.~'{Starlight's Escape}'~. (Closed for Repairs)

[EbonyFrost]

This is a LITERATE RP, as well as a Paragraph RP This means if you're not going to describe past a few sentences, and at least TRY to spell correctly, you will be banned.

1. Rules
2. Staff
3. Setting
4. Rooms
5. Banned List
6. How to Para RP
7. Reserved
8. Reserved



Currently closed until the innkeeper returns.

[EbonyFrost]

Rules:

1> Try to use proper grammer. I don't care if you don't capitalize or anything but please, PLEASE use a period every couple lines, and saying u and ur is NOT proper grammer.
2> Write all action moves in action bubbly thingies... like using *, ~, ::, or - around the actions you make. Or, if you prefer, you can keep actions blank and use " " for speech, or even italicize your actions, but have something to distinguish the two from eachother.
3> Please try not to kill anyone. However if you absolutely HAVE to, PM the staff and have a fair fight; no one hit kills. It's annoying and you will be banned for it.
4> If your gonna cyber someone, GET A ROOM! In otherwords don't post it in the thread. You may flirt, but if things start to get serious pick one of the rooms provided and stop it after it gets past cuddling, kissing, etc..
5> Listen to the staff members, no matter how... odd... their rules may be.
6> This is a para (paragraph) style RP. How this is done, and basic guidelines can be found below.
7> When rping, you have to have an entrance and exit post. As in coming in for the first time that day or since you last left, you have to say you entered and, if you plan to log off or leave the thread you must post that you are leaving. Repeatedly leaving the thread before typin out some sort of exit, will result in ban. This can be as simple as ~She leaves to go to sleep.~ or can be as crazy and extravagant as you want, within the aforementioned rules.


Any rules violated will result in a warning pm. Each person gets three strikes per rule, once you have met your three strikes, or simply have an excess of violations, you will be banned, end of story.

More rules will be added as the staff sees fit.

[EbonyFrost]

Staff Members:
Innkeeper- Ebony Frost (Owner and Head Barkeep)
Guards-
Bartenders-
Serving wenches-
Other positions listed as need arises.



If you find you enjoy your stay, and would like a permanent staff position, PM Ebony, or post some sort of RP application in the thread. (This includes jobs not listed that you would like to be added under.)

[EbonyFrost]

As you travel along the fairly untrodden path through the forest, night begins to fall and howls fill the forest a ways away. You wonder if you might have need to tree yourself to last the night, when you see lights off in the distance. Picking up the pace you come upon a clearing to one side of the path, on the other side of which is a curious inn. It looks like your standard dual-level inn, though instead of the pointed roof most common, the roof is flat, and though it is dark you think you may be able to see chairs on top for stargazing, conveniently in fact, since this clearing may be the only part of the forest you have a clear view of the sky from. Getting closer you begin to hear raucous laughter from inside, as though it houses a tavern as well. You notice a small barn off to the side to house your mount, and indeed hear a whinny or two from its shadows. The other side of the inn is hard to see in the moonlight, though it appears to be a small hedge maze.

You approach the inn, and see a beautiful, yet androgynous face in the window, peering at you with a scowl. the door opens to an unseen hand, and a gruff but charismatic tone rings out, barely heard above the din. "Looks like another one, love." Passing by the door you see a ladder, possibly leading to the rooftop, and as you follow the ladder up, you read the sign. 'Starlight's Escape' written in white on what you think may be light blue, though the dim light makes it hard to tell.

You wander inside to find it is indeed a mixture of inn and bar, as the common room becomes visible. On the right, a bar fills the length of the wall stools lining its entirety. There's a door on either side of the bar, most likely leading to a kitchen. On the left you see a few booths, somewhat in the shadows for more private guests and dealings. The center of the wall has a warm hearth, a cozy looking rug in front, surrounded by comfy, overstuffed couches. The center of the room is filled with tables, well lit by the lanterns hanging off the rafters. The far wall sports a door leading outside, and stairs to the second level, likely filled with rooms.

You wander up the stairs to explore the second level. The stairs end in a balcony overlooking the back of the inn, which appears to be mostly consistent of a large pond, trailing off into the forest. Before the pond lays the usual bonfire surrounded by log seating, and a few white stone benches further along for more romantic seating. You turn about on one side of the staircase, confronted with a large assortment of rooms. There is a list on either side of the staircase listing that side of the hallways assorted themed rooms. The opposing rooms seem to be identical, with 2 of each theme, aside from the two rooms at the very end of the hallway. One is marked simply with a silver X, and the other seems to belong to the owner of the inn.

At the end of the hallway, past the innkeeper's room, and the strange room marked 'X' is a spiral staircase, at the top of which is a trap door, leading to the roof. The roof has several chairs and lounging areas, perfect to lay back on a clear night and see the stars, a breathtaking view, though even more curious may be the way the hedge maze continues to shift and blur in your vision. This is due to the enchantment that allows you to get lost in its depths, or wind your way to the center, though most importantly an enchantment that knows when its guests wish to leave.

This is the Starlight's Escape, an inn dedicated to the wanderers, and the forest dwellers, though all sorts of company passes through. You may keep your weapons upon entering, but once use is threatened they will be taken. Feel free to explore, or stay in the common room for a drink and gentle banter. However please note that there are only two 'dark shadowy corner' types of booths, and the staff respectfully asks that you not crowd them. A list of the rooms, and they're themes can be found below, as well as their current occupants. There are two of each theme, and a ood assortment ranging through the elements.

Also note that the image above is old, and a new one shall take its place as soon as the resident artist gets off her lazy arse and works.

[EbonyFrost]

Rooms:

Rooms under remodeling, descriptions coming soon!
Please note there are two of each type of room, so no need to fight.

On the left:
Room 1>
This room's mahogany door reveals a room that resembles a forest, the bed frame made of wood growing out of the dirt floor, the roots also formed carefully into a table to one wall. The entire room feels like the innards of some great tree, most of the floor being made up of living wood from the intertwining roots. Large leaves sprout from some roots, as if to sit on, and shelves seem to be set up the same fashion. This seems the perfect retreat for one who loves the forest, but wishes safety from the wolves and other creatures of the night.
Room 2>
This room has a glassy black door, not unlike cooled magma. Inside is a room with a small pool of magma for a hearth, and the same polished magma making up the furnishings. Intricate lines are carved everywhere in a fiery pattern, a soft red glow in each chiseled line, as though the inside of the rock has not yet cooled. The room is warm, but not uncomfortably so, and the magma pool and etched lines give off enough light to see by, but not enough to trouble one's sleep.
Room 3>
This door is made from a porous coral, and upon entering you see water surrounding you. The walls, ceiling, and floor are all glass. Behind the glass are fish of varying bright colors, and instead of a hearth or lamp for light, strange exotic corals give off faint blue light, and the entire room makes you feel as through you are the one in the tank, and the fish are your spectators. It is a calming feeling though, as if your in a vast ocean, the sound of lapping water to rock you to sleep in the night.
Room 4>
This door seems a most unremarkable type of stone, and within the walls are the same. shelves and desks are all carved makeshift from the rock, and lichen is the source of light in this room. The chairs and bed are made of a spongy soft type of mushroom, and other adornments and furniture is made from raw, growing crystal, the lichen reflecting brightly depending on how you set the crystals in the room. It is advisable to be careful, as the damp of the room often causes slick floors! However the room itself seems perfectly fit for a dwarf, or some other sort of cave dweller.
Room 5>
This room lacks a door in a sense, for there is nothing solid to bar the room. Instead the buffer between hall and room is what seems to be a cloud. The floors and ceilings of the room are also cloud, the ceiling being darker, a low rumble comfortingly echoing every now and again. The soft pitter patter of rain is heard, but not felt. The air feels as though you are walking through a mist, and it is a bit hard to see from one end of the room to the other. The furnishings are made of alabaster, carved in sweeping shapes, not unlike the dreaming of a child picking forms and shapes out of a mass of cloud.
Room 6>
This door is opaque, seemingly made of ice. The furnishings in the room are also of ice, and the walls are packed snow, as is the floor. Plenty of warm furs pile high on the bed and floor, and sculptures of ice sit on various tables. The room is far from warm, but surprisingly not as cold as one would think, and the chill is actually quite comforting after a day on the hot road.
Room 7> Ebony Frost's Room
Unknown.



On the right:
Room 8>
This room's mahogany door reveals a room that resembles a forest, the bed frame made of wood growing out of the dirt floor, the roots also formed carefully into a table to one wall. The entire room feels like the innards of some great tree, most of the floor being made up of living wood from the intertwining roots. Large leaves sprout from some roots, as if to sit on, and shelves seem to be set up the same fashion. This seems the perfect retreat for one who loves the forest, but wishes safety from the wolves and other creatures of the night.
Room 9>
This room has a glassy black door, not unlike cooled magma. Inside is a room with a small pool of magma for a hearth, and the same polished magma making up the furnishings. Intricate lines are carved everywhere in a fiery pattern, a soft red glow in each chiseled line, as though the inside of the rock has not yet cooled. The room is warm, but not uncomfortably so, and the magma pool and etched lines give off enough light to see by, but not enough to trouble one's sleep.
Room 10>
This door is made from a porous coral, and upon entering you see water surrounding you. The walls, ceiling, and floor are all glass. Behind the glass are fish of varying bright colors, and instead of a hearth or lamp for light, strange exotic corals give off faint blue light, and the entire room makes you feel as through you are the one in the tank, and the fish are your spectators. It is a calming feeling though, as if your in a vast ocean, the sound of lapping water to rock you to sleep in the night.
Room 11>
This door seems a most unremarkable type of stone, and within the walls are the same. shelves and desks are all carved makeshift from the rock, and lichen is the source of light in this room. The chairs and bed are made of a spongy soft type of mushroom, and other adornments and furniture is made from raw, growing crystal, the lichen reflecting brightly depending on how you set the crystals in the room. It is advisable to be careful, as the damp of the room often causes slick floors! However the room itself seems perfectly fit for a dwarf, or some other sort of cave dweller.
Room 12>
This room lacks a door in a sense, for there is nothing solid to bar the room. Instead the buffer between hall and room is what seems to be a cloud. The floors and ceilings of the room are also cloud, the ceiling being darker, a low rumble comfortingly echoing every now and again. The soft pitter patter of rain is heard, but not felt. The air feels as though you are walking through a mist, and it is a bit hard to see from one end of the room to the other. The furnishings are made of alabaster, carved in sweeping shapes, not unlike the dreaming of a child picking forms and shapes out of a mass of cloud.
Room 13>
This door is opaque, seemingly made of ice. The furnishings in the room are also of ice, and the walls are packed snow, as is the floor. Plenty of warm furs pile high on the bed and floor, and sculptures of ice sit on various tables. The room is far from warm, but surprisingly not as cold as one would think, and the chill is actually quite comforting after a day on the hot road.
Room X> The door to this room is black with a silver X in place of a number. This room is off limits to everyone.
This room is quite unknown, other then its dark door. Music is sometimes heard loudly playing from it, though none would dare complain.

[EbonyFrost]

Banned List:

None, yet...

[EbonyFrost]

How To Paragraph Role Play

There will be more on the subject, but for now here is an example of the minimum requirement, and an idea of what to do.

Sighed and put his book away, leaning his head against the wall.

"I had to cut my hair... Because of a mistake I made with some things involving fire... Yeah..." He shook his head and hopped off the counter, glancing at the large figure that entered. Synthetic greeted him with an evil stare and walked past.

He stood at the door and watched the water fall to the earth, bored and yet content.

"I suppose I'll have to do some business tonight..." He paused. "Will you be needing my services?"



Some major things to know about paragraph rp:
The first thing to know is that your first post of the day is the most important. It is in this post that you describe what you are wearing, and if you are new, what you look like. This may take quite some time to put together, as it will have much more description then many other posts you will do. This post gives everyone an idea of who, and what you are.

It is also important to remember that though you have an avatar on the site, your character will be more unique, and as such what you look like will rely more on your first post then it will your avatar.

It must also be noted that after you put in your first post, you will have less to describe. further posts will include what you are saying, and your actions as you talk. Such actions would be hand gestures, buying a drink, etc. but they can also be smaller things such as a twitch of a tail, or a fluff of wings.

Further posts can also include simply actions, with no speech. Things like walking outside, going to the bar, sitting at the fire, etc. However the key word is PARAGRAPH. Hence, your post should be no smaller then a paragraph. One or two sentences is not enough, and if you cannot think of enough to describe in a post, then you shouldn't be here. However don't be discouraged! Learning to para rp takes time, and gets easier the more you do it, and the more in tune you become with your character.

Also, it is courtesy to leave a final post for the night, stating that you are 'going to your room' or some such thing so that other guests aren't left hanging, when really your asleep at home. This courtesy is enforced, and leaving without saying goodbye repeatedly will get you banned.


Also note that if you wish to talk out of character, take it to PM, we don't want to hear about your real life while we are trying to play a less mundane role.

[EbonyFrost]

-{ RESERVED }-

[EbonyFrost]

-{ RESERVED }-

[EbonyFrost]

~Ebony sat at the bar, looking out into the dreary night, the field occasionally lit by lightning, the faint krack-boom echoing in the distance. She sighed, knowing that while the rain was good for business, ushering travelers in out of the cold, it had been raining for days. The paths were muddy, the trees constantly dripping, offering no shelter from the wet. Travelers seeking shelter would have set up their own days ago, waiting out the storm. She would likely see business just after the storm, as sodden and muddy customers would buy rooms, if nothing else then simply to use the bath house and get clean. However until the rains let up, it was going to be a very lonely time. A loud 'MAOW' echoed from the doorway, and she went to let one of the many stray forest cats in out of the rain. The poor black kit shot through the doorway as soon as it opened, stopping at the hearth to clean its fur, and give her a golden eyed stare that was the cats small sign of thanks. Ebony stayed at the door, leaning against the frame and staring out into the night, watching the rain fall.~

[Phade]

Phade wandered through the woods, cold, wet, and bleeding. Pine straw clung to his bare body, save for his loin cloth. There had been better nights in his past. Lightning flashed and he reeled for a moment, the blinding light slowly fading away again as he made his way around giant old trees and through deep forest ravines that water cascaded through on it's way to lower regions. Phade didn't know where he was. He knew that he was going North, and that was it. All in all, this wasn't shaping up to be that great of a night after all. Lightning flashed again and he noticed movement to his left, little more than the passing of a ghost, but it was there. He froze, waiting for a sign.

A growl came from the darkness ahead and he cursed, recognizing the sound of a bear. Very calmly, he began stepping away, never moving his eyes from the spot where the bear was. The forest lit up again with another lightning flash and Phade could see the bear now. He cursed again. This was a VERY large bear, and while he was very fast, he doubted he would be able to escape from it with ease. For a moment time seemed to stop, and all that he could see was the vague breath from the bear's mouth. He moved again slowly, stepping back until his heels brushed the edge of a ravine, water rushing down it's narrow corridor.

The bear roared and charged. Phade sighed and let himself fall back, wondering on the weather of the Eastern Reaches. The impact knocked him out and his body was carried down stream.

[EbonyFrost]

~Stared out into the pitch black, the scenery occasionally lit by the lightning. She sighed again, wondering if this rain would stop in the next century. If not, the nearby steam would flood and while the inn was on a hill, the stables were not, and the tributary she had dug out behind the inn to provide clean water would pose a definite problem. The rain let up slightly for a moment, and with it came a small yellow feline, one of the regulars that visited her inn for shelter and food. She smiled and stepped to the side as it darted through the door, shaking off a bit before moving to join the other cat at the fireplace to groom its wet fur. It looked at her about halfway through, and offhandedly mewled a greeting. Being of feline descent, she could understand the feral cats to some extent, and its posture showed some agitation as well as excitement. Curious as ever she walked over to sit at the couch, wondering what story the cat had to offer.~

"What is it, little one? What has you so riled up?"

~She spoke aloud, though in truth it was more the tone of her voice and obvious interest that told the cat what she wanted. It looked in the direction of the stream, and mewled softly, followed by a low growl. She took this to mean that there was something occurring at the streams edge, likely near the split she had made, thus making it her business to check out (because the little cat was done being in the rain). She sighed, because while it was likely something minor, her boredom and curiosity allowed no room for anything but going to find out what had put the cat in a fuss.~

"Alright little ones, warm yourselves and eat a bit, I'll see what the trouble is about."

~She stood, pulling a heavy raincoat and hat off one of the hooks, and slipping her paws into some rubberish socks made for digitigrades walking in the rain and muck. She stepped out into the rain, pulling the coat tightly around her and walking at a brisk pace along the small stream, into the forest to where it joined with the larger one. It was too dark to see, but as she approached the lightning flashed again, and she could see that the stream was indeed engorged, the water flooding the edges slightly though she likely had another day or so of heavy rains before it would flood enough to reach her inn. Surely there was more to this then minor flooding, by the cats agitation, so she approached the edges of the stream. She waited, hoping for another burst of lightning to see by, and indeed moments later it flashed again, revealing a dark figure at the edges of the stream, likely pulled to the shore by the force of her small split off the stream.~

"Oh my!"

~She rushed over to the figure, pulling it out of the water to see a scantily clad and very beaten up human. He was bleeding from several wounds, and she quickly gathered him up in her arms. She thanked the goddess he was human, for Furrae were generally more muscular, and thus heavier than humans. If he had been anything other then human, she would not have been able to carry him back to the inn by herself. After a few moments she was back, and she laid him on the floor while she gathered towels to dry him, and wrap him in. She looked over to the cats by the warm hearth, and brought him over to lie on the couch and get warm while she got dressings for his wounds.~

"You could have told me it was something important!"

~She scowled at the orange cat, who was still idly cleaning itself without a care in the world. She rushed off, hanging her rain gear by the door before going behind the bar and pulling out some strong alchohol and bandages, as well as a few salves and such things. She went over to the hearth with these things, setting them aside and shooing the cats away from the fire as she put a few old blankets down that she wouldn't mind stained by blood. She then took him, and unwrapped him from the towels, some of them sticking to the blood of the most fresh wounds. She laid him atop the blankets, letting the fire warm him as she inspected his body, easy enough considering the simple tattered loincloth he had been wearing. She pulled it off and hung it to dry on the mantle, and her eyes widened slightly, accompanied by a faint bluish blush on her cheeks and muzzle. She shook her head and went to the work at hand, looking over his wounds. He had severe gashes and wounds all over his body, some older, caused by weaponry of sorts, with arrow tips poking out of some and with an infectious look about them. Moreso he had gouges and cuts all over, and his body was badly bruised, likely from being tossed about the rushing stream. His ribcage looked terrible as well, lump in several places, an obvious sign of broken ribs. By all accounts this poor man should be dead from these wounds, if not from the serious bloodloss, and indeed he was extremely pale. She checked his pulse to ensure that he was, in fact, alive and sighed in relief.~

"By the goddess what has this poor soul been through..."

~She started out by addressing the more serious gashes, already spilling out more blood. She stemmed the blood flow, pouring alchohol on them before putting thick gauze and patting it down with medical tape. She had some minor healing magic, but he would die from blood loss if she tried before binding the more serious injuries. She removed the arrow heads, quickly stemming the fresh flow of blood and dressing these as well. She then moved to the minor wounds that still bled, pouring alchohol in them, and watching him twitch slightly, wondering that through all this he was still unconscious. She dressed the wounds and, satisfied that he wouldn't bleed out, she moved back to the largest of wounds, working one at a time to sew them shut, and casting a bit of healing on each to at the very least stop the blood from leaking out. She then worked on the arrow wounds in the same manner, thankful that she had at least enough magic to address the most major wounds, though by the last of them she was barely able to do much. She then moved to his ribs, wishing she had enough magic left to set them properly, working over them as best she could until she could rest, and use her magic again. She sighed tiredly after working on the wound that were bleeding, frowning at the many more infected wounds she still had to clean and dress. However for now his life was no longer at risk, and so she leaned back for a moment to catch her breath.~

"At least this has added some excitement to an otherwise boring night, right my friends?"

~She looked over to her feline companions, who looked at her curiously before going back to the edges of the fire just out of her way, continuing to preen themselves. She moved back to the man, taking up her work anew. She began scraping away the ugly grime filled scabs on his older wounds, rinsing them with alchohol as she did so and sewing up the worst of them. Puss drained out almost as much as blood, and she frowned, hoping that the infection hadn't spread far enough to harm him permanently. She bound these wounds as well, wrapping gause around the badages and tying them securely, wondering all the while what to do with her new patron. When she was finally done with everything she relaxed, content that he was not going to die this night. First order of business now was trying to get some sustenance into him, to help with his recouperation. However if he hadn't woken up til now, he surely wasn't about to for food. She pulled the couch close to the fireplace, laying him on it and covering him with a warm fur. Then she walked behind the bar, through the door to the kitchen, cooking up a warm broth. When she was done she poured some into a tall glass, and moved back out to the common room. She lifted him, sitting beneath his head and wrapping an arm about his shoulders to hold him up, and also to rub his throat and help him swallow. She poured the warm liquid into his mouth, tilting his head back so he would be forced to swallow, and when the cup was empty she laid it down beside the couch and looked at him, now able to examine his features without worrying about him dying in the process. He was quite handsome for a human, delicate features accented by white shoulder length hair, which was barely a shade lighter then his still pale skin. If he hadn't been so bruised he would likely be quite the catch. She smiled and picked him up, moving him to her bedroom and laying him in her bed, stoking the fireplace to keep him warm. She closed the doors to the inn, knowing that she would not have another visitor until the rain let up. She ate, drained from the hard work, and decided to leave the cleanup until the morning. She curled up on the couch, her own bed occupied, and promptly fell asleep.~

[EbonyFrost]

~A week went by slowly as she tended to her patron, healing him daily as much as her powers would allow, and redressing his wounds, happy that they were healing nicely and infection was dying out. She wondered if perhaps he was in a coma, for not once did he wake and after the rain let up with still no other patrons, she began talking to the mysterious person, asking him questions while he slept, though she expected no answers. She eventually moved him to another room, reclaiming her bed after the first few days. Near the end of the week she found herself downstairs, cleaning up and going about the daily duties of running the inn. She was cooking in the kitchen currently, making a bit extra though, like the previous days, she would probably end up giving it to the cats instead of her unconscious patron.~

[Phade]

Phade opened his eyes and screamed. He rolled off the edge of the bed and began to vomit a black substance, horrible sounds emitting from his throat as he did so. Somewhere deep inside, he knew this was a good thing. The poison from the arrows was almost gone somehow and the black meant that he was almost healed. On the down side to this, he also knew that the next color would be blood. Another violent heave brought him to his knees once more and a mixture of blood and black poured on the floor. Tears rolled down his cheeks as he retched, wishing he was more dead than not.

After around ten minutes the nausea and vomiting subsided, allowing him to rest, covered in sweat and breathing heavily. He cursed the man who had put the arrows in him and vowed the man's death before the next solstice. For now however... Phade looked around and blinked, wondering where he was. An inn from the looks of it, but he shook his head, knowing that looks were often deceiving. He pulled a leather thong from one of the window shades and bit off enough to tie his hair back before exploring the room further.

He noticed some clothes near the bed and noting his nudity, dressed in them and cleaned up the vomit and blood on the floor with an extra sheet that had been sitting nearby. Phade made his way to the door and listened, trying to discern if there was anyone waiting outside. Hearing none he opened the door quietly and slipped through, closing it behind him. Exploring the floor he was indeed in an inn and it seemed to be empty. Without knowing what to do, he sat at one of the tables and waited. It would do no good to take someone by surprise and be killed. Best to let them find him on their own.

[EbonyFrost]

~She threw a few spices into the stew she was working on, and covered the pot, allowing it to simmer while she went to do more of the daily chores. She figured she should probably mop the floor, as there was still a bit of blood that the first mopping couldn't get up. She filled a bucket with warm water, the hose from the small stream enchanted to be as such, and added stronger soap then the last batch. She turned off the water, grabbing the mob and bucket and making her way out to the living space. Her back pressed against the door to the outer room, using her weight to open the door. She was humming softly to herself, helping to pass the time and as she turned the sound stopped. Her bucket slammed to the floor, splashing water everywhere and the broom clamored against the floor. She gasped, looking to the now awake human siting nonchalantly at one of the tables.~

"Y-you're awake!"

~She stammered, having not expected him to be up, let alone walking about with his wounds still not fully healed, and his ribs still in bad shape. She walked over to the table slowly, taking caution as she did not know what sort of man she had taken in.~

[Phade]

Phaded nodded, preferring not to speak generally. He held his hands out on the table, palm up, in a peaceful gesture and bowed his head in thanks. Not really knowing what to do next, he simply waited, as being patient often paid off.

[EbonyFrost]

~Walked closer, forgetting all about the mop and spilt water, looking at the curious human as if expecting him to say something, or do something. After a few moments of silence she pulled out a chair, sitting down to study him more closely. His emerald eyes stared back at her, as much examining her as she was him, if not moreso. It seemed he was almost sizing her up, as would a predator. She smiled at him somewhat nervously, hoping to strike up a conversation.~

"I found you by the stream about a week ago. You were horribly cut up and bruised, and some of your ribs were broken. I brought you here and dressed your wounds. You were on the verge of death..."

~She trailed off, wondering how he had gotten himself into such a state, who had cut him up, and how he had come to be in the river, or even out in the forest during such a terrible storm.~

"This is my inn, I run it, though there haven't been any customers with the storm... It has finally let up though, so perhaps I will get a patron or two. Until then it's just the two of us."

~She added the last bit almost nervously, still unsure about the man, though she figured she was more then a match for him in such a state as he was. His minor wounds were mostly healed, but the gashes were still healing, and the arrow wounds were having a curious trouble closing up and would likely leave ugly scars despite her healing.~

[Phade]

Phade had, indeed, been sizing her up. He was curious of her species and origins, having never seen one such as her before. The wounds he had sustained were mostly healed, but there the poisoned arrows had hit him, he still felt tremendous pain, but hid it under a face as blank as a fresh scroll. He wondered about her security here, at her level of self preservation, and skill with weaponry. Probably quite high, he concluded, knowing from previous experience that the Felines were quite capable warriors.

After a while of thought and deliberation, he decided he would speak to her after all, something that he rarely did. Speaking in general had always seemed so pointless. The actions he made often spoke louder than he ever cared to. It wasn't from a lack of being able to speak, he just didn't like to. He leaned forward on the table, resting his hands before him.

"First off M'lady, I would like to thank you for taking a gamble and allowing me room and board at your fine establishment. I understand that you are, as we speak, not entirely at ease with me or my motives. Let me assure you now that I mean you no harm, and so long as you mean me none, there will be no problems between us in my short stay here." Phade began. His voice was soft, almost a whisper, but it carried as if he had spoken in a normal voice. He continued, pausing on occasion to pick his words carefully from his being out of practice. "I am more than willing to work off the debts I have incurred in my, albeit passed out, stay. Further more, I will also help you with general labor that this place needs, such as some of the carpentry, and other points such as a few of the boards at the bar need to be replaced. Anything you need you may ask me to do, and I will do them to the best of my ability, however small that may be due to my stigmata of being a human."

Phade coughed lightly, and went silent for a moment before continuing.

"There is, however the matter of what I was doing in the woods, and I suppose you have the right to know as I am indebted to you by a Life Oath that we both swore, without speaking, when you took me from the river." He stopped to gather his thoughts. "Not long ago, two moons or less, I was on assignment in a city world where a strange race of lizard-like people were the dominant race. My target was a ranking gang member who had made a mess of several other higher ranked gangs dealings and had been marked for death so they contacted someone who could 'fix' the situation as it were. I completed the contract flawlessly and made my way back to this world, but upon my arrival, was ambushed by someone, though I don't know who. I escaped to the city where I was taking refuge to find that I had been targeted by my own people, the Guild if you wish to call it that, had put a price on my head for crimes that I had not committed, to further their own goals. I fled the city and on the way out, was forced to dispatch several of those I had grown with to do so. I escaped with my life and the two poisoned arrows, while they... Well... They sleep a sleep so deep that even the voices of the Gods cannot wake them. I fled into the forests and had spent months there, fighting for survival and losing my mind further than I suppose it already is lost. I had been running from what I now suspect was hallucinations when I came upon the largest bear I had ever seen."

"That night was especially violent as far as the weather went. I'm sure you had the same storm here as I didn't know where I am but I assume we weren't so far distant. I fell into a ravine full of water that drained into the river, and I guess that's when you found me."

Phade stood and moved near, but out of arms reach to the female and bowed twice. Once at the waist and once more in a fashion he'd learned in his training.

"My name is Phade. I am an assassin and ghost. I am not heard, nor seen, I am feared, but never caught, I am Death, and shadows, and the unknown. I am a Blade, and I am a Watcher of the Void. And, M'lady, I am at your service."

[EbonyFrost]

~She waited as he took a moment to decide whether to talk to her, wondering again at his odd mannerisms, as well as appearance for she had never seen a human with white hair. He finally spoke and she was taken aback, at first from his soft, whispery voice which was unusual to her, and then by his polite, almost elegant way of talking. She nodded once or twice, then blushed slightly at the mention of the well needed replacements that he had noticed so easily. Indeed there where many things that needed to be done in the inn, things that she had been putting off for lack of able hands other then her own. Her blush faded as he continued, and she noted his cough with consternation, hoping that it was a sign of healing.~

~She nodded slightly at his mention of the Yez. She had been through the Kharon gates a few times for trading, and simply to see the sights of a more advanced world. Her eyes widened slightly at the subtle mention of his profession, thankful that he was indebted to her, and not her enemy. The ease at which he spoke of killing his friends was somewhat disconcerting, though she supposed as a human such things came easier to him. She knew the instincts of a predator as well, though she rarely had to use them but to fend off the more aggressive wildlife and set a drunken furre or two in their place. She nodded again at the mention of poison, explaining the trouble the arrow wounds had had in healing, as well as the regression each day despite her healing efforts. Now that she knew the cause of the trouble, she hoped it would be less of a task to heal him.~

~She looked at him with a touch of sympathy as he described his bout of madness in the woods. She knew what it was like, having built the inn and run it for several years, often going weeks without a single customer since the inn was built so remotely in the woods. She nodded again at the mention of the bear and the storm, as well as the ravine. She knew the place, though it was a long distance upriver and it was a wonder that he didn't drown in such rapids before being washed up so close to the inn.~

"Yes I found you some distance from the place you speak of, you must be made of sturdy stuff to have survived the rapids all the way here. It is indeed a wonder you are still alive after such an ordeal."

~She frowned as he bowed, hoping that such movements would not open up her careful stitch work and bandaging. His odd description of himself was indeed intriguing, and the idea of having him at her service even more so. There were many things she could use help on around the inn as he mentioned before, and as she thought on this her mind flitted to the night she brought him here, and of dressing his wounds. With that she blushed brightly, hoping the burning blue would not show through her fur. She tried to pull her mind away from these thoughts to respond, when she saw a bright red showing through the cloth on his side.~

"Oh goodness, one of your wounds has opened up!"

~She rose to her feet and rushed towards him for a moment, then stopped a few feet away as she remembered his profession, and realizing he was likely skiddish when it came to quick movements. She walked toward him a bit more slowly as she finished the last few feet of her approach, keeping her hands in veiw and her eyes locked on his to show that she meant no harm. She looked down, bending slightly and boldly lifted his shirt to check the bandages, Crimson was seeping out, staining the cloth all around it from what she suspected was one of the larger gashes she had had to sew.~

"I'll have to rebind this wound, possibly sew it up again as well..." She worried over it, begin to take the bandages off and no longer regarding him, strictly business. "Come, sit down, I can't have you opening up more of these, they were quite hard enough to fix up the first several times."

[Phade]

Phade sat down and let her administer help as she would. While she left to get supplies, he pulled a needle and thread from a small pocket on his now clean loin cloth and quickly stitched himself up, knowing that prolonged contact with his blood could prove fatal to those who did not have the tolerance's he had built up from childhood, being forced to eat poisonous plants, and live with venomous animals for the first five years of his life. Those too weak to survive in the poisonous hell were not worthy to carry the title of a Shadow Blade. He still felt anger when he thought of those years. By now they were little more than a whisper of what had come before, but the echoes of those actions had followed him through into adulthood, never quite fading away. He stripped off the shirt and used it to clean up the rest of the blood with practiced ease, having no spots showing on his skin or the area around him before she returned. Phade never enjoyed having anyone near him, knowing that contact often brought about pain. He placed the soiled shirt and bandages on the table neatly and stood, moving to an empty part of the room where he began to do his katas, stretching the muscles, and slowly moving through the drills that had been beaten, burned, and cut into him since birth. He felt the tug of his stitching but knew it would hold because of the way he'd sewn it. One of the first things you learned in his line of business wasn't how to kill, but how to heal. To understand Death you must understand Life.

His movements were fast. Not as fast as he could have tried for, but he was in no shape to truly exert himself at full power. Not yet. Pushing himself, the flurry of punches, kicks, and maneuverings became a blur, emphasized by loud snaps and pops as his attacks fell on the open air. The room blurred and he found himself centered, aware, and back in a peaceful state of mind. Phade froze in mid attack, on leg cocked up, punch extended. He didn't move for several minutes, completely frozen before he exploded in another flurry of movement. A single word echoed in his mind as he flowed, the word repeating as a whisper in his brain.

"Fade... Fade... Fade..."

He smiled to himself. This was the name he had taken for himself. It spoke of his profession, his attitude, and life. Fade into existence, fade into shadows, fade away... As it should be, he thought as he spun and landed completely still, one leg extended high over his head. There was much to think about. The female before him posed more thoughts that he wasn't sure he understood and it unsettled him. He was aware he was an attractive being, but only aware of it in a detached manner. He was as inexperience with women as he was experienced with a blade. He knew nothing and had not cared to know, but having given her himself to use as she would, he knew that a situation might arise where nothing in his experience would help. These thoughts troubled him as he continued to mindlessly move, caught up in his ponderings.

[EbonyFrost]

~She was moving about in the back, collecting fresh bandages and some salves and balms that would help against the poison. She also grabbed a towel for the spilt water that she nearly slipped on on the way back. With full arms she made her way back to the common room, again using her back to open the door and dropping the towel on the puddle of suds, moving her foot about on the towel to soak up the water with practiced ease. It was then that the flash of movement caught her eyes. Her jaw dropped ever so slightly as she watched, glad once more that he was on her side. To be able to move so quickly when injured as badly as he was... It was amazing to say the very least. She watched silently for a short amount of time, seeing that he'd patched himself up quite well on his own. After a while she coughed aloud to grab his attention, moving to the open space he was using, though keeping a good distance between them.~

"I brought fresh bandages, as well as a few salves that should help with the poison, and with healing."

~She stopped, setting them on the closest table to him, and taking a seat, motioning for him closer. She smiled at him slightly, and then realized that he did not know her name.~

"You may call me Ebony by the way..."

[Phade]

Phade snapped to a full standstill and waited. His body slowly relaxed and he visibly sagged, letting the muscles rest. He glided more than walked to the table and took a seat, examining his stitching and noting that they still held true save for one that he stitched up, seeming to not feel the pain. He thanked her again and dried his face.

"Ebony..." It was nearly a whisper. "Thank you Mistress Ebony for your hospitality once more. I am in your debt. As far as the poison goes, there is no cure known to man or beast that would remove it, only time and a strong constitution, and while I know I have one, I will only hope for the other. Within a week I should have flushed it from my system quite enough to not be a bother."

He paused and thought for a moment.

"I would ask a favor of you however. I find myself still exhausted and rather beaten and would like a place to sleep for the remainder of the day if you've no chores that I can handle for you. My body heals at an accelerated rate while I slumber and the arrow wounds, while closed on the surface, are causing havoc on my insides. A few hours sleep and the inner damage will have healed enough to not get in the way of tasks that I may have to be more mobile, such as carpentry, etc."

[Josephüs]

The door to the inn suddenly swings open. a rather large feral beast appearing in the doorway, a nine tailed demonic fox with pitched black fur and yellow green eyes the beast stood at an impressive height of six and a half foot at his shoulders... on all four legs. He had pitched black well groomed fur with a shaggy mane, claws pure white and sharp as diamonds, on his forehead, in a white rounded two point star, the japanese kanji for god. And as for his paws, also the palest of whites.

As he slowly walked inside, one would notice he is somehow a samurai, a great-sword katana strapped to his back in it's black and red scabbard, handle ornately carved to look like a coiled dragon. "Konichiwa.." The kitsune said in a deep authoritative voice as he grins at the innkeeper, flashing his dual sets of upper canines as he looks around a bit. "So, innkeep... How many rooms do you have?" He continues walking around, long tails swaying behind him as he waits for an answer, seemingly inspecting the room as he wanders about.

[EbonyFrost]

~She smiled at his politeness again, and at the title he had used. She nodded once at the prognosis on the poison. As he mentioned his need to rest, she stood and briskly put away the excess bandages and salves that he wasn't using.~

"The room I had you in is where you may stay the remainder of you time here. My room is just across the hall should you need me for anything. There is nothing I require of you this night, nor until you have more fully recovered from your ordeal. However, with the end of the rains we should be seeing an influx of patrons in the inn, and I may need your help tending the bar and other such duties."

~As she said this, the door swung open and the kitsune stepped through, barely squeezing through the door frame. She smiled largely to greet the beast, having seen stranger beings though he was one of the stranger. She walked up to greet the creature brazenly, knowing that a show of fear would be far worse in the presence of such a large and feral creature.~

"We have several rooms Sir, each designed based off an element of sorts. Perhaps you would like to board in the forest room, or perhaps the air room?"

~She bowed low to the fox, though her eyes stayed on its paws to ensure that she could move quickly away if it made a move towards her. Her tail sweeped the floor behind her, stretching in a grandoise manner, and she also knew the long bands of color where calming and hypnotic in a sense. It was but one of many tricks she used to make her customers feel more at ease, and she felt it necessary at this time, considering most on this world, especially the ferals, did not care much for humans.~

"If you will wait one moment while I take my friend to his room, I will be happy to help you choose a suitable one for yourself, as well as feed you and take care of anything else you may need during your stay here."

~At this her bow ended and she moved back a bit to Phade, placing a hand on his shoulder gently and motioning that he join her.~

[Josephüs]

The beast just stares at her with his blank eyes, no pupils to look into. "Madam, I'm not going to eat you so can you stop being so cautious... I'm not one of the mindless fools of this world." The beast snorted loudly in offense. "And that little trick you tried to pull with your tail doesn't work on me... so don't bother." He growled quietly, his entire form slowly divulging into nothing but a wispy smoke.

"Beside..." He said as his form re-solidified, a now anthropomorphic version of himself stood in his place at a height of seven foot. Wearing only a pair of grey-blue split-leg hakama pants with a thick red rope belt, a pair of heavily armored spaulders held on by small red ropes across his chest, lastly, on his hind paws he wore a pair of modified traditional wooden geta sandals. His great-sword katana at his left side, and on his right, an odd Kitsune mask. And on his chest there was now a strange symbol, the sanskrit world of life, the Om. "...I'm not a feral, being an emperor it wouldn't exactly sit well with my people." He grins toothily.

"But anyhow... back to my original question, how many people does this inn have room for? As in, exactly how many rooms do you have in all?" He said sternly this time, staring at the innkeeper, a look of mild annoyance on his face. "...'cause about a dozen of my officers and several personal guards are currently standing in the mud from the recent storms and are growing rather impatient." He said as he began to grow impatient himself, starting to strum his fingers on the handle of his sword.

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