SUMMER

Angkar: Wet season. Precipitation is common during the late afternoon and evening hours. Vegetation grows significantly during the summer, but flooding is a danger due to the monsoons that ravage the country. The rainforest sees evenly distributed rainfall throughout the season.

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Morrim: Relatively hot and dry, but with a chance of thunderstorms from time to time. The heat may cause forest fires.

Soto: Hot and humid, tree cover is dense while ground growth is restricted. Thunderstorms see the most amount of rainfall during the season, and it can be very windy. On occasion, there are flash floods that can destroy homes and farms built on flood plains.

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March 30th, 2018 As you might have noticed, Elenlond has changed hands and is now under new management! If you have any questions, please direct them to DaringRaven! As for the rest of the announcements, including a season change, you can find them over here at the following link!

January 16, 2018 As you might have noticed, Elenlond has a new skin, all thanks to Mel! Don't forget to check out the new OTMs as well!

December 2, 2017 Winter has settled on Elenlond, bringing sleep for some and new life for others.

September 26, 2017 With the belated arrival of autumn come some interesting developments: new OTMs, a Town Crier and the release of the Elly Awards winners!

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May 31, 2017 Summer has arrived and so has activity check! That's not all though – we also have some new OTMs for you and some staff changes!


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Elenlond is an original free-form medieval fantasy RPG set on the continent of Soare and the Scattered Isles, which are located to the south in the Sea of Diverging Waters. The four chief nations of the western side of the world—Ashoka in northern Soare, Soto in western Soare, Morrim in eastern Soare, and Angkar, the largest of the Scattered Isles—continue to experience growth and prosperity since the fall of the Mianorite gods, although power struggles within the countries—or outside of them—continue to ensue.


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    Forging Bonds and Blades; For Jade (TRIGGER: Drugs and near nudity)
    Topic Started: Oct 30 2014, 07:45 PM (369 Views)
    Kelvin Friedhelm
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    8 AR : Summer

    Eldahar. It was literal nations out of his way, and the sand was worse than saddle sores, though neither compared to the mind bending nausea of riding a horse over (and damn close to under) sand dunes. It wasn’t a pleasure trip either. Kelvin had spent weeks on this molten sea of sand. There was such in Morrim, but nothing like the dunes. It worked its way into every piece of clothing, and nothing short of stripping was enough to rid oneself of it. The heat itself was devilish. An upbringing in Morrim was barely enough to offset it.

    Kelvin sighed in frustration as he worked his way through the dark skinned people, very different from Soto’s. The skin tones were subtly different from that of Morrimian relations as well, though he didn't stand out too much mainly because of his own naturally dark features. Which was a bad thing. Social classes here were harsh, and his loose clothing was too plain. Clean, yes, but plain. A headwrap, and a loose, tunic, unlaced halfway down the front, belted over some loose pants. Which didn't add to his mood either. It felt strange and indecent as if walking about with no lower covering. Is this what dresses feel like? I hate it. The social classes of the area put him in the lower class for his dress. Good, because the urchins didn't seem all that interested in trying to rob him. Bad, because anyone wealthier than a merchant just shrugged him off.

    He elbowed his way through the crowd, and finally was standing in the center of the bridge. Looking over the heads of people getting water, Kelvin could make out the core sections of the city. His various contacts had pointed him this direction, mainly through some friends left over in his old Sotoan guild. Guards tend to remember long time partners, thankfully. This woman could help him. Underneath Kelvin’s shirt was a tightly wrapped package, holding one of his longest friends and closest companion. His sword had been shattered into pieces.

    That was the main source of the man’s poor temperament as he stormed off the bridge and into the lowerclass districts. He was looking for a woman, distinctive by her strange complexion and dress- evidently strange looking wooden sandals. His source had said she was living rough, but... Kelvin looked about at the rough buildings and squalor. This didn't seem like the place to find any sort of smith, much less one with skill. It wasn’t long before he found himself in that section of the city. Before coming here he had rented a room at a decent inn. Even had a guard sitting inside the door to keep out the riffraff.

    It would be costly to reforge the blade- it was almost easier to get a new sword- but carrying that money would have been foolish. He had brought but a handful of coins to catch this... ‘Jade’s’ interest and the sword, to see if she was up to the task. She could return with him to retrieve the rest of the payment without risking a robbery. The only comforting factor to this situation was the strictness of Eldahar’s guardsmen. They were professionals. Kelvin had ended up making some short inquiries to find her, but finally somewhere around here... This rundown, trashy maze of alleys... Kelvin stood above the urchins and commoners here from size and build- but also in aura. A confident fighting man. He spent another good ten minutes peering down streets and trying to pick out one wretch from another, waving off some ‘advertisers’ of the local ‘businesses’ before becoming impatient. Kelvin reached out and grabbed one of the urchins trying to get close enough to frisk him and picked the scrawny boy up. ”Where is the strangely dressed woman with wooden sandals?” A look of poorly feigned confusion only clouded the child's face until Kelvin produced a small coin. The memory boost was a so miraculous that for a fleeting instant, he pondered the beneficial health effects of having money.

    He held on to the coin for a moment though, mainly to see if this was the right person. She sure didn't look like it. Kelvin's frame filled the entrance to the dirty alley, legs spread slightly and head cocked to the side. "I don't suppose your name be Jade, and needing of work?"
    Edited by Kelvin Friedhelm, Oct 30 2014, 07:48 PM.
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    Jade
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    Content Advisory: Drug use and refrences to adult themes like near-nudity and prostitution.



    Her gaze was vacant from beneath half-closed eyes. Ever since she had earned her freedom, these shaded alleys were her only home. Jade was glad to have them, rather than bake in the open sun out on the dunes or in the street again. At least here her suffering was confined to mid-day when the sun worked its hardest to eliminate all shade from this wretched city.

    The dark haired woman with pale foreign skin sweat in the silence of her outdoor lair. This was her alley she’d claimed it, fought for it, and done other necessary things to make sure it remained her own. That was how it worked in the slums. You found territory, claimed it, and fought off those who would encroach upon it just as dogs did in the wild. They were less than dogs down here, but played at being equals for the sake of their own pride. Having a place to call hers, and earned enough coin to keep herself undisturbed, with a little left to spend, the woman had treated herself to something, to help forget how she had earned that money.

    The herb rolled and packed into her long narrow pipe ending in a small nearly-spherical bowl was weak. Even by the standards of a normal person it was a mild relaxant; but it was all she had left to take the edge off, her other stash depleted. It was enough for Jade to forget how hungry she was, or how stiff her body felt from sleeping on the hard ground with only the thin mat she now sat on for comfort.

    Under one absent, yet protective hand sat her every worldly good save the mat, the pipe, and the dishevled clothes on her body. All of it crammed into a relatively small bag. Jade may have claimed this alley for her own, but if her guard went down, no one would hesitate to take her things and flee before she awoke.

    With little to do during the day, and little desire to do anything that was available to her save what she already was, Jade sat and baked in the heat. Her body was clad only in the mockery of what was once a silk kimono, but now was torn to only barely serve as any level of decency. The red garment had been altered both to serve her occupation, and to allow her to survive the heat. The fact that it hung almost completely open at the top had nothing to do with her work, only apathy mingling again with the need for relief from the heat. In the shade, she did not have to worry about the sun searing her sensitive skin, and she was long past caring if leering eyes managed to catch a glimpse of her should the garment fall any more open.

    The woman from Daro took a long drag from her small pipe and held the warm contents in her lungs as long as she could before coughing out the smoke and feeling her mind maintain its somewhat detached state. Every precious breath of space between her awareness and reality was a priceless treasure. It had been hard enough cutting back so that she might earn her freedom, she was not sure how much longer she would last on such meager escapes.

    Frigid blue-green eyes looked up at the empty blue sky, above the banal squares of dried mud and sandstone which made the hovels around her. If she inhaled deeply enough from the pipe, and watched the smoke curl away from her mouth, she could almost feel what it would be like to slip away within that smoke and spiral towards the heavens. It was a pleasant diversion until the sound of approaching footsteps brought her back, closer to reality.

    Seeking to hold on to her partial escape, Jade refused to move to acknowledge the sound of movement in the hopes that it would pass by without needing her attention. Unfortunately, the footsteps stopped and she was forced to become aware that those who had made them were lingering at the mouth of her alley. Jade wondered if she pretended to be more drugged than she was, if whoever it was would keep going and leave her be. However, when she heard someone use her real name, it forced her to not only recognize their attentions were directed at her; but also that the barest hint of danger now lurked behind the stranger.

    As if moving through an invisible syrup, her head lazily rolled from its skyward orientation. Jade allowed her head to loll towards the one who had spoken and reguarded them with a blank expression. A breath would pass before she even seemed to realize she was looking at a person. However once she acknowledged the slowly solidifying shape before her was a man, her brow furrowed in anger and contempt. Her irritation lingered for only an instant before seamlessly melting into the knowing smirk that was the familiar mask of her current occupation. The straonger’s words in the tongue she was becoming more and more familiar with, by each passing day, finally made sense as her sluggish mind translated.

    ”My name can be whatever you want, if you’re a paying customer.” she said as she poured herself into a standing position, balancing atop her wooden shoes that required impeccable balance. Jade drew in another drag of her pipe and resisted the cough as she let the smoke spill from puckered lips towards the unknown person.

    Jade sized up the olive skinned man. His clothes seemed common but he wore them with a lack of familiarity. He was not Ashokan despite his darker complexion. His figure was large and even in the loos fitting clothing one could tell he was muscular. He seemed too well put together to be coming for someone like her, particularly in broad daylight. The rigidity of his posture implied guard or official of some kind. Was it the inquisition then? Or someone hired to track her down? Jade decided to proceede with caution, and feign ignorance for now, perhaps if she played nice, they wouldn’t make her a slave again.

    ”I don’t usually work in day, but for you I can allow.” Jade explained, doing her best to sound sultry despite her somewhat broken handle on the unfamiliar language. As she spoke she sauntered lazily towards him, and upon drawing near enough, offered him her precious pipe, expecting to see the flash of gold soon, before feeling gruff hands against her fair skin. Jade’s free hand reached forward in an attempt to teasingly run her fingers lightly over the exposed portion of the strangers chest. To be honest, no one ever came to her during the day, or she would likely work then too, as long as someone paid. She needed the money.
    Edited by Jade, Oct 31 2014, 04:02 PM.
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    Kelvin Friedhelm
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    This woman was supposedly once one of the better blacksmiths in Soto? His emotions went from irate to frozen. Solid. Kelvin looked past her, the alley, meager bag of possessions, and some flat thing that covered the ground, despite looking very much like that which it covered. And then there was the woman. Surrounded in a light haze of noxious smelling smoke, combined with the evil stench emanating from the alley, she was a somewhat worse sight, if possible. Her skin was indeed strange, not quite the white so dominant in Soto, nor the browns of Ashoka or Morrim. But there was too much of it. The amount of her flesh available to his eyes was repulsive, though he couldn't say if it was because of the setting, or how comfortable the woman was in this condition. If you could call drugged into perpetual stupidity comfortable.

    Kelvin’s distaste was evident in the twist of his mouth and flat gaze. Her clothing- what there was of it, was an odd cloth that flowed and seemed to drape like water. Even that was filthy however. All the more evident when she let off a puff of that vile smoke in his direction. ”My name can be whatever you want, if you’re a paying customer.”

    None to forthcoming either. Kelvin looked at her feet. Wooden sandals. Stranger than he had expected too, how could one walk on such? The strange garment was certainly of higher class than she was now, and the cloth of such that he had never seen before. Skin, eyes, hair. This was her. In the desert city he doubted there was anyone else with her description.

    Kelvin stood rigid when she moved closer, his face already impassive with acceptance. This... shell was the only living thing capable of repairing his blade for a reasonable cost. It was all he could do to resist moving back in disgust when she touched him. It wasn’t the touch itself that did him mental damage, just the suggestion behind it. Kelvin had seen more of this on various jobs than he cared to admit, and this didn't sway him at all. But if it was going to be like this... He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose with his left hand, flicking the coin over his shoulder to the urchin- still awaiting the prize for finding Kelvin’s target.

    Gazing down at her figure so much shorter than him, and trying so hard to seduce him, Kelvin’s frozen emotions cracked. Fire seeping through. Traveling over a harsh desert, dropping current work contracts, devoid of weaponry, and about to part with a larger portion of his saved earnings for the past few years to repair one of his closest possessions. It was nigh unbearable. Carefully, he reached up and removed her fingers from his shirt, the other hand taking the pipe. He looked at it for a moment, and then tapped out the contents, grinding the smoldering herbs under his boot before handing it back.

    ”Follow me.” His clipped tone had shaky control. ”You are taking a bath. Then we need to talk.” Let her take that as she will. Kelvin reached inside his shirt and withdrew the pouch he had kept there- in an attempt to ward off thieves- tossing it to her. Then he turned away slightly, ”There is more, at the inn.” and with that he began walking away- slowly, keeping in mind that the money would make her a target if Kelvin let distance grow between them. On the same note, he wasn’t so sure it would be much of a loss if she didn't follow.

    He didn't see himself as a cruel man, or even a harsh one. But circumstances had seemed against him for the last two months. This woman was supposed to be the end of all this, but she barely appeared to be alive, much less a prostitute, and even less so a smith. Yet here she was. This was his limit, Kelvin could only give her a chance.
    Edited by Kelvin Friedhelm, Oct 31 2014, 08:22 PM.
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    Jade
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    The increased tension when she drew near was a note of mild concern for Jade; but not something she had not experienced before. There were many that came to those like her seeking to take what they desired while still looking down on them. She decided he must be one such customer and started to take a step away when he finally took the pipe from her hand. Jade briefly thought he was going to begin to relax and perhaps pay her before it was time to do what he had come to her to do.

    Then he upended the pipe, and Jade's whole body tensed. What little color there was in her face drained away. Jade remembered what happened the last tie someone made the same gesture. Jade tensed, her body trembled, believing she knew what she was to expect at any moment, and was unsure why it was happening to her again. She had paid everyone off, more than what she ever owed, had not angered any lords by taking this meager patch of alleyway for herself. Why then, why was this happening to her again?

    He moved and instinctively she flinced away and shielded herself with her arms, expecting the blows to begin raining down for reasons she would never understand. When they did not come, she relaxed enough to see that he was offering her back her pipe, and quickly took it. Irritation flared in the back of her mind to a greater extent, because of the waste. This man had no idea what she went through to pay for that meager escape he had simply dumped upon the ground and tread on like so much garbage. If he did not want it, and wanted her to put it out, he could have said as much, she was not deaf, and understood enough of the langage to properly tend to any prospective client. Outrage might have climbed higher had she not reminded herself that she was as useless to this man as the herbs he had stamped out. There were other girls in this city. Jade reminded herself to be glad that he had not decided to strike her after all.

    The stranger issued a single command, and Jade made no movement to comply. As he explained she still did not move until finally the coin was tossed to her. She fumbled with catching the bag and then opened it quickly to assertain its value. Yes, this was more than enough to receive prime treatment. It would even make up for the waste of her precious substances. The pouch vanished down the front of Jade's outfit, which she adjuted to cover herself just a bit more. The pouch secretly being shifted down one side and into a pocket in her oversized sleeves, as she turned to grab her things, and catch up with the stranger.

    A bath? So this man was desperate enough to seek her out in broad daylight, yet still patient enough to have her clean herself first. The perplexing nature of his request made her wonder further if she should be concerned for her wellbeing and suspicious of this invitation. And why had he danced around the truth of the matter? People were always doing that and she did not understand why. It was not like the inquisitors were pulling people in for laying with a whore. If they were she wouldn't have lasted as long in this business. Why had this man felt the need to say 'we need to talk' rather than get to the truth like so many others also avoided.

    It was not her place to question a client however. It was only her place to take the money, and comply
    with the wishes of the one who paid her. Jade was a service, not a person, and sometimes she even had to remind herself of the truth of this. It was easier to remember and live accordingly than try to pretend at something more. This foreigner had strange tastes, that was simply all the answers she would need.

    The promise of more money had been an enticing one. Perhaps Jade could afford more than a replacement for hat she had lost today; but also a drink or two to go with it it, maybe get this kimono cleaned, as she only had one pair of relatively clean clothes left.

    Following the man to the bath house, Jade hesiated as she ventured towards the women's side, wondering if he was going to try to follow her in. When he did not she was perplexed, but decided that perhaps he simply wished her clean, before finding privacy where he could buy his intimacy. That could explain why he had found a street whore rather than one of the exotic brothels in town.

    The hot and cool waster was nearly as refreshing as clearning the layer of grime from her hair and body. Jade had known to leave a generous donation beforehand, for the trouble of the bathhouse, otherwise they would bar her, for turning the water darker by dealing with the ammount of dust and dirt which had adhered itself to her, and to her hair. Jade had even gone in for the indulgence of perfumes, assuming it was this clean and put-together sort of woman the foreign man had been hoping to take apart and despoil. She replaced the filthy rag she had been wearing with her only remaining clean kimono. Jade had then, through practiced memory, painted her face white, and adorned her lower lip with the single red stripe. At home it had both more and less meaning than it did here; but in Ashoka, this “exotic” appearance was what made her an occasionally valued commodity as opposed to just another face.

    The kimono was survivable and provided her skin with needed protection from the sun; but Jade dearly hoped that it would not take long to get to whatever destination the client had in mind that she might be rid of it in the heat that was Ashoka's bright outdoors.

    When she emerged from the bath house she caught site of her patient client and strode towards him with measured and practiced stride, remembered from her training back home. “I am sorry for the long wait. Is this more to your liking?” She did not offer her arm for him to take, however. Instead keeping both within her large sleeves to follow behind or beside him.




    Eventually they arrived at the inn. Jade followed him inside and noticed the lingering glances of the proprietor as well as several others in the main entryway. Jade tried to pretend she did not recognize at least one of them. Her face remaining an expresionless mask, equal to the paint which had been placed upon it.

    She waited, to follow the client's lead.
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    Kelvin Friedhelm
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    A waste of time. This woman was a wreck, and looked as useless to herself as she appeared to be for his own purposes. He didn’t even to turn to see if she was there until he got to the bath house, the only consideration a lessened stride to allow the whore to keep up. The destitute surroundings only served to heighten his anger. The poor, many of them vying for the attention of the passer’s by, wretched beings dressed in pitiable rags avoided him, Kelvin’s expression growing harder, and his body taking on an aggressive, yet loose saunter, confident steps.
    Murder.

    He had marched through the smaller towns of Ashoka, once. A killer, a murderer. A soldier. Blood everywhere, for no reason.

    Kelvin twitched, and decided to head towards the baths closer to the inn, which were outside of this poorer district. Safer, and hopefully she would be able to come out somewhat cleaner than she went in. He found a decent enough looking one, though still a ways from the inn. Right, the main purpose here was to remove the stench from that thing. It wasn’t until he was just in front of the building when Kelvin turned an icy gaze, still faintly glazed with memory of past sins, to see if this stray had kept up.

    It was a semi-sweet surprise that she had, but it didn’t make the prospects any better. His gaze followed her as she moved towards the woman’s side- with a kind of uncertainty, and when she hesitated Kelvin firmly put his back to her and slumped down next to the entrance, letting his back grind down the wall until he could cross his legs. It was intruging, how common these ‘houses of bath’ were in Ashoka. The people were under such oppression from their government, yet these public commodities were laid about freely. His expression darkened visibly at the memories of the last time he had ventured into one. Innocence was no excuse for brutality, and memories were one of the reasons he didn’t visit Ashoka often. He closed his eyes, leaning his head back against the wall, mainly to keep within it’s beautiful shade.

    ---

    It took a lot longer than he had hoped, but no longer than expected. During his psuedo nap/reminscing about the worse days, no more than two urchins had attempted to search him, only to be perturbed by how not-asleep Kelvin really was. In this richer area, Eldahar’s guard was consistent and watchful. It was quite admirable how well they kept the order, if not how they managed the feat. Jade’s footsteps were what alerted him to her approach- the wooden sound against stone a special token of her broken being. What met his eyes was something different though. Ornate, otherworldly, and graceful. It was clear that this elegant set of clothing was similar to the form those earlier worn rags had once held. It looked warm though, and uncomfortable. The woman herself had transformed much more than the clothing had, stepping carefully with a carefully painted face.

    All in all, a welcome sight, if she hadn’t been what she was. It was a fleeting thought, but how many men had seen her like this? Likely quite a few, if the rips in the other clothing were a sign. He sighed and pushed off of the wall, nodding at her. ”You look good, but this wasn’t quite what I was looking for.”

    Kelvin sighed, smiling a bit sardonically to himself. Not what he was looking for at all. The trip to the inn was relatively uneventful, other than trying to keep an eye on Jade. Partially so she didn’t bolt, and partially so someone didn’t bother the woman. Entering the inn was another matter though. As soon as she entered behind him, Kelvin could tell they were attracting looks. Popular, is she? He briefly considered stepping out and meeting elsewhere, just to escape the judgement there. Only briefly though. On his way towards the stairs, Kelvin met every eye evenly and frankly. ”Don’t worry ‘Keeper, this likely will be quick. Just a bit of business.” With a nod, Kelvin snatched up a stool and made his way up to the second level, taking a moment to unlock the first room on the left. The room was small, decently clean, and one of the better deals he had been able to find in the city, despite it’s size. He put down the three legged stool across from the bed and shut the door, waving a hand at the bed- intending her to sit down. The taller man chose to sit on the stool he had grabbed- it had seemed an awkward concept to talk of business sitting side by side. ”Alright, so let’s get this over with.”

    Fingers reached within his shirt, dragging out a roll of cloth, which appeared cut and ragged, tinged red. Kelvin muttered at the blood on the cloth. The pieces of the blade had apparently retained their razor sharpness- enough to cut through the wrapping and into his own side a bit. Another small bit of irritation. He held out the wrapping to the woman with a mirthless laugh. ”’Ere, tell me what you think of tha’.” He watched for a moment, then shook his head and leaned back against the wall, rubbing his eyes. ”It’s alright, I didn't expect much anyway. It just seemed a shame to waste my time coming out ‘ere an’ not letting you see, master smith. Those last rancorous words tinged with bitterness. ”Grain hoppers have a mean bite when it comes to chewing up swords, and a man claimed you could fix it.” His mouth twisted wryly, finally turning his gaze back to the woman. ”Jade ain't your name either, is it?”
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    Jade
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    Jade took the complement and let it fall to the ground among thousands of other, similarly empty words of praise. She was a whore, no matter how painted and trussed up, and that was all she’d ever be. The words were wasted on her. She knew her place. The tail end of the polite remark was assumed, by Jade, to be little more than an allusion to the depraved angles and lewd acts he would bend her to shortly for the promise of coin.

    The man seemed insistant on informing everyone of his business, though Jade was bewildered as to why he would boast of his speed. Usually men bragged in the opposite direction. It seemed the people of the inn were just as confused as some gave him curious looks and others snorted into their drinks with suppressed laughter. Jade’s face remained expressionless as if she was blind and deaf to all of it. That was how she had been trained to be, and so followed her client as he lead the way. The fact that the man had also grabbed a stool only caused one to be further perplexed. Jade determined that she may need to inform him that more complex requests required more pay. Well, he had said there was more money at their destination.

    In the small room, the rigid man gestured to the bed. Jade paused by the door, stepped down from her shoes, set them inside, and then glided over to the bed. Lounging on the mattress which was slightly more comfortable than the ground, she waited for instruction, or explanation regarding the stool. One hand already began to loosen her clothing. Jade did not bare herself to him yet in case he wished to be the one to unwrap her. Some men preferred treating her like some sort of present to be unveiled at their leisure.

    ”Alright, so let’s get this over with.” he had said with such near disdain that Jade expected he was referring to an explanation or the part where they haggled over price. She was used to being treated like dirt; but usually men were not hurrying to dismiss her of her services before they even began.

    When he reached into his shirt, Jade expected a gag, or rope, or bizarre piece of fruit to come forth. The bloody cloth caused her to tense up. She highly doubted he had brought enough money for her to entertain him with whatever was in that bit of cloth.

    As he tried to hold it out towards her, Jade was sliding to the end of the bed as far away as she could get, and planning to back her way to the door. She could tell him what she thought, but she doubted he’d like hearing that he was a sick fu-

    Then he called her master smith and the entire situation took on new meaning. Tentatively she took a step closer, as if this was all some kind of dream or a trap. Jade reached out and touched a piece of the blade, felt the faint hum of the magic inherent in all metal being brought to life. Jade slid her finger along the edge and was cut for her boldness. Snapping her hand back from sudden pain, her finger quickly stuck in her mouth to try to stop the bleeding. Tears threatened to escape her eyes; but it was not from the pain.

    A sword. Someone was asking her to work on a real sword. Someone was willing to pay her to wield hammer and rend metal. As far as Jade was concerned, this man could throw her on her back and have his way with her for the rest of the day, and she would hold him no ill will as long as he still paid her to work on the sword. She could be a person, a real person, once again. It was a greater gift than any had given her in a long time, and she would do anything to accept it.

    Jade glanced up, brought back to the present by the sound of her name. He didn’t believe she was who she was! Desperate to keep this golden gift being offered her, the woman spun away in a flutter of long silk sleeves and hurried over to her things. She wrenched open the heavy bag and from it withdrew a large bundle, which she carried like a some kind of heirloom in her hands. Jade dropped to her knees before the man. She bent at the waist bowing till her head touched the floor, and finally tears broke from her eyes and began to smear the paint on her face as they slid down her cheeks.

    Jade unwrapped the bundle without even looking as she spoke, refusing to come up. “My name is Jade Hayashi.” She introduced herself, before looking up to him and presenting him with the now unwrapped bundle. The heavy, orichalcum hammer was glittering even in the dim light, and heavy in her arms. Jade continued to hold it up towards him, the only proof she had left that she could do what he asked of her. She lowered her tearstained face to the ground in a deep and imploring bow once more, while still holding the hammer aloft as best she could. “My name is Jade Hayashi, please, I beg you, give me the honor of fixing your sword.”
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    Kelvin Friedhelm
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    Her shifting away served to deepen his resignation. It wasn’t so bad though, Kelvin had pretty much given up when he found the whore in the alley, drugged and filthy. It was like expecting some street urchin to suddenly burst into an explanation of calcitus.... Calitus? Something to do with numbers. He sighed and slid back, only to raise an eyebrow when she summoned the courage to step forward and touch the blade. Kelvin blinked when she ran an unwary digit along one of the sharpened pieces of the blade, too slow to yank it back before she sliced a finger open.

    Not particularly bright, even for an drug addicted whore... He dropped the package to the rough wood floor with a muffled clank, but she turned about to rummage through her meager possessions before he could take a closer look at the cut. Maybe to look for some sort of bandage- Kelvin very much doubted in her ability to produce an unsoiled one though.

    He tilted his head a bit, considering the woman he had hired as she went through her things for a moment. That clothing was extraordinary, he had yet to work under even a wealthy client with such cloth. It added a bit to the intrigue of someone who painted their face white and lip red as a sort of makeup. Alluring, but at the same time exotic. It probably was one of the ‘features’ that made her stand out more to her clients. Haste was of apparent import, considering how quickly she extracted the wrapped object she was going for, despite the reverence with which she handled it.

    The thin, possibly starved woman went to her knees and kowtowed as she unwrapped whatever it was she had carried. Kelvin felt an unpleasant turning in his stomach at that position and began to stand slowly until he saw the first teardrop hit the floor. Blink.

    Seven men knelt under a blazing sun, hands bound behind their backs with braided twine and leather straps. Kelvin grimaced, shading his eyes with his left hand as he surveyed the group. In his right was his drawn blade, long before it had ever held enchantment. From one of the larger homes in the village a small stream of people filed out, these accompanied by a guard of four and his captain, all in Morrimian uniform to match his own. His commanding officer was brisk, if not merciful. ”These familial associates of the accused so witness the execution of these seven traitors. The Friedhelm will serve as executioner, and Weslen as his second.”

    He had expected this. Kelvin took his position next to the first man, his second shoving the man’s forward into a bow, exposing his neck. Kelvin flicked his eyes upward to his officer, who raised a hand slowly, and then swiftly struck downward. His grip tightened, and his blade scythed down, Kelvin focused on his target for a clean, painless cut, a focus that let him see the tears staining the sand an instant before a spray of blood blanketed everything as a scream from the observers shattered the nervous silence.


    Blink. The memory hit his mind like a wave, causing Kelvin to stumble and sit down on the stool again, hard. His face paled, but he kept his presence of mind well enough. Jade Hayashi. In her hands the thing. Item. The hammer she had unwrapped... of fine workmanship. Focus on that. It was clearly a tool of creation, but in comparison to its owner, the heft and size of it seemed almost ridiculous. The tears running down her face had been real enough though. He broke his gaze when she lowered her face again, imploring him to fix... Kelvin slid his gaze back over to the loosely wrapped, slightly bloody cloth that held remnants of his sword. In his mind a distant echo resounded again.

    ”Call it an honor if you want. But a polished butchers blade is still just that.” He averted his eyes from the prostrate woman and stood, bending over to pick her up by her shoulders. ”And I would prefer if you didn’t do that, flattering as it is.” When had bowing become a sign of honor? What made it different from a man giving himself in to death? Kelvin’s mouth twisted in a slight grimace. Time for business. He moved past the woman and knelt next to the bed to slide a small cask out from under it, leaving the rest of his things where they were. He plucked up the bundle that held what was left of his blade and unraveled it, careful to avoid slicing his hands on the blades. Three pieces. The wooden hilt had splintered to pieces, so he had kept only the metal of the blade with him when he had picked up the pieces. The crossguard had been flatted and bent unnaturally, along with the metal above and below it. The second piece was fairly straight, representing what was left of the center of the blade, and the third piece was folded over itself, comprised of what used to be the curve at the tip of the blade. He laid them out on the cot carefully before glancing at Jade apologetically. ”Wasn't anythin’ else left worth ta’ pick up... And you don’t appear much prepared for the job. What needs be done?”

    Kelvin plucked a knife from his pack under the bed and slammed the hilt down to the side of the head of the cask, causing it to tilt upward. With a wrench, it came off, revealing the rest of her payment inside. ”Mind you, I en’t paying more than half until that blade is done.” He looked at Jade inquisitively, and with a slightly guarded expression. Kelvin had no intention of being robbed.
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    Jade
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    Jade waited for him to speak before daring to look up. When he did, he did not accept directly; but she took his words to mean he would not turn her away. This fact still left her with a feeling of uncertainty in her stomach. She wanted this all to be true so badly; but was afraid it would all fall apart.

    Unconsciously, she held her hammer with a white knuckled grip. The familiar comfortable weight in her hands was a stabilizing force that helped her to be calm, and believe this wasn’t just a trap or cruel dream. The way he spoke almost disdainfully about his blade did not inspire any confidence that whatever deal he had in mind would not fall apart.

    As the blade was laid out in its pieces, Jade felt that a grain hopper did not quite explain what exactly had been done to the poor thing. “A whore in the street is just that, until someone calls her a smith.” Jade responded as best she could in the common tongue, trying to convey the weight of what he had done for her. “I am nothing, by bringing me this job, you honor me by making me something again. In my homeland, we bow to show thanks or respect, in this case it was both.”

    She reached out cautiously to the blade again, as it was set upon the bed, examining it closely as he began to move things out from beneath the bed. Something shiny caught his eye after a heavy creak of part of a trunk being opened. Jade’s eyes grew wide and she fought the urge to slam the lid closed on instinct, for fear of bandits and thieves.

    Jade motioned for him to close it, knowing already that that much coin could get a lot accomplished here. Already she knew what she wanted to do with what might be left for her. She could make her life so much better if she was smart about how she proceeded. Though much of that would be lost in what they would have to do to restore this blade.

    She took a breath and tried to collect her scattered thoughts. Closing her eyes for a moment, she focused and allowed herself to see the larger picture. Things were not certain yet. He did not want to pay up front, but half the money there would need to go to paying off the right people to let her work on it if he wanted the sword fully restored. Further there were the hard lessons she had learned on the street, that one always got payment up front or one did not always get paid. It would do her no good to work on the blade if in the end all it did was bolster her self esteem.

    “You do not trust me, and I trust no one.” Jade began to explain. “Your blade can be fixed today, with the half that you offer; but it will be lighter, smaller, and will easily break again. If you want me to make it strong again, it will take many days, and I need to trust you enough to help me with what needs done.” Jade hesitated and looked him over once more. A stranger, uncomfortable and grumpy, clearly strong like a soldier, possibly a mercenary or murderer for hire. There was no guarantee he would not try to kill her when she was done fixing his blade, rather than pay her for her work.

    “Tell me how you broke the sword. Tell me the truth, and agree to follow my instructions, and we have a deal.” Jade looked at the broken pieces of enchanted metal, it would take more than a single blow against any blunt object to have broken the cross-guard, bent and broke the tip, snapped the foible, and snapped off the metal that should have been within the hilt.
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    Kelvin Friedhelm
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    Exactly what a petty thief would claim. Kelvin’s mind rebelled against the thought of trusting a whore and drug addict with anything. It wasn’t just him, any reasonable person would. Not that a deserter or murderer is much better. He glanced back at the woman and rocked back on his heels, still unsure. She fit the description, and the hammer spoke by itself. But it wasn’t enough for him. Kelvin let the lid shut with a light thud and stood.

    “Aye, anyone would be foolish to trust me. But I would be more foolish to trust you.” Kelvin grimaced and held up a hand in hopes of forestalling any outbursts. “The difference here is that I need you. Not many ah smith can rework this blade withou’ contract.” At least not many who he could afford.

    A smile crept across the corner of his mouth. No point in alienating her after coming all this way. Kelvin squared himself to her and bowed. “I agree with ‘he terms. I will take care of any materials, renting, an’ dealing with others.” He straightened looked at her coldly. “However, I require that we sleep in the same building, room if need be. I handle the money until it is finished, and you keep within eyesight when out and abou’, if possible.” He sat down and spoke more mildly.

    “Of course, I’ll assure your safety, and arrange your affairs to your liking before we part.” The terms were fair enough in his mind. Kelvin rolled his eyes when his stomach grumbled. She likely was hungrier than he was, which sparked an idea. He didn’t often have decent ideas. “’ere, let’s go find something to eat, and I’ll tell you what happened.” It likely would make them both a bit more agreeable. He took a step towards the door, hesitated, and then moved back to the bed, kneeling and extracting a handful of coins from the chest, as well as selecting a belt knife and his own wallet, both of which he affixed to his belt, tucking the later into his pants. Theft prevention was key. “You can leave your things here, they won’t be touched.” Kelvin pulled the room key from about his neck and gestured for her to move ahead of him. Something she had said bothered him though.

    “You know... I was a farmboy until someone told me I was a soldier.” He didn’t meet her gaze. “But I was the one who decided when I became a murderer. No title can hurt more than ones we give to ourselves. Remember that.” His eyes went to the blade on the bed. Does the blade of a killer carry some of the sin? A brother in bearing the pain, or a cold and heartless means to an end? Kelvin resolved to be silent until they got to wherever she wanted to eat.
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    Jade
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    Jade had braced herself for the worst. When his initial retort came, and he raised his hand, she flinched by instinct, expecting him to bring it down to strike her for questioning him. Her knuckles gripping her hammer tightly as she did so; but not raising it to defend herself. When no blows came and the man continued to speak she relaxed, only just, and listened.

    He did not trust her, and she did not blame him. She did not trust him and were the roles reversed she would not trust her either. Still he agreed to her conditions, and even seemed to have an anticipation and understanding of the kinds of requests she would make. He must have known more both about metalwork and the difficult laws of Ashoka than she gave him credit for. So many outsiders, particularly men, were ill-informed or uninterested in the difficulties women faced to survive on their own here, let alone foreign women.

    As he stated his own terms for her to agree too and Jade nodded. ”When I am at work, you are not to touch me, this is my request. When the days work is over, I will sleep wherever you wish. You have, after all, bought a whore, and I will not forget my place.” He wanted them in the same room, and he was a soldier. Already Jade had given up thinking he would not make use of both her professions; but by stating as much, perhaps he would not fear she would resist him, and would not disturb her work. She could be both whore, and blacksmith; but not both at the same time.

    The prospect of eating was too exciting to her stomach to consider refusing. Jade again nodded her head in quiet agreement and rose up to her feet. Her cold eyes scanned the room, seeking something, which they eventually found. Jade crossed the small room and knocked on a board by the wall. Then , pried it up with her fingers to reveal a hidden alcove that had a few discarded items in it. She felt no need to explain to the man that other working girls like her had stashes such as these in many rooms throughout Eldahar. They were a good place to hide a few coin for oneself, some incriminating evidence, or a bit of contraband to help take the edge off. Carefull she lowered her hammer into the cache and set the board back into place.

    As she moved towards the door, she listened to his comment without looking towards him. She had nothing to say in response either, that she had not said to other optimists. Jade had no delusions about her current place in the world. Jade was an outsider, a whore, and a monster. However, this job was the largest chance she had yet been given to take a step towards changing that. Maybe, just maybe, she could again call herself a smith.

    The soldier seemed to be still largely a stranger to these lands, so offering her arm for him to take as if he was guiding her, she subtly steered them, without words, to a market street where the smells of various local foods could be smelled and at stalls and windows cooks, butchers, and farmers hawked their wares. A well trained hostess did not eat first however. It was her place to be submissive in this endeavor, to let him decide where they would eat. Still, her stomach wanted to ensure he understood his place. “Any place here should provide a decent meal, and a place to talk.”
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    Kelvin Friedhelm
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    Kelvin chose to ignore the looks of the patrons as he passed once again through the common room, which was a bit hard. Especially with the tracks tears had left in Jade’s face paint. The weight of his self conscience was hefty, and his back was stiff. There was nothing he could do or say to defend his reputation. Moving was the only good option as stopping would just make it worse.

    He had always been a stickler for reputation, and that habit had protected his career in more ways than one. The lower class and lesser nobles might not care about his background, however the important nobles could afford to be picky with who guarded their children and money. The same went for the merchant class. Few merchants would take on a guard to travel with their family if the man was a womanizer. Soto could take it much worse. The guilds were highly competitive at times, and a bad mark to your name was as effective at extinguishing a career as any Angkarian rune cannon. Luckily circumstances had brought this event to light in Ashoka, where he had few- if any- contacts. (Not much for outsourcing, these Ashokans.) It wasn’t likely anyone he knew would run into them, and much less a competitor. Though he wasn’t sure which was worse. The fact that he was with a whore, or that she had obviously been crying recently.

    The subtle signals the exotic woman gave whilst leading him were a relief. He didn’t hesitate in taking her arm- Kelvin was responsible for her well-being until his sword was finished. Possibly more important was the verbal contract that had just been made. Kelvin didn’t plan on breaking it. Whore, street rat, noble, merchant, adventurer. He would guard anyone, with a good contract in place. In a way, this put him under her command. He needed his sword repaired. He was paying her. He was working as her guard.

    Despite this, her subservience, flinching when he raised a hand- it all was a testament to the faults in Ashoka. The lower class had no support, left to die of heat or herbs dependent on whichever came first. Soto at least had guilds that would support an individual, so long as that individual was willing to work. Morrim wasn’t the best place for a beggar to live, but peasantry had always had a place to work- and the class system ensured somebody were responsible for taking care of them. It wasn’t perfect, but it did it’s job. If this was what a system allowing ‘free’ business (under the government of course) produced, then Kelvin wanted none of it. Then there was slavery. Sure, the Sotoans said that Morrim kept slaves, but that was a lie. His country kept servants. Maybe they were ‘forced’ into servitude by contracts, and maybe some corrupt nobility resulted in poor conditions here or there. But it was leagues away from slavery. It was one thing when corruption was the exception, quite another when corruption was the system.

    Kelvin glanced at Jade, noting her thicker clothing, and then down at his own- shirt still unlaced. Dressed as she was, minus the streaks in her facial decor, she easily appeared to be the employer. At least, she would have in Morrimian and Sotoan societies. Likely Angkarian too, though he was ignorant of their customs. He was decently well versed in the continental societies simply because he needed to be- no point in insulting people wherever you went.

    She abruptly stopped, their stroll through the city had taken them to... The most beautiful thing he had seen in a long while. A market place. It was always glorious to see so much food in one place. Growing up on a farm was one thing, but this was quite another. City goers had no idea how much work it took to make this stuff, and yet most farmers had no idea how hard it was to make a living off of other work. His mouth was already watering.

    “Any place here should provide a decent meal, and a place to talk.”

    Jade made no movement to indicate preference, so Kelvin paused, his eyes drawn towards one of the butcher’s stands. Unfortunately his sense of money outlasted the draw on his stomach. For such an expensive venture, he refused like a king at the expense of his savings- such was the mighty will of a cheap man with a fist of iron to rival Orion himself, where money and personal comfort were concerned. He lead Jade carefully to a shaded stall that was selling fried vegetables, many of which he recognized, along with some he did not. Kelvin bought a large platter, heaped with the stuff. One could always fill himself cheaply with vegetables, for their abundance.

    Cheaper meat pies were being sold the stall over, however he couldn’t bring himself to trust them. Four experiences too many in his younger years had long taught him the rules of buying food at the market. First, if you can’t see it, it ain’t meat in there. Second, don’t ask what it is if you are afraid of the answer.

    He left Jade there for a moment- the man had a fair sized counter, and there were a few others eating to the sides of it, astride some spindly stools. It took only a moment to locate another man frying some thin discs of bread, they were about pinkie thick, and had a bit of fluff. It was almost as expensive as the vegetables all over again to buy five of them, each about a handspan across. Kelvin returned in a hurry, and already had to brush away a spindly man who was attempting to pay off his employer and employee. It didn’t take much to change his mind. Here was a good meal. Kelvin hooked a stool with his ankle and drew it closer, offering it to Jade. Then he took a piece of bread, laying the rest down on the platter, gesturing to Jade.
    ”Take as you like. I be cheap, but I’m not cruel man.”
    With that, he used the bread to grab up a handful of vegetables, folding it in half around them and biting down. It was delicious. Potatoes, cubed and fried until the outside had a bit of crunch, and the inside soft. Peas, peppers, and something that he vaguely recalled as starting with a z... zukiny or something similar. It lacked seasoning or spice, but the variety of the mix gave it the flavor it needed. Besides, salt and pepper could be expensive. He downed his first fairly quickly, but hesitated from taking another until Jade was finished.

    ”It’s all well and good to talk, but what needs be done first? A smith? Metal? Ah place te stay?”

    He knew the basics of forging, having grown up in the mountains of Morrim, a farmer had to be resourceful, and tended to teach his sons many of the same traits. They had never had to work hot metal before, but he was somewhat familiar with the concept.
    ”And do yeh ‘ntend to work in that kind ah clothing around sparks and flame?” The last time he had been near a smith was during the first forging of his blade, years ago. But it wasn’t hard to see how fire and the strange cloth she wore made a poor mix.
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