a moment as you silently fumed, trying to find the most polite way to say 'fuck off'. By the time you turned your head back to the tall bear, he'd already walked off, milling in with the crowd, looking gloomy. Anger spiked within you as the reptile slipped from your waist, grinning from cheek to cheek.](elseif:$ET1 is "Berlis Dawson")[Across the room over near the banquet table stood (if:$MetBe is false)[a reptile with green and black scales](elseif:$MetBe is true)[Berlis Dawson, head of his house]. He looked like he was trying to pick out something good to eat, or get closer to other nobles looking for food, or perhaps even both. In any case, you found a good time to approach, coming over from the side.
"Hello there," You introduced yourself, before gesturing to the table. "Can't find something you fancy?"
The reptile looked you up and down for a moment, half-grimacing and half-glaring, before his features smoothed over.
"Not yet," He smiled, but the warmth didn't reach his eyes. "But I will. What about y--"
"Hey there, you!" The reptile-- you recalled his name to be Abacond-- appeared by your side and hooked an arm around your waist. "I was looking all over for you. Who's this?"
"You know this sleazy creature?" The green and black reptile recoiled visibly and then shook his head. "Actually, I don't want to know."(set:$BerSway to it - 20)
Before you could even say anything, the reptile stepped away, not even picking up some food as he went. By the time he disappeared into the crowd, Abacond had loosened from around you, a smug look on his face.]
"Listen here," You turned to him, barely able to restrain your anger. "I don't know you, and frankly I don't want to know you. You've been nothing but a nuisance since we first met-- which was only a few minutes ago, might I add."
"B-But..." The reptile began, eyes wide, but you cut him off instantly.
"No," You insisted. "Please. Just leave me alone."
Arguing with him in public was bound to have caused a ruckus, as evidenced by the nobles staring eyes upon you from all around. However, you were too angry to think right now-- you stepped away from him, turning on a heel and striding off into the crowd. The nobles thankfully parted to allow you access, and you hoped to god that you wouldn't have to see the reptile in the future, or ever again.
Your mission was more important.](set:$RER to true)
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Return.")[(goto:(history:)'s last)](align:"<==")[You were enjoying yourself in the party when a feeling came over you that you can't quite describe at first. It was like a tingling sensation, that spread from every corner of your body and travelled upwards, coalescing in your head. You could imagine how strange it was for the nobles to see you suddenly stagger, and amidst a conversation you excused yourself, turning to find a chair to sit on.
Your body felt flushed and warm, but that was primarily due to the embarrassment of not keeping up appearances around the nobles, combined with the feeling of things going wrong. Your cheeks warmed at the sensation in your head grew into a painful, acute headache that had you feel both nauseated and dizzy at the same time. A couple of the more compassionate nobles-- if they even existed-- asked if you were alright, but you couldn't even get your words out amidst the horrifying pain. Instead, all you could do was mumble, staggering past them in an effort to find a place to sit.
You felt words forming in your head, but they weren't your own. They twisted and swam around in a jumble of letters before starting to form a neat order, with gaps in between. They slowly but surely cemented into a sentence, but your focus wasn't on those words, but on the party before you. In sight, you saw an empty seat near the banquet table and made a beeline for it, both stumbling and shouldering your way through the crowd, ignoring the cursing remarks and gasps of surprise. If you could just sit down, then you could at least appear dignified for a moment whilst you calmed yourself.
The pain spiked, cascading down your body and to every limb before pulsing back upwards again, ending in a large throbbing ache so powerful that you vision darkened and your body swayed. By the time you had control of your vision, the word was on its side, with the cool tiled floor pressed up against your face. A mixture of annoyance and embarrassment washed over you when you realised you'd fainted in the middle of the banquet hall.
You heard the murmuring of someone talking nearby, and a hand tucked under your arm. You barely registered it as you were pulled to your feet and heaved towards the very chair you were sought after originally. Two hands manhandled you into the seat and tried to talk to you, but your head slumped as the pain made your body feel numb. In your mind, the words had finally formed a sentence, which rang throughout your head and blocked out every other thought.](set:$RPro to $Prophecies's (random:1,$Prophecies's length))(set:$Prophecies to it - (a:$RPro))(set:$ProList to it + (a:$RPro))
<div class='img-container-twist'>$RPro</div>
(align:"<==")[There was no way that you //weren't// going to commit this horrifying message to memory, and you had an inkling as to who had sent it, for it surely wasn't your own thoughts. Once you'd read it a few times, the words began to fade like an old, distant memory, and the excruciating headache you'd endured mere moments ago began to dull and fade, though the phantom effects of the pain still remained. Your body felt shaky and your muscles weak, not responding well to your mental commands to move.
A glass of water appeared in your vision and you used all your strength to lift your hands to take it, attempting to mumble some thanks as you gulped some of it down. You somehow managed to clutch the glass with some degree of dignity, and when you finally raised your head, most of the nobles had stopped taking interest in your sudden collapse. A couple remained to keep an eye on you, but you smiled at them and managed to say you were fine-- that was enough for them to leave you be. You appreciated their aid, but didn't want to draw more attention to yourself than you already had.(set:$Havoc to it + 40)
It took a few minutes, but your strength eventually returned to you. The water certainly helped, but perhaps it was a placebo effect. By the time you'd downed the entire glass, you felt stable enough to move and rose to your feet, testing the waters by pacing a little. Satisfied, you returned to mingling.](set:$RER to true)
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Return.")[(goto:(history:)'s last)]</div>|Continue>[(align:"<==")[For a breath of fresh air, you stepped outside the banquet hall into the vast gardens of House Dawland's estate. Various ornamental hedge sculptures, well-displayed flowers and stone statues and fountains caught your attention, but those weren't the only things there; there was also a sprawling grassy plain, flat and neatly trimmed. You had no idea what it was normally used for, but during the events of the party it served as yet another place to mingle-- or, in the sudden case of what was going on before you, a duel.
A crowd of noblemen and servants alike had formed in a neat circle around 2 gentleman: one who was clearly drunk, and the other who had too much arrogance to turn down the challenge of a drunkard. You wormed your way into the crowd, (if:$height is <=5.5)[unable to see from the back due to your height.](else:)[standing roughly amongst everyone else, able to see over their heads.] In the centre, the two men were bickering and circling, though neither of them had drawn their swords yet. The drunk man, a canine with shaggy black fur, was dressed in a doublet that didn't really seem to suit him-- it was overly stuffy and fancy, a sharp contrast to his otherwise dirty features. Atop his head, the longer strands of fur were tied into a neat ponytail, giving him a peculiar look that you could only describe as 'wanderer'. The other man, however, was everything you expected a nobleman to be: a well-groomed, slightly chubby canine, with pristine white fur and a sleazy complexion that came with wealth and power. His doublet was as fancy if not moreso than the man opposite him, but the difference was that his general fur and appearance fit with his lavish garbs.
"Let's have a fair duel, Langrisham," The white canine said, placing a hand on the hilt of the sword by his hip. "And I'll make you yield like the mangy dog you are."
The drunken canine grinned widely at his comment, and you could see the confident look in his eyes-- but it was hard to tell if that was down to the alcohol or his actual skill. The black canine turned his head, scanning his eyes through the crowd until he suddenly and abruptly met yours. He stared, before grinning even wider and straightening himself up, covering his mouth briefly to burp.
"I'm allowed a second, aren't I, Lord Franz?" He asked, and the nobleman huffed, shrugged his shoulders and letting it slide. "In that case, I pick him. The $species over there, in the blue doublet."
Your eyes widened at his insistence and, despite not wanting to, you stepped forwards, the crowd parting to let you into the circle. You nervously rubbed the back of your head and stepped over towards the canine's side, and the man known as Langrisham reached out his hand to shake yours. You obliged, and he seemed pleased with you.
"Langrisham. And you are?" He asked, and you told him your name. He nodded in acknowledgement, before suddenly drawing his sword, turning his attention towards the other noble. The white canine did the same and you stepped back to watch as they began to circle. You hoped to god that Langrisham would win-- you were not cut out for combat, though you hadn't said as such.
Suddenly, they engaged in combat, and you were pleasantly surprised to find that the white canine, known as Lord Franz, was all bluster. Whilst he had a sharp tongue and lavish clothes, he was no match for Langrisham's unpredictable style of sword-- where Lord Franz seemed suited to fencing, his movements comprised of backsteps, stabs and the occasional swing, Langrisham moved with a drunken style you'd never seen before, his attacks a combination of swipes and feints. It very quickly became a one-sided affair, where Langrisham's effortless moves that seemed indicative of a man who'd took part in many battles overpowered the noble who'd only seen tightly regulated duels. After a few more swings, Langrisham twisted his blade as their swords struck and disarmed the white canine with ease. The noble panicked, stepping backwards and tripping on the grass. He fell on his ass, his rapier clattering to the ground.
"I-I yield, I yield!" The canine cried, covering his head with his hands as Langrisham pointed the sword down at him, a smirk crossing his features. A murmur ripped through the crowd at the sight, both curious and surprised by the drunken man's victory and the white canine visibly fumed on the floor, looking as if he was about to rip the very ground up with his hands. Langrisham sheathed his sword and then turned to you, striding across the grass field towards you with a wide grin on his face.]
<div class='img-container-continue'>Continue.</div>][(click:"Continue.")[(replace:?Continue)[(align:"<==")["Sorry for pulling you out of the crowd, good fellow," Langrisham slurred as he got altogether too close, clasping your shoulder and leaning against you. "'Twas a little trick, you see-- that little hothead, Lord Franz, took me less seriously because I wanted a second. You understand."
"Uh...yes. Quite." You had already surmised the same when the fight started.
"You are quite the clever man," Langrisham pointed at you, half-wagging his finger and half-staggering on the spot. "He shouldn't mess with me anytime soon. Well...he might. They're all the same."
"Are you...a soldier?" You asked casually, and he leant up a little, squeezing your shoulder and looking you up and down, before backing off ever so slightly, trying to stand on his own two feet. He didn't need your help, for he seemed to have good balance.
"I was," He began. "But now I'm more of a...what's the word...General."
Your eyes widened and you went to bow, but he quickly put a hand on your shoulder again, forcing you back upright. The look in his eye made it clear he didn't want you to stand on ceremony.
"I'm only at this stuffy party for some free booze, but Lord Franz has always disliked a commoner like me having such high status in the Laquain Empire." He grunted, and you rubbed the back of your head awkwardly.
"Why are you telling me this?" You asked-- not that you didn't mind, but having a general spill their life story to you was...perhaps not in his best interests. He looked you up and down again and smirked.
"Because as cute as you are, little $species..." He began, stepping a little closer. "You're not exactly from here, are you?"
Your eyes widened again and you stepped back, or rather tried to; Langrisham quickly put a hand around your waist, keeping you close to him as the nobles around you were staring to disperse, returning to what they were doing before.
"I shan't say a word," He assured you. "After all, you came to my aid when I asked-- I can respect a man who has guts. And, as a little reward, you can take this."
He retreated from you and reached into his pocket, placing something in your hands.]
{|CC>[//Please choose a Twist of Fate.//<br>
<br>
(set:$TC1 to $Twists's (random:1,$Twists's length))
(set:$Twists to it - (a:$TC1))
(set:$TC2 to $Twists's (random:1,$Twists's length))
(set:$Twists to it - (a:$TC2))
(set:$TC3 to $Twists's (random:1,$Twists's length))
(set:$Twists to it - (a:$TC3))
<div class='img-container-card'>(display:$TC1)</div><div class='img-container-card'>(display:$TC2)</div><div class='img-container-card'>(display:$TC3)</div>]}(live:0.2s)[(if:$CCC is true)[(stop:)(set:$CCC to false)(align:"<==")[You took the object he'd handed to you and placed it in your pocket for safekeeping. The canine seemed pleased and he clasped your shoulder once more, before stepping past you towards the banquet hall. You turned to watch him leave and he wordlessly raised his hand, waving back at you as he departed. A mixture of both attraction and pity washed over you. If only he wasn't a part of the Laquain Empire.
With that, you returned to the banquet.](set:$RER to true)
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Return.")[(goto:(history:)'s last)]](elseif:$CCC is false)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]]]]](align:"<==")[You were casually enjoying yourself at the party when the sound of people shouting and the scuffling of metal caught your attention. Curious as to what was causing such a ruckus, you decided to follow the source of the noise-- you weren't the only one either, for several other nobles also joined you, driven by the need for both gossip and excitement.
Near the entrance to the banquet hall that led out towards the courtyard beyond, where you had initially come in from, a couple of guards were arguing with a guest of the party. House Dawland's guards clearly didn't like the man being there or didn't like the way he was acting, and it quickly became apparent that he wasn't the only one causing an issue: a woman stood nearby, an avian, who looked both flustered and ashamed and a nobleman-- also an avian-- stood uncomfortably close to her as his hand clutched to her arm. She looked upset with whatever he was saying, but he was talking too quietly to hear. A little bit of anger simmered within you at the way he browbeat the avian female, and by the looks of it the two were a couple, potentially even married-- their feather coats were different, but 'sticking to the species' was common amongst nobility.
It was difficult to see who the guards were arguing with at first, for their bodies obscured whoever they were trying to politely escort out, but when it became clear that the man had no intention of leaving, they moved to grab his arms and forcibly drag him out. When they parted to manhandle him, you got a good look at the once causing a stir, and your eyes widened when you recognised him as The Preacher, your handler for that evening. Though he looked subtly different than usual by way of fur markings, his clothes and mask were the same and, for you, his main identifying features. You knew you should have let him get thrown out and focused on your mission, but you couldn't not help him. You parted from the crowd and made your way over.
"Excuse me," You began getting the attention of the guards. "What's going on here? This man is my friend."
"Oh, is he now?" The guard grunted. "This little prick decided to fraternise with Lady Iola, right in front of her husband!"
"I'm sure he didn't mean it..." You began, glancing to The Preacher. "Why don't you let him apologise?"
The guards exchanged a glance and then looked towards the avian, who had finished berating his wife and was now standing facing away from her, arms folded. He was fuming on the spot, that much was clear-- would he accept the apology, is the question? The guards loosened their grip on The Preacher and he straightened himself up, before sighing through his nose and making his way over. You watched from the side as he got down on one knee in front of Lady Iola's husband, much to the avian's irritation.
"Forgive my callous remarks to your wife, Your Lordship," He insisted. "The fault is squarely mine. I shan't look in her direction again for as long as I live. I hope you'll have the compassion to forgive me."
The avian looked around, feeling put on the spot-- you could see why. If he declined and had him punished, he'd develop a reputation of being ruthless...that wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing, but it appeared that he wanted to at least give the idea that they were a happy couple. He cleared his throat and announced that he'd do nothing to him if he disappeared from his sight in that instant, and The Preacher obliged-- he rose, turning on a heel and quickly striding towards you. He didn't stop, however; instead, he passed right by you whilst simultaneously slipping something into your pocket. You turned to follow him, but he'd already disappeared into the crowd.](set:$Choice to (either:1,2))(set:$Havoc to it + 30)
(if:$Choice is 1)[(align:"<==")[With a frown, you reached into your pocket and found a small note that you didn't have before. It was neatly folded up, barely bigger than the width of your index finger-- if you hadn't gone searching in your pocket, you may never have found it. You stepped away from the other nobles and unfurled the piece of paper to read its contents. In front of you laid a cryptic message.](set:$RPro to $Prophecies's (random:1,$Prophecies's length))(set:$Prophecies to it - (a:$RPro))(set:$ProList to it + (a:$RPro))
<div class='img-container-twist'>$RPro</div>
(align:"<==")[Bewilderment crossed your face before you stuffed it back in your pocket. You were sure that it was important if The Preacher gave it to you, and it was similar to the other cryptic messages that he handed to you sometimes, notably just before you'd entered the party. You kept it with you, assured that it would come in handy at some point in the future.
With that, you turned and returned to the party, renewed in your mission and thankful for The Preacher's watchful gaze.](set:$RER to true)
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Return.")[(goto:(history:)'s last)]</div>](elseif:$Choice is 2)[(align:"<==")[With a frown, you reached into your pocket and found a small pouch, roughly the size of your palm. You could only assume that The Preacher had given it to you as a reward for helping him, with the intention of it aiding you in your mission. Curious, you loosened the drawstring to view the contents.]
{|CC>[//Please choose a Twist of Fate.//<br>
<br>
(set:$TC1 to $Twists's (random:1,$Twists's length))
(set:$Twists to it - (a:$TC1))
(set:$TC2 to $Twists's (random:1,$Twists's length))
(set:$Twists to it - (a:$TC2))
(set:$TC3 to $Twists's (random:1,$Twists's length))
(set:$Twists to it - (a:$TC3))
<div class='img-container-card'>(display:$TC1)</div><div class='img-container-card'>(display:$TC2)</div><div class='img-container-card'>(display:$TC3)</div>]}(live:0.2s)[(if:$CCC is true)[(stop:)(set:$CCC to false)(align:"<==")[You removed the contents of the pouch and then placed it in your pocket, putting the pouch aside so that it couldn't be traced back to you in some way-- you're sure that someone would find it off to have something in a little pouch in your pocket anyway. However, what you found would most certainly come in handy, one way or another.
With that, you returned to the party, renewed in your mission and thankful for The Preacher's watchful gaze.](set:$RER to true)
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Return.")[(goto:(history:)'s last)]</div>](elseif:$CCC is false)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]]](align:"<==")[The party was in full swing, and had so far gone well without any major, party-stopping incidents. However, that wasn't going to last-- or rather, it wouldn't if you didn't put a stop to it.
Out the corner of your eye as you mingled, you caught sight of two people standing off towards the far end of the banquet hall, near to the windows leading out to the pool. They stood hunched talking to one-another, almost as if they were deliberately trying to arouse suspicion. It was almost comical, how much they were both trying to blend in and yet were clearly failing. You watched as the two men, an ursine and feline respectively, slipped around the corner of the door leading outside. From where you were standing, you could see them walk past the windows, keeping up appearances until they disappeared out of your field and view. An uneasy feeling grew in the pit of your stomach and you thought it best to follow them. Weaving through the crowd, you made your way outside and down the path they followed, which lead into the less busy parts of the gardens beyond.
The path eventually led across the building's veranda, and on the left side sat a small path of gravel leading towards a western-styled pagoda sitting amongst a bed of brilliant orange and blue flowers. Beneath the pagoda's roof was a small white table and a couple of chairs, each dainty and fancy-- you knew that House Dawland had a female heir, so you presumed that they perhaps belonged to her. There, within the pagoda, stood to the two individuals you had seen earlier. They weren't sitting on the chairs, but were instead looking out towards the garden, their backs to you. You could hear them talking, but you weren't close enough to listen. You slowly tip-toed over towards the grass and snuck your way along, avoiding the gravel path to the best of your ability.
"I'm telling you Alphonse, if this works out it'll be hilarious!" One of them exclaimed, and you pinpointed it to be the feline. "Imagine the look on Jurn Dawland's face."
"I don't doubt it'll be funny," The other replied. "But...how are we going to not get caught, Eleo?"
"Simple," The feline continued. "We do the deed and then get out of here before anyone spots us."
"They're not going to like this..."
You watched as the two men turned, and you pressed yourself up against the surrounding hedges of the pagoda, trying to avoid stepping on the flowers. The two men carried heavy buckets filled with a sloshing red liquid that you guessed was blood or entrails, or both. You weren't sure where they were going to use it, but if they were laughing about Jurn Dawland's potential reaction then you had no doubt it was nowhere good. Before they could do something they might regret, you stepped out from your hiding spot and made yourself known-- in hindsight, that was maybe not the best thing to do, considering it was 2 against 1, but...
"What are you doing?" You both announced yourself and also asked them a question in the same breath. One of them, the bear, physically jumped, startled by your sudden appearance, and liquid sloshed from his bucket and splattered against the wooden deck of the pagoda, staining it's surface with a dark streak in the dim moonlight.
"Shit, we've been caught!" The bear cried, suddenly twisting his body and tossing the bucket over the side of the pagoda's railing, where it clattered and emptied its contents into the flower bed. The feline hesitated for a moment, before he did the same. The pair of them barrelled down the pagoda's steps and past you-- the taller one gave you a firm push and you were sent tumbling into the hedge, unable to chase them as you did your best to detangle yourself, skin prickling with sharp branches.
By the time you righted yourself, they were gone...but you had a feeling they wouldn't try anything again tonight. You had to wonder what they were planning to do with those buckets, however...maybe they intended to paint the pagoda with blood, distorted its pristine white colours? Perhaps they wanted to dump it on Jurn Dawland's head? You would never know.
Satisfied that you'd 'saved' the party in some manner, you walked back along the path and back into the banquet hall. Rumours of two running nobles danced on the wind.(set:$Havoc to it + 10)](set:$RER to true)
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Return.")[(goto:(history:)'s last)]</div>(align:"<==")[You time spent in the banquet hall had been eventful, to a degree. The party, still in full swing and showing no signs of ending just yet, had been home to many nobles for the past few hours, so it was no surprise to you to see a little bit of litter and general dirt, either due to people coming in from outside and tracking the odd speck on their shoes or people spilling food and drinks, as was customary for a relatively unrestrained party, regardless of the fact that it was for nobles. For that reason, there wasn't just waiters, servers and servants dotting around the banquet floor but also maids, doing their best to clean up after guests so that things looked neat and tidy.
One such maid, which you watched from the corner of your eye, didn't look so stable on her feet. She was petite and young, probably in her early 20's or even in her teens, and she wobbled on the spot with either exhaustion or tiredness, her slim feline features frail and trembling. You had to wonder if she needed a break, but it wouldn't have surprised you if House Dawland expected them to work through the night without rest. You shifted and considered approaching her to ask her if she's okay, but decided against it-- she was an adult, she could surely handle herself.
You looked back out over the crowd and saw a gesturing hand amidst the talking nobles-- it belonged to that of a masked man, whom you quickly recognised as The Preacher. He pointed past you and placed his arms beside each other like he was swaddling a baby. You glanced to where he was pointing and quickly realised that he was gesturing to the maid you were looking at mere moments prior. You glanced back to him and he affirmed his gesture-- you couldn't really argue with him about it, so you turned and made your way over to the maid.
"Excuse me," You began, and she physically jumped when you touched her shoulder, bolting upright. "Sorry. Are you okay?"
She blearily blinked at you with her soft blue eyes, a broom in her hand. Then, all of a sudden, she buckled ever so slightly. You instinctively reached out and tucked a hand under her arm, with one against her waist. You felt your cheeks warm with embarrassment as you awkwardly shifted her arm to slump over the back of your shoulders as you tried to prop her up-- (if:$height is <=5.5)[it wasn't too difficult for you to do so, as you were thankfully similar in height.](else:)[it was a little difficult for you considering the difference in height, but you managed it.]
Under her breath, the maid was mumbling something, but it was impossible to decipher amidst the clamour and noise of the nobles nearby. You shifted and carried her along the banquet hall towards a door at the far end, where you led her through into a quiet corridor. You scoured the length of the corridor until you found a chair in the corner. You figured that was the best place to sit her down, so you stumbled on her with her effectively being dragged along, barely able to keep steady on her feet. Once you reached the chair, you shifted her down into the seat and she rolled her head back, groaning under her breath.
"Miss? Are you alright?" You asked again, but she didn't reply, at least not initially. She eventually raised her head after some time and mumbled something again, and this time you drew yourself closer so that you could hear. The words that she uttered were a full, proper sentence, but it made no sense in the context of her situation.](set:$RPro to $Prophecies's (random:1,$Prophecies's length))(set:$Prophecies to it - (a:$RPro))(set:$ProList to it + (a:$RPro))
<div class='img-container-twist'>$RPro</div>
(align:"<==")["Is everything alright?" Someone suddenly asked you from behind and you jumped, turning to see a man clad in what looked to be servant garb-- a serval, with long ears and thick, greying fur.
"Uh, she didn't look like she was doing okay so I carried her here." You explained, and the man stepped past you towards the maid, crouching down to inspect her. He hummed for a moment as he put a hand under her chin to lift her head up, before turning his head slightly to glance at you out the corner of his eye.
"She does look worse for wear..." He sounded concerned. "I will see to her and make sure she gets some rest. You may return to the party, m'lord-- I can take things from here."
You nod in acknowledgement and cast one final glance at the maid woman before you turned, heading back down the corridor towards the banquet hall. You hope she'll be alright, but admittedly your thoughts were more on what she said, rather than how she's feeling. You had a feeling that The Preacher had something to do with it, somehow...](set:$RER to true)
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Return.")[(goto:(history:)'s last)]</div>(align:"<==")[As you mingled with the other nobles and tried to strike up meaningful conversation, a clamouring laughter from outside caught your attention, and out of curiosity you peered through one of the windows on the adjoining wall. Beside the pool stood a wooden barrel, with various topless nobles standing around it, dunking their heads in. Confusion crossed your features and you felt compelled to step to the side, moving through the door to the outside, and make your way over.
When you got closer, it became clear what they were up to-- in fact, you felt stupid for even thinking otherwise. It was a pastime that was more common in peasant towns, but there was nothing that said nobles couldn't take part in it either: bobbing for apples. The barrel was filled with liquid and apples floated in the liquid, some beneath but most above. You watched as the nobles dunked their heads and tried to grab one between their teeth, more or less submerging themselves in the liquid. Upon closer inspection, however, the fluid in the barrel wasn't what you expected-- most use water, but you could distinctly smell the rich, spicy aroma of whiskey.
"Do you want to join us?" One of the nobles asked, teetering on the spot slightly, likely because he was drunk. You hesitated, wondering if you should-- your mission was important, yet having a little bit of fun couldn't hurt...right?
Though you may regret it, you decided to accept his offer. Stepping closer to the barrel, you unbuttoned and removed your doublet along with your shirt, revealing your lithe, slim $species body beneath, and you quickly and neatly folded your clothes up and placed them aside, for safekeeping. Standing closer to the barrel, you stared down at your own murky reflection, barely visible amongst the wandering, bumping apples, before you gripped the barrel's edge.
"Oh 3 then, boys," One of the nobles spoke. "1...2...3!"
On his command, you and the other nobles bobbed your heads, submerging them within the whiskey. You quickly scrunched your eyes up to avoid getting the alcohol into your eyes as you opened your mouth, your tongue immediately tasting the harsh flavour of the whiskey surrounding you. You twisted and turned your head, unintentionally bumping it with the noble's own muzzles and snouts as you searched for an apple. It was harder than you thought to try and reach for an apple-- most of them were by your cheeks, but the entire point was to keep your head under the surface. Eventually, however, you managed to snag one and clasp it between your $nose, though not without unintentionally glugging a few bitter swigs of whiskey at the same time.
You pulled your head back up, gasping for air as whiskey dripped from your $skin. In your mouth you clutched an apple, and those around you cheered at your triumph. You reached up with a hand to drop the apple into your palm and then took a bite out of it, grinning from cheek to cheek. Your vision was blurred, just a little, from the sudden intake of alcohol, but it was fine.
Shortly after you, other nobles re-emerged, either with or without apples, much to the amusement of those who were watching. You chewed on your apple thoughtfully for a moment as the nobles backed up, and you did the same-- it was so others could take your place and join in on the fun.
Servants nearby offered towels, so you took one to dry off your face as the nobles chatted amongst themselves. You joined their conversation for a time and generally enjoyed yourself, even if it was only for a short amount of time. Eventually, you parted from them under the guise of wanting to get some food and put on your shirt and doublet, before returning to the banquet hall. You hadn't yet sobered up, but you would with time.](set:$RER to true)
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Return.")[(goto:(history:)'s last)]</div>(align:"<==")[The banquet hall was filled with the murmurings of both nobles and light, delicate string music that was pleasant to the ears. Composed by some of the greatest musicians out there, the songs that filled the hearts of those mingling, eating and laughing were famous and timeless-- some had stood the test of time and were several years old, whilst others were recent and fresh, having been composed that very same year. However, you had truthfully been tuning it out-- you weren't much of a connoisseur when it came to music and typically didn't have time to really sit and appreciate it, but even you had to pause for just a moment then the music came to a halt. Without the background noise, the nobles felt uneasy, as did you. Thankfully, it was for a good reason.
You turned your head towards the corner of the room, where the musicians had been sitting playing their instruments, to see a woman dressed in a gown that accentuated her figure taking front and centre of the other musicians. She bore no instrument, but stood with purpose, her chin high. She was an avian and seemed strangely rustic despite her fancy gown; her features, predominantly a mixture of gray and red, were smoothed and elegant but the steely gaze in her eyes made her seemed hardened to the world. She cast her gaze over the crowd; some looked in her direction whilst others were focused on their own conversations. She subtly turned her head, giving a single, brief nod to the players behind her, who readied themselves and started to play a song. After a moment, she opened her mouth to join in.
An echoing, high-pitched operatic voice pierced through the murmuring of the nobles throughout the banquet hall, forcing them into a quiet silence as they listened to her voice. You weren't much for Opera either, but you had to admit that she was doing an incredible job-- her tone was impressive and her vibrato shook at just the right amount to really reverberate her voice throughout the room. She sung far above the backing music that the musicians played for her and her song conveyed emotions that would have moved you, if you were interested in such things.
However, the more you listened the more peculiar her words were. Some lines that she sung were about the story she was telling, of a love long since lost, of regret and longing-- but other lines she sung were incomprehensible and made no cohesive sense in the grand scheme of the song. You had to wonder exactly what those lines meant, but the further she sang the more it confused you. Then, it dawned on you-- she was repeating the same two lines over and over throughout the song, and though they meant very little on their own, when stitched together from one end to the start of the other, they formed a cryptic sentence.](set:$RPro to $Prophecies's (random:1,$Prophecies's length))(set:$Prophecies to it - (a:$RPro))(set:$ProList to it + (a:$RPro))
<div class='img-container-twist'>$RPro</div>
(align:"<==")[It was a shame that you spent more time analysing what she was singing than appreciating her music, for shortly after you had realised the cryptic message in her song she drew the number to a close as the musicians played out one last, final belting note that roused the crowd of nobles into a polite yet echoing applause. She ended the note high and bowed, her beak moving to murmur thanks to the crowd. When the applause died down, she clasped her hands together near her stomach and parted her beak to speak.
"Thank you," She began. "That was a very special song for a benefactor who wishes to remain anonymous. I will now sing 'The Dance of Freedom'."
After a brief pause, the musicians started up and she joined in shortly thereafter for another operatic song that captivated the audience. You had to wonder who this mysterious benefactor was that provided her with such a decent yet cryptic songs, but you had a feeling you knew.
You listened to her music for any more clues, but there were none to be found. Still, in the silence of the banquet hall you at least appreciated her soothing, emotion-evoking music, just a little. She only sung another couple of songs before the hall lapsed back into conversation, the pleasant event drawn to a close.](set:$RER to true)
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Return.")[(goto:(history:)'s last)]</div>(align:"<==")[As you mingled with other nobles, you heard a light, tinkling laughter that caught your attention, for no other reason than that it was loud enough for you to hear from across the room, some distance away.
Standing on the other side of the room was a woman with the most expensive, most luxurious ball gown you'd ever seen. It's hem was encrusted with expensive, glittering jewels and it billowed out from her waist, forcing others to give her a wide berth as she walked. The top half was elegant and clasped to her slim features and ample bosom, and there were no straps to speak of across her shoulders, leaving her cleavage to be revealed. She wore gloves that reached as high as her elbow and her face, that of a hyena, was elegantly and thoroughly dotted with makeup, her hair loosely made up into a braided, celtic look that travelled down one shoulder. With the crowd that surrounded her, you thought her to be a princess of a neighbouring kingdom with her objectively beautiful she looked, but the murmurings of nobles nearby who were also gazing in her direction confirmed her identity for you; she was not a princess, but Cesin Dawland, the Lady of the House.
Purely out of interest alone, you weaved through the crowd of nobles and made your way over. The closer you got, the more stunning she looked-- and, conversely, the more people surrounded her. It was difficult to get through the thick outer layer of those orbiting around her beautiful figure to really speak to her, but you had to wonder if you even needed to. Thankfully, it seemed that everyone there was just bowing and greeting her out of respect for her house, rather than hovering so that they could strike up a conversation. As you waited a little longer, the crowd eventually began to thin and you stepped forwards to introduce yourself.
"Hello there," You began, performing a well-rehearsed, formal bow. "I'm Thep. A pleasure to meet you, Lady Dawland."
"Well, hello." She seemed pleased with your introduction, but perturbed that you didn't formally mention your house or lineage. She reached out her hand and you took it, planting a quick and simple kiss on the back of her hand, as was tradition for more greetings with a woman.
"Are you enjoying the party?" You asked as you relinquished your grip on her hand and straightened yourself up. She looked you up and down and seemed to admire your slim figure, and she suppressed a wide smile as she looked over the crowd of nobles, before meeting your gaze. Her eyes were a light blue, and would typically be cold-- but they were filled with a peculiar warmth unbefitting such a striking colour.
"I am," She smiled. "I met a pretty young man earlier in the night and I'm hoping to meet him again soon."
You had to wonder if her husband would be alright with her doing such a thing, but she ultimately didn't mean anything by it-- at least, in the context of the public setting, she sounded like she was just interested to meet someone new, rather than offering any sexual connotations. Regardless, you grinned, your face a little telling-- her smile faltered slightly as a result, but she then beamed even wider. You assumed she probably trusted you to keep your mouth shut.
"Well, I'm sure you'll see him again." You assured her, and she was pleased with your response, nodding her head to you once in acknowledgement. You heard someone call for the Lady from your right and she turned her head briefly to look, before reaching her hand out to you again.
"It was a pleasure to meet you, Thep." She smiled, and you held her hand in yours, giving it a light, dignified shake. With that, she retracted her hand and turned, stepping off to the side and making her way through the crowd, who parted to let her past. She was nice, but your encounter was uneventful.
You returned to the party to mingle.(set:$CesinM to 1)](set:$RER to true)
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Return.")[(goto:(history:)'s last)]</div>(align:"<==")[As you mingled around the party, you decided to take a break. As important as your mission was, you needed to get away from all the noise for a moment and just...recharge.
You made your way across the banquet hall and through a door at the far end that led into the corridors of House Dawland beyond. Out here, the loud din of talking nobles and clamouring laughter wasn't as harsh and grating, and you leant up against the wall, taking a moment to simple breathe. Your mind swam with thoughts of tonight's events as well as what you had to do in the future, but before you could really pick apart what information you've acquired or the people you've met, a scuffle to your left caught your attention. You turned your head slightly and saw, out the corner of your eye, what looked to be a long farthingale dress disappearing out of sight. You followed it, driven by curiosity.
When you reached the turning in the corridor, you slowed and peeked around the corner to see two people near to one of the windows in one of the arguably more private areas of House Dawland's summer estate. The woman of the two stood pinned against the wall, but not against her own will, for she gasped and moaned as the man before her kissed along her neck, exploring her collarbone and neckline as his hands raked against her dress, desperate to get beneath but unable. Her hands were contrastingly delicate and tender, stroking here and there along his back before hooking up around his neck, her head lolled to the side and her eyes closed. At first, you thought nothing of it-- but then it dawned on you who she was: Cesin Dawland, the Lady of the House. You only knew because someone had mentioned and seen her earlier in the day.
You tried to step back to leave them to it, but awkwardly stumbled, your shoe catching into a part of the rug beneath you. The ensuing scuffle caught the attention of the two lovebirds and they stopped their act, staring over in the direction of the noise. Unfortunately for you, Cesin could easily see you, and she patted the man in front of her, who awkwardly stepped back. You heard her whisper but couldn't decipher what she was saying, and you heard the plodding footsteps of the man retreating down the corridor. You had every intention of turning and making your way back to the banquet, but before you could even turn around, Cesin was standing in front of you. She was remarkably fast.
(if:$CesimM is 1)["Thep, isn't it?" She smiled politely, closing her eyes for a moment as she did so. "I'm surprised that you came across me so easily. Do I have an admirer?"
"N-No, Your Ladyship," You insisted. "I was getting some fresh air and heard a noise, so I was curious...I apologise for catching your unawares."
"No apologies needed, dear boy," She reached out and you tensed as she touched your cheek with her gloved hand. "But now we have a problem we must discuss, do we not?"
"D...Do we?" You awkwardly replied, and she retracted her hand, chuckling. It sounded dark yet light and airy at the same time.
"My husband is a very jealous man...I can't have him hearing about this. I trust you can keep a secret?" She asked, but didn't wait for a response as she turned, striding over to a small bag that had been sitting on the floor. She returned with it and opened the clasp, reaching inside.
"Just in case, this should help settle your mind." She placed a tool in your hand, and you looked down at it, eyes wide with surprise.](else:)["Hello," She smiled politely, closing her eyes for a moment as she did so. "I don't believe we've met. I'm Cesin Dawland, the Lady of the House."
"A-A pleasure, your Ladyship," You bowed to one knee, showing the upmost respect. "I am Thep. Nothing more, nothing less."
"Well, Thep..." She reached down to take one of your hands, signalling you to stand. "Pleasantries aside...we have quite the problem we must discuss, do we not?"
"Ah...do we?" You tried to brush it off, and she grinned, amused by your wit.
"We do. My husband is quite the jealous man...so I would appreciate if you could keep what you saw between us." She asked, but didn't wait for a response as she turned, striding over to a small bad that had been sitting down on the floor. She returned with it and opened the clasp, reaching inside.
"Just in case, this should help settle your mind." She placed a tool in your hand, and you looked down at it, eyes wide with surprise.]]
{|CC>[//Please choose a Twist of Fate.//<br>
<br>
(set:$TC1 to $Twists's (random:1,$Twists's length))
(set:$Twists to it - (a:$TC1))
(set:$TC2 to $Twists's (random:1,$Twists's length))
(set:$Twists to it - (a:$TC2))
(set:$TC3 to $Twists's (random:1,$Twists's length))
(set:$Twists to it - (a:$TC3))
<div class='img-container-card'>(display:$TC1)</div><div class='img-container-card'>(display:$TC2)</div><div class='img-container-card'>(display:$TC3)</div>]}(live:0.2s)[(if:$CCC is true)[(stop:)(set:$CCC to false)(align:"<==")[You take the tool and place it in your pocket, formally bowing in thanks. Even if she hadn't given you something for keeping quiet, you had every intention of not saying a word about what had transpired-- you knew that spreading those kind of rumours would eventually circulate back to you somehow. With a smile, and tucked her bag beneath her armpit.
"Well then...Thep," She smiled and nodded her head one in acknowledgement. "I shall bid you farewell for now. Enjoy the rest of your evening."
"And you yours, Your Ladyship." You said knowingly, fully aware your remark was a bit of a risk. However, she giggled and patted your shoulder before walking past you, amused by your remark. You blew a sigh of relief, thankful that you didn't make things worse for yourself.
You lingered a bit longer, giving her time to walk around the party before you entered the banquet hall, putting your focus back on your mission.](set:$RER to true)
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Return.")[(goto:(history:)'s last)]</div>](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]](align:"<==")[The night was going well, from what you could, yet you couldn't help but feel...uneasy. Something was off, but you're not sure what and why. Then, as you cast your glance over the crowd, it struck you: someone was missing, notably (if:$MetDu is false)[a hyena, clad in fancy white clothes.](elseif:$MetDu is true)[Duldes, the firstbon son of the house.] You had spotted him a few times that evening, lingering around the edges of the banquet hall in his best attempt to both be present and also avoid socialising, but now he was nowhere to be seen. You were both worried and confused, so you decided to go looking for him. If he wasn't in the hall, he was bound to be elsewhere.
You searched around the banquet hall for a while before stepping out into the corridors beyond that lead deeper into the House. You knew better than to explore restricted areas-- plus you had a hunch that the hyena wouldn't have gone far-- so you kept your search to the corridors and nothing more. There, you finally found him: he sat leaning over on a chair in the corner of one of the corridors, which was probably used by maids to rest during their cleaning duties. You slowly made your way over until you were standing in front of him, and he raised his head briefly to look at you before dipping it again.
(if:$MetDu is false)["Do we know each other?" His voice sounded tired and haggard, and you felt as if you were interrupting something.
"Uh, no...I'm Thep." You introduced yourself plainly and he said nothing in response for a moment.
"Duldes Dawland." He introduced himself eventually, and it dawned on you that he was the firstborn son of the very house you were in. You felt awkward and went to bow, but he gestured for you to stop.(set:$MetDu to true)](elseif:$MetDu is true)["It's you again," His voice sounded tired and haggard, and you felt as if you were interrupting something. "What do you want?"]
"I, uh...didn't see you in the banquet hall," You began. "I was just making sure you're alright."
"Do I look alright to you?" He snapped, raising his head up to look at you with cold eyes. "These boorish nobles...my head hurts just being in the same room as them for so long. I need a drink."
"You...you've had a drink in your hand all night, Your Lordship." You reminded him, and he growled under his breath, unhappy with your response.
"Another one with a sharp tongue," He drawled. "You're all the same, always trying to outdo me, to out-talk me. Do you have any idea how many hours I wasted, how long I spent doing lesson after lesson, being tutored endlessly through my youth just so I could eloquently tell someone to fuck off without using those words explicitly?"
His voice had raised slowly over time as he spoke and you were taken aback by his outburst. It was clear to you that he was just taking it out on you-- the two of you barely knew each other, after all.
"So much of my youth wasted on trivial matters, on learning how to talk circles around other nobles just so I could secure business deals in the future, so I could keep the House alive. I was even taught lessons on how to court women. Women, who swoon at the mention of my title, who spread their legs at the thought of being affiliated with my house. Boorish whores who know nothing more than to laugh along with anything I say and touch me in all the right places...and I learnt all that when I was but a child."
"And the worst part?" He continued, almost in a frenzy, though not quite. "I don't even know if I will inherit the house. My father is as sadistic and fickle as he is wise-- I'm sure that if he ever had the chance of immortality, he'd cut off the heads of all his children if it meant keeping his fortune to himself. The only reason he even had heirs is for his legacy, and on his deathbed I've no doubt he'll curse that he even had to die. To him, we are nothing more than a name in a ledger; only the name. Where are my achievements? My individual merit? I..."
His voice faltered and he suddenly bowed his head, slumping in his seat. Propping his elbow up on his knee, he placed his head in his hands and a pang of sympathy rushed through you at the sight. Pitying nobles was useless and as wasteful as throwing away perfectly good food, but you couldn't help but feel bad when Duldes was breaking down in front of you. You're unsure what to do, so all you could think of was to reach out and place your hand on his shoulder.
"I...I'm sorry," You solemnly consoled him. "That must have been difficult."
There was an awkward silence, before the hyena's shoulders began to shake, though not with sorrow, but with amusement. He began to chuckle, low at first before they rose and fell with a greater intensity as his laughter bubbled up into rapid bellows. They eventually subsided as he sighed, slowly getting to his feet. He brushed beneath one eye and then glanced at you, a small smirk tracing his features. His eyes looked as cold and as hard as usual.
"You almost sounded genuine," He remarked, before his smile faltered. "...Thank you. I should get back to the party...I've no doubt there are plenty of nobles looking for me."
With that, he strode past you and down the corridor, before taking a turn and heading into the banquet hall. You stood there for a moment, giving him a chance to mingle before following him inside. You didn't know what to think about what just transpired, but you could be sure that Duldes would look at you more fondly now.(set:$DulSway to it + 75)](set:$RER to true)
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Return.")[(goto:(history:)'s last)]</div>(align:"<==")[As you wandered around the banquet hall, keeping a tab on your potential targets, your attention was drawn to one in particular who was standing at the far side of the room in conversation with a young, impressionable woman who seemed to be trying to come onto him. A flash of irritation rushed through you, but you swallowed it down and instead decided to take it slow-- it would be better to see how the man would handle the situation, more than anything else.
As you approached, you took stock of the man before you-- he was (if:$MetDu is false)[a hyena, with ornate white clothes and slick fur.](elseif:$MetDu is true)[Duldes Dawland, firstborn of his House and heir to it by extension.] The woman beside him, however, you didn't recognise; she wore a beautiful, long flowing gown that clearly spoke of her wealth, but her features were ordinary by extension, canine in appearance with a hint of something more. You stepped a little closer, but didn't intrude on their conversation and instead lingered by to listen.
"Lord Dawland, you've quite the impressive figure," The woman spoke, her voice light and airy, yet forced. "Do you practice with the sword often?"
"Yes," He replied, his voice contrastingly cold. "Every morning for 2 hours, and then again in the afternoon for the same amount."
"Do you spar by yourself or do you train with others?" She asked, and you glanced out the corner of your eye, watching as she reached out to touch his arm. He pulled away almost instantly, and you had to wonder why.
"I train with the Dawland House Guards." He explained curtly and the woman took a step back, retracting her hand and faltering.
"Have I offended you, Lord Dawland?" She asked, and he stared down at her with an unreadable expression.
"Did you approach me purely for the purpose of fraternising with me?" He asked. "Instead of having a normal conversation, like two adults?"
"O...Of course not," She began. "Can a woman not find a man attractive?"
"Of course not, but it should be easy to keep your hands to yourself," He darkly remarked. "Show some restraint, My Lady."
"You..." She began, her voice quaking with a mixture of shame and anger. "Duldes Dawland, you are a horrid man. I can see the rumours of your womanising ways ring true."
"And you seem to lack restraint with your words as well." You could practically taste the tension on your tongue as he spoke. "I suggest you leave and reflect on how your actions may affect your House in the future, Lady Kallister."
She spluttered and tried to come up with a rebuttal, but instead turned and walked off, striding across the banquet hall and out of sight. You glanced at the path she had made in her wake as she shoved past nobles, before looking back at the hyena-- your body went cold when your eyes abruptly met.
"Did you enjoy the show?" He coldly remarked, turning towards you and closing the distance between you. "I've spent many hours learning how to spot a spy...though I have no doubt you were merely hunting for gossip, it's rude to eavesdrop."
"M...My apologies, Your Lordship." You muttered, feeling intimidated by his cold stare. However, he did not scold you more than that, and instead briefly looked you up and down, as if examining you.
(if:$MetDu is false)["...At least you are more interesting than her," He remarked. "Your name?"
"Thep, Your Lordship," You introduced yourself. "...No House to speak of, I'm afraid."
"No house, yet clothes like those...I am even more curious," He remarked. "...Duldes Dawland."
"A pleasure." You went to bow, but he gestured you back up, not wanting to stand on ceremony.
"Yes...I suppose it is. Excuse me."](elseif:$MetDu is true)["...At least you are more interesting than her...Thep."] He muttered, before turning on a heel and striding off, hugging the wall of the banquet hall as he moved towards the buffet table. Your face flushed at his words and you had to wonder if he intended to compliment you or not. That man, Duldes Dawland, was hard to read.](set:$RER to true)(set:$DulSway to it + 40)
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Return.")[(goto:(history:)'s last)]</div>(align:"<==")[You were wandering around the banquet hall, keeping an eye on your noted targets, when you spotted one of them in a heated debate with other nobles, who were more laughing at his words than taking him seriously. Driven by curiosity, you make your way over so that you can better listen to what he's trying to say.
"Don't you think it unfair?" The avian spoke, gesturing to the nobles in front of him. "What if it were your sons being used as a punching bag? Or your fathers, your uncles?"
"But it's not our fathers and uncles," One of the nobles chimed in. "It's monsters. Brutish, horrid creatures who have less sense than a mangy dog."
A chuckle ripped through the crowd of nobles and the avian faltered. You recognised him to be (if:$MetSa is false)[one of your potential targets, a police avian who serves as a military adjutant.](elseif:$MetSa is true)[Sat Ipfeld, adjutant to Lord Carein and an impeccable soldier.] He looked to be struggling to convince the nobles to have compassion, but for now you didn't butt in-- instead, you watched from the side.
"But they aren't just brutes, good sirs," The avian continued, almost pleadingly. "They speak and breathe and live as much as you do, all they lack is your power and wealth. What gives you the right...?"
"The right to what? Dictate how we live our lives?" One noble spat. "It's their fault for not having wealth. For being so monstrous that they don't live in civilisation, in comfort and luxury like us. They are not the influencers of this world-- they can barley even make a hut made out of straw and twigs!"
"That doesn't mean--" The avian tried to continue, but his words were cut off by the jeering and amusement of the nobles, who agreed with their comrade more than the man in front of him. The avian bowed his head, embarrassed and angry, and you decided it was high time to step in. You moved out from the crowd and stood beside the avian, raising your chin and folding your arms. You hoped that you looked dignified in your fancy blue doublet, but any probing into your House would give you away, that much you knew.
"For shame, Your Lordships," You spoke, voice level and thick with disapproval. "If you were out on the streets without a penny to your name, wouldn't you want to be treated with some degree of compassion, or would you chalk your misfortune up to being born to a poor life, doomed to forever be treated like dirt? The common people are your benefactors in more ways than one-- the very existence of monsters helps your communities to thrive. Even the Raltaindair provide their strength to the Laqauin Empire, yet you would stand there and ridicule them? If you were face to face with one, you'd be ripped to shreds in an instant: that's how insignificant you are."
Your harsh words were both offensive and yet also humbling, and the reaction of the nobles was mixed-- those on the lower end of the influential ladder merely turned their heads away and grumbled under their breath, both flustered and embarrassed at being called out. Others, however, who were far more wealthy and influential, shouted back at you, spouting insults or threatening your very livelihood for such directly offensive words. You knew that standing up for the avian was bound to cause a stir, and in time rumours were likely to spread...however, their reaction was of little consequence to you in that moment, for you were focused on the avian beside you, who stared at you with awe.(set:$Havoc to it + 50)
(if:$MetSa is false)["W...Wow," He began. "That was inspiring, truly. I'm Sat Ipfeld, and you are...?"
"Thep," You introduced yourself, loosening your folded arms to shake his hand. "Just Thep."
"Well, 'Just Thep'," The avian smiled wide. "I'm impressed. To have such a way with words yet be so compassionate...it's refreshing. To whose House do you belong?"
"None," You assured him. "...Is that a problem?"
"N-No, of course not!" The avian's tone lapsed slightly and he looked more relaxed around you. "I'm just quite surprised. You're really cool, Thep. But...you've pissed off the nobles."
"I think they'll understand what I meant in due time." You grinned and the avian smiled even wider, impressed by your lack of fear. A call to your right seemed to be for Sat and the avian turned his head, glancing in that direction, before giving you a quick wave and breaking away from the group to disappear into the crowd. You watched him go with a sense of satisfaction, assured that you've left a very good impression.](elseif:$MetSa is true)["Wow, Thep..." He began. "That was...inspiring, and impressive. Truly. To have such a way with words and yet be so compassionate...I'm stunned."
"It's the right thing to do," You didn't want to sound heroic, but it came out that way. "Anyone who thinks otherwise probably has a cold heart, wouldn't you agree?"
"I would." He beamed. A call to your right seemed to be for Sat and the avian turned his head, glancing in that direction, before giving you a quick wave and breaking away from the group to disappear into the crowd. You watched him go with a sense of satisfaction, assured that you've left a very good impression.]](set:$RER to true)(set:$SatSway to it + 40)
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Return.")[(goto:(history:)'s last)]</div>(align:"<==")[The party was going along smoothly, and yet you felt strangely uneasy. You didn't know why, but you felt as if something was off. When you looked out over the crowd, it became clear: a certain someone was missing. You'd spotted him around the banquet here and there interacting with nobles, but now he was nowhere to be seen-- (if:$MetSa is false)[that polite, military avian, adjutant to Lord Carein.](elseif:$MetSa is true)[Sat, the administrator for Lord Carein.] Driven by both curiosity and worry, albeit unwarranted, you decided to go searching for him.
You checked around the banquet hall to be sure, but couldn't see him anywhere, so you stepped out into the corridors that mostly surrounding the hall and searched. You're sure he wouldn't have gone far without his Lord considering his status and occupation-- this it is just speculation, since you weren't in his position. After some time wandering the hall, a noise from a nearby closet caught your attention and you lingered outside of it, listening intently. It sounded as if a person was inside, but you didn't want to open the door and risk interrupting a couple of lovebirds...but ultimately, you couldn't help yourself. You grasped the handle and twisted, pulling the door open.
To your surprise, the avian you were looking for was inside, sitting on the floor curled up against a series of coats and hats that looked to belong to the guests of tonight's party. He had initially been muttering to himself and clutching his head in his hands, but his head snapped up when you'd opened the door and he had his body pinned to the back wall, eyes wide. When he realised you weren't someone else, he relaxed a little, but still remained tense.
"Are you okay?" You asked him, and he mumbled something under his breath. With a frown, you crouched down.
(if:$MetSa is false)["Who the hell are you?" He abruptly demanded, looking you up and down. "Are you with Lord Carein?"
"What? No. I'm Thep," You introduced yourself. "I was just wandering and heard you in here."
"Oh..." He relaxed a little more. "...I'm Sat. Fuck, Sorry. I'm just...I'm stressed. Really, really fucking stressed."](elseif:$MetSa is true)["Thep," He suddenly said you name, catching you by surprise. "What are you doing here?"
"I was just...wandering the halls and heard a noise. I didn't know it was you," You explained gingerly. "...I'll ask again, are you okay?"
"No..." He relaxed a little. "I'm just...I'm stressed. Really, really fucking stressed.(set:$MetSa to true)]
"Do you want to talk about it?" You suggested, and he squirmed in his seat, toes curling against the sole of his shoes.
"Yes. No. I don't know," He blabbered. "I offended someone that I shouldn't have, I shouldn;t have even been talking, Lord Carein is going to have me executed..."
"Just calm down," You insisted, and he whimpered, feathers quivering. "Work it through in your head. You're a smart guy."
"R...Right. Work it through..." He murmured as you rose to your feet. "But what if they come for me?"
"I'll stand guard, okay? That'll give you plenty of time to figure it out." You assured him, and he looked to relax even more at your suggestion. With an anxious nod, he looked down back at his knees and carried on muttering to himself as you stepped back and closed the door, turning to stand against it so that no-one could enter without your permission.
In the end, no-one came looking for Sat, and he had quite a bit of time to work out what he was going to do. After some time, you heard a quiet knocking on the door and you shifted, leaning up off it and pulling it open. Sat stepped out, looking a little stressed but significantly better than before. He sighed and smoothed his feathers down, adjusting his uniform to make sure it hadn't bunched up in awkward places when he'd been sitting.
"I think...I think I can manage the fallout," He began, before turning to you. "...Thanks, Thep. You helped a lot. Like, a hell of a lot."
"Anytime." You smiled and the avian wryly smiled back, before he headed off down the corridor back towards the banquet hall. You felt as if you hadn't really done much at all, but if you relationship with Sat was better than before, then that was a plus. You lingered a bit longer before returning to the party yourself.(set:$SatSway to it + 75)](set:$RER to true)
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Return.")[(goto:(history:)'s last)]</div>(align:"<==")[You were enjoying yourself at the party, but something seemed...off. You're not sure why, but it felt like the mood of the party was souring ever so slightly, and after a quick glance around the banquet hall you could see why-- standing amongst the crowd, almost sulking, was (if:$MetRa is false)[a tall, shaggy bear-like creature](elseif:$MetRa is true)[Raltarndarv]. He looked like he was on the verge of tearing those around him to shreds, and in the purpose of keeping the party going for your mission, you decided to make your way over and try to calm the situation.
You're not sure what riled him up, but whatever had done so was no longer around-- however, the creature continued to stand there staring at the floor as he flexed his hands back and forth, half-trembling and half-relaxing. You couldn't be sure of what he was doing, but he definitely looked angry. Though it might have been a bad idea, you stepped closer, enough for him to see you. His cold eyes could have turned you to stone, if they were even capable of that.
(if:$MetRa is false)["Excuse me," You apologised for interrupting what could have been his train of thought. "Are you okay? You're standing in the middle of the room just...shaking."
"Are you patronising me?" He asked, voice barely above a whisper. "I don't even know you."
"Oh, sorry," You apologised yet again. "I'm Thep. Do you want to go somewhere and talk, maybe calm down? I'm being genuine, I swear."
"Raltarndarv," He warily introduced himself. "And...fine."](elseif:$MetRa is true)["Ralt," You looked up at him and grimaced, feeling for him. "Are you okay? You're standing in the middle of the room just...shaking."
"Are you patronising me, $species?" He quietly asked, sounding both sorrowful and angry at the same time.
"No, no," You assured him. "I'm just worried. Do you want to go somewhere and talk, maybe calm down?"
"...Fine." He sounded wary, but agreed.]
Though it might have been inappropriate, you took the bear by the hand and lead him through the crowd of nobles, who easily parted to allow the two of you to pass. You led him out into the corridors outside of the banquet hall and then beyond towards the restricted wings of the House. You didn't go in deeper, but you wanted to at least be far enough away to allow Raltarndarv some time to calm down. Luckily, his breathing was already slowing by the time you'd both stepped out of the hall and was he was looking a little better. He leant up against the nearest wall and slumped down onto his ass, spreading his legs out and hunching his body forward until his hands pressed against the floor between them. You crouched down, sitting in front of him on your knees.
"Do you want to talk about it?" You suggested, and he rolled his shoulders, grunting.
"I thought I could manage one dinner party before I would have to go back, but..." He grimaced, which was hard for his monstrous features to manage. "I hate it. I hate nobles. They make me wear such unnecessary outfits and perform tricks for their amusement, like some pet. I just wanted to...tear them apart, and bathe in their blood."
His voice was cold and dark and you instinctively reached out to place your hand atop his. He tensed and hesitated, before relaxing a little, bowing his head.
"I understand. I do," You assured him, speaking semi-truthfully. "I hate nobles too. I'm sorry that you're in this position...I wish I could help."
"There's nothing you can do," The bear muttered sadly. "But your sentiment is appreciated, Thep."
The two you sat there for a while in silence, and Raltarndarv seemed to get more and more relaxed as time went on. He eventually got to his feet and muttered his thanks for your 'effort', before returning towards the banquet hall, having calmed down somewhat. You wished you could help him more, but there's a limit to what you can do in all things. You just hoped that your efforts to make him feel better made him more favourable towards you as a result.(set:$RalSway to it + 75)](set:$RER to true)
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Return.")[(goto:(history:)'s last)]</div>(align:"<==")[You wandered through the party with both a sense of purpose and also boredom. You'd spent some time already surveying potential targets within the party as well as trying to solve The Preacher's cryptic riddles, but a little downtime couldn't hurt, and you were out to enjoy yourself...or you were at first, until you saw a very passionate discussion happening not too far away from you, near the doors leading out to the pool outside.
As you drew closer, you recognised one of them-- (if:$MetBe is false)[a reptile with lavender clothes, one of your potential targets](elseif:$MetBe is true)[Berlis Dawson, head of his House]. The other, however, was new to you; he was also a reptile, but had strikingly different features to the other, and was also significantly shorter. The two of them were half-arguing, half-discussing a matter that, at first, you couldn't wrap your head around. The more you listened, however, the more you understood.
"5 gold a bottle? You can't be serious, Vilentia." The reptile you recognised threw his arms in the air, baring his teeth and visibly grimacing as the shorter reptile apologetically shrugged his shoulders.
"I've got to earn a living, Lord Dawson," The other insisted. "I appreciate that you need wine for your House, but..."
"You're going to run me into the ground, is that it, Vilentia?" Lord Dawson argued. "You know that I could have you business culled from the streets with just a few well-placed letters."
"A...Are you threatening me, Lord Dawson?" The smaller reptile seemed unafraid of the other's intimidating and he puffed out his chest, standing on tiptoe in an effort to flex his height. Atop his head, short slick spines stood to attention as if he was blustering and showing off. In the interest of helping a potential target, you stepped closer to aid Lord Dawson.
"It would be wise for you to negotiate a little better," You warned, standing beside the taller reptile as the smaller one bulged his eyes at you, surprised. "You wouldn't want your reputation to plummet just because you refused to provide your service to an influential noble, would you?"
The smaller reptile fumed on the spot, looking as if he were cornered. He looked from you to the other reptile in turn before he ground his teeth and huffed, lowering himself back down and flattening his spines. He must have realised he was fighting a losing battle.
"Fine," He muttered darkly. "You will have your wine at 3 gold per bottle."
He parted his maw to say more, then thought better of it and clamped it shut. He turned on a heel, tail flicking dangerously with anger as he stomped off. (if:$MetBe is false)[The taller reptile turned to you with a wide grin and clasped the shoulder or your blue doublet.
"You've quite the sharp tongue on you, $species," He laughed loudly. "What's your name?"
"Thep," You introduced yourself. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lord Dawson."
"Just...Thep?" He asked, relinquishing his grip. "What's your noble house?"
"I...don't have one." You admitted. The reptile grimaced for a moment, visibly put off, before he sighed through his nose and tried to smile again, though it didn't seem as genuine.
"I see. Well...I appreciate your aid all the same, you've saved me a few pretty coins." He thanked you for your help and then awkwardly stepped to the side, heading back off into the crowd, as if he were avoiding making conversation with you. ](elseif:$MetBe is true)[Berlis turned to you and grimaced, but tried his best to smile.
"I didn't expect you to have such a sharp tongue...what was your name again?" He'd already forgotten you, it appeared-- it hurt, but you understood.
"Thep." You informed him, and he nodded along, vaguely patting your shoulder.
"Well, Thep...thank you for your aid," He continued. "You've saved me a coin or two, and I can appreciate that, despite...well."
He didn't elaborate and instead moved past you, heading into the crowd and out of sight.]
You had a feeling he'd be like that, but regardless, you've at least left a good impression...and from the looks of those staring at you from afar, caused a bit of a stir too.(set:$BerSway to it + 40)(set:$Havoc to it + 35)](set:$RER to true)
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Return.")[(goto:(history:)'s last)]</div>(align:"<==")[The party was going well, but something felt...off. Uneasiness spread through you purely from instinct, and you found yourself looking over the crowd in search of something amiss. Eventually, you realised it: one of your notable figures was missing from the main banquet hall-- (if:$MetBe is false)[a reptile, with lavender-coloured noble clothes.](elseif:$MetBe is true)[Berlis Dawson, head of his house.] You're not sure where he's gone, and purely out of a mixture of curiosity and worry, you started to look for him.
You couldn't find him in the banquet hall, so you spread out further, heading into the surrounding corridors outside of the hall that led deeper into the House. For a while you came up empty, but you eventually spotted him, slumped in the hallway of one of House Dawland's many public corridors. He wasn't alone, for various bottles sat around him, either tipped over it awkwardly standing upright, half-full or empty. There had to be at least 3 or 4 of them at first glance, and you had to wonder exactly what had caused the nobleman to get to drunk. You slowly stepped closer, and he jerked his head up to stare at you as you approached.
(if:$MetBe is false)["Who are you?" He spat. "Those clothes...you're not one of Dawland's lackies."
"Uh...I'm Thep," You introduced yourself and crouched down, squatting on your heels. "...Are you okay?"
"Fuck off," He slurred, turning his head from you and taking a large swig. "You're too low to speak to me, Head of House Dawson, Berlis Dawson. Yeah. That's me..."
You tilted your head slightly and grimaced at his drunk state, before shifting and sitting cross-legged beside him.(set:$MetBe to true)](elseif:$MetBe is true)["It's you, the commoner," He grunted, turning his head away from you and taking a large swig of the bottle in his hand. "I have no words for a peasant like you."
"Are you okay?" You asked rather plainly despite his harsh words, lowering yourself into a squat, and he snorted at your words.
"Look at the commoner, showing compassion," He gestured wildly with his hands. "Fuck off."
You pursed your $nose and then shifted, sitting cross-legged beside him.]
"Do you want to talk about it?" You suggested, and he was peculiarly silent for a moment. You hoped he wasn't mulling over how best to tell you to get lost.
"I was playing a game," He began with a mutter, barely above a whisper. "Harmless, really. Truth or dare. They were off doing silly things like running around the banquet hall without a shirt, childish games...but it reminded me of something unpleasant that I've tried very hard to forget."
"And what is that?" You asked, and he wryly smiled at you.
"Did you know I wasn't the firstborn of my house?" He continued, and you shrugged your shoulders. "I had an older brother, 5 years my senior...he was assassinated. Back then, House Dawson was quite prominent in Gromarch, and Fredriek was smart for his age...but not smart enough. I was the one who found him. Those cold, dead eyes...I don't think I'll ever forget the sight of it."
His voice cracked near the end of his short tale and you glanced over to him to see him bowing his head, tucking his knees up. He breathed shakily and you reached over, putting an arm around him and pulling him towards your shoulder. It was inappropriate for you to do so with a noble, but for once Berlis didn't make a smart quip. Instead, he merely leant against you as his shoulders silently shook. You said nothing-- it wasn't your place.
After what felt like only a few minutes, Berlis suddenly lifted himself up off you and dug into his pocket, retrieving a handkerchief to wipe his eyes. He sniffed, once, and then suddenly got to his feet, turning away from you yet lingering, for one reason or another.
"I should go," He began. "I cannot be seen with a commoner like you in such a way. But...thank you."
He hesitated, just for a moment, before striding off down the hall. He was strangely fickle, at least in your opinion, but it seemed like you helped him a little. You hoped that you aid helped for him to see you more favourably as a result.(set:$BerSick to true)(set:$BerSway to it + 75)](set:$RER to true)
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Return.")[(goto:(history:)'s last)]</div>(align:"<==")[As you wandered around the banquet hall, a booming voice came from the gardens outside. Driven purely by curiosity, you decided to go outside and see what the fuss was all about.
Standing on the grass away from the pool was (if:$MetRa is false)[a large bear-like creature, standing at 8 foot tall.](elseif:$MetRa is true)[Ralt, the leader of his people.] His voice boomed across the gardens and towards the banquet hall, and several nobles stood around to listen to his speech. You were curious about what he was holding a speech over and joined the crowd, standing with the others.
"I implore you to look beyond your high walls, your elaborate metal fences and your pretty, trimmed gardens," He spoke, keeping his large monstrous paws close to his chest. "Look beyond your trimmed fields, your pretty maids, your barrels of coins. Beyond that lies nature, the wild-- without your civilisation, you would have nothing."
A murmur passed through the crowd of nobles, and you twisted your (if:$species is "canine")[ears](elseif:$species is "avian" or "reptile")[head] to listen to their gossip.
"Isn't he articulate?" One murmured with a mixture of amusement and delight, and the one beside him chuckled, though it didn't sound like genuine laughter-- more akin to the kind of childish giggling one might expect from a prankster. You grimaced at the grating sound on your ears.
"Quite so," Another replied. "One wouldn't think a beast to have such mannerisms. Why, if a monster can be so worldly, what does that say about Lord Duldes Dawland...or House Dawson, for that matter?"
"Indeed," The first whispered, keeping his voice low so that his petty insults couldn't be heard to most. "This beast speaks better than Houses built on the foundation of democracy and upper-class nobility. You have to wonder if they're losing their touch..."
"Or if whoever got this monster to do tricks is more impressive than he seems..." The other remarked, and the first cleared his throat, cutting though the bear-creature's speech and causing him to falter.
"Excuse me, animal," The noble called out, making the bear tense. "Where's your master, who taught you to talk?"
"I...What?" The bear looked dumbfounded. "I learnt to talk from my f--"
"No, no! Your master, who holds your leash! Who is he?" They jeered, and the other nobles began to laugh. The bear faltered and you felt annoyance swelling up within you, before you stepped forwards and turned, staring at each of the nobles in turn. You knew this was bound to cause a stir, but you decided to do it anyway.
"Shame on all of you," You spat. "Have you no compassion for this man's plight? He's as much of a person as the rest of you."
The nobles muttered angrily and some of them decided to storm off, not finding it fun anymore if someone was going to side with the creature. Others, however, shouted or heckled you from where they were standing. However, you stood firm, and that angered them. They eventually all departed, both annoyed and uninterested, and you breathed a sigh as a result. Slowly, the bear turned to you.(set:$Havoc to it + 30)
(if:$MetRa is false)["I appreciate the sentiment," The bear began. "I'm Raltarndarv Raltandavi, but you can just call me Ralt. And you are...?"
"Thep. Just Thep." You introduced yourself and he snorted, impressed by your lack of haughty titles.
"Well, Thep..." He sighed. "It will take more than a rousing speech to get the attention of these nobles, but I appreciate your efforts all the same. I should return to the banquet."](elseif:$MetRa is true)["I appreciate the sentiment, Thep," Ralt sighed. "But I think it'll take more than that to get through to these nobles..."
"I'm sorry." You were apologetic, but he merely shrugged it off.
"I should return to the banquet." He murmured.]
With that, he made his way off the grass into the hall, leaving you standing there. Though his speech didn't go as planned, you felt like he at least saw you in a better light as a result. After lingering for a while, you returned also. (set:$RalSway to it + 40)](set:$RER to true)
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Return.")[(goto:(history:)'s last)]</div>(align:"<==")[As you wandered the banquet hall, keeping an eye on your noted targets, the clamouring and screaming of nobles caught your attention. You whirled on the spot to face the direction of the noise and stared with wide eyes as nobles ran into the hall from the gardens. Driven by both curiosity and a desire for that night to continue, you made your way over towards one of the windows to see what the problem was.
There, standing on the grassy plains of House Dawland's gardens, stood large behemoth-like creatures with gnashing teeth, red eyes and a furry, shaggy quadruped form-- they looked like wolves only larger, as tall as the average man on all fours with fur as black as midnight, muzzles dripping drool as they bared their fangs. Though you'd never seen one in person, you knew exactly what they were: Wargs. What were they doing on House Dawland's grounds? You knew for a fact that the building was nowhere close to monster territory, and if it was then they would have been eradicated. In the end, it didn't matter why they were here-- they needed to be removed, one way or another. You made your way outside, for reasons that at that time escaped you; it was a compulsion, and nothing more. You're not a warrior, nor a hero, and were it not for those who followed you, you would have been ripped to shreds. You reached the concrete patio of the building, your shoes barely touching the grass, with the wargs a good distance in front of you. They began to approach, heads bowed low.(if:$TList contains "Raltarndarv Raltandavi")[(if:$TList contains "Berlis Dawson")[(set:$EC to (either:1,2))](else:)[(set:$EC to 1)]](elseif:$TList contains "Berlis Dawson")[(set:$EC to 2)]
(if:$EC is 1)[From your right came (if:$MetRa is false)[a large, hulking bear-like creature, a good 2 feet taller than you](elseif:$MetRa is true)[Ralt, leader of his people and a large bear-like creature]. He took one glance at you out the corner of his eye, his gaze piercing your own, before he snorted and shook his head.
"You are like a child," He muttered loudly enough for you to hear. "But I commend your bravery. I will deal with these dogs."
You parted your $nose to speak, then closed it again, unsure what to say. Instead, you merely stood back and watched as the bear approached the creatures, who circled and snarled, ready to take a bite out of his flesh. There were 3 of them, but none of them stood as tall as the 8 foot monster before you-- despite their size and numbers, however, the bear looked unafraid. Instead, he stood still, twisting his head to watch them circle.
Suddenly, one of them leapt forwards to pounce, and all you could think was how impossibly fast it was, like a blur-- yet, somehow, the bear was faster. In an instant he twisted his body and lifted his paw high, slamming it down on the Warg's face and interrupting its trajectory in an instant, sending it hurtling to the floor. The dog yelped and tried to scrabble to its feet, but the bear plated a large paw on the wolf's face and held it down as another leapt to action, intent on taking a chunk out of him. Once again, however, the bear was faster; one swipe of his paw was enough to send the warg flying. The particular Warg retreated, and the third approached, circling around and then aiming for the bear's leg.
The noble bear twisted, loosening his grip off the first Warg's face and grasping at the roof of the dog's mouth with a paw. He twisted his body and swung the Warg around, throwing it in the direction of the third, who was just about to attack, sending the two of them tumbling. The animals scrabbled to their feet and snarled, barking and growling but keeping their distance, instinctively aware that they're outmatch. The bear stomped his feet against the floor and bowed his body low, before opening his mouth and erupting a roar so loud that the very windows of House Dawland's estate shook and trembled. The Wargs, intimidated, whined and turned, leaping of the garden hedges and disappearing out of sight. You heard their receding pawsteps and could only assume he'd scared them off-- and without a scratch on his body, too.
The bear turned to you abruptly and crossed over the grass towards you. He hesitated, standing before you, before he planted his large hand on your shoulder.
(if:$MetRa is false)["Amongst my people, bravery is a sign of a warrior," he began. "I can appreciate you intent to help. What is your name?"
"Thep. Just Thep." You introduced yourself, feeling weight down by his paw.
"I am Raltarndarv Raltandavi. Thep...were I not here, you would have perished, or worse.," He insisted. "Please be more careful in the future."
He looked almost sad as he stared down at you, his cyan eyes feeling more melancholic than cold. As you stared into them, you felt as if you were sinking deep down, further into his soul. His hand squeezed your shoulder roughly before he stepped to the side and returned to the party. You turned to watch him leave, feeling a mixture of emotions.(set:$MetRa to true)](elseif:$MetRa is true)["Thep. Amongst my people, bravery is a sign of a warrior," He began. "So I can appreciate that you wanted to help. However, you are a frail $species. Were I not here, you would have perished, or worse."
He looked almost sad as he stared down at you, his cyan eyes feeling more melancholic than cold. As you stared into them, you felt as if you were sinking deep down, further into his soul. His hand squeezed your shoulder roughly before he stepped to the side and returned to the party. You turned to watch him leave, feeling a mixture of emotions.]
You returned to the party with a peculiar feeling inside you. Nobles stared as you entered, likely confused as to why an unarmed $species decided to try and fight 3 monsters unarmed. You've no doubt that you've caused a stir, but as a result, Ralt looked at your more favourably.(set:$Havoc to it + 40)(set:$RalSway to it + 40)](elseif:$EC is 2)[From your right came (if:$MetBe is false)[a reptile, clad in lavender-coloured fancy clothes](elseif:$MetBe is true)[Berlis Dawson, head of his house]. He didn't look like much of a fighter himself, yet there he stood, as if he intended to take them all on at once. Instead, however, he cleared his throat and turned to look behind him, snapping his fingers. You turned to see a number of armed guards trudge out from the crowd of nobles, as if they were waiting for this very moment-- had they been at the party the entire time, acting as part of House Dawland's guards, or were you just too preoccupied to notice?
"Deal with them." The reptile commanded, and you watched as the knights approached. There were roughly 15 of them, and they split 5 per Warg, of which there were 3. All of the guards were canine and they assumed a strategy befitting their species, circling their target as a group of 5. Using a variety of spears, shields and the occasional sword, they poked the creatures down. Their sharp yelps and whimpers grated on your ears and you turned, unable to watch. As much as the wargs were intent on killing both you and the denizens of the party, that didn't mean you were alright with watching them die. The thought made you sick.
"What's the matter?" The reptile spoke, his voice sounding both teasing and disgusted. "They are merely animals. It's like hunting foxes for sport."
"I do not appreciate hunting foxes, either," You admitted. "At least, I would rather not see it, if possible."
"Then why did you come out here?" He snapped. "You are a foolish boy, thinking that you can live your life without seeing the cruel reality of this world. Animals are meant to be slaughtered, just as nobles are meant to rule."
"Perhaps that should change." You remarked quietly, and the reptile seethed on the spot, irked by your response. However, rather than berating you, he instead smirked.
(if:$MetBe is false)["What's your name, boy?" He demanded, and you turned your head briefly to glance at him, avoiding looking behind you.
"Thep," You introduced yourself. "...And no, I have no House to speak of."
"Then, commoner," He continued. "I enjoy taking you down a peg at some point in the future. Remember the name Berlis Dawson."(set:$MetBe to true)](elseif:$MetBe is true)["Thep was your name, yes?" He smirked. "I will thoroughly enjoy taking you down a peg and delivering you the reality of your existence in the future."]
With that, the reptile turned on a heel and strode back into the hall. You lingered there for a moment, and by the time you turned back around, the Wargs were gone, removed from the grass. Not a sound remained.
You returned to the party with a heavy heart, not wanting to think about it any more. Your actions had caused a stir amongst the nobles, who were curious about why an unarmed $species had gone out to fight, but as a result you seemed to have left an impression on Berlis.(set:$Havoc to it + 40)(set:$BerSway to it + 40)]](set:$RER to true)
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Return.")[(goto:(history:)'s last)]</div><div class='img-container-pro'>You take a look at your journal, where you've been keeping clues on party-goers at the party, as well as collected Prophecies.
(if:$ProList's length is >0)[Your current Prophecies are:
(text-style:"shadow")[(for: each _item, ...$ProList)[_item
]]]
(link:"Return.")[(goto:(history:)'s last)]</div>(align:"<==")[You decided to attempt to compliment Duldes, in the hopes he might enjoy it.
"I like your outfit," You remarked, gesturing to his ornate white doublet and trousers. "It has a certain...charm to it. Purity, even."
"Do you think it fitting?" He asked casually enough, though the tone of amusement in his voice didn't quite reach his eyes.
"I do." You agreed almost instantly and his muzzle pursed.
"Then you must not know me very well at all," He remarked with a sigh through his nose. "But you did at least attempt to give a genuine compliment, so I suppose I must thank you for that."
An awkward tension filled the air when you realised you'd perhaps stepped forwards a little too eagerly, metaphorically speaking. Silence cross the chasm between the two of you until you found your voice again, clearing your throat in the hopes of clearing the air by extension.
"Well...maybe if you're not so pure, I still think your doublet is rather nice." You tried your best to patch up the compliment and the hyena scoffed in response.
"Yes. It's very expensive, I assure you." Duldes dryly replied, taking a quick and simple sip of his wine, barely swallowing down a few droplets, as if he hoped the glass would last him the entire night. Uneasiness swelled within your stomach and you pushed it down with a deep, calming breath.
"I'm sorry if I upset you." You apologised and he gestured with his free hand, waving it up and down as if he were dismissing you.
"Don't mind me, I am sure you were just being friendly," He grimaced. "I am just not used to compliments that aren't loaded with ulterior motives. I'm sure you understand."
"There are no motives here, Your Lordship," You're pretty good at lying through your teeth. "I just thought you looked quite striking. Not very many people here are wearing white, you see-- it makes you stand out...though I'm not sure if that's your intention."
"It both is, and isn't," He explained wryly. "Father's idea, boring as it is. He likes all of us to shine-- I'm sure if he had his way he'd all be glowing with magic."
A chuckle rolled through him and you joined him on a light amusement, pleased that the mood had lifted just a little. A noble came from the side, glancing to you before trying to spark up a conversation with Duldes. It seemed like the right time for you to retreat, and so you did so, satisfied that you'd left him with a good compliment.(set:$DulSway to it + 30)]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")[You decided to compliment Sat a little, since he seemed like he needed it.
"Uh...so, you outfit's nice. Did Lord Carein give it to you?" You asked, and the avian looked down at his clothes, twisting on the spot to show himself off a little. He had quite the slim figure, and his clothes fit relatively snugly to him.
"Oh! Thanks, yeah-- just for the banquet, they're not mine..." He admitted, and you gave him a quick look up and down, grinning.
"It looks good on you." You didn't mean to flirt, though it was close to it.
"Shut up," The avian chuckled, rubbing the back of his head and looking a little flushed. "You're just saying that to flatter me."
"Well, maybe I am, but a little compliment here and there doesn't hurt, does it?" You grinned even wider as the avian's visibly flustered expression and he looked even more embarrassed when you explained yourself. He calmed down quite quickly though, smoothing his features and clearing his throat-- though his eyes twinkled with delight as being praised.
"Well, thanks all the same," He shifted nervously on the spot. "Shit, I'm not used to getting complimented. My parents used to be very doting, and Lord Carein is a nice man but he isn't really the flattering type, at least not to a nobody like me."
"Well if you want my opinion, I believe people should be praised regardless of their status," You remarked. "If I want to compliment your figure or your fashion sense, I should be allowed to do so without worrying about your status."
"Those are some good ideals that I can agree with. Fuck, Thep, are you trying to seduce me?" Sat laughed, though it sounded he was only half-joking. You didn't rise to the bait and instead smirked, deliberately looking him up and down as he stared at you. You were just barely in the precipice of flirting, though not quite-- you'd wait with that until much later.
"W-Well," The avian cleared his throat again. "Thanks, all the same. I should go get a drink, especially after all that. Fuck..."
He turned, casting a final glance to you followed by a grin, before he dipped off into the crowd, heading towards the buffet table. You watched him go and then chuckled to yourself under your breath.(set:$SatSway to it + 30)]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")[You decided it would be fun to compliment Ralt for a bit-- he didn't look like he needed it, necessarily, but most people enjoyed a good compliment.
"Your eyes..." You focused on them in particular, rather than his outfit, for instance. "They're quite pretty-- the colour is interesting."
"I...thank you?" Ralt seemed perplexed, but not wholly negative. "I didn't really expect anyone at this party to compliment my eyes, of all things. Though, I rather didn't expect a compliment at all..."
"Why wouldn't they compliment you?" You countered. "Everyone is deserving of praise."
"...I suppose most nobles here don't see me as a being worth complimenting," He quietly remarked. "Especially as it doesn't benefit them in any way. I am no high ranking noble-- flattering me does not get them better trade prices, or fancy gifts."
You had to pity him, if only a little, your $nose stretched into a grimace.
"What about your own people?" You asked. "Do you tend to compliment one-another often?"
"Not in the way you might compliment someone," He explained. "We praise each other's strength or womanhood, depending on their role in society. We accentuate our strengths and cover for our weaknesses."
"That sounds admirable." You remarked, and he snorted in response, his bear lips stretching into something of a small smile.
"I'm glad you agree," He sounded pleased. "Encouraging one-another is the best way we can grow as individuals."
A noise to your right caught the attention of both of you, and you looked to see a noble vaguely gesturing, waggling his eyebrows and pointing specifically to Ralt, rather than you. You glanced back to the bear to see his cold eyes staring, large paws curling into fists, before he sighed and looked back to you.
"I am being called, so I must go," He bowed his head once, briefly, in acknowledgement. "But thank you for the compliment. It was...refreshing."
With that, he turned and trudged across the room. You watched from a distance as he talked to the nobles there, their laughter spreading throughout the banquet. Fondness crossed your features before you returned to mingling.(set:$RalSway to it + 30)]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")[You had a feeling Berlis would shoot down any compliment you gave him, but you wanted to try all the same.
"I like the colour of your doublet," You remarked, gesturing to his lavender garbs. "A light purple...is that a noble colour? Any particular reason you picked it?"
"Oh, well, if you want to know," Berlis seemed pleased you asked. "It's the colour of our House crest-- I picked it myself after the drab deep crimson we had before."
"Oh? Why the sudden change? If you don't mind me asking." You tilted your head slightly and he looked you up and down, as if scrutinising your interest, before he grinned again.
"House Dawson is a very noble house, as I'm sure you know," He wildly gestured. "But the previous head of the house was a ruthless man. I think things are better dealt with through diplomacy, and for that reason a crest the colour of blood seemed a little out of touch."
"I admire the sentiment," You complimented his colour choice. "But...aren't you a part of the Laquain Empire, which primarily deals in bloodshed anyway?"
Berlis faltered for a moment and squinted at you, both accepting the compliment and the subtle argument hidden beneath.
"Yes, well..." He gestured loosely again. "The change was also in part to respect the wishes of my mother. When my father passed, she helped me a great deal with House management...it is the least I can do to honour her greatness."
"I...wow," You bowed a little, out of respect. "That's quite the admirable thing to do, Lord Dawson."
"Y-Yes, well..." He looked flattered and cleared his throat. "I'm sure that if I didn't spell it out for you, your commoner brain wouldn't understand. I am merciful, if anything."
"R...Right." You didn't want to argue with him on that point, but it was clear to you that your complimenting seemed to have got through to him, because he looked prideful-- and you're sure his ego wouldn't be able to fit through the banquet doors now. He abruptly excused himself in the moment of silence between you to step across the hall with purpose, and you watched as he fell into conversation with another noble, bowing and raining compliments down upon them.
You returned to mingling, feeling renewed after a positive encounter.(set:$BerSway to it + 30)]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div><div class='img-container-turn'>
(css:"line-height: 2em;")[(css:"font-size: 60px")[Turn $Turn]]
</div>
(link:"Check your journal.")[(goto:"Journal")]
<div class='img-container-play'>
The party had drawn to a close. What was left of the noble party-goers laid strewn across the banquet hall-- some asleep, some wide awake yet too tired to move. It had been an eventful 6 hours for them, but your work wasn't done. This was your last chance to finish anything off before you had to leave-- House Dawland won't let you linger much longer than that.
Your 4 noted figures were, surprisingly, still here.
<div class='img-container-continue'>{(if:$Havoc is >=0 and <50)[People at the party didn't even know you.]
(elseif:$Havoc is >=50 and <100)[People at the party were on edge, for one reason or another.]
(elseif:$Havoc is >=100 and <150)[People recognised you when you walked around, but you didn't know how they felt about you.]
(elseif:$Havoc is >=150 and <200)[People whispered when they saw you, and you felt eyes in the back of your head.]
(elseif:$Havoc is >=200 and <250)[People were starting to openly glare at you. You've made too much of a ruckus.]
(elseif:$Havoc is >=250 and <300)[Rumours of you on the wind are plentiful and insulting. You could be kicked out at any moment.]
(elseif:$Havoc is >=300)[(goto:"HavocEnd")]}</div>
</div>
|REC>[(if:$Turn is 8 or 10 or 12)[<div class='img-container-event'>{(set:$ET to (random:1,6))(set:$REC to $REvents's (random:1,$REvents's length))
|RE>[(if:$ET is 1)[Fate branched into a new path...](elseif:$ET is 2)[Fate diverged, forming new pathways...](elseif:$ET is 3)[Chaos twisted current events into something new...](elseif:$ET is 4)[The Wheel of Fortune turned, beckoning...](elseif:$ET is 5)[Fate had intervened, creating new pathways...](elseif:$ET is 6)[Events unfolded, as secretly foretold...]]
}</div>](else:)[(hide:?REC)]]
|TPTC>[(if:$TPTwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|TPT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$TPTwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?TPTC)]]
(if:$RaltGone is true)[<div class='img-container-card'>(display:$Target1)</div><div class='img-container-card'>(display:$Target2)</div><div class='img-container-card'>(display:$Target4)</div>](elseif:$RaltGone is false)[<div class='img-container-card'>(display:$Target1)</div><div class='img-container-card'>(display:$Target2)</div><div class='img-container-card'>(display:$Target3)</div><div class='img-container-card'>(display:$Target4)</div>]
{(if:$SeedofFate is true)[With your mission completed, you could choose to (link:"leave the party early.")[(set:$LeftE to 1)(goto:"NatEnd")]](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]}{(set:$Turn to it + 1)
(set:$HavocG to 0)
(if:$Turn is 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 or 6)[(goto:"Turns 1 to 6")]
(elseif:$Turn is 7 or 8 or 9 or 10 or 11 or 12)[(goto:"Turns 7 to 12")]
(elseif:$Turn is 13 or 14 or 15 or 16 or 17 or 18)[(goto:"Turns 13 to 18")]
(elseif:$Turn is 19)[(if:$ST is "A Broken Gear")[(goto:"Bonus Turn")](else:)[(if:$SeedofFate is false)[(set:$End to 5)(set:$AltEnd to 1)(goto:"NatEnd")](elseif:$SeedofFate is true)[(set:$AltEnd to 1)(goto:"NatEnd")]]]
(elseif:$Turn is 20)[(if:$SeedofFate is false)[(set:$End to 5)(set:$AltEnd to 1)(goto:"NatEnd")](elseif:$SeedofFate is true)[(set:$AltEnd to 1)(goto:"NatEnd")]]
(else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]
}(align:"<==")[With a tired sigh, you pushed your chair out from the table and leant back, running your hands over your face and rubbing your eyes.
That had to be the most gruelling divination you've ever had to do.
In front of you, a crystal ball laid set into the small, cramped table, and with a swipe of your hand the vision from a man's eyes clouded over and the ball grew silent, the thrum of magic dissipating from its surface. You reached down to the cards layered around the table, depicting the major and minor arcana as well as other cards that most wouldn't recognise, and with a sigh you gathered them up, shuffling them and making sure they all faced the same. As you shuffled, you looked around the room, examining the rickety cabin walls and shabby bed in the corner before you stood, taking a cup with you as you approached the sink on the far end. With one twist of the faucet, water sloshed from the tap in an unsteady stream and filled your cup, and you took noisy gulps, glad for the reprieve.
Your muscles ached for rest, but not yet-- you had to check just a few more things before you could sleep.
Returning to the table with your cap, your loosened your robes from around your shoulders, your body caked with sweat, and you shuffled out the cards before dealing them, laying 5 face down on the table. Satisfied, you placed the desk aside and then hovered your hands over the crystal orb, palms down, channeling your magic into it. The cloudy, mesmerising swirls in the ball began to clear and you parted your hands, keeping one palm down, hovering above the ball, as you reached for the cards with the other.
//"Ostende mihi in posterum, atque meae causam mundi."//
A surge of magic rushed through you, and the future of your agent and the world unfolded before you as you revealed the cards on the table, one by one.(set:$RCompleted to it + 1)
First, of your charge-- the one known as Thep, whom you guided that night and observed and felt through his eyes. (if:$AltEnd is 1)[Thep safely left the party without incident and, under the guidance of his handler The Preacher, returned to the organisation without a scratch. You blew a quiet sigh of relief-- it would have been complicated if you had expended an agent due to your carelessness. The importance was in his mission however-- did he finish it or not?](elseif:$AltEnd is 2)[Thep used the Eye of Death in an attempt to throw people's gaze off of him, but perished under the whimsy of the God of Death himself-- a regrettable end, but not one that was within your control. Gods are fickle, and there are many agents. The question was whether he finished his mission before he perished.](elseif:$AltEnd is 3 or 4)[(if:$AltEnd is 3)[Thep foolishly challenged a master fencer to a duel and lost-- in the man's anger, Thep was removed from the party.](elseif:$AltEnd is 4)[Thep created entirely too much ruckus at the party, and the inevitable fallout of his actions caused him to be removed from the party.] That, in itself, wasn't a problem, for he returned to the organisation safely regardless, much to your relief. Whether he finished his mission or not before he was forcibly removed remained to be seen.](elseif:$AltEnd is 5)[Under the smouldering iron fist and anger of Jurn Dawland, Thep was thrown into the private dungeons of Dawland Estate. You scoured his future for signs of his release, but that didn't seem to be the case-- he was left in there to eventually die of starvation some weeks later. The sight made your eyes sting, and you swallowed the feeling down-- upset as you were, the mission was more important. Did he succeed?]
(if:$End is 1)[The //Seed of Fate//, which your organisation had carefully grown and planted on Thep the night of the party, was used on non other than Duldes Dawland, firstborn of his house.
(if:$RTarget is $Target1)[To your relief, Thep's instincts were correct: Duldes Dawland was in fact the target of your superiors. With that confirmation out of the way, you once against confirmed the future, unveiling the cards before you as the image within the crystal ball swirled.
With the assumption and confirmation that Jurn Dawland was going to dispose of him the second that he found a way to live longer, Duldes set a plan into action that shook the very foundations of House Dawland but, in the end, made it stronger. He banded his siblings together under his metaphorical wing and, over the course of several months, influenced other nobles to his cause. When he was finally ready, Duldes set up an elaborate plot to assassinate his father that inevitably ended up in Jurn Dawland's face in a ditch, some ways from his usual estate. No-one dares to question his disappearance, for the nobleman who suppose Duldes's rise to his father's seat quashed all fears of his demise.
As the leader of House Dawland, Duldes immediately postponed his sister's engagement and instead directed her to House Carein, one of the most influential houses in Gromarch. Under a political marriage, Dawland and Carein became united and set a rigid foundation for not only the monarchy of Gromarch but also the Laquain Empire as a whole-- under their influence, Gromarch and the Empire's power grew and grew. This was the intention of your superiors, and though you wanted to explore the future more, the visions in the ball grew hazy, implying that going too far in the future was simply too vague. You had to be satisfied with just this outcome alone, with correlated with your own briefing before undertaking this task.(set:$Won to "Won")(set:$WCounter to it + 1)](else:)[However, Duldes Dawland was not the target of that night, but rather $RTarget. As you unveiled the cards before you, the twisted future was revealed.
Swept in by the anger of his father's betrayal-- or his assumption of it-- Duldes hatched a plan to ruin his father, rather than kill him outright. Instead of taking up the mantle as the Head of House Dawland by having his father assassinated, Duldes split off from House Dawland entirely and instead formed his own, where he quickly swept followers under his name due to his prestige, some of them being influential houses themselves. When the hyena had built up a sufficient following, he attacked his father's house and burned it to the ground, metaphorically speaking. His father perished and he had his siblings thrown to every corner of Kliega without a name to back them up, before settling himself in the most influential House of Gromarch. Driven by ambition, however, it didn't end there.
Only a couple of years after his attack of his own father's House, Duldes went for the king. In a matter of days he'd staged a coup with other nobility in Gromarch that inevitably saw Duldes sitting on the throne, much to the anger of the Laquain Empire, who retaliated in full with their troops from Altienta and Prianti. In the end, Duldes's excursion and ambition for power was his downfall-- despite having so many backing him, he hadn't the numbers nor the skill to command enough troops to repel the attacks of the Laqauin Empire and the civil war was slowly quashed over a matter of months. Duldes was executed for crimes against the Empire and Lord Carein rose to power, though was never given the title of monarch: that instead went to a puppet king. In the end, Duldes's struggling was inevitably snuffed out, and the world fell into a quiet turmoil at a result, with civil wars and turbulent in-fighting occurring just beneath the surface for the hazy years to come.(set:$Won to "Lost")(set:$LCounter to it + 1)]](elseif:$End is 2)[The //Seed of Fate//, which your organisation had carefully grown and planted on Thep the night of the party, was used on Sat Ipfeld, Adjutant to Lord Carein and a former infantry soldier.
(if:$RTarget is $Target2)[To your relief, the target appeared to be the correct one, according to your divinations. To confirm what the future may hold, you unveiled the cards and adjusted the angle of your mana to predict the future.
Under Thep's encouragement, Sat Ipfeld attempted, on multiple occasions, to sway Lord Carein to his cause of a better war economy and better war ideals. At first, Lord Carein was no receptive to a young man with a lot of ambition, but he did eventually relent and listen to ideas, and was met with an epiphany as a result. Lord Carein quickly adjusted his assignment from an adjutant to a personal assistant in the coming months and had him attend various war councils, wherein Lord Carein backed his corner and expressed Sat's ideals through himself, as a metaphorical conduit. They were more receptive of the ideas when they came from Lord Carein's mouth, and when they were put into practice the Lord revealed that it was Sat all along who had these ideals, and request his promotion within the empire.
The next few years were hazy and vague, but you caught flashes of Sat Ipfeld, no longer an infantry soldier; instead a commander. A general. A leader. He will become an impeccable strategist, more renowned and more frightening then the world has ever known...and his teachings will shape how the world deals with war for decades to come.(set:$Won to "Won")(set:$WCounter to it + 1)](else:)[To your dismay, however, Thep was proven to be incorrect-- Sat was not the target your superiors wanted, but rather $RTarget. With a grimace, you unveiled the cards before you and read the twisted future.
Under the guidance of Thep's words, Sat attempted multiple times to broach the subject of changes to the war economy and how wars are dealt with in the future to Lord Carein, who on many occasions shut him down and told him to keep to his station, and nothing more. Sat, however, inspired by Thep's encouragement, continued to press and try to make a change to society-- it was, in the end, his downfall. Lord Carein inevitably grew tired of Sat's pressure and relieved him of his station, forcing him back as an infantry soldier, where he was quickly and promptly deployed to the front lines against the Jria Company some months later.
With a heavy heart, the crystal ball and cards predicted in the future that Sat would perish on the battlefield, struck through the heart by an arrow, never having the chance to see his ideals made into a reality. A pang of guilt rushed through you, mixed with annoyance and frustration. These things were rarely wrong.(set:$Won to "Lost")(set:$LCounter to it + 1)]](elseif:$End is 3)[The //Seed of Fate//, which your organisation had carefully grown and planted on Thep the night of the party, was used on Raltarndarv Raltandavi, leader of his people, the Raltaindair.
(if:$RTarget is $Target3)[Your eyes widened and you blew a sigh as the crystal ball revealed that Raltarndarv was, indeed, the target for the party. You unveiled the cards before you to confirm the future your superiors want.
After being caught in a lewd act with another guest, Raltandarv is shunned and ostracised by high society, unable to expression his views and points with the upper-class nobility who actually have the chance to make a chance. Rather than take this shunning lying down, however, Raltarndarv instead grows angry, and rallies the Raltandair to his cause. They begin plotting in secret and after a couple of months, Raltarndarv's people revolt against their 'masters', and a gruelling battle begins.
Months of battling leaves the Laquain Empire stunted and tired, as reinforcements from other countries take time to arrive, and the Raltandair's pace through town after town, city after city is fast and ravenous. Everything comes to a final stand in the capital of Gromarch, Unilai, where Ralt's people overtake the capital and uproot the monarchy therein, taking up refuge. When the Laquain Empire's main forces come to intercept, the Jria Company appears in a sudden invasion, and works with the Raltandair to push them back, winning the right.
The rest of the future is hazy, but it seems bright and peaceful-- it's hard to tell what becomes to Gromarch or the war between the two factions.(set:$Won to "Won")(set:$WCounter to it + 1)](else:)[Much to your dismay, however, the crystal ball revealed that Raltarndarv was not your superior's target or the goal of the mission, but rather $RTarget. With a grimace, you shifted the flow of mana inside the crystal ball and slowly unveiled the cards before you, revealing the now twisted future.
After being caught in an abhorrent act with another guest, Raltarndarv was ridiculed and ostracised by high society-- no longer was his words of wisdom heeded or his people heard, and over time they grew more and more restless. Ralt did his best to calm them down but, in the end, a new leader rose up, striking Raltarndarv down. In a battle for survival of the fittest, Raltarndarv was defeated in combat and slain by the new chieftain, who rallied the Raltandair to wear-- however, this new chieftain did not understand the nuance of Man.
The battle was short-lived. In a matter of months, the very existence of the Raltandair was stamped out from society, and stories were told of monsters going rogue, or betraying their masters for giving them 'society' and 'comfort'-- no-one would know what the Raltandair went through, and those that may would be ignored and shunned, for no-one could believe such lies. All of Raltarndarv's efforts were for naught.(set:$Won to "Lost")(set:$LCounter to it + 1)]](elseif:$End is 4)[The //Seed of Fate//, which your organisation had carefully grown and planted on Thep the night of the party, was used on Berlis Dawson, Head of House Dawson.
(if:$RTarget is $Target4)[Thankfully, Thep appeared to have made the right call-- Berlis was, in fact, the designated target. You unveiled the cards before you to convey the future your superiors wanted...
Humiliated and put in prison for some time by Jurn Dawland, Berlis felt nothing but shame for his House and most of all for himself. Unlike Thep, he was released a couple of weeks after his imprisonment only to find that his assets, his land and his very title were stripped of him by the monarch of Gromarch, presumably under the coaxing and suggestion of Jurn Dawland himself. Without influence and power, Berlis fell into a deep depression and moved out of Gromarch and into Prianti, where he tried to get work to make a living. Like most commoners however, he fell on hard times despite his experience with the mercantile business, and he was unable to sustain the finances of both himself and his relatives.
Berlis inevitably could not take it anymore, and 2 years after being stripped of his title he was found to have died of alcohol poisoning in his own home. His relatives managed on without him, but they never spoke his name for as long as they lived.(set:$Won to "Won")(set:$WCounter to it + 1)](else:)[However, it appeared that Thep was wrong-- Berlis was not the target of the night, but rather $RTarget. With a sigh, you unveiled the cards and shifted the focus of the crystal ball to see the now twisted future...
After being humiliated by Jurn Dawland and locked in prison, Berlis was eventually released after a couple of weeks, unlike Thep. He grovelled and begged for forgiveness and thankfully managed to carry on with his title and land, but suffered a heavy emotional blow-- and a financial one, in the form of a bribe. Obsessed with the idea of revenge, Berlis slowly cooked a plan that covered the span of 4 years, somehow keeping up appearance whilst slowly sinking all of his funds into various projects and experimental magic technology. He eventually enacted his plan at the ripe age of 58-- using his newly researched technology, he assassinated Jurn Dawland and wormed his way into a similar influential position, rising to the top as he covered Gromarch in his magi-tech monopoly-- once a jeweller, Berlis was suddenly a political powerhouse that no-one saw coming.
The future of Gromarch was bathed in blood and magic, to the point where the Laquain Empire seems to have stepped in...but beyond that, the future grows hazy.(set:$Won to "Lost")(set:$LCounter to it + 1)]](elseif:$End is 5)[The //Seed of Fate//, despite being meticulously grown and planted on Thep's person the night of the party, was never used-- (if:$AltEnd is 2)[Thep perished at the hands of the God of Death before he could even finish his mission.](elseif:$AltEnd is 3 or 4)[Thep simply caused too much of a ruckus before he could carry out his mission, and as a result was unable to do the one task he was assigned to do.] You did the only dutiful thing you could think of, and used the crystal ball and divination cards to see what the future would be...
Twisted images of fire and screamed filled the ball's interior, and as you twisted your hand to view more, it remained more of the same. You grimaced at the thought and knew that, because of Thep's actions, Kliega may see some hardship in the years to come...but like all things to do with Man, they could eventually be resolved.(set:$Won to "Lost")(set:$LCounter to it + 1)]
With a tired sigh you leant back, rubbing your eyes again and standing up. Being a Cartomage was hard work. You reached for the parchment on the end table and wrote down your report, detailing whether the mission was a success or a failure, and what happened to the age. Once you were done, you rolled it up, clasped it in your hands and, with a surge of magic and a quick incantation, it vanished in a puff of blu-ish flame. You yawned and flopped down onto your back, staring up the ceiling as mixed emotions rolled over you.
The night draws to a close.
Maybe things could have gone differently...]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"The night draws to a close.")[(goto:"GameOver")]</div>{
(if:$DulSway is <0)[(set:$DulSway to 0)](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]
(if:$SatSway is <0)[(set:$SatSway to 0)](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]
(if:$RalSway is <0)[(set:$RalSway to 0)](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]
(if:$BerSway is <0)[(set:$BerSway to 0)](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]
(if:$RaltGone is true)[(set:$TList to it - (a:$Target3))](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]
(if:$Havoc is <0)[(set:$Havoc to 0)](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]
(if:(passage:)'s tags contains "IP")[(set:$RER to false)](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]
(if:$ACooldown is 1)[<!--Do Nothing--!>](else:)[(if:$ST is "Audacious")[(if:$HavocG is >0)[(if:$RaltGone is true)[(set:$AGains to $HavocG / 3)(set:$DulSway to it + $AGains)(set:$SatSway to it + $AGains)(set:$BerSway to it + $AGains)](else:)[(set:$AGains to $HavocG / 4)(set:$DulSway to it + $AGains)(set:$SatSway to it + $AGains)(set:$RalSway to it + $AGains)(set:$BerSway to it + $AGains)](set:$ACooldown to 1)]](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]]
(if:(passage:)'s tags contains "TP")[(set:$ACooldown to 0)](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]
(if:$SCooldown is 1)[<!--Do Nothing--!>](else:)[(if:$ST is "Subtle")[(if:$HavocG is >0)[(set:$SGains to $HavocG / 4)(set:$Havoc to it - $SGains)(set:$SCooldown to 1)]]]
(if:(passage:)'s tags contains "TP")[(set:$SCooldown to 0)](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]
(if:(passage:)'s tags contains "journal")[(set:$JVis to true)](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]
(if:(passage:)'s tags contains "IP")[(set:$JVis to false)](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]
(if:$Turn is 10)[(if:$RER is true)[<!--Do Nothing--!>](else:)[(if:$JVis is true)[<!--Do Nothing--!>](else:)[(replace:?TurnC)[(display:"turn10p")]]]]
(if:$Turn is 16)[(if:$RER is true)[<!--Do Nothing--!>](else:)[(if:$JVis is true)[<!--Do Nothing--!>](else:)[(replace:?TurnC)[(display:"turn16p")]]]]
}
{(if:(passage:)'s tags contains "TP")[
(click: "The Eye of Death")[(goto:"EODP")]
(click: "Four Leaf Clover")[(replace:?TPT)[You grasped onto the Four Leaf Clover and instantly felt luckier as a result. The clover dissolved in your hands afterwards.(set:$LChance to it + 5)(set:$TPTwists to it - (a:"Four Leaf Clover"))]]
(click: "Wolf Whistle")[(replace:?TPT)[You blew on the whistle, (if:$species is "canine")[and it hurt your ears.](else:)[but no sound could be heard.] Canines across the room barked and squirmed out of instinct, deflecting attention away from you.(set:$Havoc to it - 25)(set:$TPTwists to it - (a:"Wolf Whistle"))]]
(click: "The Preacher's Favour")[(replace:?TPT)[You cash in a favour with The Preacher, and he diverted attention to himself for a time, throwing suspicion away from you.(set:$Havoc to it - 50)(set:$TPTwists to it - (a:"The Preacher's Favour"))]]
(click: "A Closet Quickie")[(goto:"CQuickieP")]
(click: "Luck of the Draw")[(replace:?TPT)[Fate played itself right into your hands, and before you eyes it unravelled... (set:$TPTwists to it - (a:"Luck of the Draw"))(live:1s)[(stop:)(link:"Click here to continue.")[(set:$REC to $REvents's (random:1,$REvents's length))(goto:$REC)]]]]
(click: "Mirror of Prophecy")[(replace:?TPT)[The mirror briefly blinded your vision and filled your mind with words.(set:$TPTwists to it - (a:"Mirror of Prophecy"))(set:$RPro to $Prophecies's (random:1,$Prophecies's length))(set:$Prophecies to it - (a:$RPro))(set:$ProList to it + (a:$RPro)) $RPro]]
(click: "Lens of Smuggled Goods")[(replace:?TPT)[You bring the Lens to your face and see that which is unseen. (link:"Click here to take a closer look.")[(goto:"LOSGP")]]]
(click: "The Preacher's Care")[(replace:?TPT)[The Preacher carefully gives you a hint for the future: (set:$RandomP to (random:1,18))(if:$RandomP is 1)[Eyes as cold and as deep as an iceberg.](elseif:$RandomP is 2)[A man more loyal to himself than his house.](elseif:$RandomP is 3)[A man of bloodshed.](elseif:$RandomP is 4)[A man born to rulership.](elseif:$RandomP is 5)[Here his status is high, his morals low.](elseif:$RandomP is 6)[Pure blood, and pure regret.](elseif:$RandomP is 7)[His insults as sharp as his sword.](elseif:$RandomP is 8)[Scarred from a life of violence.](elseif:$RandomP is 9)[A servant to his people.](elseif:$RandomP is 10)[Knows honour, for good or for ill.](elseif:$RandomP is 11)[Ideals as clean as his doublet.](elseif:$RandomP is 12)[Misplaced trust begets a miserable life.](elseif:$RandomP is 13)[Born to a loving home.](elseif:$RandomP is 14)[No fur to guard against the cold.](elseif:$RandomP is 15)[No breathing brother to bother them.](elseif:$RandomP is 16)[To grovel, to survive.](elseif:$RandomP is 17)[A sharpened hatred simmers beneath the surface.](elseif:$RandomP is 18)[Tossing and turning, a storm in shis head.](set:$TPTwists to it - (a:"The Preacher's Care"))]]
(click: "Medal of Distinction")[(replace:?TPT)[Having the medal pinned to your chest attracted the delight of a certain avian and reptile, whilst the others found it bad for their own reasons.(set:$DulSway to it - 20)(set:$SatSway to it + 20)(set:$RalSway to it - 20)(set:$BerSway to it + 20)(set:$TPTwists to it - (a:"Medal of Distinction"))]]
(click: "Fairy Heart")[(replace:?TPT)[The pretty flower attracted the attention of a high-ranking noble and an avian, but the other two weren't impressed.(set:$DulSway to it + 20)(set:$SatSway to it + 20)(set:$RalSway to it - 20)(set:$BerSway to it - 20)(set:$TPTwists to it - (a:"Fairy Heart"))]]
(click: "Horsehair Brush")[(replace:?TPT)[Your loins felt...bigger. You've no doubt a couple of people will like it, but others would just grimace, potentially.(set:$dl to 7)(set:$DulSway to it - 20)(set:$SatSway to it - 20)(set:$RalSway to it + 20)(set:$BerSway to it + 20)(set:$TPTwists to it - (a:"Horsehair Brush"))]]
(click: "Monster-Made Ring")[(replace:?TPT)[The stony ring attracted the attention of a certain bear and high-ranking noble, but the others were unimpressed.(set:$DulSway to it + 20)(set:$SatSway to it - 20)(set:$RalSway to it + 20)(set:$BerSway to it - 20)(set:$TPTwists to it - (a:"Monster-Made Ring"))]]
](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]
}{
(if:(passage:)'s tags contains "IP")[
(click: "Unique Perception")[(replace:?IPT)[(if:$UPTurnCount is >=3)[You conjure, in your mind, the numerical amount of rapport you have with your target...in this instance, it is (if:$NN is "Dul")[$DulSway](elseif:$NN is "Sat")[$SatSway](elseif:$NN is "Ral")[$RalSway](elseif:$NN is "Ber")[$BerSway]. Your ability must now recharge.(set:$UPTurnCount to it - 3)](else:)[Much as you try, it doesn't seem to work. Perhaps you need to wait a little longer. (live:3s)[(stop:)(transition:"fade")[(replace:?IPT)[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$IPTwists)[_item, ]]]]]]]
(click: "Their Fleeting Interest")[(replace:?IPT)[With the aid of fate, your target feels a little more inclined towards you. (if:$NN is "Dul")[(set:$DulSway to it + 50)](elseif:$NN is "Sat")[(set:$SatSway to it + 50)](elseif:$NN is "Ral")[(set:$RalSway to it + 50)](elseif:$NN is "Ber")[(set:$BerSway to it + 50)](set:$IPTwists to it - (a:"Their Fleeting Interest"))]]
(click: "Apple of Their Eye")[(replace:?IPT)[With the aid of fate, you perform a lavish show of affection, and against all odds they enjoy it...but it costs you some attention elsewhere. (if:$NN is "Dul")[(set:$DulSway to it + 100)](elseif:$NN is "Sat")[(set:$SatSway to it + 100)](elseif:$NN is "Ral")[(set:$RalSway to it + 100)](elseif:$NN is "Ber")[(set:$BerSway to it + 100)]](set:$Havoc to it + 50)(set:$IPTwists to it - (a:"Apple of Their Eye"))]
(click: "Love at First Sight")[(replace:?IPT)[With the aid of fate, your target practically falls for you on the spot...but rumours of you rapidly spread as a result. (if:$NN is "Dul")[(set:$DulSway to it + 150)](elseif:$NN is "Sat")[(set:$SatSway to it + 150)](elseif:$NN is "Ral")[(set:$RalSway to it + 150)](elseif:$NN is "Ber")[(set:$BerSway to it + 150)]](set:$Havoc to it + 75)(set:$IPTwists to it - (a:"Love at First Sight"))]
(click: "Dancing Shoes")[(replace:?IPT)[Fate abruptly change as you touched the shoes, forcing events to occur...(set:$IPTwists to it - (a:"Dancing Shoes"))(link:"Click here to continue.")[(set:$CD to "Dance" + $NN)(goto:$CD)]]]
(click: "Drinking Cup")[(replace:?IPT)[Fate abruptly changed as you touched the drinking cup, forcing events to occur...(set:$IPTwists to it - (a:"Drinking Cup"))(link:"Click here to continue.")[(set:$CD to "Drink" + $NN)(goto:$CD)]]]
(click: "Swim Briefs")[(replace:?IPT)[Fate abruptly changed as you touched the briefs, forcing events to occur....(set:$IPTwists to it - (a:"Swim Briefs"))(link:"Click here to continue.")[(set:$CD to "Pool" + $NN)(goto:$CD)]]]
(click: "Dueling Gloves")[(replace:?IPT)[(if:$NN is "Dul")[(goto:"DulDuel")](elseif:$NN is "Sat" or "Ral" or "Ber")[(if:$DGTurnCount is >=6)[//Slap.// You struck the target with your dueling glove, and they looked decidedly miffed. Havoc is raised.(if:$NN is "Sat")[(set:$SatSway to it - 75)](elseif:$NN is "Ral")[(set:$RalSway to it - 75)](elseif:$NN is "Ber")[(set:$BerSway to it - 75)](set:$Havoc to it + 75) The item must now recharge. (set:$DGTurnCount to it - 6)](else:)[Much as you try, you cannot use this item. Perhaps you need to wait longer... (live:3s)[(stop:)(transition:"fade")[(replace:?IPT)[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$IPTwists)[_item, ]]]]]]]]
(click: "Monster Tooth")[(replace:?IPT)[(if:$NN is "Ral")[You cannot use this Twist of Fate with this target.](else:)[Using the Monster Tooth, you transferred Ralt's affections to your current target, sullying your relationship with the bear as a result. (set:$IPTwists to it - (a:"Monster Tooth"))(if:$NN is "Dul")[(set:$DulSway to it + ($RalSway /2))](elseif:$NN is "Sat")[(set:$SatSway to it + ($RalSway / 2))](elseif:$NN is "Ber")[(set:$BerSway to it + ($RalSway /2))](set:$RalSway to 0)]]]
(click: "Folder of Secrets")[(replace:?IPT)[(if:$NN is "Sat")[You cannot use this Twist of Fate with this target.](else:)[Using the Folder of Secrets, you transferred Sat's affections to your current target, sullying your relationship with the avian as a result. (set:$IPTwists to it - (a:"Folder of Secrets"))(if:$NN is "Dul")[(set:$DulSway to it + ($SatSway /2))](elseif:$NN is "Ral")[(set:$RalSway to it + ($SatSway /2))](elseif:$NN is "Ber")[(set:$BerSway to it + ($SatSway /2))](set:$SatSway to 0)]]]
(click: "Letter from Master Dawland")[(replace:?IPT)[(if:$NN is "Dul")[You cannot use this Twist of Fate with this target.](else:)[Using the important letter, you transferred Duldes's affections to your current target, sullying your relationship with the hyena as a result. (set:$IPTwists to it - (a:"Letter from Master Dawland"))(if:$NN is "Sat")[(set:$SatSway to it + ($DulSway /2))](elseif:$NN is "Ral")[(set:$RalSway to it + ($DulSway /2))](elseif:$NN is "Ber")[(set:$BerSway to it + ($DulSway /2))](set:$DulSway to 0)]]]
(click: "A Hidden Blade")[(replace:?IPT)[(if:$NN is "Ber")[You cannot use this Twist of Fate with this target.](else:)[Using the Hidden Blade, you transferred Berlis's affections to your current target, sullying your relationship with the reptile as a result. (set:$IPTwists to it - (a:"A Hidden Blade"))(if:$NN is "Dul")[(set:$DulSway to it + ($BerSway /2))](elseif:$NN is "Sat")[(set:$SatSway to it + ($BerSway /2))](elseif:$NN is "Ral")[(set:$RalSway to it + ($BerSway /2))](set:$BerSway to 0)]]]
](else:)[<!--Do nothing--!>]
}{
(if:(passage:)'s tags contains "PI")[
(click: "Ring of Full Counter")[(replace:?PIT)[Using the magical ring, you converted the Havoc you recently gained into Sway with your target.(set:$Havoc to - $HavocG)(set:$PITwists to it - (a:"Ring of Full Counter"))(if:$NN is "Dul")[(set:$DulSway to it + $HavocG)](elseif:$NN is "Sat")[(set:$SatSway to it + $HavocG)](elseif:$NN is "Ral")[(set:$RalSway to it + $HavocG)](elseif:$NN is "Ber")[(set:$BerSway to it + $HavocG)]]]
(click: "Hustler's Helper")[(replace:?PIT)[(if:$HHTurnCount is >=6)[(goto:"HHP")](else:)[Try as you might, you couldn't seem to use this Twist of Fate. Perhaps you should try later... (live:3s)[(stop:)(transition:"fade")[(replace:?IPT)[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]]]]]]
(click: "Necklace of Adonis")[(replace:?PIT)[You used the Necklace of Adonis to completely negate the Havoc you recently accumulated.(set:$Havoc to it - $HavocG)(set:$NecklaceU to it - 1)(set:$HavocG to 0)(if:$NecklaceU is 0)[(set:$PITwists to it - (a:"Necklace of Adonis"))](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]]]
(click: "Eye of Deceit")[(replace:?PIT)[(if:$EDTurnCount is >=6)[(goto:"EDP")](else:)[Try as you might, you couldn't seem to use this Twist of Fate. Perhaps you should try later... (live:3s)[(stop:)(transition:"fade")[(replace:?IPT)[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]]]]]]
](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]
(if:(passage:)'s tags contains "PI")[(set:$UPTurnCount to it + 1)(set:$DGTurnCount to it + 1)(set:$EDTurnCount to it + 1)(set:$HHTurnCount to it + 1)](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]
(set:$ICards to (a:
"Debate", "Compliment", "Gossip About the Hosts", "Chat About Current Events", "Play a Party Game",
"Bring a Drink", "Place a Bet", "Insult", "Recite a Poem", "Ask to the Pool", "Butt In",
"Tempt", "Flirt", "Ask to Dance", "Get Alone", "Touch", "Insult the Head of House", "Make a Pass",
"Harass the Help", "Joke", "Make a Toast", "Admire",
"Openly Grope", "Footjob Under the Table", "Hot Date", "Flash", "Drag Into a Closet"))
}{(set:$Roll to (random:1,100) - $LChance)
(if:$DulSway is >0 and <50)[(set:$WThreshold to 15)]
(elseif:$DulSway is >=50 and <100)[(set:$WThreshold to 25)]
(elseif:$DulSway is >=100 and <150)[(set:$WThreshold to 35)]
(elseif:$DulSway is >=150 and <200)[(set:$WThreshold to 45)]
(elseif:$DulSway is >=200 and <250)[(set:$WThreshold to 55)]
(elseif:$DulSway is >=250 and <300)[(set:$WThreshold to 65)]
(elseif:$DulSway is >=300 and <400)[(set:$WThreshold to 75)]
(elseif:$DulSway is >=400 and <550)[(set:$WThreshold to 85)]
(elseif:$DulSway is >=550)[(set:$WThreshold to 95)]}
(align:"<==")[(if:$DSed is 1)[You'd already cosied up to Duldes before, so you had a feeling that doing so again wouldn't be all that difficult. With a smile, you stepped closer towards him and waggled your eyebrows.
"Hey," You began in on a whisper, reaching out to trail a hand down his ornate white and gold doublet.
"Hello, Thep." The hyena smirked ever so slightly and you couldn't help but spread your smile into a grin.
"I had a lot of fun last time..." You reminded him. "Do you want a repeat?"
Whether he'd accept or not is beyond you-- you knew that Duldes had a certain reputation to keep so there was every chance he'd turn you down-- but he'd also accepted before, so there was equally a chance that he'd be down for a second round, too. You held your breath at the mere thought as the hyena stared down at you, his expression unreadable.](else:)[(if:$DulSway is <75)[Was it the best time to try this? No-- you rapport with Duldes was quite low, yet there was always a chance.](else:)[This is it. The final moment. All your attempts to sway and gain a rapport with Duldes have lead up to this very moment.] It was time to seduce him.
Duldes was, by all accounts, a difficult man to persuade at the best of times-- he was certainly more receptive than the average high-ranking noble, sure, but he was by no means easy to ply and coerce. His cold, standoff-ish demeanour made it seem near-impossible to even try and get him to smile, let alone coax him to do something a little more intimate...yet regardless, you were compelled to try. This was, after all, the entire point of your mission: find your target, and seduce them. The hyena stood in front of you with a quizzical expression as you mulled over the thought.
"Lord Dawland...no, Duldes," You began, not even bowing as you stepped a little closer. "I don't think it should come as any surprise to you that I am interested in you...and I would hope you feel the same. Do you want to go somewhere private...maybe get to know one-another a little more closely?"
A quiet silence filled the air between you, and thankfully no-one was even looking in your direction. The hyena pursed his muzzle and looked you up and down, as if thinking it over.]]
(if:$Roll is <=$WThreshold)[(align:"<==")[After an awkward moment of silence, a smirk crossed Duldes's features and he reached up to place his hand over yours, squeezing it before sliding it a little lower.
"Lead the way." The noble grinned, and with a small smile you pulled at his hand, leading him across the banquet hall. You directed him towards the doors leading out into the hallway beyond, but you weren't sure where to take him beyond that-- was it more prudent to take him into a private room or to seduce him there and then? No, finding someplace private seemed like the best option. Just as you were about to pick a place to go, however, Duldes tugged on your arm, directing you into a corridor leading into a restricted wing of the house.
"I have somewhere we can go," He assured you. "Since you can't seem to find your way."
Duldes led you by the hand further into the wing, past various closed and open doors, some leading into what looked like intimate little rooms for meetings or tea cakes and others bedrooms with ornate wallpaper and big, flowery beds. You had to wonder exactly who lived in rooms like these, but some of them looked so clean and simple that you had to wonder if they'd even been used at all. Duldes walked past all of them, however, coaxing you along until the two of you reached a closed door with the same ornate etchings as the rest-- but the hyena seemed to think this one in particular was important. He looked to you, smirking, before grabbing the handle and opening the door, pulling you inside.
The room beyond was spacious and fancy, with a large four-poster bed and the typical accompanying vanity table, wardrobe and drawers that you'd seen in all the other rooms. This bedroom, however, seemed a little different: for one, there were snippets of parchment and the odd drawn picture stuck to the wall via small metal tacks, and the vanity table lay cluttered with a variety of different cosmetic products and paper. At the far end of the room was a large, weight desk that was piled high with documents, and the window behind had its curtains drawn, but you guessed it looked out over the gardens-- you couldn't be sure, however. All in all, the room looked more personal and less frilly and girly as the other rooms...your best assumption was that this was Duldes's own private bedroom.
"No-one will disturb us here," The hyena assured you as he directed you across the room towards the bed, gesturing for you to sit. "I used this room a lot in my youth, and the servants have been instructed never to enter...except on a sunday, to dust and clean."
"I see..." You hummed as you sat down on the edge of the four-poster bed, feeling the soft mattress sink under your weight. The covers were soft and shiny like silk and you had to wonder how much it had all cost. Duldes sat beside him, close enough for your legs and arms to touch, and for a moment neither of you did anything. You could tell where this was leading and made a point of slightly leaning against him, and Duldes seemed to take that as consent-- or rather, as encouragement. He slowly turned his shoulders and reached over to you, his outermost hand cupping your cheek and angling your head (if:$height is 6)[towards him, your height roughly the same.](else:)[up towards him.] He bowed his head, his muzzle mere inches from (if:$species is "canine")[your own.](else:)[your $nose.]
He hesitated for a fraction of a second before his lips met with yours in a slow, sensual kiss.]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"DulSedSS1")]</div>](else:)[(align:"<==")[Duldes's expression hardened and his muzzle stretched into a grimace, and you could tell that he hadn't taken your suggestion kindly. You stepped back and lowered your hand from his chest as Duldes bore his gaze into you, almost withering you on the spot.
"With all due respect," He began, brushing down his front with a hand as if dusting off lint or muck. "I will have to decline. I have no intention of going anywhere with you."
"My apologies, Lord Dawland," You bowed out of respect and the hyena grunted in response. "I just thought that..."
"What I might be interested?" Duldes smirked ever so slightly and then shook his head, gesturing to you. "Afraid not. If you'll excuse me."
With a slow nod of his head, the hyena turned and stepped across the banquet hall away from you-- it didn't seem as if he was avoiding you, but you couldn't help but feel like he was strategically making an excuse to leave. You watched him with a grimace and couldn't help but feel that subsequent attempts to lure him in would be more difficult.
There was nothing you could do about it now and so with a sigh, you returned to mingling with the other guests. (if:$DulSway is <=0)[Your rapport with Duldes is so bad that you're fairly certain rumours might spread about how you've angered him-- whether they would come from him or not, you're unsure.(set:$Havoc to it + 50)(set:$HavocG to it + 50)](else:)[(set:$DulSway to it - 50)]]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>]{(set:$Roll to (random:1,100) - $LChance)
(if:$SatSway is >0 and <50)[(set:$WThreshold to 15)]
(elseif:$SatSway is >=50 and <100)[(set:$WThreshold to 25)]
(elseif:$SatSway is >=100 and <150)[(set:$WThreshold to 35)]
(elseif:$SatSway is >=150 and <200)[(set:$WThreshold to 45)]
(elseif:$SatSway is >=200 and <250)[(set:$WThreshold to 55)]
(elseif:$SatSway is >=250 and <300)[(set:$WThreshold to 65)]
(elseif:$SatSway is >=300 and <400)[(set:$WThreshold to 75)]
(elseif:$SatSway is >=400 and <550)[(set:$WThreshold to 85)]
(elseif:$SatSway is >=550)[(set:$WThreshold to 95)]}
(align:"<==")[(if:$SSed is 1)[You and Sat had already spent a little more of 'intimate' time together, and what was the harm in having more? Whether he'd want to or not, however, was another matter. You slowly approached him and Sat sheepishly grinned at you, though he clearly looked around initially, checking to make sure no-one was really paying attention.
"Hey," You murmured. "I really enjoyed our last time together...you know, in the bedroom?"
"O-Oh yeah?" Sat giggled, and you reached out to touch with his chest.
"You want a round 2?" You asked him, being particularly forward and perhaps a little perverted. You weren't sure if you were catching Sat at a bad time or not, but you hoped he'd be interested.](else:)[(if:$SatSway is <=75)[You barely knew Sat, so you don't know what compelled you to think it'd be a good idea to try and seduce him already, yet here you were, trying nonetheless.](else:)[This was it-- you were certain that your rapport with Sat was high, or at the very least stable enough for you to seduce him. In any case, you wanted to try.]
"So, Sat..." You began, and the avian shifted awkwardly on his feet for a moment, frowning at your sudden change in tone. You stepped a little closer towards him and the avian visibly tensed, looking anxious. He glanced around him as you reached out to touch with his stomach and you felt his muscles bend away from your finger as much as they could, a giggle escaping the man's beak.
"What is it, Thep?" He asked with a straight face and you wondered if you were perhaps coming on too strong. You leant back just a little and Sat visibly relaxed.
"I was just thinking...since we know each other so well now, of course," Whether that was true or not was irrelevant. "I thought it'd be interesting to get to know one-another in a more private setting...say a bedroom, for instance?"
Sat's eyes widened at your words and you tried to put on a charismatic face, but you knew it was a bold move-- you wanted to hope that Sat would take it graciously, maybe even accept, but there was every chance he'd turn you down. Everything was now up to him.]]
(if:$Roll is <=$WThreshold)[(align:"<==")["O-Oh, uh..." Sat looked momentarily flushed and awkwardly rubbed the back of his head. "Um, I suppose we could..."
"I'll take that as a yes, then, since you seem so excited," You teased, reaching out your hand. "Shall we?"
With a sheepish smile, the avian reached out and placed his hand on yours, glancing around at the nearby patrons to make sure he wasn't needed first-- not that you would have let him away now, now that he'd accepted your proposal. A tingle of excitement ran through your body as you lead him across the banquet hall, guiding him towards the doors that lead out into the hallways of the estate beyond. You walked in the quiet for a moment, hands still conjoined, before taking a right and heading into the west wing of the house.
"S...Should we be going in here?" Sat asked, and you glanced to him-- you didn't answer, and instead merely grinned. Sat grimaced at the thought, but he didn't argue and kept following.
Your journey eventually led you deeper into the house, and you paused outside an open door leading into what looked to be a vacant bedroom-- you could tell that no-one had really used it, for the bed was made and there was no real personal belongings in the room; no cosmetic products, no vanity, not even any clothes lying out from what you could see. You pulled Sat inside and then closed the door behind you, giving the two of you some much-needed privacy.]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"SatSedSS1")]</div>](else:)[(align:"<==")["Um..." Sat looked awkward and you tried to keep smiling, but you had a feeling he just wasn't into it.
"Sorry," He awkwardly gestured, looked both embarrassed and uncomfortable. "I'm not really interested, uh, right now."
"Oh!" You blinked and then quickly stepped back, keeping your hands to yourself. "Sorry, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."
"It's okay." He smiled wryly. "Um...I should get back to mingling. Sorry."
With a brief wave, Sat stepped back and headed across the banquet hall, leaving you to mull over how things went wrong. Perhaps you just needed a much better rapport with him-- or maybe it was just a matter of luck and catching him at the right time.
With a sigh, you returned to mingling. (if:$SatSway is <=0)[Considering how bad your rapport is with Sat, it wouldn't surprise you if rumours starting to spread about your rejection.(set:$Havoc to it + 50)(set:$HavocG to it + 50)](else:)[Your rapport with Sat had likely dwindled a little as a result of your rejection, regrettably.(set:$SatSway to it - 50)]]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>]{(set:$Roll to (random:1,100) - $LChance)
(if:$RalSway is >0 and <50)[(set:$WThreshold to 15)]
(elseif:$RalSway is >=50 and <100)[(set:$WThreshold to 25)]
(elseif:$RalSway is >=100 and <150)[(set:$WThreshold to 35)]
(elseif:$RalSway is >=150 and <200)[(set:$WThreshold to 45)]
(elseif:$RalSway is >=200 and <250)[(set:$WThreshold to 55)]
(elseif:$RalSway is >=250 and <300)[(set:$WThreshold to 65)]
(elseif:$RalSway is >=300 and <400)[(set:$WThreshold to 75)]
(elseif:$RalSway is >=400 and <550)[(set:$WThreshold to 85)]
(elseif:$RalSway is >=550)[(set:$WThreshold to 95)]}
(align:"<==")[(if:$RSed is 1)[You had already dabbled in lewd things with Ralt earlier in the night, and had thankfully not gotten caught-- but that didn't mean you couldn't again enjoy such pleasures with him, if he were so inclined. You stepped a little closer to him and Ralt blinked down at you, looking apprehensive by your sudden approach and the close proximity of your bodies.
"Remember that one time, in the bedroom?" You murmured, barely above a whisper. "You came so fast..."
"T-Thep..." Ralt looked embarrassed to even be talking about it and you giggled, smoothing your $skin back on the top of your head and blinking innocently up and him, on the verge of batting your eyelashes.
"You liked it," You countered with a grin. "And I did too. Did you maybe want to...go again?"
Whether Ralt would accept or not depended entirely on a combination of catching him at the right time, having a good rapport with him since the incident and, generally speaking, luck. You held your breath and watched Ralt's expression, hoping he might accept.](else:)[(if:$RalSway is <=75)[You barely knew Ralt-- you couldn't even be considered acquaintances, even. Yet, you felt compelled to try and seduce him nonetheless.](else:)[Your efforts tonight were finally going to, hopefully, pay off-- it was time to seduce the creature.] With a smile, you stepped ever so slightly closer as Ralt stared down at you with his peculiarly cold eyes, and though you felt tempted to reach out and touch him, you resisted, not wanting to spook him off.
"Ralt..." You began. "You could say that we're at least acquaintances, right? You know me, and I know you?"
"Yes, I would agree with that sentiment." He grunted, and you smiled wide, your stomach twisting into anxious knots.
"Well...I thought it might be fun if you and I could spend some time together," You continued. "In private...just the two of us."
"I sense that you're implying something." Ralt narrowed his eyes and you felt even more nervous than before as a result, but swallowed it down-- now was not the time to get stage fright.
"Yes, I was," You said confidently. "I'm implying that you and I should spend some time together on a more...intimate level. In private. To put it bluntly, I am very 'interested'."
That was about as forward as you could be without being creepy-- whether he'd reject you or not remained to be seen. You hoped he wouldn't, however, for the fallout could be damaging.]]
(if:$Roll is <=$WThreshold)[(align:"<==")[Ralt looked you up and down for a moment, before straightening himself up just a little and glancing around, as if he were checking that no-one was watching-- regrettably, due to the nature of his person and appearance, people were bound to look regardless of what he wanted. Even still, he turned his attention back to you and shifted on the spot, looking both awkward yet strangely excited.
"...Lead the way." He murmured, barely above a whisper. You swallowed your triumphant grin and kept your expression straight as, with a gesture, you guided him across the banquet hall. You moved towards the other end of the hall, where a pair of double doors led into the hallways that surrounded the banquet hall. If you walked far enough you could easily loop around to the entrance of the estate, but you planned instead to lead Ralt down the hallways towards the intersecting corridors that lead into the restricting wings of House Dawland's manor. Of course, they were places you weren't meant to go, and you knew that-- yet you opted to lead him there anyway, for some much needed privacy.
Specifically, you and Raltarndarv wandered through the eastern wing of the house, which you could only assume was typically for nobles; the walls were fancy and some of the open doorways led into very well-decorate rooms with plush couches, armchairs and coffee tables, as well as tall windows showing off the gardens of the estate beyond. You knew what would happen if you were caught loitering around here as did Ralt, for as the two of you walked the bear seemed to shuffle and pause every so often, clearly nervous. You knew he had something of a reputation to keep, so you picked up the pace.
The two of you didn't have to walk for long in the eastern wing of the house before you eventually found an open door leading into a fairly nondescript bedroom. There was no personal identifying features of the room that you could see at first glance: no clothes left out, not parchments or papers on the desk, no cosmetic products on the vanity table, either. For all intents and purposes, it looked like a guest room-- which, for the two of you, was perfect. You ushered Ralt inside before anyone could see the two of you and then slowly closed the door behind you.]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"RalSedSS1")]</div>](else:)[(align:"<==")["I...What?" Ralt blinked, and you faltered ever so slightly, surprised by his response.
"Don't you want to?" You asked, and Ralt's gaze was peculiarly searching for a moment. He eventually dipped his gaze and then stepped back, rolling his shoulders as if he wanted to shrug, but thought better of it and was instead stretching himself out.
"...No, frankly not," He muttered. "At least, not right now. Sorry."
"Oh, don't apologise," You insisted, though you felt disappointed. "You should have autonomy. I'm sorry for being so forward."
"Hmm..." Ralt didn't seem to know what to say to that, and instead he merely nodded to you, before turning and stepping away. You had to wonder if he was walking away to avoid you, but you hoped it was for another reason. All you could do was watch him go, before turning and going back to mingling with the other party's guests, left to wonder what went wrong. Perhaps your rapport with him just wasn't high enough, or maybe it was just bad luck and catching him at a bad time.
(if:$RalSway is <=0)[One thing was for sure, however: because your rapport with Ralt was already non-existent, you had no doubt rumours might begin to circulate because of your rejection.(set:$Havoc to it + 50)(set:$HavocG to it + 50)](else:)[One thing for was for sure, however: your rapport with Ralt had probably suffered as a result of your rejection.(set:$RalSway to it - 50)]]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>]{(set:$Roll to (random:1,100) - $LChance)
(if:$BerSway is >0 and <50)[(set:$WThreshold to 15)]
(elseif:$BerSway is >=50 and <100)[(set:$WThreshold to 25)]
(elseif:$BerSway is >=100 and <150)[(set:$WThreshold to 35)]
(elseif:$BerSway is >=150 and <200)[(set:$WThreshold to 45)]
(elseif:$BerSway is >=200 and <250)[(set:$WThreshold to 55)]
(elseif:$BerSway is >=250 and <300)[(set:$WThreshold to 65)]
(elseif:$BerSway is >=300 and <400)[(set:$WThreshold to 75)]
(elseif:$BerSway is >=400 and <550)[(set:$WThreshold to 85)]
(elseif:$BerSway is >=550)[(set:$WThreshold to 95)]}
(align:"<==")[(if:$BSed is 1)[You'd already dabbled with Berlis once become and come out of is unscathed, so there was nothing to say that you couldn't do it again. Of course, these sorts of things were all down to luck-- you could always catch him at the wrong time or in a bad mood, but you felt compelled to try nonetheless, in the hopes he might be as receptive to you as the other time.
"Lord Dawson..." You began with a slightly lidded gaze. "I happened to recall the time we spent together in the deepest parts of Dawland House...and I must say, the thought makes me weak at the knees."
"Is that so?" Berlis smirked slightly, his tail swishing to and fro, and your $skin tingled with a mixture of excitement and arousal.
"Would it interest you to enjoy one-another again, if you have the time?" You bluntly offered, trying your best to look inviting-- whether he would accept or your proposal or not was up in the air, and the uncertainty made you hold your breath a little in anticipation.](else:)[(if:$BerSway is <=75)[You barely knew Berlis-- in fact, you were sure he'd rather do many other things than succumb to your whimsy, but regardless, it was time to seduce him.](else:)[This was it. The moment you'd worked towards-- it was time for seduction.] Berlis looked at you with a mixture of intrigue and confusion as you slowly approached, despite the already short distance between you.
"Lord Dawson, if I may..." You began with a murmur, trying not to bat your eyelashes. "But I've grown quite fond at the sight of you."
"Is that right...?" Berlis mumbled in response, sounding mostly indifferent.
"Indeed," He sagely nodded. "So, I feel it only prudent to offer both my hand and, well, my body-- if it interests you, would you like to go somewhere private and enjoy one-another a little more closely?"
Your suggestion was as bold as can be. You knew that Berlis was the kind of man who was either very interested or not at all-- whether he would accept your proposal or not was all about luck and catching him at the right time...as well as your rapport with him too, of course. You held your breath, reaching out to touch his chest in the hopes it might sway his opinion.]]
(if:$Roll is <=$WThreshold)[(align:"<==")[Berlis was quiet for a moment before a wide smile spread across his face, and his tail swished to and fro behind him. His eyes twinkled with an expression you didn't recognise and you could only assume from his delight that he was definitely interested.
"Lead the way then...//Thep.//" Berlis spoke your name for once and with a smirk you gestured, leading him across the banquet hall. No-one paid the two of you any mind as you strode all the way towards the doors that lead out into the hallways beyond, that snaked deeper into House Dawland's estate. As you walked in silence, your stomach churned with excitement at the thought of what may happen between the two of you.
House Dawland's manor had various intercepting corridors that lead into various wings of the house, and at first you didn't have much idea of where you wanted to take him, but a strange compulsion came over you and you felt drawn to head down on corridor in particular, which you knew went deep into a wing of the house that was meant for Jurn Dawland and him alone. You sucked in a breath and took and turning, and for a moment Berlis hesitated, before a chuckle crossed his lips and he followed behind you, interested to see where you'd lead him.
You walked a little further until you reached a pair of ornate double doors, and with one quick push you revealed the room beyond: a well-built, mess and clearly well-used study. Bookcases covered the left and right walls and apart from the chairs towards the end of the room, the only other piece of furniture was a large desk made out of rich, dark-brown wood, its features immaculate and its edges shiny and smooth-- clearly, it was built for the highest of nobility. You could only assume that this was Jurn Dawland's study, which made you wonder where he was, if not here.
Before you could suggest to Berlis that you go somewhere else, the reptile strode into the room with a triumphant smirk and, against your better judgement, you followed him inside.]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"BerSedSS1")]</div>](else:)[(align:"<==")["I beg your pardon?" Berlis's tone was hard and cold and you immediately backed up, realising that he was not at all interested. The reptile looked around him for a moment as if making sure that no-one was watching-- or perhaps the opposite, even-- before he turned his attention back to you, pointing a finger.
"I can't say I appreciate the enthusiasm you just mustered...especially with how //direct// it was," He grunted. "Now is not the time nor place to do be doing that sort of thing, commoner."
"M...My apologies, Lord Dawson," You quickly bowed out of respect and sincerity. "I was too forward. It won't happen again."
"Yes, you'd better hope it won't." The reptile responded. As you raised yourself back up, Berlis turned and strode off, and you couldn't tell if he did that to avoid you or to simply avoid the awkward tension that would have surely followed such a rejection. In the end, there's nothing you can do-- maybe he was right and it just wasn't the right time, or maybe you needed to raise your rapport with him...that is, if the sway you have with him hasn't now lowered drastically as a result of your boldness.
With a defeated sigh, you returned to mingling with the other guests. (if:$BerSway is <=0)[Your rapport with Berlis was already so bad, that you had no doubt rumours were likely to spread as a result of your rejction.(set:$Havoc to it + 50)(set:$HavocG to it + 50)](else:)[You hoped that you still had favourable sway with Berlis after all that.(set:$BerSway to it - 50)]]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>](align:"<==")[You were going about your business, mingling with guests at the party, yet...you could see that people's opinion of you wasn't very good. Some nobles outright refused to talk to you, and others all but avoided you as you approached. Only a handful of people actually engaged in conversation, but even then it was clear from their expressions that they knew who you were and they didn't particularly enjoy your presence. It wasn't as if you didn't know why, either: throughout the night you'd created ruckus after ruckus, to the point where the rumours that were spread about you were flavourful, plentiful and each one as equally bad as the next.
Just as you were about to step away and make yourself scarce for a while, in the hopes that things might quieten down as a result of the havoc you'd caused, you felt a hand on your shoulder, getting your attention. You turned to face a man-- specifically a canine-- clad in metal plates that covered his chest, shoulders and every other limb, but left his head bare. In his right hand he held a spear, it's point glinting in the light, and his left remained planted on your shoulder.
"C...Can I help you?" You tentatively asked, and the guard's face soured before he squeezed his gloved finger against your shoulder.
"Please come with me, sir." He insisted, and you anxiously followed, letting him guide you across the banquet hall as eyes watched you walk. The two of you stepped all the way over towards the doors that lead out to the entrance, but the guard didn't stop there-- he guided you all the way to the courtyard beyond, where several carriages lay in wait for their respective nobles to take them home, whether they left early or not. Anxiety bubbled within your stomach as you turned to the guard, who rigidly straightened himself and pushed his spear close to his body, as if standing to attention.
"Under the command of Lord Jurn Dawland himself," The guard began. "You are hereby removed from the grounds of his estate for disrupting the party. You are to leave the premises and never return under his law, and should you do so you will be apprehended by the guards and held in his private dungeons for as long as he deems necessary. You can take one of the carriages home."
Disappointment crossed your features and you knew that no matter how much persuasion, coaxing and pleading you did, you would never be let back into the party. With a sigh you bowed respectfully, not wanting to cause any more problems, before you turned and stepped towards the carriages. You approached the closest one and informed the man of where you were staying-- specifically, in a nearby town-- before you clambered inside and closed the door behind you. You were sure The Preacher was at the party somewhere still, but he could find his own way back. The carriage driver coaxed the horses into a trot and they turned, rounding the fountain and heading down the path. You looked out the tiny window to see the estate disappearing in the distance and you averted your gaze, looking down at your hands.
(if:$SeedofFate is true)[Though you are sad to have been kicked out of the party, and you hated yourself for being so foolish, you could at least be confident in the fact that you finished your mission, thanks to the //Seed of Fate.// At least, you hoped you'd finished it.](elseif:$SeedofFate is false)[Frustration crossed your face, and anger swelled within you. How could you be so stupid as to disrupt the party and get yourself kicked out? You didn't even get an opportunity to finish your mission, either-- you're not sure how your superiors will react to this, but you knew you were in for some dire punishment...(set:$End to 5)]
Your night has come to an end.(set:$AltEnd to 4)]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"GameEnd")]</div>(live:1s)[(stop:)(t8n:"fade")[Hello there! Having a good time, I hope?
Here, you will find handy details on how to play //A Tempting Fate//, and truly learn where to stick your hands where they don't belong...not that some would mind, hm?]]
(live:3s)[(stop:)(t8n:"fade")[Please click on the various boxes below to get an explanation for what they are and how they work!
<div class='img-container-twist'>(link:"The Core Gameplay Basics.")[(goto:"HowToPlay2")]</div>
<div class='img-container-twist'>(link:"Prophecies, Twists of Fate and Branching Fates.")[(goto:"HowToPATOF")]</div>
<div class='img-container-twist'>(link:"Return to the title screen.")[(goto:"Title")]</div>]]{(set:$Roll to (random:1,100) - $LChance)
(set:$DThreshold to 10)}
(align:"<==")[This tool was...weird. It sat in a small glass case for you to gingerly hold in your hands, but its contents were the scary part-- it was an eye, its sclera pure black and it's iris red and piercing. As you moved it around, the eye tracked your vision, staring directly into your eyes, but it didn't speak or do anything else. All you knew it how to use it, for that's what you were taught.
Clasping it to your chest, you closed your eyes muttered the words you were taught...
**//'Fatali Deus mors est, cum de me raperent disputatio de adductius vobis falce metit.'//**
(if:$Roll is <=$DThreshold)[At first, nothing happened, and confusion crossed you features. When you opened your eyes however, you realised that something had, in fact, happened-- to //you//, that is.
Your entire vision was black, but you could see yourself clearly, as if you were standing in darkness. In your hands you held the glass case, but the eye inside was missing. A quiet, creaking sound reached your ears and you lifted your head, eyes widening at the sight of something floating above your head, far out of your reach. It was a skull, with piercing red dots for eyes. It looked enormous, so close yet so far away, too vast in size for you to even fathom how big it was. Around its shape was a billowing black smoke that you could only just barely recognise when it licked the skull's outline, otherwise marring the contrasting white lines of the skull.
A long finger came down, bony and gnarled, and aimed straight for you. The close it got, the bigger it became-- and as much as you wanted to scream and cry out, you were frozen on the spot. It came lower and lower, the fingertip at least 4 times as wide as your body. You thought it might stop at some point, but it just kept coming, lower and lower until it reached your face. The tip pressed unceremoniously to your body and then pushed in an instant, as fast as it could.
//Splat.//](else:)[Across the room, you heard a gasp of surprise. You opened your eyes and looked down to find the eye that was within the glass case to be missing. Raising your head, you looked across the room and saw the nobles circling around one person in particular as others came to take a look, and you hesitated to go over and see what was happening, unsure if it was your doing or not. Then, a high-pitched scream erupted across the room from a noble woman and the crowd retreated from whoever was in the centre. They parted just enough for you to see a man slumped on the floor, his head tilted away from you and a small red pool beginning to blossom from their head and out onto the tiles. Guards came from the right hand side of the room and briskly made their way over, and you quickly and subtly put the glass case on an unoccupied table so that it couldn't be traced back to you.
Was this what using the eye did? What did those words mean? Perhaps you should have known better than to blindly use it...yet, you were only thinking of yourself.
Suddenly, there was a clamour of laughter and commotion, and you looked over to see the very same canine that had been 'dead' on the floor being dragged to his feet, laughing and clasping the shoulders of the guards who were suddenly and abruptly dragging him out. He looked just fine-- in fact, in his hands he clutched something akin to a pig's bladder. In an instant, you realised he was faking his 'death' for fun, and now he was facing the consequences of disturbing the party.
You blew a sigh of relief and wiped your forehead, your heart having skipped a beat. Thank God-- though, thanking Death would be more appropriate.(set:$Havoc to it - 200)]](if:$SeedofFate is false)[(set:$End to 5)](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]
(set:$TPTwists to it - (a:"The Eye of Death"))
{
(live:10s)[(if:$Roll is <=$DThreshold)[(transition:"fade")[(stop:)Your journey ends here.<br>
<br>
<div class='img-container-event'>(link:"Game Over. Click here to continue.")[(set:$AltEnd to 2)(goto:"GameEnd")]</div>]](else:)[(transition:"fade")[<br>
<br>
<br>(stop:)<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Return.")[(goto:(history:)'s last)]</div>]]]}(align:"<==")[Regardless of whether you were actually creating a ruckus or not, you felt like you needed to take a breather-- a very specific one, at that. No amount of fresh air outside was going to give you the chance to cool off a little, but you had a feeling about what might be better-- plus, it may have the added advantage of potentially lowering some of the havoc you may have caused, especially if you're out of the party for a little while. You stepped out into the quiet hallways of House Dawland's estate, but you didn't go out into the restricted wings of the house, for you knew better. Instead, you leant against the wall and lingered, waiting for the opportune moment.(set:$EC to (random:1,3))(if:$EC is 1)[(set:$ECsp to "canine")(set:$ECsk to "fur")(set:$ECcc to "red")(set:$ECsc to "brown")](elseif:$EC is 2)[(set:$ECsp to "rabbit")(set:$ECsk to "fur")(set:$ECcc to "gray")(set:$ECsc to "white")](elseif:$EC is 3)[(set:$ECsp to "feline")(set:$ECsk to "fur")(set:$ECcc to "black")(set:$ECsc to "orange")]
As you loitered, a man passed by you whom you didn't recognise-- which was perfect, all things considered. He was a $ECsp with rich $ECsc $ECsk, clad in fancy $ECcc clothes that made it appear as if he at least belonged to a semi-influential house. He wasn't really paying attention to you, so when he walked past you with the intention of simply heading back towards the party, you pulled open the closet door beside you and grabbed the $ECsp by the wrist, pulling him into it with you. The man initially cried out, stumbling and staggering as you coaxed him into the cramped spot inside the closet, but as you pulled the door shut he clammed up, for reasons that escaped you.
"W...Can I help you?" The man's voice sounded just a little shaky, but he had more confidence than you were expecting. You could have answered him, but instead you opted to lean in closer, placing a hand on the $ECsp's chest, fingers trailing down his $ECcc doublet. You slowly lowered yourself to your knees and you heard the man chuckle quietly under his breath, sounding both nervous yet excited-- he probably wasn't expecting you to be so forward, or for you to even want to do //this// in particular. To anyone it would be a delight, of that you were fairly sure. Your fingers slowly popped the button of his trousers, pulling and plying at the waistband of his trousers until it eventually parted, the loose zipper sliding down as it revealed more and more of his crotch-- or it would have, were it not so dark. You didn't need your vision to see that the man was interested however, for when you hands slid towards the middle, you felt the obvious, firm mass of his steadily growing erection.
With a light tug on either side, you slowly pulled down his trousers, and in the interest of arousing him even more you pushed your head forwards, pressing your $nose to the front of his cloth underwear and groaning quietly against his loins. You felt the $ECsp pushing against your mouth, huffing quietly under his breath-- you didn't want him to have to wait any longer, so you pushed down his underwear, angling your head to the side as you felt the sudden heat of the $ECsp's cock nudging against your cheek. You felt a slightly quaking hand press against your shoulder and snake up to your cheek, followed by a quiet little groan of encouragement. You twisted your head to the side, travelling your $nose along the length of his cock and feeling the little bumps and ridges on the way. He felt as if he had a smooth humanoid cock, and you could distinctively feel the edges of his glands as you moved closer to the tip-- there was a foreskin too, which the nobleman peeled back with ease to give you access to the tip.
You wasted no time in opening your $nose and sticking out your tongue, trailing it across the underside of his member as you felt the $ECsp's hand stroke the $skin on your cheek, his fingers curling and tensing slightly as you bowed down, taking the cock into your mouth. The member slid easily along your tongue and then probed up at the roof of your mouth, before you pushed down further, letting the cock slide all the way to the back of your throat. The nobleman above you gasped quietly and pushed his hips forwards a little more, driven by desire, and though it felt uncomfortable for his member to be pushing so far into the back of your throat you endured it, scrunching up your eyes.
After a moment you pulled back, slowly easing into a steady rhythm-- you pulled back and pushed forwards slowly but methodically, gauging your speed, how much your pursed your $nose and the firmness at which you pressed the underside of his cock with your tongue by his clenching hand and laboured breathing alone. It didn't take long for you to pick up the pace as the $ECsp began to huff and groan with a greater intensity, subtly moving his hips back and forth as if he desperately wanted to thrust but was resisting for your benefit-- you were thankful for that, given the man's above-average member, from what you could feel.
Suddenly, the man let out a quiet hiss, following by a short, restrained grunt, his hips pushing forwards as his hand moved from your cheek and over towards the top of your head, fingers digging against your $skin. He pushed your down and you grimaced briefly, feeling the cock probe the back of your throat as it pulsed and throbbed, signalling his impending release. You braced yourself and then swallowed, feeling each rhythmic twitch, each warm spurt of seed that threatened to trigger your gag reflex but thankfully never did. You somehow gulped down every last drop, your hands clutching to his hips as he kept you firmly down against his member-- thankfully not enough to completely block your airways, but close enough. His orgasm faded as quickly as it had arrived and he slowly relinquished his grip, allowing you to pull back and breathe.
You slowly got to your feet as the nobleman awkwardly shifted, reaching down to grab his pants and pull them up. The $ECsp buttoned up his trousers and stuffed himself away out of sight, and an awkward tension filled the air between you as neither knew what to say. After a moment, the nobleman cleared his throat and opened the door, illuminating his $ECcc clothes and $ECsc fur, before he stepped out into the hallway. He looked back at you once, just for a moment, before returning back to where he had come from. You lingered in the closet a while longer, needing to 'calm yourself down', before you stepped out in kind.
Some time had passed, enough for some rumours about you to fade in your absence, thankfully. You adjusted your clothes and returned to the banquet hall.](set:$TPTwists to it - (a:"A Closet Quickie"))(set:$OTwists to it - (a:"A Closet Quickie"))
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Return.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")[(if:$LensSeen is 1)[In your hands you held a small, rusty little spyglass that you had come to know as the 'Lens of Smuggled Goods'. According to The Preacher, as well as some others, the lens was imbued with unique magical properties that allowed to see someone in their 'basest form', whatever that meant. You were interested to try it out, but you had to wonder how it'd work-- the only way to know was to try it for yourself, and so you did so.](else:)[You held the Lens of Smuggled Goods in your hands, having already used it before. You knew now how it worked and had every intention of using it again, a trickle of excitement crossing your features at the thought of what you might see, lewd or not.] Stepping across the banquet hall, you lingered by the edges, not wanting to draw too much attention to yourself...though it wasn't as if anyone would pay attention to someone playing around with a spyglass. With that, you looked over the crowd, picking out one of your potential targets.(set:$EC to $TList's (random:1,$TList's length))
(if:$EC is "Duldes Dawland")[Along the same wall you were leaning against, you spotted (if:$MetDU is false)[a well-dressed hyena in ornate white and gold clothes, bearing the crest of House Dawland.](elseif:$MetDU is true)[Duldes Dawland, firstborn of his House.] He lingered by the edge with a glass in hand, neither excited to mingle nor completely against it-- he very much sat squarely within the realms of 'indifferent'. He barely touched his drink too, holding it as if it were a prop. Curiosity made your $skin tingle and you slowly raised the spyglass to your eye, looking through it in the hyena's direction.
The spyglass worked as intended, much to your surprise and embarrassment. As you looked through the lens, you were greeted to the sight of the hyena without any clothes, the once ornate white and gold doublet and trousers invisible under the lens' gaze. The hyena had a strong, strangely athletic figure-- he was trim around the waist and his fur was typical to that of a normal spotted hyena, with a darkened snout and a light, cream underbelly with dotted light and dark brown fur covering his sides and along his back. Those little dark spots covered his arms and legs, but only the tops; from the angle you were standing, you could see that the underside of his arms at the very least were a lighter shade, like a tawny, summery brown. His figure was similar to one who worked out enough to keep themselves healthy, but it was clear that the hyena didn't pursue a peak male physique, for his stomach lacked the structure of abs and was instead smooth and neat. Two pink nipples sat on his pecs and the dip of a belly button marred the otherwise soft, smooth surface of his stomach.
When you travelled your gaze lower, you couldn't help but feel flushed at the sight of his loins; a slightly darker cream, humanoid-shaped member sat at an impressive flaccid length between his legs, covering otherwise average size balls that, as he moved, jiggled and swayed ever so slightly with each subtle movement. His calves were pronounces and his lower legs bony, ending in plantigrade feet and four-toed paws, each tipped with snubbed black claws to avoid scratching the tiles. You draw your spyglass back up to linger on his crotch a moment longer, before the glint of something to the right caught your attention. You swept your gaze towards it and saw a small floating tool mere inches from his body-- logic dictated that the spyglass hid clothing but not the contents of ones pockets, and you could see that in the left pocket of his doublet he had a small ornate ring. You're not sure what its purpose was or why it was even there, nor did you want to look any further-- gawking any longer than necessary could risk him looking in your direction, and you'd rather not face the fallout of what might occur from that.](elseif:$EC is "Sat Ipfeld")[Across the hall, you spotted (if:$MetSa is false)[a Common Ringed Plover, an avian with casual military clothes, a tight jerkin and a semi-relaxed demeanour.](elseif:$MetSa is true)[Sat Ipfeld, adjutant to Lord Carein and former infantry soldier.] The avian was mingling with other nobles, bowing and talking as other nobles nearby seemed to be doing the same thing. It seemed perfect for you to quickly take a gander at him, since he wasn't even looking in your direction. With a tingle of excitement, you raised the spyglass up to your eye, looking in the avian's direction.
It didn't surprise you at all to find that the avian's physique was well-built and well-maintained. It was clear from his prominent muscles on an otherwise small-ish frame that he was a soldier, and he hadn't let himself go despite the fact he'd been snacking on treats and tarts most of the night. The more interesting thing about him was his face: he had an otherwise smooth, bald-looking head clad in feathers where two thick bands of black covered across beneath his eye and up towards his forehead, leaving a single streak of white in the middle as the black feathers formed a point on either side of his face. His beak, similarly, was tipped black despite its otherwise golden hues, and his eyes were a striking green, a contrast to the rest of his colours. His feathers were a beautiful, pristine white along his neck and down towards his chest, going as low as to his loins. His back and the tops of his arms, however, were a soft mixture of beige and brown that grew darker at the tips, giving him the peculiar appearance of a watercoloured painting, where the inner parts of his feathers were lighter and softer. A thick 'scarf' of black feathers covered across towards his chest, but didn't stretch as far out as his nipples, which were barely visible beneath his feathers. What concerned you the most was the scars that riddles his body, mainly around his chest and stomach-- they marred his otherwise unblemished features and revealed a life full of violence and hardship that came with his station.
Surprisingly, however, the feathers stopped there: though his body and arms were fluffy and downy and he bore long tail feathers, his legs were decidedly scaly in contrast, right from the hips and all the way down to his feet, where he bore long, clawed toes. He took plantigrade despite that and against your better judgement, you took in his form before centring your gaze on his crotch. There, you caught sight of a humanoid member, smaller than you were expecting but still delightful, white in appearance and nestled atop a pair of small balls that jiggled with each movement. Your features grew flushed at the sight of it and you admittedly wanted to watch for longer, but you knew better than to keep staring-- after all, you didn't want him to catch wind you looking.](elseif:$EC is "Raltarndarv Raltandavi")[Standing out from the crowd and lingering by the buffet table, you saw (if:$MetRa is false)[a large bear-like creature, with black and brown fur and garments that barely covered his hulking frame.](elseif:$MetRa is true)[Raltarndarv Raltandavi, leader and chieftain of his people.] The bear shifted subtly on the spot and looked out of place amongst the other noble denizens of the party, his eyes raking over the buffet table and he tried to find something he wanted to eat. Curiosity ate at your $skin and you lifted the spyglass to your eye, wanting to take a closer look.
The bear had a particularly impressive body. You looked past his rigid muzzle and cold cyan eyes and took in the sight of his thick, shaggy mane that travelled from his head and down to his back, some of it twisted into thick braids that were tipped with ornate metal rings at the ends. Bright blue and cyan tattoos marked his shoulders and down towards his chest, giving him the look of a true magical creature-- it was hard to peel your eyes away from the twisting, curling etched paths in his fur that would have revealed the flesh beneath, where they not glowing. As you travelled your gaze lower, it was clear that the creature had a predominantly top-heavy body-- when it came to his stature, his legs were probably slightly shorter than yours, stocky and thick, but his chest and shoulders were broad and his arms thicker. His stomach was only a little slimmer than the width of his chest which, in turn, made his hips a similar size, giving him the appearance of a hulking 'brute', for want of a better term. His fur was still shaggy all over, but it seemed shorter and thinner around the front, and a lighter shade of brown, too. His hands and feet were bare and large, but the claws were clipped to stop them from scraping against tiles or cutting people by accident.
Almost instinctively, your gaze eventually drifted towards his crotch, and you don't know how you didn't notice it before: the creature was peculiarly, almost impossibly //hung//, and you couldn't recall any other person who had a tool so impressive. Maybe it was the contrasting length of his legs compared to nearby nobles or the mere fact of his species, but you could clearly see that the bear had something impressive between his legs, curled up and bundled into a tight 'ball' so that it could snugly fit within his formal trousers-- but even then it seemed to spill over into his legholes slightly, or at least his weighty-looking balls did, for you could see the flesh on either side of his loins, just barely visible. They wobbled and bounced ever so slightly as he moved around but otherwise remained steady, trapped within the confines of his clothes.
The one thing you noticed was a small floating flask near his chest, which you can only assume would have sat in the chest pocket of his doublet if you weren't looking through the spyglass. It was large enough to fit the entirety of his pocket from what you could guess, and its surface wasn't even covered in any markings or adornments-- you had to wonder what it was used for. In any case you wanted to watch for longer, but in the end relented, not wanting him to catch wind of you staring.](elseif:$EC is "Berlis Dawson")[From across the room you spotted (if:$MetBe is false)[a green and black reptile in lavender clothes.](elseif:$MetBe is true)[Berlis Dawson, head of his House.] He stood bowed, humbling himself before the nobles in front of him as they talked amongst themselves. Whenever there was a new noble he'd bow and greet them, before straightening up and engaging in conversation, and you watched with a mild mixture of curiosity and intrigue. Excited to see what may lay beneath, you brought the spyglass to your eye and looked in his direction.
For someone who you guessed to be in his mid 40's, Berlis was surprisingly well built. His body was covered almost entirely in black scales, bar from a patch of green that covered across his chest and down his stomach, as well as his hands and feet-- those green hues framed his face as well, but cut off sharply around his neck. He bore no additional blemished on his body unlike his face, where spines dotted his eyebrows and across his head, acting as hair. It left his body to be strangely smooth, and the lack of any markings of any sort bar the splatters of green allowed you to easily see his musculature, which was predominantly athletic but leant more towards average-- he was definitely not overweight, and took care of himself. You had to wonder how much, but your gaze admittedly travelled lower, focusing on more intimate areas.
Berlis was a decent length for his age. A humanoid member sat between his legs, tucked firmly into the confines of his trousers which you were now so easily seeing through. His cock was a slick black, presumably foreskinned though it was hard to tell, and beneath it wedged between his legs sat a pair of plump balls, mostly out of view. All in all, it was tantalising to look at, and though you wanted to stare more your attention was drawn to Berlis's hip, there it seemed there was a dagger concealed around his thigh, strapped in by what you could only assume to be a girdle, though the spyglass effectively blocked out all the fabric of the girdle itself-- but the dagger, however, fit snugly to his body. You had to wonder what he used it for, but it dawned on you that most nobles probably had to deal with the occasional unruly sort...so maybe it was for his safety. After a moment, you lowered the spyglass, not wanting him to catch wind of you staring.]
You slowly lowered the spyglass and stuffed it back into your pocket, hoping that you hadn't drawn attention to yourself-- but you were still pleased with what you saw, a tingle of excitement and the faint feeling of arousal flowing through you. You decided it was best not to dwell on it too much anymore for fear of making a fool of yourself...but you could use the spyglass again any time.
You returned to mingling, a small smirk on your face.]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Return.")[(goto:(history:)'s last)]</div>(align:"<==")[With the dueling glove in hand, you held it by the wrist end and reached out, striking it across the face of Duldes Dawland. He barely even flinched as you did so and for a moment stood there, his eyes wide and cold. He was, for once, surprised. You thought you might have felt triumphant or something, but that piercing gaze only made you feel fear.
Duldes turned his head and made a gesture to someone you couldn't see, and he stepped forwards, placing a hand on your shoulder and pushed out across the banquet hall, roughly towards the centre. At first, the nobles around you didn't seem to understand what was happening, but they began to part and give the two of you a wide berth when guards came from the side, both of them carrying ceremonial swords. They bowed and held them up with open palms as you turned, blinking from Duldes, to them, then back again.
"What are you gawking for?" He asked coldly. "You challenged me to a duel-- I am accepting. Take up your sword."
"W...Wait, I was just..." You looked through the crowd in the hopes of spotting The Preacher, but he was nowhere to be seen. You were on your own. As you turned back to face the hyena, he took one of the held swords and pointed its tip directly at you, mere inches from your face.
"Take up your sword." He repeated calmly, before lowering his blade and stepping to the side, assuming the usual position for the start of a duel with his sword pointed upwards, hilt pressed to his chest and his other arm behind his back. With a nervous gulp, you took the other sword that the guard held up for you. It felt heavy in your hands, the hilt encrusted with jewels. You gripped the fabric-wrapped handle and did you best to lift it upright, holding it awkwardly and you moved to stand a few metres away from your opponent, assuming the same position as him.
There was a moment of tense silence. Not even the nobles dared to speak, and you felt your heart pounding in your chest. Why did you do that? Why did you slap him with a glove as if you were going to win this duel? Did you hope he was going to decline? You should have known better.
From your left a guard appeared, and he stood between you for a moment, looking to each in turn, before he held his hand up and then swiped it down, stepping back as he did so.
"Begin!"
Duldes stepped forwards immediately, thrusting out his hand and pointing his sword directly at you-- were it not for your own natural instincts in stepping to the side, he would have pierced your flesh. Inexperienced in the art of swordplay, you swung you sword upwards and clashed with the underside of him, the piercing ring of metal bouncing around the hall and into your ears. Duldes was briefly caught off guard, but recovered with ease, swiping his sword to the side and trying to poke at you again. This time, your body wasn't quick enough-- you twisted your frame to try and avoid it, but in your panic your feet caught with themselves and you stumbled to the side, the added weight of the sword causing you to topple over completely onto the floor.
"Did you really challenge me with pitiful sword skills like that?" Duldes scoffed, pointing his blade down at him. "We've barely exchanged a few blows. Do you yield?"
"I...I yield." You knew that you'd likely injure yourself seriously if it continued. Shame washed over you as you gave up and the hyena sighed, and you had to wonder what he was thinking-- you speculated that he was displeased with your lack of conviction.
"Please escort this man out," He called to the guards. "I think he's had more than enough for tonight."
You stared up at the hyena as the guards grabbed you beneath your arms and dragged you to your feet, escorting you roughly from the premises and back outside. There The Preacher waited for you in a carriage, and at his gesture the guards escorted you to it, forcing you to get inside. You sat opposite your handler, who merely stared with rageful, piercing purple eyes.
"You have some explaining to do."](set:$IPTwists to it - (a:"Dueling Glove"))(if:$SeedofFate is false)[(set:$End to 5)](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]
(live:5s)[(stop:)(set:$AltEnd to 3)<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Your journey ends here.")[(goto:"GameEnd")]</div>](align:"<==")[Sometimes things go to plan that you ultimately wanted to adjust, for reasons that were known only to yourself, and do not need explaining. For that, you had a friend at the party-- not The Preacher, but another, lesser-known assistant called The Hustler. Unlike your masked handler, The Hustler was even more inconspicuous and served purely to wreck havoc and blend into the crowd.
Though you weren't sure where he was right now, you knew that all it would take it the right signal to get his attention-- a movement where you raised your hand to you (if:$species is "canine")[ear](else:)[ear hole] and stuck out two fingers, as if you were giving yourself rabbit ears. You waggled them twice only, before lowering your hand, and that was enough to signal him to swoop in at your request.
From the side came a feline, slender and clad in less-than-noble clothes. His jerkin was shabby and cheap and his trousers were the same, but his eyes twinkled with a charisma that you weren't expecting. You knew this to be The Hustler, a man of incredible cunning-- seeing him in such poor attire was commonplace, but for once it looked bad, if only because of current company. (if:$NN is "Dul")[He grinned toothily at you before leading you over to Duldes Dawland, the target with whom you recently interacted with, and he very rudely tapped the hyena on the shoulder to get his attention. The hyena, who'd originally had his back to the both of you, slowly turned and blinked with surprise, hesitant to greet you with the new face around.
"Lord Dawland, a please!" The feline spoke far too loudly and deliberately attracted the attention of those around the both of you. "My good friend here told me all about you."
"Oh...did he, now?" Duldes slowly cast his gaze to you and you could tell he looked a little annoyed.
"Why, yes," The feline beamed. "He said you were quite the egotistical man, always lecherously watching women...and I just had to see for myself if there was someone who could compete with me!"
You felt your blood run cold and the nobles nearby let out a quiet gasp of surprise at what was effectively a very directly insult. Duldes stood there for a moment, not saying anything, before he pursed his muzzle. With a quick flick of his wrist, he tipped his glass forwards and the liquid flew out, splashing across the feline's front-- he strangely enough didn't aim it at you, but the gaze he pinned you with was enough to make you wither.
Without another word, Duldes turned and strode off, leaving the two of you alone.(set:$DulSway to it - 50)](elseif:$NN is "Sat")[He grinned toothily at you, grasping your shoulders and directing you towards Sat, who you were talking to just moments ago. The avian notices you coming over with the feline in tow, looking a little anxious when you approached.
"Oh, hello Thep," He began, clearing his throat. "Is this...a friend of yours?"
"Oh yeah, I'm his friend. Uh-huh," The feline began, standing front of you and pushing you to the side. "And who are you, lovely?"
Sat looked visibly uncomfortable with the feline's obviously lecherous gaze, and the fact that you said nothing seemed to irk him more. He looked between the two of you as the feline reached out to grab the avian's hand and raise it, kissing the back of it with a slovenly-looking kiss that made even your skin crawl. You knew it was an act, but it was convincing.
"I, um..." He grimaced. "I'm going to go. Sorry."
With that, the avian turned, creeped out by your 'friend'.(set:$SatSway to it - 50)](elseif:$NN is "Ral")[He grinned from cheek to cheek before grabbing your arm and pulling you along in the direction of Ralt, who was standing with his back to you. You'd only spoken to him not that long ago, so it came as no surprise to you when he seemed surprised to find you find back when the feline got his attention. He looked from you to your 'friend' and didn't quite know what to say-- unluckily for you, the feline started to speak first.
"Oof, this is your friend?" He jabbed your ribs and waggled his eyebrows. "I think I can see why you're interested. Tell me, bear, how hung're you?"
"...Excuse me?" Ralt's eyes turned steely and you visibly shrunk a little from his penetrating gaze, yet the feline didn't falter.
"C'mon, anyone who'd wanna get close to you probably just wants that, you know..." The feline gestured loosely towards Ralt's crotch and licked his lips lecherously, which only served to anger the bear even more. The creature, however, kept his composure despite the teasing and he snorted through his nose, gritting his teeth.
"Excuse me." He coldly muttered, and stomped past the pair of you into the crowd, and you glanced to the feline, who grinned almost victoriously.(set:$RalSway to it - 50)](elseif:$NN is "Ber")[He smirked at you before grasping you by the shoulders, turning you around, and directing you towards Berlis Dawson, who you had just been talking to mere moments prior. He saw the two of you approaching and quirked his eyebrow, grimacing at the sight of the shabby feline before glancing to you, as if expecting an explanation. Before you could speak however, the feline got there first.
"Lord Dawson, a pleasure," The feline bowed and teetered on the spot, implying he was drunk. "I was just talking to my good friend here and he was telling me about how you love to fraternise with commoners."
"I love to what?" Berlis puffed out his chest and his eyes widened with anger, and you averted your gaze, fully aware where this conversation was about to go.
"Yeah," The feline beamed. "So, you know, I've got a nice, fat, juicy commoner c--"
"Absolutely not," Berlis snapped. "So much as come near me and I'll have the guards run you through."
"Aww, don't be like that!" The feline deliberately raised his voice to attract the nearby nobles. "You're missing out, I heard nobles love to take it up the ass--"
"Begone from my sight before I cut off your head." The reptile darkly insinuated, and he turned, striding through the crowd as the nobles parted to let him through. A murmur of rumour rippled through the party-goers and you felt your cheeks warm with embarrassment.(set:$BerSway to it - 50)]
The Hustler turned to you and clasped your shoulder, wordlessly giving you a thumbs up and running his gaze up and down your body, just for a moment, before he stepped away and slipped into the crowd. Some of them parted to let him past, disdain on their face, but no-one tried to cause a commotion-- that, unfortunately, had already happened. However, it was useless to regret it now, for it was what you asked for.](set:$Havoc to it + 50)
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")[Your time with the target didn't quite go to plan, but you had an ace up your sleeve. Reaching into your pocket, you pulled out a small eye within a glass case-- a magical artifact known as 'The Eye of Deceit'. You clasped it to your chest and channelled you will into it, and before your eyes and outcome of the last encounter shifted, turning into something more favourable that sees you in a better light. The hint of magic enveloped you and your target, shifting reality for only the two of you.
It feels like you've stepped out of time and space itself. You could see your own body, but it moved of it's own accord, doing things you didn't tell it to-- it's like watching yourself from a distance, only you're certain it isn't you. You could look down at yourself and see your own hands still clutching the glass case, but the eye inside was spasming, flicking in all directions as if it were operating and looking at many different things at once. In the moment, you can only speculate one thing: the Eye of Deceit must have pulled you out of your own body and replaced it with another entity, or the entity has assumed your shape and you are invisible. Either way, it's peculiar to watch yourself act and do things you would have never thought on your own, and you watched as you-- or it, you couldn't tell-- interacted with the target of your seduction.
(if:$NN is "Dul")[Your figure approached that of Duldes Dawland, bowing and respecting him before saying something that you couldn't hear. You could see the hyena's eyes widen before a small smile crosses his lips, and he continued conversation with you-- or it. All the sound around you was muffling and hard to listen to, but you caught glimpses of words-- flirtation, even that Duldes seemed to enjoy.
After a small period of time, you watched as your body moved to acquire a glass from the banquet hall's main buffet table as Duldes followed you, the two still locked in conversation. Occasionally amidst their talk, your body laughed and chuckled, sometimes reaching out to touch Duldes's arm. Though Duldes wasn't quite as animated as you, you could tell he looked significantly more relaxed with your body around. You felt almost jealous that you couldn't be the one to make him feel that for yourself, but if it suited your goal you were willing to swallow what little pride you had.
One thing was for certain, however: whatever havoc you'd caused by upsetting Duldes previously was all but forgotten now, as whatever the Eye of Deceit had done for you had twisted the conversation into something...well, good. To that end, you felt pleased.(set:$DulSway to it + $HavocG)(set:$Havoc to it - $HavocG)](elseif:$NN is "Sat")[Your figured approached Sat Ipfeld, who you were just recently talking to. He looked apprehensive over the recent encounter the two of you just had, and your eyes widened with surprise when your body bowed and got onto its knees in front of him. Flustered, the avian tried dragging you to your feel, babbling something that you couldn't hear-- every noise felt muffled and difficult to decipher. You-- or rather, the thing controlling you-- got to its feet and smiled at the avian, lapsing into polite conversation, by the looks of it.
At first, Sat seemed wary, but he brought down his guard rather quickly and seemed content with whatever you were talking about. You had no idea what your body was saying, but you had no doubt that it was something Sat had needed to hear, for he relaxed more and more as time went on, even going so far as to lightly touch with your arm. You couldn't feel it yourself in the peculiar out-of-body experience, but you imagined that it was nice and genuine. You felt a little jealous, but in pursuit of your goal you swallowed the little pride you still had and watched.
One thing was clear from the little encounter-- your body must have apologised in some form, in the perfect way to twist whatever havoc you'd caused into something much more favourable, and you were ultimately pleased with the result. (set:$SatSway to it + $HavocG)(set:$Havoc to it - $HavocG)](elseif:$NN is "Ral")[Your body approached Ralt, leader of his people, and you feared the worst. You watched, tensing, as your figure got into his eyeline and then got onto his knees, pressing his head to the ground in something akin to a very shameful grovel, which caught the attention of the nobles nearby. The bear looked put on the spot but didn't motion for you to stand, and you heard the muffled, hard to hear sounds of your own body talking, presumably apologising. After a few moments, you figure rose to its feet and Ralt awkwardly scratched the back of his neck with a large paw, before gesturing you across the banquet hall, to avoid prying eyes.
You followed your own body as it and Ralt moved towards the edges of the room, where you had something of a conversation. All your sounds were muffled and hard to decipher, but you presumed that they were sincere, heartfelt words, for Ralt seemed to visibly relax and talk in turn, his cold eyes seeming less piercing and more deep, filled with emotion. The two of you talked for a little longer before it seemed that whatever misunderstanding had happened was all but forgotten, and Ralt left looking more pleased than before.
Though you felt jealous that you couldn't exercise you own social skills in such a way, you swallowed what little pride you had for the purposes of your mission. The Eye had been useful, more than you realised, turning an unfavourable outcome into something much better.(set:$RalSway to it + $HavocG)(set:$Havoc to it - $HavocG)](elseif:$NN is "Ber")[Your figure approached that of Berlis Dawson, the head of his house, and you watched with a certain degree of anxiety as your body moved of its own accord, bowing respectfully to the reptile. At first, Berlis completely ignored you and turned away, but the sound of something you said seemed to have piqued his interest, for he quickly turned back around. You couldn't really hear what Berlis and your body were discussing, but it had to have been something positive, for Berlis suddenly began to smile in a way you hadn't seen him do before.
Very quickly, the previous events that had upset the reptile became a distant memory. Whatever the conversation the two of you were having seemed to amuse the reptile so much that he was starting to laugh and take you more seriously, despite the reptile's common argument that you are nothing more than a commoner. A pang of jealousy trickled through you, but in the interest of continuing your mission you swallowed down what little pride you had and watched, taking mental notes of how best to potentially woo him in the future.
After a time, the conversation between the two of you seemed to fade, and all you could think of was how much of a relief it was to have an unfavourable outcome changed into something much more favourably.(set:$BerSway to it + $HavocG)(set:$Havoc to it - $HavocG)]
You felt a sudden lurch and you were tugged through the banquet hall towards your own body as your target turned to leave. All of a sudden, your vision merged with your body's own and you felt back in your own form. When you looked down, the Eye was still and silent. It must have used up all it's juice to aid you. With a grin, you stuffed it in your pocket and returned to the party, thankful that recent events were adjusted in your favour.](set:$EDTurnCount to it - 6)
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>{(if:$TPTwists contains "Lens of Smuggled Goods")[(set:$TPTwists to it - (a:"Lens of Smuggled Goods"))](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]
(if:$IPTwists contains "Unique Perception")[(set:$IPTwists to it - (a:"Unique Perception"))](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]
(if:$IPTwists contains "Dueling Glove")[(set:$IPTwists to it - (a:"Dueling Glove"))](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]
(if:$PITwists contains "Eye of Deceit")[(set:$PITwists to it - (a:"Eye of Deceit"))](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]
(if:$PITwists contains "Hustler's Helper")[(set:$PITwists to it - (a:"Hustler's Helper"))](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]
}
(goto:"Title")(align:"<==")["Lord Dawland," You began with a smile. "Do you want to play a little party game? Just to unwind, of course."
"A game?" The hyena seemed surprised, but he wasn't exactly turning down the idea. "Hmm...very well. I believe I have something in mind."
You watched as the man reached into his pocket, pulling out what looked to be a pack of playing cards. With a gesture, he lead you to a nearby table and the two of you sat down, opposite from one-another. For a brief moment in time there was nothing but silence as Duldes slipped the cards from their little packet and began to neatly shuffle them with an expertise you weren't expecting from him.
"Do you know Primero?" He asked. "It originated in Prianti but it's widely played all across the Laquain Empire now."
"Of course," You nodded along. "I've played it once or twice. Mostly gambled...as is tradition."
"Yes...tradition." Duldes smirked, to your surprise, and he cast out fours cards between you in pairs, face-down. You picked yours up and carefully looked over the contents, grimacing the collection of cards that didn't form a worthy hand-- at least, noting noteworthy that you could use to cast an immediate showdown. Duldes was a hard hyena to read in turn-- he barely flinched as he looked at his own cards, before lowering them and glancing at the empty space on the table between you.
"We shant bet for this," He began. "Not only is the difference in our wealth disparaging, it leads to poor relations. My father is fond of this game and loses plenty of his guests, who walk out with any number of riches every weekend."
"It sounds like he enjoys it, though. Do you play much?" You asked as Duldes tapped the table with two fingers, and you did the same in kind. Duldes dealt two more cards each, bringing them into his hand.
"My father taught me when I was younger," He began. "He taught all of us. Whenever there was a dispute over belongings, toys, vendettas, he forced us to gamble it out over a game of Primero. Whatever the outcome, we had to honour it-- so naturally, we all tried out hardest to learn so that we may always be the winner. It was a very competitive childhood."
"That sounds..." You weren't sure what to say, and Duldes snapped his gaze up to meet you own, regarding you with his cold eyes.
//"Vada."// He separated his cards and placed his winning hand face down on the table. You fumbled to bring something together and did the same, and after a brief moment of pause, the two of you flipped.
"You are easy to read, Thep," Duldes remarked with a small smile. "I guessed you only had a //Numerus.//"
"Meanwhile, you...//Chorus.// That's quite some luck." You remarked, and he shrugged his shoulders, scooping the cards together and putting them back into a neat order, shuffling again. He was about to deal another hand when a servant came from the side, bowing down to whisper in his ear. Duldes's features soured and he sighed, slipping his cards into his pocket.
"I must bow out for now," He admitted coldly. "I am being summoned. Thank you for the game, Thep."
"Ah, my pleasure." You bowed to him as he left, watching as he turned, giving you a vague gesture of farewell that seemed half-hearted before he followed the servant into the crowd and beyond. You had a good chat...you think.(set:$DulSway to it + 20)
You returned to mingling.]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")["Sat," You began. "Did you want to maybe play a party game? Since you're not busy."
Sat's eyes widened with delight at the suggestion, and that just made you smile even wider. His smile was contagious.
"I've just the perfect thing." He gestured to a nearby servant, who approached. Whispering into their ear, Sat pointed to a nearby empty table and the servant retreated briefly to bow, before briskly turning and wandering off through the crowd. The avian, strangely excited, guided you over to the table he'd pointed at previously and signalled for you to wait. The two of you lingered barely longer than a couple of minutes before the servant from before returned with a flat piece of what looked to be thin wood in his hands, along with a small black pouch.
The servant placed it upon the white tablecloth and folded it out before placing the pouch on top, bowing and letting the two of you play you game. Once you'd observed the surface of the play table, it quickly became clear what it was: a common and popular game for the middle to upper class you'd come to know as 'Goose'.
Sat didn't need to ask if you knew how to play, for that was obvious. He rolled to see who would go first and for a little bit of time neither of you spoke as you took part in the first few turns. The rules were simple: travel the 60-ish spaces, one square at a time, towards the centre. Some squares would allow you to travel further, others would not: they were labelled on those instances.
"Do you play this a lot?" You asked. "You seemed excited when I suggested a game."
"My parents like to play it a lot with me and my brother," He explained, faltering ever so slightly as he spoke. "But...in my current position, there's little time for games like this."
"...I can also imagine it's not much of a game befitting nobles, who prefer something more..." You tried to find the best word that wasn't offensive to the avian in front of you.
"Intellectual? Yeah," Sat nodded, understanding. "Cards, dice, gambling...those seem to be commonplace amongst houses like this, but this game is more entertaining for lesser folk like me."
You hummed in agreement and the two of you played in moderate silence for a while, occasionally breaking the murmur of nobles mingling around you with the occasional chuckle-- or in Sat's case, the odd swear word or tweet of delight. I had been some time since you played this game, but it was all a matter of luck: and in the end, (set:$EC to (either:1,2))(if:$EC is 1)[you somehow managed to win, reaching the final square in the centre.
"Damn! That was lucky," Sat grinned. "I got some pretty bad rolls mid-way through that game that set me back quite a lot. Good game!"](elseif:$EC is 2)[you lost, Sat making to the centre square before you.
"That sucks, I'm sorry Thep," He grinned awkwardly. "You did your best, but this game is all about luck. You were close, though!"]
The sound of someone calling the avian's name to your left caught the attention of both of you and the avian rose from where he was sitting, patting the game board before him.
"Sorry, looks like I have to go," He chuckled. "But let's play again soon, yeah?"
"Sure." You rose to your feet as well, watching as Sat headed off back into the crowd in the direction of a small group of nobles who seemed to be waiting for him. You had to admit, playing games with Sat was fun-- he was like an excitable kid sometimes.(set:$SatSway to it + 20)]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")["If you don't mind me asking," You began to suggest. "Do you want to play a little game, to pass the time?"
"Did you have something in mind?" Ralt was surprised by your question, but was more puzzled about what activities you could enjoy together. You didn't have to think for long to come up with a solution-- with a quick gesture, you lead Ralt out of the banquet hall and into the gardens beyond, where you directed him towards the plain grass. There, set up for the party, were 3 small wooden posts sitting opposite a painted white square.
"You've heard of 'Horseshoes', haven't you Ralt?" You asked, glancing behind you as nobles watched and tittered, bemused by your compassion for a 'beast'. "It's a game where farmers throw horseshoes onto a post and try to hook it."
"We've never played these sorts of games amongst my people, but yes, I've heard of this." He nodded along and you bent out to pick up the metal rings on the grass. Each one was reasonably heavy, and wider than your arm.
"This is the same principal then, only we use rings. Just try to hook it on one of the poles and we'll count it as we go." You instructed, and he understood instantly-- so, with that, you went first. The rings were heavier to throw than you initially expected, but you weren't surprised to find you didn't have the upper arm strength to properly toss them, and you missed the mark but a substantial margin.
Ralt, however, found the game almost too easy: with simply flicks of his wrists he effortlessly tossed the rings across the short distance, able to effortlessly and easily hook them around the poles.
"That's...really impressive. I almost feel bad for having to had to explain it to you now, you're a natural." You remarked after a 'round' of 5 rings each, alternated between the two of you.
"It is customary for the leader of one's people to be strong, at least in my culture," Ralt explained as you stepped over to pick up the rings and bring them back. "But strength isn't just about raw power, but also control."
"I see..." You understood what he meant, or at least you thought you did. "Still, I can't say that anyone else I know has that level of ability."
"Thank you." He accepted the compliment admirably, and the two of you played another couple of rounds. If the first one wasn't indicative enough for you of exactly how much you were going to lose, the next couple of rounds all but sealed it. It took a great deal of effort for you to even hook one ring, but Ralt barely missed one or two at most out of the grand total of 15 rings he'd thrown over the course of the game. In the end, you were left a little exhausted from the workout whilst Ralt merely looked amused, perhaps even proud of his own achievement.
"I don't think this game is for you," Ralt suggested. "But thank you for showing it to me. It's actually quite the interesting game-- it's an exercise in control. I will pass that message on to my people and they might use it to teach their young."
"G...Glad I could help," You breathed in a deep breath. "I'm going to head inside and get a drink."
With that, you departed from him and made your way back inside, glancing over briefly as you left to see Ralt staring over at the poles, hesitant to continue.(set:$RalSway to it + 30)]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")["Lord Dawson, if I may be so bold," You began with a respectful bow. "Would you like to play a game to pass the time?"
"...Fine, just a small one." He sounded apprehensive but inevitably agreed to your suggestion, and with a gesture he directed you across the hall towards a little table at the back. There sat two men already playing what you quickly recognised to be chess, but when Berlis approached they quickly reset the table and rose, bowing before departing and leaving the two of you to play. You had no idea who the men were, but they must have been lower in status to Berlis for them to scoot away so quickly. The reptile gestured towards the other seat and you sat opposite him, apparently playing White.
"You know how to play, yes?" He demanded to know and you cleared your throat, getting more comfortable in your seat.
"Uh, yes. Of course." Your voice didn't sound confident and he seemed to recognise that, but he didn't pry any further. Instead, he gestured for you to go. You picked one of the pawns at random and brought them out two spaces, and he almost instantly reacted in kind, picking a different pawn opposite you to move. Like that, the game went on.
Berlis's moves were hard to predict. You were by no means a chess master, but it was clear that the older reptile opposite you was either a master of the craft or at the very least a veteran, for his reactions were near-instant and his face looked almost bored, as if you were bringing nothing special to the table. After a small period of time, the board was set up strangely: a few of your pawns as well as your knight were lined up diagonally across the board, but his pawns were scattered in turns at odd angles. You moved your bishop and he hesitated for the first time.
"Check." You didn't mean to sound too triumphant, but you did feel a little proud. He had played a good defense up until then. He brought out his knight to intercept your bishop from taking his king, and you spent a second deliberating.
"What?" He snapped. "You checked me, but you don't know how to counter the Botvinnik Variation?"
"Sorry, the what?" You hesitated and he breathed a sigh, all of a sudden relaxing.
"I thought for a moment that you were knowledgeable in chess," He muttered. "But I understand now that it was a fluke."
"You...seem like quite the expert in contrast, if I must say so." You moved one of your other pawns and he sighed, straightening himself up and taking things more slowly.
"My father always told me that 3 things make a man," He explained. "The smarts to outwit your opponent, the strength to overpower your opponent, and a sharp blade to cut off their head."
"Sounds...gruesome." You admitted, and Berlis's gaze snapped up to you as he moved a piece. You moved another in kind and he instantly moved again.
"Yes, well..." He shifted and stood. "As it turns out, having those three qualities does put one on top. Checkmate."
You stared down at the board for a moment before raising your head-- yet, by the time you'd registered that he'd won, Berlis was already walking back to the crowd. He looked over his shoulder at you, and you could see from that distance that he was smirking.
You felt like you were deliberately being teased...but if he was smiling, then you can assume your little game at least put him in a good mood.(set:$BerSway to it + 30)]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")[You asked Duldes if he would like a drink.
"No," He declined, neither looking sour nor pleased with your question. "I'm honestly not much of a drinker...as you can see."
He gestured to the glass in his hands and you looked from it up to his face, realising that you question must have looked silly, all things considered. A waiter walked past you and you reached out to take a glass from his tray, idly holding it in your hands and taking a sip. The taste was...odd, and it had that distinctive feeling in your throat that reminded you of booze. You weren't much of a drinker either.
(if:$DuRV is 2)["My apologies then, Lord Dawland," You bowed your head. "I just thought that you maybe didn't like the drink you had at the moment."
"Well, that wouldn't be incorrect..." Duldes admitted. "I do not have much of a sweet tooth, so whilst wine is adequate for a party like this, I do not prefer it."
"Oh, I see," You nodded understandingly, thumbing the glass between your fingers, bringing to your lips to sip. "If you don't mind me asking, then, what kind of drink do you normally like?"
"Something with a strong taste is more to my tastes," He explained. "There is a unique beverage that is made locally, just outside of the capital, called Darkmeadow Whiskey. It is one of my favourites."
"I believe I've heard of that one," Your eyes widened with surprise. "They say it has a special fermentation method, but no-one has ever seen it, and it's a closely-guarded secret. I also heard it's rather expensive..."
"It should come as no surprise when I say that I can afford it," The hyena smirked, and you couldn't help but smile back, feeling a little stupid. "But yes, it is rather rare and expensive, primarily because they only make a couple of bottles at once...I do not drink often, so one bottle of it can last me some time."
"When do you tend to drink it?" You asked, and Duldes's eyes hardened for a moment before he sighed.
"Typically when I need to relax...or when things are stressful." He admitted, and you couldn't help but feel like you'd stepped on a nerve. Fortunately, the conversation didn't continue much further, for someone came to call Duldes away on a seemingly urgent matter. He politely excused himself and, in turn, you bowed out of respect for his status. He seemed pleased with that and took his leave, and you eventually returned to mingling with the other guests, thankful that his rejection of your offer for a drink hadn't caused too much of a stir. You did learn something new, too, which was a plus.](else:)["Sorry," You apologised. "I just thought that you maybe didn't like the drink you had at the moment."
"And I was just holding it for decoration?" Duldes regarded you with cold eyes and shook his head. "I just find no use in alcohol. I would rather be sober-- at most, I can appreciate its taste, nothing more."
"Well...I understand." You realised that this was something of a dead end, but he wasn't causing a fuss either. However, when you turned around with the intention of leaving, you spotted a handful of nobles looking in your direction, as if they were scrutinising your interaction with Duldes at the time.
You tried your best to avoid their stares as your short conversation-- and rejection-- with Duldes drew to a close, but you couldn't shake the feeling that rumours were bound to spread...(set:$Havoc to it + 10)(set:$HavocG to it + 10)]]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")[You politely asked Sat if he would like a drink of some kind. The avian's hands were, after all, suspiciously empty.
"Oh, sure!" The adjutant seemed pleased. "I haven't had that much to drink tonight...I need to be careful about it, but a glass or two won't hurt."
With a nod and a bow-- which embarrassed Sat to no end-- you headed off into the crowd and looked for a waiter who bore drinks. You didn't have to wander for long to eventually find a couple of full glasses positioned neatly on a moving silver tray, and you plucked them off, making your way back through the crowd until the found the avian again. The din of nobles chattering was noisy, but not too loud, so you didn't need to stand that close for you to hear him easily.
"Thanks." He took one of the glasses from out of your hands and sipped it, bringing it to the lower portion of his beak and awkwardly tipping it so it filled the bottom of his mouth, before throwing his head back to swallow. (if:$species is "avian")[You did effectively the same thing-- if you didn't angle your head right, it would drip right down your doublet.](else:)[You, thankfully, didn't have to go to such lengths just to enjoy a sip, and you gulped down a mouthful with ease.] You throat burned a little with the sensation of the wine, a clear sign of its alcoholic content, and your couldn't stop yourself from grimacing ever so slightly. It tasted sweet, sure, but you honestly weren't that much of a drinker.
"Not to your taste?" Sat asked with a frown and you tried your best to smile, but you were aware that Sat had seen right through you.
(if:$SaRV is 3)["I'm admittedly not much of a drinker," You admitted. "I could nurse this glass for a whole night if I wanted to."
"I'm quite the opposite, I suppose..." Sat admitted in kind. "But this isn't my usual style of drink. Sweet things are nice, but...in my youth I did a lot of drinking, so if I want to feel the effects I tend to go for something stronger, with a kick."
"Is that so?" You sounded surprised, and that's because you were. "I'll admit that I didn't expected that from you. What kind of drink do you normally enjoy, then?"
"There's a certain type of whiskey from my hometown. It's not made very often since it has to use barley, but it's a very strong whiskey. If you want to get drunk, that was what you drunk. They called it Brandfire Whiskey. Reminds me of home when I drink it."
"Do you get it imported to Lord Carein's estate?" You asked him and he nodded, grinning from to cheek to cheek.
"I get a couple of bottles ordered whenever they make a new batch, which is...every handful of months." He explained, thumbing his glass. You felt rather satisfied to know this new information, and it was nice to know more about Sat as well.](else:)["I'm just not much of a drinker," You admitted. "I could nurse this glass for a whole night if I wanted to."
"I can't say I agree," Sat chuckled in response. "When I used to live and work in the barracks we got wasted every fucking weekend. I'd wake up with horrible headaches by the weekdays and had to go to work, but it was fun times. A lot of us got drunk and couldn't remember what we did..."
"Sounds a little irresponsible." You remarked as you took another sip, less than a mouthful that time.
"It was, a little," You shrugged. "But at the time the weekends were the only days I had to rest, so I wanted to make the most of them in any way I could. I don't have that luxury anymore, unfortunately."
"Because of whom you work for?" You glanced out into the crowd, wondering if Lord Carein was there together, and Sat hummed his agreement.
"Even on rest days, which is typically a Sunday, I can't really do much other than fucking catch up on work I didn't finish or try to perfect any hobbies or skills I have," He explained. "I do get to enjoy the odd walk in the gardens, though..."]
"I see." You nodded along. You sipped your drink again and Sat inevitably excused himself to attend to something else, leaving you to finish off the rest of your beverage-- which you ultimately didn't, and ended up placing it to the side. It was interesting to learn a little about Sat's life, however.(set:$SatSway to it + 20)]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")[With a respectful bow, you asked Ralt if he would like something to drink-- you could fetch something, if it suited him.
"No," He insisted, sounding fairly neutral on the subject. "Though I'm sure drinking alcohol is a common pastime of nobles and commoners alike, that kind of drink does things to a Raltandair's system that is not kind."
"Oh, I see," You quickly backpedalled. "My apologies, Raltarndarv. Do you want me to get you some water instead, then?"
"...Alright." He looked a little wary of how nice you were being but didn't reject your proposal. With a smile, you dipped into the crowd of people and circled around looking for a waiter. You didn't have to explore for long to find one, carrying an assortment of wines on his try as well as the occasional glass of water-- for those who drank far too much and needed to slowly sober up. You plucked one from a roaming waiter's tray and then returned to Ralt, easily spotting im over the sea of chatting nobles.
"Thank you." He took the glass from your hands, the thing looking tiny in his large paws, and he raised it to his mouth. He stuck out his long, wide tongue and dipped it into the glass, sloshing the liquid as he lapped it up.
(if:$RaRV is 1)["It must be saddening," You remarked. "To not enjoy the likes of wine."
"...it's not all that bad," Ralt hummed. "There are other sweet drinks out there. Fruit juices. Honey. I myself enjoy honey quite a lot."
"You have quite a sweet tooth then?" You pressed and you saw the edges of Ralt's mouth twitch, as if he wanted to smile, but couldn't.
"I do," He admitted. "When I still used to live in my people's village, we used to regularly gather honey and drink it on special occasions. Birthdays, banquets...that sort of thing."
"So honey was similar to your people's version of wine?" You drew the parallel rather easily and Ralt snorted, shuffling on the spot.
"Yes, I suppose it is." He chuckled a little, dipping his gaze as he grew sombre at the thought. You felt bad for bringing it up and realised he must be reminiscing about his past and his people, things that probably weren't around anymore, at least not in their previous capacity. The more that the awkward silence filled the space between you, the more upset he looked, until he took a deep, shuddering breath and raised his head.](else:)["If you don't mind me asking," You continued. "What does alcohol do to your body?"
"We have little tolerance for the beverage," Ralt explained after retracting his tongue. "So by extension, we are easily manipulated by it. We are what sailors would consider 'lightweights', and too much of it can be fatal to us."
"Can't the same be said for our own kind?" You remarked. "I remember the odd story of someone drinking themselves to death."
"That is true," He continued with a sigh. "But I believe we have a lower threshold. We pass out earlier, and get sicker quicker than your kind would."
"You sound like you've experienced it firsthand." You had to wonder aloud and he regarded you for a moment, his cold eyes looking soft, yet somehow deep and filled with a mystery concoction of emotions.
"When we were 'conscripted' into the Laqauain Empire, a number of my people were subject to alcohol during their training regimes," He began. "No-one knew how alcohol would affect a Raltaindair at the time, and those in training either wanted to see a bear dance, or were just being friendly. A number of our kind became gravely ill and some did not endure it."
"Oh...I'm sorry." You dipped your gaze, feeling bad for bringing it up. Suddenly, your perked to the sound of shattering glass and a bit of water splashed across your front as you stared, wide-eyed at Ralt, who had just squeezed the glass in his hands into a million pieces. He trembled on the spot and then blinked, looking at his glass and the mess he'd made on the floor. Nobles had turned the stare and he sighed, brushing the glass from his palm-- not a single shard had pierced his flesh, which was surprising ans impressive.]
"Sorry," He muttered. "I have soured the mood. Thank you for the drink, Thep."
With that, he turned and trudged through the crowd and across the hall, where nobles parted to let him pass. Servants came from the side to sweep and clear up the mess he'd caused into a neat pile as you stared after him from a distance, pity crossing your features.(set:$RalSway to it + 20)(set:$Havoc to it + 20)(set:$HavocG to it + 20)]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")[With a polite and respectful bow, you asked Berlis if he would like a drink.
"Absolutely," He snapped his fingers. "Go fetch it for me, commoner."
(if:$BeRV is 1)[Irritation briefly crossed your features, but in the pursuit of your mission you did not deny him, and dipped through the crowd to find a waiter with glasses available. As you wandered, you bumped into an unexpected guest-- a small, feral canine, with pristine white fur, sharp blue eyes and a single stripe of black across the back of its neck, and a noticeable lack of a collar. The canine seemed initially apprehensive of you but then stepped closer, and you had to wonder why initially. However, you ignored it for now, plucking a glass from a nearby waiter and making your way back over to the reptile. It was only when you handed him his drink did you realise that the dog was still following you.
"My apologies, Lord Dawson..." You began. "Whilst I was getting you a drink, it seems I've picked up a stray."
"That's no stray," Berlis remarked with a small smirk as he crouched down, reaching out a hand and stroking the canine on the side of its face. "This animal is mine-- a beloved pet, if you will."
"Oh, I see." It made sense to you now why the dog approached you-- you must have, on some level, smelt of his 'master'. Berlis took some time to gently pet the animal as he sipped his drink, grimacing at the taste of the wine. You could only assume it wasn't to his usual taste, though you weren't going to ask him about it, your attention instead focussed on the dog.
"What's his name?" You asked, and Berlis glanced up to you before down at the dog, who had obediently, without even being given a command, laid down on the floor. Nearby nobles glanced out of curiosity but didn't approach to join in on the conversation, and you guessed that might be because of Berlis's status, which was above a good portion of nobles at the party.
"King," Berlis introduced him. "I acquired him a few years ago from a prestigious breeder."
"So he's quite the unique breed, then?" You asked, crouching down yourself. You reached out to touch the dog and Berlis looked tense for a moment, before he seemed to allow it. You stroked along the canine's back and King obediently laid there, not reacting too much to it, but his tail wagged to and fro, revealing his enjoyment.
"Very unique-- they're known as Ghost Hounds, and there's only a handful of them in existence. They're an endangered breed." Berlis continued, smiling faintly as he stroked the canine. Berlis always seemed to you like an aloof man without much passion, but it was nice to see him have genuine affection for something. A lot could be said about a men who was kind to animals.
"So is there any stipulations behind having him?" You asked. "I know very little about how it works, but I imagine the intention is to keep endangered species from, well...being endangered."
"You'd be right," Berlis hummed. "I have him taken every few months to a special facility where he is bred with others of his species."
You nodded along, hand still stroking across the dog's back. Berlis eventually rose to his feet and you did the same, not wanting to overstay your welcome in petting his dog, and Berlis hesitated before gingerly thanking you for the drink, and for bringing his dog over, even though it wasn't your job to do so. Rather than point that out, however, you chose to bow respectfully and thank him, and in turn he excused himself, leading King across the banquet hall with drink in hand. You could only assume he was going to take him to a room somewhere so he couldn't cause a problem with other guests. That only left you to wonder why exactly the dog was even at the party-- to show him off, perhaps?
With a shrug, you returned to mingling at the party, assured that your rapport with Berlis was, at the very least, slightly better.(set:$BerSway to it + 20)](else:)[Irritation crossed your features, but in the pursuit of your mission you did not deny him, and dipped through the crowd to find a roaming waiter with glasses available. It didn't take you long to eventually find one, and you scooped two glasses from his tray, each full to the grim with bubbling white wine. You returned to Berlis and offered one to him as you sipped your own, and the reptile opposite you took a plentiful gulp of the wine before grimacing.
"Well, I can't fault House Dawland on providing expensive wine," He grimaced. "But they sure do have bad taste."
His quip caused several nobles to look in his direction, but his reciprocating stare caused them to inevitably look away, either intimidating or embarrassed. He took another gulp and then another, downing the contents of the glass with ease before eyeing up yours. You weren't much of a drinker, and he must have noticed that from how you were only slightly nursing your glass, rather than taking long, savouring sips.
"Give it here," He demanded, holding out his hand. "I can see that you can't appreciate this wine as well as I could."
"Uh...sure." You handed it over and watched as he downed that glass too, placing the now empty containers on a nearby table. He visibly sighed, and you had to wonder why.
"Something the matter, Lord Dawson?" You asked, and he regarded you with a grimace for a moment before smoothing his features over and folding his arms, roughly shrugging his shoulders.
"It's naught of consequence, I just hoped they'd have better wine," He grunted. "This isn't nearly enough to entertain me at the best of times."
"Wouldn't it be more prudent to be less intoxicated at a party you're not hosting?" You asked casually, and the reptile's nostrils flared for a moment, eyes widening in a mixture of anger and surprise, before he relented.
"I suppose," He sounded like he didn't want to agree with you, but couldn't argue your point. "But would it kill a noble to have better wine? They're the most influential House of Gromarch. Surely Lord Jurn is a connoisseur of good alcohol..."
"I'm not sure," You admitted. "I know very little about the intricate details of Jurn Dawland's private life, Your Lordship."
With a frustrated sigh, he regarded you once more before stomping off, muttering something akin to thanks. He must have appreciated you bringing him a drink, but did he have to make a fuss about it? Though you think you left a good impression, his temper still attracted the prying eyes of those around him, and you had no doubt rumours would spread.(set:$BerSway to it + 20)(set:$Havoc to it + 10)(set:$HavocG to it + 10)]]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")[Though risky, you made the suggestion to Berlis of a bet. At first he seemed delighted, then apprehensive.
"What do you want?" He demanded, and you wondered if he was worried you'd ask for something important like land or wealth.
"Whatever you want to offer." You assured him, and he warily teetered on the spot, before scoffing through his nose.
"Very well. To what do we wager these stakes upon?" He asked, and you glanced around the room before your gaze centred on a pair of fairly drunk canine gentleman who were clearly enjoying themselves a little too much. They were taking part what looked to be a drinking contest, downing shot after shot of the strongest whiskey available to see who would pass out first. To you, it looked dangerous-- but it was the perfect stakes, for neither seemed to be doing much better than the other.
"Those two there," You gestured. "I'll bet on one, and you can bet on the other. I'll pick the left one, for instance."
"Very well," The reptile hummed. "For the stakes, then, I have this pouch containing a particularly valuable item...which I'm willing to part with, if you can offer something of equal value."
(if:$OTwists's length is >0)[(set:$BT to $OTwists's (random:1,$OTwists's length))"Though I cannot say how valuable the item you're offering it, since I can't see it," You dug into your pocket and retrieved a pouch containing '$BT'-- though he wasn't to know that. "I can at least offer this, which I believe is equal in value."
"Deal," Berlis didn't even skip a beat, greedy for whatever you have to offer. "Let's see who wins, then. Probably me."](else:)["I'm afraid that I don't have anything equal to that, I think," You admitted. "So why don't we just make this a harmless little bet, with no-one offering anything?"
"Fine," Berlis grumbled, looking a little disheartened. "A little 'fun' it shall be, then."]
The two of you watched in a mixture of silence and apprehension as the men continued to drink. Neither of you were good at small talk-- well, you weren't at least-- but silence was more than enough for the pair of you, for the two men's drinking didn't last much longer than a small handful of shots.](set:$Roll to (random:1,100) - $LChance)(set:$WThreshold to 5)
(if:$Roll is <=$WThreshold)[(align:"<==")[You watched as the two men chugged drink after drink, staring one-another down, until the one on the right began to teeter in his seat. His eyelids drooped and his hand reached for the net shot but missed it by a mile. When he moved to try and grab it again, his whole body rolled to the side and he fell off his chair into a heap on the floor, his eyes closing as he passed out. The canine on the left, the one whom you bet on winning, raised his hands and cheered loudly, and several other nobles joined in, laughing and clamouring.
"Looks like I win this one," You didn't want to sound smug, considering how much Berlis looked to be fuming with anger. "Sorry."]
(if:$OTwists's length is >0)["You set me up," He accused. "You knew those two and you knew that he would lose. You're just trying to swindle something valuable out of me."
"What? No, Lord Dawson," You insisted. "I've never met those two before. If it worries you that much then I needn't take anything from you--"
"Damn right you won't," He bared his teeth. "A commoner such as you isn't worthy of such treasures."
With that, the reptile turned on a heel and barged his way through the crowd. Annoyance crossed through you, though not because of his attitude, but because the encounter went unfavourably. You never thought that Berlis would be the type of person to have no honour when it came to a bet. With an irritated sigh you returned to mingling, both empty handed and no doubt the topic of the odd rumour.](else:)["Good thing we didn't wager anything," He snapped, spinning to face you. "Or I would have lose something very valuable indeed. Did you know those two? Did you know he would win?"
"What?" You blinked in surprise. "No, Lord Dawson, it was just a little bet. I've never met those people before."
Berlis stood there glaring at you for a moment before he abruptly turned on the spot and trudged through the crowd, all but ignoring you completely. It was hard to tell if you're really 'impressed him' in that scenario, but you had no doubt that rumours would spread about his little tantrum. You sighed, before returning to mingling](set:$Havoc to it + 30)(set:$HavocG to it + 30)
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>](else:)[(align:"<==")[You watched as the two canines chugged shot after shot, staring one-another down as they drank, until the one of the left teetered. He shifted, trying to get to his feet, and mumbled something under his breath that you couldn't hear. He stepped forwards and tripped on the leg of his chair, falling flat on his face. For a moment he didn't move, and one of the watching nobles approached to check how he was, rolling him over. It became clear he passed out and the second canine raised his arms and yelled triumphantly, accompanied by other cheering nobles.
"Looks like I bet correctly." Berlis appeared smug and looked over to you, smirking.
(if:$OTwists's length is >0)["Now, hand over whatever it is you were going to give me." He stretched out his hand and gestured, grinning from cheek to cheek. With a defeated sigh, you retrieved the pouch containing '$BT' and placed it in his hands.(set:$OTwists to it - (a:$BT))(if:$TPTwists contains $BT)[(set:$TPTwists to it - (a:$BT))](elseif:$IPTwists contains $BT)[(set:$IPTwists to it - (a:$BT))](elseif:$PITwists contains $BT)[(set:$PITwists to it - (a:$BT))](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]
"This?" Berlis spat, before stowing it away. "Hardly worth equal to what I offered, but I suppose I'll take it."
"I'm sorry I couldn't offer more," You bowed to him respectfully, though with some annoyance. "Congratulations on your win, Lord Dawson."](else:)["Such a shame that you were lacking anything expensive," He continued with a grin. "Or else that would have been mine."
"Yes, a shame indeed," You played into his hands deliberately. "But after all, it was just a harmless game, wasn't it?"
"Oh, I don't know...you could write me an I.O.U if you wanted to, perhaps? Though I doubt a commoner such as yourself as much funds to speak of." He grinned even wider and you could tell he was trying to tease you, cocky in his victory. You knew better than to rise to the bait.
"That wasn't the terms, so I don't need to," You bowed respectfully, much to the reptile's irritation. "Congratulations on your win, Lord Dawson."]
"Yes, well..." He gestured. "You may go, I must bask in my victory."
With another quick bow of acknowledgement, you turned and left, allowing to 'bask' as he so nauseatingly put it. Whatever the outcome of the bet, it didn't go badly-- you had a feeling he would have been angry if he lost, so perhaps it was for the best. At least you could consider this a positive end to an otherwise silly game.(set:$BerSway to it + 40)]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>]
(align:"<==")[It was perhaps a little risky, but you swallowed your nerves and decided it would be fun to make a bet with Duldes-- so you suggested as such, and he seemed surprised, to say the least.
"A bet?" He quirked on shaggy black eyebrow, perplexed. "And exactly what are we betting on?"
You scanned across the crowd of people until your gaze fixated on a couple of nobles who seemed to be flirting with one-another-- or rather, the canine man of the two was flirting quite liberally and she, a feline and reversed, seemed to be offering some flirtation back. A smile crossed your features and you stepped closer to Duldes, pointing in their direction.
"Them," You affirmed. "I will bet that they swan off to the halls of your House and enjoy one-another."
"...Very well, crude as it may be," Duldes hummed. "Then I shall bet that he inevitably offends her. What should we wager?"
(if:$OTwists's length is >0)[(set:$BT to $OTwists's (random:1,$OTwists's length))You reached into your pocket and retrieved a small pouch containing one of your Twists of Fate-- though to Duldes, it might just look like a tool or a unique little artifact. This pouch in particular contained '$BT'-- it was a risk to part with it, but in the pursuit of winning Duldes over you were willing to give it up.
"I'll offer this." You insist, and with a smirk Duldes reaches into his own pockets to offer his own mystery pouch-- were they common amongst nobles?
"Then I shall wager the same...it will be interesting to see who wins." The hyena seemed a little intrigued, and a bit more animated than usual. Perhaps it fueled his ego a little to put something other than his status on the line, or maybe the party had just bored him up to that point.](else:)["I...don't really have anything material to offer." You admitted. Duldes looked disappointed, but then slowly smiled, apparently thinking of something else.
"Then why don't we just say you owe me a favour?" He suggested. "Whatever that may be, in the future."
You knew the mind games of nobles too well and were aware it was a risky move, yet you agreed all the same. With a small smirk, he reached into the pocket of his trousers and withdrew a small black pouch, no bigger than his palm. You didn't know the contents, but assumed that's what he was offering. Duldes looked a little excited-- maybe the party was boring him and he needed a change of pace, or perhaps he liked the thrill of a good bet.] Regardless, the two of you watched from afar with bated breath as the man tried his best to court the woman.(set:$Roll to (random:1,100) - $LChance)(set:$WThreshold to 50)]
(if:$Roll is <=$WThreshold)[(align:"<==")[Before your eyes, the canine man said something that made the woman giggle, and she shifted on the spot, her face warming with a blush. He outstretched his hand towards her and she took it, looking both apprehensive yet excited. He led her across the banquet hall and towards one of the doors, where the two of them disappeared out of sight. A triumphant grin crossed your features and Duldes looked momentarily surprised, before he chuckled, amused.
"I will admit, that surprised me," He began. "I know of that canine-- he is a friend to my younger brother, Kend. He's known to be quite the bad flirt, but I suppose he must get lucky once in a while."
"I guess some people can surprise you," You remarked. "Speaking of, I believe a deal is a deal."
"Of course," Duldes outstretched his hand and placed the pouch in your palm. "I am a man of honour, after all."
Curious, you loosened the drawstring on the pouch and examined its contents.]
{|CC>[//Please choose a Twist of Fate.//<br>
<br>
(set:$TC1 to $Twists's (random:1,$Twists's length))
(set:$Twists to it - (a:$TC1))
(set:$TC2 to $Twists's (random:1,$Twists's length))
(set:$Twists to it - (a:$TC2))
(set:$TC3 to $Twists's (random:1,$Twists's length))
(set:$Twists to it - (a:$TC3))
<div class='img-container-card'>(display:$TC1)</div><div class='img-container-card'>(display:$TC2)</div><div class='img-container-card'>(display:$TC3)</div>]}(live:0.2s)[(if:$CCC is true)[(stop:)(set:$CCC to false)(align:"<==")[You tightened the drawstring back up, pleased with the contents, and then stowed it away in your pocket.
"I'll take good care of it, Lord Dawland." You assured him, bowing respectfully, and the hyena merely nodded in acknowledgement, a twitch of a smile crossing his features.
"I am pleased to see you are a man of honour as well," He sighed. "I thank you for the little game, short-lived as it may be. This party is dry and boring, and it was a nice change of pace. I didn't think a commoner would have as much guts as you."
"I'll take that as a compliment, Your Lordship." You grinned with your typical charismatic charm, but your attempts at wooing him fell on deaf ears. In response, all he did was smile lightly, giving you a quick look up and down before he made a gesture with his hand and turned, heading into the crowd of nobles and making his way towards the buffet table, stopping mid-way to speak to another noble. You left him to it, wanting to not be too clingy. You were pleased with the outcome of your bet-- not only did you leave a good impression, but you gained something material to show for it.](set:$DulSway to it + 40)
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]]](else:)[(align:"<==")[To your horror, you watched as the woman the canine man was trying to court reached out and struck him across the face, the resounding slap heard even from your side of the room. The feline said something that neither of you could hear and turned, storming off across the banquet hall as the man stood there staring after her, looking both angry and disappointed at the same time. It appeared that, despite the chemistry that the two seemed to have from what you saw, Duldes was right, and things didn't go to plan.
"My apologies," Duldes began. "I'll admit I cheated-- I am uncomfortably familiar with the canine in question, for he is my brother's associate. I know him to be quite the bad flirt."
"Well...it's my fault for not knowing." You grumbled and he seemed amused by your sour expression.
"Well, a deal is a deal." He pointed out, and as much as you didn't want to agree, honouring it was the right thing to do.
(if:$OTwists's length is >0)[With a sigh, you placed the pouch containing '$BT' into his palm, sad to see it go.(set:$OTwists to it - (a:$BT))(if:$TPTwists contains $BT)[(set:$TPTwists to it - (a:$BT))](elseif:$IPTwists contains $BT)[(set:$IPTwists to it - (a:$BT))](elseif:$PITwists contains $BT)[(set:$PITwists to it - (a:$BT))](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]
Duldes plucked the pouch from your hands and slid it into his own pocket, before patting your shoulder. For a brief moment in time, he looked almost sympathetic, but his features quickly smoothed over and he relinquished his grip.
"I'll take good care of it." He assured you. You have no doubt about that, but that doesn't stop you feeling a little sour.](else:)["I'll make sure to make good use of that favour you owe me," He smirked. "But don't worry, I doubt I will bank on it tonight."
"It's not when that worries me, but what you'll have me do." You remarked, and Duldes looked you up and down for a moment. A thought crossed your mind-- he was he attempting to flirt, or was he just teasing you? It was hard to tell.
"Have no fear, Thep," He said, remembering your name. "I am a man of honour, if nothing else."]
"Thank you for the little game," He added. "It did help to pass the time a little, and I had fun."
"Well...I'm glad, then." You bowed to him respectfully and his muzzle twitched slightly, displaying something of a smile. With a final acknowledging nod, Duldes turned and headed towards the buffet table, stopping halfway to speak to a noble. You left him to it, not wanting to be too clingy-- and despite the outcome of the bet, you made something of a good impression upon him.](set:$DulSway to it + 40)
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>](align:"<==")[It was a risk, but you suggested to Sat that the two of you could bet upon something, just for a bit of fun.
"Kind of like gambling, then?" He beamed, eyes twinkling with delight. "Of course, Thep-- but, well, what do we bet on?"
That was a good question. You looked out over the crowd of nobles beyond and then eventually focused your attention on a small group of them nearby who were playing what looked to be a round of Primero. Two of out of the four nobles had already folded, leaving only two in the running who had both bet quite the amount and were now deliberately on whether to up the ante or to just call. Amusement crossed your features and you glanced to the avian beside you before pointing towards the card game.
"Simple," You began. "We'll bet on who wins this hand of Primero. I reckon it'll be the portly canine fellow with the top hat."
"Fine," Sat grinned. "Then I think it'll be the small reptile. I'll wager up this thing in my pocket...though I won't tell you what it is. It'll be a surprise."
(if:$OTwists's length is >0)[(set:$BT to $OTwists's (random:1,$OTwists's length))"Then I will offer something equally as mysterious." You patted your pocket, where you were hiding one of your artifacts. The pocket in particular held '$BT'.
"Sounds good to me." Sat beamed, eager to see who was going to win.](else:)["I'm afraid I don't have anything of material value I could offer in exchange..." You admitted, and Sat didn't look displeased nor surprised.
"Don't worry," He beamed. "It's just for a bit of fun anyway. No big deal. I'm still going to offer up what I have, though."]
With that, the two of you watched in earnest as the card game played out.](set:$Roll to (random:1,100) - $LChance)(set:$WThreshold to 50)
(if:$Roll is <=$WThreshold)[You watched with a mixture of excitement and apprehensive as the two men spread their cards out on the table, revealing their winning hands. The one you'd bet on, the rotund canine, had the winning hand: he bore a //Supremus//, which was the highest run of cards of the Act, 6 and 7-- his opponent, however, had only a //Numerus//, and you had to wonder why the man had bet so highly with such a terrible hand. Sat groaned, but he didn't seem angry or disappointed.
"I should have known better," He grinned, before reaching into his pocket. "A deal is a deal, Thep. You win this one."
He stretched out his hand and plopped something into your hands, and you uncurled your fingers to look.
{|CC>[//Please choose a Twist of Fate.//<br>
<br>
(set:$TC1 to $Twists's (random:1,$Twists's length))
(set:$Twists to it - (a:$TC1))
(set:$TC2 to $Twists's (random:1,$Twists's length))
(set:$Twists to it - (a:$TC2))
(set:$TC3 to $Twists's (random:1,$Twists's length))
(set:$Twists to it - (a:$TC3))
<div class='img-container-card'>(display:$TC1)</div><div class='img-container-card'>(display:$TC2)</div><div class='img-container-card'>(display:$TC3)</div>]}(live:0.2s)[(if:$CCC is true)[(stop:)(set:$CCC to false)(align:"<==")[You placed the tool in your pocket and bowed, thanking Sat for his generosity. The avian spluttered and coaxed you to stand upright, and you had a feeling he'd be like that. He noticed your grin and amused expression and he scoffed, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly.
"Fuck you," He teased, venting his mild frustration. "But yeah, take it. You won, after all-- bets are all about luck most of the time, so all I can say is that I was unlucky."
"I'll be sure to take good care of it, Sat." You assured him, and he seemed both a little relieved and also just amused-- maybe he expected you to be careful with it already.
"Alright then," He downed some of his drink and placed the glass aside. "Thank you for the game, Thep. It was rather fun-- let's do it again sometime soon, okay?"
"Sure." You bowed and he spluttered, trying to get you to rise, fully aware you were doing it to just to make him feel embarrassed. With batting hands, he shooed you away and you seized the opportunity to back off for now, letting him mingle or tend to other things. You think you left a pretty good impression-- he seemed to have enjoyed himself, at least. That's all you could hope for.(set:$SatSway to it + 40)]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]]](else:)[(align:"<==")[You watched with a mixture of irritation and disappointment as the two men spread their cards out on the table, revealing their winning hands. The one you'd bet on, the rotund canine, had the losing hand: he had only a //Primero//, which was a set of 4 cards of different suites-- but his opponent, the one whomst Sat bet on, bore a //Supremus//, the highest possible run of cards of the Ace, 6 and 7. You grimaced as Sat wiggled on the spot with delight, fully aware that he'd won.
"I'm sorry, Thep," He spotted your face and sheepishly grinned. "I guess you were just unlucky."
(if:$OTwists's length is >0)["A deal is a deal, then." With a sigh, you reached into your pocket and placed the pouch containing '$BT' into Sat's hands. The avian, delighted, stowed it away.(set:$OTwists to it - (a:$BT))(if:$TPTwists contains $BT)[(set:$TPTwists to it - (a:$BT))](elseif:$IPTwists contains $BT)[(set:$IPTwists to it - (a:$BT))](elseif:$PITwists contains $BT)[(set:$PITwists to it - (a:$BT))](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]
"Thank you, Thep," He smiled. "You can rest assured I will take good care of it-- I'm that cold hearted, you know!"
"I'm sure you aren't." You chuckled and Sat looked a little flustered by your indirect compliment.](else:)["I suppose it's a good thing it was just for a bit of fun, then," You sighed. "If I had anything to offer up in return then I certainly would have lost it just now."
"Yes, you would have," Sat grinned. "But if you really loved it that much I'd let you keep it. I'm not that fucking cold hearted."
"That you aren't." You chuckled and Sat looked almost a little flattered by your indirect compliment.]
"Well, thank you for the game, Thep," He downed some of the drink in his hand, smiling. "It was fun. I hope we could maybe make a bet again sometime."
"Of course." You bowed to him and he frantically gestured for you to rise, embarrassed by the act. You made a point of deliberately hesitating and he spluttered, trying to get you up until you eventually raised, smirking.
"Get the fuck out of here." He laughed, and with a chuckle you departed, leaving him to mingle for a while. You made a good impression, whatever the outcome of your bet.(set:$SatSway to it + 40)]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>](align:"<==")[It was risky, but you suggested to Ralt that the two of you could take part in a little bet-- just for fun, of course.
"That sounds interesting," You didn't expect the bear to agree, and yet he did. "But what should we bet on?"
Taking a glance around the banquet hall, your gaze focused on a fight that was taking place outside. For reasons unknown the guards were coming the break the two of them up-- presumably because they fought with only their fists-- and you lead Ralt across the banquet hall towards the window so that he could get a better look. Only two men fought, the first being a well-dressed yet thin rabbit and the other being a lithe feline who looked fairly experienced.
(if:$RaRV is 2)["How about those two?" You began. "We'll wager on who wins that duel over there."
"Will it just be a one-on-one duel?" He asked, peering through the glass, and you frowned at his peculiar question.
"Is that...important?" You asked, and Ralt turned his head to look at you out the corner of his eye.
"It is a tradition amongst my people that duels are purely one-on-one," He explained. "Anyone who interferes is branded as a traitor, and typically executed by the chieftain."
"Oh...I see," You didn't realise that it was like that for him, but you pencilled it down, metaphorically speaking. "Alright then. I'll bet on the rabbit."
"Then I shall bet on the cat. In turn, I will wager an artifact...will you do the same?"](else:)["How about this?" You began. "We'll wager on who wins this duel. I reckon the rabbit will."
"That seems like the poor choice, but these things tend to be based on odds," Ralt remarked. "Very well, I shall bet on the cat, and in turn I will wager an artifact. Will you do the same?"]
(if:$OTwists's length is >0)[(set:$BT to $OTwists's (random:1,$OTwists's length))"I will," You assured him. "I have an artifact I can offer up."
You patted your pocket, where therein lied '$BT', stowed away in a neat pouch. With a grunt the bear agreed, looking rather amused.](else:)["I'm afraid I cannot," You sighed. "Not because I do not want to, but because I am lacking anything to offer."
"That is disappointing," Ralt murmured. "So in turn, we will just consider it a harmless bet, nothing more."]
With the wager and bet set, the two of you looked out through the window to the fight beyond, which had drawn only a small crowd. You anxiously watched the events of the fight unfold and hoped that you may win.](set:$Roll to (random:1,100) - $LChance)(set:$WThreshold to 50)
(if:$Roll is <=$WThreshold)[(align:"<==")[The rabbit lunged forwards and swung out with his fist, but the feline was agile and ducked beneath it-- however, the rabbit appeared to be smarter than his opponent. He stepped back and swung out with a leg, feinting his kick before ducking and swiping up with a fist again. The feline faltered just enough for the rabbit's hand to connect with the cat's jaw, sending him flying backwards and onto the grass. The rabbit had every intention of kicking him whilst he was down, but the feline held up his hand and mumbled some sort of surrender, from what you could guess.
"I am surprised," Ralt sighed, sounding defeated. "I did not expect him to lose. You are the winner of this bet, Thep."
(if:$OTwists's length is >0)["As promised," Ralt continued, digging into his trouser pocket. "Your reward, Thep."
He dropped an item into your hands and you held it in both palms, examining it.
{|CC>[//Please choose a Twist of Fate.//<br>
<br>
(set:$TC1 to $Twists's (random:1,$Twists's length))
(set:$Twists to it - (a:$TC1))
(set:$TC2 to $Twists's (random:1,$Twists's length))
(set:$Twists to it - (a:$TC2))
(set:$TC3 to $Twists's (random:1,$Twists's length))
(set:$Twists to it - (a:$TC3))
<div class='img-container-card'>(display:$TC1)</div><div class='img-container-card'>(display:$TC2)</div><div class='img-container-card'>(display:$TC3)</div>]}(live:0.2s)[(if:$CCC is true)[(stop:)(set:$CCC to false)You took the tool and placed it in your pocket, briefly bowing to thank him.
"There's no need," He gestured you up. "The joy of this little game was more than enough to please me. You can keep that trinket and use it as you wish."
"Thank you, Ralt." You tried your best not to bow again. Behind you, you heard the clamouring of noble man and turned to see them gesturing to the pair of you, namely to Ralt. The bear sighed and turned, glancing at you again before nodding in acknowledgement.
"I will see you later." He bid you farewell and trudged through the crowd. You watched him go, content that you both left a good impression and also acquired something valuable for your trouble-- not that material wealth mattered, but you had no doubt it'd come in handy.
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]]](else:)[(align:"<==")["As per our agreement," You began. "Because I had nothing to offer, you in turn do not need to give me anything for winning."
"Yes, that is true," Ralt hummed. "I'll admit I feel apprehensive about it, but since we agreed I can do nothing on the matter, other than enjoy the little game we played."
You smiled up at him, pleased that he enjoyed himself, and his cold eyes looked over your features for a moment, unsure whether to smile back or look away.
The jeering of nearby nobles caught your attention and you looked back to see some of them gesturing to Ralt, wanting his attention. With a sigh, the bear rolled his shoulders and looked down to you.
"I am being summoned," He nodded to you before turning. "I will see you later, Thep."
You bid him farewell and watched him leave, content that you left a good impression. It's a shame you had nothing to wager considering you won, but it didn't matter, in the grand scheme of things.(set:$RalSway to it + 40)]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>]]](else:)[(align:"<==")[The rabbit lunged forwards to attack but the feline was more agile and more experienced. He ducked between the rabbit's fist and swooped around to his side, delivering a punch right to the man's gut. He followed it up with a swift kick to his leg and a shove of his shoulder, and the rabbit was sent tumbling backwards, teetering for a moment before falling on his ass. Before he could recover, the feline swept his leg up for a final blow and kicked the rabbit right in the face, sending his upper body hurtling back, his head bouncing off the grass. It all happened in less than a few seconds, and the rabbit was out cold.
"As expected, experience wins," Ralt remarked. "I believe that makes me the victor of this water, Thep."
(if:$OTwists's length is >0)["So it does, so I must honour the agreement." With a sigh, you dug into your pocket and withdrew a small pouch, placing it in the bear's large paw. He stuffed it again in his own trouser pocket, albeit with difficulty.(set:$OTwists to it - (a:$BT))(if:$TPTwists contains $BT)[(set:$TPTwists to it - (a:$BT))](elseif:$IPTwists contains $BT)[(set:$IPTwists to it - (a:$BT))](elseif:$PITwists contains $BT)[(set:$PITwists to it - (a:$BT))](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]
"Don't feel too bad," He wryly consoled you. "You do not look like much of a warrior, so you wouldn't have recognised the stance or look of someone who has taken part in many battles."
"I suppose not," You sighed. "You win this one, Ralt."](else:)["It does, so it seems," You remarked. "I am admittedly glad that I didn't have anything to offer in the end. I should know better than to make senseless wagers such as these."
"I wouldn't be too hard on yourself," Ralt surmised, looking you up and down. "You don't seem like much of a warrior so you wouldn't have recognised the look of someone who has taken part in many battles."
"I suppose not," You humbly sighed. "You win this one, Ralt."]
The bear turned his head to glance behind him at a sound and you peered in the same direction to see some nobles wildly gesturing. Ralt sighed and glanced down to you, before turning.
"It seems I must go," He groaned. "But it was a pleasure playing this game with you, Thep. Let us make another bet some other time."
"See you later." You bid him farewell, for now-- despite the outcome of the bet, you left a good impression. You watched as he made his way through the crowd before you went back to mingling yourself.](set:$RalSway to it + 40)
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>]
(align:"<==")[It was a terrible idea, you knew that to be true-- yet, for reasons that at the moment escaped you, you felt compelled to insult Berlis. Doing so could have very well put your life on the line, yet you did it anyway.
"Tell me, Lord Dawson," You began, raising your hand up towards your chin as if you were lost in thought. "I've seen you on many an occasion bowing and showing a great deal of respect to nobles, but only to those who seem to be of a higher status to you. Why is that?"
"As if I need to explain myself to you," Berlis was apparently quite easily to rile up, even when you were asking an 'innocent' question. "What I chose to do is my business and my business alone."
"I don't doubt that, Lord Dawson," You continued with a smirk. "But I must admit I am rather intrigued. Do you hold some sort of attraction for those with higher status? They do say that women tremble at the knees in the face of authority but I didn't imagine it was the same for women."
Berlis's expression shifted from annoyance to utter shock, and he stood there staring at you for longer than you anticipated. Eventually, however, his features twisted into that of anger and he clenched his fists, baring his reptilian teeth. Spines atop his head stuck upwards in response as he strode forwards, closing the distance between the two of you until he was right up in your face.
"How dare you," He muttered, barely above a whisper-- but it was enough for you to hear. "What makes you think you can talk to me that way?"
"I'm merely having a conversation, Your Lordship." You wanted to tremble, but you steeled your nerves and did nothing but smile. Berlis looked as if he wanted to slap you, but he somehow restrained himself.
"I would be careful with your next words," He suggested darkly. "I don't know if I can guarantee you'll make it out of this party alive if you overstep any further. Do you think anyone will notice or care if you did? You're a commoner with no title and nothing to your name-- a nobody. You could be wiped off the face of this world and no-one would remember you."
"Is that something you nobles do often?" You asked, as quiet as he did. "Pick people off who look at you funny?"
"We do if they're insulting us," Berlis pointed out, dipping his head to the side to whisper in your (if:$species is "canine")[ear](else:)[earhole]. "Do you think I've not killed a man before?"
"I'm sure you have," You muttered in response, keeping your calm composure. "I'm sure you've probably used some unsightly methods to reach your position, either. Tell me, Lord Dawson, what do they prefer? A hand? A mouth? Your behind?"
Berlis tensed against your body and pulled back, eyes almost bulging from their sockets. He raised his hand, tensing, both wanting to and also resisting the urge to hit you. You glanced around to the nearby nobles who, despite your quiet conversation, were looking-- they must have smelt or tasted the danger and tension in the air. You were all animals after all, one way or another.
"Restrain yourself, Your Lordship," You suggested, putting a finger to your $nose. "I don't think House Dawland would be happy if you killed a guest on their grounds."
Simmering and glaring, Berlis could think of nothing else but to turn on a heel and stomp off before either you or he made things worse. Despite the fact you insulted him, he still had his own reputation to keep, and as much as he probably didn't want to admit it, you were right-- House Dawland would definitely see him run into the ground if he did such a thing at their party. You turned as well and saw quite a few party-goers looking in your direction, whispering and murmuring. You'd caused quite a stir.
You returned to mingling, with no doubt in your mind that you overstepped considerably. In addition to the havoc you've caused, you have no doubt that you drastically sullied your relationship with Berlis also.](set:$BerSway to it - 70)(set:$Havoc to it + 40)(set:$HavocG to it + 40)
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")[Should you really insult the firstborn son of the House who is hosting the party? Absolutely not, and yet you found yourself compelled to do so anyway-- but perhaps in a less subtle way.
"Lord Dawland," You began, looking him up and down. "If you don't mind me saying so, you seem to have quite the scent on you."
"Scent...?" Duldes was momentarily surprised by your direct attack on his 'smell', but the vagueness of your statement made it seem neither positive nor negative.
"Indeed," You hummed, lidding your gaze a little. "I can picture fragrant fields, lavender, summer fruits...strange, it strikes me scents I might catch from a female. Have you been paying too much close attention to some tonight?"
"I believe what I chose to do is none of your business." Duldes is intimidating when he starts getting worked up, and you could tell he had quite the big ego. Somehow, you found yourself continuing.
(if:$PoolConvo is true)["I've heard quite the rumour about you," You admitted. "A womanizer, a man with quite the big ego...like father like son, as they say."
"How dare you," Duldes was beginning to fume quite a bit, gritting his teeth as he set his glass to the side. "Who do you think you are?"](else:)["I'll admit I don't know that much about you, Lord Dawland," You admitted. "But you do seem to have quite the ego, from what I've seen. Is your father the same?"
"Excuse me?" The hyena fumed, placing his glass to the side as he glared down at you. "You know nothing about me. Who do you think you are?"]
"What do you mean, Lord Dawland?" You sounded shocked, though you honestly weren't. "We're just having a conversation. What is the problem?"
"Do you think I'm a fool?" He hissed. "I can tell when someone is insulting me, even if they're trying to hide it beneath a thin veil of bullshit."
"I don't know what you mean." You assured him, though you knew what he'd found you out very easily. Rather than humouring your fake obliviousness further, however, Duldes instead turned, brushing past you and angry bumping his shoulder with yours as he went. You figured it'd be better to not chase after him and make it worse-- if you did, then you might be forced to leave.
Your little insults and the riling up of Duldes attracted the attention of the nobles nearby and they were starting to whisper about you...and not in a good way, you imagine.](set:$Havoc to it + 30)(set:$HavocG to it + 30)
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")[You had a feeling it would be a bad idea to just outright insult Sat, yet you felt compelled to do so anyway. You're not sure if you were prepared for the potential fallout, though.
"If you don't mind me asking, Sat," You began, folding your arms and leaning back a little bit. "Why did Lord Carein invite you to the party today?"
"Um...I'm not sure," He admitted. "Maybe he was just being nice? I certainly don't have any administrative duties to do tonight."
"It does make me wonder why he would suggest that a military adjutant join for him the party tonight, especially considering there is nothing but nobles at this party..." You mused aloud.
"I don't know." It was clear that Sat hadn't really thought much about why he was invited, so you pressed your insults further, hoping to potentially goad him.
"If you don't mind me asking further then, does Lord Carein look after you in...other ways?" You queried, covering your mouth with a hand as if you were deep in thought. "No other noble I know of pays that much attention to a servant, so I have to wonder if there's something more at stake..."
"Are you...implying that I fraternise with my Lord?" Sat looked shocked-- you'd caught him hook, line and sinker.
"If the shoe fits..." You trailed off and there was a lapse of peculiar quietness between you. Sat's feathered expression went from shock, to anger, to a smug smirk all within the span of a handful of seconds. He leant back, putting his hands on his hips, his beak stretching into a sly grin.
"Is that what you think of me?" He asked, raising his voice ever so slightly-- he looked to be trembling, but it was hard to tell. "If so, what does that make you?"
"Whatever do you mean?" You did your best to look innocent, but you were ultimately worried that he had somehow found out about your reasons for being at the party.
"Well, you have no noble title to speak of..." He began. "So what's the say you're not here for the exact same purpose? To pass yourself around as Gromarch's local slut?"
His sudden vulgar tone caught you by surprise, but the way he grinned made it seem as if he was just joking with you-- and, in kind, he must have assumed you were joking with him. Another awkward silence sat between you as the nearby nobles looked on, wondering if there was going to be a fight. All of a sudden, however, Sat threw his head back and laughed, trying not to be too loud and failing miserably as a result. The nobles nearby grimaced at his informal behaviour and looked away.
"That was a good little banter," He beamed, clasping your shoulder. "Thank you for the brief exchange."
"I didn't..." You trailed off as he abruptly turned, striding out into the crowd, looking both pleased and amused. This wasn't the intended effect you hoped to have, but...you'll take it. However, you had no doubt rumours would spread...](set:$SatSway to it + 30)(set:$Havoc to it + 30)(set:$HavocG to it + 30)
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")[It was, potentially, a bad idea-- but you felt compelled to, for whatever reason, insult Ralt. You knew that he didn't deserve it, and yet here you were.
"Tell me, Raltarndarv," You began, folding your arms and bringing one up to your chin, as if you were thinking quite hard. "Do you know why the nobles here sought to invite you to the party?"
"Presumably to make a spectacle of me." The bear shrugged his shoulders, saying it rather matter-of-factly. Inside you felt a pang of jealousy, but you tried your best not to let it show-- it wasn't the point of this particular encounter, after all.
"Can you blame them?" You remarked with a simple gesture of his body, before returning it towards your chin. "You tried to wear nobleman's clothes, you bow to their every whim. You're effectively a circus act-- their pet for their amusement."
"I don't need you to tell me these things," Ralt grimaced. "And I'm surprised to hear them come from your mouth. I thought you were more empathetic than that."
"That's your biggest problem," You pointed out. "You're too trusting."
"...I suppose you're right," Ralt's voice raised a little as anger visibly flowed through him, his eyes turning cold and steely. "I am too trusting. I should have known better than to think anyone who came to his party could be compassionate. You, despite your lack of status, I expected to be better. I guess I was wrong."
Ralt looked angry, but more than that he looked disappointed and sad. You could tell he was expecting more from you. The little 'argument' you two had had attracted the attention of the nobles around you, who either spoke in murmurs about Ralt's 'beastly' behaviour or remarked about your and your lack of origins, the talk inevitably drawing attention to you in one way or another. Most of them kept quiet, both others deliberately spoke loud enough for the both of your to hear, their words cutting deep.
With a grunt, Ralt turned on the spot and the nearby nobles visibly flinched, parting to allow him to stomp his way across the room, visibly affected by your insults. A pang of guilty crossed your features and you smoothed them over-- you had your reasons for doing this.
You hoped.](set:$Havoc to it + 40)(set:$HavocG to it + 40)
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>|Con>[(align:"<==")[With all the respect you could muster, you bowed and asked Berlis if he would like to enjoy some time in the public pool, just for a little while, with you in particular.
"With you?" He grimaced at first, then sighed through his nose. "Well, I suppose I have nothing else to do..."
You could tell that it wasn't really a compliment and he wasn't really all that interested, but if he was at least going to try then you were going to seize the opportunity. With a respectable gesture, you led him across the room and towards the doors that led out into the gardens beyond. On the right lay the pool, and on the left sat some seating areas where nobles could linger and talk. The pool was, thankfully, not that busy-- those who were in there were lingering in one particular corner, deep in conversation. You hoped they wouldn't pay much attention to the two of you.
The servants on standby near the pool stepped forwards expectantly as you began to undress, slipping out of your doublet and placing it in their hands. Berlis did the same, as if it were the most normal thing in the world, and you watched quietly from the corner of your eye as the reptile shuffled out of his jerking and began to loosen the buttons of his plain white shirt beneath, the neck-line dipped as far down at his chest. He spotted your admiring him and smirked as you averted your gaze.
"Like what you see, commoner?" Berlis sounded smug and you inwardly cringed, but played to his obvious ego as best you could.
"You've quite the form." You neither complimented too much nor too little-- it was a simple yet identifying statement. However, Berlis took it as a compliment and grinned even wider.
"You're not so bad yourself," He remarked as you peeled off your shirt, folding it into the arms of the awaiting servant. "Despite the...obvious malnourishment."
You personally wouldn't have called it that, but you were aware you were lacking compared to the other nobles around the party, who had enjoyed years of good food and wine. You rarely ate as it is and only aimed to eat as much as was necessary, leading to your lithe, close to unhealthy form-- it didn't bother you, however. With a certain degree of hesitation, you slipped out of your trousers and kicked off your shoes, leaving yourself in just your underwear for barely a handful of seconds, before removing those too. As you approached the pool, you glanced to your left to see Berlis stepping out of his underwear and dropping it unceremoniously into the open hands of a nearby servant. Unlike you, Berlis was a little more trim-- he had weight, but he looked like he knew how to take care of himself. There was only a little bit of muscle definition to speak of, and you respectfully didn't trail your gaze lower.
You stepped into the pool, sliding down until the water covered up to your shoulders, and you slipped into the corner as Berlis dipped in beside you, keeping his distance but staying close enough so that people would assume you were in the pool together. Neither of you knew what to say-- the reptile was a difficult man to read, and even harder to hold a conversation with. However, in the end Berlis was the one who spoke first.
"Do you bathe often, in whatever little hovel you came from?" He asked rather pointedly, sounding like he was neither sneering nor joking. Part of you should have been offended, but you were used to his crass talk, and he wasn't the only noble to treat commoners poorly.
"Um...yes?" You frowned. "You do realise that commoners have communal baths and showers, do you not?"
"I simply presumed they didn't," He grunted. "Most of them tend to smell of wood and alcohol and sweat anyway."
"Well, most of them are labourers. Is it really that surprising?" You weren't 'angry' at his comments, but it was clear that despite Berlis's intellect and status, he didn't really know people well. You tried your best not to goad him and merely countered his points with facts, hoping that might keep him level-headed. You had a feeling he had a short temper.]
<div class='img-container-continue'>Continue.</div>](click:"Continue.")[(replace:?Con)[(align:"<==")[(if:$BeRV is 3)[Berlis didn't say anything for a moment and instead rolled his head back, hoisting his arms up so that they rested on the pool's edge. He stared up at the night sky and you looked over to him for a moment, avoiding skirting your eyes lower and instead taking in his expression. It was strangely hard to read, and his gaze was searching.
"What are you looking at?" You asked. "The stars?"
"Indeed," He hummed. "I'm something of a stargazer in my spare time, did you know?"
"I did not...but then again, we only just met tonight," You reminded him, to which he grunted. "What do you like about it?"
"Well...if you think about it, the stars in the sky are in every sense superior to us," He began with a murmur. "They are high above us, looking down...we don't know what they look like up close, or what they're capable of...we use them to track the time, to understand magic...in every essence, they have shaped our society in more ways than we can count. I admire them-- to have that much power and influence without so much as acknowledging out presence is..."
"Exhilarating?" You finished his sentence for him and he turned his head ever so slightly to look at you our the corner of his eye, a smirk crossing his features.
"Yes. Exhilarating," He sighed. "I'm envious of them, so watching them became something of a hobby. I have a little telescope at my estate that I observe them from."
"Perhaps one day you can show me?" You suggested with a slightly flirtatious tone, and Berlis glanced at you again. He slowly leant up, a chuckle escaping his lips.
"You're quite forward, aren't you?" He remarked, and you leant just a little bit closer.
"That wasn't a no." You pointed out, and the two of you stared at another for a moment longer. Berlis's gaze lingered longer than you expected it to, before the reptile sighed and shook his head.
"In your dreams, commoner."](else:)["I suppose it's not surprising," Berlis huffed, as it annoyed you had a logical response to his outlandish remarks. "So, what is it you do for work? Such fancy clothes...you must be a merchant."
"This and that," You tried not to be specific about your line of work, all things considered. "I travel, mostly."
"So you've seen quite a few places then? Anywhere where the Jria Company holds the kingdom hostage?" He queried, leaning a little closer in the water. You became vividly aware of how naked the pair of you were but you tried to push the thought to the back of your mind, clearing your throat.
"I've been to Rudega," You explained. "It's a very dry and hot place. They struggle to have decent agriculture, so I heard that they import a lot of their goods from Osiena."
"Ah, yes, that dreadful place," Berlis grunted. "I have been there once myself. It suits my species, but the people! Ugh, I couldn't deal with them for longer than 10 minutes without vomiting. Such barbaric culture..."
You held your tongue, not wanting to say anything more, and Berlis sighed, rolling his head back.
"I imagine you bathe often, Your Lordship," You began, changing the subject. "But do you partake in social baths like this often?"
"Only the odd business meeting at the bathhouse-- lecherous merchants eager for a good show, you see," Berlis tilted his head towards you, lifting his arms up to rest them on the lip of the pool. "But otherwise no, I tend to enjoy my privacy when bathing usually. Too many prying eyes can make one feel uncomfortable."
"I would have thought you'd enjoy the odd look." You remarked, sounding perhaps a little flirtatious, and you were relieved to see Berlis grinning."
"I won't say I don't enjoy it."] Was all he said on the matter, before he slowly rose from the pool, as if he was making a point of showing himself off. You looked away respectfully as he stepped out, reaching for a towel provided by the servants, and you shifted to do the same, stepping out to dry yourself off. (if:$species is "avian")[You took your time to dry yourself off, not wanting to damage your features, and Berlis did the same despite his scales, his movements slow and methodical.](else:)[It was easy to path down your $skin, running your hands up and down in such a way that it vigorously dried, thanks to the absorbent fabric. Berlis, however, took his time-- this was the difference between nobility and common folk, you presumed.]
"Thank you for the invitation," Berlis said out of the blue, glancing to you for just a fleeting moment, running his eyes up and down your form. "It was...interesting."
"I'm glad you enjoyed yourself." You smiled and he avoided looking at you, slowly slipping on his clothes. Just like when he dried himself off, he took his time-- you, however, were a little quicker, and by the time Berlis was pulling his top over his head, his pants already on, you'd already shrugged on your doublet. You lingered and let Berlis go first, taking the time to admire the gardens beyond as if that was your intention, before you followed along behind him, a good distance away, not wanting to give him the wrong impression. You returned to mingling, satisfied that Berlis's temperament towards you was slightly better now.(set:$BerSway to it + 40)]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>]](align:"<==")[You try to make the sly, though pretty obvious suggestion that Duldes could take a dip in the pool with you, if he wanted to unwind. Duldes's response was not ultimately what you were hoping for.
"I'll pass," He rather abruptly denied you. "I do not feel inclined to take off my clothes for someone I barely know, even in the context of enjoying a leisurely time in the pool."
"Ah, that's alright," You bowed and did your best to backpedal. "I hope I didn't offend you or anything like that, Lord Dawland."
"You didn't offend me," He assured you. "But I have to question your motives if you are asking me such abrupt, inappropriate questions. You do not exactly have to status to consider yourself my equal, so what do you think gives you the right to say such things?"
"I...I was just trying to be friendly." You tried to explain, but Duldes's lips pursed and he looked decidedly dissatisfied with your answer.
"In the future, perhaps it would be best to avoid those questions," He suggested, setting his glass aside. "Not only does it give the wrong impression, but you may anger the wrong person."
"I..." You wanted to explain yourself further, but Duldes barely gave you the time to day to do so-- shortly after his comment, he turned and made his way through the crowd, looking as if he walked with purposed-- though you had the feeling he was doing it to effectively avoid you. A mixture of dismay and irritation crossed your features before you smoothed them over.
Perhaps you just made a bad judgement. You thought a man of his status would be one with a large ego-- and that might still be true, but maybe you simply needed to take a different approach. You had a feeling that if you were a female he would have likely taken you up on the offer.
With a disappointed sigh, you went in a different direction and tried to mingle. You could feel the eyes of some nobles on you-- they must have overheard your conversation and were not doubt talking about it now.](set:$Havoc to it + 20)(set:$HavocG to it + 20)
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")["Sat," You began with a small smile. "If it interests you, do you want to swim in the pool outside?"
"A swim...?" Sat looked embarrassed, which confused you. "I suppose we could."
You didn't dwell too much on his nerves and, with a gesture, led him across the banquet hall and past various nobles towards the pair of double doors that lead out to a stone-paved patio outside, with the gardens beyond. On the right lay the pool, which was thankfully not too busy-- a couple of people sat inside in a corner, idly talking and holding a conversation. It gave you and Sat plenty of space to enjoy a little dips, and servants stood nearby on standby.
"Did you used to bathe often with other soldiers in the barracks, before you were an adjutant?" You asked Sat as you began to remove your doublet and shirt. Sat visibly hesitated before he began to do the same.
"Here and there," He began, handing his clothes off to a nearby servant who dutifully held them for him. "It was embarrassing at first. Before entering Gromarch's military, I only lived on a small farm with my parents and my brother. We had an outdoor shower with it's own door, but once I was in the barracks there were public communal baths for all the soldiers. I didn't know anyone very well and I was self-conscious."
"I see." You hummed as you slipped off his shoes and began to unbutton your pants. It made logical sense to you that nothing should get wet, considering you're at a party-- you didn't really want to go home in wet clothes. To that end, you unabashedly yanked your underwear down shortly after your trousers and stood in the nude, caring little for who saw. It wasn't as if you had a bad figure: you were slim and clearly lacking in muscle definition, almost as if you hadn't eaten enough. Compared to the nobles, you could have been considered physically fit. You noticed Sat staring a little bit, but you turned so that he could have some kind of privacy as you slipped into the pool, hugging on particular corner that was empty and devoid of other nearby nobles.
"Mm," Sat continued, slowly taking off his pants and underwear as well, leaving his shoes nearby. "Once I got to know people, however, it wasn't so bad. We used to laugh and joke and piss about, and they became like family to me. As an adjutant now, I have my own private bathroom...it's quite the change."
You turned your head to him, but didn't exactly get a good look, for he quickly hopped down into the pool beside you, keeping a good 3-4 foot distance as he submerged himself all the way up to the shoulders. He lifted himself up a little, hooking his arms up to rest them on the lip of the pool, displaying both his impressive feathered arm muscles as well as his slim, yet athletic chest.
"I imagine you must be embarrassed getting undressed at a party like this, with so many nobles." You remarked, and he awkwardly chuckled, glancing to some of them who were lingering just outside the banquet hall.
"Well, between you and me..." Sat leant a little closer, lowering his voice so that others couldn't hear. "It's not as if there's much to compare, you know?"
A smirk crossed your features and the two of you lapsed into little amused chuckles, trying not to draw too much attention to yourselves. You had to admit, Sat had a good body-- he was built rather well, bearing a form indicative of someone who did a lot of personal training. His personality matched the rugged, athletic features-- well, his boyishness did. You weren't expecting him to have such a foul mouth, but it did make him somewhat endearing.
Honestly, you had invited him to the pool but you didn't really know what to discuss-- you hadn't invited him with the plan to have a thrilling, meaningful conversation. After all, your goal was just to get them in a good and/or better mood. He seemed pleased to be invited, however, if a little shy about displaying his body.
The two of you sat in silence for quite some time before the conversation eventually picked up again. You shared all sorts of odd little details-- things you'd noticed at the party, amusing stories you'd picked up from the odd noble, and in turn he shared stories of his childhood. He talked a little bit about how he was raised on a farm to two parents who cared deeply for him, but that he felt shackled to the place and eventually sought greener pastures, by way of the military.
"Do you bathe in public often then, Thep?" He eventually asked after a while, beginning to shift on his spot somewhat as if he wanted to get out. "You seemed quite confident when you were undressing before, one might think you do it regularly."
"Not regularly...I suppose I'm just a confident individual." You explained. He sounded like he was teasing, but it was hard to tell from his tone. Regardless, the avian smiled and then shifted, slowly rising from the pool. Though he looked embarrassed, he made no effort to cover himself around you, enough at ease for you to get just a small glance before he stepped out of the pool. Between Sat's legs was...well, something definitively masculine, and appealing in it's own way-- every bit of average as you might have anticipated. It was enough to make your skin tingle, and you pushed it to the back of your mind. That, at least for the moment, wasn't the focus.
You stepped out shortly thereafter and the two of you stood for a brief moment in the nude, a tense silence surrounding you as servants offered towels for you to dry yourselves off on. (if:$species is "avian")[Due to the way your feathers sat along your body, you had to take your time drying yourself-- as did Sat, who smoothed the towel down over and over on his body, squeezing moisture from betwixt his feathers.
"It sucks, right?" He half-grimaced, half-smiled, almost apologetically. You hummed your agreement as you patted yourself down a little more, before pulling on your clothes, albeit slowly. Sat inevitably did the same after patting down his legs, awkwardly shimmying himself into his own pants.](else:)[You patted yourself down efficiently and thoroughly before pulling on your clothes, but Sat took his time, careful to pat and dry down in only one direction.
"It must be difficult," You remarked, gesturing as you tied up your trousers around your waist. "Drying feathers."
"I could do it quicker if I just shook myself, but that wouldn't be very fair to you, or to my own clothes." He smirked, crouching down to pat his scaled legs before taking his trousers and slipping into them.]
"Well, thank you for inviting me," Sat began. "It was rather fun, even if it did make me feel a little shy. Still, it was nice."
"I'm glad you enjoyed yourself, regardless of that fact." He grinned and Sat smiled back wryly, before he glanced behind him. He made a gesture, as if he was insinuating he was going inside, before he departed, leaving you lingering around outside. You let him get a 'head start' before you headed inside shortly thereafter, returning to mingling.](set:$SatSway to it + 40)
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")[You offhandedly suggested to Ralt that he might enjoy a leisurely time in the pool-- though the choice was up to him as to whether he wanted to do so. You weren't sure if he was going to accept or deny your proposal, but to you delight he at least thought on it.
"Very well," He hummed. "I can afford to take some time to relax."
Pleased, you gestured and led him through the crowd. The nobles easily parted to allow him to pass, giving you confused glances as you walked with him-- that in turn confused you, but you figured that nobles wouldn't normally be nice to what didn't look like them. The two of you made your way towards the door leading out into the gardens beyond, stepping out onto the stone-paved patio where the pool sat to the right and some seating sat to the left. Thankfully, the pool wasn't that crowded at that moment-- only a couple of people were lingering in the pool, keeping to one corner. They didn't seem concerned as you and Ralt approached, despite Ralt's appearance. Servants stood nearby ready to take your clothes and you slowly began to undress.
As you peeled off your doublet and shirt, you cast your gaze over to Ralt, curious to see how he was doing. He wasn't as tidy in undressing as you were, but he wasn't struggling either; despite his large paws, his claws were clipped and rounded, meaning he didn't even tear his top and trousers as he somehow dexterously unbuttoned them despite his large digits. The servant who waited for him seemed to recoil a little as Ralt slipped out of the doublet, revealing a dazzling array of bright cyan tattoos across his shoulders and down towards his chest. They were quite the sight to behold.
"Are those ceremonial?" You asked, gesturing to his subtly glowing tattoos as you eased yourself out of your trousers, kicking your open-toed shoes to the side and revealing just your underwear, and nothing more. You had a lithe figure that looked as if you didn't eat enough, but you were confident enough in your form to not feel too ashamed about being almost naked. You watched with a certain degree of subtlety as Ralt stepped out of his trousers, revealing the obvious fact that he bore nothing underneath in terms of garments-- you caught the glimpse of an impressive tool before you respectfully turned your eyes away.
"They are not ceremonial, but simply a display of my strength," He began, stepping towards the pool and standing by it's side, fully in the nude. "When one becomes the chieftain, the tattoos are etched to show the world who is in command."
"I see..." You glanced to him again. Ralt was surprisingly confident about his nakedness. He had a top-heavy figure-- his legs were shorter than his arms, and his chest was broader than his hips. His shaggy mane stretched halfway down his back and coalesced around his shoulders in thick plentiful braids. Without much warning, he stepped forwards and sunk himself in the water, only able to bring it roughly up to his chest. Those across the other end of the pool stared for a moment before looking away, returning to conversation. Not wanting to linger for too long, you peeled off your underwear and placed it in the servant's hands with an apologetic look before joining Ralt in the pool.
"You seemed quite confident about not wearing clothes there, Ralt," You remarked. "Is that also a common thing amongst your people?"
"We usually wear a loincloth for general safety around that area," Ralt explained without any degree of shame or embarrassment. "But generally no, we have no need for clothes. When you are one with nature, such things seem unnecessary."
"I do enjoy swimming," The creature hummed after a short stint of silence. "In our home village, we had a large lake that we used to bathe in regularly. The lake stretched to a river on both ends, so the water was always fresh."
"You say 'had'..." You felt a bad feeling forming in your stomach. "Does that mean it's...?"
"Not there anymore, yes," He cast his gaze down. "To drive us out, the Laquain empire filled the entire lake with dirt. What a cruel thing."
"I'm sorry." You were apologising for something that wasn't even your fault, nor did you play a part in it-- but in that moment, you didn't know what else to say. The two of you sat there in silence for some time afterwards, predominantly because you didn't know what to say and, in turn, he didn't say anything either.
"...I have sullied the mood. I apologise," Slowly, Ralt rose from the water after having only been in there barely a handful of minutes, if that. "I should go. Thank you for inviting me."
"Oh..." You were both a little disappointed, and you also just felt bad. You watched as he trudged his way out of the pool and violently shook, caring little for who got wet before collecting his clothes and pulling them on. The ensuing splatter of moisture he'd sprayed around drew the ire of the nearby nobles, but none of them said anything outright-- you, however, could see their grimacing expressions and gritted teeth.
You lingered in the pool for a while before getting out yourself, right as Ralt was making his way back inside. It wasn't that he didn't want to talk to you-- you could see his cold yet guilty expression, and you could tell that, at least on some level, he felt a little bad about ruining the mood. You dried yourself off with the aid of a towel provided by the nearby servants before you made your way back into the party some time after Ralt. All you could do now was mingle, aware that some eyes were following you.](set:$RalSway to it + 10)(set:$Havoc to it + 20)(set:$HavocG to it + 20)
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")[From what you knew of Berlis, you had a feeling that no matter what you attempted, he would not take kindly to you trying to tempt him-- but there was always the chance that you didn't know him as well as you thought you did. For that reason alone, you wanted to try and just see where it would lead.
"Lord Dawson," You began, trying to come across as inquisitive to start with. "If I may be so bold as to ask, you've enjoyed many a woman, have you not? What do you like about them?"
"That...is an intrusive question," The reptile remarked, looking a little creeped out as well as disgusted. "Though I suppose I should not tell you...but if you must know, yes, I've had many of my share of women. I am as interested in them as any other man would be."
"So you mean to say you enjoy their slender figure?" You mused, shifting a little closer as you reached down towards your own hip, pushing it to the side. "Do you like this slender figure of mine then, Lord Dawson? Does it entrance you so?"
As if to accentuate your less-than-subtle flirting, you reached out to take the reptile's hand in yours, leading it towards your hip. You pressed his palm to your waist, and for a moment Berlis hesitated, his expression unreadable. You weren't sure how he'd react, but you'd soon find out.
(if:$BerSway is >=150)[Berlis lingered, to your surprise, his fingers touching with the waistband of your trousers. He slid his hand around and up your body, his otherwise blank expression stretching into something of a wide, almost lecherous grin.
"So you're one of //those// people, are you?" Berlis seemed amused, but his tone was sneering.
"Whatever do you mean?" You blinked innocently, and Berlis slowly leant closer, his hand moved up towards your ribs. You had a feeling you knew what he was going to say, and as his lips parted to speak, it was all but confirmed.
"You're a little slut, aren't you?" He whispered. "A dirty fucking whore. If I knew you a little better I might have just dragged you off and had my way with you...but not now. Now I know what you're really like."
Berlis withdrew, as did his hand, and he regarded you with a steely gaze and a peculiar smile, before he turned and abruptly wandered off, heading in the direction of the buffet table. You shuddered, wondering if you'd awoken something that you shouldn't have-- but whether the your efforts bore fruit or not, you'd have to wait and see. With that, you returned to mingling.(set:$BerSway to it + 40)](else:)[After a moment or two of pause, Berlis suddenly snapped his hand back and raised it, abruptly and harshly striking you across the face with his bare hand. You staggered for a fraction of a second, fully aware that the sudden slap drew eyes to the pair of you. Berlis, for once, said nothing-- he did not rage and simmer, he did not insult you. Instead, he was completely and utterly silent. The murmuring that had been around you, the talk of nobles, had abruptly halted, leaving you with nothing but the quiet silence and the realisation of what you'd done.
"...Never do that again." Berlis's voice was low, barely above a whisper. As you straightened yourself up, you drew you attention to the reptile, but he'd already gone, storming off through the crowd before you could apologise or even chase after him-- not that it was a good idea to do so. In the interest of not wanting to damage what rapport you'd built with him any further, you turned and went in the opposite direction, hoping that the further you moved away form the incident the less the nobles would stare and murmur about you.
Despite that, you had no doubt rumours would spread, and not good ones either.(set:$BerSway to it - 30)(set:$Havoc to it + 30)(set:$HavocG to it + 30)]]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")[Tempting someone was akin to flirting with them, only with less words and more body langauge. You considered Duldes to at least be a man who was able to recognise the langauge of the body, enough to understand what you're trying to do. It was, perhaps, a little forward of you, but you'll never get anywhere at the party without taking a few risks-- what better option to really tempt someone to you than putting yourself on display?
"You are a man with impeccable taste, aren't you, Lord Dawland?" You began, folding your arms over your chest area, your hands empty and lacking any glass to sip from. Duldes hesitated on the spot briefly at your pointed, forward question and slowly raised his glass to his lips, as if he was taking a sip to stall for time.
"I would say so." He agreed with you after an awkward moment of pause and you smiled, shifting on the spot. You pushed your behind out ever so slightly and tilted your hip to the side in an attempt to show off your lithe $species figure in that tight doublet and trousers. You knew that your body was objectively attractive to some, but whether the hyena would enjoy it was another matter. Duldes stared at you blankly at first, but it seemed to slowly dawn on him what you were trying to do.
(if:$DulSway is >=150)["I'll admit that I like what I see," Duldes mused, leaning a little closer. "Are you always this forward with people who interest you?"
"No." You said it rather matter-of-factly, sure that the exclusivity would attract Duldes even further. The hyena smiled, his eyes looking up and down your body and you could see that he made no attempt to hide his interest and lack of morals. If he was willing to study you so eagerly out in the open, it left you wonder how he'd be in private.
"Quite the figure indeed," Duldes hummed. "Though you do look rather thin...Thep, was it?"
"Indeed, Your Lordship," You replied with a light bow, deliberately bending your lithe form. "I do not eat often. I trust it's to your liking."
"I would say so." Duldes affirmed, before his attention was drawn to someone who seemed to be calling for him. He looked you up and down once more before bowing, briefly, taking his leave. You stood there for a moment, satisfied, before returning to mingling.(set:$DulSway to it + 30)](else:)["...What are you doing?" He frowned and you faltered, feeling both embarrassed and put on the spot. You straightened yourself up and Duldes took a slowly, more meaningful sip of his drink, before parting his lips to speak again.
"A...Apologies, Lord Dawland," You stuttered, bowing your head respectfully. "I merely though you would find interest in this...body of mine."
"I could appreciate it if you didn't do that," He countered. "You are as thin as a twig, and about as appealing as a beggar's leftovers. Even a malnourished servant woman would have better curves."
The words hurt and you flinched, but before you could retort or apologise, Duldes turned and walked off into the crowd. Nearby nobles covered their mouths and whispered to each other and you felt a mixture of shame and anger, intermingled with the desire to be more appealing. You pushed it down and cleared your throat, quickly turning on a heel and heading in a different direction, pushing the recent events to the back of your mind.
How embarrassing.(set:$DulSway to it - 10)(set:$Havoc to it + 20)(set:$HavocG to it + 20)]]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")[You weren't sure how Sat would react to a little bit of physical flirting-- the avian didn't seem like the type to stare or admire the male form, but you felt compelled to try nonetheless. You were hoping he might surprise you with his response.
"When you were in the barracks, Sat, before you became an adjutant..." You began, shifting on the spot. "Did your eyes ever wander at the sight of the male form?"
"I...I don't know what you mean." The avian clearly knew what you were getting at, and though it would have been amusing to tease him about his quick denial, you instead opted to shift on the spot, reaching down towards the hem of your doublet, your fingers curling against the fabric. Sat's eyes visibly widened as you lifted it up a little, showing off a little bit of your lithe $skinned stomach. You shifted your hips to the side, adjusting your centre of mass and accentuating what little curves you had in an effort to tempt Sat with your body.
(if:$SatSway is >=150)["T-Thep, what are you doing?" Sat sounded flabbergasted, but not necessarily put off by your lewd display. With a smirk you leant closed, deliberately getting your body close to his. You were maybe pushing it a little though, for the avian places his hands against your chest and pushed you back. You didn't want to overstep, so you relented.
"So it //does// interest you." You mused, and Sat pursed his beak and averted his gaze, before meeting yours again shortly thereafter.
"Well, I won't say no..." He began. "You're not like some of the other overweight nobles around here, who stare and flirt but don't really have much to offer..."
"I'll take that as a compliment," You mused. "So if it interests you, then perhaps...?"
"U-Uh..." Sat looked flushed but looked as if he was trying not to get too flustered. "I'll pass, Thep-- in truth, we barely know each other."
"I understand." You didn't want to make him uncomfortable, so you relented on that front too. The two of you stood there awkwardly for a while before Sat was called away by someone to the side. He sheepishly bid you farewell and slinked off, leaving you to wonder how much more coaxing you'd needed to apply to get Sat to take even more interest in you.(set:$SatSway to it + 20)](else:)["Um..." Sat looked visibly uncomfortable. "Thep, I'm not sure what your aim is, but..."
"Ah, sorry," You quickly pushed your shirt and doublet down, straightening up. "...Sorry, I thought that..."
"That I might be interested?" Sat wryly smiled and then looked away. "We barely know each other. Did you think I'd fall for something such as that?"
"...Perhaps I read you wrong, then," You bowed and tried your best to be humble. "I'm sorry."
"Right..." Sat awkwardly stepped back. "I'm...going to go."
With that, the avian turned and wandered back into the crowd. The little conversation had drawn the attention of the nobles nearby, and though some of them cares little for a non-noble fraternising with a non-noble, you had no doubt rumours would spread about you one way or another-- less about your rejection, and more about your lewd behaviour.(set:$Havoc to it + 20)(set:$HavocG to it + 20)]]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")[You weren't sure of what the Raltaindair liked, much like what would interest Ralt, but you had a feeling that just even a little temptation might get him ti look at your more favourably-- at least, you hoped so. Standing a little closer than you perhaps should have, you looked up at Ralt, who stood a good couple of feet taller than you.
"Raltarndarv," You began with a sly smile. "I imagine, as leader of your people, you must have access to many a female. Do you appreciate the male figure too?"
"I...do not tend to fraternise with others," Ralt admitted, looking a little uncomfortable. "So I cannot answer that question for you."
"Well...do you like this?" You suggested, shifting and pushing your hips to the side, lifting the front of your doublet a little to expose your lithe $skinned body. You didn't want to reveal too much-- after all, you were only trying to tempt him, rather than seduce him. For that, you'd need something a little more direct...but this, however, was enough for now. How he would react however, you weren't sure.
(if:$RalSway is >=150)["I...Thep, what are you doing?" Ralt looked uncomfortable, but not necessarily in a bad way. Rather than looking as if he didn't want you to flirt and tempt him, he instead looked as if he was flustered.
"What's the matter?" You asked, shifting your hips and reaching out with a hand to touch his side. He tensed under your touch and retreated, though only after lingering for a couple of moments, as if he yearned the touch. His eyes turned steely, and he shifted with a certain degree of anxiety.
"I...I very much appreciate your interest," He muttered. "But I cannot. I should not."
"What's stopping you?" You asked with a slightly lidded gaze, and Ralt let out peculiar, quiet, animalistic growl. He reached out, hesitant to touch you, before retreating again.
"I cannot. I'm sorry." He lowered his gaze, setting his jaw, before he turned and trudged his way through the crowd, the nobles parting to let him pass. You had a feeling that he had interest in you, but was restraining himself for some reason. Regardless, the nobles around you stared and whispered, not doubt disgusted yet amused by your combined rejection and interest in the 'monster'. However, you pushed the potential for rumours to the back of your mind, returning to mingling with the satisfaction that you'd gotten Ralt's interest.](else:)[For a moment, an awkward silence grew between the two of you, and you began to feel as if you had maybe overstepped significantly.
"With all due respect..." Ralt began, leaning forwards and putting his large paw on your shoulder, before pushing you backwards, in an effort to keep you apart from him. "I am not interested."
"Ah...my apologised, Ralt," You bowed, pushing your doublet back down and straightening your figure. "I did not mean to offend you."
"Rest assured that you have not," He insisted, raising his hands as if in surrender, yet his voice sounded cold and distant. "I appreciate that you apologised, and I appreciate that you're showing...interest. But still, no."
"I feel as if I have upset you somehow," You remarked, casting your gaze down. "If so, please feel free to speak freely, Ralt."
"I am not sure what to say." He admitted. The two of you stood there for a moment, unable to meet each other's gaze, before Ralt turned and trudged off. The nearby nobles watched with a mixture of disgust and interest. You could only assume they were irked by your flirting and amused by your rejection. You had no doubt rumours would spread regardless of their opinion.(set:$Havoc to it + 30)(set:$HavocG to it + 30)]]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")["Lord Dawson," You began, pulling a slip of parchment from within the inner pocket of your doublet. "I trust you are an avid reader of poems?"
"What kind of man would I be if I hadn't educated myself in the ways of poetry?" Berlis snapped, looking from the parchment in your hands up to your face. "Don't tell me..."
"Indeed," You hummed, a sly smile crossing your features. "I have written a poem. Would you like to hear it?"
"I can't think it'll be anything more than the drivel of a commoner, but..." He sighed. "Very well. I shall humour you, much as it pains me."
You had a feeling that he would have liked to hear it anyway, much as he sounded like hd didn't. Clearing your throat, you unfurled the parchment in your hands as nearby nobles turned to catch a glimpse at what you were doing, curious to hear your poem as well. You felt put on the spot, but had a feeling they might like it-- perhaps that was your confidence talking. Regardless, you began to read.]
(live:3.5s)[(stop:)(transition:"fade")+(transition-time:3s)[//The clang of steel, the stomp of boots, oh hear our drummers pounding.
Silence only where the magi strode, dark chants passed days ago.
The bay of hounds, the laughs of men, oh hear our trumpets sounding.
For Runa's Keep we march this day, to the Fields of Fullendal we go.//]]
(live:9.5s)[(stop:)(transition:"fade")+(transition-time:3s)[//Silence fell on our Lani's Hill, her bosom barren before us
Her rich fields burnt to bits, we strike back in rousing chorus
Sand and stone crunch beneath our feet, warbirds cry out above
Cadence rings out over the mountainside to avenge our lost true love
We have men and fire and joyous song and cannonade unending
Righteous cries will join our rise against crimes that need amending//]]
(live:14.5s)[(stop:)(transition:"fade")+(transition-time:3s)[//We'll descend into their whispered lands and shout out joyfully,
the crescendo marks foul Runa's end, cast into bright, roaring sea
Heaven will join our raucous noise to land that fateful blow
For Runa's Keep we march this day, to the Fields of Fullendal we go//]]
(live:19s)[(stop:)(transition:"fade")[(align:"<==")[You lowered the parchment and began to fold it up, stowing it away in your pocket. The reaction of the noble crowd was...mixed. Some seemed confused and perplexed as if they didn't understand the poem, whilst others were amused, and you had the feeling those types were silently mocking you. To your annoyance, Berlis was much of the same, barely able to hide his smirk.
"That's the best you can do?" He asked, covering his mouth with a hand for a moment before clearing his throat and straightening out his features. "You could do better...but I wouldn't say it was the worst thing I've ever heard. Your subject matter was simple and par for the course for your status...we are all no strangers to war and to blood, myself included."
"I...shall take that as a compliment, Your Lordship," You bowed and the you could hear the reptile scoff, as if amused by your response.
"I wouldn't...but you're free to do as you wish," He replied with a slightly sneering tone. "I'm sure many other lovely nobleman would be able to do much, much better...and I would implore them to let me know, so I could praise them properly."
With that, Berlis stepped past you and into the crowd of nearby nobles, lapsing into conversation with them. You distinctly heard him make a comment about your poem and the nobles laughed, deliberately within earshot of you. You swallowed your pride and strode off in the opposite direction, irritation crossing your features...but regardless of their ill rumours and goading, you assumed that you'd left a good impression on the reptile-- after all, you had exceeded his rather low expectations.(set:$PoemBer to true)(set:$RalSway to it + 30)(set:$Havoc to it + 10)(set:$HavocG to it + 10)]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>]](align:"<==")["Raltarndarvn," You began, pulling a slip of parchment from within the inner pocket of your doublet. "Have you read many poems?"
"I cannot say I am much of a reader," He admitted with a grumble. "My people are not known for their literacy, even if some are considered eloquent."
"That is a shame...perhaps you'd like to listen to one I wrote, regardless?" You asked tentatively. "Though you may not typically read them, perhaps it may interest you."
"I don't see why not." Ralt sounded cold and indifferent, but accepted your proposal either way. You slowly unfurled the parchment in your hands, fully aware that some nobles were looking your way, intrigued by the thought of a poem recital. Caring more for Ralt's reaction than anything else, you began to read...]
(live:2.5s)[(stop:)(transition:"fade")+(transition-time:3s)[//The clang of steel, the stomp of boots, oh hear our drummers pounding.
Silence only where the magi strode, dark chants passed days ago.
The bay of hounds, the laughs of men, oh hear our trumpets sounding.
For Runa's Keep we march this day, to the Fields of Fullendal we go.//]]
(live:8.5s)[(stop:)(transition:"fade")+(transition-time:3s)[//Silence fell on our Lani's Hill, her bosom barren before us
Her rich fields burnt to bits, we strike back in rousing chorus
Sand and stone crunch beneath our feet, warbirds cry out above
Cadence rings out over the mountainside to avenge our lost true love
We have men and fire and joyous song and cannonade unending
Righteous cries will join our rise against crimes that need amending//]]
(live:13.5s)[(stop:)(transition:"fade")+(transition-time:3s)[//We'll descend into their whispered lands and shout out joyfully,
the crescendo marks foul Runa's end, cast into bright, roaring sea
Heaven will join our raucous noise to land that fateful blow
For Runa's Keep we march this day, to the Fields of Fullendal we go//]]
(live:18s)[(stop:)(transition:"fade")[(align:"<==")[You lowered the piece of paper, glancing at the nobles around you. The nobles around your murmured and spoke amongst themselves, and it was hard to tell from their expressions whether they enjoyed or disliked the recital-- but they were not the focus. You turned your attention to Ralt, who seemed lost in thought.
"So..." You began. "What did you think?"
"Hrmm..." Ralt hummed, looking down at the ground. "There were some words I could not understand...but I think I understood the tale. It is about battle, is it not? The clash of steel, and the destruction of a farmhouse."
"Correct," You nodded along. "I'm glad you could pick up on that."
"The rhymes were pleasing to my ears...and I felt something within me move. I believe I resonated, if only a little. Thank you for reading it out."
"Of course." You bowed and Ralt hesitated, before he nodded down at you in acknowledgement. He lingered a little longer, as if he had something he wanted to say, before he retreated and made his way through the crowd, which instinctively parted to allow him to pass. The nearby nobles returned to their conversation, having missed out on the chance of a little bit of drama-- though they'd likely still talk of you, annoying as that was.
You returned to mingling with the satisfaction that you'd left a good impression on Ralt, and potentially opened him up to a different kind of culture in the future.(set:$RalSway to it + 30)(set:$Havoc to it + 10)(set:$HavocG to it + 10)]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>]](align:"<==")["Lord Dawland," You began, pulling a slip of parchment from within the inner pocket of your doublet. "Do you like poems? I have on written here that I thought you might enjoy. I wrote it myself."
Duldes's eyes widened in response before he gestured, as if telling you to go ahead. You straightened yourself up and cleared your throat, looking down at the parchment in your hands. You started to read aloud, drawing in not only Duldes's attention but those of nearby nobles too.]
(live:2.5s)[(stop:)(transition:"fade")+(transition-time:3s)[//The clang of steel, the stomp of boots, oh hear our drummers pounding.
Silence only where the magi strode, dark chants passed days ago.
The bay of hounds, the laughs of men, oh hear our trumpets sounding.
For Runa's Keep we march this day, to the Fields of Fullendal we go.//]]
(live:8.5s)[(stop:)(transition:"fade")+(transition-time:3s)[//Silence fell on our Lani's Hill, her bosom barren before us
Her rich fields burnt to bits, we strike back in rousing chorus
Sand and stone crunch beneath our feet, warbirds cry out above
Cadence rings out over the mountainside to avenge our lost true love
We have men and fire and joyous song and cannonade unending
Righteous cries will join our rise against crimes that need amending//]]
(live:13.5s)[(stop:)(transition:"fade")+(transition-time:3s)[//We'll descend into their whispered lands and shout out joyfully,
the crescendo marks foul Runa's end, cast into bright, roaring sea
Heaven will join our raucous noise to land that fateful blow
For Runa's Keep we march this day, to the Fields of Fullendal we go//]]
(live:18s)[(stop:)(transition:"fade")[(align:"<==")[You lowered the piece of paper, glancing at the nobles around you. Some murmured and talked, and the majority of their expressions were a mixed bag of amusement, confusion and surprise. You couldn't really tell from their collective faces if your poem was good or bad, so you instead focused your attention to Duldes, who was mulling over the words you'd read out, a gloved hand to his chin.
(if:$DuRV is 3)["That's quite the poem," He remarked. "I'm impressed by your talent with it, though it's clearly written by an amateur...it speaks of war, does it not?"
"Indeed," You bowed. "War and battle, Your Lordship."
"Quite a riveting tale..." Duldes murmured. "I've been in a battle myself...I can't say it was for me. Unlike a simple duel, war has no honour-- it's kill or be killed. If you are outnumbered, the enemy won't hesitate to exploit that weakness. I could never enjoy it because of that."
"You're quite the honourable man?" You asked and Duldes visibly smirked, taking your question as a compliment.
"I believe in the fairness of a duel, and I believe combat should be the same." He expressed his ideals and you couldn't help but agree, on some level.
"Well, I'm glad you liked the poem, Lord Dawland."](else:)["That's quite the remarkable poem for someone who's not been taught," He began. "I can see the rhymes and it paints a picture. I was expecting something less than interesting, but you've caught me by surprise."
"I'm glad you liked it, Lord Dawland."] You respectfully bowed and the nobles nearby, after hearing Duldes's opinion, turned to go back to what they were doing. You had to wonder if they were expecting some sort of show or were expecting Duldes to insult you-- why else would they turn away after hearing his praise? With a smile, Duldes nodded his head in acknowledgement and turned, speaking to someone nearby. You hadn't much more to say and so stowed the poem away and left him to it.
You returned to mingling, pleased to have left a good impression-- but perhaps it was unwise to have drawn attention to yourself in such a way.(set:$DulSway to it + 30)(set:$Havoc to it + 10)(set:$HavocG to it + 10)]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>]](align:"<==")["Sat," You began, pulling a slip of parchment from within the inner pocket of your doublet. "Have you read many poems?"
"Oh, yes," Sat nodded. "As I now reside in Lord Carein's estate, I have access to his library, wherein he has many anthologies and other fictional works."
"Any in particular you like the most?" You asked, gingerly holding the parchment between two fingers as you talked. You could see Sat eyeing it, but he still responded to your question.
"I read one some months ago called //'The Fruits of Our Time'//. It was written from the perspective of a labourer building a ship to sail across the sea, and a pioneer of the time looking to venture into unknown waters. It was quite the tale and had a slow, plodding rhythm, reminiscent of a worker's slow footsteps when carrying heavy cargo."
"Wow..." You hummed, nodding thoughtfully. "That does sound rather interesting. On the subject of poems...I have one here. Would you like to hear it? I wrote it myself."
"Oh, of course." Sat beamed and stood there attentively as you unfurled the parchment, fully aware that some nobles were looking your way, intrigued by the thought of a poem recital. You felt a little embarrassed but cleared your throat, looking down at the parchment as you began to read.]
(live:4.5s)[(stop:)(transition:"fade")+(transition-time:3s)[//The clang of steel, the stomp of boots, oh hear our drummers pounding.
Silence only where the magi strode, dark chants passed days ago.
The bay of hounds, the laughs of men, oh hear our trumpets sounding.
For Runa's Keep we march this day, to the Fields of Fullendal we go.//]]
(live:10.5s)[(stop:)(transition:"fade")+(transition-time:3s)[//Silence fell on our Lani's Hill, her bosom barren before us
Her rich fields burnt to bits, we strike back in rousing chorus
Sand and stone crunch beneath our feet, warbirds cry out above
Cadence rings out over the mountainside to avenge our lost true love
We have men and fire and joyous song and cannonade unending
Righteous cries will join our rise against crimes that need amending//]]
(live:15.5s)[(stop:)(transition:"fade")+(transition-time:3s)[//We'll descend into their whispered lands and shout out joyfully,
the crescendo marks foul Runa's end, cast into bright, roaring sea
Heaven will join our raucous noise to land that fateful blow
For Runa's Keep we march this day, to the Fields of Fullendal we go//]]
(live:20s)[(stop:)(transition:"fade")[(align:"<==")[You lowered the piece of paper, glancing at the nobles around you. It was hard to really gauge what the opinion of the other nobles were, whether it was good or bad, but you weren't here for them-- you focused your attention solely on Sat instead, wondering what he thought.
"Um..." Sat shifted and rubbed the back of his head. "That was...interesting."
"You don't sound as if you liked it." You remarked, stowing the paper away as Sat raised his hands in surrender, quickly back-pedalling his thoughts.
"N-No, no," He insisted. "It was good. It just...hit a little close to home for me. It was moving, and I'm not sure how to feel about it."
"Oh, I see," You hummed, and then bowed in apology. "I'm sorry if I drudged up any old feelings you'd rather forget."
"Think nothing of it." He assured you, and when you straightened up he looked uncomfortable, as if he regretted saying anything at all. You wanted to continue the conversation further, but before you could Sat retreated, making an excuse to leave and making his way through the crowd. You're not sure what kind of feelings you brought up in him, but you felt bad for having done so-- however, you could only assume you at least made a good impression despite that.
You returned to mingling, with a lot on your mind.(set:$PoemSat to true)(set:$SatSway to it + 30)(set:$Havoc to it + 10)(set:$HavocG to it + 10)]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>]](align:"<==")[If your intention was to inevitably seduce someone like Duldes, you knew you would need to flirt, at least on some level. Whether he'd take it favourably or not remained to be seen, but you felt it was worth trying regardless.
"Lord Dawland, I have to wonder..." You mused, keeping your distance but being close enough to hold a conversation. "Being the firstborn of your house must be very taxing. Do you spend some time outside of the house sometimes?"
"In what context?" Duldes was concerned by the route you were taking with the conversation, and he narrowed his eyes. You had a feeling he was going to see right through you.
"Well, I just wondered what you do in your spare time..." You admitted. "Shopping, relaxing...I only wish to say that I wouldn't mind joining you on your little adventures, whatever they are..."
Your insinuation was obvious, at least to you-- whether Duldes would pick up on your flirtation and react well to it was another matter entirely. You held your breath a little but still kept your composure and sly grin as Duldes stared at you, mulling your words over for barely a second or more, before he parted his muzzle to speak.
(if:$DulSway is >=100)["I see..." Duldes looked you up and down and his muzzle stretched into a subtle smile. "You're willing to do just about anything, are you?"
"If you demand it, Lord Dawland," You bowed respectfully, (if:$species is "avian")[your fail-feathers quivering with mock excitement.](else:)[your tail swishing to and fro with mock excitement.] "Even if such adventures might take you to some...unsavoury places."
"And what might those places be?" He asked, stepping a little closer and crossing the distance between the two of you. He was almost uncomfortably close-- but this is what you wanted.
"I believe you know," You quietly remarked, lidding your gaze. "After all, I have no doubt that such urges cannot be kept in check just by yourself..."
"And are you suggesting you're willing to help relieve those urges?" He dipped his voice so that very few people could hear, but before you could really response with something equally as flirtatious, a man came to the side beside Duldes and leant to whisper in his ear. Duldes's smirking expression quickly faded and his muzzle pursed into a grimace, before he raised himself up.
"We'll continue this another time." He sounded almost wistful as he turned, his eyes growing steely once more as he followed the man across the room, leaving you be. Nearby nobles had been watching the two of you, but turned away once you began looking in their direction. You had a feeling they were just being nosy, and nothing more.
You returned to mingling with the other nobles, satisfied that your little flirting had bore fruit.(set:$DulSway to it + 30)](else:)["...if you're implying that I fraternise with harlots and whores outside of my House, then you are sorely mistaken," Duldes's gaze was cold and his jaw set. "And I do not appreciate that insinuation. I barely even know you."
"A-Ah, well, my apologies, Lord Dawland," You desperately tried to back-pedal, realising you've made a mistake. "I didn't mean to offend you, I was just...uh..."
"Flirting with me?" Duldes's maw twitched as if he wanted to smile, but the amusement didn't reach his eyes. "It was a valiant attempt, but you haven't the charisma for it. Your hinting was so obvious that I would have noticed it have you not said anything."
You cast your gaze down, feeling an awkward tension rising within you. You felt a little shameful. Duldes took one final look at you before he scoffed and turned, heading off in another direction. You had a feeling he wanted to say more, but had decided against it-- the little conversation you'd exchanged had drawn the ire of the nobles nearby and you couldn't help but feel annoyed about it, at least on some level. You had no doubt rumours would spread about your little rejection and how you'd tried to flirt with the Firstborn of Dawland House.
You walked in the opposite direction and returned to mingling.(set:$Havoc to it + 20)(set:$HavocG to it + 20)]]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")["So Sat," You began, veering from your usual path of conversation so that you could try something a little more risky. "Is it alright with you if I may be bold?"
"Bold...?" Sat tilted his head to the side a little. "I don't see why not. What's troubling you, Thep?"
"Well..." You shifted on your feet, covering your $nose with a hand a little as you tucked your other hand under the opposite arm. "I just...saw you from across the way and I felt compelled to talk to you. Is that a peculiar thing?"
"I...don't believe so?" Sat frowned, feathers furrowing. "We are at least one first-name terms. Was there some particular reason that you felt compelled to approach?"
"I just...mayhaps it's down to my own interest, but I find you quite appealing," You spoke directly, before restraining yourself. "Both in one sense and another, as it were...you've quite the figure, if you'll allow me to say so, and a charming personality to boot. I'm surprised that I'm the only one to have eyes on you..."
This was perhaps a little more direct than it needed to be, but you had a feeling that some subtlety would have gone over Sat's head if you weren't careful. The avian stared you for a moment, as if unsure what to say, and you had to wonder how he'd respond with nobles curiously watching the two of you.
(if:$SatSway is >=100)["O-Oh, well..." Sat looked flustered by your words and averted his gaze. "Fuck, Thep, did you have to say that so pointedly?"
"Did you not like it?" You hesitated, but his smiling beak and warmed features made it clear you'd succeeded in appealing to him.
"Of course I did, it was a very flattering comment..." He began. "And I think it only fair to offer the same in kind...you have a tempting figure, but...shit, well..."
Sat trailed off and awkwardly chuckled, which made you do the same in kind. You wanted to step closer and touch him, perhaps even lead things from there, but before you could do so the avian stepped back, awkwardly stumbling a little but quickly catching himself. He rubbed the back of his neck before he finally met your gaze, looking as if he were steeling himself.
"T...Thank you for the compliment," He began. "But I, well...I need to calm down a little. Sorry. It's a little much."
With a smirk, you watched as Sat disappeared into the crowd, weaving his way through the nobles and vanishing from your sight. Though he effectively 'ran away' from you, you had a feeling you had at least left something of a good impression-- a very good one, if that.
You turned and made your way across the banquet hall, focusing your attention back on your mission.(set:$SatSway to it + 50)](else:)["Um..." Sat awkwardly began. "Thep, with all due respect, we barely know one-another. I have no more interest in you than I would have for a stranger-- which is the say, none."
"Oh..." You quickly back-pedalled, realising that you've overstepped. "I apologise, Sat. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."
"Is that...all you approached me for?" The avian continued with an exasperated expression. "Because you found the sight of me appealing? I would have liked to think we had a little more of a rapport than just a mild fucking attraction."
"I apologise," You continued, bowing your head. "It was merely in jest. Please forgive my crude words."
"I..." The avian sighed and placed a hand over the bridge of his beak, pushing his fingers up towards his eyes to cover them. "...Leave me be, for now. I have some things to think about."
With a humble nod, you retreated, heading back into the crowd and keeping your distance. You weren't expecting Sat to take your flirtation so poorly, but some things were meant to be a gamble, of a sort. Nearby nobles would no doubt talk briefly about what transpired mere moments ago, and you had a feeling your reputation was sullied with Sat as a result of your direct flirtation.(set:$SatSway to it - 30)(set:$Havoc to it + 20)(set:$HavocG to it + 20)]
]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")[Flirting with Lord Dawson was bound to get you in trouble one way or another-- it was simply how the man was. Even your first impressions of him made him appear to think himself better than you...so it stood to reason that flirting with him would only bring about something unfavourable. Yet, you felt compelled to try; who knows? He could surprise you.
"Lord Dawson," You began. "If you don't mind me asking, what do you do in your spare time, when you're not drowning in the duties as leader of your House?"
"I don't think that's any business of yours, commoner," He retorted, then hesitated and sighed. "But if you must insist, I tend to wander around the city."
"You mean...Filirena?" You asked, aware it was the capital of Gromarch. Berlis merely snorted in response and you could only assume that was confirmation.
"So what sort of things do you do in the city?" You asked, and Berlis didn't seem to want to answer at first, so you continued. "Partake in the sights and sounds, perhaps search for a good deal or too? Maybe even participate in some things unsavoury?"
"What are you implying?" He hissed, and you held your hands up in surrender.
"I mean nothing by it, Lord Dawson," You insisted. "I only wish to say that...well, should you be interested to have someone join you in those ventures, I would be interested to take part, if you know what I mean."
It was direct, but trying to subtlety seemed too difficult in the conversation you'd conjured. Berlis's eyes widened as he understood the implications of what you were saying and you held your breath, anxious for what his response may be. In your mind, you believed it to hinge entirely on his opinion of you in that present moment, counting past experiences within.
(if:$BerSway is >=100)["Oh, is that right?" Berlis raised his eyebrows and his his maw stretched into a grin.
"Indeed, Your Lordship," You continued, lidding your gaze as Berlis stepped a little closer. "Should your explorations take you betwixt two buildings, then you might find a...well, a tight passage ahead of you."
Berlis smirked, stifling a chuckle as he reached out with a hand, hovering it over your body as he raised it towards your chin.
"And should I try to squeeze myself into that tight passage, dirty as it may be?" He remarked, and you quivered on the spot, a trickle of excitement running through you.
"If it interests you, yes," You breathlessly spoke. "And once you are done, I'm sure there's a place you can wash yourself off."
"Indeed." Berlis hummed, snapping his gaze down and back up again, his throat rumbling with a mixture of amusement and interest. He slowly retreated and cleared his throat, turning to the side and glancing at your the corner of his eye.
"Should a certain someone make more of an effort to please..." He remarked quietly. "Then a tight passage I shall find."
With a quick, effortless smirk, Berlis turned, facing away from you and making his way through around the party-goers. The quiet conversation the two of you had thankfully didn't draw the attention of nearby nobles, and you couldn't help but grin at the success of your little flirtation.
With that, you returned to mingling.(set:$BerSway to it + 40)](else:)["Excuse me?" Berlis spat. "What makes you think I would even want to go anywhere with you? I don't even know who you are."
"M...My apologies, Lord Dawson," You faltered. "It was merely in jest, I assure you."
"That would imply we have enough of a rapport to even make jokes," The reptile glared and pointed a finger. "Insult me like that again and you'll regret it."
"Apologies." You bowed and muttered again, in the hopes it might calm the reptile somewhat. When you didn't get a response you however, you grew worried. You raised your head and soon found out why, for Berlis had stomped off into the crowd and out of sight-- you couldn't even see him. Nearby nobles whispered and talked amongst themselves whilst casting their glance at you, and there was no doubt in your mind that your flirtation with the Head of House Dawson would be on the lips of many nobles for the next few minutes.
With a sigh, you turned and left, returning to mingling with the party's guests.(set:$BerSway to it - 20)(set:$Havoc to it + 30)(set:$HavocG to it + 30)]]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")["Ralt, if I may be so forward, could I ask a rather invasive question?" You asked of the creature, fully aware that he might say no. It was a gamble, but one you were willing to undertake for the purposes of fulfilling your mission. Your intention was to flirt-- and from what you've gleaned from Ralt, his culture is a little different to some. You hope that he might consider your question favourably, even if he even allows it to be spoken.
"...Very well," He sighed through his nose. "Though I am hesitant. What is it you're going to ask?"
"Do your people tend to take part in rituals?" You asked, looking up at him with an inquisitive cave.
"We do, for we have our own religion and culture," He explained. "We tend to sacrifice certain animals or provide things from the forest as tribute."
Are some of those rituals...perhaps of a more perverse nature?" You continued, lidding your gaze. "I have to wonder about the virility of your species given your stature...and if I may say so, I wouldn't mind getting to see and maybe even experience firsthand what those rituals are like."
It was a particularly forward thought, and one that you knew was going to cause heads to turn around you-- not that they mattered, given the man in front of you. How Ralt would react would change the way your relationship was up to that point-- you just hoped his reaction was more favourable than not. At first, the bear creature said nothing, his eyes cold and vacant as if he were processing what you'd just said.
(if:$RalSway is >=100)["You wish to partake in our rituals?" Ralt's eyes widened and he briefly snapped his gaze up and down your body, his cyan eyes searching. "I am...surprised."
"Which part surprises you in particular?" You asked, stepping a little closer and keeping your voice low and quiet. "That I might be inclined to learn more about your people, or that I'm so bold as to insinuate that I wish to see what's beneath that stretched doublet?"
"W...Well..." Surprisingly, Ralt looked embarrassed at your forward words and he growled low under his breath, trying to keep it down. "Your words stir something within me."
"Do they?" You lidded your gaze and he looked even more uncomfortable. You could tell he was resisting the urge to squirm.
"If you wish to take part...in more ways than one, then that can be arranged." He spoke quietly, but his breathing was low and laboured, coming out in huffing pants. You had a feeling you were maybe pushing his buttons a little too much, and in the interest of keeping things civil you relented, stepping back. With a respectful bow and a final parting wink, you bid him a quick farewell and left for the other end of the banquet hall. You would have liked to stay longer, but it seemed critical that Ralt composed himself before things got out of hand.
As you lingered and mingled at the other end of the hall, you could feel Ralt's eyes upon you, watching you from above the crowd. He stared for perhaps a little too long before he finally diverted his attention away. You have no doubt that you left a meaningful impact, and the very thought brought a smile to your lips.(set:$RalSway to it + 50)](else:)["I...what?" Ralt frowned, looking decidedly irked. "What do you mean?"
"I...well..." You felt put-off now, if only because he didn't seem to understand what your flirting meant. "It doesn't matter."
"No, tell me." He affirmed with a cold stare and you couldn't help but feel like he wanted you to spell it out, though not because he didn't understand. Perhaps you were misreading him.
"I was simply suggesting something...rather intimate, but framing it in the sense of a cultural ritual." You tried you best to explain it whilst skirting around using the proper words. Ralt seemed to understand and the realisation dawned on his face, before his lips pursed into a thin line and his eyes narrowed.
"Absolutely not." Was all Ralt said in response. He hesitated for a moment, looking as if he wanted to say more, before he turned and strode off, his shoulders set and tense. You had a feeling you'd upset him, and the staring eyes of the nearby nobles made it clear that your flirtation, and in turn his reaction, had been interesting to watch.
You turned and went in a different direction, hoping that the further away you went, the less people would talk about you-- but the damage was, regrettably, already done.(set:$RalSway to it - 20)(set:$Havoc to it + 20)(set:$HavocG to it + 20)]]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")[Just as you were about to talk to Duldes and ask him a question, your attention was drawn to a commotion to your right, towards the centre of the banquet hall. Nobles were dispersing and shifting to make room in the middle, and the musicians in the order who had been playing a rather quiet yet calming melody had stopped, and were adjusting their sheet music respectively. You soon found out why, for they picked up another song, something that you immediately assumed to be for dancing-- and you were correct, for combinations of men and women began to move out onto the dance floor, partaking in predominantly ballroom and waltz steps.
"Do you want to dance?" You said it before you could even stop yourself, and you hesitated, wondering if Duldes's reaction would be favourable. For a moment the hyena paused, surprised by your sudden question, before he shifted and slowly reached out his hand. His expression was unreadable-- you wished he would have smiled, but his approval was enough. You placed your hand in his and he instinctively took the lead, guiding you out onto the dance floor.
You were glad that you had a little bit of confidence, or you would have suffered from stage fright the second you stepped out on the 'dance floor'. Despite your bravery, however, you knew that the sight of two men dancing together would turn heads-- even more so considering that one of them was Duldes Dawland, firstborn of the very House you were having a party at. You could feel their eyes upon you as you both took centre stage.
"I assume you know how to dance, considering you invited me?" Duldes asked with a raised eyebrow, and you hummed, $nose stretching into a smirk.
"Of course." You assured him. Duldes didn't look convinced, but as the two of you picked up the rhythm of the song and linked hands, your expertise in dance became clear. With one hand against Duldes's waist and the other joined with his other hand, the two of you swept yourselves across the small circular area with the other dances, spinning and weaving yourselves with the dance. You were by no means a master at ballroom, but you were at least knowledgeable enough to keep the pace with the hyena before you.
"I'm impressed," Duldes remarked as you danced, spinning around as the music picked up a little. "I didn't expect you to be so good, considering your lack of title."
"I presume dancing is something commonly taught in noble houses?" You enquired, quirking an eyebrow.
"Indeed," He hummed, his movements as quick as lightning, and your feet shifted to keep up. "We spend several years learning many types of dance for all manner of occasions."
"And you say //I'm// impressive." You chuckled, and Duldes smirked in response, amused.
The two of you danced for a little while longer until the music began to die down and lapse into something else. Duldes led the two of you towards the edge of the circle of nobles and they parted to let you two pass, allowing you to easily segue out of the other dancers without interrupting them. Duldes wandered over towards the far end of the room and you followed him, standing near the wall. A smile crossed the man's features as you bowed before him, out of respect.
"Thank you for the dance." He hummed, and you nodded sagely, feeling excitement bubbling within you.
"You are very welcome, Lord Dawland," You replied. "I shall take my leave for now, but I hope that we can dance again sometime."
Duldes bowed his head slowly in acknowledgement as you backed out, and you turned to wander across the hall, going to mingle elsewhere. The dance, you thought, went well-- and you were sure that Duldes looked at you much more favourably as a result...but you also had the feeling that eyes were upon you know, scrutinizing your every move. After all, who wouldn't be interested in the man who danced with the firstborn Lord?(set:$DulSway to it + 30)(set:$Havoc to it + 20)(set:$HavocG to it + 20)]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")["Sat, I--"
Just as you were about to get into a meaningful conversation with the avian, a commotion to your left caught your attention. You turned your head and peered out over the crowd to see that several nobles were parting, forming an empty, barren circle in the centre of the banquet hall. The one calming, soothing music of the musicians seated in the corner had stopped, and you could faintly see them talking amongst themselves as they flipped through their sheet music. You weren't why at first, but you soon found out, for the musicians picked a song that, instinctively, you knew to be something to dance to. Sure enough, nobles began to occupy the empty space in the centre of the hall, combinations of men and women beginning to spin and dip with all the elegance expected from ballroom and waltz dancing styles.
"Dancing?" Sat grimaced. "Ugh..."
"Are you not a fan?" You asked tentatively, glancing at him out the corner of your eye.
"I don't mind it...but I don't know these kind of dances," He admitted. "I've not been trained in them."
"Well..." You began, reaching out your hand. "Want me to teach you?"
Sat hesitated, and you can tell he was a little anxious about dancing badly in front of a large group of nobles. However, he eventually relented, grinning sheepishly as he placed his hand in yours. You led him out towards the dance floor and tried not to grimace at the amount of eyes upon the pair of you as you grabbed Sat's hand firmly in yours and put your hand against his waist. You could feel him tensing under your touch, but chalked it up to nerves-- he probably wanted to leave a good impression for his Lord.
"Just follow my lead, okay?" You murmured, barely above a whisper, and you slipped into formation with the other nobles. Sat's training as a military officer certainly helped him to keep up with you, and leaning the art of swordsmanship meant that he was quick on his feet. Despite the spinning movements and occasional dip and flourish, Sat somehow managed to keep to the rhythm and only stumbled a couple of times. Each time he did, you couldn't help but chuckle and he grumbled in response, half-amused and half-irritated by his own failure. Of course noble eyes remained upon you, namely because you were two men dancing together, when such things should be kept private. You, however, didn't care-- you were having fun and from the avian's smile, you could tell that he was too.
The music was drawing to a close, and as the nobles began their final lap and prepared for the finale of the song, you led Sat towards the edge of the circle, and the nobles parted the let the two of you pass. You didn't particularly want to try a fancy move of bowing the avian down or lifting him up considering his inexperience, and what you'd done already was more than enough. The two of you stepped some distance away and Sat giggled, covering his beak with a hand as you both adjourned to a nearby table.
"That was...exciting," He admitted. "I've never done that type of dance before. I'm surprised you learned it."
"I've picked up a thing or two on my travels." You lied through your teeth, and Sat thankfully didn't pick up on it.
"Well...thanks. It made me nervous, but it was a lot of fun-- I definitely needed that," Sat rubbed the back of his neck and remained seated, blowing a sigh. "I think I need a minute to rest..."
With a respectful bow that made the avian flustered, you retreated, leaving him to relax as you returned to mingling with other nobles. You were pretty sure some sort of rumours would spread about you and Sat since you'd drawn attention to the both of you, but you were also sure that you'd made Sat's night a little more fun; it was for that reason that you were satisfied with whatever fallout came your way.(set:$SatSway to it + 40)(set:$Havoc to it + 20)(set:$HavocG to it + 20)]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")[You were about to lapse into some meaningful conversation with Ralt when some noises and scuffling to your right caught your attention. You peered out over the crowd of nobles to see them parting to form a circle in the centre of the banquet hall, as the musicians in the corner stopped their music and flipped through the sheets in front of them to another song. Ralt snorted and you couldn't help but glance at him, wondering if he could glean some insight; he caught your gaze and visibly soured, though not because of you.
"A customary dance," He explained without you asking. "A little parlour trick of nobles to make people give them some attention."
Sure enough, Ralt was correct; you watched as nobles began to move into the vacant centre of the room as the musicians picked up on a melody that you could only assume was for a dance. The prim and proper noble men and women linked arms and hips, joined in pairs of either gender as they began to spin and dip in a circle, emulating ballroom and waltz style dances.
"I take it you don't like to dance?" You asked Ralt, and he shrugged his large shoulders, his doublet straining.
"I can dance," He grumbled. "This type of dance, perhaps not...but the art of music is not something exclusive to just your kind."
"In that case...do you want to dance?" You asked. "I know a little bit of the style of dance they're using, but we could just do it here, rather than go out there and draw attention to ourselves."
Ralt was silent for a moment as he looked out over the dancing nobles, and his cold cyan eyes looked strangely wistful. He turned his head to look down at you and hesitated, briefly averting his gaze before turning it back to you, taking in a deep breath. He didn't respond verbally-- instead, all he could do was nod. In response you stretched out your hand palm-up and he placed his significantly larger paw-like hand in yours.
"So, just stretch out your arm like this..." You instructed him, lifting and elongating your arm out all the way to the right. "And link hands with mine."
Ralt's large hand far out-scaled your own by at least a factor of 2, but you did your best to hold onto it as you moved a hand towards the bear's hip. Ralt visibly tensed under your touch but then relaxed when he realised you weren't going to move it any further. His arm was bent inwards so that his hand linked with yours, and he had to hunch slightly to watch you move so that he could follow. Slowly and carefully you taught him where to place his bare feet, and you experimentally turned and spun slowly on the spot, slightly out of rhythm with the music behind you, before you suggested a saying of hips and more subtle movements that came with ballroom dance.
The nearby nobles who weren't watching or taking part in the main event had their eyes focused on the pair of you, but they didn't encircle you as they would other nobles-- instead, they merely watched from a distance, eyes glued to the sight of a man dancing with a 'monster'. Ralt was picking up the steps you were showing him rather quickly, but his large feet compared to yours made it difficult for him to nuance certain movements. However, he managed to adhere to the rhythm as you spun on the spot with him, and his mood seemed to visibly lighten as he partook in your little 'dance'. The music eventually drew itself to a close and the applause of the nobles to your right signalled for the pair of you to stop.
"That was..." Ralt began, unsure where to place his words. "...Entertaining. Thank you."
You had a feeling he wanted to say more, but he strangely didn't elaborate. The two of you stood there a little longer, exchanging idle conversation, before Ralt was pulled away by other nobles who wanted him to do funny tricks for them. You regrettably watched him go, but felt satisfied that you'd succeeded in both lightening his mood and making him view you more favourably-- but the eyes of nearby nobles made things difficult for you, if only a little.(set:$RalSway to it + 40)(set:$Havoc to it + 10)(set:$HavocG to it + 10)
You returned to mingling.]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")[You were about to kick off a conversation with Berlis, one-sided as it often was, when your attention was abruptly drawn to a commotion to your left. You watched as nobles suddenly parted and spread out to form a vacant circle in the middle, and the once soothing and calming string music of the musicians in the corner halted as they flipped through their sheet music for another song.
"Ah, is it that time already?" Berlis mused, and you frowned in response, unsure what he meant.
"For what?" You asked.
"Dancing, of course," He informed you with an exasperated sigh. "A pompous show of who can dance the best and draw the interest of other nobles. It's something of a mind game, really..."
"I see..." You hummed, watching as the musicians picked up on a fleeting melody that had noble men and women stepping into the centre of the banquet hall, linking hands and hips and beginning to dance. You recognised the style well, for you'd been taught the very same thing: ballroom and waltz, either a combination of the two or individually. You could tell they were all impressive dancers, and you had to wonder how long they'd been learning it.
"Would you...like to dance?" You asked the reptile, and he pulled a face of disgust in response.
"With a commoner?" He cried, incredulous. "Goodness, no. But...perhaps it will draw some heads. Maybe it'll make me look good, pitying a commoner...very well, let's dance."
You can't help but feel a little offended, but you swallowed your pride as Berlis reached out his hand, and you did the same, placing it in his. He with a tug, he pulled you towards the centre of the room and the nobles parted to allow you two through. He pulled you close to him as you felt the eyes on nobles upon you, and you stretched out your hand to link it with his, your other hand moving to his waist. His eyebrows raised in surprise at your knowledge of etiquette and dance, and as the two of you slowly moved into position with others to dance, he became even more surprised when you could keep up.
"So a commoner knows how to dance like a noble," Berlis mused as the two of you spun your way around the banquet hall, drawing the attention of nobles from all directions. "I must say I'm surprised..."
"And also a little impressed?" You asked, sounding a little hopeful-- but it was just an act you were putting on. Berlis scoffed, his grip around your hip tightening.
"Don't make me laugh," He muttered. "A commoner will always be a commoner."
You held your tongue and didn't dare to say anymore, not wanting to irritate the man in front of you. The two of you continued dancing for a time, until the music eventually drew to a close. The applause of the nobles for the dancers made you feel a little uncomfortable and put on the spot, and Berlis led the two of you out of the circle-- or rather, he walked out and you followed. The nobles stared at the pair of you as you left, and you couldn't help but feel that they'd likely talk about you behind your back.
You wanted to speak to Berlis further, but he abruptly turned on the spot, thanked you without a bow, and then expressed he was going to take his leave for now. You hesitated but then bowed and acknowledged his will, and with that he wandered off, leaving you to once again mingle with the other party's guests. You had a feeling you at least left a good impression, but it was always hard to tell with that reptile...(set:$BerSway to it + 40)(set:$Havoc to it + 20)(set:$HavocG to it + 20)]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")[It wasn't necessarily a risky move to want to get some alone time with Duldes, but you had to wonder if he'd even want to do so. With some hesitation, you parted your lips to ask the question.
"Do you want to go for a walk around the gardens?" You asked. "It's a cool night...maybe the fresh air will be nice."
"...I suppose we could," Duldes hummed. "It might be better than this stifling atmosphere. Lead the way."
With a smile, you gestured and strode across the banquet hall, with Duldes following closely behind you. You're glad he accepted your offer, but now you were nervous-- it was hard to make conversation with Duldes at the best of times, and he could be rather hard to read as well. You hoped that you might be able to find a good point of conversation by the time the two of you were alone.
Stepping out of the doors leading onto the stone-paved patio, you and Duldes walked to the left and deep into the row of hedges of the garden beyond, plodding across the grass where flowers had not been laid. The acres of House Dawland's summer home were extensive, and the gardens were meticulously carved out to fit within the confines of the forest beyond. Duldes seemed to know exactly where to go, and made a point of adjusting the path you both took accordingly to avoid running into any dead ends, or trampling on flowers that were hard to see in the dark.
"You seem to know your way around these gardens very well?" You asked. "Do you come here often?"
(if:$DulSway is >=175)["Sometimes," Duldes muttered. "Why don't we skip the pleasantries?"
"What do you--" You began to ask, but before you could finish your sentence, Duldes placed his hand upon your shoulder as the two of you rounded one of the hedges, falling out of sight of those mingling around the banquet hall. The hyena pushed, causing you to stagger backwards until you felt your back pressing up against the cold, prickly hedges behind you that served in an inner wall to the gardens themselves. In the dim moonlight you made out Duldes's cold blue eyes, looking you up and down as if inspecting your form.
"L...Lord Dawland?" You enquired awkwardly as the hyena leant forwards, his hand reaching out and tracing along your chest and up towards your chin.
"What's the matter?" He asked quietly. "This is what you wanted, isn't it? Why else would you ask me to come along with you, alone?"
"I...thought you might want the fresh air." You quietly reminded him, for that's what you said initially. Of course, you didn't mind that things had taken a turn like this, but it both felt out of character and also peculiar for him to be so forward. The hyena hesitated for a moment, his finger tucked beneath your chin and forcing you to raise up towards his. Your bodies and mouths were inches apart, his muzzle hovering so close to your $nose that you could smell his breath and feel the heat of it against your $skin.
"Are you telling me you don't want this?" Duldes muttered, barely above a whisper, and he leant forward just enough for the fur on his muzzle to brush against your $nose. You shuddered and felt compelled to lean in, both aware of who this man was but also aware of his handsome he was in turn. After a moment you pulled back, and he sensed it, hesitating himself.
Duldes lingered, his eyes searching, before he abruptly pulled back. He looked almost disappointed, but his eyes twinkled with intrigue despite their cold stare. He withdrew his hand and you relaxed a little when he finally pulled away from you, able to catch your breath.
"...I should return inside. I'll shall see you later." He made it sound more like an order than a farewell, and before you could say anything he turned and made his way back where the two of you had come from, leaving you to stand against the hedges. You had been prepared for this to happen, but you hadn't expected it to be so...//intense.// Your heart was pounding at the mere thought.
You took a moment to compose yourself before returning to the party, assured that things with Duldes were beginning to heat up.(set:$DulSway to it + 40)](else:)["My father likes to come here for 4 months out of the year," He explained. "Particularly during warmer weather. I suppose he enjoys the forest...regardless, I've spent many afternoons here in my youth and its layout hasn't changed in all these years."
"Really?" You sounded surprised, but you didn't mean to. "How long has it been? It must be about 10 or 15 years."
"Roughly that." He agreed as the two of you rounded a hedge, leading into a secluded part of the gardens where there sat a strange table carved out of stone, it's surface mossy. It looked as if it hadn't been taken care of in some time. Duldes walked leisurely over towards it and you followed, staring down at the surface in the dark, barely about to see thanks to the moonlight.
"This was where I tended to go," He hummed. "I'd bring a book and sit on this table and read until it was time for supper."
"What kind of books did you read?" You asked, and he was silent for a moment, his glove fingers tracing the mossy surface of the stone.
"Stories, diaries, journals, tomes...whatever I could get my hands on. I exhausted the library of the House before I turned 14," He muttered. "So I started searching for other books...one day I found my father's journal lying out, so I read it, and..."
He trailed off and you wanted to press further, but he abruptly retreated and glanced to you out the corner of his eye. He rolled his head back, staring up at the sky and taking in a deep breath, before letting out a long and laboured sigh.
"I'm going to go back inside," He abruptly said, turning on a heel. "That's enough reminiscing for one night. I will see you later."
Before you could ask him what was wrong, Duldes strode off across the grass and back the way you two had come. You weren't sure what to think of what he said, and curiosity gnawed at you-- but you had a feeling he'd never tell, even if the two of you became close. With a sigh, you looked back at the table before turning to the banquet. Whether you made him more favourable towards your not, you cannot be certain.(set:$DulSway to it + 20)]]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")["Sat," You approached the avian and reached out a hand. "Do you want to go for a walk, maybe sit somewhere quiet, just to two of us?"
"Oh, uh..." Sat awkwardly glanced around him. "I'm not sure. Lord Carein may need me..."
"He'll be fine for a few minutes," You insisted. "You don't have to stay any longer than you need to."
Sat looked down at you hand before back up at you, and he shifted on the spot before reaching out to take your hand. Though it probably looked strange leading the avian along, you weaved your way through the crowd of party-goers with him and lead him across the room towards one of the doors at the end that lead deeper into House Dawland's estate. There, the two of you walked through the lavish, expensive and ornate corridors of the house, keeping away from what you guessed to be restricted wings until you reached a library, of sorts. No-one appeared to be there at that hour, so it was the perfect place for the two of you to sit and talk.
There just so happened to be an ornate mahogany table, complete with a couple of chairs, sitting in the centre of the room. You could only assume it was used for reading, but for now it would serve as a good place to sit. You directed Sat over to it and then sat down on the chair beside him.
"It's less stifling here than in the banquet hall, right?" You mused, and Sat chuckled along, nodding in agreement. He didn't seem to know what to say...ultimately, you didn't either. You simply wanted to get him alone, nothing more.
(if:$SatSway is >=175)["It is...and it's nice being here with you." He admitted, and your smiled widened at his words. You didn't expect it to turn out this way, but you weren't going to reject him. It was your mission, after all.
"Is that so?" You teased, your $nose curling into a smirk, and the avian looked a little shy, but quickly smoothed his features out.
"I-It is." He puffed out his chest and shifted in his seat, reaching out with a hand and placing it over yours. The two of you stared at one-another for a moment, unsure what to say, before he shifted out of his seat and got a little closer to you. He grasped your hand, lifting it up with his own and bringing it towards his chest. You hesitated for a moment, taken by surprise at his forwardness.
"Sat..." You began, unsure how to begin, and the avian grinned awkwardly down at you before he retracted his hand, somehow sensing you felt awkward.
"I, um..." He chuckled, rubbing the back of his head. "I should go. But thanks for showing me this room...if I'm feeling a little overwhelmed, I'll come back here."
Before you could stop him, Sat retreated and headed out of the room, going back to the banquet. You sighed and leaned back, covering your face for a moment when you realised that you'd basically blown what could have been a potential seduction. However, it seemed that he was still happy...so perhaps things were better, regardless.
You lingered a little longer before returning to the party yourself.(set:$SatSway to it + 40)](else:)[(if:$PoemSat is true)["If I remember, you said that you liked the Library, didn't you?" You smiled, and Sat looked up and around, taking in the sight of so many books in such a small room. He sighed and leant back, relaxing a little in his chair.](else:)["You seem more at ease here," You remarked as Sat leant back and relaxed in the chair, taking in the sight of the library around you. "Do you...like the library?"]
"I do," He hummed. "Quite a bit. It's peaceful in here. A lot of my work as an adjutant is very hectic of requires a lot of writing and paperwork...it's reading, but not the good kind of reading. I enjoy being able to just read a book...it was a freedom I didn't have when I was but a farmer's boy. I didn't even know how to read."
"That sounds like a difficult life, your childhood." You mused, and he shrugged his shoulders.
"It wasn't," He replied matter-of-factly. "My parents were very loving and warm...but they were also very poor. They could barely survive on what we made...and one harsh winter changed our lives for the worst."
"In what way...? If you don't mind me asking," You kept your voice soft and gentle. "It seems like a difficult subject for you. If you're not comfortable, I won't pry."
"It's alright," He insisted. "It happened so long ago. My brother...he was 2 years younger than me and was caught out in a blizzard...we found him the next morning."
"I'm so sorry." You mumbled, and the avian shrugged his shoulders, getting to his feet.
"There just isn't much to say other than that," He sighed. "It is what it is...I think I'm going to wander around the library for a while."
With a nod, you let him go and do what he wanted. You sat there for a while and watched him, before you realised that he might be feeling uncomfortable. After a handful of minutes, you eventually took your leave so that the avian could relax and spend some time alone. You had no doubt he would eventually return to the banquet hall in due time.(set:$SatSway to it + 20)]]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")[From what you've seen of Ralt, whether how little or how much that is, he always seemed uncomfortable at the party. You decided it might be a good idea to just get him alone for a little while, so he could spend some time relaxing rather than bowing to the whims of nobles.
"Ralt," You began with a small smile. "Do you want to go somewhere, just to relax? Just the two of us?"
"What for?" Ralt stared at you, his expression deadpan, and for a moment you faltered, taken by surprise.
"I...just thought you might need a break. This banquet is quite stifling." You explained, and for a moment Ralt seemed to think it over, before he slowly nodded. He gestured for you to lead the way and you shifted, peering out over the banquet hall and opting to take him outside to the gardens. They were calm and serene, once one stepped away from the hustle and bustle of the party-goers. With a gesture, you led him across the hall towards the windows and out onto the stone-paved patio, where the two of you walked into the grass and disappeared deep into the hedge maze of the garden beyond.
Ultimately, you didn't know where you were going, and neither did he, but just the mere act of walking for some time was good enough. For a while neither of you spoke, and you tried to find a topic to discuss.
"H...How are you feeling?" You asked, and the mere question caused Ralt to pause. You wondered how he'd respond-- maybe he'd be more forthcoming than he might have been in the banquet, especially now that it was just the two of you and no-one else...but the real question is whether he trusted you enough.
(if:$RalSway is >=175)["...Somewhat. No." He sighed through his nose, stepping a little further forwards until the two of you were mostly out of sight of those at the party. He shifted before crouching down, sitting on his ass in the grass. He didn't seem to care too much about any dirt getting on his fancy clothes, though you didn't feel the same, and remained standing.
"Do you want to talk about it?" You asked and he hesitated, unsure if he should. You frowned and crouched down in front of him, easing yourself into a squat as you reached out to touch the top of one of his large hands, as if to encourage him. He tensed under your touch and then dipped his gaze, his cold eyes seeming deep and sombre.
"This banquet is stifling. It's too much," He muttered. "Playing tricks for nobles in front of so many...I have had to partake in many little dinner parties of the same vein, but never to this degree. I am feeling...overwhelmed and tired."
"I'm sorry," You sighed. "I wish there was something I could do."
"I am like a bird trapped in a cage," Ralt dipped his head lower, his voice quiet and soft. "But in these quiet moments I feel at ease. You are...a good listener, Thep."
"I...thank you." You smiled awkwardly and Ralt reached out with his hand, moving it towards your chest and up to your cheek. The rough, rugged pads of his palms pressed to the $skin on your cheek and against your flesh, and you could feel the heat coming off of them. He shifted and leant your head inwards so that you could press your cheek firmer to his palm and Ralt grumbled, low and deep. He looked like he wanted to do more, but he instead pulled back, shifting and suddenly getting to his feet.
"I should go." He suddenly insisted, and you shifted into an upright position, about to tell him to stay. Before you could, however, he moved past you and headed back the way you two had came. As he walked back towards the banquet, he lingered, glancing at you out the corner of his eye, before heading towards the banquet hall.
You lingered for a little while longer and watched, your expression wistful, before heading there yourself. You're sure that you've made Ralt see you more favourably from your little talk-- or perhaps you already did.(set:$RalSway to it + 40)](else:)["I am well." He brushed off your question and didn't want to explain himself any further. You could tell he was merely lying to you, but you pushed it to the back of your mind and decided it was better not to pressure him. Instead, you changed the topic to something that he might enjoy.
"If you don't mind me asking, could you tell me a little bit about your people?" You asked. "I know very little about the Raltandair...I'd love to learn, if you have the inclination to do so."
Ralt stared down at you with a surprise of surprise and delight, and he shifted on the spot, taking a seat on the grass despite his clean, fancy clothes. You didn't feel inclined to do the same, but he didn't seem to mind. He seemed to be lost in thought for a moment as he tried to decide where to begin, and you opted to ask some questions instead, to help to direct him a little.
"Why don't we start with you?" You suggested. "How does one become the leader of their people? Was there some kind of criteria you had to fulfill?"
"That is a simple answer," He began. "Candidates were selected to be leaders, and I was one of them. My father was a powerful warrior amongst our people and everyone knew his offspring would be a good choice for their new leader, so my birth was inevitable. The actual process of picking which candidate the best is just a trial by combat...when we become of age, we fight-one another until the other yields...very rarely does one yield."
"So you're saying some had to die, because they wouldn't give up?" You asked, and he grimaced, unsure what to say. You could only assume from his silence that your guess was correct. Ralt didn't look too sombre about it, but you had to wonder if it was a sore subject for him. However, before you could ask, he continued.
"That's essentially it," He explained. "When I am dead and in the ground, they will begin a new selection of candidates."
"So are there always candidates around?" You asked. "If they only waited until you were...well, dead, then there could be years without a leader."
"That's smart of you to think so, and you'd be right," Ralt nodded sagely. "They regularly have candidates made, created, and if the time comes when they're not needed, they still make fine warriors...and so the cycle continues."
Ralt slowly rose from his seated position and sighed, lowering his gaze before snapping it back up to your own. He stared, lingering for perhaps a little bit more than necessary, before he turned on the spot.
"I should go back inside, I've no doubt they are looking for me," He muttered. "Thank you...for at least asking about my people. I can't say that many here actually want to hear it, so...I very much appreciate it."
With that, Ralt trudged off, heading back the way you two had come and heading into the banquet hall. You lingered outside for a little while longer, mulling over the implications of Ralt's past and his current leadership over the Raltandair. One thing was for sure, even if you were uncertain about everything else-- Ralt definitely looked at your more favourably.(set:$AloneRal to 1)(set:$RalSway to it + 20)]]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")["Lord Dawson," You began anxiously. "If you're so inclined, if perhaps you feel stifled, do you want to go for a walk? Perhaps we can take a walk somewhere."
(if:$BerSway is >=100)["...Very well." This time, he did not insult you for your status, and instead merely agreed.](else:)["With a common like you?" He scoffed, turning away from you before sighing. "...Very well, if we must."]
You reached out your hand, but instead of putting it into yours, he turned your hand around and slipped his underneath, taking the lead despite your offering. With a smirk, he pulled you along by the hand across the banquet hall and towards the far end, near to the doors that led towards the corridors beyond. He stepped beyond them with you, taking you from the banquet itself and out into the quiet corridors beyond-- a couple of people were walking around outside them, but for the most part the two of you had some peace and quiet there.
Berlis led you further, though he avoided taking you into the restrictive wings of House Dawland out of respect. Instead, the two of you walked into a room that looked to be some kind of meeting room. It was furnished out like a living room, but it was the combination of a small coffee table sat between two long couches adjacent to a fireplace that made it look as if it were the perfect place for dukes and important nobles to meet and discuss matters over tea. Berlis ushered you inside and closed the door, and he strode towards the nearby couch and sat down, sighing as he relaxed against the plushness of it. You hesitated, before walking over to join him-- he surprisingly didn't make a fuss when you sat next to him.
(if:$BerSway is >=175)["So..." You began, expecting to have a friendly conversation about Berlis's role as the Head of his House. However, before you could even ask your question, Berlis began to move. He shifted closer to you, scooting across the couch and reaching his hand out towards your leg. He pressed his bare, scaled hand against your clothed thigh and squeezed as his shoulder bumped with yours, and you became vividly aware of the proximity between the two of you.
"L-Lord Dawson, what are you doing?" You quietly asked, hesitating as Berlis's hand sunk inwards, groping along your inner thigh. His scaled head neared towards your neck and he brushed his maw against the $skin on your neck. You couldn't help but quiver from the sensation, and at your reaction the reptile chuckled, his throat vibrating with a lusty hum.
"You like that, you dirty little commoner whore?" He whispered and you tensed from his words. He sensed your unease and growled playfully, parted his lips to nip at your flesh beneath your $skin.
"What's the matter?" He murmured. "This is what you wanted, isn't it? Why else would you ask me to come alone?"
"I...just wanted a conversation..." This wasn't the way you were planning for this conversation to go, but this also aided your mission, despite the reptile's forwardness. You reached out to touch his leg and he sunk into you, his hand trailing from your inner thigh up towards your crotch. You felt the coolness of his hand on your package through your trousers and you sucked in a breath, instinctively cocking your head to the side to expose your neck more.
"Do you want it?" He hissed, deliberately flexing his fingers around your most intimate spot, and you shuddered, squeezing your legs together. "I want you to beg for it."
"P...Please..." You murmured, doing as he commanded. You felt the wetness of his tongue against your neck, deliberately teasing you, before the reptile abruptly stops. He pulled his hand back along with his head and smugly got to his feet, looking you up and down. You were, admittedly, a little flustered by his forwardness.
"Keep that energy for next time," He smirked. "I do love an attentive little slut."
"W--" Before you could even ask what the hell he meant, Berlis turned and strode right for the door, saying nothing as he left and returned to the party. You could only assume that he'd done that just to tease you, and probably to gauge your own interest in him. Yet in turn, you were sure if his interest in you with his antics, too.
You sat there for a little while longer, processing the information, before you returned to the party.(set:$BerSway to it + 40)](else:)["So..." You began awkwardly as Berlis lounged back, cocking one left over the other. "What's it like, being the Head of your House? Other than the enormous wealth, of course..."
"Of course you wouldn't know, being so poor and..." Berlis gestured loosely to the entirety of you, and you tried not to take it to heart. "But I would say it's an exhausting endeavour. You're not only managing your own family, but the several other locations and properties you won. Some of the busywork is dealt with by hiring retainers and vassals, and having accountants and so on...but those become a drain on the funds."
"You make it sound as if the wealth you have is...very limited?" You frowned and Berlis glared at you for a moment, before he sighed. You were doing your best to act naive so that he wouldn't be angry at you-- it was thankfully working.
"The Dawson estate has dipped both in influence and power over the last 20 years...though it still retains a foothold," He remarked. "We used to be the more influential house in Gromarch once upon a age, but new houses rose and some fell...it is the way of the world, and I won't let it dissuade me from bringing House Dawson back into prominence."
"I see..." You hummed. "How do you plan to do that, if you don't mind me asking?"
"It's simple, really," He continued. "Firstly, it's none of your business, and secondly, how do I know you're not a spy? Such secrets of how to raise my House to power could easily be given to someone else to thwart my plans."
"Ah, well..." You gulped. "I am just a commoner, as you said."
"Yes...a commoner with a lot to gain and very little to lose...other than your own life, of course," Berlis surmised. "So it would stand to reason that someone like you could very easily make quite a living off of getting into the good books of nobles, wouldn't it?"
"I..." You began, but before you could explain yourself, Berlis got to his feet. He seemed smug as he looked down at you.
"Mull on that one a little bit," He smirked. "I'm going back to the party for now. And have no fear-- I trust that you probably don't have the stomach to be a spy. I'm merely jesting with you...though my belief on sharing secrets remains firm."
You hesitated before slowly nodding your head in acknowledgement, not wanting to pry any further. Berlis seemed pleased with you and turned, heading out of the room and into the corridors beyond. With a sigh, you leant back and mulled over what he had said for a while. Though the conversation had taken a turn you weren't expecting, you were fairly sure that Berlis saw you at least a little more favourably.(set:$BerSway to it + 20)]]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")["It's quite the party, isn't it?" You remarked. "Did you father plan all this?"
"Of a sort..." Duldes hummed. "It's more likely the work of my mother. She always enjoyed organising events like these, down to the choice of tablecloth."
"Well...it's good to find one's passion, is it not?" You were merely trying to strike up an idle conversation with Duldes, and for the most part it was working-- but you intention of the conversation wasn't for it to reach a conclusion, but for you to gauge his reaction to a touch, of which it could be any. You merely had to wait for the right moment...
"Passion is not the word I'd use," The hyena pursed his lips, idly fumbling with the glass in his hand. "I would rather guess that it's yet another method of control for her."
"Control...?" You tilted your head to the side and Duldes looked down at you for a moment, unsure if he should even say, by the looks of it. He eventually sighed and continued.
"My father holds an iron grip over his own estate and fortune...to the point where my mother isn't allowed even a house to herself or her servants. Of course she owns jewellery, but much of it is purchased for her...so for her and her tight leash, being able to organise things to her own specifications is yet another way she can enjoy her life." He explained, and you were silently surprised at how candid he was-- though you couldn't muster much sympathy for the 1% of the nation who ruled over others with money and manipulation...but you kept that thought to yourself.
"You must care for her dearly." You solemnly spoke, and seized the opportunity to reach out your hand, and you placed it upon his upper arm, giving him an encouraging, sympathetic squeeze. You weren't sure how Duldes would react to the touch, but you hoped it'd be favourable.
(if:$DulSway is >=50)[Duldes glanced to you for a moment, but he surprisingly didn't move away. You can only assume he didn't mind you putting your hands on him, and ultimately the place you were touching him wasn't exactly inappropriate. Since he didn't react badly, you adjusted and affirmed your touch, sinking your fingers against his doublet and accentuating the sympathy you were putting across.
"I suppose..." He continued, sounding a little awkward. "Well, if I had to choose between my mother and my father, I'd choose my mother. Both are not perfect people, but..."
"You sound like you dislike your father a lot." You surmised and he lowered his gaze, slowly nodded.
"One can't help but dislike the man who shaped his very image into...this." He rolled his shoulders and shifted, moving his arm enough to force you to let go-- though it didn't seem intentional, at least not to you. You tried to pay it no mind as you mulled over Duldes's words, wondering what he meant. To you, it sounded self-depreciating, but Duldes didn't seem like the type...but perhaps you didn't know him as well as you thought you did.
"I appear to have sullied the conversation somewhat," Duldes wryly pointed out. "Perhaps for now, I shall retire to the buffet table and collect my thoughts, if you don't mind."
"Oh, of course not. Go right ahead, Your Lordship." You bowed respectfully and with a nod, Duldes turned and headed across the banquet hall, the two of you separating. You watched him go, deep in thought, wondering how to crack the enigma that is Duldes Dawland. With a sigh, you returned back to mingling, hoping that you conversation had at least granted you some rapport with the man.(set:$DulSway to it + 20)](else:)[Duldes looked down at you and towards his hand, before very obviously stepping away from you, enough so that you had to drop your hand or risk looking strange by closing the distance. It was obvious he didn't want to be touched.
"Yes, well..." He continued, frowning at you. "I suppose."
"I'm sorry," You bowed your head. "I feel as if I have made you uncomfortable."
"It's common etiquette to keep one's hands to themselves when engaging in conversation," Duldes reminded you. "Especially considering we barely know one-another."
"Yes, you're right. I'm sorry." You retreated, realising that you'd maybe made him feel awkward. Duldes made no attempts to try and get you to stay and you turned, heading back into the crowd of nobles before you could make things any worse.
You were sure he didn't have a bad opinion of you because of it, but you're sure that some nobles saw what you had done. You didn't want to see their stares, however, and merely returned to mingling, a little disheartened.(set:$Havoc to it + 10)(set:$HavocG to it + 10)]]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")[Sat seemed like the kind of man who didn't mind the odd touch, so gauging his reaction seemed easy, at first glance. It was to that end that you decided to take the risk and see what happens, but in order to do so you'd need a good way to segue into it; a conversation would help.
"So...is Lord Carein at the party with you tonight, Sat?" You asked, peering out over the crowd. "I don't see him...ah, but then again, I don't know what he looks like."
"Oh!" Sat smiled. "He's right over there."
Sat turned and pointed across the banquet hall, and you shifted to his side to get a look. You squinted in the direction he was pointing and hummed, realising that Sat's sense of direction is poor, and that there are also way too many nobles in the direction he's pointing for you to tell which one he's indicating to.
"You do realise I don't know what he looks like, don't you?" You pointed out, and Sat faltered for a moment, before he chuckled.
"Sorry," He pointed again. "He's the, um...the peacock. Do you see him? Blue clothes..."
Shifting, you seized the opportunity to reach your hand out and place it on his shoulder, as if you were using him to boost yourself up a bit or just generally steady yourself. You made a point of deliberately flexing your fingers against his body and wondered how he might react to such a thing.
(if:$SatSway is >=50)[Sat didn't bat an eye at your touch and even lifted his shoulder a little to give you a bit more height. You didn't push things further by moving your hand or squeezing any tighter, however-- the fact that he was fine with was good enough for you.(set:$SatSway to it + 20)](else:)[A few seconds after you'd touched him, Sat deliberately and instinctively ducked his shoulder and caused you to briefly stumble, loosing your balance as he shifted away from you. Though Sat didn't say anything about it, you could tell that he was uncomfortable with what you did, and a pang of guilt rushed through you. Your weird stumbling caught the eyes of a couple nobles, and you hoped they'd say nothing about it to others.(set:$Havoc to it + 10)(set:$HavocG to it + 10)]
"Ah, I see him." Sure enough, from where you were standing you could see the striking combination of yellow and orange, bright like the sun, and the peculiar head-feathers that attributed to a peacock, along with those flowing tail feathers that draped across the floor, occasionally stiffening to hover a little above the ground. You could see that quite a few people were giving him a wide berth near the back to avoid stepping on his feathers-- you had no doubt that one would receive incredible punishment for stepping on them.
"He's..." You weren't sure how to express what you saw, and you saw the peacock turn, revealing dazzling green eyes, like emeralds.
"Beautiful?" Sat sounded a little wistful, then caught himself. "He certainly has some charm, but I imagine most nobles do...do you want me to introduce you?"
"Oh, no," You assured him. "I imagine my status does not put me on equal footing with Lord Carein...and I imagine he's busy."
"Are you sure? He's a nice man, truly." Sat looked at you, almost pleading, and you raised your hands in surrender.
"I'm sure." You insisted, not wanting to burst the avian's bubble of how corrupt Lord Carein probably was. Sat smiled wryly but didn't pressure you further. He looked back over towards the peacock and you peered over at well, the both of you seeing the peacock looking in your direction. He gestured, and it was clear he was calling Sat over. The avian bowed to you briefly and smiled, before excusing himself. You watched him go and saw the two of them talking, and it seemed like Lord Carein was introducing him to other nobles.
You left him to it and returned to mingling, hoping to have gained some rapport with Sat, regardless of his reaction. Whether you did or not, you can't say.]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")["Ralt," You began. "How are you feeling? Are you enjoying yourself?"
You realised that such a question was a little silly to ask in the case of Ralt, but you had a reason for doing so that was predominantly to do with your goal. You wanted to touch him, though not in any inappropriate manner-- rather, the intention was to see his reaction, whether it was favourable or not. At your question, Ralt visibly grimaced, and you knew why.
"It's going fine." His words and his expression didn't quite match up, but you didn't press for him to be honest. You instead smiled empathically and he looked down at you with his cold eyes, showing no real positive emotion. They smouldered, like blue flames.
"I'm sorry," You glanced away, playing the part of a sympathetic man. "I realise in hindsight that it must be a difficult question for you."
"I can only presume then, that you've seen me around the banquet." The bear surmised and you nodded, agreeing with him. With a hum, Ralt looking down at his fancy doublet and pants, irked at the sight of them. You couldn't blame him-- they looked rather stifling.
"I've seen the way they treat you." You murmured. "It's cruel...I wish I could help you in some way, but I have no status or influence to speak of."
"I appreciate the sentiment." Ralt dryly responded, as if he'd heard those very words before. You seized the potential opportunity to show some empathy whilst getting what you want and you reached out, aiming for his arm. You curled your $skinned fingers around his thick limb and squeezed, hoping it would soothe him a little-- though ultimately, you just hoped he wouldn't pull away.
(if:$RalSway is >=50)[Ralt hesitated and tensed, but he didn't pull away or do anything else and instead lowered his head, grumbling from the touch.
"Thank you for your sympathy." He muttered, but it didn't sound like he appreciated it all that much. You squeezed your hand against his arm again, before pulling away-- you'd gotten the reaction you wanted, so it wasn't a good idea to push it further.
"I simply believe people should have more compassion." You insisted, and Ralt scoffed, raising his head.
"If only other shared your ideals," His expression darkened before he shifted on the spot, glancing to the side. "The bathroom calls for me, so I will go...but it was nice talking to you."
"You too." You beamed and Ralt stared at you for a moment, before his own muzzle stretched into a small smile. He turned and plodded off, and you watched his tall, intimidating body saunter away towards the other end of the room.
You lingered for a moment longer before you returned to mingling with guests.(set:$RalSway to it + 20)](else:)[Ralt lingered for barely more than a few seconds before he pulled back, looking both uncomfortable and also perturbed by your reaction.
"I cannot tell if you are making a fool or me or being condescending." He muttered, and your eyes widened in response-- this is not how you were expecting things to go.
"Not at all, Ralt," You insisted. "I just wanted to console you."
"We barely know one-another, so please keep your hands to yourself." He insisted, and you lowered your gaze, realising that you'd made things worse. With a sigh, Ralt looked away and when you raised your gaze back up to him, he looked strangely guilty for his reaction, which caught you by surprise again.
Before you could ask him if he was alright, or even apologise for what you did, Ralt shifted and turned, wordlessly stepping away from you and into the crowd of nobles, who parted to let the hulking creature pass. You watched him go with a feeling of guilt growing in your gut, and nearby nobleman looked at you with a mixture of amusement and disdain, for reasons you could easily guess.
With a sigh, you returned to mingling, aware that rumours would spread.(set:$Havoc to it + 10)(set:$HavocG to it + 10)]]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")["Lord Dawson," You bowed to the reptile and smiled, trying to be respectful. "If you don't mind, could I ask about the others that live in your house?"
"That's...a very direct and personal question," Berlis pointed out, then sighed through his nose. "But knowing my relatives is mostly public knowledge...so you may."
"You say you are the Head of the House, correct?" You continued, with his approval. "Do you...have a wife? Children? What about your parents, or siblings?"
"Well..." He began, a little surprised by your bombardment of questions. "I have no siblings to speak of, and my father has long since passed...but I am happily married, yes, and my mother is very much alive."
"No siblings?" You blinked. "I'm surprised. Isn't having many heirs quite common in noble houses?"
(if:$BerSick is true)["Yes, well...I believe you already know." Berlis didn't elaborate further, but you understood.](else:)["Yes, well...I did, but not anymore." He didn't elaborate further, and you knew better than to pry.] You felt bad for bringing it up, but this seemed like the perfect opportunity. Though you were perhaps being a little forward, you reached out and placed a hand on Berlis's shoulder, your expression that of sympathy as you squeezed his shoulder.
"I'm sorry," You began. "I shouldn't have brought it up. I (if:$BerSick is true)[realise it is a](else:)[didn't realise it was a] difficult subject for you, Lord Dawson."
How Berlis would react next was critical to your plan, and you held your breath a little, watching.
(if:$BerSway is >=50)[Berlis visibly hesitated, looking as if he wanted to pull away from your touch, but he relented in his thoughts and appeared to choose to stay. Aware that lingering much further may be pushing the reptile's boundaries, you eventually loosened your hand his shoulder and smiled wryly. He did not reciprocate it.
"I appreciate your compassion...even if it's not necessarily." Berlis sounded both incredulous and genuine, and the only reason you could think as to why was simply that he was putting on a front whilst feeling genuinely appreciative-- however, you had a feeling he'd insult you if you pointed that out, so you held your tongue.
"Think nothing of it, Your Lordship," You insisted, bowing respectfully. "I only wanted to ease some of the burden you're carrying."
"...You certainly know how to grovel, that's for sure." Berlis surmised with a small smirk-- though he was directly insulting you, he didn't seem to mind your mannerisms. You straightened yourself up as Berlis looked out over the banquet hall, focusing his attention on a few respectful nobles some distance away, as if he were picking out his prey.
"I'm going to go," He told you rather matter-of-factly, not even looking at you as he did so. "But...thank you for the conversation, I suppose."
"Anytime." You murmured, watching as he hummed his approval of your response before wandering off, walking like a man with purpose in the direction of his 'target'. You had to wonder what he intended to do, and as you watched from a distance you saw him bow and greet a noblewoman, kissing the back of her gloved hand and exchanging in pleasantries. You lingered in your spot for a little while longer, watching him mingle, before you turned away and did the same yourself. It was a peculiar conversation, but Berlis seemed more pleased with you than before, at least.(set:$BerSway to it + 20)](else:)[Berlis hummed something akin to agreement, but he roughly and abruptly shrugged his shoulder to the side, forcing you to let go of him. He didn't appear to like being touched, and when your gaze met his that assumption was confirmed.
"I appreciate your sympathy," Berlis began in a sarcastic tone. "But I shall not accept that sort of behaviour from a complete and utter stranger."
"Ah...my apologies, Lord Dawson," You bowed respectfully. "I was merely being compassionate. I understand all too well what the loss of a sibling feels like."
"Do you, now?" He grunted. "Then you should know better than to bring up old wounds."
"Of course." You were lying through your teeth, naturally, but he didn't need to know that. You kept yourself bowed and heard him sigh, clearing his throat.
"I...accept your apology. You may rise." He commanded and you obeyed, straightening yourself up. He looked you up and down for a moment before rolling his eyes and turning to the side. He quickly and politely excused himself before making his way across the banquet hall, leaving you alone. Nearby nobles stared and muttered about you, and you tried your best to ignore them as you headed in an opposite direction, giving Berlis time to cool off.
You plan hadn't quite worked out, and you had no doubt little rumours would spread about you, but your quick apology and respect seemed to not make things worse, at least.(set:$Havoc to it + 10)(set:$HavocG to it + 10)]]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")[You couldn't think of a more stupid thing to do than to directly insult Duldes's bloodline right in front of him, yet for some reason you felt compelled to do so anyway. Well, it was your funeral if it went badly.
"I must say, Lord Dawland, your family sure knows how to throw a party," You remarked. "And yet..."
"And yet, what?" Duldes hesitated to ask, and though it was a bad idea, you swallowed your nerves and continued.
"And yet, I'm surprised at how such a corrupt House can attract so many nobles..." You explained. "Though it shouldn't surprise me all that much, given Jurn Dawland's history, and the kind of aristocracy Gromarch is home to."
"What are you implying?" Duldes asked, his tone firm and his jaw set, and you could feel yourself withering under his gaze.
"I've heard many a tale about Jurn Dawland," You continued, trying to keep your expression composed. "How his rise to power was based in blood, amongst other things...there's quite a few rumours on the wind about his escapades with both men and women alike, so I have to wonder exactly how much of his power is attributed to the use of his hands and mouth..."
You haven't known Duldes for long, but he seemed like the type of man who disliked his father-- the way he stood at the side of the room, away from the party in an effort to avoid mingling, often gave you the impression that he didn't want to be there. In hindsight, that could have been down to social anxiety, amongst other things, for you weren't expecting the hyena's reaction to be so unfavourably inclined.
"Excuse me?" Duldes looked surprised at first, as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing, before his face rapidly soured and his hand clenched tightly around his glass, threatening to break it.
"Please," He continued. "Explain to me why you think insulting my House, my family, and by extension me is a good idea. I'm waiting."
"W-Well..." You were beginning to regret your actions. "You don't seem to like you father, a--"
"You don't know the first thing about me. We've only just met tonight," Duldes pointed out with a hard stare and a pursed muzzle. "Let me make something clear before you continue-- to insult House Dawland is to insult not only me, but the majority of Gromarch. I would suggest you reconsider whilst you have the chance."
"...My apologies." You knew better than to fight an uphill battle-- plus, you had a feeling that if you upset Duldes any more, there'd be more at stake than just your rapport with him.
Duldes regarded you coldly, his fury barely restrained, before he wordlessly turned on a heel and strode off into the crowd, moving as far from you as possible. Nearby nobles were less than quiet when discussing you 'idiocy' and your face burned with a mixture of shame and guilt.
Rather than make matters worse by chasing him down, you left him to cool off and went in the opposite direction, hoping that the further you walked from the incident, the less you would be talked about...but you're fairly sure that they will talk about you, one way or another. (set:$DulSway to it - 20)(set:$Havoc to it + 30)(set:$HavocG to it + 30)]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")["How are you enjoying the party, Sat?"
"Oh, it's quite something." The avian mused aloud, looking around him. "I've been to fancy dinners and small affairs, but something of this scale is quite exciting, is it not?"
"Yes..." You lowered your gaze. "Ah, if only it wasn't held by House Dawland, I suppose..."
Sat was a military man, loyal to Lord Carein-- you weren't sure if he'd take took kindly to you insulting Jurn Dawland and his family, for the avian felt like something of an enigma when it came to his priorities. For reasons unknown, however, you felt compelled to try, if only because you wanted to see how he'd react...you just hoped it was favourable, for the sake of your mission.
"W...What do you mean by that?" Sat asked, and his expression was surprisingly hard to read. You hestiated, before a wry smile crossed your features.
"Well, let's just say that House Dawland doesn't exactly have the best reputation when it comes to informal gatherings like this," You began. "I'm sure you know all too well, considering you're from House Carein."
"I..." Sat glanced awkwardly around him for a moment. "Thep, with all due respect...is that the kind of shit you should be spouting out in the open like that?"
"Think nothing of it, Sat," You insisted. "There's plenty of nobles around here that don't like House Dawland, I'm sure..."
"B-But still!" Sat insisted, and with a smile you slowly approached, getting close enough for you to be able to speak a little lower without you attracting the attention of nearby nobles.
"Do you dislike House Dawland, Sat?" You asked him. "If you ask me, they're a bunch of corrupt, no-good crooks...and noticeably, I've heard that Jurn Dawland made his way to the top using some rather unsavoury methods."
"This...feels like an insult," The avian whispered. "Are you insulting them?"
"Subtly," You smirked just a little. "Does that bother you?"
"Well...a little," He admitted, shuffling awkwardly on his feet. "I am a soldier, Thep. I'm loyal to my country and, well...House Dawland has supplied quite a lot to the Gromarch military."
"I suppose..." You sighed through your nose. "I shall refrain then. Sorry, Sat."
"I'm not so naive as to think that House Dawland hasn't done it's fair share of corrupt things," Sat acknowledged your words. "But I'll admit it makes me a little uncomfortable...I have to admire your brazenness, though. I wouldn't think to say such things, to anyone."
"I guess you can say I'm a little bit of a loose cannon." You chuckled, and Sat couldn't help but grin.
You opted not to make any more complaints about House Dawland in the event you upset him and instead opted to step back, excusing yourself so that you could mingle elsewhere. It would have been ideal to talk with Sat some more, but you had a feeling you would have eventually put your metaphorical foot in things if you didn't take a moment to collect your thoughts. You're sure that you left a good impression with Sat, however, slight as it was.(set:$SatSway to it + 10)]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")[From what you've seen of Ralt in the short time you've known him, he doesn't have a very high opinion of nobles, or of people in general...so it stood to reason, at least for you, that he might react favourably if you tried to insult House Dawland a little bit.
"Are you enjoying the party, Ralt?" You asked him, but you already knew the answer. The creature grunted and shrugged his shoulders, casting his gaze out over the crowd of party-goers beyond.
"It is as I expected," He grunted. "House Dawland knows how to create a party fit to entertain."
"Was it them who invited you?" You asked, and the creature's face soured.
"I was commanded to be here on the order of His Majesty, the King." He explained, and you couldn't help but feel a little bad for him. This seemed like the opportune moment to insult House Dawland and get Ralt on your good side.
"House Dawland is quite the corrupt place, is it not?" Your stepped closer and murmured, barely above a whisper, so that you didn't draw too much attention to yourself. "I've heard quite a few rumours about it's fabled leader, from corruption to more...unsavoury acts."
"I wouldn't put it past them," Ralt wryly and quietly agreed with you. "The Dawlands are generally unsavoury folk. I dislike them, as I do most nobility."
"If you don't mind me saying so..." You continued. "Had you the chance, what would you say to one, if there were no consequences?"
"I'd tell them what a pompous, weak upstart they are," Ralt crouched down low so that he could whisper it without drawing attention. "I'd tell them I could bed their women better, as could their servants."
"That's it? Nothing else?" You chuckled and Ralt's eyes widened, shifting and rising to his feet.
"If I did any more, I'd be no better than the nobles." He pointed out, and you had to admire his restraint-- or was is his morals and ideals? It was hard to tell. You wanted to compliment Ralt on his ability to keep his anger in check, but before you could do so the bear's attention was drawn to something to your right, his left. There stood a few nobles, laughing and gesturing the large creature over, eager for his attention.
Ralt sighed and bowed his head to you in farewell, giving you a small smile before starting to make his way over, and you watched him go, your mind full of questions. However, you wouldn't get the answers just standing there, so you turned and left, returning to mingling. You're sure that your rapport with Ralt has increased, if only a little. (set:$RalSway to it + 20)]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")[Berlis was a noble, and probably loyal to Gromarch. To that end, you didn't have high hopes that Berlis's reaction to you insulting House Dawland would be favourable, but you still felt compelled to try nonetheless, regardless of the outcome.
"Are you enjoying the party, Lord Dawson?" You asked him, bowing respectfully. The reptile blinked at you for a moment before pursing his maw into a thin line. He grunted, shrugging his shoulders.
"It's fine. Why do you ask?" He tentatively asked, and you decided that now was the best opportunity to do what you wanted.
"I was merely wondering," You smiled, keeping your gaze low. "I was just curious as to your opinion of the party...I'll admit that I didn't expect House Dawland to throw something so extravagant without keeping it on a tight leash."
"Yes, well..." Berlis hummed. "I believe that House Dawland knows what are they doing when it comes to making a lavish and enjoyable party."
"Yes..." You continued, straightening yourself up. "But I have to wonder...does House Dawland truly deserver their position? What do you think, Lord Dawson?"
"I think..." Berlis hesitated, and then stepped closer, keeping his gaze low and his voice even lower. "You should be careful what you say in public, $species."
"I'll be fine," You mused, and you couldn't help but smirk at the fact that Berlis didn't really reject nor approve of what you said. "But you didn't answer my question."
"I shouldn't say," The reptile dipped his gaze and then raised it. "But, if you asked me..."
The reptile slowly, subtly shook his head, and you grinned even wider. Berlis made a point of covering his face to hide his chuckle. You thought it would be fun to press further, to really see how far Berlis's opinion of House Dawland was.
"I've heard a few rumours on the wind..." You began. "Of House Dawland's rise to power, how...unsavoury it was. I don't think I'd put it past Jurn Dawland to work his way to the top in that manner, do you?" In fact, given how cruel of a man he appears to be, it wouldn't surprise me if he often weren't on the receiving end..."
Berlis's eyes widened from your comments and he shifted on the spot, taken by surprise. However, he didn't seem offended by your remarks-- rather, pleased, to your surprise.
"I must say, it's very forward of you to insult them like that," He smirked. "I like it. Don't worry, I'll keep my lips sealed...I'd love to see them topple eventually, one way or another."
Berlis then stepped back, not wanting to draw attention to the pair of you too much. He turned his gaze to the nearby nobles, whom were entranced in their own conversations, and after a brief period of hesitation he politely excused himself and wandered off to speak to others, leaving you be. You blew a quiet sigh of relief that things had gone to plan, and that Berlis's opinion of you was now better. You're not sure what you would have done if the opposite had occurred.
You returned to mingling after lingering for a few moments longer.(set:$BerSway to it + 20)]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")[Given Berlis's disposition, you knew you'd struggle to find a good, meaningful romantic gesture that didn't come across as awkward or over the top, or one that he'd even like. However, you did eventually pick something that you would have considered to be the best option, all things considered-- though perhaps a little corny, depending on his opinion. You were eager to try nonetheless. You had already collected it before meeting with him as well, thankfully.
"Lord Dawson," You began, unfurling a parchment from your pocket. "I have a poem here for you...I specifically wrote it for you, do you want to hear it?"
(if:$PoemBer is true)["Another one?" The reptile grimaced, shifting awkwardly on his feet. "How many of these have you written?"
"Only two," You insisted with a sheepish grin. "I promise."](else:)["...A poem?" He asked hesitantly. "By a commoner? Why for me?"
"Just because." You didn't want to elaborate, if only because you didn't want to make him uncomfortable.]
"Well..." He tapped his feet against the ground, eyes glancing left and right. "I'll admit that I do not like being the centre of attention when it comes to...fraternising from a commoner."
"I could read it in private, if you want." You suggested but Ralt continued to shake his head, looking more and more uncomfortable.
"No." He insisted, and you stowed around the parchment away, not wanting to upset him any further, and not wanting to draw the attention of nearby nobles, either. Berlis, surprisingly, looked a little guilty, and he slowly approached, crossing the small distance between you both until he stood right in front of you, mere inches away.
"I do appreciate it though...uh...Thep." He spoke apprehensively, remembering your name. To your surprise, you watched as he reached out and placed his hand on your shoulder, as if praising you. You didn't quite want to tell him how condescending it was, and thankfully Berlis didn't linger for him, eventually pulling back and dusting his hand off on his front, awkwardly smiling at you as his gaze met yours.
"Uh...Thank you." He muttered quietly, and then stepped back, rubbing the back of his neck. You couldn't help but smile just a little bit from his response and the reptile grimaced at your reaction.
"I'll leave you be for now," You bowed. "I'm sorry for making you uncomfortable."
"No, no," He assured you. "It was...very thoughtful. Thank you, again...uh..."
He looked strangely flustered, so you left it at that. With a chuckle, you turned and left, leaving him to mingle as you did the same. You didn't get to give him the 'gift' you wanted but you were at least sure of the fact that he looked at you a little more fondly, peculiar as that was coming from him.(set:$BerSway to it + 30)]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")[Something as simple as a romantic gesture was likely not to sway Duldes much, but you wanted to try nonetheless-- people had a habit of surprising you, so you hoped that extended to the hyena as well.
Firstly, however, you had to figure out a gesture he might enjoy. Of course, something came to mind for you rather quickly-- Duldes was a man of integrity, for what you knew of him, so something that bolstered his dignity would work wonders. You stepped across the room towards the banquet hall and glanced around, hesitating and checking if anyone was watching you. When you were sure no eyes were in your direction, you plucked a series of flowers from one of the many large vases in the centre of the table, spread out across its length. You took about 4 or 5 of them and held them in a bundle, aware that the stems were wet due to them being in water-- however, it was what you needed. Sucking in a deep breath, you turned and stepped across the room towards Duldes.
"Lord Dawland," You began, at first keeping your hand behind your back, the flowers tightly in your grip. "It's a pleasure."
"Yes...I believe your name was Thep?" He looked you up and down, noticing your hidden arm. "...What are you hiding behind your back?"
"Ah, it's just...something for you, Your Lordship." You smiled awkwardly and revealed your arm, holding out the bunch of flowers to him.
For a moment, Duldes said nothing, his expression unreadable, and you wavered slightly on the spot, a little anxious that he was saying nothing. Nobles nearby quietly turned their heads to stare in your direction and you felt put on the spot as they whispered and giggled to one-another. You couldn't tell if they were amused by your little gesture or if they were disgusted that you were even making such a gesture to Duldes, and by extension another man. Such things were often kept private...and something so public was bound to draw heads.
Duldes's expression slowly shifted from what it was to a frown, and he slowly reached out to take the flowers with his gloved hand. He turned his head slightly, nodding his head to a nearby servant, who approached. Duldes wordlessly handed the flowers off to the man, who held them gingerly, bowed and retreated. With a sigh, the hyena brushed his damp glove down his front, and he shifted on the spot, lifting his other hand to take a long and meaningful sip from his glass, swilling the wine around in his mouth.
"Was that meant to be a romantic gesture?" Duldes asked, and you awkwardly cleared your throat, grinning a little.
"It was..." You agreed. "Did you...like it?"
"It's..." He gestured loosely with his free hand. "Not my thing. As much as I appreciate it, I would very much like it if you didn't do that again."
"Oh...my apologies, Your Lordship." You bowed and Duldes regarded you for a moment with his cold, indifferent gaze. He eventually sighed again and turned, not even acknowledging you again as he walked away, heading further into the banquet hall. You lingered by the side, feeling your face warm as nearby nobles tittered and covered their mouths, trying not to openly laugh at you. You knew they'd be talking about it for a while.
You eventually retreated, resigned to the fact that things hadn't gone well-- at least he didn't seem angry with you for it.(set:$Havoc to it + 30)(set:$HavocG to it + 30)]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")[Sat seemed like an individual who'd enjoy a good romantic gesture, bumbling and naive as he was. However, you had a feeling that he might reject it if it were too cheesy, so finding the right kind of gift or gesture for him was going to be a challenge. You did, however, have an idea of sorts.
You'd spent some time lingering around the banquet hall, watching him a little bit. You'd noticed on many an occasion that he'd go to the buffet table and pick out a specific food-- noticeably, some kind of tart that had a berry paste within, and a cherry on top. However, it seemed that those tarts were eaten and emptied quickly, but that didn't surprise you, considering how good the food was at the party. You patiently waited until they brought out another batch, this time when Sat wasn't paying attention, and you made your way over and managed to pluck a few before they were all taken. Holding them in your $skinned palm, you carried them over towards him.
"Sat!" You called, and he turned on the spot to face you, looking from your face to your hands. His eyes lit up at the sight as you approached and you held out your hands for him to take them.
"Here," You insisted as Sat held out his palms to take them in turn. "I got them for you, since you seem to like them."
"Thep! Thank you!" He grinned widely, holding some in his palm and taking one in the other, biting into it. You watched him tilt his head up, clamping back and forth with his beak and swallowed it down after a few moments, enough time to roll the tart in his mouth a little. He hummed with delight and wriggled on the spot, and you had to reach up and cover your mouth to suppress your grin.
(if:$SaRV is 2)["Do you quite like tarts, I assume?" You asked him, and Sat awkwardly smiled, his hands too full for him to nervously fidget.
"I do," He admitted. "(if:$species is "avian")["But it's not because of the berries, as you know...](else:)[But it's not because of the berries, even though we avians enjoy them...]I actually just have something of a sweet tooth. Or, well, beak-- but you understand the expression."
"I suppose that doesn't surprise me," You mused. "I imagine you didn't get many sweets before becoming an adjutant? Sugar is a luxury for nobles."
"Precisely that," Sat seemed happy that you knew what he meant. "I didn't get access to much sugar in the past, and so now I can't help but relish every morsel I get...I quite love them."
"Do you have a favourite?" You asked, and Sat was lost in thought for a moment.
"Toffee," He confirmed. "It's very buttery and sweet, and chewy...I could enjoy it for hours."
A smile traced your lips before you bowed, briefly, and gestured to the tarts in his hand.
"I hope you enjoy these for now, then." You continued, and Sat beamed, popping another into his mouth.
"I will. Thank you, Thep! I really appreciate it." His eyes lit up with delight.
](else:)["You seem quite fond of them." You remarked, and he giggled, wiping his beak with a hand and taking another bite, chewing and gulping thoughtfully.
(if:$species is "avian")["It's the same for you, isn't it?" He smiled. "We avians love berries."
"Well, you're not wrong..." You admitted, rubbing the back of your $skinned head. "But I'll admit you hold much more enthusiasm for it than I do."](else:)["We avians love berries...they're a natural part of our diet." He explained, and you nodded in acknowledgement, a smile creeping up on your face.
"That's fair..." You admitted, rubbing the back of your $skinned head. "But I'll admit you have quite a lot of enthusiasm for it."]
"Well," He began with a chuckle. "In the Laqauin military we never had things like this. I might be an adjutant to Lord Carein now, but I've only been one for a few months...so things like this and all very new to me."
"Well, then I hope you enjoy." You grinned and the avian man's eyes twinkled with a mixture of delight and sheepishness.
"Thanks," He giggled. "And thank you for the treats, I really appreciate it."]
With a grin, you backed up and Sat nodded his farewell at you, turning to talk with some nobles whilst he chewed down the tarts. You smiled and shifted, turning to leave and spending some time to mingle, assured of the fact that Sat looked you considerably more favourably as a result.(set:$SatSway to it + 30)]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")[It was difficult to think of the ideal gift or romantic gesture for someone like Ralt-- your cultures were so vastly different and, for the most part, it felt like anything you could think to give him wasn't going to be enough, or he wouldn't even like it. So, when all else fails, the best thing you could think to do was something a little more personal...and for that, you had just the idea.
"Raltarndarv..." You began with a sheepish smile. "Your braids...they're rather interesting. Are they ceremonial?"
At your question, Ralt instinctively reached up towards his shoulders, where several braids on either side framed his bear-like face, each one meticulously weaved and ending in thick metal bands that kept the fur together. The hair itself was thick and plentiful, and perhaps even coarse and rough.
"Can I touch it?" You asked before you'd stopped yourself and Ralt visibly hesitated, for he hadn't even answered your question. He stared down at you for a moment, before he sheepishly stepped closer and crouched, getting down on one knee and pressing the other to the floor. Nobles turned to look but didn't stare for long as you approached, either disgusted or disinterested by what you were doing.
Reaching out, you trailed your $species fingers along the tip of one of his braids and then slid under it, cupping it in your hand. It was surprisingly weighty to the touch, which was entirely against what you were expecting. The black fur was shiny and rugged, and as you smoothed your thumb across it you could feel every thick hair against your digit. Ralt lowered his gaze as you reached out to hold another, comparing them in your hands. They were almost identical in terms of size, which led you to assume that whoever braided them was quite careful in how they made them.
"They're beautiful." You murmured, and Ralt looked visibly bashful at your words, unsure what to say.
"Thank you," He eventually muttered, keeping his head and gaze low. "And to answer your question, they are ceremonial. My mother used to braid them for me, and now I do in turn. The more braids a warrior has, the stronger they are, so they say."
"So it's a cultural thing? That's quite interesting..." You remarked, counting 3 on either side. "So 6 is...quite a lot?"
"6 is the typical number for the chieftain." He explained, and you nodded along, stroking your hand up towards towards the base of the braids and then across towards his cheek. It was perhaps a risky move, but you curled your fingers against his cheek and sunk your palm deep against his fuzzy fur. Ralt initially tensed, then closed his eyes and seemed to accept your touch-- admittedly, you weren't expecting him to do so, and you had no doubt it was attracting attention.
You touched him for a few breaths longer before pulling back, clearing your throat-- that was getting too intense. As you withdrew, Ralt rose to his feet and adjusted his doublet and trousers, making sure they weren't ripped or worn.
"I'm glad you like them." Ralt looked pleased with your opinion of them and you couldn't help but smile, which only seemed to add to Ralt's mood. He gestured towards the buffet table and then excused himself, though it seemed like he didn't want to leave. Regardless, he did, and you bid him a quick farewell, sure that you'd seen him later again that night.
You watched him hunch over the buffet table for a moment before you returned to mingling, a smile on your face.(set:$RalSway to it + 30)]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")["Lord Dawland, is your glass running low?" You asked, glancing towards the hyena's drink, and Duldes frowned as he examined his half-full glass. Just as he was about to speak, you took the lead and asserted ahead of him, lifting a hand and snapping your fingers towards a nearby servant, gesturing him over.
"You there," You insisted, gesturing to the man with all the boisterousness you could muster. "Fetch this man a drink. Don't you know who he is?"
The servant faltered and bowed, looking apprehensive as you ordered him around. Of course, the servants wouldn't know you status, but you were still considered a guest-- and your fancy doublet and trousers at least made you look like you were part of a noble house. The flustered servant quickly turned and briskly walked across the banquet hall to get a drink at your request, and you waited, glancing to Duldes. The hyena regarded you with a cold gaze, which was peculiar, but you tried to think nothing of it. The nobles nearby, however, had seen the stunt you'd pulled-- some were impressed, but others frowned at the act. This, however, did not surprise you, for you knew that berating the 'help' was bound to turn heads one way or another.
"What are you doing?" He asked bluntly, and you blinked at him, trying to act all innocent-- you could tell it wasn't working.
"Um..." You frowned. "Whatever do you mean, Lord Dawland?"
"Don't play coy," Duldes pursed his muzzle into a line. "Do you think it amusing to berate and assert yourself upon my family's servants?"
"Well...they are just servants, aren't they?" You should have relented, but instead decided to double-down.
"It's inappropriate." Duldes firmly reminded you as the servant came rushing back, a tray in hand containing two glasses. You plucked one and handed the other over, and rather than make matters worse by berating the servant some more, you instead opted to simply nod you head. The servant blew a visible sigh of relief and bowed his head, before backing away and leaving the two of you to talk.
"Is that so?" You asked, holding Duldes's glass for him as the hyena finished his current one, placing it to the side. With a gold stare, he reached out and took the glass from you, but didn't take a drink from it.
"I'm not sure how familiar you are with noble etiquette..." He continued. "But you are a guest in this house. As such, you have no right to upset the servants of this house."
"Ah, well...my apologies, I did not realise." You knew the etiquette of course, but you were hoping that he would have overlooked it and instead be impressed with your confidence. However, the latter looked to be more true.
Duldes didn't regard you with anything more indifference as he stepped away from you, heading across the banquet hall rather than engage in more conversation. You wanted to talk more, but you figured it'd be better not to chase after him, and instead talk to him later. It didn't go the way you planned, regrettably, and you knew rumours were going to inevitably spread, making thins difficult for you.(set:$Havoc to it + 30)(set:$HavocG to it + 30)]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")["How are you feeling, Sat?" You asked the avian, who smiled wryly in response and shifted on the spot, idly fidgeting his fingers.
"A little peckish, if I'm being honest," He admitted. "But the buffet table is looking quite busy, so I think I'll wait..."
"Wait?" You widened your eyes in surprise. "Nonsense!"
You turned your head and scanned across the crowd until you found a servant nearby, who was serving some other nobles. When he turned his head in your direction purely by chance, you lifted your hand and snapped your fingers, gesturing him over. To your delight, he came right towards you, and you briefly glanced at Sat before addressing the servant directly.
"Do us a favour and get this man something to eat from the buffet table," You commanded. "And try to pick something good, if you can manage that."
"Uh..." Sat began, but the servant had already fervently bowed and backed out, heading towards the table posthaste. The avian looked uncomfortable as the two of you watched the servant move around the table, placing treats and appetizers on a silver tray that he'd picked up from the table itself. You watched Sat's expression, and the avian caught you staring-- he met your gaze and then glanced away, unsure what to say.
Of course, you weren't bossing around House Dawland's servants for no reason-- you were hoping to gauge Sat's reaction of your treatment of 'lesser workers', though you had a feeling he wouldn't really like it anyway, given he falls under that category. Eventually the servant came back, his tray full of various foods that were probably too much for just one person to have, and he held them out for Sat to take as he liked. At first, Sat visibly hesitated, and you watched as he hovered his hand over the food, looking both a little put on the spot as well as apprehensive about the selection in front of him. Did he not like what the servant had chosen, or was it something else?
"What's the matter?" You asked, and Sat faltered, glancing at you out the corner of his eye. He cleared his throat and slowly straightened up, parting his beak to speak before closing it again.
"I, um..." He eventually began, the servant keeping his head down. "I'm just now sure if I want anything here, that's all. A lot of it is meat..."
"You fool," You turned to the servant, berating him. "You couldn't even find suitable food for an avian? What kind of servant are you?"
You deliberately raised your voice, though you knew it was a bad idea-- the intent was to harass the 'help', after all. Nobles turned to look in your direction-- some grimaced at your raised voice and others merely looked indifferent, staring for barely a couple of moments before looking away again. You felt a hand on your arm and shifted, glancing towards Sat who frowned at you with an expression you'd never seen on him before.
"That'll be all, thank you," He murmured to the servant, who bowed and backed away with the tray before the avian turned his attention to you. "What was that? This...isn't who I expected you to be."
"They're just servants, Sat," You insisted. "Shouldn't they be doing their job correctly?"
Sat parted his beak to speak and then merely sighed, shaking his head and turning on a heel. Before you could say any more, the avian walked off, leaving you to mull over the mistakes you'd made.
In hindsight, perhaps you shouldn't have done that. No only did you turn heads, but you probably lost a bit of rapport with Sat as a result.(set:$SatSway to it - 20)(set:$Havoc to it + 30)(set:$HavocG to it + 30)]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")["How are you feeling, Ralt?" You asked the bear, and the creature shrugged his shoulders in response.
"I am not unhealthy, if that is what you're asking." He explained. "Though I could do with something to drink other than alcohol."
"Of course." You craned your neck and looked out across the crowd, spotting a servant serving drinks in the crowd. You gestured at him when he eventually looked in your direction, beckoning him over. The servant briskly wandered through the crowd towards you, an empty tray in hand with no drink to speak of.
"What is this?" You demanded, gesturing to the tray. "This esteemed guest wants a drink, specifically water. Go fetch him one. Now!"
You raised your voice just a little as you berated the 'help' for no reason other than to cause a scene. Though it was an inherently bad idea to draw attention to yourself, making the effort to act like a typical noble would, you hope, at least make some people see you favourably-- whether that person was Ralt remained to be seen. The servant quickly bowed, unawares of your lack of status and purely going off your fancy doublet, and he retreated, going to look for you demanded of him. Nearby nobles turned their heads subtly to look over at you, some surprised by your raised voice and others indifferent.
"W...Was that necessary?" Ralt asked quietly as you turned to him, raising your eyebrows in response to his question.
"Did you not think it was?" You asked. "It's their job to serve you and others at the party."
"That I don't doubt, but did you really need to raise your voice and intimidate them?" He questioned with a hard gaze. "I'm sure they would have done what you asked even if you weren't rude about it."
"What is it the Raltandair do? Display their strength?" You countered. "It's the same for nobleman and people with more influence...that's how they display their strength."
"But still..." Ralt didn't look too happy about what you were doing, but he also looked as if he couldn't refute it. Shortly after he trailed off, the servant reappeared with a large tankard that looked more fitting for an inn than a fancy party for nobles. Ralt, however, took it without so much as blinking, and he expressed his thanks to the servant before him, who bowed in response. Ralt took a large drink of the water and lowered the tankard, before regarding you again.
"...I do not believe that ruling over others through fear and anger is strength," He said rather abruptly. "And I know better than to assume such things simply because someone says so."
He looked you up and down for a moment, and his eyes looked strangely cold. With that, he turned and trudged through the crowd, tankard in hand, and you were left to mull over whether you'd overstepped or not. he didn't look particularly happy with you, for sure. You've drawn the ire of some nobles, too...perhaps you shouldn't try this again.(set:$Havoc to it + 30)(set:$HavocG to it + 30)]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")["Enjoying the party, Lord Dawson?" You asked him, and the reptile looked you up and down for a moment, before he sighed.
"Yes, I suppose." He looked like he was in a good enough mood to entertain conversation with you, which was nice-- normally he spewed some crude remarks at you.
"Nothing on your mind? All your needs met?" You glanced down at his hand, where he held a relatively full drink, and the reptile shifted on the spot, glancing towards the buffet table. You followed his gaze and saw how busy it was-- you can only assume he was peckish, but didn't particularly want to approach with it being so crowded. Clearing your throat, you snapped your fingers in the direction of a nearby servant, and you managed to catch his attention rather easily. He made his way over and bowed, greeting the two of you.
"What kind of servant are you if you can't even recognise when a guest wants something to eat?" You demanded of the servant, raising your voice just a little, enough to be both intimidating and assertive. "Go to the buffet table and bring back an array of foods, and be quick about it."
Some nobles looked in your direction, staring for barely a few breaths of time before looking away again, indifferent-- that didn't surprise you, considering that most nobles tended to berate their servants. When you looked back to Berlis, he seemed remarkably pleased; that's just what you were hoping for.
"For a commoner, you can sure play the part of a noble," Berlis smirked. "Who taught you?"
"These are the kinds of things you pick up when you're around parties like these often." You skirted around his question and chuckled as the reptile raised his eyebrow and regarded you for a moment, taking a sip from his drink. Despite not being forthcoming, he still appeared to be impressed with you.
After a small period of time, the servant returned with a full platter of various foods, desserts and treats, and you glanced to Berlis who looked over what was offered without even reaching out his hands-- he merely regarded them coldly, from a distance. You made the assumption that he didn't like what was offered.
"Is that the best you could do?" You exclaimed to the servant, resisting the urge to go all out and knock the tray from the servant's hands. Berlis nodded along with your berating, breathing a sigh as you continued.
"Go back and find something else this instant." You demanded and the servant muttered an apology, retreating and heading back to the buffet table. Berlis couldn't help but smirk, covering his mouth and trying not to laugh.
"Do you plan to berate him some more?" He asked, and as much as it would have probably impressed Berlis to continue, you shook your head and declined.
"I will go and continue mingling for now," You told him. "So I shall bid you farewell for now, Lord Dawson. I hope that you find something you want to eat."
"Yes, I'm sure I will." he hummed, and you bowed in farewell before stepping back, turning around and going back to mingling with other nobles. You've no doubt that you drew some attention to yourself as a result of your 'harassment', but it seemed that Berlis was pleased with you regardless. For that, you were satisfied.(set:$BerSway to it + 30)(set:$Havoc to it + 30)(set:$HavocG to it + 30)]
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<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")["Lord Dawland, you seem to be a little crestfallen...you're not really taking part in the party too much."
Duldes stared at you for a moment before sighing through his nose, reaching up to idly scratch under one eye before smoothing the tufts of fur atop his head back, trying to make himself appear presentable. He smoothed his expression as an ear flicked to catch the nearby sounds of nobles talking, his eyes still fixated on you. For a moment he didn't speak, making you feel as if you'd overstepped, but he eventually sucked in a breath and spoke.
"I am not a huge fan of parties." He admitted, and that's all he said on the subject. You frowned and shifted nervously on your feet, before making a gesture with your hand.
"To lighten the mood, then, do you want to hear a joke?" You suggested, watching as the hyena quirked an eyebrow at your offer. He seemed to mull over the thought for a while before slowly nodding, his eyes attentively fixing themselves on you. He'd taken the bait, so all you needed to do now was come up with a joke that he'd enjoy. You weren't the best comedian in Gromarch, but you came up with something.
"Well...have you heard about those reversible doublets that some people have been making?" You began, and Duldes wordlessly shook his head, waiting for the punchline.
"I'm quite excited to see how they turn out." You continued and paused, hooking a hand under one arm and pushing your hand up to cover your mouth, hiding your smile. For a moment, Duldes said nothing, mulling over your joke. You were worried for a moment that he didn't understand it, but then the hyena sighed, his muzzle twitch slightly as he suppressed a smile.
"That was..." He shook his head. "A very lame joke, if I may say so."
"You wound me, Lord Dawland," You chuckled, and that seemed to lighten Duldes's mood even more. "Another one, then. Who cleans the bottom of the ocean?"
Duldes silence seemed like your cue to continue, and you once again tried your best to keep a straight face.
"A Mer-Maid." You delivered the punchline and Duldes sighed harshly through his nose, turning his gaze from you. You could see the beginnings of a grin spreading across his face and you considered your little jokes a success as a result.
"Those are very much the jokes of a commoner," He remarked. "But they were funny...they have a certain charm to them, I suppose."
"Well, I'm glad you found them entertaining," You grinned, trying to employ your usual charm. "Any instance in which I can get you to smile is considered a success in my book."
"Don't push it." Duldes warned, but you could see him smiling a little bit. You were about to continue the conversation, but a servant came from the side and whispered into the hyena's ear, giving him some important information. Duldes sighed and closed his eyes for a moment, before he nodded to you and excused himself, leaving you to mull over what he had drawn his attention away.
Regardless, you were pleased he enjoyed your little jokes-- and you weren't merely flirting when you said those words before. You went back to mingling, satisfied to have lightened the man's mood somewhat.(set:$DulSway to it + 30)]
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<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")["Sat, you're probably quite the enjoyer of jokes, I presume?" You asked the avian with a small smirk. "I get the impression you enjoy a good joke from time to time, given your background..."
"Well, you wouldn't be wrong." He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Especially in the barracks, there were quite a few raunchy jokes shared here and there. Why do you ask?"
"I just wondered if you might want to share some with me," You offered, gesturing with a hand and shifting on your feet, shoes scuffling against the floor. "I have some in turn that I could tell you."
"Oh!" Sat looked delighted but nervously glanced around him, not wanting to use vulgar words in front of any nearby nobles. He nodded in agreement to your suggestion as he stepped closer, affording you the liberty of being able to speak quieter.
"Shall I begin, then?" Sat asked with a giggle. "They say two men broke into an apothecary and stole some aphrodisiacs. The local guards say to be on the lookout for two hardened criminals!"
You couldn't help but snicker, predominantly because of how silly the childish the joke was, and partly because Sat snickered and covered his beak like a little kid. You hunched over a little bit and Sat did the same, your shoulders bumped as the two of you giggled-- your quiet snickers thankfully didn't draw any the attention of nearby nobles, and so the two of you continued.
"My turn next," You said through a chuckle. "How do you make a billiards table laugh? Tickle its balls."
Your joke had Sat rolled with laughter, but he suppressed it into rough snickers that caused him to keel over slightly and stagger. He was trying desperately not to be loud, as were you, but his laughter was infectious. Someone nearby glanced in the direction of the pair of you, grimaced, and then looked away-- he didn't say anything about it, but you became worried that someone might pay too much attention if you weren't careful. You placed a hand on Sat's shoulder to steady him as his giggles subsided.
"Why did the squirrel swim on it's back?" He continued with yet another joke. "To keep its nuts dry!"
Your $nose erupted into a grin and you covered your mouth as the avian staggered back, slipping a little bit on the smooth floor. You bumped into a nearby noble who turned, his eyes wide with surprise and anger, and Sat raised his hands, apologising profusely to the man he'd bumped into. The nobleman thankfully didn't make a big fuss of it and instead stepped a little further away, casting one final glare before he left the two of you to it. You chuckled awkward as Sat sighed, straightening himself up and calming himself down.
"I think that's enough of that," He chuckled. "Those jokes always delight me, but fuck, they make me laugh too much. I'd rather not cause a scene."
"I understand." You nodded to him with a smirk. "I'll leave you be for now, Sat, so you can calm yourself down a little. I'm a little peckish away, so I will adjourn to the buffet table."
Sat grinned and he bid you a brief farewell, though you had no doubt you'd see him later into the night. You headed off for the direction of the buffet table, assured of the fact that you and Sat's friendship had grown a little closer.(set:$SatSway to it + 30)]
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<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")["Ralt, do your people tend to swap jokes with one-another?" You asked the creature, who blinked down at you and mulled over your words for no longer than a few breaths, if that.
"We have jokes, yes," He explained. "Though I'll admit we do not have many of them. There used to be quite a lot of time for pleasantries and laughter, though not so much anymore..."
"Ah...yes, of course," You hadn't forgotten the plight his people were in but you hoped it wouldn't put a dampener on things. "Well, do you want to exchange some jokes, then?"
"Alright. I'll start," Ralt rather abruptly said, a smile crossing his features. "Why didn't the skeleton climb the mountain?"
"Hmm...why?" You leant back, folding your arms, and Ralt seemed to smile even wider at the fact that you didn't know.
"He didn't have the guts." The creature snorted and it took you only a moment to understand his punchline, a grin crossing your features. You weren't sure what kind of jokes Ralt would have, but you didn't expect them to be so corny. It was endearing, in a way. The two of you chuckle and you adjusted the leg you were resting on.
"That was good," You remarked. "I wasn't expecting that kind of joke from you."
"It was a favourite of my father's." He explained, and you nodded, understanding.
"I'll share one, then," You grinned. "Why do fish live in saltwater?"
"I presume it's to do with how they breathe in the water-- but I don't know, because I only eat them." Ralt deadpan explained his reasoning and it made you falter, for just a moment, before your cleared your throat to deliver the punchline.
"N-No, because pepper makes them sneeze." You said, and Ralt frowned, staring at you for a moment.
"...I don't get it." He admitted, and you resisted the urge to sigh, wondering how best to explain it.
"So...because it's salt and pepper?" You tried to explain. "So if they lived in pepperwater, they'd sneeze."
"But pepperwater doesn't exist...not in large quantities, anyway. Who would drink it?"
"I...that's the joke, Ralt. It's a play on words."
"Well...it's not very good." Ralt looked like he was pouting-- was he upset that he hadn't gotten the joke at first?
"...I guess it's a difficult joke for you," You excused. "Your people don't really use salt and pepper liberally like nobles or commoners, I suppose."
"I suppose..." Ralt grunted, and he idly scratched his chest, before realising he was still wearing a doublet and hesitated. "...I'm going to use the restroom."
You bid him a farewell, aware you'd see him later, and you watched him go with a frown. That felt a little flat, but it seemed like he had fun...maybe? You couldn't be sure.
You returned to mingling.(set:$RalSway to it + 20)]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")["Lord Dawson, do you enjoy a good joke?"
You question caught Berlis by surprise and for a moment the reptile stared at you, eyes wide, before he smoothed his features over and cleared his throat, tugging at the wrists of his doublet.
"I would say so, yes. Why do you ask?" He demanded to know.
"I just thought you might want to exchange a joke or two," You explained with a half-genuine smile. "You know, just for a bit of fun."
You could see the reptile visibly hesitating before he sighed, making a gesture towards you with a wave and spin of his hand, as if telling you to go first. You shifted on the spot and conjured one of the many already thought-up jokes in your head, which you had memorised prior to arriving that night in the event you'd need them.
"Why did the man hate his job as an origami teacher?" You hoped the joke would be funny, though the art of origami was not well known to most, predominantly because it originated in the Jria Company. Berlis pursed his maw into a line and stared at you, waiting for the answer.
"Too much paperwork," You grinned and Berlis groaned, lowering his gaze and covering his snout with a hand, evidently disappointed in the joke you came up with. "It wasn't that bad, Lord Dawson."
"Wasn't that bad?" He scoffed. "It's very much the kind of joke I expect from a commoner. There's no nuance, no storybuilding...it's quick and simple, like most commoners."
"Can you do better then?" You asked. "I'd love it if you educated me on one of your own jokes."
"Very well," Berlis rose to your challenge. "But you'd better be prepared, for this one will split your sides open. A restaurant critic was leaving one such establishment, disgusted. He turned to the //maître d'hôtel// and said to them, 'Sir, do not expect the highest of marks for your service!'. The other man cried, 'I'm so sorry! What happened?'"
You listened along, wondering exactly what the punchline would be. Berlis was working himself into a half-chuckling state as he told the story, obviously amused by his own joke.
"The critic huffed. He said 'There is a sign in your washroom which clearly states: 'Employees mush wash hands'. Yet, I stood in there for 15 minutes whilst several employees came and went. Not a single one offered to wash my hands!'." Berlis delivered the punchline to his joke with howling laughter and purely by his contagious laugh along did you chuckle along, but frankly...the joke wasn't //that// amusing. It tickled you, for sure, but the punchline was just another play on words like yours-- you had to wonder what made his so much better.
"Quite the joke, isn't it?" Berlis said proudly amidst his chuckles, wiping the tears from his eyes as he puffed out his chest. "Much better than yours."
"Yes, of course, Lord Dawson," You bowed. "Mine was quite lame in comparison."
"Exactly." Berlis grinned, before turning his attention to a nearby noble. He gestured to you, as if in dismissal, before calling out at the other noble and making his way over to them. You couldn't help but feel irritated, but at least your rapport with Berlis was better. You went back to mingling for now.(set:$BerSway to it + 30)]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")[Before you could into a conversation with Duldes, he stopped you.
(if:$DuRV is 1)["We will have to have a conversation another time," He insisted. "I unfortunately have a prior engagement."
"Oh, my apologies, Lord Dawland," You bowed and he waved a hand, gesturing for you to rise. "If you don't mind me asking, what is it about?"
"Well...there's no harm in inviting you to see. Follow me." With a loose gesture, Duldes stepped across the banquet hall and you followed him, all the way past the buffet table towards the doors that lead out to the gardens. Heads turned to watch the two of you walk and you were initially apprehensive, but quickly realised that their eyes were upon the hyena, and not on you. Breathing a sigh, you stepped out into the cold night air with him and rather than approach the pool or the chairs to the left hand side, he instead moved across the stone flooring towards the grass. The light of the banquet hall helped to illuminate the otherwise dark grass and hedges, and you soon realised that there was more to this than met the eye-- notably, you weren't the only one invited to whatever Duldes was planning. Several other nobles lingered and talked amongst themselves, but quietened as the hyena approached. You moved over to join them and they ignored you, for the most part.
Duldes stared down the nobles, and you in turn, before he turned and gestured to a set of nearby servants who quickly bowed and turned, heading behind the hedges in the darkness of the gardens beyond. You had to wonder what they were doing, but you didn't need to wait for long to find out-- from the side of the hedges came the servants once more, this time pushing something along with them: a large, industrial cannon used for warfare. The nobles crooned and seemed impressed with the sight of it, but you couldn't really understand why.
"This here," Duldes began. "Is a rare, mint condition Gilbert and Axwain smoothbore cannon, able to shoot off one of the largest cannonballs you've ever seen. It was made in the height of the war between Altienta and Cambia 30 years ago, and was used as a ceremonial cannon for the coronation of Altienta's current reigning king. It was gifted to my father shortly after his coronation was, in turn, passed down to me-- it's now something of a family heirloom."
You wanted to ask what made it so rare, but a nobleman spoke up before you could get your words out.
"Is that made of iron?" The man gasped, and others audibly sounded impressed. Confusion crossed your features and Duldes seemed to notice.
"Yes," He continued. "For the uneducated...most of these cannons were made out of brass because they were cheaper. Iron, however, is a much more expensive metal-- as such, only one of these were ever made."
You realised now why it was such an important item. Admiration crossed your features as other nobles applauded, and though Duldes seemed to relish their delight, he had no intentions of firing the cannon. He instead let those approach and examine the iron cannon for themselves. You did the same, though you didn't approach the cannon-- instead, you approached Duldes himself. He seemed bemused.
"What do you think?" He asked, and you couldn't help but smile. You bowed respectfully and Duldes didn't try to get you to rise, soaking up your admiration.
"It's quite the spectacle, Lord Dawland-- and it's an heirloom, too? I hope it stays in the family for many generations." You gushed, and Duldes visibly smirked as you straightened yourself, pleased. Before he could say any more, nobles approaches him and got his attention, wanting to know more about this new family heirloom. He excused himself from the discussion you two were having to answer their questions, his ego fueled by their admiration and interest.
You decided to leave him be for now and stepped away, heading back towards the party. At least Duldes seemed happy with your attention, which was the ultimate goal.(set:$DulSway to it + 40)](else:)["Sorry," He raised a hand and then gestured. "But I'm just about to have a conversation with these fellows."
He gestured specifically to a small group of nobles who were expectantly standing nearby. Though you know that Duldes didn't ask, you decided to make your way over to the group and stand near them, hoping to hear whatever tale Duldes was going to tell. The hyena didn't seem to mind, thankfully, and the other nobles didn't care for your presence either. Duldes stepped in front of them, though it wasn't like he was on some sort of pedestal or otherwise.
"I'm not sure why you people want to hear this story, but I shall tell it at your request nonetheless," Duldes began with a sigh, and the nobles near you stood to attention, strangely eager. "This is the tale of how Lady Hruldain attempted to woo me, but only ended up creating the fall of her house as a result."
"It began in the a warm summer some 2 years ago, and as I patrolled the estate of my father's house-- though I suppose it was more akin to a purposed walk-- a noble lady came to the house and requested an audience with me. I had nothing to do for the remainder of that day, so I humoured her. She was a dainty little feline, and introduced herself as Lady Henrietta Elizibeth Hruldain. Of course I immediately recognised her-- even if she had not spoken her name, the crest of her house was emblazoned on a broach that clung to her shawl. When I asked her why she was there, she simply said that she wanted to see me. I didn't trust her."
You listened to his tale and wondered why it was so riveting to other nobles-- perhaps it was the same as reading a raunchy book about love and romance, but a little more personal. You ultimately didn't see the appeal.
"We spoke casually for some time as she asked me all sorts of questions about my life, and it was only polite that I asked the same in kind. In truth, I had very little interest in her: as the youngest daughter of the Hruldain estate, she had very little standing as it was. After some time, she stood to excuse herself and stumbled, collapsing to the floor. I, of course, felt genuine concern, but as I went to aid her, it was clear to me that it was an act-- I've spent more than enough time socialising to know a good play when I see one."
A thought crossed your mind-- exactly how did he bring about to fall of this woman's house, and what was her intentions? This story had a lot of questions, but you had a feeling that the nobles beside you already knew the answers, hence why they didn't say anything. You continued to listen, hoping the story would shed some light on its details in time.
"Though she insisted she was fine and just needed a moment to rest, I made a point of calling my personal doctor to see to her. Of course, my doctor is a solitude man of medicine, but even he can be swayed by a little joke and prank, and with some coins under the table and I set up the act: my doctor, in all his expertise, diagnosed her with having an acute, contagious disease. He signed a letter, gave it to her, and ushered her from the estate posthaste. You should have seen the look on her face-- I'm sure her fur could have turned white!"
A raucous laughter ripped through the listening nobles and you couldn't help but feel slightly nauseous.
"The rest was like clockwork. When her parents read the letter and discovered her disease, she was swiftly and prompted removed from the estate. No-one knows where she is now, but I'm sure she'd been stripped of the family name and is probably out on the streets somewhere...and the House itself, oh dear...once word got out that they had a contagious, infected individual in their household, well...no-one wanted to do business with them. They rapidly fell into decline after only a handful of months and even now they remain in obscurity. Don't worry, I made sure not to invite them."
At the end of his tale, the nobles laughed and talked with each other, smitten by his riveting story of how he destroyed an entire noble family simply because one dared to flirt with him. You were hesitant to approach after the story, but Duldes came to you first. You put on a good front.
"What did you think?" He mused with a smirk. "Quite the tale, wasn't it?"
"Y...Yes, Lord Dawland," You smiled weakly, trying to look like the kind of man who was admiring another. "You sure are a ferocious man-- no woman should ever cross you. Or man, for that matter."
"Yes..." He smiled even wider. "Indeed. But keep those words in mind, $species: I can tell when someone is acting."
With a knowing smirk, he turned and walked past you to mingle with the other nobles, and a chill ran down your spine. You had a feeling you knew what he meant. His words were less than subtle, and yet...why did he not say anything to anyone else? One word and your mission would be over. Was he interested? Amused?
That was something to think about. With that, you returned to mingling, shook to your core.(set:$DulSway to it + 40)]]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")[(if:$SaRV is 1)[You started in on a light conversation with Sat talking about benign things and current events, when a commotion nearby caught the attention of both of you. Nobles frantically parted, startled by something within the crowd, and as first your features were marred with concern. You soon found out what the problem was, however, when the nobles closest to you parted to reveal the source of the ruckus.
From within the crowd approached a small canine, feral in appearance with a mixture of black and brown fur with pointy ears and amber eyes. He made a beeline for Sat in particular, who crouched to greet the dog, the avian's feathers hands smoothing over the dog's back. The animal bore a thick leather collar with a dangling piece of metal bearing an insignia you didn't recognise, but was wearing nothing else-- it looked to be a personal pet, rather than anything like a military animal. The dog bowed its snout and sniffed along the avian's legs and up towards his hip, before turning it's attention towards you, sniffing against your ankles and up your leg. You'd seen this sort of behaviour before, and knew that it was attribute to an inquisitive curiosity that most dogs had.
"Is...he yours?" You asked Sat, who chuckled and shook his head, remaining crouched as he tried to rein the canine in, managing to hook a finger into his collar to keep him close.
"No," Sat explained. "He belongs to my Major...well, former Major. Since becoming an adjutant, he's not longer by superior, as I answer specifically to Lord Carein."
"I see..." You frowned. "So why are you looking after him?"
"The Major and I are close friends," He admitted. "Since moving away from my family, he's been something of a father figure to me when I was training in the barracks. Even now that I have my new position, I meet him regularly. Unfortunately, the Major isn't in good health right now, so he doesn't have anyone to look after his pet...I offered to take him in, for a little while."
"And Lord Carein doesn't mind?" You asked, crouching down and reaching out your hand. The dog approached and sniffed your gloved fingers, before nudging its nose against your palm. You instinctively curled your hand downwards and scratched under his chin, and the dog rested the weight of it's head in your hand, eyes glancing around. It was...cute.
"He has allowed me to do so until the Major is in good health, so long as I take responsibility for his care..." Sat continued. "That does, unfortunately, mean that I had to bring him to the party. I got approval from Lord Dawland before, however..."
"What's his name?" You couldn't help but ask as the canine seemed to have no interest in moving from your palm, content to enjoy the chin and neck scratches.
"Lleywin," Sat grinned. "It apparently means 'like a lion'."
"A good name for a good boy," You murmured, rising to your feet. "I'm glad he's in good hands. It's rare to see someone compassionate enough to care for a friend's animal whilst they're sick."
"A-Ah, well..." Sat looked visibly flustered. "It seems like the right thing to do."
"It's very admirable," You pressed more praise onto him and Sat grew more and more embarrassed. "The more I hear about you, the more I have to admire you."
"S...Shut up." Sat laughed, looking like he wanted to cover his face. You didn't want to make him any more uncomfortable and bowed, making an excuse to leave for now so that he could calm down and tend to Lleywin's needs, for now. You stepped away, heading across the hall.](else:)[You started in on a light conversation with Sat, but before the two of you could get into anything meaningful or before you could try to flirt with him, your conversation was cut short by a number of nobles who approached from the side. Worry crossed your features when they stood in front of the pair of you, but it quickly became clear that they weren't here for you-- rather, they wanted to speak to Sat.
"We've heard tales on the wind from Lord Carein of your many stats, Ipfeld," One of them said and made a gesture. "Could you show us, maybe spin a tale? Talk of war and blood might make this party interesting."
"Oh!" Sat seemed surprised and he awkwardly glanced to you, smiling apologetically, before he did as they commanded. You stepped back to watch, partly because you'd need to give him space to show off and partly because you were also interested to see what kind of scars he had. He was, after all, a soldier before he was an adjutant-- you had to wonder how hardened he was, emotionally and physically. Though the two of you hadn't finished your conversation, you knew he hadn't much of a choice given the status of both of you.
Shifting on the spot, Sat reached down his jerkin, popping the buttons of the front all the way down until he revealed a fairly form-fitting linen shirt beneath, that wasn't as billowy or loose as other nobleman's shirts. The nobles, and you, watched with a mixture of excitement and apprehensiveness as Sat curled his fingers around the hem of his shirt and lifting it up. His stomach was covered in a mixture of white feathers that darkened into brown ones around the side near his ribs and hips, but that wasn't what you focused on-- your eyes instead fell upon the varying scars that covered his stomach and up to his chest. The higher he raised his shirt, the more scars you saw-- they littered his front, some deep and painful-looking and others light, barely noticeable. You had to wonder where else he had scars, and it wasn't just you who felt uneasy.
"So I got this one when I dispatched to Frilmarna," Sat explained, referencing a southern Gromarch city as he dragged a feathered finger along the most prominent scar that cross his chest and down to his stomach. "We had to deal with some civil unrest brought on by a farmer's strike, and whilst we were dealing with that we were ambushed by monsters. The subjugation took quite a few good men, and I barely just made it out with this."
"That's amazing," You marvelled aloud. "How did you even survive? That scar looks...nasty. It was surely quite deep."
"Healing potions can work wonders in a pinch," He joked, but his eyes seemed hard and serious as he pointed to a scar just underneath the main one. "This one was when we were escorting a merchant through a forest and were ambushed by goblins. They nicked me, but there was no casualties."
"So you're quite the fighter then?" One noble chimed in, and Sat grinned.
"I'd like to think so," He twisted on the spot to reveal another scar on his hip. "This one was during a nasty bandit subjugation. We cleared out a camp of them hiding up in the mountains. One of them caught me from behind with an axe, but my armour took most of it, thankfully."
"You're so brave." You remarked, and you saw Sat visibly blush at your remark, before he continued to show off some more. Interest from the nobleman slowly dwindled as Sat revealed each scar, since most of them were simple cuts, scrapes and ambushes. They were probably hoping for more heroic tales, but Sat wasn't much of a storyteller-- all the explanations for his actions were very cut and dry, with no exaggeration or otherwise. They slowly began to disperse and eventually Sat stopped talking about it, feeling a little awkward. He pushed his shirt back down and buttoned up his jerkin as you approached.
"I guess they were expecting more of a fancy tale," He chuckled. "But I'm not really good at that."
"They're still impressive feats all the same, in my book," You gestured to his body, effectively pointing at his scars through his clothes. "I don't think I'd ever have the courage to do that sort of thing. It's really admirable."
"W-Well, thank you, Thep!" Sat beamed and chuckled, looking away from you and rubbing the back of his head. "But I'm just a soldier. It's my job."
"I don't think your job is to take permanent scars," You reminded him. "You should give yourself some more credit."
The avian looked flustered and didn't respond, and you couldn't help but smirk before excusing yourself, making an excuse to go and get a drink or something else. Sat would need some time to cool off from being flattered so much, anyway.]
You returned to mingling for now, amusement still crossing your features.(set:$SatSway to it + 40)]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")[You got into a short conversation with Ralt, and though you were talking about fairly benign subjects-- small talk, if that-- the topic eventually lead into artifacts and magic. You had your reasons for steering the conversation in this direction, but what you didn't expect was for him to have artifacts on hand to show you.
(if:$RaRV is 3)[From within his doublet, Ralt reached inside and pulled out a small telescope that you initially thought was used for naval navigation, but you noticed there were some additional segments on it that could twist and pivot to add more magnification. You tilted your head slightly at the sight of it and Ralt quickly noticed your curiosity. With a quick gesture, he led you across the banquet hall and out towards the gardens, where he stood under the starry sky. He avoided getting close to the seating area or the pool and instead headed towards the grass, and noble heads turned out of curiosity, intrigued by what was in his hand and by extension what he was doing. You followed him along until he slowed to a halt on the grass, looking up at the night sky.
"So...what is that?" You asked, gesturing to the telescope in his hands, and Ralt looked down to it before meeting your gaze.
"It's an astronomer's telescope," He explained. "We didn't have these sorts of things in the village of my birth and people, but I learnt of it once they granted me this...paltry, fake title."
"Ah, I see. So, you took it up? How do you find it?" You asked, stepping a little closer as Ralt pulled one end of the telescope, stretching it out.
"I enjoy it," He murmured. "In my village we used to watch the stars often, but we could never reach them. To be able to see them closer using these tools is...interesting."
Ralt looked up at the dark sky above and then raised the telescope, bringing towards his eye. He gingerly held the instrument at either end and stared, as still as a statue-- he only occasionally moved and adjusted slightly to change his field of vision or look in a slightly different direction, but otherwise stayed quiet and still. You could tell that it was something he was very passionate about, given his eagerness and fixation, and it was endearing to see him so fervent.
"It's nice," You remarked quietly. "Seeing you enjoy it so much."
Ralt hesitated and lowered the telescope, turning to look down at you. His cyan eyes didn't seem too cold now, but rather deep and mournful. His lips stretched into a wry smile and he reached out, holding the telescope in his large palm, outstretched. He gestured for you to take it and you gently took it from his hands-- it felt weighty and cold, the metal clinging on to the chill night wind. You did the same as him and lifted it up, holding the narrow end to your eye and pointing it up at the sky. A smile crossed your face when you were able to see the stars in the sky just a little more closely.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Ralt mused, and you lowered the telescope as you looked over to the bear, grinning from cheek to cheek.
"It is," You handed him the telescope back. "Thank you for showing me-- it was really nice."
Ralt looked a little embarrassed but he nodded, then excused himself, saying he needed to use the restroom. He looked like he wanted to linger a little longer but he did eventually step back and headed back towards the banquet hall. You watched him with a lingering feeling of longing and pity. You couldn't help but feel bad for him in some way.](else:)[From within the confines of his doublet, Ralt reached inside and pulled out what looked to be a tribal headband, from what you could tell. It was too narrow for him to slip around his wrist and he instead dangled it off of one finger, hesitant to part with it but relaxed enough to simply show it off. With your rudimentary skills in magic, you could feel the ebb and flow of the enchantment on the object emanating from it. It tingled your skin and brushed over you like a cool breeze. Ralt sensed your subtle reaction to the artifact, but he said nothing.
It wasn't just you that was intrigued-- others seemed to notice Ralt holding the object and approached, interested to hear about what it was for. Ralt noticed the crowd that was forming and you expected him to feel put on the spot, but he seemed unphased.
"What is that?" You asked him, glancing to the band, and Ralt lifted it up and reached up with his other paw, spreading the band between two fingers. It visibly hummed as it held it horizontally, and other nobles mumbled, awestruck.
"This is an artifact that has been passed down from chieftain to chieftain. It is known as the 'Crown of Kings', though it appears to me to be more like a headband than anything else...but it is a sacred symbol of our people."
"Is it wise to have brought it to a dinner party, then?" You remarked, and Ralt stiffened for a moment before he sighed. He raised it to his head and placed it atop his shaggy mane. To your surprise, it grew and stretched around his head, sliding across his fur until it sat at the right size, where a crown would normally be. From both sides of the band came two sprouting antlers that grew and twisted until they were several inches tall. You stared up at them with awe and Ralt looked a little bashful at your expression.
"Because they draw a crowd." He explained, answering your question. Sure enough, nobles nearby were beginning to look, staring with a mixture of interest and delight at the sight of Ralt's magical crown. Flowers bloomed from the antlers and particles of magic danced through the air, but you had to wonder something...
"Does it actually have an effect, other than...this?" You asked. "Is it just for show or does it make you stronger, wiser, faster...?"
"That," Ralt began, reaching up and slowly pulling on the crown, the antlers shrinking as it slipped from his head. "Is a secret to my people, so I cannot tell you."
Nobleman began to approach, some of them wanting to know more and others wanting to get their hands on the crown for themselves, but Ralt stowed it away and refused to bring it out anymore, as if he sensed that things would take a turn for the worst if they got their hands on it. You had the same feeling, and rather than bother the bear any further, you decided to back off for now and leave him to it. He had a lot to people to talk to, it seemed.
You gestured from within the crowd and bowed briefly, bidding him farewell before retreating. He merely smiled at you as you left and then turned to answer one of the many nobles nearby.]
You returned to mingling shortly thereafter, confident that Ralt saw you more favourably.(set:$RalSway to it + 30)]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")[You were about to have a conversation with Berlis, but he stopped you. (if:$BeRV is 2)[He held up a hand to silence you as he turned his attention to an approaching servant, who in his hands he held what looked to be an ornate sword-- though it was slender and lithe, so it seemed more akin to a rapier, further confirmed by it's metallic weaved hand guard. Nobles turned to look out of curiosity, and you tensed on the spot, confused as to why he was bringing out a weapon that could, with the right grip, kill someone.
"Is...is there a reason you've brought out a rapier, Lord Dawson?" You hesitated to ask, and Berlis noticed your apprehensiveness. He smirked, curling his hand around the hilt of the rapier. He looked as if he wanted to point at you, but hesitated at the last moment and thought better of it.
"This," He began in response. "Is a ceremonial rapier that's been in my family for generations. It was my great-great-great-great grandfather's rapier, and he passed it down to his son, who passed it down to his, and so on and so forth."
"Oh, I see..." You hesitated to approach and inspect it, so kept your distance for now. "So, it has quite the history, then? Where did you ancestor acquire it from?"
"I don't recall specifically..." He admitted as other nobles approached to listen, intrigued and curious. "But it's speculated that my ancestor had it custom made to act as a flagship weapon for the House, whilst some of my other descendants say that it's a legendary rapier that was once wielded by an ancient hero."
"Both of those sound like very noble origins." You remarked and Berlis hummed in response, glancing to the nearby nobles and smirking. He gestured you closer and you hesitated, before you approached. He held out the rapier to you, but didn't let for it himself. You looked down at the blade and reached out tentatively, trailing a finger along the slender edge of the rapier. It was nice to look at, though you can't say you were into war and fighting that much, so all you could appreciate was its craftsmanship and nothing more. Berlis looked smug as he watched you examine it, before other nobles approached to do the same-- it seemed your own initiative had broken the ice for them.
"What's it made out of?" You asked tentatively, and Berlis glanced to you out the corner of his eye as he held the rapier out flat, one hand near the tip and the other gripping the hilt.
"Silver." He replied succinctly, and didn't offer much more on the subject. He seemed more absorbed in the noble's awe at the rapier rather than your questions, which didn't surprise you-- what you'd seen of Berlis during the course of the night made it clear he liked having his ego stroked. It seemed prudent to you to do the same.
"It is as dazzling as unique as you, then, Lord Dawson." It was a little direct, but you were confident that you little praise and flirtation would do the job. Sure enough, Berlis hesitated on the spot and then grinned wide at your words, his tail swishing closer to the tiled floor.
"Well, I'm glad someone here appreciates my beauty," He smirked. "Even if it is a commoner."
A noble in front of him asked a question with regards to the heirloom and Berlis turned his head to answer him, leaving you to merely linger and watch. After a while, it became clear that he was going to be rapped up in their discussion for quite some time, so you opted to take your leave, respectfully bowing and excusing yourself as you did so. Berlis didn't seem to mind you leaving, and you're sure he would have waved a dismissive hand at you if he could-- well, it was better than him getting aloof and angry, anyway. His gaze lingered as you stepped away, before turning his attention back to the nobles.](else:)[He held up a hand to silence you as he turned his attention to an approaching servant, who held in his hand what looked to be a violin. You wanted to ask Berlis what he planned to do, but he declined to say and didn't even acknowledge you all that much as he took the violin from the servant's hand and then turned to you, as well as to the nearby nobles who were watching with a mixture of intrigue and confusion.
"I will now play a song written by Philrem Von Brainul, titled //'Ode to Destiny'//." He called out to the nobles, and the surrounding conversation slowly drew to a halt as the reptile raised the violin up to his neck, pinching it between his chin and his shoulder. He cleared his throat, even though he had no intention of singing, and raised the bow of the violin up until it hovered mere inches from the violin's strings. You held your breath, (if:$species is "canine")[your ears twisting to listen](else:)[your earholes sensitive, ready to listen].
Slowly, Berlis pulled the bow across the violin as his other hand pushed down strings and held notes, his eyes closing as he drew himself into the flow and the rhythm of the music. Out of respect for his art, the musicians in the corner of the room slowed their own song into a standstill and nobles around the hall turned their heads to listen to his song. It was melancholy and piercing, its low and sombre notes intermingled with high-pitched whines that tugged at your heartstrings. Each note flowed into another like a cold breeze that would have made you shudder, if you were a true musician.
Yet still, it was a song that strangely spoke to you in some fashion, weird as it was. You imagined it telled a tale of a man whose will was not his own, but sought to fight for it. It related to you in a way, but you knew that you were mostly just reading into it too much. That, in the end, is often all songs were-- combinations of notes that felt melancholic to some, and euphoric to others. Still, even you can appreciate to some good music, and Berlis is...remarkably good at playing the violin, moreso than you were expecting.
The reptile played for a little bit longer before he eventually closed off his song with a long, piercing note. He shifted and slowly lowered the violin from his chin, and the crowd who were listening to his music clapped and applauded. It was clear that Berlis enjoyed the attention and he soaked himself in their praise and enjoyment, bowing over and over in all manner of directions. A servant approached to take the violin from him and he handed it over, looking around at the crowd before his gaze met yours. With a smirk, he walked over.
"What do you think?" He asked. "Much better than your peasant commoner music, isn't it?"
"Well...it had a certain class to it," You admitted, though his tone made it feel like he was insulting you. "Folk music is just as good, though. It's just different attitudes."
Berlis grimaced at your words and shook his head, as if he didn't understand what you meant. Despite your reservations about his attitude with the music, you knew it'd be better to just praise him, and so you did so.
"But your music playing was exemplary," You bowed respectfully and that seemed to lighten the mood. "How long have you been playing?"
"Since I was young," He explained. "As such, I am a master at my craft."
"You absolutely are," You insisted with a wide, half-genuine smile. "I've never seen such impressive violin playing."
"Yes, well..." Berlis cleared his throat and shuffled on the spot, smirking just a little bit. He looked a little flustered to be praised by you, though you couldn't think why. Before you could continue your conversation any further, nobles approached to express their own delight at his prowess, and he was happy to bask in their applause. You retreated for now, leaving him to it-- if you remained, you're sure he'd ignore you for the most part anyway.]
You returned to mingling, assured that he probably saw you more favourably now, if only because you'd stroked his ego.(set:$BerSway to it + 40)]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")[It was probably not the best idea to talk to Duldes about rumours surrounding his house, yet you felt compelled to do so regardless. As to why, you couldn't say-- but you did get the impression that he didn't particularly like his own family. Your main reasoning behind that was the way he kept to himself and stood around the edges of the room, almost as if he didn't want to be a part of the party itself. You wanted to try, regardless of whether you would regret it or not.
"Lord Dawland," You began. "Have you heard of the rumours surrounding Dawland House?"
Duldes stared for a moment, as if he couldn't believe what you'd just said, before he frowned, slightly rolling the glass in his hand. He's unsure what to think.
"Yes, I've heard." Was all he said on the subject, and though you knew better than to push it, you decided to keep going.
"If you don't mind, would you be open to discussing some of these rumours?" You asked. "Though I'm sure some of them aren't true...some are rather wild and outlandish. Perhaps a keen eye like yours, who's part of those rumours, could debunk quite a few of them. Might help House Dawland's reputation."
You could see that he didn't really want to discuss it, but he relented and sighed through his nose, as if he didn't have a choice. With a gesture, he instructed you to continue and you were about to do so, when someone stepped in to join the conversation from the right hand side. (if:$Target2 is "Sat Ipfeld")[It was (if:$MetSa is false)[a short, polite-looking avian, specifically a plover, clad in military garb.](elseif:$MetSa is true)[none other than Sat Ipfeld, adjutant to Lord Carein.]
"Sorry for interrupting," The avian began with a meek smile. "And a pleasure to meet you again, Lord Dawland. I overheard your conversation-- I hope you don't mind if I join you. I haven't really heard much of these rumours myself."
"So it's your, Sat Ipfeld," Duldes hummed, before sighing through his nose. "No, I do not mind."
"Very well," You continued, glancing to Duldes to be doubly sure, before you continued. "I suppose I should point out the wildest rumour I've heard so far-- your brother, Ridwel Dawland...secondborn son to the House. We all know he's gravely ill with a chronic condition, but many have speculated that his condition is forced...rather, that he's being poisoned, siphoned or worse."
"I have also heard such rumours, actually," Sat chipped in. "If only because many nobleman have spoke at length about it. Lord Carein insists that the illness is very genuine, though I'm not sure how he knows..."
"...Regrettably, yes, the illness is genuine," Duldes's eyes looked cold. "He fell ill with it when he was 11 years of age, and has, for the most part, been bedridden since. He does occasionally have the strength to go for a walk...but no, we've hired every competent doctor in Gromarch to check his condition, we are certain, without a shred of doubt, that he has an incurable illness rather than a treatable poison."
"That is regretful...though I'm sure he's doing fine regardless. If you don't mind me asking, what is the illness?" You asked, and Duldes seemed hesitant to answer at first.
"I don't know if I should say, considering the nature of the illness." Duldes hummed.
"Lord Carein tells me it's Mana Emission Disease." Sat revealed the secret regardless-- it was an illness even you knew of. It was where those with a talent for magic continuously expelled their gift, unable to control it due to functions in their body. As a result, they were perpetually drained, both physically and sometimes mentally, depending on the person.
"I can see why you were hesitant, Lord Dawland," You murmured. "But Mana Emission Disease does not make one a magician. It merely shows an aptitude...albeit a flawed one."
"I suppose." Duldes looked uncomfortable, and you knew better than to push it. With a gesture to Sat, you bowed politely to Duldes and thanked him for sharing his opinion and information, before you retreated. If you made Duldes any more uncomfortable, he'd likely get angry. He seemed thankful to a degree, and your conversation was benign enough to not really draw any attention, either.
You returned to mingling with other guests, though you can't be sure if you even increased your rapport with Duldes or not.(set:$DulSway to it + 10)](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")["Sat," You began. "Though it may be considered a little rude...have you heard some of the rumours surrounding House Dawland?"
"...I have," Sat nodded, but he anxiously glanced around him, as if he felt bad for potentially talking about it. "But I don't know if we should really say."
"Surely it wouldn't be too bad to discuss them," You murmured. "At least, it won't be if we keep quiet about it. It wouldn't be good to draw attention to ourselves...you understand."
With a sagely nod, Sat stepped a little closer, and the two of you shifted to keep your distance from nearby nobleman groups, who were engaged in their own conversations. Before the two of you could even begin however, someone came from your left, interrupting the beginnings of the conversation. (if:$RaltGone is true)[It was (if:$MetBe is false)[a black and green reptile clad in lavender clothes, a sign of nobility.](elseif:$MetBe is true)[Berlis Dawson, head of his House.] The man looked between the two of you and Sat looked a little uneasy, but greeted him nonetheless.
"Lord Berlis Dawson," He bowed out of respect. "What brings you here?"
"I simply saw the two of you talking and though I might join in," Berlis said it so matter-of-factly that you had to wonder if he had planned to for a while. Sat glanced from him to you, and you spoke up.
"We were about to talk a little bit about some of the rumours that had have been circulating around Dawland House." You explained, and Berlis smirked in response, as if amused by the mere though alone.
"Rumours, hmm?" He hummed. "I've heard one or two. Namely the act of their...well, let's say they're acquiring some interesting products through trade that would make most frown."
"I assume you're talking about the accusations of trafficking?" You surmised. "I, too, have heard stories of that as well...though I can't say I'm surprised. House Dawland is, after all, influential-- they say power corrupts absolutely."
"I shudder at the thought of such a thing occurring in the very heart of Gromarch," Sat grimaced. "But it goes beyond that, the rumours. They say they trade in people and use them for free labour in their mines. That's how they turn such a substantial profit on their jewellery business."
"I would hope that's not the case," You sighed. "Given how much of a problem that would be not only for Gromarch, but for the rest of the world...but if that were the case, what would they do about it? Knowing the Laqauin Empire, they'd just let it continue-- it wouldn't surprise me if House Dawland spun a tale about those slaves being Jria Company war criminals."
A tense silence fell over the three of you at the thought, and though Berlis had joined in on the conversation he looked strangely indifferent to the mere notion. You had to wonder if Lord Dawson had a hand in it, or maybe he was simply used to such corruption himself, being a noble.
"There's also talks about his daughter, did you hear?" You continued, trying to change the subject. "Flis Dawland is to be married off when she comes of age...3 years time, I believe."
"Yes..." Sat sighed. "And she's to be married to Yal Goodguise from House Ohki."
"The drunkard adopted son?" Berlis scoffed, rolling his eyes "They must be desperate for a political marriage."
"If he as violent as they say, I would worry for her..." You grimaced. "...If I cared about nobles, that is. No offense, Lord Dawson."
"None taken." The reptile sneered at you in response, as if he cared little for your opinion anyway. The conversation lapsed into silence once more and, seeing a potential out for you to mingle with others, you politely took your leave and made an excuse about getting some food from the buffet table. Berlis turned and left without a work and Sat was left to mingle with Lord Carein's associates as you stepped across the room, your mind filled with thoughts of House Dawland's prestige, and what it would mean for the world.
At least your rapport with Sat had increased-- and potentially with Berlis, too, since he was one of your potential targets.(set:$BerSway to it + 20)(set:$SatSway to it + 20)](else:)[(if:$Target3 is "Raltarndarv Raltandavi")[It was (if:$MetRa is false)[a large bear-like creature who you'd seen already in the night-- he wasn't hard to miss, considering he stood at over 8 foot tall.](elseif:$MetRa is true)[Ralt, whom you'd met previously during the party.] He looked down at the pair of you with his mildly intimidating cyan eyes, but Sat merely smiled up at him.
"Hey, Raltarndarv," The avian greeted him as if the two knew each other. "What brings you here?"
"I saw the two of you talking...and I'm not being berated just yet, so I thought I might join in. That's what a party is about, isn't it?" He surmised and you hummed, admittedly agreeing. Sat didn't seem to mind him joining in either.
"We were about to talk a little bit about some of the rumours that have been circulating about Dawland House." You explained to Ralt, whose face soured at the very name. You could only assume his opinion of them wasn't very high.
"I am lucky to be in a position where nobleman think they can say whatever they want around me," Ralt began, and you could see why. "So I've heard many a rumour...I think the most notable is that of their trading ventures."
"You're talking about the accusations of trafficking, right?" You surmised. "I've heard stories of that as well...though I can't say I'm surprised, or even if it's true. If it were, then it wouldn't just be House Dawland doing that sort of thing, but other noble houses too."
"I shudder at the thought of such a thing occurring in the very heart of Gromarch," Sat grimaced. "But it goes beyond that, the rumours. They say they trade in people and use them for free labour in their mines. That's how they turn such a substantial profit on their jewellery business."
"I would hope that's not the case," You sighed. "Given how much of a problem that would be not only for Gromarch, but for the rest of the world...but if that were the case, what would they do about it? Knowing the Laqauin Empire, they'd just let it continue-- it wouldn't surprise me if House Dawland spun a tale about those slaves being Jria Company war criminals."
A tense silence fell over the three of you at the thought, though Ralt looked the most irked. You couldn't help but feel like this related to him in some way, given the fact of his people, and you admittedly felt bad for even bringing it up.
"There's also talks about his daughter, did you hear?" You continued, trying to change the subject. "Flis Dawland is to be married off when she comes of age...3 years time, I believe."
"Yes..." Sat sighed. "And she's to be married to Yal Goodguise from House Ohki."
"The drunkard adopted son?" You sounded surprised and Ralt frowned in confusion, knowing little of those names. "They must be desperate for a political marriage."
"If he as violent as you say, I would worry for her..." Ralt hummed. "...If I cared about nobles, that is."
The conversation lapsed into silence again at the thought and, seeing a potential out for you to mingle with others, you politely took your leave and made an excuse about getting some food from the buffet table. Ralt bid his farewell as well and Sat was left to mingle with Lord Carein's associates as you stepped across the room, your mind filled with thoughts of House Dawland's prestige, and what it would mean for the world.
At least your rapport with Sat had increased-- and potentially with Ralt, too.(set:$SatSway to it + 20)(set:$RalSway to it + 20)](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]]]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")["Ralt, I don't know if you're much of a gossiper," You began. "But if it interests you, have you heard any rumours surrounding the host of our party?"
Ralt's expression hardened at the mention of House Dawland and he sighed through his large nose, glancing about to make sure people weren't looking in the direction of the pair of you-- thankfully, as many didn't really take kindly to Ralt's presence as it was, they weren't interested in listening to your conversation.
"What rumours have you heard?" Ralt asked, but before you could begin to answer, a man approached from your right hand side, catching you by surprise. (if:$Target4 is "Berlis Dawson")[It was (if:$MetBe is false)[a reptile, with lavender coloured clothes and contrasting black and green scales-- a nobleman, for sure.](elseif:$MetBe is true)[none other than Berlis Dawson, head of his House.] He looked to the two of you, grimacing briefly for different reasons, before clearing his throat and gesturing for you to answer the bear.
"Lord Berlis Dawson," Ralt interjected before you could speak. "Is there a reason you are joining us?"
"Can I not?" The reptile countered and the two exchanged a long and awkward glance for a moment, before Ralt relented. He gestured to you in turn and with a sigh you answered the creature's initial question.
"Well...I think one of the most interesting rumours I've heard is of Cesin Dawland," You began. "It surprises me very little that some marriages fall apart, but...it's so commonly known that Cesin fraternises with servants and every other lesser folk that I have to wonder why Jurn Dawland puts up with it. Surely he wants his wife to be faithful?"
"Sometimes it's a question of status rather than morals," The reptile interjected. "Cesin holds a great deal of influence as the Lady of the House, even if Jurn Dawland takes care of most affairs. If she were to be separated from him, it wouldn't look good to the public who know very little about their affairs."
"Is that so?" You hummed, unawares of how it worked with nobles. "But surely it would anger him?"
"I imagine it would." Ralt agreed.
"Yes...it would," Berlis agreed alongside the pair of you. "And how do you think that anger would manifest, if one had to keep a certain public reputation."
"...Behind closed doors." You replied darkly. Berlis didn't need to really explain more for you to understand the bigger picture, and despite the fact that they were nobles-- who had likely committed many a crime and had very little morals-- you couldn't help but pity Cesin Dawland. You had no idea what she probably went through on a regular basis just to feel something akin to intimacy with anyone but her own husband. On the one hand, she was digging her own grave...but on the other, she shouldn't be subject to that level of anger.
"I wouldn't pity her," Berlis grunted. "I imagine most men would feel the same if their wife was openly fraternising with others."
"I would never attack another of my kind on the basis that they wanted to mate with another." Ralt responded, and Berlis looked him up and down with a sneer.
"Yes, well, you're an animal, Raltandair. No-one cares about your opinion." The reptile promptly countered and Ralt growled under his breath, a little irritated by his remark. Before you could get between them and calm the other down, Ralt turned and trudged away, done with the conversation entirely. He did, however, at least glance back to nod to you before he left, so he wasn't angry with you at least.
"Did you have to do that?" You remarked to Berlis, who merely turned his snout up at you and turned on a heel, walking away as well. Mild irritation crossed your features at his attitude, but you let it slide-- as one of your potential targets, you had to be careful around Berlis.
With a sigh, you returned to mingling...assured that no ruckus was caused, and that Ralt was just a little fonder of you.(set:$RalSway to it + 20)](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")["So, Lord Dawson..." You began. "I'm sure you've heard many a rumour surrounding the Dawland estate, am I correct?"
"You are." Berlis smirked, but his expression was otherwise hard to read. You were hoping to discuss some of those rumours and gossip openly about the party's hosts, if possible.
"Would you be open to discussing them?" You suggested, and Berlis seemed to hesitate for a moment, as if he were gauging whether he could trust you, before he stepped closer, enough so that nobles nearby wouldn't eavesdrop unnecessarily.
"Very well," He murmured. "I do know the occasional rumour, as well as some more secret ones...but first, why don't you share something? A little give and take is important in this kind of environment, is it not?"
"I suppose that's true," You hummed. "In which case, there has been something I've been hearing as of late...you know of Ridwel Dawland, the host's secondborn? He's been bedridden since he was a child...others rarely see him, too. I've heard tales on the wind that his chronic illness isn't actually that at all, but a slow-acting poisons that he'd being fed every day to keep him from taking power over Dawland House...after all, many know that Duldes had no plan to take the mantle."
"Now that is a tasty rumour..." Berlis chuckled with delight. "I'll be sure to savour that one...but I'll admit that I find the rumours aren't true in that regard. I have met Ridwel Dawland myself-- he is the pinnacle of a saint when it comes to his personality, and the doctors insist he's suffering from Mana Emission Disease. I can't say I've ever seen another person with the same problem, but...I'm not inclined to believe Jurn Dawland would slowly do away with one of his own sons. He's the kind of man to have them dead in a tragic accident."
(if:$Target1 is "Duldes Dawland")["Would you like the same done to you, Lord Dawson?"
From the side came (if:$MetDu is false)[a well-dressed hyena that you instinctively felt was a part of the Dawland family.](elseif:$MetDu is true)[Duldes Dawland, firstborn of his House.] Berlis instantly tensed and took a step back away from you, and you were sure that if his scales could pale, they would have.
"L-Lord Duldes Dawland, sir," Berlis immediately bowed, showing his respect in the best way possible. "I...I didn't see you coming over. I deeply apologise for my flippant words."
"By all means, Lord Dawson, please continue your discussion," The Hyena looked coldly between the two of you as nobleman nearby turned their years to listen and watch. "I'd love to hear more about your opinions of our House...though I'm sure they're already quite cruel, given your record."
"I wouldn't dare!" Berlis insisted, keeping his upper half bowed low. "Why would I insult the esteemed House?"
"Well, you just were..." Duldes pointed out, looking from Berlis to you. "Both of you were, in fact."
"We were merely talking about the wild rumours, Your Lordship," You assured him. "Rumours that are, regrettably, common and not spoken by just us. You're not going to police our right to have an opinion, are you? To look like a tyrant...it would be unbecoming of the Dawland House to do so."
"Watch your tongue." Duldes warned and the nobles nearby murmured and shifted, looking apprehensive. Duldes stared daggers at you and you were sure he would have run you through with a sword, if you weren't at a public party. The hyena stared a whilst longer before he eventually wavered and sighed, relaxing himself.
"In the interest of keeping the party running smoothly, for my father..." He continued. "I will let this slide. Disperse. Now."
You didn't need to be told twice. With a respectful bow, you treated from Duldes's sight and stepped across the room, watching from a distance as Duldes spoke quietly to Berlis, who quivered a little on the spot, looking panicked. However, Duldes did eventually turn away and Berlis sighed with relief, before briskly walking off in a different direction. That didn't quite go as planned...you're sure some people would talk about you tonight as a result, and you didn't exactly raise rapport with Berlis, either...and you might have even soured Duldes in the process, one of your potential targets.
You tried not to let it get to you and returned to mingling.(set:$DulSway to it - 20)(set:$Havoc to it + 30)(set:$HavocG to it + 30)](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")[There was a lot going on in the world they knew as Kliega-- so much so that not even nobles were unable to resist talking about recent events, both national, international and local. Duldes, you suspected, was no exception to this either.
"Lord Dawland, have you heard anything recently that might interest you?" You asked. "Anything on the wind about recent events that have caught your eye? There's a lot happening in this world, some that even I may not be privy to...as most wouldn't be, either."
Duldes frowned at your question, but he didn't look annoyed with it-- instead, there was a sense of perturbment on his face that you hadn't expected from him, and you had to wonder if he was anxious about your asking him for information in such a manner. It wasn't as if recent events weren't public knowledge, however...
"I know very little when it comes to the intricate details of some things...the Jria company, for instance," The hyena began. "But I've heard the occasional rumour from those countries, namely to do with politics. Most nobleman try to keep their ears to the ground when it comes to that."
"Anything of interest, then?" You asked tentatively as someone approached from the right hand side, abruptly joining the conversation without so much as asking. (if:$RaltGone is true)[It was (if:$MetSa is false)[A polite-looking, well-dressed Common Plover, and avian with a strangely military-esque rigidity to his stature.](elseif:$MetSa is true)[Sat Ipfeld, adjutant to Lord Carein and former soldier.] He bowed respectfully to Duldes and then smiled at you, recognising that you weren't nobility.
"Ipfeld," Duldes's tone wasn't hard nor soft, and one simply out of respect. "TO what do we owe the pleasure?"
"Oh, don't mind me," Sat smiled. "I just wanted to join in on the conversation."
"Very well..." Duldes turned back to you. "So what I've heard from the neighbouring kingdoms, then...noticeably, Cambia. I've heard the place is in shambles recently."
"Well, that's not very surprising, is it?" You pointed out. "Cambia is a landlocked kingdom right in the centre of everything, it's practically a battlefield."
"Regrettably so," Duldes hummed. "But it is a necessity, I suppose. It is, after all, still held by the Jria Company. The Laquain Empire fully intends to stamp it out."
"But why?" Sat pointed out. "I mean, I do understand why, but at the same time... if the two factions left each other alone, you could easily live in peace."
"That's not how war and politics works," Duldes shook his head with a sigh. "It is an inevitability that someone must rule over all, such is the greed of mortals and man in general."
"I sorely wish it weren't that way." Sat frowned and you couldn't help but agree, aware that Sat had been on the front lines of that war. Even Duldes seemed to hold some degree of sympathy, but his expression quickly smoothed over shortly thereafter.
"Regardless, that's all I've heard," Duldes sighed, peering over the crowd for a moment. "It appears I am being summoned-- excuse me."
With an acknowledging nod, Duldes stepped past the pair of you and walked off into the crowd. You couldn't exactly see where he was going, as the crowd of nobles beyond made it hard to look across the banquet hall, but you could only assume it was important. You instead turned your attention to Sat, who seemed lost in thought.
"Fuck..." He began. "I wish people would just see sense."
"Mm," You hummed. "Honestly, I agree with you. Too much blood gets spilled on a daily basis for there to be more. Nobles are just..."
"Shitty." Sat swore with a smirk, and you couldn't help but chuckle. (if:$MetSa is true)[<!--Do Nothing--!>](elseif:$MetSa is false)[With a sigh, Sat offered you a hand.
"We haven't been introduced," He smiled. "I'm Sat Ipfeld, adjutant to Lord Carein. I have...no other title to speak of."
"Thep." You did the same in kind and shook his hand. Sat raised his eyebrows at your mysterious introduction, but didn't press for more information. He shook your hand politely.(set:$MetSa to true)]
"Well, Thep..." He began. "I should go. I will see you later."
You respectfully bowed to the avian and he encouraged you back up with a flustered expression, before he turned and made his way through the crowd, weaving through nobles. You watched him go with a sense of intrigue, before you returned to mingling. You were sure that your rapport with Sat had increased, but was it the same for Duldes...? You're inclined to think so.(set:$DulSway to it + 20)(set:$SatSway to it + 20)](elseif:$RaltGone is false)[(if:$Target3 is "Raltarndarv Raltandavi")[It was (if:$MetRa is false)[a large bear-like creature, taller than anyone else](elseif:$MetRa is true)[Raltarndarv, leader of his people, whom you'd seen earlier in the night]-- he stared down at the two of you as you began your conversation and shifted, looking awkward.
"Lord Raltarndarv Raltandavi," Duldes spoke to him politely, but his tone was hard. "To what do we owe the pleasure?"
"I was just hoping to join in on the conversation," He explained. "Don't mind me."
"Very well..." Duldes turned back to you. "So what I've heard from the neighbouring kingdoms, then...noticeably, Cambia. I've heard the place is in shambles recently."
"Well, that's not very surprising, is it?" You pointed out. "Cambia is a landlocked kingdom right in the centre of everything, it's practically a battlefield."
"Regrettably so," Duldes hummed. "But it is a necessity, I suppose. It is, after all, still held by the Jria Company. The Laquain Empire fully intends to stamp it out."
"But why?" Ralt asked with a frown. "If the two factions left each other alone, you could easily live in peace."
"That's not how war and politics works," Duldes shook his head. "It is an inevitability that someone must rule over all, such is the greed of mortals."
"Maybe that should change." Ralt muttered darkly and you couldn't help but pity him, aware that his very life was on the line when it came to war and politics. Even Duldes seemed to hold some degree of sympathy, but his expression quickly smoothed over shortly thereafter.
"Regardless, that's all I've heard," Duldes sighed, peering over the crowd for a moment. "It appears I am being summoned-- excuse me."
With an acknowledging nod, Duldes stepped past the pair of you and walked off into the crowd. You couldn't exactly see where he was going, as the crowd of nobles beyond made it hard to look across the banquet hall, but you could only assume it was important. You instead turned your attention to Ralt, who lowered his gaze and grumbled under his breath, still irked by the conversation.
"Apologies," He began. "I didn't mean to be so crass."
"Not at all," You insisted. "Honestly, I agree with you. Too much blood gets spilled on a daily basis for there to be more. Nobles are just..."
"Vile." Ralt finished your sentence for you and you couldn't help but chuckle. (if:$MetRa is true)[<!--Do Nothing--!>](elseif:$MetRa is false)[With a sigh, Ralt stretched out a large paw.
"Raltarndarv Raltandavi," He introduced himself. "Leader of the Raltandair."
"Thep." You did the same in kind and shook his hand. Ralt briefly quirked his eyebrow at your words before he smiled, lowering his hand.(set:$MetRa to true)]
"Well, Thep..." He began. "I should go. I will see you later."
You respectfully bowed for the bear and he snorted, waving a large paw as if to tell you to rise, before he turned and trudged through the crowd, nobles parting to let him pass. You watched him go with a sense of wistfulness, before you returned to mingling. You were sure that your rapport with Ralt had increased, but was it the same for Duldes...? You're inclined to think so.(set:$DulSway to it + 20)(set:$RalSway to it + 20)](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]]]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")[There was a lot going on in the world they knew as Kliega-- so much so that not even nobles were unable to resist talking about recent events, both national, international and local. You had to wonder if Sat was an exception to the rule, and you felt compelled to try.
"Did you hear about the recent battle at Rudega last month?" You asked him, and Sat's eyes immediately lit up at your words. It seemed like he knew it, or was at least excited about it.
"Yeah," He grinned. "It heard it was quite an incredible battle, all things considered. The Laquain Empire came out on top."
"I have to wonder how an imperial army managed to make its way through such an arid, sandy climate," You mused. "Surely they'd sink in the sand, wouldn't they?"
(if:$Target4 is "Berlis Dawson")["The battle took place on a rocky plateau, that's why."
From your right approached a man-- (if:$MetBe is false)[a green and black reptile with lavender-coloured clothes, clearly a noble.](elseif:$MetBe is true)[Berlis Dawson, head of his House and known aristocrat.] Sat immediately bowed in his presence out of respect and you followed suit. You couldn't see the reptile's face, but you were sure he was pleased.
"Lord Berlis Dawson, it's a pleasure." Sat greeted him. (if:$MetBe is false)[You pencilled the name down.](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]
"Yes, indeed..." The reptile hummed, before he shifted and averted his gaze. "In any case, to continue what I was saying...from what I heard from the report, the battle took place on what is known as Rudega's biggest plateau, Nahlin's Seat. It spans several leagues, so it was plenty of room for a battle. 20,000 of our own soldiers against 5,000 of theirs...it was an obvious victory on our side, though it was a little close."
"How so?" You had to ask, and even Sat was curious. Berlis, however, merely scoffed, surprised that you didn't know.
"Because they have magicians, of course," He grunted. "A competent magician can easily deal with anywhere from 2 to twenty men on their own, with the right strategy."
"Really?" You feigned ignorance,for you knew how strong magicians were already. Berlis didn't seem to notice, though-- in fact, he looked chuffed to have some superiority.
"Have you never seen a magician?" He asked, looking between you and Sat as you both shook your head. "Pray that you never do. They are vicious, ruthless, and care little for people."
"Have you ever met one?" You asked, and Berlis briefly hesitated, before he glared, as if you'd asked a bad question. You weren't sure why.
"W-Well, no...but I know what they're like," He spluttered. "Take my word for it."
Before you could say or ask anything more about it, Berlis turned on a heel and strode off, leaving you to frown and wonder what he was so uppity about. Thankfully, his sudden departure didn't really cause too much of a scene and you and Sat were left to look at one-another, dumbfounded. With a shrug, you bowed to Sat and bid him a brief farewell, making an excuse to leave for now. You wanted to mingle a little more, and you'd come back to Sat later in the night, of that you're sure.
You returned to the banquet, assured that your rapport with Sat had increased, at least...somewhat.(set:$SatSway to it + 20)](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")[There was a lot going on in the world they knew as Kliega-- so much so that not even nobles were unable to resist talking about recent events, both national, international and local. Ralt didn't strike you as the kind of person who'd enjoy such talk, but you felt compelled to try regardless, just to see what he thought.
"Have you heard anything interesting about the world?" You asked? "Any rumours, events...and so on? I don't travel often so such things are not privy to me..."
"I have not neither..." He admitted. "But some of the nobles around this party have heard a thing or two, noticeably in Vilihelm. They have apparently been dealing with some civil unrest as of late."
"They have?" You were a little surprised. "That's peculiar. Didn't they crown a new monarchy some 20 years ago now? I have to wonder why people are only just rebelling now..."
"I do not know either..." Ralt murmured. (if:$Target2 is "Sat Ipfeld")[He was about to continue, but someone approached from the left hand side that caught the attention of both of you-- it was (if:$MetSa is false)[an avian dressed in casual party garb, and he was someone you'd noticed earlier in the party as a potential target.](elseif:$MetSa is true)[Sat Ipfeld, adjutant to Lord Carein, who you'd already met earlier in the night.] He smiled to the pair of you in greeting.
"Hello Ralt," He greeted the bear and nodded to you in kind. "What are you talking about?"
"Hello, Sat Ipfeld." Ralt greeted him as polite as he could.
"We're just discussing the recent unrest in Vilihelm." You answered Sat's question for Ralt, though the bear didn't seem to mind, thankfully.
"Oh!" Sat sounded surprised, but not because of what you had said, it seems. "I heard about that from Lord Carein. Quite the ghastly thing, so I've heard-- rioting in the streets, people attacking the duchy's men..."
"Perhaps you can shed some light, then," You suggested. "Do you know why exactly they're rebelling now, of all times?"
"Hmm..." Sat frowned, lost in thought for a moment. "I do not, personally, but Lord Carein did mention that he wasn't surprised...but I can't think why."
"Perhaps he foresaw this long before anyone else," Ralt offered. "But if that were the case, why would he not say anything?"
The mere thought alone had the three of you mulling it over, but none of you could read Lord Carein's mind. That man was an enigma to you as he was to many others, so there was no chance of you understanding his motives, whatever they may be. With a sigh, you brushed over the topic.
"Regardless, I imagine that the civil unrest will die down soon...that is, if Vilihelm's guards can get their act together." Sat hummed, and you couldn't help but agree-- rowdy citizens were bound to inevitably he subdued by armed guards-- the difference in equipment was simply too great, regardless of how motivated the rebels were.
"I'd agree with that." You hummed, and Ralt grunted in response, nodding his head alongside you. After a moment of silence, Ralt excused himself, supposedly to use the restroom, and then Sat did the same shortly thereafter.
You had no doubt you'd see the two of them later in the night, so for now you returned to mingling, weaving your way through the crowd of noblemen. (set:$SatSway to it + 20)(set:$RalSway to it +20)](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")[There was a lot going on in the world they knew as Kliega-- so much so that not even nobles were unable to resist talking about recent events, both national, international and local. Berlis struck you as the kind of person who loved to surround himself in gossip, so it only seemed prudent to discuss current events with him-- even if you aren't well informed, it'll help you gather information.
"Have you heard anything interesting lately?" You asked him. "Any current events on the wind that are troublesome, or even interesting? I've heard the odd one thing or two, but admittedly not much..."
"You should really keep yourself up to date," The reptile grunted, shaking his head as if he were disappointed in you. "Though I have heard something to do with Altienta."
"Oh? What's happened over there?" You pressed for information. "I haven't heard anything about Altienta in months. It's probably the most prosperous nation in Kliega."
"Yes, well, it's surprisingly easy to keep certain secrets from the masses when nit's necessary to do so," Berlis half-smirked at your 'ignorance'. "But yes, they are struggling behind the scenes as of late. I've heard tales that their monarchy is struggling to hold power over the upper-class nobles. Some might be staging a coup, even."
As you mulled over what Berlis had just said, a man approached from your right hand side, causing the pair of you to pause. (if:$Target1 is "Duldes Dawland")[He was (if:$MetDu is false)[a hyena, clad in ornate white and gold clothes bearing the symbol of Dawland House.](else:)[Duldes Dawland, firstborn of his House, whom you'd met earlier in the night.] He looked between the two of you and nodded his head in acknowledgement as Berlis stepped back a little, enough to give him room to respectfully bow.
"Lord Duldes Dawland, a pleasure-- I didn't know you'd be joining in the conversation this evening." The reptile greeted the hyena with the utmost sincerity, which only told you one thing: House Dawland's status was above that of Berlis's own.
"Greeting, Lord Dawson," Duldes also bowed, but less so than Berlis. "Pardon the intrusion. Please, do continue."
"We were just discussing what's going on in Altienta, Lord Dawland," You explained. "Though...Lord Dawson has yet to enlighten me on what's happening in detail."
"I've heard such rumours...but the actual details should be kept a secret," Duldes glanced to Berlis, who faltered slightly at his words. "However, I imagine that such things cannot be kept under wraps for very long."
"You sound as if you know exactly what's going on." You pointed out and Duldes merely smirked, which all but confirmed your guess. However, he didn't seem to want to tell you any more than that, or at least not in any kind of detail that would be important to you.
"All I can say is that whatever rebellion may come to light will easily be quashed under the Laquain Empire's fist." Duldes explained, and he didn't seem to want to say much more. With a disappointed sigh you bowed, understanding that such things you cannot be privy to, considering your status. Berlis merely grunted and grimaced, looking a little defeated himself. You can't be sure why, but you could only assume it was because he wanted to share such details with you. Berlis must enjoy causing trouble.
A silence feel between you. Duldes looked between the two of you for a moment before he nodded slowly, excusing himself. He stepped across the room and through the crowd, where he disappeared out of sight. You turned to Berlis to speak, but he abruptly and quickly excused himself in the same manner, leaving you to stand there as he wandered through the crowd also.
It was hard to tell whether you had increased your rapport with either Berlis or Duldes or not. With a defeated sigh, you returned to mingling.(set:$DulSway to it + 10)(set:$BerSway to it + 10)](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")[You were about to try and coax Duldes into some conversation when he abruptly had to excuse himself. He stepped across the room and disappeared from sight and, with a sigh, you wandered around the room for a couple of minutes, seeing if you could find him or if any of your other targets were available to chat. The more that you could talk with them and get to know them, the better.
As you walked, you eventually caught sight of Duldes locked in conversation with another man-- specifically, (if:$Target4 is "Berlis Dawson")[(if:$MetBe is false)[a reptile, with green and black scales and an ornate, fancy lavender-coloured doublet.](elseif:$MetBe is true)[Berlis Dawson, head of his House, whom you'd met earlier in the night.] It was hard to tell from a distance what the two of them were talking about, so you stepped a little closer, (if:$species is "canine")[twisting your ears](else:)[focusing your hearing] so that you could better listen in. You tried to be inconspicuous and stood with your back to them as they talked.
"I have to admire your sense of class, Lord Dawland," The reptile was buttering the man up considerably, by the sounds of it. "Your garbs are quite wonderful to look at."
"As are yours, Lord Berlis Dawson," Duldes was about as polite back as you imagined him to be, and you mentally took note of the reptile's name. "Lavender is the colour of your noble House, is it not?"
"I'm honoured that you would take notice, Your Lordship," Berlis gushed and flattered the hyena extensively. "Though I cannot say the same for you-- I believe Dawland's House colours are red and purple, if I remember rightly."
"You would be correct," Duldes sighed. "It was my father's idea-- white is often the symbol of purity, so he thought it would be appropriate...why he thought that, I don't know."
This seemed like the perfect opportunity for you to interject, so you shifted from your position and approached. Berlis spotted you first and visibly grimaced at your arrival, whilst Duldes merely turned his head slightly to stare at you. Both them seemed not necessarily equally perturbed by your presence, but perturbed all the same. It seemed better to you to make it less awkward by offering your opinion, rather than staying silent.
"Apologies, I couldn't help but overhear your conversation..." You began. "You were speaking about house colours, yes? I think I can understand why Lord Dawland opted for white-- less because it's a symbol of purity, but a symbol of cleanliness. It offers a front of clean morals to others at the party, as if to say 'come and scrutinise my House, you will find nothing here'."
Duldes and Berlis exchanged a glance, as if unsure what to say, and for a brief moment you felt anxious-- had you perhaps stepped in where you weren't wanted?
"Well, I suppose that makes sense," Duldes hummed. "Though that is effectively the same as purity, is it not?"
"Perhaps to some degree." You agreed, and Duldes pursed his muzzle into a line. Even Berlis rolled his eyes and you couldn't help but feel unwelcome, yet you were in too deep now to leave.
"Regardless..." Berlis spoke through the silence. "You look nice, Lord Dawland."
"I appreciate the compliment." The hyena coldly replied, his expression firm-- he didn't seem to enjoy Berlis's flattery, but that was perhaps because the reptile appeared to be a lot of it. Berlis visibly faltered and then sighed, bowing and excusing himself for now. He stepped away from the two of you and headed off into the crowd, leaving you and Duldes alone.
"Do you always have a habit of butting into conversations?" Duldes asked bluntly, and you hesitated, caught off guard by his words. You did the only thing that you could to do, which was to bow and apologise. Duldes said nothing for a moment, and by the time you raised your head he'd already turned and wandered off, leaving you to stand there and think about what you did wrong.
With a defeated sigh, you returned to mingling, thankful that no-one was really paying attention.](else:)[<!--Do Nothing-->!]]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")[You started a conversation with Sat, but the two of you barely exchanged more than a handful of words before Sat was called away, leaving you to idly wander the party without much else to do. You kept your eye on your potential targets, but you main focus was Sat-- after all, you had approached him initially with the intention of sharing a quick conversation.
Eventually, you did find Sat after some time, and it didn't seem like he was too busy-- he was, however, locked in conversation with someone else. (if:$Target1 is "Duldes Dawland")[It was (if:$MetDu is false)[a hyena in ornate white and gold clothes, bearing the insignia of Dawland House.](elseif:$MetDu is true)[Duldes Dawland, firstborn of his house, whom you'd met earlier in the night.] You had a feeling their conversation was important to a degree, but your intention wasn't to eavesdrop, but to eventually join in on the conversation. In the hopes that it may come to pass, you stepped closer to the duo and tried your best to be inconspicuous whilst you listened in for the perfect time to interrupt them.
"...So how is Lord Carein doing these days?" The hyena was talking. "I'd ask him myself but I'm sure he'd do his best to ignore me or skirt around the question. He always was a shrewd man, especially to my father."
"Ah, well...I think he's doing well-- but it's not as if I can speak on his behalf, Lord Duldes," Sat was explaining, his tone sheepish and apologetic. "I am not privy to his inner thoughts, either. I think he keeps everyone at arm's length."
"That is a shame," Duldes mused with a sigh(if:$MetDU is false)[ as you mentally took note of his name.](elseif:$MetDU is true)[.] "I was hoping to hear rumours from Carein House, where possible."
"I'm sure many would say the same about your own family, Lord Dawland," Sat pointed out. "Don't people often say that Jurn Dawland has an ear to the King of Gromarch? I can only imagine what benefits that entails..."
It seemed like a good opportunity to you to interject, so you shifted from your spot and quickly made your way over. You weren't standing that far away and you were quickly spotted by the two of them as you approached. Anxiety briefly bubbled within you when they focused their gaze upon you, but you swallowed it down and smiled at the pair of them, slipping into the conversation.
"Sorry for the intrusion," You apologised. "I'll admit I'm also keen to hear about what the great Dawland House can do with regards to the monarchy. Even commoners know the rumours of Jurn Dawland's relationship with the king...though some say things much more unsavoury than a simple friendship."
"Yes, I'm aware," Duldes's jaw set. "I have heard such tales from my own maids-- but I can assure you they're false. My father is an upstanding man."
You couldn't help but feel that he was lying-- it was something about the way his ear twitched and his jaw clenched that made it look like he was holding back a snarl, or worse. Sat, however, bought his excuse instantly and bowed, out of a mixture of respect and agreement.
"That he is!" Sat beamed. "They say he was a novel commander and an ever better Head of House."
"Do they?" You glanced to Sat, who merely nodded in response, not elaborating further. You had a feeling that he would if you asked, but before you could Duldes sighed, cutting through the silence.
"As much as I would love to hear more about my father's wonderful deeds," He began. "It gets old after a while. Enjoy your talk."
With a simple nod, Duldes stepped past the two of you and disappeared into the crowd of nobles, who parted here and there to let him pass. You awkwardly glanced to Sat, who shrugged his shoulders and toyed with the glass in his hand, before anxiously excusing himself shortly thereafter. You didn't blame him-- the mood felt a little soured. As he left, he cast you a simple smile and you couldn't help but feel like he was a little fonder of you now, despite the awkward end to the conversation.
You returned to mingling, feeling...satisfied.(set:$SatSway to it + 20)](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")[For a brief period of time, you and Ralt exchanged a small conversation. You didn't talk about anything in particular and your topics were fairly benign, but eventually Ralt was forced to step away for one reason or another, leaving you to wander and mingle with other nobles. You exchanged a few words with the occasional person, but your mind was ultimately elsewhere, focussed instead on your four potential targets.
After some time, you eventually saw Ralt again-- though he was ultimately hard to miss-- but he was locked in conversation with another person-- (if:$Target2 is "Sat Ipfeld")[(if:$MetSa is false)[an avian, closer in markings to that of a plover, clad in casual clothes.](elseif:$MetSa is true)[Sat Ipfeld, military adjutant to Lord Carein.] The two of them didn't seem to be talking about anything important, but out of curiosity you approached, standing nearby but not joining them in conversation-- you figured it might be better if you tried to join in on their talk organically rather than interrupt them, so for now you listened attentively.
"Have you been to see your people lately, Raltarndarv?" Sat was asking, and you could hear from his expression that he was trying to be kind.
"I visited a couple of them some few days ago," Ralt replied with a solemn tone. "They are...surviving, though that's about all they're doing."
"I'm sorry," Sat sounded genuinely remorseful. "It must be difficult."
"I have learnt to accept things that are out of my control," Ralt grunted in response, and you heard the scuffle of his feet and claws against the floor. "But I appreciate your concern for my people. Very few nobles have empathy."
"Oh, I'm not a noble," Sat insisted. "Just a soldier."
"Then you and I both know what it means to battle," Ralt murmured. "To know blood. Pain."
"I...yes. I unfortunately do." Sat's voice was quiet. "I have to wonder if we'll ever see the end of war, Raltarndarv. I'm growing tired of seeing people just...fucking suffering."
"I'm sure you're not the only one to feel that way," Ralt murmured. "When my people were cornered by the Laquain Empire and I was given a choice, it was not framed as such a thing. I was told that...it would mean a better life for my people. I was hopelessly wrong."
A silence feel between them and you were ultimately unsure if you should even go and talk to them in the first place. You had a feeling that it would feel like you were interrupting an otherwise tender conversation. You hesitated for a moment before glancing over, seeing the pair of them awkwardly standing there, both of them unsure what to say.
After a moment, you watched as Ralt shifted and turned, patted Sat's significantly smaller shoulder before stepping away, heading into the crowd. Sat turned to watch him go and lingered for a little while longer before he teetered awkwardly on the spot and headed off in a different direction, his sombre expression smoothing out into something more cheerful. You had to feel for him-- it was like he had to keep up appearances. Ralt, however, evidently made no such attempts to hide his sadness, and the other nobles gave him a wide berth as a result.
You watched for a little longer, a grimace spreading across your features, before you sighed and returned to mingling.](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")[You were about to get into a meaningful conversation with Berlis, but before you could even utter a single word, the reptile held a hand up to silence you and excused himself-- albeit, at least, with an apology, which was a lot coming from him. He ended up stepping away shortly thereafter and you were left to wander and mingle for a while, unsure what to do. You decided, in the end, to keep an eye on your potential targets and see if there was a potential moment where you could approach.
As you wandered, you eventually came across Berlis once more-- but this time, he was locked in conversation with someone. (if:$RaltGone is true)[(if:$MetSa is false)[It was a short, polite-looking avian-- a Common Plover, from what you could see-- clad in casual military-style clothes.](elseif:$MetSa is true)[It was Sat Ipfeld, who you'd met earlier in the night.] Their conversation was tense and strangely heated, but it didn't look one-sided. You felt compelled to stand nearby and you kept your back to them, so as not to be caught eavesdropping. You tilted your head and listened in.
"So you're telling me, Ipfeld..." Berlis's tone was firm, ladened with annoyance. "That we should release the Raltandair from their charge and let them live freely?"
"Yes?" Sat replied back as if were the most easy answer in the world. "The Laquain Empire uprooted them from their homes when they were harmless and just wanted to live in peace. They were effectively colonised just for the reason of them being strong. They shouldn't have to live like this."
"Then what do you propose?" Berlis snapped. "They leave them to run amok and tear civilians limb from limb? Let them hunker down in their pitiful forest and kill any passer-by?"
"Do you actually have any evidence that they've ever done those things?" Sat countered, and for a moment there was a quiet silence. There wouldn't be a better, more organic time to interrupt the conversation than now-- you shifted and turned, approaching the two of them before they could continue. Berlis noticed you first, and the turning of his head caught the attention of the avian in turn. The two of them stared at you, but Sat was the first to avert his gaze.
"My apologies for the intrusion," You excused yourself before glancing over from Ralt to Berlis. "Lord Dawson, if I may be so bold...picture for a moment that your own people, those of your house, were forced into slavery and have to survive on their own wits and strength alone. Would you, too, not want their freedom?"
"That's besides the point," Berlis scoffed, looking you up and down with disdain. "It's not //my// people we're talking about, but the Raltandair! Creatures like that are meant to be tamed?"
"Who are you to say they should?" You remarked, keeping your tone level. "Your view of them is entirely subjective. They can read, solve problems, hold conversation...they are as much people as you or I, as the very civilians you 'rule' over, from your lofty manor."
Berlis spluttered for a moment and glared between the two of you. You weren't a mind reader but if you had to guess, he probably thought the two of you were deliberately ganging up on him. Sat was interestingly silent, and you didn't press him to join the conversation.
"I don't care," Berlis inevitably snarled. "Whether you think they are people to be respected or not doesn't matter-- you are //commoners//, and your very bias is built around that. You don't know what it's like to be in my position. Mark my words, you let them run loose and there won't be a Gromarch left to serve."
With that, Berlis turned on a heel and stormed off, clearly angry from your discussion and lack of agreement. You and Sat knew that Berlis was only a merchant, but he must have had an incredible amount of loyalty and pride to say something like that and to be so headstrong about it. So brazen was his remark that the heads of nearby nobles turned in your direction, watching the conversation unfold-- but Berlis had already cut the conversation short, leaving them to wonder what happened. You sighed through your nose and felt a hand on your shoulder, squeezing with something akin to appreciation before the avian moved past you and into the crowd himself. His expression was a mixture of anger and sadness and you knew better than to follow after him. You're not sure if he was upset with your butting in or not, but you hoped he appreciated your defending the Raltandair with him.
Aware that eyes were upon you, you departed from that spot and moved around the hall-- but that wouldn't stop people from talking about the incident for a little while. You returned to mingling regardless.(set:$SatSway to it + 20)(set:$Havoc to it + 20)(set:$HavocG to it + 20)](elseif:$RaltGone is false)[(if:$Target3 is "Raltarndarv Raltandavi")[(if:$MetRa is false)[They were tall bear-like creature who you'd seen earlier, taller than any other person at the party.](elseif:$MetRa is true)[It was Raltarndarv Raltandavi, leader of his people-- you'd seen and met him earlier in the night.] Their conversation looked a little heated and perhaps a bit one-sided, so you felt compelled to stand nearby and just listen, keeping your back to them so they wouldn't notice you eavesdropping. When the time was right, you'd try to step in and interrupt them.
"So you're telling me, Raltarndarv..." Berlis's tone was firm, almost ladened with a mixture of annoyance and confusion. "That your people are losing the will to fulfill their role in the Laquain Empire?"
"...Yes, sir," Ralt's expression was quiet. "Slowly they are. My encouragement is enough to keep them motivated and the older generation understands why it is the way it is, but...the younger generation is headstrong, and full of themselves. They do not understand how weak they are in the face of the Empire."
"Well then you need to drill it into them, don't you?" Berlis pointed out. "I may not be their commander, nor am I part of the Laquain army, but even I know what it means to instill discipline in my troops. Why are you not doing the same?"
There was a quiet silence, and now seemed like a better time than ever to interrupt their conversation-- there wouldn't be a better organic time to do so. You shifted and turned, approaching the two of them before they could continue. Berlis noticed you first, and the turning of his head caught the attention of the bear in turn. The two of them stared at you, but Ralt was the first to avert his gaze, and rather quickly at that.
"My apologies for the intrusion," You excused yourself before glancing over from Ralt to Berlis. "Lord Dawson, if I may be so bold...have you ever asking starving, exhausted men to continue working when their bodies beg for rest? Or have you asked musicians or dancers to continue playing music and dancing when their hands and feet are red and raw?"
"No, but why should I not be allowed to do so?" Berlis saw through what you were trying to say and countered you. "It is their job! It's what they are paid for!"
"Are the Raltandair paid for their work, or are they merely servants to an Empire who does not care for them?" You stared the reptile down and Berlis faltered for barely a fraction of a second. You knew that you were right-- just about everyone at the party knew the plight of the Raltandair, how they were used as training soldiers for the Laquain Empire.
"This man makes a fair point," Ralt interjected, agreeing with you-- though that was no surprise. "The younger generation of Raltandair may be headstrong, but they have lived their lives tired and hungry. They want better for their people. I don't blame them for wanting that, nor can I be frustrated when they will not sit idly by."
"F...Fine." Berlis scoffed, turning his head away. "I understand what you're saying. But be warned, animal-- if you don't keep your offspring in check, you can rest assured that the Laquain Empire will grow impatient...and then what will become of your people?"
You and Ralt knew that Berlis was only a merchant, but he had an incredible amount of loyalty and pride to say something like that. So brazen was his response that the heads of nearby nobles turned in your direction, watching the conversation unfold-- but Berlis said no more than those words and abruptly turned, stomping away when he realised he'd lost the argument. You sighed through your nose and felt a hand on your shoulder, squeezing with something akin to appreciation before the bear-like creature moved past you and into the crowd himself. His expression was a mixture of anger and sadness and you knew better than to follow after him. He'd need some time, but you could at least be certain that he was happy with you sticking up for him.
Aware that eyes were upon you, you departed from that spot and moved around the hall-- but that wouldn't stop people from talking about the incident for a little while. You returned to mingling regardless.(set:$RalSway to it + 20)(set:$Havoc to it + 20)(set:$HavocG to it + 20)](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]]]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")[Gesturing to a nearby waiter and coaxing him over, you took a glass from atop the tray he was holding and stepped back from Duldes, approaching a table. With one hand you pulled a chair out and hesitated, before lifting a leg up and hoisting yourself up onto the chair. Duldes audibly groaned and looked away as you heaved the rest of your body up and found yourself standing above the crowd, though only by a little bit. Raising the glass towards your chest, you used your $species claws on the tips of your ringers to rap on the glass, and the high-pitched ringing sound caught the attention of nearby nobles and quietened their talking enough for there to be an eerie silence, at least in your general vicinity-- those at the far end of the room were still lost in conversation.
"May I have your attention?" You spoke with a little bit of firmness and force to your voice, but not enough to call out to those across the hall. "I'd like to make a toast."
Duldes visibly covered his face for a moment before bringing his glass to his lips, swallowing down his embarrassment to listen to you. A smirk crossed your lips as you raised your glass.
"I'd like to dedicate this toast to a man who probably doesn't really like these sorts of things," You little smart quip had a chuckle ripple through the crowd. "But I think he'll appreciate this all the same. This is a man who...is above a lot of us, in terms of status, but who has charisma, style, class...and power."
You could from the noble's expressions that they knew who you were referring to, for their glances shifted and looked over to Duldes, who kept his eyes focussed on you, unphased by their stares. You cleared your throat and continued.
"I have not known him for very long, but I can say without a shadow of doubt that he is a noble, honourable man," You raised your glass a little higher. "And it is equally an honour to know him-- so I raise this glass for him. To Lord Duldes Dawland, and to his health in the future. Cheers!"
Some of the nobles before you raised their glasses and mimicked your toast, and you and those nobleman lifted your glasses to your lips, taking large glugs of wine. You shifted and crouched down, stepping off of the chair as nobles began to disperse, and you took another sip of your drink as you approached Duldes. His expression was...less than impressed.
"Did you really have to do that?" Duldes asked with a cold stare, and you couldn't help but grin, predominantly out of anxiety.
"Did you not like it?" You asked him, and the Hyena sighed, lifting his head and covering his face for a moment, before bringing his glass to his muzzle and taking a long, plentiful swig. He almost downed the rest of his drink, but left some in the bottom, his hand idly twisting to swirl the mixture as he lowered his hand. The movement took far too long and it became clear that he was stalling for time, as if trying to decide on his response.
"...I did not enjoy being the centre of attention," He admitted. "I often have to receive the stares of others so I would have liked to avoid exacerbating the issue, where possible...but you toast was palatable and flattering, so it also seems appropriate to thank you."
"It was my pleasure, Lord Dawland." You bowed respectfully, aware that the hyena's eyes were upon you. His hand came into your bowed vision, gesturing you up, and as you straightened he nodded his head in acknowledge and then turned, taking his leave. You felt a little bad for embarrassing him in such a public manner, but the fact that he thanked you must have meant he appreciated it, at least on some level. A smirk crossed your lips at the thought.
With that, you returned to mingling, certain that your rapport with Duldes had been raised-- but you're also pretty sure that people are going to be talking about your little stunt for a while.(set:$DulSway to it + 30)(set:$Havoc to it + 20)(set:$HavocG to it + 20)]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")[With a knowing smile that made Sat look a little confused and awkward, you gestured for a nearby waiter to approach and plucked a glass from his tray. Rather than take a sip however, you instead turned towards one of the nearby tables, stepping close enough to pull out one of the chairs and twist it towards you. You glanced back at Sat for just a moment before hoisting yourself up into the chair, standing above the crowd by a couple of feet. Sat did what you expected him to do and spluttered, trying to coax you back down, but before he could convince you to do so you rapped your $species claw against the glass, it's high-pitched ringing catching the attention of nearby nobles and dimming their conversations as they focussed their attention on you. A grin spread across your face before you raised your glass as Sat turned, pretending to not know you purely out of embarrassment.
"I'd like to make a toast," You began, keeping your voice firm but not projecting it enough for the other end of the hall to hear. "I met someone tonight who I think deserves more praise than he gets."
A confused murmur rippled through the crowd of nobles, but you couldn't hear what they were saying-- you had no doubt what they were thinking was a mixture of irritation at the interruption to their conversations as well as bewilderment, for they were unaware of who you were talking about.
"I met a man tonight who works day and night for the earnest privilege of his lord," You continued, raising your glass a little higher. "Who once fought for this country and beat back to Jria Company from it's borders. Who has seen more death and destruction than some of you here tonight. That man is Sat Ipfeld, adjutant to Lord Carein, once a soldier and now an administrator."
Some of the nobles seemed to know who you were talking about and they turned their heads towards the avian, who had covered his face with his hands, unable to watch or look. Some of the nobles chuckled at his embarrassment whilst others rolled their eyes, scoffing at his shame.
"He is warm, friendly, and familiar. He has a sense of freedom that some of us may never hope to have-- and even in Gromarch's darkest hour, his smile and his honour will motivate us all. When I first met him tonight, I though I was merely talking to yet another soldier, who wanted for nothing more than a warm bed and a tankard of ale in their hands-- but Ipfeld is nuanced and intelligent, and smart with a sword. It is as much of an honour to know him as it is to know the nobles of this bountiful kingdom. Cheers! To Sat Ipfeld!"
You knew you were perhaps laying on the praise a little thick, so you wrapped up your toast before it became too length. Some of the nobles shared your sentiment and raised their glasses to join yours, but others were a little bored with your speech and cared little for raising a toast to what they considered to be just another. Despite that, you brought your glass to your $nose and drank, downing half of the glass before you crouched and slipped off of the chair, approaching Sat before he could turn and run. The avian continued to cover his face, his hands empty and lacking a glass, and nobles dispersed as you approached.
"Sat, what's the matter?" You asked, your tone that of confusion-- but you knew exactly what you were doing. Sat parted his hands and raised his head, his cheeks flushed...yet a grin was plastered across his face, as if he couldn't stop himself from smiling. It was hard to say whether that was simply a coping mechanism for his nerves, or whether he was genuinely pleased.
"Y...You didn't have to do that." He insisted, his tone almost whining, and you couldn't help but chuckle, instinctively covering your mouth.
"I'm sorry, though the praise is well deserved!" You smiled and Sat averted his gaze.
"Well, I won't fault you for just wanting to show your praise..." He sighed. "But please don't do that again. That was so embarrassing..."
"Your wish is my command." You smirked and Sat sighed, shooting you a meek smile before he excused himself, heading over towards the buffet table. It was hard to tell whether he truly appreciated what you'd done or not, but if one thing was for certain, it was that nobles would be speaking about your little stunt for a little while yet. You returned to mingling.(set:$SatSway to it + 20)(set:$Havoc to it + 20)(set:$HavocG to it + 20)]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")[Turning to a nearby waiter, you gestured for them to approach as Ralt frowned and stared down at you, wondering what you were up to. The server held out a tray and you plucked a half-full glass from atop, holding it in your hands. You didn't take a sip, however, and instead approached a nearby table. You tugged out a chair from against the table and twisted it towards you so that you could hoist yourself up onto it, standing above the crowd of nobles beyond but effectively the same height as Ralt, which only sought to confuse him even more.
"Are you trying to make fun of me?" He asked quietly, his eyes hard, and you shook your head, clearing your throat as you pressed your $species claw to the glass. The high-pitched ringing of your claw tapping against the glass caught the attention of nearby nobles and Ralt shifted, briefly stepping back as nobles approached and others merely turned to give you the attention you were calling for. What little conversation they were having quietened as they focussed their eyes upon you, and you cleared your throat before beginning to speak.
"I'd like to make a toast to a very important guest at this party today," You began. "Someone who deserves a lot more compassion than some of you here."
A confused murmur rippled through the group and they whispered to one-another, unsure what you were talking about. Regardless of their chatter, however, you continued.
"I'm sure that if I describe them any more then you'll know who exactly I'm talking about...but either way, my point still stands. He is a man who has been front and centre with the Gromarch military as of late, whose people aid Gromarch's troops and the Laquain Empire as a result. He is a man of integrity, class and dignity who deserves to be respected as much as any noble here, or any person for that matter!"
It became clear then who you were talking about, and Ralt's face visibly soured as eyes were drawn towards him, identifying him from your toast. Some were immediately disgusted and turned away to go back to their conversations, and some even went as far as to move across the banquet hall towards the other side, losing interest. Some, however, remained-- perhaps they were keen to hear what you had to say, or perhaps they were looking for a good time to interrupt you, but in any case you continued.
"This man has suffered more than some of you here," You insisted. "More than he should have. He is noble, brave, smart and charming. To that end, I want to dedicate this toast to him, to bring awareness to his plight and to make one thing very clear: I support him in whatever he intends to do in the future. To Raltarndarv Raltandavi! Cheers!"
You raised your glass, but noticed that pretty much no-one else did the same. Regardless, you took a large gulp of your wine and then crouched, slipping off of the chair, your shoes meeting the marble floor. Sucking in a breath, you strode over towards Ralt, ignoring the glares and stares of nobles around you as you approached. Ralt's expression was hard to read, but you hoped he was pleased with your toast.
"What did you think?" You asked with a sheepish smile. "It was a little over the top I suppose, but...I hope you enjoyed it."
"It was...a very unnecessary thing to do," Ralt admitted with a long stare, before he lowered his gaze. "But it wasn't bad. I expected the reaction of the nobles at this party, so it was nothing out of the ordinary. It's not as if I blend in otherwise."
"Well, I'm glad you appreciated it, even if it make you a little uncomfortable." You bowed respectfully and could hear Ralt snort in response, indifferent with regards to your courtesy.
"I mostly just appreciated that you said you would support me," He replied, a small smile tugging at the edges of his bear lips. "Having allies is important given my position. I only hope that when the time comes, you'll be able to back me up."
"Of that you can sure." You're not sure what he would want from you specifically, but supporting him seemed like the right thing to do, and in turn he seemed to greatly appreciate it. With a long nod in response, Ralt stepped away and excused himself, moving into the crowd, who parted to let him pass. You watched him go and then went in another direction, turning your attention to the party in general. Nobles kept their eyes on you as you walked and you had an inkling that they'd talk about you for quite some time-- you did, after all, pull quite the stunt. However, acquiring Ralt's admiration was worth it.
You returned to mingling with the nobleman, feeling satisfied with recent events.(set:$RalSway to it + 30)(set:$Havoc to it + 20)(set:$HavocG to it + 20)]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")[You kept Berlis's attention on you as you gestured to a nearby waiter, ushering him over, much to the reptile's confusion and intrigue. When the waiter approached, he outstretched his hand, in which he held a tray of drinks. You plucked a half-full one from the tray and then gestured him away, turning towards a nearby table and reaching out for one of its chairs. You pulled it towards you and twisted it around to face you before you hoisted yourself up onto it, standing on the seat a good foot or so above the other nobles. Before you was a sea of heads, of feathers, fur and scales, and as you cleared your throat you sharply tapped your $species claw against your glass. The high-pitched ringing ran throughout the banquet hall, but only the nobles who were standing nearby turned to look at what you were doing. Their conversations quietened as they focussed their attention on you, and you swallowed your nerves as you parted your $nose to speak.
"May I have your attention?" You asked them, glancing at the nearby nobles to make sure they had their eyes on you. "I've like to make a toast to a very special person."
A murmur of confusion rippled through the crowd of noble men and women, and you saw Berlis's eyebrows quirk with intrigue. It seemed prudent to fuel his ego, and so you did so.
"I'm talking about a man who is as courageous as he is wise, who is as influential and as powerful as he is charismatic," You began with overwhelming praise, which was met with a mixture of annoyance and rolling eyes from the crowd. "His status, as high as some of you here tonight, means that he is our kingdom's future-- his choices, his whims, his very will can shape even the smallest seeds, the tiniest flecks of dirt."
Your toast was confusing some nobles, but others seemed to catch the gist of what you were saying. Berlis couldn't help but smirk and folded his arms, continuing to listen. When it came to flattery, Berlis seemed easy to sway, but you knew that the excessive praise you were offering was only irking the other nobles. Vividly aware that any more buttering up might attract the ire of the noble class, you opted to reign it in.
"He is a man of honour, and it's my honour to raise a glass to him," As you spoke, you raised your wine up high. "To Lord Berlis Dawson, and to the continued success to House Dawson! Cheers!"
Some nobles agreed with your sentiment and raised their glasses in turn. Berlis subtly did the same, lidding his eyes ever so slightly as he took a long and drawn drink from his glass, his gaze locked with yours. You did much of the same as the nobles began to disperse, and as you crouched to hope off the chair, Berlis approached.
"That was quite the toast," The reptile smirked. "I didn't know you could gush so much praise."
"I do my best, Lord Dawson," You bowed respectfully to stroke his ego some more. "I'm sure that some people didn't find it to their taste, but it wasn't for them, after all."
"I'm glad to know you have your priorities straight, commoner." Berlis looked even more pleased.
"Why wouldn't I?" You grinned, straightening yourself up. "I know where to place my valuables, Lord Dawson, and I have no doubt you will reward my handsomely for my loyalty."
"Yes, I will..." Berlis approached, and though you were aware that eyes are upon you, as was he, Berlis still reached out with a hand to cup your chin with a finger, causing you to tilt it a little. He angled his head to the side and whispered directly into your (if:$species is "canine")[ear.](else:)[earhole.]
"But be aware that a little too much flattery can make you look rather suspicious." He murmured. "Reign it in a little, but keep it coming, and you'll soon know what kind of reward you may receive..."
He stepped back and with a single nod and a quick glance around him, followed by a dismissive gesture, Berlis turned and strode through the crowd out of sight. You lingered for a moment before walking in another direction, aware that eyes were upon you. You knew people would talk about you for a little while-- after all, you pulled quite the stunt to earn Berlis's favour. However, that didn't matter-- Berlis's impression of you was all that mattered, and it seemed that you'd caught him in a good mood. No insults, no jeering, and even a little bit of flirting. He had surprised you.
You returned to mingling, satisfied with the outcome of your venture.(set:$BerSway to it + 30)(set:$Havoc to it + 20)(set:$HavocG to it + 20)]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>{(set:$Roll to (random:1,100) - $LChance)
(if:$DulSway is >=200)[(set:$WThreshold to 75)](else:)[(set:$WThreshold to 50)]}
(align:"<==")["Hello, Lord Dawland," You bowed, greeting the hyena with as much respect as you could muster. "How are you this fine evening? Enjoying the party?"
"I suppose..." Duldes hummed. The two of you stood at the edge of the banquet hall, where even though Duldes was the son of the host, no-one was really paying attention to him. That suited you just fine, before you had quite the risky move you wanted to pull. The hyena looked out over the crowd as you stepped a little closet, following his eyeline to see that he was looking at nothing in particular, and mostly just raking his gaze over the party-goers.
"Something catch your eye, Lord Dawland?" You asked with a smirk, and Duldes turned slightly to look at you out the corner of his eye, his muzzle twisting slightly into a smirk. He didn't immediately answer you and instead looked out towards the banquet again. That gave you the opportunity to do what you'd planned-- you knew it could spell disaster if taken poorly, but you bit the bullet and did it anyway. Reaching out, you lowered your hand in front of Duldes's body and reached for his crotch, where your fingers curled around the obvious mass of his loins beneath. It felt as if time had stopped, and you held your breath, dreading to see Duldes's reaction.]
(if:$Roll is <=$WThreshold)[(align:"<==")[For a moment or two, Duldes acted as if nothing was happening at all, until he slowly turned his head in your direction, his gaze meeting yours. You looked up at him half-meekly, but kept your hand where it was, feeling as if time had stopped as you tried desperately to discern exactly what he was thinking. The hyena shifted, but made no attempts to push you back or wrestle your hand off his crotch, so you could only assume he was enjoying it. With a nervous gulp, you continued.
Your hand explored his loins, feeling along the outline of his package-- he felt relatively average in size, but flaccid length was never a good indication of actual size. You dipped your fingers and slid them down to feel the underside of his firm bulge, and you're sure that you felt a vivid, prominent twitch against your finger, betraying his desire. Delighted in the fact that he seemed to be enjoying your touch, you gave his crotch a firm squeeze and felt it throb against your palm.
"You're being quite forward, aren't you?" Duldes murmured, barely above a whisper, and he turned ever so slightly so that no-one could see what you were doing so easily. A smirk crossed your $nose as you accentuate the firmness of your fingers, causing him to visibly and physically stiffen, both all over and around his loins.
"You don't seem to mind, Lord Dawland," You murmured, lidding your gaze slightly as Duldes regarded you with those cold, hard-to-read eyes.
"You're right, I don't." He murmured, as quiet as before, and for a moment neither of you said anything. It was hard to know what he was thinking, but from the throbbing in your hand, you could only assume he wanted more...and you'd have given it to him, were it not for where you were standing. Duldes, too, seemed to realise that it was a little inappropriate to be doing such a thing for long in public, and he stepped back enough for you to guess he wanted you to pull away. You did so, and looked between your bodies to see the visible outline of his enjoyment. A smile crossed your creatures again and Duldes raised his hand, trailing it up your body towards your chin.
"We'll continue this later, I'm sure...but I should calm down for now." He looked you up and down with those cold eyes and then turned, adjusting himself and leaning more towards the wall, hiding his arousal. He gave you something of a dismissive wave and you knew better than to overstay your welcome. With a polite bow, you excused yourself and headed across the room, leaving Duldes to deal with his...'issue'.
You returned to mingling, confident that Duldes saw you considerably more favourably, all things considered.(set:$DulSway to it + 70)]](else:)[(align:"<==")[A moment of hesitation crossed Duldes's features, and you would have liked to have thought that you stirred something within him. However, as his head slowly turned and you saw his expression, it became clear that the only thing he felt was anger. If the mild trembling of his barely-restrained fury wasn't enough of a giveaway, that withering gaze that could practically make you wilt like a dying flower all but confirmed it.
"What in god's name are you doing?" His voice shook with rage and you quickly loosened your grip, taking a step back. To your surprise, Duldes restrained his rage enough to keep it to himself and he sucked in a deep breath, as if trying to calm himself. You could think of nothing to do other than hold your own breath in turn, preparing for the inevitable fallout. The hyena stepped to the side for a moment, placing his glass down as he smoothed his hair back with his other hand.
"I'd expect that sort of direct, outlandish behaviour from a common peasant **//whore//**," He accentuated the last word as his nostrils flared with a deep, sharp breath. "But not from a guest at *my* party."
"L-Lord Dawland, please, I--" You wanted to try and explain yourself, but he raised a hand to cut you off. A crowd was beginning to form due to Duldes's behaviour which probably felt uncharacteristically callous and cruel compared to his otherwise cold demeanour most of the time-- at least to them, it did. You felt a mixture of shame and panic, due to both the nearby nobles staring at you and Duldes's own anger.
"Do you see that, ladies and gentleman?" Duldes remarked. "This man, this...//thing// tried to grope me in public and thought he could get away with it."
A gasp ripped through the crowd and murmuring began. You spluttered and tried to explain yourself but Duldes merely raised his hand again to silence you, and you clamped your mouth shut.
"I don't want to hear your excuses," He scoffed, pointing a finger. "I suggest you rethink your motives in the future. For the betterment of a smooth party, I shant punish you-- consider it my one and only mercy. Next time I won't be so lenient. Now get out of my sight."
He waved a hand roughly in your direction, wanting you to leave. You had no intention of overstaying your welcome and politely bowed before turning and scarpering, trying to avoid looking in the eyes of nobles. You knew they were talking about you, and openly at that-- a few choice words reached your (if:$species is "canine")[ears](else:)[earholes] before you blocked them out, heading to the other side of the banquet hall. No matter how much you walked away, however, you knew that the events would be shared and spread amongst the nobility. You could already picture their eyes upon you...
It was a risky move, and you fumbled it. Nothing you can do now but return to mingling and try not to cause a ruckus again.(set:$DulSway to it - 40)(set:$Havoc to it + 70)(set:$HavocG to it + 70)]]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>{(set:$Roll to (random:1,100) - $LChance)
(if:$SatSway is >=200)[(set:$WThreshold to 75)](else:)[(set:$WThreshold to 50)]}
(align:"<==")[You began having a conversation which was, by all accounts, fairly benign. You didn't discuss anything particular, nor did you focus on one topic for very long. However, the conversation served as both an ice breaker and as an excuse for Sat to get out of his adjutant obligations-- he could, for a while, relax in your presence. To that end, the two of you walked around the hall for some time, chatting as you waved and slipped through nobles to and fro. Your conversation eventually led the two of you towards the outer edges of the banquet hall, where you could have a little bit of privacy away from the prying eyes of the majority of the nobles. No-one was going to pay attention to an adjutant and some nobody, anyway.
"Does it feel good to get away for a while?" You asked. "You seemed rather overwhelmed."
"Perhaps just a little," Sat smiled awkwardly and sighed, leaning up against the wall. "I tend to have to introduce myself a great deal to a noble here or there. Lord Carein, for whatever reason, likes to show me off."
"I think I can see why," You murmured, though Sat didn't seem to understand what you meant. "Well if you're feeling overwhelmed, how about I help you relax?"
"How are you going to..." Sat began, but his voice trailed off as you reached out your hand, grazing your fingers with the front of his jerkin. Your hand lowered down, digits trailing along his upper pelvis, and beneath your touch Sat's body turned as rigid as a statue, too apprehensive and anxious to move. You finally sunk down far enough to do something a little risky-- curling your hand inwards, you tucked your fingers between his legs and beneath his crotch, cupping his package and pressing your palm firmly to the front. You raised your head to look Sat dead in the eye, but he quickly averted his gaze. It was hard to tell what he was thinking-- but soon enough, you'd know fully how he felt about your action.
(if:$Roll is <=$WThreshold)["O-Oh." Sat sounded half-surprised, half-embarrassed, and the avian clamped his beak shut and shifted on the spot. He didn't push your hand away, but he didn't lean into you either-- however, his complete lack of direct rejection meant that he probably enjoyed the attention, at least on some level. You felt compelled to continue despite his dubious expression, so you slowly flexed your digits, exploring and fumbling the outline of his pants.
You couldn't say whether Sat had an impressive member or not-- after all, his loins could grow to any length they so chose, and the notion of whether he was a shower or a grower was hard to really discern without getting to experience it for himself. Regardless, Sat's package felt...//adequate//-- it was delightfully soft and rounded, befitting that of an average man of his height and stature, akin to the kind of man who liked to keep things neat and together. To your surprise, the avian trembled ever so slightly on the spot, and exhaled a shaky breath that you weren't expecting from him. Where did all his confidence go, his bravado and bluster?
A trickle of wickedness rose within you as you felt tempted to tease him over his shyness, but you instead flexed your digits some more and cupped a little lower, exploring with your fingertips in an attempt to find where the package ended and the flesh between his legs began. As you snuck deeper, however, Sat firmly clamped his legs shut, presumably out of instinct, and you relented out of respect for him. As you slid your palm back up, you could feel a certain firmness that wasn't there before, and the mere notion caused a smirk to tug at your lips.
"Seems you quite enjoyed that." You whispered, and Sat's face looked flushed before he smoothed it over.
"Shit, Thep..." Sat murmured. "You can't just grope a man in public like that."
"Well, you didn't tell me to stop." You pointed out, and Sat covered his beak with a feathery hand, giggling under his breath.
"No, I didn't." He grinned, the light reaching his eyes and making them sparkle. You wanted to continue your 'conversation', but Sat's gaze drifted to the left and he abruptly stiffened and straightened himself up. He awkwardly bowed and gestured with a hand, and you followed his line of sight to see some nobles standing expectantly somewhere near the banquet hall, as if they were waiting on him. Sat excused himself, though not without lingering for just a moment, enough to give you a sense of longing. he then departed, striding across the hall and towards the gentleman who were waiting for him.
A sigh crossed your lips before you went back to mingling with the other noble guests, your stomach twisting into excited knots at the thought of the amount of favour you've gained with Sat, just for that little endeavour alone.(set:$SatSway to it + 70)](else:)["Um..." Sat began at first, sounding awkward, and he shifted uncomfortably on the spot as you affirmed your grip.
"Do you like it?" You asked with a whisper as you squeezed your fingers and Sat visibly stepped back, lifting his hand up and pressing it to your chest. You hoped he would lean into it somewhat, perhaps even ask for more, but he instead pushed at your chest and reached out with his other hand to press against the arm connected to your roaming hand. You sensed he was uncomfortable and relented, withdrawing your hand, and when you pulled away he relinquished his grip in turn, awkwardly rubbing the back of his head.
"You flatter me, Thep, but..." He began. "I'm simply not interested. We barely know one-another and, well, I'm not the sort. My apologies."
"Oh, no, Sat...it's fine," His formal tone caught you off guard. "I made you uncomfortable. Please forgive me."
A silence filled the space between you and neither of you seemed to know what you wanted to say. You knew that if you lingered too make it'd make Sat feel even more awkward, so it seemed like a good idea for you to excuse yourself, though not without yet another apology as you went. You turned on a heel and strode off before you could make things worse, and the tense situation between you did at least attract a couple of heads. Knowing nobles, those rumours would ripple out from two few nobles alone, and you could only dread to think what they might say about you behind your back.
With a defeated sigh, you returned to mingling, trying to push recent awkward events to the back of your mind.(set:$SatSway to it - 40)(set:$Havoc to it + 70)(set:$HavocG to it + 70)]]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>{(set:$Roll to (random:1,100) - $LChance)
(if:$RalSway is >=200)[(set:$WThreshold to 75)](else:)[(set:$WThreshold to 50)]}
(align:"<==")["Ralt, you look a little tired. Why don't we talk a walk, or go sit down?"
"Yes...both of those sound agreeable." Ralt's shoulders sagged just a little and with a gesture, you led him across the banquet hall. You wanted to do quite the risky maneuver, but the issue was Ralt's size and general appearance-- he stood out too much for people to just plainly ignore him like they would any other low-ranking noble. Even if you drew him to the edges of the hall and partook in the risk you wanted to enact, people would be watching you, which effectively defeated the purpose and would probably make Ralt very uncomfortable. There was only one real option: go outside.
The two of you headed towards the northern wall, where a door lead onto a concrete patio outside. To your right lay the pool, and to your left sat a number of seats that were, regrettably, full. Rather than ask him to take a dip or get him to sit amongst people he dislikes, you instead lead Ralt around the side of the building, where you could not only have a bit of privacy, but you were close enough to the party to return when you felt like it. Ralt trudged along behind you and when you were far enough away from the other residents to have some privacy, Ralt leant against the wall and sighed.
"Tired?" You asked him, and the bear grunted in response.
"More akin to stifled, I would say." He replied, tugging awkwardly at the colour of his overly lavish doublet. It didn't suit him, and you had a feeling he knew that.
"Well, I know how to help you relax..." You smiled and stepped closer towards him, and Ralt met your gaze with a frown, his head tilting ever so slightly to the side, revealing his curiosity. You closed the distance between the two of you, until you were mere inches from each other, and you reached out a hand, pressing it to his stomach. Ralt didn't even tense nor flinch as you slowly lowered your hand, trailing it down his front until you dipped low enough for your fingers to graze over his crotch. You affirmed your grip, pressing your palm to his loins and curling your digits so that you were fully, openly groping his bulge. You held your breath and looked him dead in the eye, craning your neck to see as you became vividly aware of how badly this could go if he didn't like the touch. It was a gamble, so you hoped it was in your favour.
(if:$Roll is <=$WThreshold)[Ralt sucked in a breath and stayed still for a moment, and you began to grow worried that he didn't like where you were touching him. It became pretty obvious however that he appreciated it, for you soon felt a swelling against your palm that had you faltering, mostly out of surprise. The mass pulsed and twitched against your palm and you slowly slid your hand up, firmly sliding your palm against the bulge. In response, Raltarndarv shuddered and a quiet, delicate growl escaped his muzzle.
"Thep..." He grunted, his voice low and distorted slightly, dripping with arousal.
"What's the matter?" You asked, shifting your hand to the side and feeling the mass move with you. You dipped your gaze and your face grew warm and the obvious outline, even in the dark light, that snugly fit just under the waistband of the bear's formal trousers. It was long and impressive, and you were tempted to access more...but Ralt placed a hand on your forearm, the sheer weight of it enough to drive your advances off. You withdrew your hand and Ralt let out a quiet rumble, filled with longing.
"I'm sorry." He muttered. "There is a certain appearance I must keep at this party...I can't afford to do things like this. It's too risky."
"I understand." You kept your hands to yourself despite the sight and sheepishly smiled up at him. He, in turn, offered you something of a small, apologetic smile.
"I'll...let you calm down." You suggested, and stepped back. With a polite bow-- which ultimately wasn't all that necessary-- you turned and headed back along the wall of the building, leaving Ralt to steady himself before turning to the banquet of his own accord. No-one paid much attention to a nobody like you as you headed back inside, which suited you just fine.
You returned to mingling with a satisfied sigh and a tingle of excitement running through you. You're sure that your rapport with Ralt had considerably improved.(set:$RalSway to it + 70)](else:)[Ralt grew rigid from your groping and his eyes, cold as they were, seemed to somehow grow even colder.
"Now is not the time for mating." He spoke, his voice curt and clipped;. You faltered for a moment before withdrawing your hand, and Ralt's shoulders sagged slightly when you relinquished your grip. His gaze slipped from your own and looked down for a moment, before they looked back into yours again. You felt strangely uncomfortable, but tried your best to continue looking him in the eyes.
"I...I'm sorry." All you could think to do was apologise and Ralt grunted, shifting and easing himself up off the wall.
"Is that what you called me out here for?" He demanded to know. "I'm not yours or anyone else's plaything. Was this a prank? Did someone set you up to this?"
"What? No." You insisted, but Ralt didn't look convinced. He opened his mouth to speak, then hesitated, as if thinking better of it. He clamped his mouth shut and roughly stepped past you, his side brushing with your shoulder and causing you to briefly stumble. As you staggered and righted yourself, he turned his head to look at you out the corner of his eye, throwing his glance over his shoulder. He looked like he wanted to tell you something, perhaps a warning or a threat, but he instead merely sighed, his brows creasing into a dismayed grimace before he trudged off back towards the party. Around the corner of the building, you sat a couple of nobles peeking, watching the two of you-- they quickly scarpered as Ralt walked towards them, though you saw he had no intention of picking a fight with them. He disappeared around the corner and you sighed, leaning up against the wall of the building.
//Fuck.// That didn't go the way you planned at all. With a sigh, you returned to the party, trying to avoid the eyes of some of the nobles outside as you went-- you could tell they had seen what had transpired and were likely to talk about it for some time.(set:$RalSway to it - 40)(set:$Havoc to it + 70)(set:$HavocG to it + 70)]]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>{(set:$Roll to (random:1,100) - $LChance)
(if:$BerSway is >=200)[(set:$WThreshold to 75)](else:)[(set:$WThreshold to 50)]}
(align:"<==")[Berlis didn't seem like the kind of person who you could easily wrangle to somewhere more private-- he was an easy man to understand after just exchanging one conversation, and if there was anything that Berlis apparently disliked, it was commoners. Regardless, you opted to try: as you started to try and draw Berlis into a meaningful conversation, you tried to make subtle suggestions for the two of you to go on a walk. He eventually relented to your coaxing and the two of you walked around the banquet hall for a while, until your walk eventually led towards the outer edges of the hall itself.
"...And that's how I secured imports for our Farillian branch." He finished, and you hummed with a mixture of awe and surprise. With a smirk, Berlis leant up against the wall, looking the wallpaper up and down before turning his attention to you. His gaze lingered for barely more than a handful of seconds before he sighed through his nose.
"Tired, Lord Dawson?" You asked, tilting your head slights, and Berlis scoffed in response.
"Perhaps a little. Fielding questions and cracking jokes with snobby, lesser nobles can be a little exhausting." He admitted, and you shrugged your shoulders.
"I know a way you can relax, if only for a little while..." You began, and Berlis frowned at your words, unsure what you meant. You shuffled a little closer, moving until you were mere inches from him. The reptile instinctively leant back a little away from your $nose, but that wasn't what you were aiming for anyway. You reached out with a hand and traced it across the front of Berlis's lavender doublet, before you dipped it down towards his stomach and even further. Berlis's eyes grew wider as your hand moved further down, until your fingers trailed his crotch, toying with the fly. You sunk your hand slightly lower and curled your digits, cupping his package and pressing your palm to the front of his bulge, openly groping him.
It was good that you were in a spot where you couldn't be easily noticed by nearby nobles, and no-one was looking in your direction anyway, thankfully. Their opinion, however, didn't matter the most-- you held your breath, and looked Berlis dead in the eye, quivering in anticipation of how he might react. You hoped it'd be favourable.
(if:$Roll is <=$WThreshold)[Berlis was silent for a moment, still leant back, before he slowly righted himself and leant forwards, closer towards you. His scaled maw curled into a smile and he lowered his hand, curling it around your wrist. You thought at first that he might push your hand away, but he instead tugged your hand closer, pressing it more firmly to his crotch. Your eyes widened in surprise and a little smile crossed your features as Berlis leant in closer.
"You like that?" Berlis murmured. "Give it a good feel."
At his request, your roamed your digits, feeling a vivid pulsing against your palm that signified Berlis's interest. To your surprise, the reptile reached out and his hand roughly and firmly cupped your own crotch in turn, causing you to visibly tense. His fingers flexed with a lot more ferocity and fervency than yours, but you didn't necessarily mind it all too much-- his lewd groping was enough to stir you too, after all.
"What do you think?" He asked, barely above a whisper. "Quite big, isn't it?"
"Y-Yes, Lord Dawson..." You stammered, though not because you were intimidated, but because his grip was tight. A smirk crossed Berlis's features before he pulled away, relinquishing his grip and allowing you a moment to breathe. You loosened your own in turn and the reptile stepped uncomfortable closer, his hand sliding across your hip and then around to your ass, where he gave it a firm squeeze through your trousers. He didn't say anything more, but the expression of his lidded eyes told you all you needed to know.
Pulling away, the reptile, turned, shooting you a wicked grin over his shoulder before he sauntered off across the banquet hall, leaving you to catch your breath. Berlis was intense, almost uncomfortably so-- but you almost didn't mind it. You leant against the wall and relaxed for a moment longer before you eventually leant up and returned to the banquet, mingling with other guests. You had a feeling you'd be seeing Berlis again.(set:$BerSway to it + 70)](else:)[At first, Berlis said nothing. Then, he raised his hand and pressed it to your forearm, roughly and bluntly shoving your palm from off of his crotch.
"What in god's name are you doing?!" Berlis shouted, with a lot more force than was necessary. His sudden bellow very easily attracted the attention of nearby nobles, who turned and stared in surprising at the ensuing drama before them. You awkward teetered on the spot and then took a step back, holding your hands up in surrender. Of course it didn't look good, at least not for you-- you, who were a nobody compared to Berlis, the head of a moderately influential House.
"L-Lord Dawson, forgive me, I--" You began with a formal bow, but the reptile merely scoffed and cut over you.
"You buggering whore!" He snidely remarked. "This is a formal dinner held by Lord Dawland himself and you think it appropriate to clasp something by the nethers? Who taught you to court, a common animal?"
A titter of laughter combined with accompanying gasps made your face burn with a mixture of shame or dismay. Berlis was laying on the humiliation a little thick, but you couldn't walk away-- doing so would be seen as offensive, or worse. All you could do was endure until he saw fit to dismiss you, remaining firmly bowed despite that. Berlis ranted longer than you would have liked, talking at length about how much of a charlatan and a slut you were, before he eventually turned and stomped off, finally allowing you to leave in kind. You thought that the nobles might stop you, but thankfully not.
You had a feeling they'd talk about this for some time. Whether your rapport with Berlis had lowered or not...well, that was obvious.(set:$BerSway to it - 40)(set:$Havoc to it + 70)(set:$HavocG to it + 70)]]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>{(set:$Roll to (random:1,100) - $LChance)
(if:$DulSway is >=200)[(set:$WThreshold to 50)](else:)[(set:$WThreshold to 30)]}
(align:"<==")[You were glad that Duldes was the type to linger around the edges of the banquet hall, or else what you intended to do would have been quite the risky play. Thankfully, however, no-one was really looking in your direction, nor were they paying much attention to Duldes despite his status-- perhaps they knew all too well the kind of man Duldes was, at least when it came to parties, or maybe they had already exhausted their greetings. In either case, a little bit of 'privacy' could go a long way, considering what you were about to do.
"It's quite private over here by the edge of the hall, Lord Dawland." You remarked, and Duldes hummed his agreement, glancing at you out the corner of his eye as he briefly swept his gaze along the crowd throughout the rest of the hall. With his gaze away from you, you turned on the spot and reached towards your behind, hooking your thumbs into the waistband of your trousers. It was perhaps a little abrupt of you, but it didn't matter-- you felt compelled to be adventurous, after all. With one swift tug, you pushed the trousers down and exposed your lithe, slender ass for Duldes to gawk at, your cheeks covered in gray $skin. With a twist of your head, you looked at Duldes out the corner of your eye over your shoulder, bemused to find that his gaze was trained on your behind.
"Do you like what you see, Your Lordship?" You asked with a murmur, scooting backwards a little bit, though not enough to actually graze up against him. How Duldes would react would be likely to change the way that he views you in the future-- it was a gamble, but one that you were willing to make.
(if:$Roll is <=$WThreshold)[The silence that fell between you was peculiarly thick and make you feel tense. You watched Duldes's gaze linger for a little longer than was necessary, and though you couldn't see his hand you soon felt it on your hand, touching with your $skin. His fingers were delicate at first and merely explored, before he pressed with a little more firmness, his digits squeezing and playing with your malleable flesh. You instinctively pushed your hips backwards against his head and froze when you felt your bare behind bumping up against his crotch. To your surprise, Duldes rolled his hips against yours and pushed, allowing you to feel the squishy warmth of his bulge beneath.
"Does my behind interest you, Lord Dawland?" You asked, leaning back every so slightly, and you felt Duldes's other hand curl around towards your hip, sliding towards your stomach.
"It does," He murmured, a little growl escaping his lips. "A number of commoners have interested me once upon a time, though I can't say I ever acted upon them...however, you are tempting me far too much."
"Is that so? And what will you do with that temptation?" You asked, feeling Duldes's hand snake up your stomach towards your chest. He lingered there for no longer than a few moments before he withdrew completely, stepping back from you as one hand pulled at the waistband of your trousers, yanking them back up to conceal your ass.
"For now, nothing," He murmured. "There are too many eyes here for us to enjoy ourselves properly...but perhaps in the future we can, should it still interest you."
"I'll hold you to that, Lord Dawland." A smirk crossed your lips and you adjusted your trousers. Just in time as well it seemed, for when you turned to address the hyena, a servant approached from the right hand side to whisper in his ear and spirit him away on urgent business. You let him go, and leant up against the wall to calm yourself down as he walked off. A tickle of excitement rushed through you at the thought of what may come in the future.
After a few minutes of relaxation, you returned to mingling with renewed vigor and purpose.(set:$DulSway to it + 70)](else:)[The complete silence that fell between you was so thick that you could almost taste it. It was impossible to tell what Duldes was thinking, but after a moment or two, you felt his hand on your back. You thought he might encourage your closer, but he instead pushed, causing you to stumble forwards a little. You instinctively realised that he was not happy with your rather forward way of flirting and quickly yanked your trousers back up, concealing yourself once more.
"I don't know what're more disgusting," Duldes began with a cold, curt tone. "The fact you thought I might be //interested// in such a flat behind, or that you thought it appropriate to even offer yourself in front of me-- in public, no less."
Noble heads turned as Duldes's words and you felt your face warm with shame. You shuffled awkwardly on the spot and did the only thing you could think to do: you bowed, half out of respect and half as an apology, keeping on hand pressed to your chest and other tucked behind your back.
"F...Forgive me, Lord Dawland," You pleaded, (if:$species is "canine")[ears drooping.](else:)[eyebrows furrowing.] "I was wrong."
"Yes, you were. Very wrong," Duldes remarked. "Get out of my sight, before I change my mind."
You didn't need telling twice, and with a slightly more forced bow, you quickly retreated. Nobles parted to let you pass and you briskly weaved through the crowd, hearing the murmur and titter of the nobleman behind you as you went. Your heart pounded in your chest and a feeling of complete and utter humiliation rose within you. You had a feeling they'd be talking about what you did for quite some time-- and Duldes was likely to share the experience amongst his peers also.
You returned to mingling with a defeated sigh.(set:$Havoc to it + 80)(set:$HavocG to it + 80)]]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>{(set:$Roll to (random:1,100) - $LChance)
(if:$SatSway is >=200)[(set:$WThreshold to 70)](else:)[(set:$WThreshold to 30)]}
(align:"<==")["Sat, let's take a walk," You suggested. "It doesn't look like anyone needs your attention right now, anyway."
"Well..." Sat began apprehensively, looking around before he sighed, gesturing for you to lead the way. The two of you walked across the banquet hall for some time, not talking about anything in particular-- you asked him a little bit about himself, and in turn he did the same, though you mostly avoided his questions with subtle deflecting comments. Your walk eventually led the two of you towards the corridors outside the banquet hall, which were mostly quiet-- a couple of people were wandering around, but they didn't pay too much attention to the two of you.
"You strike me as quite the adventurous type, Sat. Have you ever done anything risky?" You asked him as you slowed to a halt, leaning up against the hallway's wall. Sat did the same, initially not saying anything as a man wandered the past the two of you, out of sight.
"Perhaps one or two, in my time in the military," He grinned awkwardly. "But nothing outlandish...I was always scared of what my superior officer would say. What about you?"
"Hmm...no, I wouldn't say so either," You remarked, leaning up ever so slightly. "But I'm about to."
Sat frowned at first, unsure what you meant, but his eyes widened as your hands dipped down towards your front, where you popped the button of your trousers and dug inside without so much as a warning. With a quick wrangling and a slight adjustment with your hand, you rather unceremoniously freed your member from within your pants, flopping it out from the top of your cloth underwear and letting it hang freely, out in the open. Your cock was humanoid in appearance, despite your $species species, and you loosely tugged at the foreskin at the end. A little bit of blood had rushed to your length in anticipation for showing yourself off, and so you member sat at half-chub, making it seem bigger than usual. You held your breath slightly but your $nose curled into a grin in your best attempt to seem charming-- whether Sat would find it endearing or not, you couldn't be sure. His reaction could change everything.
(if:$Roll is <=$WThreshold)["T-Thep!" Sat laughed and covered his eyes, turning to the side to hide his gaze from your sudden reveal, but after a moment he faltered, hesitating before he peeked out the corner of his eye. With a smirk, you grabbed the base of your length and waggled it up and down deliberately, to tease him. The avian's expression grew flushed, his white and black cheeks reddening beneath the feathers.
"Like what you see?" You teased, and Sat snapped his gaze up to your own, his beak creasing into a grimace, before he slowly lowered his hands, revealing his face once more. He turned back towards you, and you could tell he wasn't sure where to place his eyes. You stepped a bit closer and he sucked in a breath, nervously glancing around him before you reached out and grabbed his wrist.
"Give it a feel." You murmured quietly, directing his hand down towards your crotch. Sat gulped and curled his fingers, slipping them beneath your half-hard member. Your loins instinctively swelled against his soft, gentle touch and you made a point of deliberately pushing your hips forwards as your loosened your grip around his wrist, letting him freely explore.
Sat was strangely anxious for someone who seemed so confident, but you didn't mind it-- in fact, it was rather endearing. The way he explored and stroked with an obvious measured experienced whilst at the same time shakily breathing and huffing under his breath was tantalising, and your heart pounded in your chest, irrevocably drawn to him. You felt compelled to kiss him, but now wasn't the time.
Sat looked like he wanted to keep going-- and you didn't blame him, for the attention you were getting had slowly coaxed your member to almost full mast, and you knew it pulsed achingly in his palm, but the avian inevitably pulled away, sheepishly keeping his hands to himself. You saw some people approached from the side, presumably to walk past you, and you quickly stuffed yourself away.
"I should get back," He awkwardly began. "Uh...see you around?"
With a small smirk, you watched as Sat stepped past you and headed back towards the banquet hall. You loins ached for his touch again-- all in due time. You stayed in the hallway for a little while longer, letting yourself 'calm down', before you returned to the party, assured that Sat looked at you a lot more favourably.(set:$SatSway to it + 70)](else:)["T-Thep!" Sat laughed, covering his eyes and turning to the side. "What are you doing? Put that away?"
"What, does it not interest you?" You asked, stepping a little closer. "Want to give it a feel?"
"What? No!" Sat cried, and you frowned, hoping he might have reacted differently. You don't want to make him uncomfortable, and it looked as if some people were making their way towards you-- or rather, were going to be walking past you-- so you tucked yourself away and let out a defeated sigh. Sat lowered his hands and looked at you out the corner of his eye, his one amused face shifting into a concerned grimace. He folded his arms, awkwardly shuffling on his feet, shoes scuffling against the carpet.
"Wh...Did you really mean that?" He asked. "If I was interested?"
"Well...I wouldn't have shown myself did I not think you might have liked the sight." You admitted, and Sat looked even more concerned.
"Thep..." He closed his eyes for a moment and then turned to face you properly. "We barely know one-another-- even if your size were...//impressive//, that doesn't mean I would immediately be willing to partake in such pleasures. I'm not that kind of person."
"I never said that," You assured him and then awkwardly rubbed the back of your head. "I'm sorry. I've made you uncomfortable."
Silence fell between you and Sat opened his beak to speak, before shutting it again. You could tell he was unsure of what to say and, in the end, he opted to merely sigh and walk past you, casting a single fleeting glance before he returned to the banquet hall. You groaned and leant against the wall, briefly pinching the bridge of your $nose. A scuffle of shoes nearby caught your attention and you saw what looked to be a servant near one of the intersections that lead towards a restricted wing of the house, trying to hide himself. You have no doubt he saw everything, and you couldn't be sure of whether he'd share what he saw or not...but the chances were likely.
With a defeated sigh, you returned to the banquet hall, feeling both ashamed and guilty.(set:$Havoc to it + 80)(set:$HavocG to it + 80)]]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>{(set:$Roll to (random:1,100) - $LChance)
(if:$RalSway is >=200)[(set:$WThreshold to 70)](else:)[(set:$WThreshold to 30)]}
(align:"<==")[Regrettably, Ralt stuck out like a sore thumb-- for what you wanted to do, you'd need something more than just a little privacy: you'd need to be completely and utterly alone with him, or risk catching the attention of nobles regardless of how covered you thought you were. To that end, you made a light-hearted suggestion to Ralt that the two of you could go for a walk. To your delight, he seemed inclined to the idea.
Rather than lead him outside, you instead directed him across the banquet hall as you talked, navigating through the crowd of nobles towards the doors that led further into the expansive manor. In the hallways beyond, you and Ralt quietly walked, exchanging polite conversation that didn't really focus on anything in particular-- you were, ultimately, just picking random topics so that it didn't feel so awkward between you. You eventually slowed and leant against the wall, shifting on the spot as you looked up at him. He inquisitively frowned when you stopped.
"What is it?" He asked, tilting his head to the side, and a smirk crossed your features as you moved a little closer.
"Forgive me for the forward question," You began. "But in a mating scenario...would you be giving or receiving?"
"Considering the express purpose of mating is the coupling of a male and a female, I would naturally be giving," He said rather matter-of-factly and then frowned, bewildered by your question. "Why?"
With a small smirk, you turned around on the spot and pushed your hips out, reaching back with your hands and jamming your thumb into the waistband of your trousers. You slowly slid them down at the back, exposing your $skinned behind beneath. You didn't make any motions to spread your cheeks or wiggle your hips-- you merely stood there, revealing yourself as your watched Ralt's expression from the corner of your eye.
"Then do you like what you see?" You asked him, your voice low and husky. How he would react was critical, and you hoped it'd be favourable.
(if:$Roll is <=$WThreshold)[A growl escaped Ralt's lips and he reached out, his hand approaching your body. You thought he might touch and grope you-- not that you would mind-- but he instead relented and withdrew his hand, his face strained.
"I do," he murmured darkly. "Very much. I have never known an individual outside my species to have taken an interest in me, so this is a very new, and exciting experience...but I can't. Not now."
You shifted on the spot and considered if you should back it up and tease him a little more, but you figured it'd be better not to make matters worse for him-- for all intents and purposes, you were in public. If you wanted to do //that// sort of thing and see it through, there'd be better options later down the line. With a swift tug, you pulled your trousers back up and turned on the spot to face him. Ralt looked a lot more agitated than you had initially anticipated, and it was obvious from his loins that he'd enjoyed the sight before him at first. However, now he just looked guilty.
"I'm sorry," He sighed through his nose. "The nobles already consider me a fool and a plaything, I cannot afford to confirm their thoughts about me."
"I understand," You bowed, half out of respect and half as an apology. "I'm sorry for leading you on like that. It was forward and inappropriate of me."
"I understood your feelings..." Ralt assured you, shuffling on the spot. "Should we come to see one-another again after this party is over, I would very much like to take you up on the offer."
With a wide grin, you bowed again and then excused yourself, aware that Ralt would need to take a minute or two to settle himself down, in more ways than one. He seemed to appreciate the privacy and he wandered off down the other side of the hallway, in the opposite direction of the hall.
You watched him go for a moment before turning to the party yourself, a trickle of excitement crossing your features at the thought of what might come later, should you play your cards right.(set:$RalSway to it + 70)](else:)["I...no." Ralt was very blunt and you tensed, sitting up slightly and tucking your trousers back up. You didn't want to make him more uncomfortable, after all.
"Ah, well, my apologies." You admitted, turning around to face him. Ralt searched your eyes before looking up and down your body, his expression shifting from confusion to a peculiar melancholy expression, though his eyes still looked cold and distant.
"Logistically, it would probably hurt you a great deal," He said rather bluntly. "Considering the difference in our height, amongst other things."
"Y...Yes, I suppose so..." You trailed off and an uncomfortable, awkward silence filled the space between you. You weren't sure what to say, and it seemed to be much of the same for him as well.
After a moment of tense silence, Ralt excused himself and turned, trudging back down the hallway and towards the door leading back into the banquet hall. He didn't even look back as he disappeared out of sight, returning to the party and leaving you to lean up against the wall and sigh, realising what a mistake you've made. You pinched the bridge of your $nose and thought long and hard about how you'd remedy the issue, before a scuffle caught your attention. To your left, at a small intersection leading deeper into a restricted wing of the house, a servant tried to stay hidden around the corner. He must have seen what had transpired-- you had no doubt he'd talk flippantly about it to his coworkers, and the rumours would naturally spread.
With a sigh, you briskly and quickly returned to the party, turning your attention back to your mission and trying not to think about what kind of things people may say about you behind your back.(set:$Havoc to it + 80)(set:$HavocG to it + 80)]]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>{(set:$Roll to (random:1,100) - $LChance)
(if:$BerSway is >=200)[(set:$WThreshold to 70)](else:)[(set:$WThreshold to 30)]}
(align:"<==")["Lord Dawson," You began. "Would you like to take a walk? You don't seem to be doing anything right now."
"Ugh...if you must." Berlis sounded as if he didn't particularly want to go with you, but if he were that unenthused he would have refused outright. However, he followed you without so much as batting an eye, and the two of you took a walk outside into the cold night air. Rather than head towards the pool or sit over by the outdoor seats, you instead led him onto the grass, where your shoes pressed against firm, cold dirt as the two of you walked into the hedge garden beyond. You didn't plan to do much there, but a little bit of privacy amidst a conversation never hurt-- speaking of, the two of you talked about very little, and only really exchanged in small talk. Then again, your talk wasn't very long anyway.
Berlis eventually slowed to a halt and stood beside one of the hedges, reluctant to lean up against it. You stood beside him for a moment before shifting, turning to face him and standing in front of him at the same time. He frowned at your sudden movement and you shifted, tilting your head slightly to the side as a wide grin spread across your face.
"Lord Dawson, do you have a type?" You asked innocently, though the question itself was quite the opposite. Berlis narrowed his eyes in response.
"I do. Why do you ask?" He bluntly answered.
"Well...I was wondering if I'm your type," You remarked. "Here, let me help you make your decision..."
You reached down, grasping at the fly of your trousers as Berlis's eyes widened. With a swift tug, you pulled down the zipper and popped the button atop, allowing the trousers to part and reveal your cloth pants beneath. You wasted no time in reaching inside and tugging out your member, humanoid in shape, despite your $species species. You tugged at the tip, stretching out the foreskin as your member, half-chub from the excitement of showing yourself off, sat neatly atop the band of your underwear, in plain view for Berlis to see. The reptile's gaze immediately shot down to it before looking back up at your face, and you instinctively held your breath-- this was a gamble...you just hoped Berlis considered your very direct flirtation to be favourable.
(if:$Roll is <=$WThreshold)[Berlis hesitated for just a moment, enough to make you feel anxious. You wondered if you should tuck yourself back in, but to your surprise Berlis reached out, touching with the collar of your doublet. He tugged on it, encouraging you closer as his other hand trailed your front and reached out, rather abruptly cupping beneath your cock and holding it against his fingers. You tensed under his touch and Berlis smirked in response.
"You can't go tensing up now," He murmured, hissing every so slightly through his reptilian maw. "After all, you started this."
"Y-You're right, I did." You stammered, but your $nose stretched into a grin, excitement rippling through you. Despite your mission this was...interesting-- it felt good to be touched, even if it were by a noble. Berlis's hand roamed your $dl inch member, stroking back and forth until your length swelled under his touch, reaching half-mast and then inevitably full-mast within a matter of moments. Berlis's maw was inches from your own, and the quiet groan that escaped your lips was combined with his own quiet, soft chuckle. It felt strange-- like //you// were being seduced, rather than the other way around.
Abruptly, Berlis pulled back, his hand sliding from your loins and his grip relinquishing from your doublet as he lightly shoved with his fingers, causing you to teeter backwards away from him. With the distance suddenly between you, you felt yourself growing more composed and you cleared your throat, quickly stuffing your arousal away back inside your pants. It was hard to make out in the dark if Berlis enjoyed teasing you like that or not, but the grin plastered across the reptile's face seemed like something of a giveaway.
"I should go back to the party," Berlis hummed, stepping past you and patting your shoulder. "Do compose yourself before joining the rest of us, commoner. You wouldn't want to cause a ruckus, would you? I don't think anyone wants to see your //thick// tool out in the open like that."
A flush crossed your cheeks as you turned, watching Berlis stride off back towards the door leading into the banquet hall. You leant against the hedges, your heart hammering in your chest as you tried to calm yourself. It was easier for your loins to soften than you thought, but your head reeled with recent events, your $skin tingling with excitement.
After giving yourself a few minutes, you returned to the banquet hall with renewed vigor and the assurance that Berlis was definitely interested in your.(set:$BerSway to it + 70)](else:)[Berli's expression was hard to read, and you didn't want to reach out and try to coax him to touch you, having a feeling that your attempt might end poorly. Berlis once again looked down to your revealed member, before looking back up to your face.
"What the hell are you doing?" He asked rather bluntly and your face warmed with a mixture of humiliation and panic.
"M-My apologies, Lord Dawson," You quickly stuffed yourself back into your pants at his tone and buttoned yourself up. "I thought you might..."
"That I might what?" He remarked, cutting through your words. "Enjoy the sight of a commoner //whore's// cock? Don't make me laugh."
The reptile scoffed and turned on a heel, leaving you to feel rejected and awkward. Berlis cast a glance over his shoulder at you and then looked past your shoulder, a smirk crossing his features. You're not sure what he was looking at, and you felt compelled not to turn around, worried for what you might find.
"Yes," Berlis spoke with a bit more force all of a sudden, cutting through the night air. "I'm quite offended that a commoner would suddenly flash me his nether regions like a common harlot. Why, if I didn't know any better, I'd have said you were a prostitute in disguise. Who invited you? Some paltry lord looking for an easy lay?"
A snicker behind you made a shiver run down your spine, and you realised all too late that the two of you were being watched, presumably through the hedges of the garden itself. Before you could turn around and see who it was, Berlis strode past you and threw you a wicked grin over his shoulder, before returning towards the banquet hall, leaving you to stand there and quietly fume about how you were slighted. You knew better than to seek revenge over it-- you knew it to be your fault and, in the end, this was yet another facet of your mission. Berlis's good mood despite your little flash at least gave you hope that your rapport with him hadn't lowered, but it stung to be humiliated all the time.
With a sigh, you returned towards the banquet hall, feeling eyes upon you as you passed the pool and tables on the other side. You had a feeling they'd talk about you for quite some time.(set:$Havoc to it + 80)(set:$HavocG to it + 80)]]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>{(set:$Roll to (random:1,100) - $LChance)
(if:$DulSway is >=200)[(set:$WThreshold to 70)](elseif:$DulSway is >=100 and <200)[(set:$WThreshold to 60)](else:)[(set:$WThreshold to 50)]}
(align:"<==")[As you stood beside Duldes, you had a feeling he was a little out of place-- after all, he barely mingled as it was. So, you thought it fun to offer him to take a walk with you, wherever that may lead. Duldes, surprisingly, seemed inclined to the idea, and he allowed you to lead the way. The two of you walked across the banquet hall, weaving between noble after noble, until you reached the doors leading deeper into the house. You had no intention of heading into the more restricted areas of House Dawland, even with Duldes with you. You instead wandered the halls with him and passed by a closet that gave you a very wicked, very amusing idea.
Though you knew it may go awry, you grabbed Duldes by the hand and dragged him towards the closet, tugging it open with your free hand. Inside the closet was nothing but a handful of cleaning tools and the odd coat hanging up on a small rail near the ceiling, but there was plenty of space for the two of you-- though it'd be a snug fit. To your surprise, Duldes didn't make any sort of complaint as you pulled him into the closet, closing it behind you. The two of you were bathed in darkness, and it was oddly tantalising to only be able to hear each other's breath.
"For what purpose did you drag me in here?" Duldes asked, his low tone oddly piercing in the small acoustics of the closet. Your heart picked up the pace and started hammering in your chest as you tried to find the words, your breathing low and gentle.
"Do I need a reason?" You murmured, shifting a little closer. The two of you were barely inches from each other as it is, and your chest pressed with his stomach. (if:$height is 6)[You looked straight into his eyes-- or at least, where you thought his eyes were,](else:)[You looked up at him into his eyes-- or, at least, where you thought his eyes were,] and you pressed your hands to his chest, feeling his own steady, rhythmic heartbeat. You moved your head closer, your $nose inches from his own, enough to feel his breath against your $skin. You weren't sure how he'd react-- though you sincerest hope was that he'd read the room, so to speak. There was every chance, however, that he'd reject you outright...you just hoped he wouldn't.
(if:$Roll is <=$WThreshold)[For a moment, Duldes said nothing, his breathing low and gentle. Then, all of a sudden, he pressed his mouth to yours, pulling you into a deep, strangely sensual kiss.
A quiet groan escaped your lips as you pressed forwards, but Duldes instead took the lead, pushing you back and pressing you up against the wall. (if:$species is "avian")[It was hard for him to lock his muzzle to your beak, but he did a good job of making sure you got a fulfilling kiss, his tongue pressing to the tip of your beak and coaxing you to part it, allowing his wide appendage to roam and press against your own.](else:)[The ease of which your muzzles locked together with such a simply tilt of the head meant that Duldes's tongue could roam freely in your mouth, pressing against your own.] The sheer dominance that the hyena exuded as one hand cupped your cheek and the other grasped at your hip had you quivering against him, your $skin prickling with desire. Thoughts of your mission sank towards the back of your mind as your interest grew, and you wanted nothing more than to explore that excitement and taste more of it.
You pushed your head forwards, though you had no intention of taking the lead, and Duldes curled his fingers against your cheek, groaning against your lips as his tongue smeared with your own, exchanging the taste and feel of saliva. You squirmed beneath him, but Duldes was rigid and firm, his movements measured, yet filled with passion. Your kiss parted for a fleeting instant as Duldes let out a shaky breath, before he dipped his head down, roaming his mouth against your neck and brushing his tongue with your $skinned flesh. You reached up to tuck under his arms and clutch around his beck, and he groaned against your neck, appreciating the touch.
Just when you thought he might go further, however, he stopped, suddenly pulled back and causing your arms to loosen from around his sides. You lingered a little and leant forwards towards him, shuddering as your felt his lips on yours again for a single, fleeting moment before he pulled back once more.
"That was a taste of what's to come." He murmured, and a click to your left signified the door opening. You looked to the side, briefly blinded by the light, and Duldes stepped out. He cast one final glance towards you before he strode off down the hall, leaving you to stand in the closet. You had to take a moment to compose yourself before you stepped out, but you couldn't stop yourself from grinning, excited at the thought of what may come later, and satisfied that your rapport with Duldes had improved significantly.
After giving yourself a moment to calm down, you returned to the party.(set:$DulSway to it + 80)](else:)["Stop." You felt Duldes's hand on your chest and he forced you back, pinning you against the wall and keeping you at arms length. You felt a feeling of guilt welling up inside you as you realised he was rejecting you, and you shuffled awkwardly on your feet, casting your gaze down.
"My apologies, Lord Dawland," You muttered. "This was rather forward of me. I understand that you're angry."
"Anger doesn't describe how I'm feeling right now," The hyena grunted, and the room was suddenly bathed in light as he opened the closet door. "A better description would be 'immeasurably disappointed'. I would expect this kind of behaviour from a prostitute, not from a guest at my father's party."
His scolding words had you practically withering away from him. Duldes's piercing gaze kept your own to the floor and after a moment of awkward silence, he sighed, stepping out of the closet with one hand on the door.
"I hope you don't do anything like this again." He remarked, and abruptly strode off, shutting the closet behind him and leaving you in there to think about what you'd done. Bitter shame swirled within your gut and you groaned, reaching up to smooth down your $skin. You were hoping things would turn out differently-- but you were wrong. You were sure your rapport with Duldes had suffered as a result, too, and god knows what people might say...
You stepped out of the closet after a few minutes to see a couple of nobles lingering around, chatting amongst themselves-- but it was clear their eyes were upon you. Either they've seen what you'd done or heard about it, but either way rumours were going to spread. You returned to the party with a defeated sigh.(set:$DulSway to it - 50)(set:$Havoc to it + 80)(set:$HavocG to it + 80)]]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>{(set:$Roll to (random:1,100) - $LChance)
(if:$SatSway is >=200)[(set:$WThreshold to 95)](elseif:$SatSway is >=100 and <200)[(set:$WThreshold to 85)](else:)[(set:$WThreshold to 75)]}
(align:"<==")[Before you could really get into a conversation with Sat and make a move like you wanted to, the avian have to quickly and abruptly excuse himself, saying that he needed to use the restroom. You watched as he briskly made his way across the banquet hall towards the doors leading out further into the estate, and after a moment or two of hesitation you followed-- you had no intention of chasing him into the bathroom, but you could at least catch him at an opportune time shortly thereafter.
You lingered around the hallway until Sat finally appeared some minutes later from within the bathroom, that sat just to the side of an intersection leading into a restricted wing of the house. You found it interesting that he'd used the servant's lavatory, but you didn't want to openly comment on it and risk embarrassing him. You leant up against the wall and waited for him to round the corner before getting his attention. He was surprised, at first, but then walked with you back towards the banquet...or he would have, did you not make your move there and then.
The two of you passed a small closet, presumably used for cleaning supplies, and you grabbed his wrist as you reached the door, pulling it open and dragging him inside. You clambered over the mops and brooms and tugged the avian in with you, the room barely enough to accommodate the two of you, and as you closed the door shut the darkness of the room surrounded you, making you unable to really see Sat's body, or even his face. All you could hear with his quiet, slightly panting breathing as the door clicked shut.
"T-Thep, what is the meaning of this?" Sat weakly asked, his voice a little shaky. You didn't answer him directly, but instead slid your hand down his wrist towards his hand, your body moving closer. You hovered your $nose mere inches from his own as you curled a hand around his side, pulling him inwards. How Sat would react, you couldn't be certain-- but you hoped he'd at least read the room and be daring enough to reciprocate what you were about to do.
(if:$Roll is <=$WThreshold)[Sat trembled on the spot, and you felt his fingers curl around yours, revealing his interest. You groaned under your breath and pulled him ever so slightly closer as you pressed your $nose to his beak, sweeping him into a sensual kiss.
Sat let out a quiet sigh against your lips, and he reached out with his other hand to curl it around your side, his chest sinking against your own. It was hard for your $nose to really fit with his (if:$species is "avian")[his own,](else:)[his beak,] but you eventually managed to part his beak and slip your tongue inside. Sat meekly pulled back from you as you pressed forwards and it was clear to you that he was acting submissive-- though he seemed apprehensive, his gripping hands and the way he fervently linked his hand with your own told a different story. You pushed forwards and Sat's back met with the wall, allowing you to effortlessly pin him to it.
"Thep..." Sat murmured your name amidst your kissing, your lips briefly parting for a moment so you could catch your breath, before you hungrily pressed your mouth to his once more. You roamed with your free hand, sliding it from his back and down to his ass, where your hand curled around the plumpness of his cheek and squeezed. Sat abruptly slid his hand down and pushed your hand, forcing you to slide it off of his rump, and he directed your hand back towards his hip as he pushed forwards to deepen the kiss-- it seemed he didn't want to go much further than just kissing, which suited you fine.
You eventually pulled back, aware that things were getting a little too hot and heavy-- you merely wanted to make out, not necessarily go much further, nor did you want Sat to get too flustered. You could practically hear the avian's heart hammering against your own, each one pounding with excitement and desire. However, if you wanted to go that far...you'd have to find a more appropriate time and place. You took a deep breath and retreated, and Sat panted quietly, still holding onto you a little.
"W...We should probably stop," You joked. "Wouldn't want to overdo it, would we?"
"You're right..." Sat muttered, adding a quiet expletive to the end followed by a boyish giggle that you hadn't expected from him. You reached out to open the closet and the light seeped through, illuminating the pair of you and revealing Sat's flustered expression. He stepped out from the closet and turned, staring at you for a moment before he giggled and briskly walked off, heading back to the banquet. It seemed that he was in a good mood, and you couldn't help but smirk as you stepped out to follow not too far behind. By the time you re-entered the banquet hall, Sat was gone.
You returned to mingling with a strange sense of smug satisfaction.(set:$SatSway to it + 80)](else:)["T...Thep..." Sat repeated with a shaky whisper. "This is getting a little weird for me. Sorry. C...Can you stop?"
You tensed and froze, your $nose stretching into a grimace. You didn't want to make him uncomfortable, so you stepped back, feeling a small trickle of shame and guilt run up your spine.
"Oh..." You began awkwardly. "I just thought...that you might, uh..."
"Sorry." Was all Sat could say. An awkward silence filled the space between the two of you, and you felt your cheeks burning from the rejection. You wanted to say something, but couldn't think of anything that would make Sat feel better. In the end, all you could think to do was push open the closet door so that he could leave. Sat took the out pretty quickly, stepping out of the closet and casting you a single, awkward glance before he sheepishly smiled and returned to the party, his expression hard to read. You had a feeling you made him more uncomfortable than he was letting on, and that only made you feel worse. You took a moment to gather yourself before you stepped out as well.
Nobles were lingering around-- not many, but enough to notice what had transpired between you and the avian. You strode past them, hearing them whisper as you went. You had every assurance that they're going to spread rumours about you for the rest of the night. With a defeated sigh, you returned to the party.(set:$SatSway to it - 50)(set:$Havoc to it + 80)(set:$HavocG to it + 80)]]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>{(set:$Roll to (random:1,100) - $LChance)
(if:$RalSway is >=200)[(set:$WThreshold to 45)](elseif:$RalSway is >=100 and <200)[(set:$WThreshold to 35)](else:)[(set:$WThreshold to 25)]}
(align:"<==")["Ralt," You began. "You're looking a little stressed-- let's go for a walk."
You were fairly in tune with Ralt's emotions, or you at least thought you could see them particularly well. In this instance you were correct, and the bear breathed a sigh as he followed you from the banquet hall and out towards the hallways beyond, that led deeper into the estate, should one be inclined enough to venture. You, however, had no such interest in doing so, and the two of you instead wandered the halls in content silence. You didn't want to try and coax him to talk if he was feeling stressed, but he seemed to look a little better after just a few minutes. With that, you could put your plan in motion.
As the two of you walked, you passed what looked to be a small closet, which seemed like the perfect opportunity for what you wanted to do. You reached out and grabbed Ralt's hand as you approached the closet, pulling it open and dragging him along with you. You stepped inside and with some coaxing, Ralt followed you, struggling to squeeze in amongst cleaning supplies and the occasional jacket. Because of his height, his head bumped with the ceiling with ease as he was forced to hunch, effectively having to look down at you from above as you pulled the closet shut.
"Thep--" Ralt began, but he stopped when you reached out to put a hand on his chest, leaning a little closer as your craned your head up towards his. You could see him glowing a little beneath his clothes, enough to permeate in the dark and illuminate his head, allowing you to see. Ralt stared at you with his searching, confused eyes as you held up a hand towards his cheek, standing on tip-toe as you raised yourself up towards him. You were mere inches from him, just barely able to reach his muzzle.
You're not sure if he'd reject or accept you-- how he would react could change everything.
(if:$Roll is <=$WThreshold)[Ralt lidded his gaze, looking down at you as you pulled him closer. You strained upwards just enough for your $nose to press against the end of his muzzle and you closed your eyes, pressing a delicate kiss against his lips. Ralt pushed his head down to give you better ease of access and he parted his lips, giving you access to his tongue. You stuck out your own in kind and pressed it to his own, feeling a tingle of delight creep up your spine.
Ralt's tongue, and in general his mouth, was way bigger than your own, but that didn't seem to matter. Despite the fact that Ralt could very easily take your entire $nose into your mouth, he somehow kept himself restrained and allowed you to take the lead, rumbling under his breath as you slowly licked your tongue against his, caressing his cheek with your hand at the same time. After a few moments, you felt the back of one of Ralt's large hands brushing with your stomach in an indirect, yet sensual caress. You arched your back to push your stomach against his hand and his rumble strengthened in intensity in response.
"Thep..." Ralt mumbled, retreating back for just a moment to say your name before he closed his eyes fully and pushed down again, enjoying your soothing touch. His body slouched significantly as his legs bent, lowering himself further and giving you room to reach for more. You stretched out enough to touch with his chest and you slid it up his doublet and towards his shoulder, feeling the coarse black fur beneath your fingers.
You wanted to continue, but Ralt suddenly pulled away, growling under his breath, tone dripping with desire. He looked apprehensive to keep going, and you could only assume it was because he knew he'd struggle to control himself, or something along those lines. You shifted, grinning up at him as Ralt slowly opened his eyes, looking down at you with his cold cyan gaze-- though his expression looked more melancholy than anything else.
"We should..." He began, but you already knew what he was going to say.
"Stop?" You finished his sentence for him and Ralt hummed his agreement. You didn't press him any further and reached out to open the closet door, allowing the two of you to step out. Ralt moved first and anxiously stood there for a moment, before turning to face you as you stepped out in turn. He looked awkward and wasn't sure what to say, but he did eventually speak.
"We...can continue this another time," He assured you. "But I should return to the party, for now."
With that, Ralt gave you a nod and then turned, trudging off back towards the banquet hall. You lingered for a moment, watching him go, before you followed suit, a smile on your face. You're pretty sure that your rapport with Ralt had increased by quite a lot...and you were looking forward to 'another time', too.(set:$RalSway to it + 80)](else:)[Ralt parted his lips and you thought for a moment that he was going to lean down and kiss you, but he instead let out a long sigh, pressing a hand to your chest and pushing you backwards towards the wall, as far away as he could put you so that there was some distance between you-- albeit that distance was tiny. He rumbled, his tone low and ominous.
"Thep," He muttered. "I appreciate your interest, but we cannot do this. I would have thought you'd have realised that by now."
"Forgive me, Raltarndarv," You sighed. "I only hoped you might be interested..."
"Whether I am or not is irrelevant," He skirted around your suggestion, his voice level and calm. "We simply cannot. Can you open the door so I can leave?"
You lowered your gaze and reached out, grabbing the handle of the door and pushing it open, bathing in the room in the glow of the lights beyond. Ralt was forced to duck, taking up the majority of the space in the room as he stepped out into the hallway. He turned to look at you and his expression was hard to read, but his eyes were unmistakably cold. A shiver ran down your spine at the sight and Ralt let out a long, tired sigh before he turned, trudging off down the hall and presumably back to the party. When you stepped out of the closet shortly thereafter, the eyes of nearby loitering nobles caught your attention. A mixture of shame and irritation swelled up within you-- they must have followed you and Ralt towards the closet. You had no doubt they'd start spreading rumours about what they'd seen, and with that came a cacophony of speculation that'd likely last until the end of the night.
With a defeated sigh, you strode off back to the banquet hall, feeling dejected yet filled with purpose, renewed in your mission regardless of the unfavourable outcome. You just hoped your rapport with Ralt hadn't dwindled too much.(set:$RalSway to it - 50)(set:$Havoc to it + 80)(set:$HavocG to it + 80)]]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>{(set:$Roll to (random:1,100) - $LChance)
(if:$BerSway is >=200)[(set:$WThreshold to 20)](elseif:$BerSway is >=100 and <200)[(set:$WThreshold to 10)](else:)[(set:$WThreshold to 0)]}
(align:"<==")["Berlis," You began. "You're looking a little tired. Do you want to go for a walk for a little while?"
"...Very well," He muttered, narrowing his eyes before resigning to the idea. He followed you across the room towards the doors leading towards the deeper areas of the House, in the restricted areas-- but the hallways, at the very least, were available for you to use and wander around. Berlis followed you with something akin to a grimace, unsure where you were leading him-- but you had your reasons for directing him here. The hallways were quiet and only a few people were walking around, which meant you could do what you planned to do without prying eyes, with any luck.
Stepping towards a nearby closet door, you reached out and grabbed the handle as you held onto Berlis's wrist, dragging him along. He was surprisingly compliant as you ushered him along, and as you opened the closet door you were greeted to a cramped room, with most of the floor covered in cleaning tools and dust, with a railing near the top that a few jackets were hung upon. You managed to step inside and pulled the noble reptile after you, and he awkwardly slipped in front of you. With a swift tug, you pulled the closet door shut and bathed the two of you in darkness. It was impossible to make him out in such dim light, but when you reached out you could easily touch his chest, hearing his slow and steady heartbeat.
"What are you doing?" Berlis asked, barely above a whisper, and you leant a little closer. You trailed your hand up towards his neck and to his cheek, leaning in closer and hovering your $nose mere inches from his own. This was a risky play, and you're not sure how Berlis was going to react-- you knew you'd caught him by surprise. His reaction would change everything.
(if:$Roll is <=$WThreshold)[To your surprise, a quiet and amused chuckle escaped Berlis's lips before you felt his hand curl around your back, pulling you closer. His scaled snout met (if:$species is "reptile")[yours](else:)[your $nose] in a deep and penetrating kiss, and you closed your eyes, sinking yourself into it. You felt him tilt his head to the side to try and deepen the kiss further, (if:$species is "avian")[but it was hard to do so with your beak-- nevertheless, he pushed, sliding his tongue out and tucking it between your parted beak to meet with your own.](else:)[and you tilted our head in kind, parted your $nose as his tongue surged forwards to meet with your own.]
You felt Berlis's hands roam your body, stroking up your back before sliding down to squeeze your clothed ass with both hands as you slid your own down and hooked them around his side, keeping him close. Berlis groaned against your lips as his fingers dug against your trousers, his touch a little rough but also a little exciting. His tongue was greedy and fervent, roaming openly in your mouth and tasting every inch of your own tongue, and you had to wonder if Berlis didn't get as much action as you thought he did.
"Good..." Berlis muttered, parting his lips away from yours briefly to speak before he pushed back in again, intent to keep kissing you. You sunk against his chest in kind, shuddering against his body. Berlis's let out a quiet hiss against your lips in response as his hands slipped up your ass and towards your back, clutching to you for just a little longer before he eventually pulled away. You couldn't think why at first, but you soon found out.
"We should continue this some other time," He mumbled. "I have to return to the party and spread my influence. That is the point of me being here, after all."
"Oh..." You didn't mean to sound so wistful, but it came out that way regardless. Light filtered in front your side and you glanced to see Berlis's hand on the closet door, opening it. Your gaze snapped to his face and you saw the smirk that crossed his features as he leant forwards, planted another lingering kiss on your lips before he abruptly leaned back and stepped out of the cloest, leaving the door wide open. He adjusted himself on the spot for a moment, glancing at you out the corner of his eye with a sly smile, before he strode off back towards the banquet. You took a moment to gather yourself before following suit.
You returned to mingling, both satisfied with the outcome and feeling excited for the future.(set:$BerSway to it + 80)](else:)[Berlis froze against you, and despite you trying to close the distance between the two of you, you felt his hand against your chest, forcing you back. You hesitated and then relented, leaning back as you hard him scoff with something akin to a mixture of disgust and annoyance.
"Please," He drawled with a sarcastic tone. "I may be so inclined to raunchy, risky actions like this, but I have //standards.//"
His words stung, but you didn't dwell on them-- it simply wasn't meant to be, at this moment in time. Rather than try to convince him, you reached out and pushed the closet door open, allowing the sight to seep through and illuminate the two of you. Berlis glared at you for longer than was necessary before he stepped out, and you quickly followed suit so that you could stand in front of him and bow, half out of respect for his status and half as an apology.
"Please forgive me, Lord Dawson," You insisted. "I merely thought you were interested, but I can see I was wrong."
"Yes, you //were// wrong." Berlis deliberately spoke loud enough so that nobles near to the door leading back into the banquet could hear him, and you knew they'd soon be making their way over if you didn't wrap your conversation up as soon as possible. Briskly walking away, however, was not an option-- Berlis could very easily cause a bigger fuss from the lack of respect. All you could do was keep your head bowed and hope that he might eventually relent. Thankfully, he did.
"If you do this sort of thing again, then don't expect me to be polite." He warned, before striding past you and back towards the banquet hall. You stayed rigid and firm for a little while longer, wanting to be sure that he was well and truly gone, before you straightened yourself up and turned. You could see a number of nobles lingering by the doorway, having either come out of the banquet or were about to enter when the commotion happened. You tried your best to ignore them as you walked back inside, but you could hear them whispering about what had just transpired. You had a feeling they'd be talking about it for a while.
With a defeated sigh, you returned to mingling with the confirmation that Berlis was less than happy with you.(set:$BerSway to it - 50)(set:$Havoc to it + 80)(set:$HavocG to it + 80)]]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>{(set:$Roll to (random:1,100) - $LChance)
(if:$DulSway is >=200)[(set:$WThreshold to 75)](else:)[(set:$WThreshold to 50)]}
(align:"<==")[You had to wonder if Duldes was getting tired from standing so long. He ultimately looked fine, but you still decided it'd be a good idea to suggest he take a seat with you. Of course, you asked it with such a respectful bow that it was hard for Duldes to say no, and he allowed you to lead him towards one of the vacant tables. There, the two of you sat opposite one-another, and you didn't know what to say...but you weren't there to make conversation; you had something else in mind.
The one advantage of the tables littering House Dawland's banquet hall was that they all had long tablecloths, that just about touched the floor. Because of that, you were able to easily slid your legs in under the table and keep them out of sight, and it was the same for Duldes, too-- one could even hide the majority of their body if they wanted to as well. Shifting in your seat, you rested your head on a hand, propping yourself up on an elbow. Duldes frowned over at you, but he had no idea what you were doing underneath the table. With just a subtle movement, you bumped the bottom of your shoe against the front of your other foot, slipping it off and dropping the shoe to the floor. The other one came off with as little effort as the first and your pressed the soles of your $species feet to the floor, feeling the coolness of the tiles seeping into your $skin.
"What?" Duldes frowned at you, and with a sly smirk you lifted one leg up, stretching it up only slightly, enough for the top of your $foot to touch with the side of his trousers, roughly halfway up his lower leg. Duldes immediately tensed under your touch and his gaze hardened as he stared over at you. Unsure whether he was enjoying it or not, you slowly slid your $foot up towards his knee and then stretched your leg out, sliding the top of your toes along his inner thigh, until you were certain you were mere inches from his crotch. Duldes's muscles were rigid and though you had a smirk on your face, your heart was hammering, and you held your breath a little-- how he'd react could change everything.
(if:$Roll is <=$WThreshold)[Duldes's eyes widened, and to your surprise his muzzle stretched into a meaningful smirk that had you shuddering in your seat from the mere sight. A grin spread across your face and you shifted, pushing your leg forwards and pressing the sole of your $foot against his crotch, feeling it briefly, yet vividly pulse. The hyena shifted in his seat and you watched him move his hand, his gaze still locked with yours as he dipped his hand beneath the tablecloth. His fingers brushed with the top of your $foot, causing your foot to twitch ever so slightly before he wormed his fingers between your toes, fumbling with the button of his pants. You withdrew for just an instant, letting him do as he liked, only for his hand to clutch your $foot after just a moment, directing you back towards his crotch. There, you felt the heat and pulsing warmth of a mass against your sole, accompanied by a slow and sensual sigh from Duldes's lips.
You weren't expecting him to outright reveal himself in such a way, but you had no intention of wasting the opportunity. Splaying your toes, you pressed your $foot forwards and slid the pulsing, presumably half-hard cock between your toes and squeezed gently, dragging your foot up and down as Duldes shifted in his seat and made himself more comfortable. You, however, remained steadfast and continued to prop your head up, subtle enough to not even reveal what you were doing to the influential noble beneath the tablecloth.
As you stroked, you felt Duldes's hand stroking along the top of your $foot and down towards your ankle, where he peculiarly caressed your heel and squeezed your leg, as if he were attempting to indicate to you how much he was enjoying it-- though you didn't need him to do so, for you could easily tell from the way his cock pulsed between your toes, already at full mast. As you loosened your grip and dragged your $foot up, your curled your toes and wedged the head of his member, humanoid in shape from what you could feel, into the creases between your sole and toes, and you felt the wetness of pre-cum against your (if:$species is "avian")[scaled feet.](else:)[$skin.]
The more you moved and stroked, the more that Duldes seemed to enjoy it. Though you couldn't hear the lewd, wet noises of you sticky, pre-stained $foot sliding and pumping Duldes's cock, the mere wetness you felt on your foot was more than enough to indicate how close he was getting-- that, and the subtle, barely noticeable squirming of his hyena in his seat and the clenching of his hand around your ankle all but cemented the idea. All of a sudden, however, he grasped your ankle and tugged it forwards, pressing it firmly to his cock as he dragged his hips back, wedging the head of his cock between your toes. You wondered why at first, but soon found out when you felt the heated warmth and wetness of cum suddenly shoot and spurt between your toes, dribbling down your sole and occasionally escaping out the top.
Duldes held you there for barely longer than a few more seconds before he loosened his grip, clearing his throat. His hand relinquished off your ankle as you lowered your $foot down, sliding the sole against the floor to try your best to clean up what mess the hyena had made. Duldes very subtly stuffed himself back in and when he rose to his feet, it was as if nothing had happened at all. You easily slipped your feet back into their shoes but remained seated-- your little antics had aroused a kind of feeling in you that you weren't expecting, so it was best you let it 'calm down' for now. Duldes stared at you for a moment, before a smile spread across his face. With a subtle nod of acknowledgement, he turned and strode off, leaving you to sit there and cool off.
You lingered for a while long before getting to your feet, returning to mingling. You were pretty satisfied with recent events, assured that Duldes saw you a lot more favourably as a result of your 'encounter'.(set:$DulSway to it + 80)](else:)[You half-expected Duldes to go along with it, but to your surprise he abruptly to to his feet, forcing you to tug your leg back. You shifted uncomfortably in your seat as he pierced you with a withering gaze, and you quickly slipped your $feet back into your shoes as the hyena parted his lips to speak.
"What do you think you're going?" He demanded, and nobles nearby turned their heads to see what the commotion was about. You awkwardly got to your feet as well, the chair scraping against the tiles and making you wince at how loud it was.
"W...What do you mean, Lord Dawland?" Your first and immediate instinct was to act as if nothing had happened, but you soon realised that it was the wrong thing to say, for Duldes's nostrils flared and his eyes widened at your response.
"Excuse me?" He stared, raising his tone and attracting more eyes to your 'argument'. "You mean you tell me you didn't just try to seduce me under the table like a common harlot?"
Your face warmed and, upon him airing your 'dirty laundry' to the crowd, you bowed. You didn't need to apologise outright, for the way your bowed so long as to almost kneel was more than enough to admit your fault and show your apology. A silence fell between the two of you, accentuated only by the whispers of nobles nearby as they speculated about what had transpired between the two of you. Eventually, after a terse and irritated sigh, you heard the receding footsteps of the hyena and raised your head to see him making his way through the crowd away from you. The amount of eyes upon you in that moment could have melted you with their intensity. In the interest of avoiding them, you turned and walked off in a different direction.
You had no doubt that rumours would spread about what had happened between the two of you, and your rapport with Duldes had almost certainly dwindled too. With a defeated sigh, you returned to mingling, turning your focus back to your mission.(set:$DulSway to it - 40)(set:$Havoc to it + 70)(set:$HavocG to it + 70)]]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>{(set:$Roll to (random:1,100) - $LChance)
(if:$SatSway is >=200)[(set:$WThreshold to 75)](else:)[(set:$WThreshold to 50)]}
(align:"<==")["Sat," you began, "You look a little tired. Why don't we take a seat?"
"Mmh...yes, alright," Sat agreed, teetering on his feet a little. "A little rest would help a lot."
With a gesture, you guided Sat over towards a nearby table, where the avian flopped down into the seat opposite yours as you slid into your own. You shifted and leant back, resting on the back on the chair as Sat slumped forwards and rested his elbows on the table, taking the time to recuperate. It looked like he really needed the rest, which didn't surprise you-- you could only imagine exactly how much he, and likely others, had been standing up. However, you weren't there specifically to look out for him-- though it was definitely a factor-- because you had something else in mind instead.
The one thing about the tables in the banquet hall was that they were small, and the tablecloths they had reached as far as the floor, allowing for all sorts of shenanigans beneath-- which was, ultimately, your exact thoughts. Sat couldn't see what you were doing under the table, nor was he even looking in your direction, so you took the time to shifted your feel beneath the table, bumping your heel of your shoe against your other foot to effortlessly slip them off, one at a time. You pressed the soles of your $species feet to the cool tiled floor and then stretched your legs out, sliding your $feet across the floor until your toes couched with Sat's shoes.
Sat didn't react at first, but when you raised your legs and dragged the tops of your $feet across his inner legs, roughly around the lower halves, he raised his head and frowned. His legs tensed as you dragged them up further, and as you curled your toes and planted the sole of your foot against one knee, you slowly slid your other $foot towards his inner thigh, mere inches from his crotch, so you presumed-- it was hard to gauge without looking. Sat looked you dead in the eyes and for a moment you held your breath, keeping your expression straight. This was a risky play, and decidedly public too; how he'd react could change everything in the 'relationship' you two had.
(if:$Roll is <=$WThreshold)[Sat, at first, didn't move a muscle, his eyelids dropped and his expression groggy, but as you brought your $foot nearer to his crotch, he immediately snapped upright, his eyes wide. His gaze locked with yours and a small smile crossed your lips as you pushed your $foot forwards, pressing the heat of your sole against the front of his trousers and feeling the squishy outline of his loins beneath. You were pretty sure that if Sat could blush, he would have-- the flustered expression that crossed his face was both endearing and enticing, encouraging you to tease him a little more-- so you did so.
The avian wasn't as adventurous as you were expecting him to be-- rather than unbutton himself and fully experience the feeling of your foot, he instead remained firmly clothed, and leant forwards even more in a desperate attempt to hide what was transpiring beneath the table. He averted his gaze from yours and looked down to his heads, cocking up a hand to rest it on the side of his head as if he were trying to hide his face a little. From between his beak came a soft and shaky sigh as you flexed your toes against his crotch, feeling the vivid, pulsing warmth of his arousal beneath.
You didn't say anything to tease him, nor draw attention to yourself in any way, and instead focussed your attention entirely on pleasing him. The more that you curled your toes and pressed with your sole, the more that Sat squirmed on the spot. You're not sure how much he would be alright with taking, nor did you know if you would even help him to 'finish', but you could at least make him feel giddy. You stroked up and down his leg with your other $foot, grazing his trouser with your $skin as he visibly grew more and more flustered. He eventually couldn't resist reaching down beneath the tablecloth, touching with the top of your foot and stroking his fingers against your $skin.
After a few more moments of sensual touched and probing on your end, Sat slowly pushed your $foot back, and you relented, bending your legs and bringing your feet back towards your shoes. You slipped them back on as Sat awkwardly cleared his throat and avoided looking you in the eyes, but the sheepish smile on his face made it clear he'd liked it, on some level. He squirmed awkwardly for a moment before finally plucking up the courage to look at you, parting his beak to speak.
"I, um..." He began. "We shouldn't do that. I don't want to...you know."
A grin spread across your $nose and Sat looked away, looking considerably flustered. Not wanting to tease him, you got to your feet and briefly bowed, making an excuse to leave so that he'd have all the time in the world to calm himself down. As you stepped away, Sat watched you go-- you know knew that because you looked back at him as you went to see his gaze lingering on you.
With a smile, you returned to mingling with the other guests and momentarily gave Sat some space, satisfied that he'd grown fonder of you as a result of your lewd antics.(set:$SatSway to it + 80)](else:)[For a moment, Sat didn't move, his expression rigid and his body as tense as his clenched hands. Then, all of a sudden, he broke away from your glance and looked down, pushing back with his arms and scooting his chair further back, out of your reach. You were forced to lower your legs and you instinctively moved them towards your own shoes, sliding them back in so that no-one could be any the wiser.
"Why did you do that?" Sat asked, loud enough for you to hear, but quiet enough to not attract the attention of most of the nobles nearby-- though some still looked, regrettably.
"I, uh..." You began. "Sorry. I thought you'd like it."
"Like it?" He frowned. "That sort of thing is risky...and dangerous. Fuck your reputation, but mine? If word got around that Lord Carein's adjutant were doing that sort of thing in public at a dinner for nobles, regardless of it's formality..."
"You're right, I didn't consider your standing or how it might impact those around you," You bowed your head whilst you remained seated, as an expression of goodwill and respect. "Forgive me."
"Just...don't do that again, okay?" He sighed, getting to his feet. "I'm going to sit somewhere else."
Sat looked perhaps a little creeped out by you as he stepped away and disappeared into the crowd, leaving you to sit there. With a grimace, you got to your feet and eventually went back to mingling yourself-- nearby nobles whispered and speculated about what had transpired between the two of you, but you hoped they wouldn't spread any rumours. You main concern was Sat's disfavour, which you couldn't change but would need to amend.(set:$SatSway to it - 50)(set:$Havoc to it + 80)(set:$HavocG to it + 80)]]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>{(set:$Roll to (random:1,100) - $LChance)
(if:$SatSway is >=200)[(set:$WThreshold to 75)](else:)[(set:$WThreshold to 50)]}
(align:"<==")[Ralt was looking a little agitated from being within a crowd for so long, so you made the polite suggestion that he sit somewhere with you for a while, just so that he could relax. Though Ralt seemed initially apprehensive about the idea, he eventually relented to the thought and allowed you to lead the way. You directed him just a short distance across the banquet hall towards a small, empty table that would serve the two of you well. The chairs were small-ish but Ralt somehow squeezed into his despite that, and you sat opposite him. You hadn't asked him to come and sit for no reason-- you had a little plan brewing in your head, but it was an incredibly risky one. As you sat there, Ralt leant forwards a little and seemed to relax a little.
The good thing about the tables of House Dawland was that not only were they small and allowed for the two of you to sit close together despite being opposite one-another, but they also bore tablecloths that stretched as far down as the floor, effectively hiding what was going on under the table itself. That was perfect for you, who planned to do some things under the table that would otherwise get you in trouble. Shifting and leaning back in your seat, you pressed your shoes to the floor and twisted your ankle, bumping the front of your foot with the heel of the other, slipping out of your shoe, before shortly doing the same with the other. You pressed the cool soles of your $species feet to the banquet floor's tiles and then stretched your legs out, drawing them closer to Ralt's legs.
It was hard to gauge without seeing, but your toes eventually bumped with his legs, causing Ralt to sit upright slightly, his gaze piercing you. You shyly smiled as you twisted your right ankle, stroking the top of your $foot against his leg before lifting your foot up higher and higher. Your other $foot soon followed the first but you only pressed it to the bear's knee, whilst the other pushed inwards and along Ralt's inner high, heading towards his crotch. You couldn't tell how close you were, but you knew your toes and claws could meet with his crotch at any moment, so you hesitated, meeting his gaze with your own. You had to wonder how he'd react-- his response could change the 'relationship' between the two of you, so you hoped it'd be more favourable than not. You held your breath and watched.
(if:$Roll is <=$WThreshold)[Ralt shifted in his seat after a moment of peculiar silence and he leant a little further forwards, his gaze affixed to yours-- however, he didn't move or budge, and you took it as consent to keep going. You stretched your leg out and felt the sudden warmth of Ralt's crotch press against the sole of your $foot and against your toes, and you deliberately flexed your digits, idly feeling the bulge. Ralt audibly grumbled and lowered his eyes, shuffling awkwardly and deliberately pushing his hips forward against your foot, encouraging you to continue.
With a smirk, you folded your arms and slowly began to stroke your $foot up and down as you curled your toes on your other $foot, flexing the digits against Ralt's knee. Your right foot slowly stroked up and down and Ralt groaned under his breath, trying to keep quiet. You felt the creature's loins swell against your $foot and as you pushed firmly and curled your toes, you could feel it throbbing and growing under your assault. Ralt was starting to look more and more flustered, and to your surprise he was drooling just a little. You quickly leant forwards and reached for a napkin that sat on the table's surface, handing it over to him-- for a moment Ralt didn't react, but he did eventually take it from you and bring it to his mouth, trying to hide how he was drooling.
"You should stop." He mumbled, and you were tempted to pull back, but Ralt still pushed and pressed against your roaming $foot, despite his words. You hesitated for a moment and Ralt raised his head enough to look at you with his strangely piercing gaze, and you frowned, unsure. You splayed your toes and made a deliberate point of curling them down hard against his obvious erection, and a trickle of excitement ripped through you as Ralt visibly shuddered, his eyes rolling up for just a moment before he abruptly reached down with a hand. He hesitated as his large paw pressed down against your foot, and with a sigh he pushed you down against the twitching, pulsing mass between his legs before he pushed your $foot away. With a smirk, you slid your $feet back and dragged them across the ground back towards your shoes, where you slipped into them and slowly got to your feet. Unlike him, you weren't as 'excited'-- though not because you had no interest, but because you were simply too focussed on him.
"It looks like you might need a minute," You surmised. "I'm sorry if I overstepped."
"No, you didn't," He assured you, clearing his throat. "That was...very good."
A grin spread across your face, and you quickly offered him a respectful bow before taking your leave, disappearing into the crowd so that you could return to mingling and give Ralt the necessary space he needed. Excitement made your $skin tingle and you were interested to see how your relationship with Ralt would develop in the future.(set:$RalSway to it + 80)](else:)[For a moment, Ralt did and said nothing, his expression rigid and his muscles tense. Then, all of a sudden, he reached down and forcibly pushed your foot away from his crotch, causing you to relent. You pulled your feet back and quickly slipped them back into your shoes as Ralt rose to his feet, his gaze still stuck to yours. You withered ever so slightly in your seat and the bear visibly weakened from your response, before he shifted, rounding the table.
You tried not to shrink too much in your seat as Ralt slowly leant over you, planting his hand on the edge of the table as his mouth drew closer and closer, his eyes cold and searching. You couldn't be sure of what he planned to do, but his movement and actions had attracted the attention of nearby nobles, who openly watched and whispered, speculating his motives and the relationship between the two of you. You winced as Ralt's face came close to yours, enough for you to feel the heat of his breath.
"Let me make something clear," He muttered quietly, though you're sure some other nobles could hear it. "I am not a toy or a plaything for you to do with what you will...especially as I barely know you. I will not be so polite if you try this again."
"S...Sorry." Was all you could think to say. Ralt didn't move for another moment or two before he slowly raised his head, sighing through his lips. He didn't say another word as he turned, trudging off across the banquet hall as nobles watched him go, before turning their attention to you. Your face warmed and you shifted, getting to your feet and quickly leaving the 'scene', hoping it might stop the spread of the rumours-- though you had a feeling it wouldn't. Worst still, your relationship with Ralt had soured as a result.
With a defeated sigh, you returned to mingling.(set:$RalSway to it - 50)(set:$Havoc to it + 80)(set:$HavocG to it + 80)]]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>{(set:$Roll to (random:1,100) - $LChance)
(if:$SatSway is >=200)[(set:$WThreshold to 75)](else:)[(set:$WThreshold to 50)]}
(align:"<==")[Berlis didn't seem to be tired or the type to just lounge around, but you decided to give it a go nonetheless. With a respectful bow and a wide smile, you suggested whether he'd like to take a seat somewhere and relax. To your surprise, he seemed on-board with the idea, moreso than you were initially expecting, and rather than allowing you to lead him he instead directed you to follow him instead. The two of you walked across the banquet hall and towards a small table. There Berlis sat, encouraging you to sit opposite him. You did so and leant back in your seat, relaxing a little as the reptile across from you started to talk to you about, honestly, benign subjects-- you had learnt to tune out his vague insults about commoners and the like for that's what most nobles were like.
The advantage of the tables in House Dawland's banquet was that they were small, enough for the two of you to be sitting quite close despite being opposite each other, and that their tablecloths were incredible long, enough for them to reach close to the tiled floor, effectively obscuring everything that was happening beneath the table. As Berlis talked, you subtly shifted your legs beneath the table, accidentally bumping your shoe with his own before tucking your feet in, bumping on heel to the front of your other foot to help slip your shoes off. Once they met with the floor, you flexed your feet briefly and then slowly stretched your legs out, bringing them closer to the reptile, keeping your gaze fixed to him as he talked, nodding and humming along as he spoke so that he was none the wiser.
"Yes, it was quite the ordeal. I'm sure that bastard Duke will get his s--" Berlis paused. Your $feet had eventually met with the reptile's legs, specifically his trousers, and in turn had caught Berlis by surprise. The reptile's maw pursed and he stared across at you for a moment, narrowing his eyes as you offered him nothing but an innocent, slightly lidded gaze, leaning back and folding your arms. Berlis looked like he wanted to speak, but he instead remained awkwardly silent, which troubled you a little. You slowly lifted up your left leg, grazing the top of your $foot against his leg and towards his knee before you stretched your leg out further, sliding it along his inner thigh, mere inches from his crotch. How he'd react how could irrevocably change his opinion of you in the future-- you just hoped it was favourable.
(if:$Roll is <=$WThreshold)[After a moment or two of awkward silence, Berlis's maw stretched into a grin and he slowly leant forwards, a hand sliding down between him and the table. You felt his fingers trailing over the top of your $foot, his claws grazing your (if:$species is "avian")[scales](else:)[$skin] as he directed your closer, his hand stroking across the curves of the top of your foot and around to your ankle. You curled your toes against his crotch and felt the coolness of his loins beneath, that pulsed and twitched under your assault.
He caressed you for just a little while as you stroked your right $foot up and down his clothed leg, before Berlis slid his hand back, trailing them over your toes before removing his touch entirely. You had to wonder what he was planning, but you soon found out when you felt his trousers moving and shifting. You could only assume he was unbuttoning himself and sure enough, you soon felt the gentle cool of the reptile's scales pressing against your sole, twitching fervently under your $foot.
Berlis visibly licked his lips and subtly ground his hips against your foot, and you splayed your toes, wedging his cock between them and stroking up and down. His member felt humanoid in shape, and as you stroked you're sure he had some sort of foreskin, for your movements were effortless and there was no real resistance to speak of. The more you stroked, the more that Berlis subtly ground against you, his movements impossible to see from where you were sitting. You eventually dragged your $foot up and curled your toes around the head of his member, smearing it in the crease between your sole and your digits, and Berlis was forced to briefly cover his mouth to suppress what you could only assume to be a groan.
After a few minutes of leisurely stroking and tender teasing, Berlis coaxed your foot further down and let out a long and visible exhale that had you briefly smirking, for you knew what it meant. Sure enough, after a few moments you felt a wet liquid spurt across the top of your $foot, trickling down towards your heel and ankle, straining your (if:$species is "avian")[scales](else:)[$skin]. You shivered briefly and smiled to yourself as Berlis leant back, sighing deeply through his nose before plucking a napkin from the table. He brought it beneath the table and smearing it across himself before drying your foot in turn-- for the most part, anyway. When he eventually relinquished his grip you pulled back, sliding your $feet back into your shoes, and Berlis visibly adjusted himself, trying to be subtle. After a few moments, the reptile got to his feet, clearing his throat and smoothing down his doublet.
"Thank you for the 'talk'," He accentuated the last word with a smirk. "Hopefully we can have another 'talk' soon...//slut.//"
He whispered the last word and, with a wink, turned on a heel and strode off into the crowd, leaving you to watch after him. You sat there for a while, $skin tingling with the excitement of what may come later coupled with the need to calm yourself down, for reasons that were obvious. You gave yourself a few minutes before eventually getting to your feet and returning to mingling, assured that you'd be seeing Berlis later...(set:$BerSway to it + 80)](else:)[Berlis was still for a moment, before he dipped a hand beneath the table, out of sight. You were hoping, for a moment, that he might encourage you to keep going, but he instead pushed down against your ankle, his expression hardening as he roughly shoved your leg away. You immediately sat up and tucked your legs back, quickly slipping your shoes on as Berlis slowly rose to his feet, on the verge of quaking with anger.
"Have you lost your mind, or do all //whores// act like this?" He snapped, causing you to wince a little. Nearby nobles easily heard his loud, angry tone and turned their heads in your direction, intrigued by the commotion. Your face burned with a mixture of embarrassment and shame, but nothing you could do would quell Berlis's anger. All you could think to do was stand and bow.
"Forgive me, Lord Dawson." Was all you could think to say-- no explanation would excuse your behaviour, and you don't think it'd satisfy Berlis's rage either. The reptile didn't say anything for a while, and you didn't dare raise your head, keeping yourself firmly bowed. You eventually heard a long, exasperated sigh and when you lifted your head, the reptile had already turned and strode off, disappearing within the crowd.
You straightened yourself up, avoiding the pointed stares of nearby nobleman, knowing full well they were talking about what had just transpired. If you hung around any more, you were sure they'd likely start making fun of you or prodding for information-- despite your fancy clothes, you lack of etiquette probably made it clear you weren't a noble, and you didn't want to found out how they might treat you. You shuffled out from your seat and quickly strode off, aware that rumours were bound to spread-- that irritated you, sure, but what made your more anxious was the likely ruined relationship you had with Berlis as a result of your actions.
With a defeated sigh, you returned to mingling.(set:$BerSway to it - 50)(set:$Havoc to it + 80)(set:$HavocG to it + 80)]]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>|ConC>[{(set:$Roll to (random:1,100) - $LChance)
(set:$SW to $DulSway / 10)
(set:$WThreshold to 40 + $SW)}
(align:"<==")["Lord Dawland," You began. "If it's alright, I have something to show you. Would you be alright with following me?"
"...I suppose. Am I allowed to ask what it is?" The hyena asked, apprehensive as he set his glass down on a nearby table. A smirk crossed your lips.
"It's a secret." You assured him, and though Duldes looked even more wary, he sighed and relented, gesturing for you to lead him. You directed him across the banquet hall, where the two of you stepped towards the doors leading deeper into the house. You had every intention of going this way and then some, for your journey didn't stop here: even at the two of you wandered the halls of the estate, you led him with purpose, heading into what could best be considered a 'restricted' area of the house-- yet, to your surprise, Duldes made no comments, and you hoped it was because you walked through the wing with so much confidence that it seemed like you were //meant// to be there-- and ultimately, you were. You led him to a pair of double doors and Duldes quirked his eyebrow inquisitively at you as you pushed open one of the doors, bowing and allowing him to step through first. You followed shortly thereafter.
Duldes probably knew what was the room was, but to you it was the culmination of several minutes of effort earlier in the party. It was a small dining room clearly intended for more intimate dinner parties, and the large table in the centre lay adorned with a fancy tablecloth for nobles. Atop the table in that moment was a number of treats and cakes, as well as a jug topped with a refreshing, visibly fizzy beverage-- you had scrabbled around, coercing the servants earlier in the night to set up the little romantic room for you, and had specifically asked for 'sweet things'-- you're glad they delivered.
"What is this?" Duldes asked with a frown as you strode over towards the table and then sat in one of the chairs, sitting up straight as you crossed one leg over the over, smiling over the hyena.
"I...well, I set this up for the two of us..." You admitted. "So we could get to know one-another, amongst other things."
There was no other way to describe what it was other than a date, and you could see that Duldes knew that too, his expression turning into that of a frown. You weren't sure if he'd be receptive to the idea or immediately reject you, but you hoped it'd be the former-- you'd done quite a lot in order to set this up, upset a few servants, irritated the cook...regardless of the outcome, you'd made a ruckus. (if:$DateU is 1)[Despite the fact that you'd used this for someone else, you wanted it to be worth it...and there was no harm in 're-using' things.](else:)[You wanted it to be worth it.](set:$Havoc to it + 80)(set:$HavocG to it + 80)(set:$DateU to 1)]
(if:$Roll is <=$WThreshold)[(align:"<==")[Duldes cast his gaze over the fruits of your effort for a moment before a smile pulled a this muzzle, which to you was a good indication that he appreciated your intent. You couldn't help but visibly relax as the hyena approached the table, sitting opposite you and leaning back in his seat, and you quickly stood so that you could pour him out one of the sweet drinks. Duldes took the glass and sipped, before setting it down.
He began to speak, and you answered the kind, about all manner of benign subjects. To your surprise, Duldes was easier to talk to than you initially thought-- you expected him to be uptight and aloof, but once you'd broken the ice with your little 'date' he became much more receptive. The two of you talked for a while about various things from the weather to the sweets in front of you, and even debated lightly on current events and important topics-- you effectively checked all the boxes that attributed to 'small talk' without actually talking about yourself, and Duldes was the same; though talkative, he refrained from discussing himself in any way...that is, until a silence feel between you after you ran out of topics.
"So, you want to get to know each other," Duldes began all of a sudden, catching you by surprise. "Then let's do so, starting with you. Where did you come from? Who have you known? What was your childhood like?"
"That's...a lot of questions at once, Lord Dawland." You pointed out, but the hyena didn't budge.
"Well, we barely know one-another...you may have heard snippets about me, but you...you are quite the outlier." He leant forwards a little and you couldn't help but feel that you were being interrogated.
"I'll tell you what you want to know, then," You assured him. "But in turn, I want you to answer one question of mine."
"Fine." He agreed, and you sucked in a breath before leaning forwards, resting your elbows on the table. This was a risky question, and you're not sure how he'd react-- regardless, you had to ask. It wasn't for any kind of benefit other than your own morbid curiosity.
"Have you ever killed anyone?"]
|Con1>[<div class='img-container-continue'>Continue.</div>]](else:)[(align:"<==")[Duldes silent for an uncomfortable length of time as he swept his gaze over your attempts to woo him, from your smiling face to the assortment of biscuits, cakes and treats to the dim light and the flickering candles. He pursed his muzzle and then affixed his gaze back to yours, muzzle stretching into something of a grimace. That didn't bode well.
"Why did you do this?" He had to ask, and his question made you falter-- had you not already explained?
"I...to get to know you?" You frowned, and Duldes sighed through his nose.
"It does not take much for one to realise the implications of what you've created here," He pointed out. "Implications that, were they to be received more poorly than my own reaction, might put you in danger."
"...I'm aware." You slowly rose from your seat, realising that Duldes was outright rejecting you-- his not-so-subtle hint was proof enough. You couldn't help but feel a little defeated, but more than that you were concerned about any potential damage to what rapport you've been building with Duldes all that time. The hyena let out a long, drawn-out sigh as he stepped back towards the door.
"Whilst I appreciate the effort..." He began. "I also do not appreciate it, in turn. I must return to the party."
You watched with a mixture of defeat and dismay as Duldes turned and left the room, leaving you to stand in there in the quiet of the candlelit room. What did you do wrong? What could you do to remedy it in the future? These were the questions that filled your mind as you paced on the spot, giving Duldes time to return to the party on his own before you inevitably followed, so that you could go back to mingling. You hoped that this didn't sully your rapport with him too much, but it definitely made things awkward, for sure.(set:$DulSway to it - 40)]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>]](click:?Con1)[(replace:?ConC)[(align:"<==")[Your question was horrifying, and for a moment Duldes didn't respond, his eyes cold and his muscles tense. An awkward tension filled the air between you and you couldn't help but fidget, apprehensive about his answer. Eventually and Hyena dipped his gaze and leant further forwards, resting his arms on his knees.
"...Yes, I have," He admitted. "As have many nobles, I would imagine, but I more than most I suppose."
"Should I ask how many, or would that be too intimate of a question?" You probed and Duldes smirked, briefly covering his mouth with a hand before he spoke again.
"How many would be too telling," He admitted. "But...some, yes. I've slaughtered many a noble who sought to insult my house, and I've partook in a handful of small civil wars between houses. Skirted assassination attempts, dealt with muggers and ruffians...I have bathed in the blood of many an enemy and come out of it only slightly scathed, yet bloodied regardless."
"That sounds..." You weren't sure what the right word was for how you felt: unsurprising? Pitiful? Par for the course? Nobles were known for being ruthless, and you had a feeling that there was much he was withholding when it came to how many people he'd killed-- like all nobles, he had a dark side that, in that moment, he was not letting you see.
"There is not much more I can say on the matter," Duldes swept over the topic as best he could without cutting it short too abruptly. Let us merely say that I have lived a life marred with violence and leave it at that-- and now, your end of the bargain, if you would."
With a sigh, you leant back and adjusted yourself in your seat. A deal was a deal-- you'd answer his questions to the best of your ability, withholding your own information in turn, of course.
"Well..." You began. "I come from Vilihelm, Your Lordship. I worked as a server in my father's restaurant, but he did not make enough money for his family and it had to be shut down when I was 12. My childhood was otherwise uneventful and typical of that of a commoner. I have never known anyone of higher status than you, Lord Dawland."
"From Vilihelm...that's quite the distance. How and why did you come to this party? Gromarch is a good 2 weeks ride from Vilihelm." His questions were good, but you were prepared.
"My uncle was estranged from my father before I was born. When my father passed when I was 15, my uncle took me in. He runs a fishing business in Polana...it doesn't make much but it's enough to get by. As for why I got an invitation... I believe my uncle was given it initially but passed it on to me. He thinks I need some societal debut."
"I see," Duldes hummed, a smirk crossed his lips as he got to his feet. "Well, I would say you've left a good impression for yourself, Thep. I hope to see more of you in the future-- but for now, I should return to the party before I am missed. Thank you for this...I suppose you could call it a 'date'."
The hyena smiled in a way that made you feel warm in the face before he stepped towards the door. He cast you a final glance before stepping through, closing it behind him and allowing you to briefly relax. You were pleased that it had gone well, and pleased that he hadn't nit-picked your background too much either. You gave yourself a few minutes before getting to your feet and returning to the party. You were sure you'd see Duldes again soon.(set:$DulSway to it + 80)]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>]]|ConC>[{(set:$Roll to (random:1,100) - $LChance)
(set:$SW to $SatSway / 10)
(set:$WThreshold to 40 + $SW)}
(align:"<==")["Sat, do you have a moment?" You began. "I have something I've been meaning to show you...if that's alright, of course."
"Oh, yeah, sure!" Sat smiled, though he looked a little awkward about it. With a gesture, he directed you to lead him onwards, and you had him follow you across the room towards the doors leading further into the estate. There were several rings of the house that ultimately you weren't allowed to go into-- in any other instance you would have listened to that rule, but for what you were about to do with Sat it was necessary you headed into a restricted wing of the house, though it wasn't for anything nefarious. Sat seemed anxious to follow you to places you shouldn't go, but he did so simply due to your own confidence. You didn't go too deep into the east wing of the house and eventually stopped outside of a pair of double doors. With one final glance to Sat, you pushed the door open and bowed, allowing him to step past you and into the room, before following suit.
You and Sat were standing in one of those small rooms designed to be used for more intimate discussions between two parties-- the walls were fancy, etched and lined with carvings and engraving that simply screamed 'elegant', and the chandelier above your heads glittered in the dim light, but its candles weren't lit. Sitting in the middle of the room was a small table with a long, ornate tablecloth and two fancy chairs, with the surface of the table decorated with little displays of treats and sweets, and a silver tray with a couple of glasses and a sparkling, cool carbonated drink inside a large pitcher jug. You had gone to great lengths, coerced some servants, angered some chefs and then some just to set up this little dinner, and it couldn't be a more perfect, romantic little room for the two of you-- (if:$DateU is 1)[though you had already used this room for one of your targets initially, there was no harm in re-using it...after all, Sat didn't have to know.](else:)[there was even a candelabra in the centre, the dull glow of the candles really setting the mood.]
"I...Thep, what is all this?" Sat asked initially, frowning as you stepped across the room and lingered by the table, pouring out drinks for the two of you.
"I...well, I set this up for the two of us," You admitted. "I was hoping it'd be a good venue to get to know one-another better. Do you like it?"
How Sat would reply could irrevocably change the friendship you two have had, and how things might change in the future for trying to seduce him-- you hoped he'd take this favourably, but there was no denying that this was, effectively, a date. Was he the type to enjoy those sorts of things, or would he reject you? You couldn't be certain.(set:$Havoc to it + 80)(set:$HavocG to it + 80)(set:$DateU to 1)]
(if:$Roll is <=$WThreshold)[(align:"<==")["You...did all this for me?" Sat looked sheepish, but you could see his smile. You tried not to look too excited and gestured for him to take a seat. Sat slipped into the seat opposite yours and you sat down yourself, pushing one glass towards him as you took the other, taking a sip. The beverage was fizzy and sweet, and made your mouth tingle. Hints of citrus fruits and strawberries swilled around your mouth as you swallowed and you couldn't help but feel strangely cooler from the drink. Sat seemed to have a similar enjoyment for the drink.
"Wow, this is good." Sat openly remarked and you smiled against the rim of your glass, humming your agreement before setting it down.
"So, tell me a little bit about yourself," You insisted. "I feel like I don't really know you that well at all, aside from the odd thing or two. What was your time like as a soldier? What is your life like as an adjutant?"
"You're asking quite a lot," Sat grinned. "So can I ask similar questions, once I've answered?"
"I don't see why not."
"Well..." Sat began. "As for your first question...my time as a soldier was fine. I worked as a guardsman in the city of Calfret-- you know, the one that's not far from Unilai-- and if you know Calfret you know that it's not exactly the most crime-ridden place in Gromarch...well, it wasn't at first. Turns out they were all just hiding. I found that out the hard way."
"How so?" You leant closer, curious, and Sat grimaced before lowering his gaze.
"Let's just say that I put my trust in the wrong people and realised too little too late that the guards were being bribed," He confessed, and you couldn't help but feel bad for him. "I put up with it for a year or so, but... I didn't want to work for a place that was like that. It wasn't what I was brought up on, and it's not what I trained for, so I ended up moving to the capital. That's where I met Lord Carein."
"I see," You nodded along. "And as an adjutant, is your work any better?"
"I believe it's the same old corruption, just in a different coat," Sat smiled wryly. "But for the most part I don't have to deal with Lord Carein's retainers that much. He usually meets with them himself."]
|Con1>[<div class='img-container-continue'>Continue.</div>]](else:)[(align:"<==")["Um..." Sat looked decidedly awkward and you stood there for a moment, pursing your $nose and fiddling with the handle of the pitcher jug. A mixture of embarrassment and annoyance swelled within you-- you felt stupid for thinking that this could work, and you could tell from the look on Sat's face that he wasn't into it. All you could think to do was brush it off, somehow.
"Sorry," You apologised. "This has made you uncomfortable. I meant for it to be rather relaxed, but...even I cannot deny what this looks like."
"Yeah..." The avian awkwardly rubbed the back of his head. "I appreciate the effort you've put in, I imagine it took a lot, but...uh, fuck. Sorry. I'm not good with this sort of thing."
"You don't have to apologise, Sat," You insisted with a smile that you forced to be genuine, but couldn't quite manage it. "It was a little silly, anyway. I should have at least asked you first if it would be something you'd be interested in."
"Perhaps..." Sat squirmed on the spot. "But I do feel bad for turning you down, I'm just not particularly interested in dating, or going on dates. I have too much going on in my life."
"I understand." You nodded along, lowering your gaze and keeping your head down as you looked down at the table. An awkward silence filled the air that could have made you squirm, were you not so sullied by the Plover's rejection. When you looked back over at Sat, he was anxiously standing there, and you couldn't be sure why at first-- was he waiting for you to tell him to go, or was he just feeling guilty?
"Sat," You smiled weakly. "You don't have to stick around. You can go back to the party if you want."
"...Okay." Sat looked apprehensive to do at first but then nodded, shuffling for a moment on his feet before stepping towards the door and heading through. He cast you a single glance before looking away and closing the door behind him. You sighed and leant back, reflecting on how and why things had gone so wrong-- were you too pushy, or was it simply out of your hands? Regardless, you had a feeling that things would be a little weird between you and Sat for a while.
With a defeated sigh, you smoothed over your expression and eventually left the room, returning to the party.(set:$SatSway to it - 40)]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>]](click:?Con1)[(replace:?ConC)[(align:"<==")["I see..." You couldn't help but feel bad for him, but Sat seemed to take it in his stride, and he brushed off your sombre tone with a gesture of his hand and a smile. You tried not to let it show too much and the avian leant forwards in his seat.
"Now it's your turn," He smirked. "Where are you from? I know you're not a noble, so how did you get invited? You must have quite some connections."
"Ah, it's nothing extravagant," You lied through your teeth. "I lived in Vilihelm in my youth as a server for my father's restaurant...things sadly took a turn for the worse and both the restaurant and his health declined. When he passed, I was on the cusp of adulthood-- my uncle, who lived in Gromarch, offered me a place to stay with him, and I took it. I believe he has some connections with some nobles here and he offered me his invitation because he was busy."
"Oh, I see," Sat hummed, leaning back. "You mentioned your father...what about your mother?"
"Died giving birth to me," You laid on the quiet tone rather thickly and Sat grimaced, looking visibly guilty for bringing it up. "It's alright. I never knew her, so I haven't really been able to hold much attachment to her passing."
"Even still..." Sat lowered his gaze. "Losing family is hard-- I lost my younger brother to a harsh winter when I was a child. I still have memories of him."
"Mm..." You hummed your agreement. "It is difficult, but all we can do is move on with our lives-- they would want us to be happy and health, would they not?"
"That is true," Sat agreed to that with a small smile. "So what does your uncle do?"
"Fishing." You stuck out your tongue and Sat giggled, covering his beak a moment. Conversation shifted from talking about each other to the odd benign subject-- things like the weather, current events and politics, as well as the odd nostalgic reminiscing about one thing or another. Sat was a warm and kind person with a sharp wit and an even sharper tongue-- he intermingled his speech with the occasional swear word that you couldn't have even considered doing in kind for fear of making it a common occurrence around other nobles, who might frown upon such things, but Sat confidence and casual tone made you feel at ease. He was an endearing man. Eventually, however, your conversation drew to a close and the both of you stood, Sat slightly before you.
"I should return to the party," Sat admitted, downing the last of his glass and then grinning over you. "Thanks for the, uh..."
"Date," You finished his sentence. "You can just say date. There doesn't need to be any connotations behind it."
"Alright, then. Date." He beamed and then stepped towards the door, lingering for a moment before pulling it open. He bid you a quick farewell, the pair of you aware that you'd see each other later into the night, before he headed out, returning to the banquet hall. You stood there for a moment and couldn't help but grin to yourself, thankful that things had gone to plan, to the point of blowing away all expectations you had. You were eager to see how things would develop with him in the future.
You took a few minutes to clean up a bit before returning to the party yourself, renewed in your purpose.(set:$SatSway to it + 80)]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>]]|ConC>[{(set:$Roll to (random:1,100) - $LChance)
(set:$SW to $RalSway / 10)
(set:$WThreshold to 40 + $SW)}
(align:"<==")["Raltarndarv," You began with a tentative smile. "If you have the time, could you follow me for a moment? I have something to show you."
Ralt looked a little apprehensive at first, but it seemed like he slowly realised he had no reason to distrust you-- after all, what could you do at a party with so many people watching? With a silent, wordless nod, he gestured for you to lead him onwards. You walked across the banquet hall with him following suit, until you reached the doors on the far side that led into the hallways of House Dawland's estate. There were several branching paths that lead into restricted wings of the manor, and though you would have avoided going into them on any other occasion, this time around you fully intended to enter the east wing, for one purpose in particular.
You eventually stopped outside a pair of double doors and turned to Ralt, noticing his awkward stance and anxious gaze. You couldn't blame him; if he were caught in the restricted wings of House Dawland's summer manor then you had no doubt that they wouldn't take kindly to his trespassing, but no-one would know the two of you were here. You slowly pushed open the doors and then gestured him through-- after a moment of hesitation he obliged, and you followed after him.
Before you lay the fruits of your labour-- you had spent some time earlier in the evening coaxing servants, angering chefs and generally running around, all in the pursuit of setting up a small, candlelit room. The ornate walls and chandelier above made it clear it was a room typically reserved for intimate conversations with high-ranking dignitaries, but at that moment it was used as your own romantic getaway and you and one other. In the middle sat a couple of chairs surrounding a small ornate table, wherein atop its tablecloth lay several display stands for treats, cakes and sweets, and a large pitcher jug full of pinkish liquid sat on a silver tray, joined by two elegantly-carved glasses. (if:$DateU is 1)[You had already used this room before for someone else, but...what Ralt didn't know wouldn't hurt him.](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]
"What is all this?" Ralt asked as you stepped across the room towards the table, pulling a chair out for him to sit in.
"It's a private room, just for the two of us," You explained. "I thought it might be a good place for us to get to know each other."
Ralt was strangely silent and you couldn't help but feel nervous-- anyone could see that this was a 'date' of sorts, and regardless of the outcome, you had put a lot of effort into making this room a reality. You desperately wanted it to be worth it to offset the amount of havoc you'd caused, but whether it would be or not wasn't up to you, but to the bear in front of you.(set:$Havoc to it + 80)(set:$HavocG to it + 80)(set:$DateU to 1)]
(if:$Roll is <=$WThreshold)[(align:"<==")["...Alright, I shall humour you." Ralt resigned to the idea and he stepped across the room, sinking himself into the seat that you had pulled out. You thought his large, brutish frame might struggle to fit in a chair built for slim nobles, but he somehow managed to squeeze himself in, and he was already reaching for the desserts as you rounded the table to slide into your own seat. For a moment you felt awkward, unsure what to talk about, but Ralt thankfully spoke first.
"So what did you want to know?" He asked, and you were momentarily bewildered.
"What do you mean?" You replied, watching as he took one of the tarts between his thick fingers and tossed into his mouth as if it were the most natural thing in the world. He chewed with an open mouth, not having the nuance to roll his jaw like some were able to, and he threw his head back to swallow.
"You said you wanted to get to know each other better," He replied matter-of-factly. "So, was there something in particular about me that intrigued you?"
"Well, I do have a few questions..." You admitted. "But I fear they may be too personal."
"...You are unlike other nobles," Ralt remarked. "I feel as though I can trust you with some of the details of my private life, for you won't judge me for them or report back to any superiors."
"Alright then," You didn't want to say how wrong he was. "Well, I'll start with the first one, then: what was your childhood like? (if:$AloneRal is 1)[You've spoke before about the candidate selection for your tribe, but you didn't say much about what it was like growing up."
"Well..." Ralt began with a grimace. "Yes, though I was a candidate for chieftain, my childhood was...both good and band. Being so important to the future of my people meant that some of my movements were limited and restrained...but I have very fond memories of my childhood that I wish I could relive. I only got to enjoy a handful of fleeting years of my youth simply enjoying my time in the sun before my duties as a candidate took precedence."
"It sounds difficult." You mused, leaning forwards and placing your elbows on the table, and Ralt openly sighed through his nose.
"It was, but it was also necessary," He remarked. "Without my father's guidance and teachings that helped me become the new chieftain, I fear that the fate of my people would have been sealed."](else:)[I know next to nothing about how your kind are raised."
"Well..." Ralt began with a sigh. "To begin with, I was already considered to be a chieftain candidate from the moment I was born, for I was the son of my father, the previous chieftain. I was raised under his tutelage and teachings...my movements were restrained and I could not enjoy myself as some other children might have, and I also have to compete with my peers for the position of chieftain. In order to ascend to the role, one has to be the strongest of his people...and that sometimes means making hard choices."
"Was it a roll you ever wanted?" You remarked, though didn't mean to say it so harshly. A smile tugged at Ralt's lips.
"There were times I doubted," He hummed. "But yes, I wanted to be my people's leader. Had I not become the man I am today, I do not think my people would have survived."]
An awkward silence feel between you as the weight of his words felt heavy on your shoulders...but you still had questions.]
|Con1>[<div class='img-container-continue'>Continue.</div>]](else:)[(align:"<==")["Um..." Ralt began awkwardly, and you felt a brief pang of discomfort spread through your chest as his half-hearted tone and expression. It told you all you really needed to know, and your hands clenched against the back of the chair in front of you as you tried your best to smooth out your features and smile.
"Is it a little much?" You asked with an awkwardly chuckle and Ralt's expression was strangely hard to read, his eyes not cold but deep and meaningful, his lips curled into a sad frown.
"It is not that," He tried to explain. "I simply...do not have much interest in this. I'm aware of your kind's ideas behind courting...and I feel there is no need for it. There is also, regrettably, my tentative status at this party. If I am away for too long, someone may come looking for me, and I fear for their reaction if they find me here."
"Right...of course," You nodded solemnly. "Forgive me, I didn't realise how difficult your situation was."
A silence feel between you as neither of you knew what to say-- you knew that no amount of coaxing and persuading would get him to stay if his stance was that firm. He insisted that it was out of his control but you had a feeling that half of it was just an excuse to get back to the party. With an tense roll of your shoulders, you pushed the chair back in to the table and then gestured to him.
"I suppose you should get back then, before you're missed." You wryly smiled and Ralt seemed to hesitate, before heading to the door. He glanced back at you for a moment and parted his lips to speak, before thinking better of it. He stepped through the doors, politely closing them behind him and leaving you to your own thoughts.
With a sigh, you threw you head back and looked up at the ceiling for a moment before closing your eyes. What had you done wrong? What could have gone better? Perhaps if your relationship with Ralt was a little more close, or you had done things differently, then the result might have been favourable. In the end, there was nothing that could be don about it now-- though you had a feeling that your relationship with Ralt was maybe not as prominent as it was before.
With a sigh, you left the room and returned to the party. Nothing left to do but move forwards with the mission.(set:$RalSway to it - 40)]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>]](click:?Con1)[(replace:?ConC)[(align:"<==")["So you've told me about your upbringing..." You began. "This might be a difficult topic, but how did you come to serve under the Laquain Empire?"
Ralt's expression hardened and you were tempted to rescind the question. To your surprise, however, he dipped his head and sighed, as if defeated by the mere thought of it alone. He a shrug of his shoulders, he began to speak.
"Our people's homeland is in a forest in the southern reaches of Altienta, near to the borders of Rudega and Prianti. We rarely ventured out of the forest, but on one particular day one of our scouts caught sight of an army headed in our direction. I think their original intention was to cut through the forest and invade Rudega, but they found out village before they could. Despite our strength, we were heavily outnumbered...and several forces managed to flank the village and went for the females and children."
"Oh, god..." You hoped that what you were thinking wasn't what actually happened. "They didn't...?"
"No, thankfully not," Ralt pursed his muzzle. "They used them as leverage, threatened to injure or kill them if we didn't stand down. As leader of my people, I didn't want them to see them hurt, so I called for my people to stop. After that, what I can only assume to be an ambassador took me away privately and had me talk to him."
"What did he say?" You leant forwards a little more and Ralt sighed again, long and sombre.
"He made it sound so beneficial," He muttered. "I knew it was a death sentence if I refused but he made it appear as if we'd be on equal footing. It was only when I agreed and plans were put in place did I realise how difficult it would be. We were uprooted from our home and forced to move further up north. They put us in slums and had the strongest work for their army, whilst giving me an honorary title and a house, servants...but they treat me poorly. All of them do. I think my people hate me, too."
"You did what you thought was right at the time." You reached across the touch to touch his hand, which had had placed on the table shortly before. You didn't know what else to say to him-- it looked like a bad situation for his people regardless of the outcome, but at least this way they were alive. A pang of guilt ran through you at the thought of him being a potential 'target' for your mission. It was mainly lying to him about yourself that made you feel bad. A silence fell between the two of you and Ralt seemed soothed by your touch but, after a few minutes of silence, he got to his feet.
I'm sorry to cut this short," He mumbled. "But I fear I've sullied the mood...and I'll admit talks of my past have upset me somewhat."
"It's okay. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked." You bowed your head and Ralt reached out, his hand caressing your head for just a moment, his large fingers raking through your $skin.
"I chose to tell it, you have no blame for asking," He sighed. "I will return to the party, before they search for me."
"Okay." You let him go, and watched as he strode to the door, pulling it open and stepping through. He cast you a final glance, smiling wryly as he closed the door behind him, and you leant back in the quiet of your own thoughts and grimaced. Anger boiled within you at the thought of his people. You wished you could help. You were sure your 'date' went well regardless-- though he was sad, he seemed glad to spend time with you, given his parting smile.
After a few minutes of sitting there you got up and returned to the party, renewed in your mission.(set:$RalSway to it + 80)]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>]]|ConC>[{(set:$Roll to (random:1,100) - $LChance)
(set:$SW to $BerSway / 10)
(set:$WThreshold to 40 + $SW)}
(align:"<==")["Lord Dawson," You began with a respectful bow. "Do you want to go for a walk? I have something to show you."
"...Fine." Berlis resigned to the idea, though in any other situation a high ranking noble would have turned you down-- you did you best not to dwell on the 'why' and instead led him onwards, walking across the banquet hall towards the pair of doors that lead out into the hallways beyond. The Dawland estate had quite a few wings and halls that were off limits and on any other occasion you would have avoided them, but at that particular moment you had every intention of skirting their house rules...just for a little while, anyway. Berlis seemed to have absolutely no issue with you heading into the east wing of the house, and you didn't lead him on for much further.
You eventually stopped outside a pair of double doors and turned to him, grinning before you pushed the doors open and gestured him to go in ahead of you. The reptile hesitated for just a moment before he stepped through, and you quickly followed through. There, in an ornately decorated room intended for intimate talks with high-ranking nobles, the fruits of your labours could be seen. It had taken a lot of effort for you to set the mood before the two of you-- many coaxed servants, many angry chefs and organisation that caused more havoc than good, but you hoped and begged it would be worth it. Laid out in the room was a small candlelit table and two chairs-- adorned atop the table's surface were a handful of displays bearing treats and desserts and a tray, bearing a pitcher jug filled with a sparkling pinkish liquid and two etched glasses.
"...And what is all this, exactly?" Berlis demanded as you closed the doors behind him and crossed the room, approaching the table.
"It's...um, something I set up for the two of us," You admitted. "To get to know one-another."
A silence filled the air between you as you held your breath. (if:$DateU is 1)[Though you had already used this room with someone else,](else:)[Though this was the first time you'd managed to get someone here,] you'd gone to great lengths to set it up. You hoped he'd be receptive to it.(set:$Havoc to it + 80)(set:$HavocG to it + 80)(set:$DateU to 1)]
(if:$Roll is <=$WThreshold)[(align:"<==")[Berlis was peculiarly silent for a moment longer, before he eventually stepped forwards. He cast you a single half-withering, half-curious look before he strode towards one of the chairs, sliding into a seat. You wanted to smile, but suppressed the urge and instead grabbed the pitcher, pouring out a drink for each of you before handing his other as you sat down. Berlis took it from you and sipped, and you had a feeling the drink wasn't quite to his taste.
You didn't particularly have a topic to talk about, but thankfully Berlis seemed to have some on hand-- or, at least, he was good at conversation. We first he talked about the weather and the desserts before he changed topics to all manner of other things. The two of you talked for a handful of minutes about current events, rumours circulating around certain noble houses as well as a little bit of politics, which you admittedly weren't all that well-versed in; you only knew a little about the political hierarchy of Gromarch nobility. Eventually, however, your conversation eventually drifted to one-another.
"So, tell me, commoner," Berlis began with a mixture of intrigue and his usual disdain. "Where did you come from? Where were you born? How did you even get an invite to this party? I'm sure House Dawland wouldn't have let you in if you just came in off the streets."
"That's...quite a lot of questions," You remarked. "If you'll permit me to ask in turn, then, can I ask you some things about yourself after I have answered?"
"...I suppose." Berlis shrugged his shoulders and sounded indifferent, but you had a feeling that wanting to know more about him was fueling his ego just a little. Regardless, you leant back and relaxed yourself, before opening your mouth to speak.
"Well..." You began with a sigh. "I come from Vilihelm...I worked as a server in my father's restaurant. We were doing well for ourselves, but...as with most things, it didn't work out. Business dipped as new competitors came in, my father's health deteriorated...and he eventually passed when I was on the cusp of adulthood. I have no-one to take care of me."
"What about your mother?" Berlis pressed, and you smiled wryly.
"She died when I was very young." You lied through your teeth, and for a split second Berlis's expression softened, enough for you to notice before his features smoothed over. He didn't say anything-- no condolences or snide remark, but instead gestured for you to continue.
"My father was estranged from his brother, who managed a fishing business here in Gromarch, in Polana. When my father passed away, I travelled with what little money I had all the way here and my uncle took me in and allowed me to work at his fishery. I've been living here ever since...as for the invitation, my uncle was meant to come but he extended the invitation to me in his stead. He said I needed to learn to make connections...or something along those lines."
Just about none of your backstory was true, and for a moment Berlis scrutinised your face, reading your expression. You kept a mostly straight and heartfelt demeanour and, after a few tense moments, Berlis relented. He bought your story.]
|Con1>[<div class='img-container-continue'>Continue.</div>]](else:)[(align:"<==")["What exactly made you think I'd be interested in this?" Berlis's tone was harsh and flat and you faltered, opening your $nose to speak but unable to find the words. You hadn't expected him to react like that, so all you could think to do in that moment was bow, offering him the utmost respect.
"My apologies, Lord Dawson," You looked down at the floor. "I though that this would be something you might enjoy..."
"I'm not sure what possessed you to think that I, a high-ranking influential noble, would want to spend intimate time with you, a commoner?"
"I...well..." You began, but Berlis didn't want to want to hear it-- you also got the feeling that you wouldn't even be able convince him otherwise, regardless of how persuasive you could be. Berlis was, unfortunately, just that kind of stubborn man.
"Since you have nothing better to say or do, then I shall take my leave," Berlis scoffed. "I hope you don't try something like this again."
"Ah...okay. Right." You mumbled as the reptile turned and strode towards the door. He didn't even look back as he stepped out into the hallway, closing the door behind him and leaving you to your own thoughts.
You let out an irritated sigh and rolled your head back, wondering what exactly you did wrong. Did you come on too strong? Was it simply not meant to be? In hindsight, perhaps you should have built up your rapport with him more-- maybe then he would have been more receptive to the idea...or maybe it was just a game of chance. You couldn't be sure.
With a defeated sigh, you got to your feet, left the room and returned to the banquet hall, forced to deal with the consequences of the 'date', and all the ruined rapport that came with it.(set:$BerSway to it - 40)]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>]](click:?Con1)[(replace:?ConC)[(align:"<==")["Well, that all sounds very..." Berlis made a gesture that didn't really describe anything, but you knew what he meant-- the reptile likely fulled intended to say something curt and crass, but must have thought better of it. All you could think to do was hum in response.
"Anyway," You quickly changed the topic. "Let's talk about you. You've been the head of your house for quite a while, right? What was your childhood like? I'm not a noble, so..."
"Ah, well..." Berlis leant forwards as he began to speak. "When you are to be an heir to your house and you're in such an influential one like mine, you are taught from a very young age the proper etiquette...how to speak, how to move, how to //eat.// You also learn the history of your house and of the land, and you're expected to memorise the names of all the current nobility, their families, and their hierarchy. Ah, make no mistake, however-- I still had plenty of leisure time and my parents loved me dearly, of that I'm sure."
"That sounds like quite a lot," You murmured. "And you learnt all that yourself?"
Berlis faltered for just a moment and then cleared his throat, lowering his gaze ever so slightly.
"Well, my brother was to be the Head of the House, but...his lifespan was cut short before he could take up the mantle. I was taking the same lessons as him in order to rise as an aristocrat and carry on the family name in another way, so it suited them to quickly mould me into the man they wanted, or rather needed, me to be." His sombre expression almost made you feel bad, but you remembered the times when he'd insulted you and swallowed down that feeling.
"I'm sorry." You expressed you condolences and Berlis looked as if he didn't seem to believe you, but he continues nonetheless.
"Yes, well...that's what my upbringing was like," He explained. "Very standard for any nobility, really. Not much else to speak of. What I do now is what matters, not what I did in the past. To rise to the top...that is my goal. I could be king, even."
A shiver ran down your spine at the mere thought of what Berlis's goals might be otherwise-- you had a feeling he was a self-centred person, but maybe he wasn't as loyal to his house as you thought. After a moment of silence, Berlis slowly raised himself to his feet, reaching over to pluck a tart from the display before stepping towards the door.
"I will return to the party," He announced, glancing at you. "Thank you for the...'date', commoner. It was fun."
With a smirk, he opened the door and stepped through, neatly closing it behind him. You leant back in your seat and sighed, your mind full of questions and nothing to answer them. After a minute or two of recollection, you rose and left the room was well, returning to the banquet. Though you had many questions, you could at least be certain that you rapport with Berlis was better as a result of your date, at least.(set:$BerSway to it + 80)]
|PITC>[(if:$PITwists's length is >0)[<div class='img-container-twist'>|PIT>[Twists of Fate unravelled before you: (for: each _item, ...$PITwists)[_item, ]]</div>](else:)[(hide:?PITC)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>]]|Con1>[(align:"<==")[As soon as your lips met, Duldes pressed with a fervency you weren't expecting initially. He sucked in a breath through his nose and affirmed his grip on your cheek, pulling you in as you curled a hand around his side, holding onto him. He shifted, nudging and coaxing you back as he pushed down, pressing your body to the bed and towering over you, his feet still touching the floor. His muzzle parted from yours briefly as he backed up, looking down at you and admiring your $species features, before he kissed you again. One hand remained true to your cheek but the other roamed, caressing along your side and down towards your hip, where he slipped it beneath your body to feel your ass. You could tell what his intentions were and where he planned to go with this encounter-- you were fully prepared for it.
After a few more fleeting, pressing kisses, Duldes's hands began to move. He reached down towards your doublet and began to fiercely, passionately pop the buttons as he went down, his mouth and tongue still roaming with yours. His gripping and clasping hands made you squirm ever so slightly and you reached up to stroke along his forearms as he travelled down. Duldes eventually popped the final button of your clothes and parted them, his hands sinking against the billowy shirt you bore underneath. You slid your hands back and roughly squirmed on the spot to loosen your arms out of the doublet and eventually lifted them up to remove yourself from it completely.
Duldes leant back, parting his kiss from you for the moment so that he could reach up and grab at his own clothes, parting his doublet after effortlessly popping the buttons. In your mutual interest, you sat up just a little and yanked your shirt over your head, revealing the light grey $skin that covered your stomach, a slightly lighter shade than the rest of your body. Duldes raked his gaze over you for a moment and then let his doublet slip past his shoulders, before pulling his shirt over his head and revealing his slim features. Duldes was clearly a man who took care of himself-- he wasn't athletic, but he barely had much of a gut to speak of despite his lavish lifestyle. All in his all, he was...objectively attractive, and your face warmed at the sight of him. Dules noticed your flustered expression and he smirked.
You thought the hyena might tease you, but he instead dipped his head back down, moving past your mouth and pressing his muzzle to your neck, grazing your $skin and dipped down your lithe body. His hand sunk to your hips and pulled, tugging slightly at the waistband of your trousers before sliding inwards as he travelled lower, kissing along your chest and stomach as he popped the button of your pants. You couldn't help but huff under your breath, closing your eyes as your $skin tingled with arousal, your body aching for more. With the loosened button, your pants slide down easily along with your cloth underwear, revealing your naked form in its entirety, from your bony shoulders to your slender hips and swelling, half-hard humanoid cock.
A trickle of excitement rushed through you at the thought of Duldes toying with your loins, but to your surprise the hyena's mouth didn't travel past your stomach, though your felt his chin bump with your hardening length. Instead, he pulled back and grabbed you by the hips, flipping you over onto your front and pushing you further along the bed. You took a moment to kick off you shoes and let your trousers slide past your ankles as felt the sudden weight of Duldes's body pressing onto the bed, his knees either side of your legs. You felt the abrupt heat of his loins against your behind, followed by the soft fur of his chest pressing against the contours of your back. (if:$height is <6)[He angled his body to kiss the back of your neck and down to your neck](else:)[He bowed his head enough to pepper your neck with fervent kisses] as he reached back to wrestle with his trousers, unbuttoning himself. He slid his legs back enough to pull his pants down, and in a matter of moments you felt the turgid mass of his cock sliding between your cheeks, grinding up and down. He moaned against your $skin and pressed his muzzle to your neck, hands curling against the bedsheets as he adjusted and steadied himself, moving into an appropriate position. You instinctively pushed back against his loins and he shuddered from the feeling, sliding his hips back enough for the tip of his member, humanoid from what you could feel, to probe between you cheeks and abruptly slide btween them. His dry cock prodded and missed its mark completely, but it made his intentions clear, and you couldn't stop yourself wiggling your $species hips, encouraging and inviting him.
After a few moments of grinding, Duldes leant up, nudging and nestling the heat of his loins against your behind before tugging back. You weren't sure what he was doing at first, but you heard the telltale signs of someone spitting, and you could only guess he was lubing himself up a little. When his cock met with your cheeks again, it was considerably wetter and slicker, and as he slid down against your ass, you tensed and tried to keep yourself loose. The hyena groaned under his breath as you felt the head of his cock press against your entrance, threatening to push forwards at any moment. He didn't ask or wait to see if you had adjusted-- with no warning he eventually pushed, but you had braced for it. He was delightfully thick but manageable, and after some adjustment on your end you endured, huffing under your breath as Duldes sunk lower and lower. His pelvis eventually met with your behind and for a moment he paused, and all you could hear was his slow, labouring breaths.
You waited, and after a few moments he pulled back, beginning in on a steady rhythm.]
<div class='img-container-continue'>|ConB>[Continue.]</div>](click:?ConB)[(replace:?Con1)[(align:"<==")[At first, Duldes was gentle-- his movements were slow and methodical, his tugs and thrusts carefully measured so that he wouldn't injure you too much or cause you much discomfort...yet as time went on and his thrusts continued, it became clear that the hyena was a passionate man. He inevitably threw all caution to the wind and began to thrust and buck at a pace and manner that suited him. As he thrust, you couldn't help but feel a mixture of discomfort and a tingling pleasure; you weren't used to receiving regularly and Duldes was a little bigger than the average man, but you couldn't deny the way the hyena's pistoning cock grazed and pressed against your prostate with every thrust, sending sparks of delight shooting up your spine and stretched out to every limb.
Duldes slowly began to thrust with a greater intensity over time, his hands sliding from the bed towards your lithe cheeks as he leant up completely, admiring the sight of your back as he gyrated his hips back and forth. You clutch against the bedsheets, wishing that you had a pillow to hold onto as you huffed and grunted under your breath, your cheeks flushed beneath your $skin and your eyes lidded over. Each powerful thrust coaxed your member against the bedsheets, your length wedged between your own $skinned stomach and the soft silk. That, combined with the rough teasing of your prostate was sending you further and further into depravity as thoughts of seduction and your mission were clouded by arousal in your mind.
Wet sounds began to fill the air as the hyena's cock grew grew with a mixture of his own spit and pre-cum, but no other sounds other than your combined moaning and huffing joined it; Duldes wasn't much of a talker, nor did he had anything dirty or saucy to say that could spice up the mood. Instead, it seemed like his focus was entirely upon the act itself, for you could feel his fingers digging against your ass cheeks as he thrust, each wet slap accentuated by his cock plunging as deep as he could do, his balls nestling up against your pressed legs.
Slowly, Duldes began to pick up speed, his once moderate pace becoming faster and less rhythmic as his thrusts became irregular, spurred on by arousal and pleasure alone. You pressed your head down and huffed quietly, the dullness of the discomfort quickly being submerged by the overwhelming bliss as his length stroked and probed your prostate even more, his heavy and rough bucking applying more pressure to your already stiff erection. The more he pushed, the rougher he was, the better it felt-- you were surprised to find yourself in a position where you //wanted// someone to be rough with you, yet...here you were.
Duldes's huffing seemed to reach a peak and it was clear to you he didn't have long left to go, and ultimately you didn't either. The hyena's movements shifted and you suddenly felt the weight of his body against your back as he lifted up his hips and slammed down, the loud wet sounds of his loins slapping against your cheeks filling the air combined with his fervent, rising groans and your own (if:$species is "canine")[whimpers of ecstasy.](elseif:$species is "avian")[squawks of ecstasy.](elseif:$species is "reptile")[hissing of ecstasy.] He plunged down one final time and collapsed against you, and you could feel his member throbbing inside of you, releasing his seed into your deepest, most intimate area. With a little bit of coaxing from your wiggling hips, you sent yourself over the edge through a mixture of humping the bed and his own pulsing cock alone, and you shuddered as you painted the silk beneath your stomach with your own fluids, each turgid throb causing your innards and clamp and squeeze, much to the growling delight of the orgasming hyena above you.
The two of you laid there for a moment, completely and utterly spent, your chests heaving and the occasional moan escaping your lips. After what felt like only a few seconds but was probably closer to minutes Duldes rolled, sliding out of you and flopping onto his back beside you on the bed. You shifted, clenching yourself to avoid making a mess as you turned to the side, trying to avoid the obviously wet spot you'd made on the bed as you turned to face him. Duldes stared up at the ceiling, his muzzle parted as he sucked in deep, slow breaths, his trousers still clinging to his ankles. He looked...good.]
(if:$SeedofFate is false)[(align:"<==")[A feeling welled up within you that you didn't recognise and for a moment it felt as if time had slowed down. You liked to think of yourself as being in-tune with your own emotions, but this feeling you couldn't place-- you'd never felt anything like it before. However, words and instincts abruptly filled your mind that weren't your own: what you felt was the //Seed of Fate//, and you felt a compulsion to 'plant' it: to say certain things to the man beside you, as if something else were mysteriously encouraging you to do so. As if related to this feeling, the blue doublet beside you on the bed seemed to shift and rustle, the source originating from the chest pocket of your garment, where The Preacher had given you something at the start of the night that you had never checked.
You knew in that moment that you had two choices: to succumb to the gnawing feeling or hold it back. Your mission was simple: the find the right man and seduce him...were you sure that Duldes was the man your superiors wanted?]
<div class='img-container-event'>(link:"Consume the Seed of Fate.")[(set:$SeedC to 1)(goto:"DulSeed")]</div>
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Resist the Call.")[(set:$SeedC to 2)(set:$SeedCC to 0)(goto:"DulSeed")]</div>](else:)[(align:"<==")[You expected a feeling to well up within you, but the sensation that you'd come to known as the //Seed of Fate// did not rise, and your doublet remained dormant. Was this because you had already felt and succumbed to the compulsion with another, or was it for another reason? Either way, there was nothing you could do-- though you had succeeded in seducing the man, you felt as if that was all that it was.]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(set:$SeedC to 2)(set:$SeedCC to 1)(goto:"DulSeed")]</div>]]]|Con1>[(align:"<==")[As you closed the door and turned to Ralt, you found him standing there awkwardly in the middle of room, as if he didn't know where to place himself. You frowned at him for a moment and he shifted on his feet, claws grazing into the carpet beneath them.
"Why do you want to do this?" He asked you bluntly, and you stepped closer to him, until you were but a handful of inches away.
"Why do I need to explain something as simple as physical attraction?" You countered, and Ralt opened his mouth to speak for a moment before closing it, unsure how to respond. You reached up towards the top of his doublet and popped a button, surprised to see it so eagerly part the minute the tension had loosened-- you can only imagine that must be quite tight to his body. You ran your fingers down and popped the rest as you went, hearing Ralt visibly sigh with relief. His body almost comically expanded by just a little, making him appear more stockier than you initially thought. You could see soft, glowing lines from beneath his loose white shirt, the neck of it dipping low enough to reach between his nipples, revealing the trace of what looked to be runes sticking out from the collar.
"Let's get you undressed." You suggested, and Ralt hummed his approval as you reached out to push the doublet past his shoulders, letting it slide down his arms for you to remove from him completely. You folded it neatly and turned to place it at the edge of the bed, and by the time you'd turned around Ralt was already pulling his shirt over his head, no longer constricted by the doublet and able to raise his arms high enough to do so. You caught sight of his shaggy fur that ran down his back and coalesced around his shoulders, and as he turned you could see the lines of glowing runes that covered his shoulders and the area above his nipples. You didn't ask about them-- there was no need, after all.
Ralt had a delightful body; he was broad-shouldered and top-heavy, but still strangely anthropomorphic despite his 'monstrous' species. He had thick arms and a head that just barely fit proportionally, and as you trailed your gaze further down his black and brown-furred body you could see that his gut and hips were definitely more slender, but by no means lithe: he had masculine hips that were as thick as his stomach, which in general was just barely slimmer than the broadness of his chest. However, it wasn't his hips that you wanted to see, and as Ralt's gaze practically bore into the top of your head, you reached down to loosen the button of his trousers, making your intentions clear.
With a snort, Ralt abruptly grabbed you by the arm, leading you towards the bed and coaxing you to sit down-- though it was more of a unceremonious push that you falling onto the bed, and you could see from his hungry gaze that he wanted to see beneath. You wasted no time in beginning to undress yourself as Ralt watched. By the time you'd tossed off your doublet and pulled your shirt over your head, Ralt seemed to have caught himself and leant back just a little, clearing his throat.
"Sorry," He apologised. "My kind is not used to...I believe your kind call it 'foreplay'. We simply rut to rut."
"It's okay...I didn't expect anything from you anyway." You didn't mean to sound so defeated about it, but it seemed to have struck a nerve with Ralt, for his gaze met yours, coldly staring. You hesitated for a moment before beginning to coax your trousers past your hips, and as you lifted up your behind to scoot your pants and underwear past your ass, Ralt reached out with a hand and pushed you down onto the bed, his weighty paw pressed to your chest. You opened your mouth to speak, but quickly caught yourself as you watched Ralt's head lower, his large muzzle tracing your stomach.
"I may be unlike you, but I am not stupid," He grunted. "I have seen what nobles do...so I will replicate it."
You watched as Ralt lowered his head further and further, and you sucked in a breath when his muzzle reached your crotch, your trousers snug around your knees. You kicked off your shoes and squirmed as you watched and felt his nose dip under your fairly flaccid yet steadily growing member and nudging it mostly upright, greeting you to the sight of your average humanoid cock laid over his snout. Your cheeks and expression warmed at the sight and Ralt took in the look on your face for a moment before pushing his head down, forcing your now rapidly growing cock down against your stomach as he sticks out his tongue and runs it along the length of your member. Once it reaches the tip, he plants his nose to the head of your cock, dragging it back down before sliding his tongue back up again. It was a wholly different, //intoxicating// feeling.]
<div class='img-container-continue'>|ConB>[Continue.]</div>](click:?ConB)[(replace:?Con1)[(align:"<==")[A groan escaped your lips as you reached out, your hand meeting with the top of Ralt's hand and your fingers sinking into his fur. His own large paw curls against the $skin on your chest as his tongue raked and slid up your body, tasting every inch of your member and spreading spittle across your lower stomach. You arched your back and closed your eyes, relishing the sensation of his mouth against your length. If this was Ralt's idea of foreplay, then you had to wonder what his idea of //sex// was like.
The bear slurped and suckled for a little longer as you huffed and moaned beneath him, quietly huffing his name under your breath as his tongue curled around your cock, coaxing you closer and closer to a familiar feeling. He did, however, eventually pull back, leaving you panting and gasping. He craned your neck to watch him rise up to his fullest height and for a brief moment in time you felt strangely intimidated by his stature. His eyes looked hungry and your gaze travelled down to see the obvious: his tenting, throbbing erection that sat within his inner thigh, travelling down the leghole of his pants. With a smirk, you kicked off your trousers and lifted your leg up, pushing your legs out and pressing one of your $species feet to the outline of his cock. Ralt growled under his breath at the sensation and you felt a vivid throb against your foot in response.
"Why don't you work yourself out of those?" You suggested, and it was clear that Ralt didn't need telling twice. With a swift tug of the button on his trousers, Ralt yanked the pants down along with his underwear, revealing a frankly absurdly long member: well over 10 inches and perhaps longer, though it was hard for you to gauge. It was equally as humanoid as you own, but it was pink from top to bottom, rather than matching the rest of his black and brown fur. He kicked his pants off and strode forwards, grasping your legs and spreading them wide, exposing what lay beneath your loins.
"This..." Ralt began, pushing his hips and settling the weight of his cock down between your legs. "Is far too big for you."
"Y...You're right." He was way larger than you, and just by comparing the lengths of your cocks alone he looked like double your size. However, that didn't stop you from wanting to take it, and given Ralt's slightly horny, grunting humping, it was clear he wanted to as well. You spread your legs hooked your hands beneath your knees to completely show yourself off, and you made a point of deliberately lifting your hips up, exposing the hole that lay between your cheeks. Ralt slid back, dragging his member with him until the tip slid between your cheeks, prodding and probing at your entrance. You felt a sudden wetness ooze between you cheeks and you could only assume that Ralt had a lot more lubrication than you thought. The bear was trembling a little on the spot and you wanted to ask if he was okay, but before you could he pushed, causing you to suck in a breath, struggling to adjust.
Ralt wasn't as thick as you were expecting, but he was definitely eager-- within one thrust he sunk into you a lot faster than you were used it and in turn your innards spasmed, clamping and squeezing like a vice around every invading inch of the creature's cock. His large hands planted themselves on your knees and his fingers curled around your scrawny legs, claws grazing against your (if:$species is "avian")[scales](else:)[$skin] as he pushed deeper and deeper. Once he was halfway in however he paused, not wanting to bury deeper, and when he slid back you heard a considerable squelch that must have been thanks to his pre-cum. A growl escaped his lips and you couldn't help but groan in response, trying to adjust to his length as you insides gripped, squeezed and inadvertently milked. All Ralt could appear to do was huff and shudder in response, his member violently throbbing within you. Was this how the Raltandair bred, or was he just //that// pent up?
After a quiet moment of grunting and panting, Ralt suddenly shifted on the spot, but his hips began to thrust. He barely moved an inch or two, and at first he was slow, but he began to pick up speed and hump with such ferocity that you couldn't help but gasp and shudder, your loins tingling from the grazing and probing of his prostate. Ralt began to abruptly snort and huff rather fervently as his hips picked up speed before he suddenly thrust forwards, plunging himself deeper in you than before. His cock twitched and throbbed and a heat spread across your stomach, stretching to every limb-- you soon realised that he'd just climax, and the //squelch// that followed only served to tell you how potent and plentiful his load really was. You shuddered as a feeling washed over you, and when you looked down between your legs, your member twitched, painting your lower stomach with sticky globs of cum. You innards clamped, squeezing with every throb, and Ralt huffed above you, his gaze locked to your arched, lithe body.
The bear's orgasm faded as quickly as it had arrived and he stood there, huffing and panting, in the midsts of his post-orgasmic bliss, looking down at the state of your messy, still stretched hole. You weakly loosened your grip on your legs, your insides gripping to his intrusion as you did your best to relax, your muscles aching for rest. You weren't expecting things to move so fast so quickly, but you didn't want to say you didn't enjoy it-- quite the opposite, really; it was an eye-opening experience.]
(if:$SeedofFate is false)[(align:"<==")[As you lay there, a peculiar feeling came over you that you couldn't recognise-- that feeling swelled and filled your mind, and though for a moment you couldn't place it's origin, the words that suddenly exploded in your heard told you all you needed to know. What you were feeling was the //Seed of Fate//, and it encouraged you to merely succumb to its feeling, and nothing more. However, that alone made you pause-- you had every inclination that this sensation, this //Seed of Fate//, is to do wholly with your mission, so that begs the question: is Ralt the target your superiors are after? If not, who knows what could happen? The doublet beside you rustled and moved, and you had to wonder if what The Preacher had given you earlier in the night and this feeling were related.
Regardless, if you intend to do this, you must be absolutely sure.]
<div class='img-container-event'>(link:"Consume the Seed of Fate.")[(set:$SeedC to 1)(goto:"RalSeed")]</div>
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Resist the Call.")[(set:$SeedC to 2)(set:$SeedCC to 0)(goto:"RalSeed")]</div>](else:)[(align:"<==")[You expected the feeling of what you knew to be the //Seed of Fate// to wash over you, yet to your surprise nothing came, not even a tingle. Maybe it was because you had already used the //Seed of Fate// with another, but you couldn't be completely sure. One thing was for certain, however-- even if you wanted to use it, you couldn't. This seduction was purely fun, and nothing more.]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(set:$SeedC to 2)(set:$SeedCC to 1)(goto:"RalSeed")]</div>]]]|Con1>[(align:"<==")["There," You hummed. "Now we have some much-needed privacy."
You turned towards him to see the avian awkwardly sitting on the edge of the bed, looking both excited but also nervous. He seemed to know exactly what it was the two of you were about to do-- as did you, of course. You stepped across the room and sat down beside him, close enough for your legs to touch. The avian visibly tensed, sucking in a breath, and you couldn't help but chuckle under your breath.
"Why are you so nervous?" You asked, and Sat squirmed a little, glancing to you out the corner of his eye.
"Shit..." The avian muttered. "Just...I don't know. It's not as if I've not done things like this before, but I've typically known that person a few months, at least...we only just met tonight. This is a little out of my comfort zone."
"If you don't want to do this, we don't have to," You reminded him, though you couldn't help but sneak a hand out towards his leg, giving it a squeeze. "This sort of thing goes both ways, you know."
"I know," Sat grinned. "And I do, uh, want to. I'm just nervous."
"Then let me take the lead..." You assured him, slowly leaning forwards towards him. Sat didn't seem to mind, nor did he shy away as you brushed your $nose against (if:$species is "avian")[his own.](else:)[his beak.] Sat quivered briefly at the feeling of your breath against his feathers, subtly leaning towards you, angling his head to the side a little and pressing his mouth to yours. You snuck your arm around his side and pulled him close, humming with approval as you swept him into a deep and sensual kiss. Your hand roamed, teasing the hem of his jerkin and slipping your fingers beneath, aiming to touch his feathers, but you were blocked by his shirt beneath.
Sat shifted, reaching out to touch your side as you pushed, coaxing him to lay down on the bed. The avian squirmed and scooted backwards to lay himself across it completely and you moved to tower over him, planting your knees either side of him and propping yourself up with your hands. You lowered your head to his and kissed him again-- (if:$species is "avian")[being an avian yourself, it was difficult for the two of you to kiss because of your beaks, but regardless you tried nonetheless, your tongue sticking into his mouth and touching with his own.](else:)[because of his beak, it was difficult to kiss him as easily as another species, but you tried nonetheless, pushing your tongue into his mouth and touching your tongue with his own.]
Sat squirmed ever so slightly beneath you and a quiet moan escaped his lips as your tongues touched, and you reached over to toy with the buttons of his jerkin, loosening them slowly as you travelled down. Feeling you undressing him, Sat reached up to do the same to you, and in a matter of moments your doublet was full undone-- you slipped out of it and dropped it to the side on the bed, parting your kiss and leaning up to pull off your billowy shirt, revealing your lithe, $species features and light gray $skin, a brighter shade than the rest of your body. Sat's eyes ran over you for a moment before he shifted and shimmied himself out of his own top, leaning up to yank his own shirt over his head and tossing it to the side. You looked down to admire his body and your gaze raked over the scars that littered his pristine white feathered chest and stomach. You reached out, tracing your finger along the most prominent one that dragged along his chest. He quivered beneath your touch, arching his back and pressing his head to the bed.
You leant down, propping yourself up with an elbow and dipping your head towards his neck. You buried your $nose into his feathers, kissing across his neck and down his collarbone and you felt the avian's hand reach around to stroke your back, groaning audibly. You shifted and reached down with a hand, tugging and pushing at the waistband of his formal trousers as you tried to undress him further. Sat recognised what you were trying to do and reached down, tugging at the other side of his trousers, sliding his pants lower and lower. You hadn't even unbuttoned the trousers, yet they slipped effortlessly past his athletic hips, all the way down to his knees. Not even his cloth underwear remained, for you'd snagged it on the way down, revealing his loins beneath-- one quick roll of your hips had Sat shuddering and you could the obvious mass of his erection against your own clothed crotch.
You slowly slid back, partly so that you could admire his muscled yet small body, and partly so you could reach down to pop the button of your own trousers, slowly sliding them down. Sat's eyes hungrily looked up and down your frame before snapping to your crotch, and you could see the avian's humanoid cock twitching fervently against his own stomach, betraying his desire as you slowly revealed yourself.]
<div class='img-container-continue'>|ConB>[Continue.]</div>](click:?ConB)[(replace:?Con1)[(align:"<==")[Stepping out of your trousers, you climbed back up onto the bed and pressed your naked form to Sat's own, $skin pressed to feathers. Sat trembled nervously beneath you, clinging to your upper arms as you subtly shifted and straightened your legs, coaxing the avian's scaly legs to part, allowing you to slide between them. You lowered your head down and kissed him again and Sat moaned against your lips, making your $skin tingle with desire, before you pulled back and reached out for one of the pillows at the head of the bed. You dragged it over and coaxed Sat's ass to lift up, tucking the pillow beneath it.
You leant back again, admiring Sat's body, and the avian grinned sheepishly as you lifted his legs up, spreading them wide and exposing what lay between his cheeks. Sat reached out to hook one of his legs, averting his gaze from your turgid erection as you grabbed the base of your cock, slowly but gentle stroking it to the sight before you. You angled it down, smearing the head of your cock against his entrance as Sat groaned his approval, and you felt his clenching hole against the head of your member. He was evidently prepared for you, and so you wasted no time in reaching up your hand and spitting into it, lowering it down and working the saliva around every inch of your length. Once you were fully lubed up, you angled it back down again and Sat sucked in a breath as you teased his entrance with your member, giving him a moment to brace himself before you pushed.
Pleasure trickled through your system as you pushed forwards, sinking the head of your foreskinned cock into his behind. As you sunk, Sat's innards clamp and squeeze, gripping around every invading inch of your member-- the mere tightness alone had you wondering if he had ever taken someone before. You took your time in penetrating him, moving slowly and halting every couple of inches so that he could adjust, but ultimately your entry was slick and soft with thanks to your spittle. Eventually, your crotch met with his behind and you sighed, lidding your gaze as you looked down at Sat's flushed expression, the avian's lips parted and his toes splayed.
Now that you were safely embedded within you, you leant over and pressed your lips to his, propping yourself up as the avian's ankles linked around your hips, keeping your close. He moaned against your $nose and clung to your upper arms as you slid back, feeling his innards spasm and clamp, before you pushed forwards, your hips meeting with his body once more. He gasped between your kisses, his body tensing, before it subtly relaxed again, only to freeze up as you pulled back once more. You started in on a steady yet passionate rhythm, fervently gyrating your hips and sliding in and out by only a couple of inches as you pressed yourself to the (if:$height is 6)[smaller man,](else:)[bird,] the two of you moaning and huffing in unison. Your sex was tantric and intimate, his hands stroking and roaming as your tongue did the same with his own.
As you humped and gyrated, your pleasure grew and grew, as did Sat's own from what you could hear and feel-- he moaned louder and heavier over time, and the way he gripped you was tighter than before. He moved his head away from yours and buried his beak into the $skin on your neck, gripping to you tightly as you huffed, angling your head in turn and (if:$species is "avian")[crooning](elseif:$species is "canine")[growling](elseif:$species is "reptile")[hissing] against his neck. He let out quiet tweets and whimpers, his legs trembling against your hips, and you knew he was either in complete pleasure, or very close to orgasm-- honestly, you were too, for Sat's tight squeezing was slowly sending you closer to the edge.
A shudder rolled through you as you felt the familiar sensation that warned you that you'd passed the point of no return. You pleasure reached a peak and you pushed down, thrusting with a little more ferocity than before as Sat's innards suddenly clamped down and a restrained moan erupted from his beak, buried into your $skin. You felt a warmth against your stomach and knew instinctively what it meant-- soon after, you felt the same. With one final thrust, bliss surged through your body and spread to every limb, and your muscles relaxed. Your cock, the only rigid part of your body, twitched and throbbed inside the adjutant beneath you, painting his insides with the labours of your intimate affection.
You collapsed atop him for a moment, panting wildly into his neck, sucking in deep, gulping breaths before you turned, rolling onto your back as Sat loosened from around you, as exhausted as you were. Neither you knew what to say, but it wasn't as if you had to say anything at all, really. Both of you knew how good it was-- at least, you hoped it was good for him. You stomach was sticky with seed and your cock spent, slowly softening in your post-orgasmic bliss.]
(if:$SeedofFate is false)[(align:"<==")[As you lay there, a feeling well up within you that, at first, you couldn't recognised. You liked to consider yourself to be 'in-tune' with your emotions, yet this sensation had you stumped. After a moment, however, words filled your mind that seemed to completely answer your curiosity: what you felt you came to know as the //Seed of Fate//, and with it came a cacophony is encouragements and choices that left you feeling overwhelmed. On the bed, your doublet shifted and rustled, as if reacting to the feeling. You felt compelled to do and say things to Sat that seemed important...but at the same time, you felt as if you could resist it.
You couldn't be sure what it meant, but you knew you had two choices: to succumb to the sensation and consume the Seed, or to resist it entirely. You knew your mission to be to seduce your target, and this felt related-- but could you be sure that Sat was the //correct// target?]
<div class='img-container-event'>(link:"Consume the Seed of Fate.")[(set:$SeedC to 1)(goto:"SatSeed")]</div>
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Resist the Call.")[(set:$SeedC to 2)(set:$SeedCC to 0)(goto:"SatSeed")]</div>](else:)[(align:"<==")[You expected a feeling to well up within you, but the sensation that you'd come to known as the //Seed of Fate// did not rise, and your doublet remained dormant. Was this because you had already felt and succumbed to the compulsion with another person, or was it for another reason? Either way, there was nothing you could do-- though you had succeeded in seducing Sat, you felt as if that was all that it was.]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(set:$SeedC to 2)(set:$SeedCC to 1)(goto:"SatSeed")]</div>]]]|Con1>[(align:"<==")["So...this is the famous study of Jurn Dawland. Didn't think it'd be so messy, especially in his summer estate of all places. Though they did say it was his favourite..."
You watched as Berlis strode around the room, admiring the somehow organised chaos of Jurn Dawland's documents. You knew this was a bad idea-- if you were caught in this room, that'd be the end of your time at the party and even the end of your time in the outside world. No amount of explaining would be able to persuade House Dawland if they accused you of rummaging through their documents and, in the end, it would be their word against yours-- who's going to believe a commoner over a high-ranking noble? The mere thought had your stomach swirling with anxiety, but you swallowed it down. You were here for your mission and nothing more-- your goal was the man before you, and if this helped to seduce him, then you'd do it. After all, there was always a chance you wouldn't get caught...
Berlis eventually turned on the spot to face you and smirked, gesturing you over as he rounded the large desk, looking down at the documents though not grazing his eyes over them for long enough to actually take in the information upon them-- instead, he fumbled at the draws beneath, curious to see their contents. To your mixed surprise and relief as you approached, the drawers seemed to be locked, much to the reptile's annoyance; he dismissed the notion and rounded the desk again, stepping towards you.
"So, you wanted to get to know each other better?" Berlis asked with a smirk, stepping close enough for your shoulders to bump together, and he reached out to smooth a scaled hand down the front of your blue doublet, travelling down as he twisted his wrist until his fingers brushed with your clothed crotch, making his intentions known. It wasn't as if you didn't have those intentions either...but it was obvious who was taking the lead between the two of you. You reached out, thumbing the buttons of his doublet and slowly popping them as the reptile leant his head forwards, reaching up with a hand and wordlessly pulling your $nose to his maw. He pulled you into a sudden, fleeting kiss that had you widening your eyes in surprise before you slowly closed them, still working your hands down as the reptile flexed and squeezed his loins, eliciting an obvious bodily reaction.
Berlis parted your kiss and dipped to the size, hissing quitly into your (if:$species is "canine")[ear](else:)[earhole] as you popped the final button of his doublet, allowing it to slide past his shoulders and expose the loose, simply shirt beneath. His hands, however, didn't go for your top but instead went to the waistband of your trousers. With one twist of his wrist he effortlessly loosened them and snuck his fingers in between your $skin and underwear, sinking his hand down into your crotch and grazing his soft scales against your stiffening length. You moaned quietly under your breath and Berlis hummed against your neck, brushing his maw across your $skin.
"I do like the feel of this," He murmured, sliding his hand back and yanking your trousers down. "A nice, //thick// commoner cock...how delightful."
"U-Uh..." You wanted to retort, but found your face warming at his lewd words as your trousers easily dropped past your hips and all the way to your ankles, thanks to your fairly upright standing position. With one quick tug of your underwear, the rest soon followed, dropping down past your knees and meeting with your trousers as your almost full mast $species cock was reveal, all $dl inches of it. Berlis wrapped his hand around it again and gave it a few leisurely jerks, stroking you back and forth before he stepped back just a little, throwing his shirt over his head. You were soon greeted to the sight of his fairly average, older frame-- Berlis was close to his 50s but he was still in great shape, leaving you to wonder what his secret was. In a mixture of excitement and obvious arousal, the reptile was quick to yank his pants down, hopping on the spot and kicking off his shoes to take them off completely. In the nude Berlis approached, and you took in the sight of his body and the swinging, hard erection that bounced and jiggled with every step.
With a light push, Berlis coaxed you up against the lip of the desk and he leant past you to push the documents out of the way enough to manhandle you up onto the desk, scooting you back until the back of your knees bumped with the edge of the surface. A sheepish grin spread across your features as, for a moment, Berlis hiked up on leg and planted his foot on the edge of the desk, showing himself off as he idly stroked his cock with a hand, admiring the sight of you. You were unsure what he wanted and started to spread your legs a little, but he used his free hand to force them shut, his eyes twinkling with desire. Sliding his foot back, Berlis abruptly hopped up onto the desk with you, scooting forwards on his knees until he was straddling your crotch, your member sandwiched between your stomach and his scaley balls. Berlis slowly leant forwards and propped himself up with a hand, using the other to run down your lithe, still clothed chest, before he brought his mouth to his own laps and spat into the palm. His hand drifted down underneath his body and you shuddered as you felt the wetness of his spit-covered palm sliding around your cock, lubing your up.
In that moment you knew what he wanted, and a wide grin spread across your face at the thought.]
<div class='img-container-continue'>|ConB>[Continue.]</div>](click:?ConB)[(replace:?Con1)[(align:"<==")["Are you ready?"
Berlis lidded his gaze and smiled wide as he hoisted his hips up, teetering them over your crotch as he angled your cock upright with a hand, slowly lowering himself down. You hissed and shuddered as the foreskinned head of your member slid between his middle-aged cheeks and you soon felt the head of your cock probe with his entrance, your length slick with spit. You wanted to push, but Berlis was in control, and you didn't dare to defy him-- you instead placed your hands on his upper legs and squeezed his thighs, groaning quietly with delight as the reptile slowly but surely sunk down, taking your cock inside him.
Berlis was surprisingly tight, though he wouldn't ever catch you saying that, and you huffed under your breath as he sunk lower and lower, until the reptile's ass met with your crotch and he pushed, deliberately squishing and making sure the entirety of your cock was within him. He kept a hand firm to your chest as he lifted himself up mere moments later, groaning loudly as he did so, and you felt his innards clamp down and grip around every inch of your cock, squeezing as he pulled back before he plunged down again with more ferocity than before. You resisted the urge to thrust and instead squeezed his thighs to express your delight, rolling your head back for a moment before turning your attention to his scaled cock.
Slowly, you slid your hand across as Berlis gyrated and rolled his hips, squirming your member inside of him and stimulating his own prostate, and after a few moments you wrapped your hand around his member, loosely stroking back and forth as Berlis groaned and rolled his hips with a greater fervency, arching his back and showing off his well-kept body. Your instincts wanted you to take the lead for someone who was 'receiving' you, but as you raised a $skinned hand up his body, he slapped it down, directing it back to his hip. His gaze affixed itself to yours and he leant over for just a moment, towering over your otherwise similar-in-height frame and pushing his maw down against your $nose. He kissed you deeply, growling against your $nose, before pulling back and admiring your flushed expression.
"Keep your hands to yourself, boy," He teased. "And let me do all the work."
Raising his hips up again, Berlis began on a quick and heavy rhythm, bouncing his hips up and down your cock until your pre-cum covered every inch of your length, making the sounds of your sex audible, wet and lewd. You began to huff under your breath, your chest heaving from the pleasure and physical exhaustion of your coupling, and Berlis rolled his head back and fully basked himself in the pure bliss of riding your cock. He was enjoying it a lot more than you thought he would, judging by the vivid throbbing of his member in your hand, and as you continued to stroke his thigh he picked up the pace, grunting and panting as the wet slaps of his scales against (if:$species is "reptile")[your own](else:)[your $skin] bounced around the acoustics of the reasonably spacious study. It was clear that Berlis was getting close, and you hated to admit it but you were nearing completion too, each bounce and squeeze sending you closer and closer to the edge.
"L-Lord Dawson..." You huffed, sitting up ever so slightly as you trembled, a shudder rolling through your body and spreading to your every limb, pleasure coursing through your veins. Berlis looked down at you and smirked, leaning forwards and planting his hands on the desk as he bounced his hips further and further, staring deep into your eyes and lidding his gaze as his insides milked you to completion. It didn't take long for him to bring you to orgasm, and when he did you flopped your head back, groaning as you spurted and pumped thick globs of cum into the man's behind. Berlis pushed down and sighed, leaning up and admiring the side of your flushed expression before directing your hand towards his member, encouraging you to stroke. You did so and Berlis held onto your forearm, moaning loudly and encourage you to keep going.
With a sudden shudder and a long, satisfied sigh, Berlis leant back and his member throbbed in your hand, suddenly spurting thick strings of seed onto your doublet and pooled down against your hand and onto your stomach. You panted quietly, sucking in deep breaths as you admired the sight and Berlis rested there for a moment, his insides periodically squeezing around your cock with each throb. With that two of you panted, spent from a vigorous, sweaty session of sex that left you both exhausted and panting.]
(if:$SeedofFate is false)[(align:"<==")[As you lay there, a feeling surged through you that, at first, you couldn't quite recognise. To you, the feeling was completely inescapable and it envoloped your entire being, but you felt as if you could resist it. Suddenly, words flowed through your mind and against your chest, the pocket bearing the unknown object that The Preacher gave you earlier in the night hummed and vibrated, catching your attention and making your wonder if the feeling and the object were related. The words in your mind told you all you needed to know: that this sensation was the //Seed of Fate//, and it compelled you to merely succumb to it, and nothing more.
However, if this is to do with your mission then it begs the question as to whether Berlis is the target you're looking for, or whether this was just a bit of fun. The choice is yours.]
<div class='img-container-event'>(link:"Consume the Seed of Fate.")[(set:$SeedC to 1)(goto:"BerSeed")]</div>
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Resist the Call.")[(set:$SeedC to 2)(set:$SeedCC to 0)(goto:"BerSeed")]</div>](else:)[(align:"<==")[As you lay there, you thought you might feel the //Seed of Fate// sweep over you and tell you what to do, but the feeling didn't come. Perhaps it was because you'd already used the //Seed of Fate's// power with another target...at least, you assumed so. Regardless, there was nothing you could do, so in the end your seduction was simply that. A bit of fun, and nothing more.]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(set:$SeedC to 2)(set:$SeedCC to 1)(goto:"BerSeed")]</div>]]](if:$SeedC is 1)[You succumbed to the feeling and the //Seed of Fate// seemed to take the reigns, at least mentally. Words filled your mind and you felt compelled to use them. You shifted, propping yourself up with a hand and leaning your cheek against your palm as you parted your lips.
"Duldes..." You began, getting the man's attention. The hyena rolled his head to face you and the rest of his body followed shortly thereafter, turning to face you. He reached out with a hand and trailed his fingers down your chest, exploring your $skin, but he said nothing-- it looked like he was waiting for you to speak.
"I have a question," You began, and Duldes hummed his approval. "...It's about your father."
The hyena's hand froze and his gaze snapped up to yours-- they looked cold and eerie and you would have shuddered, had you not composed yourself. Words brushed through your mind and you continued as a result.
"Do you think he plans to continue his legacy on his own, or do you think he'll leave it to you and your siblings?" You asked, and Duldes seemed to soften every so slightly, as if he were expecting a harsher question. He grunted in response, his hands still stroking you, before he pulled back.
"My father is a lot of things, but he believes in the pride of his House above anything else," Duldes explained. "Frankly, it's his own redeeming quality-- I despise him otherwise. Why?"
"If you could get away from House Dawland, to take up roots somewhere else not under your family's name, would you?" You continued, and Duldes frowned from your questions, sitting up slightly and propping himself up with an elbow.
"What is this about?" He asked. "Such pointed questions...you're not asking me to run away with you, are you?"
"No, no," You chuckled, and he did in kind. "But...I just heard something earlier in the night. I was exploring-- I shouldn't have, I know-- and I accidentally entered the west wing of the estate. There was an open door and I slowed as I neared it and saw your father, sitting in a chair talking to some other man...he was short in stature and had black fur, from what I recall...but regardless, they were talking about something at length, though I don't know what, but I heard a very distinct sentence."
"And what was it?" Duldes pressed, leaning closer, and his expression made you grimace-- he looked so intense and defeated.
"He said: 'If there really is an opportunity to prolong my life, then I will snuff out my inheritance in an instant. I would rather manage my empire by myself than place it in the hands of my children'." You recited what you felt in your mind as if you were reciting what you'd heard word for word. Duldes stared at you for a moment, his expression unreadable, before he slowly turned and sat up, rising to his feet in an instant. It was hard to tell if he was angry, hurt or worse, but the worst part was that he said nothing. You slowly sat up and as you did so he abruptly turned, his expression a mixture of melancholic and angry.
"Are you okay?" You asked, and for a moment he didn't respond, throwing on his shirt and shrugging on his doublet.
"I have to return to the party," He remarked coldly. "I have a lot of things to think about...Please, feel free to use the facilities. If anyone gives you trouble about being here, direct them to me and I'll make sure it's dealt with."
"Okay..." You hummed and watched as Duldes briskly walked to the door, pulling it open. As he stepped out, he briefly turned to look at you before shutting the door behind him, giving you some privacy. A sigh blew past your lips and you leant back, rolling your shoulders before getting to your feet. Anxiety and guilt swelled within your gut as you adjourned to the en-suite bathroom and cleaned yourself up, taking no longer than a handful of minutes to dry your behind and put your clothes on. Did you do the right thing? Could you even be sure that he was the right target for your superiors? Questions swam through your mind, but you had no answers.
You returned to the party minutes later after Duldes-- some of the night still remained, so you might as well make the most of it, even if your mission is now complete.(set:$DSed to 1)(set:$End to 1)(set:$SeedofFate to true)](elseif:$SeedC is 2)[(if:$SeedCC is 1)[Without the //Seed of Fate// to direct you, you knew that there was nothing you could do but bask in the glow of a successful seduction-- and, honestly, good sex.](else:)[You resisted the urge to succumb to the feeling-- you felt like, for whatever reason, that this wasn't the right person.] You propped yourself up with a hand, your elbow digging into the plush silk of the seats as you laid there, naked, exposing your lithe body. You watched Duldes with a quiet silence and after a few moments, the hyena slowly turned his head to look at you. A smirk spread across your face when you saw his gaze immediately run up and down your naked form.
"You don't each much, do you?" He teased, shifting and rolling onto his side as well. He reached out and trailed a finger across your stomach, and your body instinctively reacted by tucking in your body, a giggle bubbling from between your $nose. His fingers snaked through your $skin and then moved back up to your chin, stroking along your jawline all the way to the tip of your $nose. His eyes were strangely searching, their gaze deep and meaningful, and you didn't know what to say to him.
After a few quiet moments of staring, Duldes rolled and sat up, scooting towards the edge of the bed and leaning over to rest his elbows on his knees. You shifted and scooted towards him, sitting up in kind and shuffling yourself closer until your bare hip brushed with his own. It was forward of you, but you reached out an arm and hooked it around his shoulder, leaning into him. You wondered if he might shrug you off but he instead reached out to touch with your hand, before turning towards you. He snaked a hand up your lithe, masculine body towards your neck. He sunk his fingers into your $skin and pulled your close, meeting your lips with a kiss once more. He lingered for no more than a few seconds before pulling back.
"We need to go back." He reminded you, and you chuckled quietly under your breath, reaching out to stroke his inner thigh, snaking your hand round until you grasped at his slightly sticky, half-hard cock. It throbbed in your hand, begging for more.
"Do we?" You teased, and he growled against your lips before kissing you again, his gripping hands and pulsing meat making it clear he would have loved to go for another round. To you surprise, however, he relented and pulled away, getting to his feet nonetheless and tugging up his trousers. You watched him for a moment, his back to you, and as he turned you deliberately spread your legs to show of yourself off. The hunger in his eyes was so palpable that you could almost feel his hands raking over you from that distance. You would have shuddered, had you not composed yourself.
"I have a reputation, Thep," He admitted. "A reputation, and a certain presence...if I'm absent too long, some nobleman will grow anxious, unfortunately."
"It's regrettable, but I understand," You closed your legs and stood, reaching for your clothes as you padded over towards what looked to be a door leading into a private bathroom. "I'll just clean myself up, then."
"Take as long as you need," Duldes called as you entered the bathroom. "Should anyone make a fuss, direct them to me and I'll see to it they understand."
A smile crossed your lips, and you listened, hearing Duldes stride across the room before the click of the door signalled him leaving the bedroom. You wobbled on the spot slightly, weak at the knees-- how could one nobleman be so enticing? You shook your head as if throwing the feelings out of your mind before cleaning yourself up loosely, to the best of your ability, with thanks to a towel. You took no longer than a handful of minutes before pulling on your clothes, adjusting yourself properly so that no-one was any the wiser about what you'd done with the firstborn son of Dawland House.
Once you'd collected yourself, you left the bedroom and went back the way you came, returning to the party some minutes after Duldes had.
Though you'd succeeded in seducing him, you hadn't done what was necessary to complete your 'mission'-- but still, a little fun couldn't hurt, right?(set:$DSed to 1)]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(align:"<==")[(if:$SeedC is 1)[Words filled your mind as you succumbed to the sensation that the //Seed of Fate// gave you. Rolling onto your side, you faced Sat as words grazed across the front of your brain, telling you what to say.
"Sat," You began, reaching out to touch with his chest. "Did you like being a soldier? Was there anything you hated about it?"
"That's a little bit of a weird thing to say to someone you just fucked," Sat remarked with a grin, turning his head towards you as you smiled, his amusement infectuous. "I mean...yes, there were some bad times."
"Anything in particular?" You asked, and with a sigh Sat rolled on the bed, propping his head up with a hand, elbow pressed to the silk sheets.
"Sometimes, a commander can make really bad choices, or choices that are logically sound but are difficult for the troops," He explained. "There are rules and regulations with wars, protocols or general 'rules of thumb' that commanders follow that are just...awful. Even some training methods feel barbaric, as if they haven't the resources to do it properly. It's fucking horrible."
"It sounds it," You mused, and Sat nodded, agreeing with you. "And nothing can change it?"
"Nothing..." Sat repeated the word as if trying to find the answer. "I had some ideas...just things I thought up whilst doing my adjutant work. Not many soldiers get raised to my position, so I guess I have a...unique perspective? I've been how it is for both common infantry as well as those on the logistic side of things...though I understand fuck-all sometimes. But I've noticed one or two things that are just...shitty. They benefit those higher up more than those down below."
"Then why don't you change it?" You followed the words in your mind, that seemed to change and adjust with Sat's words. "You said so yourself, you're in a unique position. Lord Carein clearly thinks highly of you, and he's influential. You could make quite the difference."
"What?" Sat snorted, sitting up and sliding off the bed, looking a little stressed by your words and also embarrassed. "Fuck no. I don't think I have the confidence for that."
"But you have the confidence to be Lord Carein's personal adjutant?" You countered, causing Sat to pause. "Just think about it, Sat. I think you could really change the way things work if you put your mind to it."
"I don't know..." Sat squirmed on the spot, shuffling towards the en-suite bathroom that connected to the room. "Do you really think so?"
"I do." You insisted, and Sat grinned even wider at your words.
"I'll think about it." He neither confirmed nor denied what he'd do and you didn't want to press him any more, for fear of making him awkward. Instead, you raised yourself to your feet and began to get dressed-- unlike Sat, you weren't all that messy from your recent sex, so you could get away with it. Sat, however, clearly had to clean himself up, and you soon heard the sound of running water.
"I'll head back first." You called over the rush of water, already tugging on your trousers and shrugging on your doublet. You heard a call of agreement from Sat and with a smile, you buttoned up your doublet and headed to the door, stepping through and closing it behind you so that he could get some privacy. You hoped no-one would disturb him and he'd get back to the party safely. With a sigh and an excited grin, you headed back to the party.
With your mission complete, you had the rest of the night to do what you wanted.(set:$SeedofFate to true)(set:$End to 2)(set:$SSed to 1)](elseif:$SeedC is 2)[(if:$SeedCC is 1)[With the //Seed of Fate// already consumed, there was nothing you could-- in the end, this little seduction was nothing but a bit of fun...not that you minded.](else:)[You declined to use the //Seed of Fate//, but you felt that it wasn't the right time, nor the right person.] Rolling onto your side, you turned to face Sat and smirked at his tired expression and parted beak. You reached out, touching with his shoulder and feeling the softness of his feathers. He glanced at you out the corner of his eye and grinned, before slowly sitting up.
"Didn't take you for much of a moaner." You teased, and Sat gawked before slapping you on the stomach, causing you to keel ever so slightly, the two of you giggling.
"Shut the fuck up. You loved it." He retorted with a smirk. The avian crawled across the bed and shoved your hip, rolling you onto your back as he swung a leg over and straddled your crotch, settling his used behind right down on your flaccid loins. With a charming grin, you propped yourself up on your elbows and Sat reached down, putting his hands on your $skinned chest, running his hands through the dry bits and avoiding the wet spot on your stomach. You watched him for a moment before sitting you, hooking an arm around his back and pulling him into a kiss. He was a lot more affectionate and receptive than before, snaking his arms around your neck and keeping your close.
"Mmh..." You hummed your approval of his kiss and dipped your head to his neck, (if:$species is "canine")[breathing in his scent through your canine nostrils.](else:)[playfully nipping at his feathers.] "As fun as a round 2 sounds, I don't know if we have time."
"You're right," Sat sounded defeated as you slid your hand down to grasp at his feathery ass. "I'm sure my Lord will need me at some point."
"It's regrettable." You sighed, and Sat hummed in agreement, sliding his arms back. Despite the pair of you stating that you couldn't go again, neither of you wanted to move. To you, this was just a mission, but you couldn't help but enjoy the feel of him against you, his soft feathers against (if:$species is "avian")[your own.](else:)[your $skin.] It felt like it belonged there, as crude and cringey as it sounded in your head. After a moment of silence, you kissed along his collarbone, and he looked down at you with a softened expression, a quiet sigh escaping his lips. Your body reacted to the intimacy in an obvious way, and you felt your steadily growing erection pressing up against his rounded, athletic cheeks.
Regardless, however, you relented, leaning back-- though you made a point of grasping Sat's own obviously stiffening length, giving it a few teasing jerks as you pressed your lips to his, drawing him into another fervent, intimate kiss for just a fleeting moment before you pushed, coaxing him off your lap. He obliged and teetered a little on his feet, his knees shaking from the physical exertion of your sex mere moments ago, before he made his way over towards the bedroom's en-suite-- it was cramped in there from what you could see from the bed, but it looked enough for him to clean himself up. You didn't need to do much yourself and instead simply began to get dressed, pulling on your trousers and throwing your shirt over your head.
"I'll head back first," You called. "You know, so no-one gets the wrong idea..."
"Yeah, wouldn't want some fucking nobles to find out two commoners are having sex, right?" Sat drawled from the bathroom and you chuckled, amused by his rather crass remark.
You shrugged on your doublet as you heard the water running from inside the room, and you had no doubt that he planned to clean himself up rather thoroughly. With that, you stepped towards the door and headed through, closing it behind you to give him some privacy. You slowly returned to the party, a smile plastered across your face-- you hoped you could spend more time with Sat before the night was over.(set:$SSed to 1)]]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>(if:$SeedC is 1)[(align:"<==")[You succumbed to the feeling that the //Seed of Fate// provided, and you thought it'd fill your head with words and things to say-- yet, instead, you felt a swelling within your body, as if something within you unfurled and blossomed, before that sensation faded rather quickly. You couldn't understand why you felt that way or for what reason, and no amount of fumbling around inside yourself with your own rudimentary magic seemed to find the cause. With a sigh you rolled your head back, and Ralt appeared to thrust a few more times, snorting under his breath-- you could only assume he enjoyed the feeling of your gripping hole.
The sudden, abrupt scuffle of shoes against carpet caught your attention, and you snapped your head up to see the door to the bedroom swung open, revealing a stout yet clearly noble man, clad in a black doublet. He was a canine of peculiar origin, but that wasn't what concerned you-- the mere fact that he was //there//, staring at the two of you, was the problem. The man gawked at the sight of the two of you having just committed a particularly obscene act in a house that wasn't your own and the canine covered his face, letting out a cry akin to disgust.
"What the fuck are you doing, you disgusting monster!" The man cried and Ralt abruptly stepped back from you, sliding out of you in an instant and causing you to shudder from the feeling, forced to clench and hold it in. Ralt didn't seem to know what to do and stood there for a moment, before looking between you and the man, then back again. You, too, were stunned by the sudden development and sat up, your feet meeting the floor. You tried to stand, but the exertion of your sex previous made you tremble and wobble on your feet, unable to be steady. Ralt looked as if he wanted to help you but he backed off, instead keeping his gaze down.
"Guards!" The canine called down the corridor, and he stood in the entranceway of the room, as if blocking you from leaving. Ralt, however, made no intentions of barging past him and instead stood there like he had been caught doing something bad-- technically that was true, but you had honestly expected him to put up more of a fight. Perhaps it was because of the tentative status of his people that he was forced to be so calm and subservient even in a situation like this.
After a few moments of awkward, tense silence, the trudging of heavy, approaching footsteps caught your attention. As you sat on the edge of the holding in the remnants of Ralt's load, guards swept themselves into the room at the behest of the disgusted canine, who pointed accusingly at Ralt, making a wild gesture.
"Take that...//thing// away." The nobleman demanded and the guards awkwardly approached Ralt, visibly scared of him. Ralt, however, was strangely compliant-- he allowed the guards to lead him out of the room and back down the hall, leaving only you left in the room, with the nobleman canine standing in the doorway. At fist he had his back to you as he watched the man direct Ralt out, but after that a moment he turned, looking right at you.
"You," He snapped. "Tell me now and tell me plainly, did he force himself on you or were you willing?"
"I...willing?" You saw no reason to lie, even if it would have looked better. At your response, the man visibly wrinkled his muzzle and brought a hand to his mouth, as if covering his nose.
"Disgusting," He spat, turning from you. "Clean yourself up and leave this room at once. On this one occasion I will overlook the abhorrent act you took part in, but I will not tolerate it again."
"...Who are you, exactly?" You tentatively asked, and the man glanced at you out the corner of his eye, his back to you.
"Alphonse Elhart, one of Lord Dawlan's retainers, and his head assistant," He introduced himself. "You would do well to remember my name."
With that, the canine abruptly left, leaving you to sit there for a moment and contemplate what you'd done. What was going to happen to Ralt now? Would he even be at the party? The bear's clothes still lay strewn across the room, for he hadn't picked them up. You knew that there was nothing you could do about it now-- you instead rose to your feet and staggered your way to the bathroom, quickly cleaning yourself up with whatever utilities were available before turning to the bedroom. You took the canine's advice and got yourself dressed, returning to the party before things got complicated.
By the time you stepped out into the hall, everyone else had already gone.(set:$RaltGone to true)(set:$SeedofFate to true)(set:$RSed to 1)]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(set:$End to 3)(goto:"GameEnd")]</div>](elseif:$SeedC is 2)[(align:"<==")[(if:$SeedCC is 1)[Without the //Seed of Fate// to guide you, there was nothing you could do other than enjoy the afterglow of your sex.](else:)[You resisted the urge to succumb to the feeling and instead simply enjoyed the afterglow of your sex.] You watched as Ralt slowly pulled back and a shudder rolled through you at the sudden feeling of being empty, and you clenched your hole to avoid making too much of a mess. As you sat up, the bear retreated enough for you to get to your feet, but you didn't know if you had the strength to do so. Even as you planted your feet to the floor they wobbled from the physical exertion of your sex. With a groan, you tried to stand and Ralt grabbed your arm, holding your steady. You looked up at him and smiled wryly, trying to avoid looking him up and down.
"Can you help me to the washroom?" You asked, and with a grunt Ralt half-carried, half-led you along. His large hand was close to lifting you off your feet, but it was more or less the kind of what you needed. When you reached the doorway of the washroom, you gestured for him to leg go and staggered you way inside. You heard Ralt hum from the doorway as you reached the sink, spotting the nearby towel. As you reached over to grab it, you glanced at Ralt, who looked...decidedly embarrassed and guilty.
"What's the matter?" You asked him as you took the towel and dipped it beneath you behind, loosening yourself so you could clean up. You kept one hand planted on the edge of the sink, just to steady yourself.
"...Are you injured?" He asked you. "People of my kind, they can normally endure...but I was concerned when you couldn't stand."
"You've never done buggery before, have you?" You chuckled, brushing the towel back and forth before gingerly hanging it back up-- you'd need it in a bit.
"No." He agreed with you and you glanced to him, briefly casting your gaze down. Even when spent, he still looked //big// down there. The sight made you shudder, if only a little.
"If you ever tried it you'd know for yourself," You began, turning the tap and running the water. "But this is normal-- I'm glad you didn't put all of it in or I may be incapacitated for longer."
A silence filled the space between you as you slowly washed your stomach of the seed, letting the water drip down onto the tiles beneath you. Once you were done, you reached for the towel and patted yourself down, before glancing to him again. You gestured for him to come closer, and Ralt hesitated at first before he obliged, ducking his head to slip in through the door and approach. You said nothing as you brought the towel to his crotch, leaning down and cupping the half-hard length, cleaning it of the mixture of pre-cum and seed that coated it. Ralt visibly tensed on the spot from the touch and huffed under his breath, clearly easily excited, but he seemed to resist the urge to go for another round.
"I..." Ralt began after a moment, and you retracted the towel, the bear's cock now spotless. "We should return to the party. I, at the very least, need to make an appearance, or else they will come searching for me...and if they found me in this predicament, well..."
"I understand," You waved a hand and tossed the towel over towards the basket, that seemed to be intended for dirty clothes. "I need to as well anyway. Let's go and get dressed."
The two of your adjourned to the bedroom and slowly began to put on your clothes in silence-- after a little bit of walking it became easier for you to move, moreso now that you were clean and empty, for the most part. You pulled on your trousers with ease as Ralt dejectedly did the same, and you could tell he'd rather do anything by have to wear stifling fancy clothes-- you hoped for his sake that it wasn't too much of a regular occurrence, but you kept that thought to yourself for now. By the time you'd shrugged on your doublet, Ralt was already dressed, surprisingly quicker than you.
"You should go back first," You told him. "It would be weird if we went together. People would talk."
"Of course." Ralt nodded in agreement and hesitated, just for a moment, before approaching you. You looked up at him and, to your surprise, he dipped his head and nuzzled his nose against your $skin for just a moment, before he turned and made his way to the door. He didn't glance back as he opened it, but he did linger outside for just a few breaths before trudging off down the hall. You heard his thumping, plodding footsteps receding and a grin spread across your face, a tingle of excitement and fondness spreading through your belly and up your spine. That was...nice.
You gave him a few minutes before returning to the party yourself, hopeful that you might be able to spend a little more time with him in the future-- if the night allowed, of course.(set:$RSed to 1)]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>](if:$SeedC is 1)[(align:"<==")[You let the feeling of the //Seed of Fate// wash over you and succumbed. It swelled inside of you, reaching to every corner of your body from your hands to your feet, making your $skin tingle. Inside you, something unfurled and blossomed like a flower before it popped, sparking across your body-- in an instant, the tingling feeling dissipated, leaving you with a peculiar numbness that lasted for no longer than a few breaths. Despite how short it was, you couldn't help but feel uneasy.
Before you could say or do anything, you heard the slamming of the door on the other side of the room and snapped your head up to see someone kicking the double doors open, swinging on its hinges and hitting with the wall on either side. Standing there were a series of armed guards clad in steel and iron, with spears in their hands. They strode into the room two at a time and in a panic, Berlis scrabbled off your body and slid off from the desk, and you felt compelled to do the same, sheepishly standing there was more guards filtered into the room.
After the 5th set of 2, the entering guardsman parted to reveal a man-- a hyena, old and aged, dressed in ornate white clothes with a gold trim. (if:$MetDu is true)[You soon recognised the colours, for Duldes wore the same-- given the man's age and the similar clothes, you quickly made the correct assumption that the man was Jurn Dawland, Head of his House.](else:)[You weren't sure about the man's identity at first, but made some quick deductions based upon the number of guards, the freedom in which he moved around the house and the broach on his chest the emblazoned House Dawland's insignia-- he was Jurn Dawland, Head of the House.] You immediately held your breath and froze at the realisation.
Jurn Dawland slowly and quietly moved across the room, calm as can be. He didn't even approach the two of your at first, instead rounding the corners of his desk and stepped towards the chair. Berlis tried to somehow sneak his way out, but a spear pointed in his direction kept him still, and he made a point over covering his nakedness with a hand, his expression flushed and his eyes wide with panic. You felt more or less the same: your heart pounded in your chest and, on some level, you knew this was the end, somehow. You didn't dare to look around but you could hear Jurn Dawland rifling with some papers and gathering them together, and had to wonder if it was because Berlis pushed them side and messed them up that he was doing so. After a few moments of silence, the man's dulcet tones cut through the quiet of the room and into your bones.
"Take them away and throw them into the darkest pits of my cells," He spoke calmly, yet his tone was hard and you could tell he was angry. "I will decide what to do with them later."
A hand approached from your right and grabbed your upper arm and you winced, panic swirling through your system-- yet, somehow, you stayed composed. Berlis, however, immediately panicked-- as soon as a hand touched him, he cried out and tried to slap them away, but their grip was firm and as they dragged him along, he grew more and more hysterical. At first he apologised, then he demanded to be unhanded due to his status, and then he turned his fury upon you, screaming that it was all your fault, that a 'wicked demon' had 'controlled his mind'. He made every excuse under the sun even as the two of you were dragged out of the study and down the hall, naked and bottomless respectively.
As if to make a spectacle of you, the guards deliberately guided you across the banquet hall so that everyone caught sight of the screaming reptile, Head of his House, and the 'commoner whore' who had been with him. You could hear their whispers, snickers and gasps of shock, but you blocked them out as much as you could, for their ridicule didn't matter now. The guards manhandled you towards the other end of the hall and out towards the entrance, but they didn't take you outside-- they instead guided you down the halls, into the darker corners of the house. It felt like a maze, but you were so numb that you weren't even paying attention to where you were going. Before you knew it, you found yourself in a dingy little room with small, closed-off rooms. One swung open and the guard shoved you inside, causing you to stumble and fall to the floor. There was stone beneath your knees and no light to speak of, not even a skylight above or a window leading to the outside.
You sat there in the dark, listening to Berlis's panicked screams, and realised that your time at the party had come to an end...was it worth it for this outcome? You couldn't be sure.(set:$End to 4)(set:$AltEnd to 5)(set:$SeedofFate to true)(set:$BSed to 1)]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"GameEnd")]</div>](elseif:$SeedC is 2)[(align:"<==")[(if:$SeedCC is 1)[Without the //Seed of Fate// to guide you, your sex was nothing but a bit of fun...which suited you just fine.](else:)[You resisted the call of the //Seed of Fate//, for you couldn't be certain if Berlis was the object of your mission. For now, you enjoyed the sex for what it was and tried not to read too much into it.] You sat up ever so slightly as Berlis looked down at you from his higher position, a smirk crossing the reptile's face, sticking his tongue from his mouth just a little to taste the air.
"That was...quite something, Lord Dawson." You remarked, and Berlis chuckled under his breath, hooked a hand around your neck and pulling you up into a more upright sitting position. He ran his maw over yours and you felt his slowly softening cock press up against your stomach, staining your doublet a little more. After a few sensual, probing kisses he backed off, lifting his hips up and straightening his legs as he withdrew from him, a shuddering sigh escaping your lips at the feeling. Once free, Berlis slid off your lap and onto the floor where he turned, padding across the room in the nude as if to show himself off. Berlis didn't quite have the curves of a voluptuous woman but there was a certain objective appeal to his manly frame and lack of muscle definition. You sat on the edge of the desk for a little moment longer before remembering exactly where you were. A tickle of panic rushed through your body and you quickly slid from the desk, reaching for you pants and tugging them on.
"What are you doing?" Berlis asked, and you raised your head to see him looking over at you as you were pulling up your trousers and underwear. His rather plain question made you pause.
"...Getting dressed?" You frowned. "We're in Lord Dawland's study...I do not want to see what happens when I'm caught here, fun as our time was."
"Yes...that's a fair point, I suppose." Berlis hummed and sounded disappointed. Was he hoping for confrontation, or just hoping you'd want to fool around more? You couldn't be certain.
As you buttoned up your trousers, Berlis stepped across the room towards you, a wicked smile spreading across his scaled features. He pressed his chest to you and reached up to stroke along your cheek, before trailing a finger down towards your neck. You instinctively reached around to grab as his hands and slide them down, groping at his ass before dragging your hands up to explore the length of his spine, enjoying the feel of his rough, aged scales under your fingertips.
"You're not going to tell anyone what transpired here, are you?" Berlis after innocently, but the way his clawed finger snaked over your neck and across your adam's apple made you pause. You knew a threat when you saw one, though you felt it was...unwarranted.
"Lord Dawson," You began with a sigh. "I may not have nobility, but I am aware people must keep secrets. In the interest of this potentially being more than just a one time thing in the future, I have no qualms in keeping it to myself."
Berlis's eyes met yours and you could tell he was searching your face for any shred of a lie, but despite your mission, espionage and everything else in-between, what you said in that moment was completely and utterly genuine. After a few tense moments of silence, Berlis abruptly pressed his mouth to yours, giving you yet another fleeting, hungry kiss-- but this one felt like the last. When he was done he pulled away from you and reached for his clothes.
"In that interest, then..." Berlis began with a hum of thought. "You should go back to the party first, lest rumours fly when people see us together. I do have a reputation to keep, after all."
"Of course." You had no intention of making things difficult for him, and at his words you strode across the room towards the door, where you lingered for just a moment, glancing back at him and admiring his naked form for just a moment longer, before you wordlessly nodded and stepped out. You collected yourself at the door and then returned to the party.
That was a lot more fun than you thought it'd be, though you had to admit that your anxiety dulled your senses. Regardless, you hoped to see more of Berlis before the party ended, on the off-chance that there was more of that in store.(set:$BSed to 1)]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"TurnCheck")]</div>](align:"<==")[(if:$LeftE is 1)[With that, your mission was over. Having successfully planted the //Seed of Fate,// you opted to leave the party early so that you could be debriefed and learn of whether your mission was successful or not. You made your way towards the entrance, and then down the carpet that lead to the courtyard outside.
There, multiple carriages waited in silence, their horses whinnying, impatient. You bid the guards a brief farewell, merely out of respect, and they stood to attention at your words, though they did not salute. As you stepped forwards towards one of the carriages, you felt a hand on your shoulder and turned your head to see a mask clad in a masquerade mask-- The Preacher, no less. He offered you a sly grin before ushering you towards one of the carriages as he talked.](else:)[The party has come to a close. Guards began to filter into the hall and coax people out towards the entrance, and you thought they were a little overkill-- but when some drunken nobles started to berate and talk back to the guards, it became clear to you that that they were necessary. Some people naturally didn't want to leave, but you weren't one of those-- you were happy to walk across the banquet hall with everyone else, approaching the doors that lead down a soft carpet leading towards the entrance of the estate.
From there, you stepped out into the cold of the night air and the courtyard beyond was full of carriages, each led by 2 horses and a driver who coaxed them along. It was impossibly busy and you knew that, because of your status, you'd be standing around and waiting for a while. As carriages pulled away to take nobles one, more approached to collect others, but the whole process was slow yet methodical. It would take some time for the main crowd of nobles to be filtered out and it would only be after the vast majority of them were on their way home that you'd get a carriage of your own. You could see that some nobles, in their eagerness to return home, were sharing carriages with others of different houses. The thought of doing the same crossed your mind, but before you could suggest or offer it to anyone, you felt a hand on your shoulder.
You turned your head and saw that The Preacher was standing by your side, the wily feline still bearing his masquerade mask to conceal his appearance, though you didn't think it necessary. He stood with all the swagger and charisma of a noble, but you could see his clothes were just a little dishevelled-- considering your own mission was to seduce someone, it didn't surprise you that it was the same for him as well, though you couldn't be sure he had the same goals.]
"So?" He asked bluntly, and you knew what he wanted to know. You sighed through your nose.
(if:$SeedofFate is true)["I did as was requested of me." You didn't know if you'd gone after the correct target for certain, but you were confident that your mission was a success. The Preacher grinned and squeezed your shoulder encouragingly and you could only assume he was pleased with you.
"Good." The Preacher replied,](elseif:$SeedofFate is false)["...I could not do it in time." You admitted, much to a mixture of your frustration and The Preacher's disappointment. YOu didn't want to think it was entirely your thought, considering how cryptic the clues offered were.
"A shame." The Preacher hummed,] (if:$LE is 1)[and the two of you approached a carriage to take home.](else:)[and the two of you watched as another set of carriages slowly pulled out. It took a few more minutes for the crowd to thin considerably and eventually the two of you managed to get a carriage for yourselves.] You climbed in alongside The Preacher after giving the driver directions and the horses were coaxed into a trot, where they walked around the fountain and down the path. You looked out the small window and watched House Dawland's estate, with its bright lights, disappear into the distance.
"Did you have fun?" The Preacher asked with a smirk and you looked at you for a moment, before looking back out the window.
(if:$SeedofFate is true)["...Yes, I did." You agreed, feeling relaxed.](elseif:$SeedofFate is false)["I suppose." You muttered quietly, feeling defeated.] The Preacher watched you for a moment before retrieving a book from his doublet and beginning to read it, leaving you to mull over your own thoughts, good or bad.
Your night has come to an eventful end.]
<div class='img-container-continue'>(link:"Continue.")[(goto:"GameEnd")]</div>(css: "font-size: 70px;")[(align:"=><=")[(text-colour: #B96ABC)[Game Over]]]
(align:"=><=")[//The night meets it's end, and the guests return home.//
(live:3s)[(stop:)(transition:"fade")+(transition-time:3s)[(text-colour: #928cbf)[(if:$AltEnd is 1)[//You left the party amicably and unscathed, without creating a ruckus.//](elseif:$AltEnd is 2)[//You died at the hands of the God of Death.//](elseif:$AltEnd is 3)[//You lost a duel against Duldes Dawland, and were promply kicked out.//](elseif:$AltEnd is 4)[//You caused too much havoc, and were removed from the premises.//](elseif:$AltEnd is 5)[//You were caught in a restricted part of the house, and were left to rot in House Dawland's private dungeons.//]
(if:$End is 1)[//You used the Seed of Fate on Duldes Dawland...(if:$RTarget is $Target1)[and he was the target. Your mission was a success.](else:)[but he not the target. Your mission was a failure.]//](elseif:$End is 2)[//You used the Seed of Fate on Sat Ipfeld...(if:$RTarget is $Target2)[and he was the target. Your mission was a success.](else:)[but he not the target. Your mission was a failure.]//](elseif:$End is 3)[//You used the Seed of Fate on Raltarndarv Raltandavi...(if:$RTarget is $Target3)[and he was the target. Your mission was a success.](else:)[but he not the target. Your mission was a failure.]//](elseif:$End is 4)[//You used the Seed of Fate on Berlis Dawson...(if:$RTarget is $Target4)[and he was the target. Your mission was a success.](else:)[but he not the target. Your mission was a failure.]//](elseif:$End is 5)[//You did not fulfill your mission despite all odds.//]
//You have now completeled $RCompleted runs.
Your win count is $WCounter. Your loss counter is $LCounter.]]]
(live:5s)[(stop:)(transition:"fade")+(transition-time:3s)[(text-colour: #928cbf)[You look at the path of the cards before you.
Could you have taken a different path?
Could things have been different?
Do you hope for a different future?]]]]
(live:7s)[(stop:)(transition:"fade")+(transition-time:3s)[(css:"font-size: 38px")[(align:"=><=")[|BBB>[Shatter fate, and start again...](enchant: ?BBB, (text-style:'bold'))]]]]
(click:?BBB)[(goto:"GameEndCode")](live:1s)[(stop:)(t8n:"fade")[So, you're interested to know about the core gameplay loop, yes? Then let's begin...]]
(live:3s)[(stop:)(t8n:"fade")[You are playing the role of //Thep//, a man who has been tasked with infiltrating a rather haughty aristocratic party. This party isn't the kind of formal dinner you're expecting, however! There are people mingling, getting drunk, being handsy...though debauchery is frowned upon, there's no telling what people do behind closed doors, is there?]]
(live:5s)[(stop:)(t8n:"fade")[Your main objective, tasked by your superiors, is to deduce who your target is through a series of cryptic //Prophecies.// Once you have determined as such, your task is to then seduce them through interactions and flirtation.
Why must you seduce them? Well, you'll see...]]
(live:7s)[(stop:)(t8n:"fade")[The party will take place over 18 turns in 20 minutes intervals. To begin with, you will select your target through one of the four (text-colour:#50a565)[Target Cards.] Then, you will select your from one of three (text-colour:#e36011)[Interaction Cards], and gauge the response of your target. You may also encounter (text-colour:#bc40c6)[(text-style:"outline")[Fortuitous!]] cards, which are a very risky, very //sexual// interaction that can net you big gains, OR big losses!
Remember that each individual is different! Some may react well to one thing and poorly to another. Try to analyse your target's characteristics and determine which they may find favourable or not through deduction alone.]]
(live:9s)[(stop:)(t8n:"fade")[Favourable interactions with your intended target (and occasionally others!) will net you //Sway// with that target, and unfavourable interactions will net you //Havoc//. If you generate too much Havoc, you'll be thrown out of the party, so be careful!
Sway determines how much a target likes you. Once you feel confident that your //Sway// with a target is high, you can try to **seduce** them.]]
(live:11s)[(stop:)(t8n:"fade")[That's the basics! Interact with your target to gain sway with them so that you can finish your mission, but be careful not to upset them and get yourself thrown out!]]
(live:13s)[(stop:)(t8n:"fade")[How's that? Do you feel confident? Feel like you could take on House Dawland's scary party? Why don't you see for yourself?
Or, if you're unsure, you can read up more about other aspects of the game...
<div class='img-container-twist'>(link:"Prophecies, Twists of Fate and Branching Fates.")[(goto:"HowToPATOF")]</div>
<div class='img-container-event'>(link:"Return to the Title Screen.")[(goto:"Title")]</div>]](live:1s)[(stop:)(t8n:"fade")[So, you want to know about the more intricate details of the game, huh? Buckle up then mister, this is going to be a wild ride...]]
(live:3s)[(stop:)(t8n:"fade")[If you're new you won't have seen them, but if you've play this before then these will be obvious to you. You'll occasionally see them around as you play the game...
<div class='img-container-twist'>Let him know his will be done.</div>
<div class='img-container-twist'>Ideals as clean as his doublet.</div>
<div class='img-container-twist'>No breathing brother to bother them.</div>
These are what's known as //Prophecies,// and are the only way to determine //who// your target is. However, they are not necessarily specific-- just about every prophecy out there could attribute to two different people! The more prophecies you have, however, the easier it'll be for you to deduce and figure out your target.
You will initially get a unique //starter// prophecy, but in Branching Fates throughout the game as well as at specific turns, you can acquire additional prophecies. It's a lot to keep track of, so if you forget one you can always check the journal, located in every turn's main page.]]
(live:5s)[(stop:)(t8n:"fade")[//Twists of Fate// are unique and powerful consumable abilities and artifacts that you can acquire at random throughout your run, either through some interactions with your targets or through Branching Fates. Whenever you acquire you, you're allowed to pick from one of three!
Some can be used before picking your target, some can be used before an interaction and others can be used right as an interaction ends. All of them have unique properties and skills-- make sure to read the card's description before you pick one!]]
(live:7s)[(stop:)(t8n:"fade")[Branching Fates, or better known as //Random Events//...you've seen them around, I'm sure! They look like this:
<div class='img-container-event'>Fate branched into a new path...</div>
<div class='img-container-event'>The Wheel of Fortune turned, beckoning...</div>
Branching Fates are, to put it simply, events that can happen throughout the party. They are your best bet in encountering Twists of Fate and additional Prophecies, as well as seeing how your target interacts with others or by themselves! These occur **every 2 turns**, so make sure to make the most of them-- you don't lose a turn just for taking a look!]]
(live:9s)[(stop:)(t8n:"fade")[So, do you feel more knowledgable? Feel like you could take on a simple infiltration mission?
If you're willing, why don't you give it a go? But you can always check the basics again...
<div class='img-container-twist'>(link:"The Core Gameplay Basics.")[(goto:"HowToPlay2")]</div>
<div class='img-container-event'>(link:"Return to the Title Screen.")[(goto:"Title")]</div>]]
(text-style:"underline")[Destiny's Intervention]
(css:"font-size: 17px;")[(css: "font-family: 'New Tegomin', serif;")[(text-colour:#33a3c8)[Twist of Fate Card]]]
With the intention of aiding
you, destiny intervenes.
Three times throughout the night,
you may re-roll what available
interaction cards there are.
Who is this mysterious force
aiding you? You cannot say.
(link:"Choose this Twist.")[(set:$ST to "Mulligan")(goto:"Intro3")]{
(if:$DulSway is <0)[(set:$DulSway to 0)](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]
(if:$SatSway is <0)[(set:$SatSway to 0)](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]
(if:$RalSway is <0)[(set:$RalSway to 0)](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]
(if:$BerSway is <0)[(set:$BerSway to 0)](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]
(if:$RaltGone is true)[(set:$TList to it - (a:$Target3))](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]
(if:$Havoc is <0)[(set:$Havoc to 0)](else:)[<!--Do Nothing--!>]
}You wandered through the party's halls, the nobles laughing and dancing, some talking quietly amongst themselves. There were all manner of people at the party-- those who loved to enjoy themselves, and those who preferred to keep out of the spotlight. You didn't want to consider the notion that there were some who wanted to wreck a party such as this, and you pushed down the thought of those who were here merely to hook up as well...though you were much of the same, it felt better not to think about it.
As you walked, you bumped shoulders with a man whom you didn't recognise. He profusely apologised to you and rather abruptly slipped something into your pocket as he talked, and you saw a trace of a smile on his lips. His movements were erratic and flustered and he disappeared into the crowd as quickly as he had arrived, and you were left wondering what his problem was. You reached into the pocket he'd placed something in and found a pierce of parchment, which you unfurled and looked at...(set:$RPro to $Prophecies's (random:1,$Prophecies's length))(set:$Prophecies to it - (a:$RPro))(set:$ProList to it + (a:$RPro))
<div class='img-container-twist'>$RPro</div>
Bewilderment crossed your features and you stowed it away, quickly realising it was to do with your mission, in some way-- it would come in handy for figuring out who you target was, at least. You returned to the party shortly thereafter, surveying your 4 noted individuals...The party was slowly beginning to wind down, and the once raucous laughter and spiel of party-goers had simmered into quiet talks over nursed glasses of wine. Those that had a lot of energy at the beginning of the party had either left, mellowed out or were crashed somewhere in the banquet hall and about to be escorted out. You, however, hadn't had much to drink-- because of your mission, you couldn't afford to lose your head, so you were as sober as can be.
As you walked, you came into contact with a rabbit who dragged you into conversation with him. At first he was hard to decipher, his speech a little slurred, but he seemed like a genuinely friendly individual and his clothes didn't seem all that fancy, so you surmised that he was a lesser noble or perhaps even someone without a title. The rabbit surprisingly kept his hands to himself amidst the conversation, glugging his wine as if it were water, before he inevitably excused himself. When he did so, he staggered and fell into you and you instinctively tried to hold him up. He seemed to appreciate and slipped something into your palm as he staggered away. With a frown, you looked down into your hand to find a small parchment, and you unfurled it to read the contents...(set:$RPro to $Prophecies's (random:1,$Prophecies's length))(set:$Prophecies to it - (a:$RPro))(set:$ProList to it + (a:$RPro))
<div class='img-container-twist'>$RPro</div>
You could only assume that this was another of The Preacher's tricks to feed your information about your target, and despite your annoyance for the cryptic message, your appreciated his insight. This will help you narrow down your target's identity if you didn't already know it, or confirm it if you did. You slipped the note into your pocket and returned to mingling, casting your gaze over your 4 noted individuals...