Torrent505

@@Shadow Dancer, Lance, the male staff member that had been pursuing Indicus, had finally given up when Indicus had earlier left the roof to join the others in the group, he was now lounging in the main room of the Inn where things had drastically slowed down with most of the patrons of the inn heading for their rooms and most of the staff helping them to their rooms. Seeing the armored man re-enter through the front door confused him but frankly he 'no longer gave a fuck' about the strange man that seemed to be either celibate or chaste or asexual. None of the female staff had had any luck with him and neither had he, none of the vices seemed to effect Indicus and as far as Lance could tell he had absolutely no desires or motivations of his own. This man was a universal bore and did not belong here at the Heart's Desire Inn; Lance could not wait to join the girls in removing this stick in the mud. But for now he just ignored him, it wasn't like Indicus would listen to anything he had to say anyways.

Clarke was left standing at the door, he opened it stepped inside and closed it behind him... then collapsed back against it staring at the empty room he put his head in his hands in slid down against it. His mind was whirling with what was going to happen to Whisper and all these other new friends in Coppershine, he spoke to himself, "No, no she's not lucky at all..." His hazy mind grasped on to one other thing the girl helping him had said, "did she say 'was'?" then he dismissed it crawling across the floor and up on to the bed collapsing into the bed, it had been a hell of a night and the morning would be worse... Everyday would be worse until he was walking away from Coppershine without this group, he cursed them for coming into his life and turning everything upsidedown. He wondered if things would ever be the same for him again as he drifted off to sleep. ********************************** Serafinno continued to sleep at the base of the chair Whisper had been sitting in.

Clarke's response was to glare at Madame, he didn't truly mean to but he was rather drunk and had wanted no one to see or hear what he was giving and saying to Whisper. His tone was sharp and contradicted the word he said, "That would be lovely Madame, but PLEASE a moment so that I might speak with her uninterupted." He ran a comforting hand over Whisper's back and moved in close to sheild the area between them with their bodies, "It will pass Miss Whisp, you probably had just a bit too much. I can't imagine you've had all too much before this. But I need you to focus on me and what I'm saying." He shifted even closer so he wouldn't be heard, and ran a hand over Finn's head to stop the beastie's growling, he was too focused on Whisper to even think that the young dragon might bite him and luckly Serafinno decided against it. He showed her what he had been hidding, it was a metal brooch just the right size for her palm, a blossoming rose of brillant polished copper, with a stem and vines of green oxidized copper and a single dull copper thorn. His voice was a Whisper both because of his embrassement and the need for no one to overhear, "I made this for you Miss Whisp, and I need you to pay attention. It's no ordinary brooch, if anyone should threaten you-" he took her hand and fold it around the stem of the flower so her index finger rested on the thorn like it was a trigger, "-point that flower toward their face and pull the thorn back; it will spray a mist of water, the water is imbued to mimic fire magick and will burn like fire..." He hesitated to tell her the rest, "... if that doesn't work and they are someone bad do the same thing but prick your finger on the thorn and push it in; that will stop them for good." He slipped her hand back off the brooch and rested it on the table; he moved back from her standing and speaking loud enough for others to hear, "it's a good luck charm, wear it at all times and it'll keep you safe. I promise." He gave her a small smile, to hell with the others hearing and how embrassed he was. If everyone thought it was just some silly gift and charm from a man then they wouldn't pay it any mind and it would protect her; that was worth the burning reddness of his face and the twisting in his gut. He let the girl take his arm to lead him to his room. (So I did a quick little thing in paint to just give an idea of what Clarke's invention looks like, sorry it is rather crummy looking it was paint and a bit rushed so I did what I could haha) (It is basically a disguised squirt gun full of pepper spray and has the ability to fire once as a gun. Clarke names all his Masterpeices in the Old language of Knowledge, this one is "Temero Spina" you guys can figure out what it means )

Clarke suddenly remembered what he had hidden in his back pocket and had been hoping to give to Miss Whisp in private, it seemed now while everyone was distracted would be his best chance if he wanted her to have it at all. All things considerd in a place like this where he wasn't exactly how trustworthy the staff was and she wouldn't have the others in the same room to protect her, he very much thought she should have it. So he gave a gesture to wait to the girl that had approached to assist him to his room and one hand on the table for balance made his way over to where she seemed to have collapsed face down on the table. She shook her gently and spoke softly, "um, Miss Whisp? Are you awake?" Serafinno had shared only one other smoke story before curling around Whisper's chair and falling asleep, the story was the cute secret were a very young whisper and he had stolen all the flowers from the royal garden to decorate her parents room, the gardeners had been furious and her parents had been a mix of furious and pleseantly surprised... they had never found out who had done it, so it could have counted toward the later secret of something they could have gotten in trouble for. He growled at the Tinkerer's feet having just been awakened after falling asleep.

Okay, we decided a time skip might be best cause playing out a whole hand of poker and getting everyone to tell secrets could end up taking until the end of the week or longer so I gave three more topics for secrets to share so you can write something if you want to create some more fluff for your character, if you don't want to than you don't have to and can move on to everyone going to their rooms and getting ready for sleep.

The table was now thoroughly covered in empty tankards; only three more rounds had passed but the secret sharing had quickly become conversations between everyone each time a new one was told. The rounds had been a cute secret, a secret regret and a secret that could get you into trouble. Clarke was leaning heavily on the table now, he was drunk to the point that the world didn't seem to want to stop moving around him and he was afraid if he let go of the table he would fall from his seat. Despite the being so intoxicated his speech wasn't slurred at all, though he did need to pause and think out what he was saying before hand. He did that now as he reached out collecting his cards from the table and finally saying, "I think that's it everyone, I can't go another round. I'm not having another drop and if I stay I'll soon be asleep on the table..." He looked toward the inn keeper, just turning his head made him tilt and lean somewhat off his chair, "... Madame I think we will be needing our rooms, they are close by, I hope?" He honestly couldn't remember how large the second floor was or most of the building for that matter, no matter he'd been more drunk than this in worse places. This would be a simple walk, just think balancing thoughts. Then he began to wonder what are balancing thoughts?

Clarke hadn't picked up on Dresden's bad lying he was too distracted as his mind went on a tangent about what life in a royal castle must be like, if only to just be a servant. Maybe if he could actually figure out a way to get the princess home safely he could be a Tinkerer serving the Royal Court, that plus a the reward from the crown and somehow the pay from Jaiden in Coppershine? He would have all the wealth and work he would ever need! The fact that Whisper hadn't done anything didn't surprise him, many nobles were sheltered, but the fact she didn't mention any crushes or feeling for any little lordlings did, the princess was beautiful surely she had many suitors trying to catch her favor; even the King and Queen couldn't stop noble elite from speaking with their daughter. Her story earned a small chuckle from him, she was quite the wild one for a noble and he never got used to it. Helena's story impressed and surprised him, somehow he had thought the Thieves guild would be more brutal to those seeking to leave, they were more honorable than he would have given them credit for. The Order of the Gear was much harsher, to quit being a Tinkerer they would take the thumb of your dominate hand, both thumbs if it was a dishonorable discharge... He drank more ale. ************** Serafinno didn't really understand why the others were telling these stories but he did understand the point of them and that got him rather excited because an hour ago he would have been like Whisper or Zaddion and had no story BUT now he did! That couple he had seen in the room before coming here! He gave coughing bark like cry and ran up to the table and blew out a cloud of smoke across its surface, the cloud swirled and shifted, Finn was happy to find his magic was returning. The cloud formed a bed with two people in it a man and a women, they were moving about on the bed but it was smokey and blurred. Suddenly a dragons head made to look like Finn popped in from the side of the cloud, it looked about curiously sneaking into the room and pausing to look at the people. The smoke woman noticed the dragon and clutched close to her cloudy companion pointing it out. The two apparitions seemed to converse for a moment before the woman gestured for the smoke version of Finn to join them on the bed and the man patted it invitingly. The miniature Finn crouched low in discomfort its scales spiking and darted out of the cloud to fade away just like how he had run off, then the whole puff of smoke dispersed. The corners of Finn's mouth were tugged up in his best imitation of a human smile and he was holding his head high; he was very proud that he had had something to add to their conversation.

Clarke blushed a bit at Tulla's comment and even more when he saw how red Whisper was. He promptly brought his laughter under control as he thought to himself, 'well if the princess had seen me in a positive way then there goes that, she probably thinks I'm some sort of lecher now.' He should have know better than to share a story like that in front of a noble. "Ummm, well I'm certainly not happy that's how it started and they aren't supposed to be sold outside the order so shame to whoever let that happen... Though I'll admit restrictions haven't stopped any Tinkerers before." He took drink of his newest ale before sputtering on it with realization, "wait who in the cast-" he was buzzed now and barely caught himself, "-cozy little home owned those!"

Clarke was laughing and it felt good, usually this particular part of his past irked him to no end so this was a pleasant change. "Hey! If it was shaped like a woman I would have recognized it for what it was instantly! But most don't have the... decency?-" Clarke couldn't even figure out what the right word would be, "-to even put it on something with a woman's curves. Mostly it's just a metal rod with a hole in it! Some have doll like things but I don't know it that's better or worse, I guess at least they're showing some affection towards a human shape!" He grabbed another drink from the serving plate and once he was able to stop the laughter chugged it. He shrugged and sighed staring off whimsically, "it makes some sense that it happens to them though, we're very explicitly taught how relationships steal away time, resources, money and even change your thoughts from the job to a person. And a family would take even more. Love will make you act illogically; the order considers it the bane of Tinkerers." He realized he had gotten more philosophical than focus on the secret, so he went back on track, "Oh and you know what? My 'friend' and the former head instructor, they got an entire factory and a multitude of tinkerers working under them. All focused on making more of the things or improving them! Can you imagine!" He chuckled again at the absurdity of it. "Well who's next? Between Robert's brush with a man and my involvement creating a 'fucking' rod I feel no one should be too embarrassed to share." He relaxed back into his chair, the tension and fear of sharing with these people was gone. Maybe it was the drink or the relaxing atmosphere effecting him too much but he liked them all, they were his first friends in a very very long time.

Clarke was laughing at Robert's story as well though not quite as hard as Dresden was. He turn his grin at the water Mage, "careful Dresden, we can all enjoy it but remember you're going to have to tell a secret too. Tulla was the only real winner." He scratched his head and took a drink, figuring he might get his secret out of the way. "I'll share my secret before you though, maybe some how you'll all forget it before the night's over..." He sighed and began, "So many of you might know Tinkerers are over 90% male and the order discourages pursuing relationships and sees them as a waste of time. So a large number of Tinkerers are very awkward about... people. But I'm getting ahead of the secret. It's from when I was still a student, a friend of mine was working on this strange pipe and he sought out my help on it. It was very exciting and cutting edge stuff, manipulating the material to be strangely supple and soft, testing mimicking magic to have the material move in certain motions; I didn't realize it was an actual project of his let alone what it's purpose was." He took another large drink, he was getting more nervous now, "I thought it was just a test device for tinkering techniques but he had made it as... Well, umm as a 'substitute' for a women. When I learned this I was so disgusted I went to the head instructor to tell him and seek it's destruction... When he learned of it he thought it was a splendid idea and made his own improvements on the design and put it into full production. Soon it was across the school and spread to other Tinkerer institutes. My contribution to the original design won me prestige and compensation from the order; that let me become a roaming Tinkerer instead of going to a factory or some other institution." He picked up his drink and finished it all in a quick chug, then started laughing into his hands, "I have freedom to travel and to create and design whatever I want because of a device that half my order puts their dicks in... And it might be what I'm remembered by them for! My colleagues are such sad souls sometimes."

Yay! Then we get to hear Whisper tell one too hehehe

Hmmm top two hands don't have to share a secret? Or the lower half have to tell one? (So the lowest four?) I'm only encouraging this cause I already have an idea for Clarke's dirty embarrassing secret that I'd like to share Then again I'm sure dirty embarrassing secret might come up again and I could wait to share it then hahaha

Wait, Tulla won so everyone else loses and has to tell a secret right? Or just Robert cause he had the lowest hand? Sorry I was a bit confused by they way Tulla said Dresden made it and stared down Robert, I wasn't sure if that was because he asked what type it would or something. Just a bit confused here, sorry.

Clarke sighed, he certianly had lost this quite round pretty badly; he'd never seen someone get such a good hand without looking at their cards and randomly drawing new ones, he wondered if she had somehow cheated but he saw no way she could have done that... It was impossible, so he resigned himself to begining to think of what secret he'd have to share with all these people.

@@Sanctified Absence, (Um just in case you're not able to reply today I'm going to post showing my hand and pretend you've already taken care of your cards) Clarke glanced around everyone seemed to have finally finished with their cards, so he flipped his. "Pair of tens." he proclaimed as if it wasn't obivous. "So who's going to beat me." He was sure someone would, he'd never been that lucky with card games.

Clarke picked up his five cards trying to put his mind back on the game and not silly delusions. A 3 of clubs, 6 of hearts, 9 of hearts, 10 of spades and the Queen of diamonds; not the best hand but not a horrible one either. 9's and higher always made for a pretty strong pair and if he got lucky with a Jack then either a king or an 8 would land him a straight; he discarded the 3 and 6. He got back a 4 of diamonds and a 10 of clubs; a pair of tens and a Queen kicker... Still not a very good hand. (If you guys don't want to be this detailed I'd say we can just have Squirlz decide who gets what and wins the round, that might move faster and let very one get to sharing secrets faster )

Yup that would be fine, hahaha well I guess I'm glad I'm here to corrupt everyone with my own bare minimum knowledge of gambling Okay! Rules of five card stud that I've played are you get a five card hand, you can fold or stay in the game, for Secrets if you fold right away you won't have to tell a secret; if you stay in you have to decide how many cards you want to replace, you can keep your hand as is or you can replace up to three cards (except if you have an ace then you can discard all four except for the ace, but then everyone knows you have at least an ace); you are then stuck with whatever your new hand is and best hand at the table wins. Secrets actually makes it a lot easier cause we don't have to go over rules of betting I'll make Clarke's post as an example

@Shadow Dancer So I'm a little bit curious, did you miss the first interaction with the man when you were still down by the bar? I just wanted to check @RunsWithSquirlz Wanted to double check before I write something about having cards, is this going to be like five or seven card stud where we get a full hand and then discard to draw new ones or like Texas hold'em with a two card hand and the rest on the table? Just want to get my description right.

"Okay, yeah. That's a good starting game, we've been traveling together for a bit now, why not share some secrets; it will only make us all closer." Clarke sounded much more confident than he was, this would certainly be a new experience but he had begun to like these people and he might never get a chance like this again, not with Ashcreek and Coppershine looming in the future. He glanced at Whisper's hand resting on his and for a moment shifted his thumb so just ever so slightly so he was holding her hand in his. He looked back up at her face and their eyes met and he flushed, slipping his thumb back off her hand but not pulling it away from her, suddenly yanking his hand away would be too obvious to the others. The drink had obviously begun to effect him, being so bold as to caress the hand of a Princess! He shifted a little in his seat and wondered what she was thinking, but forced himself to speak clearly, "so Miss Whisp are you going to deal us all in?"

I had already assumed that had happened haha. Sorry! Didn't mean to leave you, though when people are quiet and were with the group before I always assume they are still with the group unless the player says otherwise.

Clarke could only give Whisper a small smile as he let her take the cards from his hands, her soft skin was such a contrast to his rough workman's hands. He had never played 'secrets' before, it was certainly a game no outlaws or strangers would agree to play and frankly the concept unnerved him, he had many things he had never shared with anyone. Still he spoke up and nodded at Helena and Whisper, "I've never played Secrets before so I'd have to learn how one wins or loses. I'm open to drinking till a decision is made but that might take sometime; I'll stick by what I said when I entered, I'd be happy to play whatever Miss Whisp wants to play." He looked around at everyone, "we can always change games after trying one."

Clarke chuckled, "if you're good Robert you drink at a normal pace in addition to the games. The incentive of the games should be the fun we have playing, correct?" Only now did he realize what strip poker could result in, his eyes involuntarily flickered over Whisper and his mind went to the thought of a Princess losing her clothes, the embarrassment that would be to a noble and the outrage it would invoke from a King and Queen; not to mention the shameful possibility he could lose as well. No, it was best to steer away from that game. Speaking still to Robert, "it would hardly be fitting in your masterpiece song to strip beautiful women of their clothes in such an uncouth way, bard. But then perhaps this whole night should be excluded." He chuckled again, "And it sounds like thumper is the game of choice."

Finn gave a huff of smoke and rubbed his head against Dresden's hand to show that he absolutely agreed and was happy someone felt the same as he did, even if this was his first time ever trying such a liquid. Clarke nodded at Robbert, "considering the lack of fund for most of the party wealth wouldn't be a wise choice to gamble, Dragons race is specifically made to bet a number of sips from your drink, you win you give them to others, you lose you drink as much as you bet plus any that others give to you; additional games such as poker can be played substituting drinks from your cup or articles of clothing." Too engrossed in his own through explanation he didn't think about the implications of betting the latter. Turning to Helena, "Thumper involves making gestures or motions at one another, the actions string together with the one performing adding another of their own to the end before passing it on; failure to preform correctly means you drink. It tends to become quite silly. Sometimes it is merely called Mimic and spoken phrases can be added as well."

That left Clarke beaming and became more comfortable because he got to do what put him at ease, explain things, "Well there are betting games such as Poker or Dragons Race; the random rule card games of Ka'taan's cup or circle of death; there's thumper to make a fool of ourselves; and the skill games involving bouncing Penance into cups." He put the cards down on the table and pulled up a chair, "whichever you wish to try Miss Whisp I'd be happy to play." He took a rather long pull from his tankard of ale; he'd never played with people he considered friends before this, would be fun. ************ Serafinno sniffed at a glass and gave it an experimental lick, the bitter taste had him instantly withdrawing and trying to lick Whisper's face again, though this time mostly to get the horrible taste of the drink off his tongue.