The Temptation of a Storyteller

by **Vann** on April 9th, 2014, 4:46 am

28th Day of Spring, 514 AV

"So, there I was! Pinned between four elite Syliran Knights. I knew I had to act fast or my life would be forfeit. Each of my heavily-armoured assailants brandished a huge sword that normally required two hands to even lift off the ground; they could swing them with ease. To escape, I had to muster all of my strength, my cunning, my -"
"Bullshit." The interruption cut Vann short, for that was definitely a woman's voice. He lifted his gaze away from his small audience to look for the culprit, as did the audience themselves. A dark haired woman with tanned skin, full lips and a pair of daggers strapped to her waist approached the bar; that is to say, she approached Vann. Like leaves before a storm, the men in her immediate area scattered, creating a bubble of space around the two individuals. There was something about her; the way she walked exuded confidence. There was a not-so-subtle sensuality in the sway of her hips, the set of her chin, and the playful smile on her face. Strutting! Yes, that was the word. Her strut was mesmerising and Vann couldn't help stare, though he was relieved that his mouth wasn't agape whilst doing so, lest he lose all of his dignity.

"Can I help you miss...?"
"Vanessa." Vann had let his statement drift into a question; Vanessa, for her part, seemed happy to comply. Her answer was accompanied by a particularly distracting movement as she leaned backwards against the bar, her elbows reaching behind her back. It served to push forward her cleavage in an obviously practised movement; it worked.
"This is the part where you tell me your name, poppet." Her words were like honey, sweet, but with a weight to them that Vann found irresistible. His thoughts were scrambled, and he needed a few ticks to find his name. He almost stumbled over his own tongue as he tried to answer;
"Vann. My name is Vann."

The woman giggled at Vann's flustered response. It was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard. Vanessa lightly brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear and shot Vann a knowing smile.
"Vann and Vanessa... isn't that a funny little coincidence" Vann hadn't noticed the similarity between their names until she mentioned it herself. He was having trouble focusing under the flirtatious gaze of the voluptuous woman. Why was that? Vanessa chose that moment to adjust her shirt, and all coherent thought flew out the window.

by **Vann** on April 9th, 2014, 10:56 am

"So tell me poppet, you any good with that thing on your waist?" Vann flushed at the question, and his answer came out in a flurry of words;
"Well, that is to say, I'm no expert, but you know, I've got experience, lots of experience, but -
"I meant your crossbow poppet." Again, Vann was gifted with that heavenly laugh of hers. He turned an even deeper shade of red, thinking that she thought him a complete fool. He couldn't stand the thought of embarrassing himself in front of her; he had to redeem himself! He straightened his back and tried not to seem bothered by the correction. Vanessa raised an eyebrow at the movement, but said nothing.

"I know what you meant," Vann began, his words layered in bravado, "I'll tell you this; I can hit a man with my crossbow before he could hit me with his sword, and that's good enough." Vann nodded in self-satisfaction, he had to regain control of this conversation. It wasn't like him to be so easily steered by people, he was finding this entire experience very unsettling. Vann froze when Vanessa laid a soft hand on his shoulder, and a quick glance at her face revealed a small smirk; apparently something about what Vann said had amused her. She leaned forward and placed her head parallel to Vann's before gently whispering;
"Fair enough, but how would you handle a woman?"

"I think I might be hanging around Sunberth for a while, don't you go and disappear on me now poppet." Before Vann's brain was functional enough to answer Vanessa's question, she pulled away from him and continued. With that, she strode past him, disappearing up a staircase into the higher levels of The Drunken Fish. Vann didn't see her go, he didn't turn his head to watch. He sat completely still, unable to fully comprehend what had just transpired.
Wow... what a woman!
It was the familiar slam of a pair of mugs on the bar that finally broke Vann from his trance. Father Manowar had a scowl on his face, but his gaze wasn't directed at Vann. Instead, he was watching the stairs that Vanessa had just ascended.
"Watch yourself Vann, that girl is trouble."

by **Vann** on April 9th, 2014, 4:31 pm

"Trouble? What do you mean by trouble?" Vann was genuinely curious, mostly due to Manowar's reaction. The owner of The Drunken Fish was usually very tolerant of people; he welcomed pirates and privateers with open arms. To see him so weary of somebody was reason enough to be worried.
"Vanessa... that girl's been here before. She'll pass through every few seasons, and she's always trouble."
"If she's so much trouble, why do you let her stay here?" It seemed like the obvious solution. Manowar dismissed the suggestion with a 'harrumph';
"Most of the people who stay here are trouble Vann, yourself included, in your own way. It would be bad for business if I started throwing people out... though I may soon need to make an exception for her."

"Surely she's not that bad?" Manowar still hadn't gotten to the heart of the matter, and Vann's curiosity was well and truly aroused. There was something unsettling about Vanessa, but at the same time Vann thought she was wonderful, and beautiful an- well, it was a complicated mix of feelings, that much was certain. Manowar eyed Vann for a few ticks while he considered something. Finally, the generously girthed man shrugged his shoulders and continued;
"I've heard... things. Word is, she's one of those, 'those', Vann knew, was Sunberth speak for 'practitioner of magic', When she speaks to men, she does something to them... makes them not themselves. Some people dismiss the odd behaviour as stupidity brought on by infatuation, but others... Vann, my point is, I've never seen you so flustered before; be on your guard. It's not right to mess with a man's mind." It was a scary prospect, one that shook Vann to his core. He offered a quick thanks to Manowar, sipped his ale, and let his thoughts wander. The older man left Vann to his devices and continued to patrol the taproom.

Was Vanessa really controlling my mind... is such a thing even possible?
If she was, then Vann was completely oblivious to the fact. For all his confidence in dealing with people, he was played like a fiddle. No matter how talented he became, he would still be vulnerable to the supernatural. Vann was lucky his first personal encounter with magic ended the way it did, but if he were to continue surviving in Sunberth then something would need to change.
I need a way to defend myself.

The solution, while obvious, brought with it an entirely new set of problems. Vann pondered the dilemma well into the night. When he retired to his room he found he couldn't sleep, for he was trying to avoid the answer that made the most sense. As Vann drifted into unconsciousness, he gave up and accepted what he had to do; the best way to fight fire was with fire.

by **Vann** on April 10th, 2014, 3:20 am

29th Day of Spring, 514 AV

This is insane!
I should just go back to The Fish.
Why did I think this would be a good idea?
Despite these thoughts, Vann continued his trek through the city. Blessedly, he hadn't bumped into Vanessa when he left The Drunken Fish that morning. It was fear that drove him on now. Despite all of his common sense telling him that he was being rash, still he moved. The idea of ignorance terrified him, and the prospect of being dominated by someone else's magic infuriated him. Vann was restless, but by no means out of control. He knew full well what he was about to attempt, even if he wasn't fully aware of all the possible consequences. In his hand he carried a sack filled with various food goods; some smoked meat, some dried apples, that kind of thing. He was on his way to speak with, for all practical intents and purposes, the only well known mage in Sunberth; though perhaps infamous was the more suitable description.
'Bashful Doler'
The man had a reputation of being a paranoid shut-in; he ran The Majestic on Stumble Alley, selling poisons and potions to anyone brave enough to get to the shop. The quirk was that he never accepted Mizas, he had no use for those. Doler bargained for supplies. Vann shot a glance at the bundle of food he was carrying,
"I wonder if this will be enough?"

Stumble Alley. Tucked away in one of Sunberth's corners, the stories say that the street used to contain a myriad of small businesses; now half-abandoned and cited as one of the most dangerous places in the city at night, it was here that The Majestic was situated.
This doesn't seem too bad.
The thought crossed Vann's mind as he strolled down the alley. Apart from the occasional beggar, the place seemed well and truly deserted. Either that or the rumours were true and the real dangers of Stumble Alley only revealed themselves after dark.

It took a few chimes, but Vann found The Majestic easily enough.
A spooky looking place without a door frame... a pretty apt description.
The front room was barren, save for cobwebs and various unmentionables. Vann hesitantly approached the door that loomed across the open space, another open frame. On the other side of it stood a stool and a number of bookshelves, at least, that's all that Vann could see.
That's a lot of books!
Books were rare in Sunberth, to see such a collection was unheard of. Vann tried to cross the threshold in order to search for the owner. Immediately, Vann was stopped in his tracks. He was unable to cross into the other room. There was nothing there, but it was almost a type of physical resistance. Startled, he jumped back in surprise.
Magic!

"You! What are you doing here?!? Why are you trying to get to me?!? Leave!" From further in the second room came the yells of outrage, they accompanied a frail a looking man who appeared from around the corner. Vann raised his hands, palms open, in a non-threatening display;
"Hold on, I'm not here to hurt you. I just want to talk. You're Doler, right? I'm Vann." Vann dropped the sack of food in order to raise his hands and an apple was rolling slowly across the room. Doler noticed this more than Vann's words, and he hungrily eyed the piece of fruit...
"Speak. What business do you have here?"

by **Vann** on April 10th, 2014, 6:33 am

Vann exhaled and slowly returned his hands to a neutral position. So far, so good; Doler hadn't dismissed him completely, though Vann suspected he was walking on thin ice. The storyteller assumed his most charming smile before continuing;
"I want information. I was... attacked, last night, I think. That is, I'm not sure... Is there a magic that can control a person's mind?" In hindsight, Vann thought he should have spent a bit more time planning out his question; that was a mess. Doler furrowed his brow and stared at Vann; he started mumbling to himself, and Vann only caught the odd word; "fear", "worry", and "sincere" were among them. Doler hesitated briefly, but a second glance at the sack of food seemed to convince him of his course of action.

Sounds like hypnotism to me. Never used it myself, but I've heard about it. The paranoid man nodded in agreement, as if to affirm his assessment with himself.
"What's hypnotism?"
"Hmmm? Oh, hypnotism is when a person uses their Djed to influence a person's mind; though I suppose that's not quite right..."
"What's Djed?" With every answer Doler gave him, Vann had a thousand new questions. Unfortunately, this most recent inquiry caused Doler to go tight lipped. The strange man shook his head, a frown etched onto his face.
"No, I've said enough. You want more, you'll have to trade for it... Now go! Leave the food near my door. Go!" Vann was not pleased, but there would be no arguing with the paranoid mage. He complied with the demands and left The Majestic, feeling completely unsatisfied.

When Vann returned to The Drunken Fish he made a beeline to his room and shut himself in. He wasn't proud of it, but he was hiding from Vanessa. Hypnotism... that's what Doler had called it. If such a magic truly existed, then perhaps there was some truth to Manowar's words; and what of Djed?
I have to be sure. I have to go back.
Vann was determined. There was information to be gained here, and he would get his hands on it by any means necessary.

by **Vann** on April 10th, 2014, 11:03 am

30th Day of Spring, 514 AV

It was very early in the morning when Vann snuck out of The Drunken Fish and the city was highlighted in the dull grey that accompanied the bell before dawn. It was unfortunate that The Majestic wasn't closer to the docks, but there was nothing Vann could do about that; hopefully he wouldn't have to make the walk to the odd little store any more after today. The streets in Vann's immediate area were already bustling with activity. Sailors and dock workers were scurrying about, hauling crates, wood, and all other manner of heavy things that needed to be moved.
Trying to beat the tide, I suppose.
Vann wasn't entirely sure what the expression meant, but he had heard it often enough to be able to use it in its correct context. As well as the seamen, the streets were littered with the recently inebriated. These were the poor sods who didn't quite make it home after drowning themselves in a bottle, and they lay sprawled in a cheerful variety of awkward positions. Vann always found such sights amusing, and they drastically improved his mood.

"Doler, you in here? It's Vann, from yesterday." It was the middle of the morning when Vann made his way into The Majestic. In his hand he carried another sack of preservable food which he had picked up during a quick detour to the Seaside Market. Vann thought it best to announce his presence, lest Doler's reaction mirror the last visit. Conveniently, Doler was sitting on the stool visible through the inner door frame.
"I had a feeling you'd be back. I could smell the determination, so it was obvious you would. You're brighter today, this is perhaps a good thing." The mage's words were odd and Vann didn't fully grasp what the man meant. Doler studied Vann with an intent gaze as he spoke; when he noticed the food, his tone immediately shifted;
"So, you come for more information? Ask then, I do not have all day."

"You spoke of Djed yesterday. What is Djed?" Vann repeated the same question he had asked the day before. In response, Doler revealed a scrap of parchment and showed it to Vann. The paper was about the size of one of his hands, a crude square had been drawn on it in charcoal.
"I figured you'd ask me this thing, as it was the same thing you asked me the day before today. I have prepared this method to explain. It is an old method, tired and true, but I don't have the time to be creative, so this method will do. Vann remained silent, listening intently to the words of the wizard. Doler took this as a sign to continue;
"Everything has Djed. Djed is everything that is," Doler pointed at the square on the parchment, "This square has square Djed, the Djed is both the identity of the square, as well as the idea of 'squareness' in and of itself." Doler paused briefly in his explanation to draw a line between two of the square's corners;
"Djed cannot be created, nor can it be destroyed; but it can be changed. See, the square Djed turned into triangular Djed. Some Djed is purer than others," Doler pointed at Vann, "A person like you, who has free will, has Djed that is more pure than that of the square. For while the square needed me to change it, you could change your own Djed." Vann watched as Doler proceeded to tear the piece of paper in half, stick it in his mouth, chew it up, and then swallow it;
"Finally, some changes to Djed are irreversible. Now leave! I will have no more questions today! If you want something more, then you must trade for it! Bring me more, I can never have too much!"

Vann had to muster every ounce of willpower he possessed in order to restrain himself, lest he bombard Doler with a barrage of questions.
No, that won't work with him. I'll just have to come back tomorrow.
He silently left The Majestic, frustrated that he would have to come back again. More importantly, could he trust what Doler was telling him? The mage was clearly insane, and what he spoke of sounded so surreal; still...
Anything is better than nothing.
Vann had to learn as much as he could, as quickly as possible and then decide what to do with it. Information was his life, and having such a massive blind spot did not sit well with him at all. Vann's hand reached for the amulet of Ovek that hung around his neck, and he offered a quick thank you to the God; he was lucky Doler was telling him anything at all.

by **Vann** on April 10th, 2014, 3:04 pm

As Vann trudged through Stumble Alley, he took a mental inventory of what he'd learnt from Doler so far. First, a magic existed called hypnotism that could be used to influence another person's mind, and if Vanessa had been using magic on him; a fact Vann couldn't yet be certain of; then it would be that. Secondly, magic somehow involved Djed, something everything possessed that could be manipulated in certain ways. Vann had learnt a lot, but he still hadn't acquired that which he sought to obtain, his very reason for seeking Doler out in the first place;
I need to learn how I'm supposed to defend myself against it.
That was the crux of the matter, and Vann was determined to see this endeavour through to the end. Doler was beyond frustrating to deal with but he was the best, if not only, source Vann had at his disposal.

"YOU THERE! YOU WANDER THE CHIMNEY'S SMOKE WITHOUT THE HOWL OF A WOLF! BEWARE! BEWARE!! IT WILL BE THE STING OF A KITCHEN CHAIR THAT SINKS YOUR SHOE!" Startled, Vann's hand shot towards his crossbow, which hung from his belt, as he spun towards the source of the hysterical screams. A man seemed to appear from nowhere, and he was ancient. It was hard to believe such an old person could cry out in such volume. The elderly man's stench smashed into Vann's nostrils a few moments later, and it was monstrous. Sunberth didn't exactly smell like a field of roses, but anyone who lived in a city got used to the unpleasant smells that accompanied the urban lifestyle. This was something on an entirely different level, and Vann's breath caught in his throat as he ceased breathing, lest he pass out. With a flourish of the crusty cloak around his shoulders, the madman extended an open palm and spoke in a tone that completely contrasted his earlier burst of insanity;
"Spare a few Miza's for old Codger sir?"
Vann plunged his hand into one of his pockets and slammed a small handful of copper mizas into the beggar's filthy hand. Not wanting to stick around, he quickly spun on his heel and quickened his pace as he rushed to the exit of the alley. Behind him, he heard Codger;
"THE DANCER'S APPLE FROWNS ON YOU! LISTEN TO CODGER! LISTEN TO HIM! YOUR FEATHERS ARE BUT EARLOBES IN THE OCEAN!"
A shudder ran its way up Vann's spine at the nonsensical words. He had dealt with beggars before, but there was something unsettling about that man. Vann hoped he wouldn't bump into him again.

by **Vann** on April 11th, 2014, 6:02 am

31st Day of Spring, 514 AV

A woollen jacket caught Vann's eye as he trudged through the Seaside Market. He'd already gathered up his usual collection of dried food to bring to Doler, but the garment, which was laid out a makeshift stall with a number of other clothes, gave him cause to pause. Perhaps if he brought something more than food he would be able to get more out of Doler before the mage sent him away. It was nothing fancy, but it looked warm. The storyteller shrugged his shoulders;
It couldn't hurt.
Vann scooped the jacket up and gave it a closer inspection, you always wanted to make sure with items bought at the market... the merchants here had a poor reputation. The unsavoury looking man running this particular stall shot Vann a toothless smile and approached his potential customer;
"That's a mighty fine garment you've found yourself there sir, very nice indeed." Vann raised an eyebrow at the comment; there was nothing special about the jacket.
"I suppose there's nothing wrong with it. How much? The merchant began to stroke his chin in mock consideration;
"It is a piece of high-quality merchandise, but for you sir, I think I could part with it for five gold mizas," the statement was accompanied by a outspread hand with five fingers raised. Vann was not a businessman and he wasn't in the mood to waste time. Normally, this would be the start of a haggling process that would leave both participants satisfied, but not today.
"I'll give you three, take it or leave it. The merchant's smile was replaced with a stern frown; this was not the polite way to conduct business. Three gold mizas was still more than the jacket was worth, so he was content, but he was left with a poor impression of the storyteller. The men shook hands, exchanged goods and parted ways. Vann added the jacket to his bundle of supplies and left the market; he had to go see Doler.

"You! Back again! Always you are back! You are up to something! Doler threw his accusations at Vann when the mage noticed him enter The Majestic.
Well... the man is insane. It stands to reason some days would be better than others.
Doler extended a long, accusing finger at Vann;
"And still he brings goods to trade! Still he comes! Your tricks to not fool me! This was not good, Vann still had questions for the mage. He slowly pulled out the jacket he'd bought and held it up for Doler to see;
"Hello Doler, I've brought you a jacket today. Please don't send me away. You told me to come back, and I just want to talk." It was all Vann could think of to try and diffuse the situation. He spoke calmly, trying to sound as reasuring as possible. A long silence swallowed The Majestic...

by **Vann** on April 11th, 2014, 10:11 am

It was several chimes before the silence was broken, but it felt like several bells. In those moments, the tension was palpable, and a thick sheen of sweat had gathered on Vann's forehead. He had no idea what this man was truly capable of; dealing with Doler was the equivalent of playing with fire.
"It was cold in the Winter, having another jacket would be a good thing. I know this..."
Thank Ovek!
Unfortunately, Vann's relief was premature, and Doler's next words caused his stomach to sink;
"I will trade with you today, but no more! I still think I was not wrong, and you are trouble! You will not come here anymore! Now ask, so I may be rid of you!" Vann swallowed in alarm, this was less than ideal. There would be no more beating around the bush, he'd have to get straight to the point.
"How do I protect myself against hypnotism?"
"Simple really; once you know someone's using it the magic loses the majority of its potency. The response was quick and concise, Doler likely suspected where Vann's line of questioning would eventually lead. Vann was relieved that the magic had such a large weakness, but it still wasn't enough;
"How can I tell if someone is using hypnotism?"
"You check their aura of course; you really aren't very smart are you?" Insult aside, Vann had to catch himself before he spoke in haste. Even with the added incentive of a jacket, he doubted Doler would give him much more in return; he had to make his last question count. Furthermore, what the mage was speaking of sounded like magic;
So... it's come to this after all.
"What's an aura and how do you check one?" Vann just wanted the information; whether or not he decided to do anything with it was a problem he could deal with later. Doler furrowed his brows slightly;
"That's really two questions, not one..." A surge of panic flooded through Vann; if Doler dismissed him now there would be no coming back. Doler threw his arms into the air in annoyance, "Fine! No matter, just listen well and be gone with you!"

"Anything with Djed has an aura, but something with purer Djed gives off a bigger, brighter aura. If Djed was a fire then an aura would be the smoke; if you look at the smoke, you can learn things about the fire... Well, not just look; you could smell, taste, anything really."
"Yes, but how?" Vann quickly cut in, the mage wasn't really answering his question. Doler, however, was not pleased with the interruption.
"Use your Djed you ignorant fool! Focus it, expand your awareness look for the auras!"
"So do y-"
"No! Enough! Leave this place, you are no longer welcome here! Leave! Now!" Vann practically scampered out of The Majestic, the mage frightened him. Not wanting to stick around, he ran from Stumble alley; he doubted he would ever return.

by **Vann** on April 11th, 2014, 3:35 pm

The Drunken Fish was preparing for it's afternoon rush. People slowly trickled into the dockside establishment, but it would still be some time before it could be considered busy. Vann had wondered around aimlessly after he left The Majestic, absorbed in his own thoughts. Now, the storyteller trudged up the inn's stairs; his destination was his room on the third floor. Unfortunately, Vanessa was waiting to intercept him in the hallway.

She looked much the same as she had during their first meeting, and upon seeing Vann she pushed her bottom lip out in a pout; the sight made Vann's heart skip a beat. She was even more beautiful than he remembered.
Wait, what?
Vanessa slowly approached him, a sad expression on her face. The way she walked, the way she moved... there was something about it that Vann found so appealing. When she finally reached him she tenderly laid an open palm on his chest. In that moment, she commanded Vann's full attention;
"Have you been avoiding me Poppet?" A pang of guilt suddenly shot through Vann at her words. It was wrong for him to have abandoned her like that he,
No... why would I feel that? I barely know her, I...
"Hypnotism..." Vann whispered the word as he realised what was going on. Immediately, he felt the wind knocked out of him as his back was slammed against the wall.

"What did you just say!?!" Vanessa's words were laced with venom and delivered in an angry whisper that could only be described as a hiss. All pretence of flirting had vanished from her face; she had a dangerous glint to her eyes, and her lips were twisted into a snarl. Her right forearm was forced against Vann's chest, and she was practically pressed against him. A dagger, which Vann hadn't even seen her unsheathe, had its point pressing gently into his neck. Her left arm was held low, and a second dagger has held firmly against his -
"Who tipped you off!?!" When Vann didn't answer straight away she applied more pressure with each blade; a small trickle of blood began to crawl down his neck.
"Manowar, it was Manowar; he said there were rumours about you, I just connected the dots." Vann's reply was strained; not from any sense of loyalty to Manowar, but because his current position was very uncomfortable. A look of disgust etched its way onto Vanessa's face.
"Well, aren't you clever Poppet." The woman's fury was terrifying, and Vann began to seriously worry. In his desperation, he spoke;
"You can't kill me! Manowar asked me to look into you, it's a job. You let me live and I'll keep quiet, I'll tell him his worries were misguided." It wasn't a complete lie, but it was close enough. His eyes met with Vanessa's, her gaze was piercing. When the pressure on his neck was suddenly alleviated, Vann exhaled a deep sigh of relief.
"Seems like you'll be some use to me after all Poppet," Vanessa had resumed her flirtatious tone, "You behave yourself now, I'd hate to have to punish you." One of Vann's hands was clutching at his neck, but he silently nodded all the same. Vanessa smirked in response before making her leave, leaving Vann standing alone in front of his door.
Well... that could have gone worse.

After a few ticks Vann entered his room and collapsed onto his bed. Things had just gotten very problematic. Vanessa was insane, and Vann had let himself get caught up in her games. His gaze drifted over the chair that sat in the room's far corner and lingered there for a time;
Auras huh...

Ledger - (For Grader's Benefit) :

Solo The Temptation of a Storyteller