A Feral Diamond in Golden Sands [Flashback]

[Ashanna]

6th of Winter, 512 ~ Flashback Ahnatep A Feral Diamond in Golden Sands Amongst the gilded people she may have stood pale but Sarinne compensated by having extensive amounts of embellishments. Her master, an Eypharian himself, stood by her side, a hand on her lower back almost as if to take property of the girl as he spoke to another four-armed man. The event had been laid out by and for the House of the East Winds, a name Sarinne had come to cringe when she heard. Eastern Winds…, she would silently correct, it wouldn’t be so bothersome if they all didn’t find themselves so knowledgeable and cultured. The House was known for mining all sorts of marble and even salt but their real prized jewel was the Eypharian marble. Dark shades of purple with prominent veins running through it, the stone was more costly than many precious gems. Sarinne’s master, a member of the House, had long been wanting to delve into the mining of Eypharian marble, that was where the real money was. All one had to do was discover an available place to start mining it and soon after, the money and status would flow. Sarinne was one of the few non-Eypharians in the room, though she didn’t seem to mind. Aside from her master, no others knew of her Kelvic nature. She was just a human, and while in their eyes she stood inferior, it was still a race considered much less bestial than her true one. Her hair was long, straight and dark, tied back and reaching the middle of her spine. Around her neck, the girl wore a very impressive collar piece. Lapis lazuli stones along with smaller pieces of turquoise linked together with a web of gold encased her neck and draped over her shoulders; the piece was more easily called art than jewelry. Sarinne’s grey-green eyes were rimmed with gold while her lids were painted a dark blue to match the lapis. The bodice of her dress was strapless and tight, hugging her body ever so closely down to her knees where multiple layers of semi-sheer, silken fabric, in the same tone of indigo as the rest of her gown, cascaded out to the floor. It had taken practice to be in the company of Eypharian nobles and know how to look and act. One should look like they belonged, but not like they were trying to out-do any of the gilded women. They would'nt find her an equal no matter what, so Sarinne was satisfied just with them not finding her unpleasant. The men, on the other hand, were an easy task. They mostly found her to be an exotic treat for the eyes, a beautiful foreigner that carried a different type of allure than their native stock. And that was her job, to either charm the men or convince the women to whatever end her master wished.

[Ashanna]

"You could, perhaps, get us drinks, my dear" Farrick, stated, turning to the girl with a smile and a raised eyebrow. "Of course, my lord", though the title wasn't customarily one of Eypharian origin, it was what Farrick II had all his concubines refer to him as. It nearly always ignited a bit of laugher from the men around him and marked Farrick's ownership over her. And it helped enhance the idea that Sarinne was only his concubine. She gave a gracefully slight bow, just barely inclining her head and slowly walked towards the nearest server. The young man must have been in his late teens and of benshiran blood, judging by his appearance. Darkened skin and light grey eyes. His head completely covered by a white turban. "Warm night," he said as their eyes met. "As always, nothing a cool drink won't remedy," she replied taking two glasses from his tray. "If only a breeze were to strike," the boy said back handing Sarinne a small folded cloth napkin. Taking the kerchief, Sarinne retreated back to Farrick. As she approached, the Eypharian reached out with one of his arms and Sarinne placed one of the glasses in it. She handed the other to the man Farrick was still speaking with. "Excuse me, I need to freshen up. Would you happen to know the direction of a powder room?" With only a gesture of his head, the man continued talking to Farrick. Another small bow and the kelvic was off again. The event was being held in an area that while being outside, still had a ceiling to shield guests from the magnified heat of the sun during the day, or the possibility of hail during the evenings. It was reaching dusk, so the heat was bearable enough for the guests to be comfortable. Sarinne headed inside smiling politely at the guards by the large double doors. She held the napkin tightly in her grip, tight enough to feel the metal shape within its folds. Once inside the girl headed towards the restroom. She could see more guards stationed by the stairwell as well as a few other rooms but they were not her target. The halls, much like the outside of the home were extravagantly made. Dark green marble on the floors and shrouds of gold silk hung against the walls. Chandeliers lit with candles and comprised of jasper stones and precious gold illuminated the passage. The door to the washroom was a dark wood frame with black glass at its center. The dark glass was etched with a pattern of reed plants and palm trees. The door alone must have cost a fortune and taken ages to make as, despite its material, one could not see into the room.

[Ashanna]

Sarinne entered the powder room and locked the door behind her. She proceeded to taking the chair by the vanity and bracing it beneath the doorknob for a bit of extra assurance. Taking a look around, it always astounded Sarinne at the utter luxury Eypharians surrounded themselves with. Was an emerald encrusted mirror really necessary? Probably not, but in Ahnatep luxury was definitely a necessity. Quickly Sarinne undid the clasps that held her necklace together and placed the jewelry on the alabaster counter. She loosened the laces on the back of her dress and slipped out of it. Beneath she wore very little; only a black, strapless leotard and stockings. Sarinne slipped off the glittering heels she wore on her feet and quickly looked about the space. The napkin she wedged into her bosom where it would not fall out. Then, Sarinne climbed over a linen's bureau and opened the stained glass window pane behind it. Outside of the window was a cliff, well really just an empty mote. The owner of the estate wanted extra protection but with Ahnatep's restrictions on water, the process of filling it had become much harder than he'd expected. Well, filled or empty, it was another hinderance to overcome. Sarinne sat on the bureau with her back to the window, and slowly pulled herself up while holding the outer part of the upper window frame. It wasn't a quick and easy process but the girl had a good amount of practice. Though she'd known it would have been a tight fit, Sarinne was surprised when she nearly couldn't pull her hips through the opening but a slight turn and wiggle and she got out successfully. She was quickly very thankful the party was being held in the other end of the property or her job would have instantly become damn near-impossible. Sliding her hand into the bottom of the leotard where her leg and the stocking began, Sarinne pulled out a small piton that had been pressed against her thigh. Sarinne stabbed the metal tooth into the concrete between the large stones of the wall. With her other hand and leg, she pulled out the piton's twin and stuck it in the wall as well. She continued to scale upward, placing her feet in any area where the stones made space. Up one story Sarinne began moving to her right, towards the ledge of a balcony. She grabbed the ledge with one hand, then two, and hung there for a couple of seconds before swinging her foot up and hooking it between two balusters, which she then used to brace herself as she climbed up with her arms. When she got her footing, Sarinne grabbed the railing for support and swung one leg over at a time. Opening the glass doors that stood before her with the key she unwrapped from the napkin, Sarinne stepped inside the room and heaved a sigh.

[Ashanna]

The key went back into her cleavage and Sarinne scanned the room. A library or office of sorts. Bookshelves ran along one wall of the room, lined with volumes of different sizes and colors; some looked ancient and others looked relatively new. On the opposite end of the room sat a desk, a long piece of white marble perched on two large cerulean, bronze vases. The chair behind it held an overstuffed cushion, its tassels hanging still, upon dark, carved wood. And behind that, were more shelves, though these were built with many small triangular compartments, all of which were filled with rolled up scrolls. Sarinne sighed again, this might take longer than she'd planned. With no time to waste, Sarinne ran to the scrolls. She unfolded the napkin and looked at it closely. On the lower right corner there was something small scribbled in ink. . . . . Hareem A- "Hareem A-what?" Sarinne whispered as she frantically started taking out scroll after scroll trying to get some clue as to what method of organization was used in keeping the scrolls. She'd take one out, untie, unroll, read. Untie, unroll, read. Untie, unroll, read. None of the scrolls seemed to be what she was looking for. They were construction plans, accounting records, Sarinne was pretty sure she even saw a recipe or two. This was getting her no closer to finding anything out about Hareem A, and not only was the process fruitless but it was time consuming. Disappointed and annoyed Ashanna took a step back. She only had so much time before her absence was publicly noticed. Granted she was only a non-Eypharian so no one would take the time to point out that she was missing, but it wouldn't go unnoticed. She turned around and analyzed the room, shaking her head slowly. Damn it! She had failed. Despite knowing she would be returning to a soon-to-be very unhappy master, Sarinne knew that being caught would be even worse.

[Ashanna]

She rushed back towards the balcony door when she nearly lost her footing. One of the stone stiles beneath the tapestry rug had been slightly raised from the others. Pulling back the carpet, Sarinne kneeled down to the discrepant stone and ran her fingers along its edges. With one of her pitons, Sarinne dug into the tile's side and pried it up to reveal an ebony box trimmed with small pieces of amber. The box may have been locked but a hairpin and a little finesse did the trick and soon Sarinne held four scrolls, all tied with the same purple hued velvet. Again she untied, unrolled and read. The first two scrolls, while they provided very enticing information of various subjects, did not mention the name Hareem A anywhere. It was not until the third scroll that Sarinne felt satisfied. Completely different in format when compared to the other three, this scroll seemed more of a page of notes rather than fully thought out and settled information. Some of it she understood, a lot of it was out of context and random but one thing stood out to the girl. A name and a place. . . Hareem Aziz Far'runh, 5-bells on horseback west of the city. Beyond the juniper and to the north. The Mali'han Topaz, Pietr Di Melcodove ........ -unknown- ........ Masall Abdulali, 10,000 Ashl Unwilling to waste any more time than she already had, Sarinne took the unrolled scrolls and wrapped them around her thighs, to be held against her skin by her stockings. With the same hairpin she re-locked the box and placed it back in its compartment, which she sealed and covered with the carpet once more. Now Sarinne was fully sated for she knew she would be returning with more than she'd set out for to begin with.

[Ashanna]

Out in the balcony she locked the door and started thinking about how she would get back into the bathroom. When Sarinne started hearing the sound of men speaking she instantly dropped to the ground and flattened herself on the balcony's floor while inching her way to the ledge in order to get a better view. Must be guards making rounds, she figured. Sarinne's pale green eyes peeked over the edge and scanned the grounds for the voices she heard and soon they showed themselves. Two Eypharian men, dark red linen from their waists to their knees, leather-clad forearms, and cloth covered faces. Definitely guards. They walked on the other bank of the empty river that 'ran' along that side of the property. Sarinne could make out a few words here and there though none seemed relevant or important: talk of their personal lives and gossip. She continued observing them. Might as well, she thought, I can't leave until they're gone anyway. She watched as they kept walking, as one of them stopped to urinate in the would-be mote and maintained her eyes analyzing the men's every detail. Sarinne recognized one of them by a scar he had on his left arm. From the pit of his elbow to just above his wrist, the man had a jagged mark somewhat darker than his tanned skin. Sarinne also knew who had given him that scar, a woman by the name of Rafalli, as a gift for his double crossing her in a bounty they were supposed to have shared. Or, at least, that had been the rumor. The other man, Sarinne could not say she knew, though there was something peculiar about him. He seemed to walk in a different manner than most people, like he had less weight to carry than others his size. And the small piece of his face that Sarinne could make out from under the grey scarf, was intimidating to say the least. His eyes were so grey they seemed near colorless from the distance, and above them stood one very large, very thick eyebrow reaching from one eye to the other. Eventually they got far enough for Sarinne to feel sufficiently safe and get back on track. One leg over, then the other, just as before. But now she held the baluster with her back to the balcony and let her legs hang over the edge. Sarinne began swinging her legs back and forth, knowing that if she missed this, complications would arise. One final swing and the girl let go, reaching her arms out for the windowsill. Going down was always much quicker than going up, perhaps, because it was also much less careful. In any case, she caught hold of the sill with her right hand and proceeded to grabbing it with her left and pulling herself up. After her first passage through the window, Sarinne suffered no pauses or difficulties, she slipped right in and got to putting her dress back on. On went the shoes and the necklace after that. A quick glimpse in the mirror to confirm that she looked presentable and Sarinne left the restroom, placing the chair back in its place before opening the door. Back in the party, it didn't take the kelvic a very long time to spot the server she spoke to earlier. Their eyes met again and the two began walking towards each other. She would stop periodically to smile or greet this person or that. He would pause whenever any of the guests needed to discard their linen napkins into the basket he carried. Without halting or acknowledging each other's presence they walked right passed each other. In their brief nearing moment, Sarinne dropped the kerchief with the key in its folds, into the basket and made her way back to Farrick. He had moved from his previous spot and now stood in the shade of several palm trees with a handful of men and women around him, all laughing and enjoying themselves. Sarinne approached Farrick from behind and gently caressed one of his arms with her delicate fingers, the lacquer at their tips: a gleaming turquoise. "My lord, I feel faint." "Ahh," he laughed heartily, "she is not quite used to the heat of the south or the spices in Eypharian food." One of the men in the crowd smiled as he spoke. He wore his hair long in a single braid down his back and linen harem pants in a deep and vibrant shade of salmon. With the addition of his konti slave at his side, Sarinne easily assumed he was the owner of the property and the host of the party. "A gem of the north? Tell us, where do you hail from?" Sarinne couldn't risk staying any longer, though, not without knowing the Konti's abilities "Ah, a long and tiresome tale. Perhaps best kept for another time," she said with a soft voice as she smiled back at him. Polite laughter ensued and Farrick, along with Sarinne, walked away from the group and made their exit from the party. "Did you enjoy the party?" he asked, looking around and brandishing a long pipe from his bandolier. As they walked through the crowds, Farrick took a small pouch from his waist and filled his pipe with its contents, then lighting the instrument with a candle from the candelabra servants had set out as the sky darkened. "I did, I learned many interesting things." "Good."

[Colombina]

The XP Wand Is Waved! Very well written. It kept my attention and I appreciate the visuals you added. It shows a good understanding of Eypharian culture. Your description of even passing NPCs brings more texture to the setting. I think you will tell lots of good stories with this character in the future. Since this is your first thread with me, I'm going to be a little more nit picky on some things so you can get a better feel for the setting and its limitations. When it comes to setting, try to be vague about especially defined landmarks if the place isn't written. In this case, the moat. Also keep in mind the technology level of the era, leotards wouldn't be part of a typical wardrobe (especially since spandex/latex don't exist). Lastly, if you don't have an established skill, don't describe your character's performance of it as flawless such as the climbing and mild acrobatics here. Stumbling through some skills won't detract from a character, but can make a story more gripping. Hope you enjoy writing here! Ashanna's Loot 2 XP Climbing 1 XP Acrobatics 2 XP Observation 3 XP Intelligence Lore of Eypharian Social Castes Lore of East Winds Marble Lore of Eypharian Clothing Styles Colombina is pleased.