POOHEAD189

RPer Appreciation Thread

@Penny Best writing partner I've ever had, and a really good friend. Has great ideas, characters, and she can write circles around me. Here's hoping for another 10,000 1x1s in the future.

Darkhearts: A Forgotten Realms RP

Amal was often considered somewhat of a maverick, even in the guild. Most thieved because they could do nothing else, or because they were good at it, and others because they had the life thrust upon them. Amal was a product of all three, but most importantly, he enjoyed the life. The danger was addicting, and doing it for so many years had him take other parts of his life with such recklessness. He had been quite serious about the drink, though he doubted she would acquiesce even if she did happen to be on the surface. The reason she was above ground (or, was, before she was thrown down here with Amal) was a curiosity to him, but he decided they could talk more about it later.

He crouched beside her, giving a grin. "I do not know where you are from, but cities on the surface are not always open to all, even humans. Some leave beggars or thieves at the gates, and others require a tax or an endorsement by some lord or patron. And if I am traveling with you, their opinions of drow might extend to their companions as well." He shrugged as if it 'was what it was.'

"Last thing I remember was being on the deck of the ship, and there were pirate sails on the horizon. And some sort of flash..." He whispered, trying to recall what he could. "I had thought it lightning, but now that I think of it, the sky had been clear and blue. Perhaps it was a wizard's lightning, or maybe I was just hit from behind. I don't know. I guess I should thank Ibrandul I wasn't killed or maimed and just brought here."

They crept forward, following the goblin's directions. The cavern was roughly hewed, but easily traversable. They moved in near silence until they reached a fork in the tunnel, and Amal peered down the right tunnel, letting his eyes adjust from the now distant light of the brazier behind them. The air was slightly cooler now, and it irked him to guess the colder it got, the closer they were to freedom. He would need some thicker clothes.

He turned and gave her a roughly displayed hand sign that showed the coast was clear. In the near-darkness, her womanly silhouette looked fetching, almost sensual. He pushed the thought aside, the cool air brushing against his caramel skin bringing him back to reality.

Grim Galaxy: Shots and Chances

"Wow," Neil breathed as he checked the impressive readings of the planet. It was .93 the size of earth, giving it a very comfortable amount of gravity for the inhabitants, and one a terran or spacer could get used to very swiftly. Its continents were moderately sized and verdant, and its oceans were a cerulean blue and filled with abundant life. Coupled with that, the atmosphere was very slightly more oxygen rich than ancient terra, which made the inhabitants lively and the animals were marginally larger than they might be initially. Neil wished his own wartorn homeplanet was this lovely, and for the first time he began to contemplate that he might have had a rougher upbringing than Junebug.

Whatever happened after she left her homeworld, it had spat out a woman tougher than iron and colder than the void of space.

He was glad for it though. It made her into his girlfriend.

The Highlander approached in a meandering pace, receiving a hailing frequency about two million kilometers from the planet. Neil was surprised when it popped up. Normally they would be hailed fifty million kilos away, not two million. The planet must be used to relaxing when it came to defense.

"Identification number and ship callsign?" A sonorous man's voice chirped over the feed.

"ID number I593794, callsign Highlander. Here for refuel and resupply." Neil replied, lowering power from the sublight engines with a few choice button presses so they could cruise the next few hundred kilometers. "Requesting permission to dock."

"A-ffirmative! Just head in to dock 34D and enjoy your stay on Celandine, sir."

"Uh, thank you." Neil said, amused at the friendliness. Most places they docked they were speaking to either computers or overworked dock dispatchers. Taya laughed a bit, but she noticed Junebug's severity and furrowed her brow. Neil was none-the-wiser, eyes focused on the display. "Think we'll be able to go to the beach? I been meaning to work on my tan, and I haven't swam in water that wasn't chemically unstable in way too fucking long."

"The beaches here are nice," Junebug said in a tight tone, as if she were begrudgingly admitting to it. "But we shouldn't stay longer than it takes to get resupplied if we want to make that payday at Gliese 876. I'm not gonna take a quick holiday over a few million credits."

"Yeah, true. But I'm sure we'll have an afternoon. Your family won't take up too much of our time, right?"

How high can we count before a mod gets involved?

At The Edge of The World

"Erm, yes of course." The councilor said, reaching his hand out to the left to gain the attention of a tired woman wearing a stately, handsome dress. "Irma, please find the physicians. Tell them we have six men in need of care."

"Five. I appreciate it but I just need a bath too, and something to eat." I said, not wanting to be busied over when other men were in more dire need of care. I had a few extra cuts, but that was about the extent of it. I crossed my burly arms and nudged Emmaline, who tried to remain officious but gave me a small smile she was clearly trying to keep from blooming into a wider grin. Truth be told, I wanted to show Emmaline around the city, but I had never been here in the company of an aristocrat. Perhaps she would garner special treatment of some kind?

"Thank the saints for you sir," One of the protostates said, patting my shoulder.

"And to you my lady, we are at your service, if you would have us." Another, Titus, said to her. He tried to kneel but Emmaline swiftly put a stop to it. I was at his side immediately as well, keeping him from the ground. He might not have been able to rise again from his injuries.

"Just get better. If I need to, I shall call upon you Legionnaires." She remarked with all the surety and grace of a queen. Their faces lit up, and most of them looked to me as well, as if I too had stood beside her on the pronouncement. Granted, a good boyfriend supported his girl, but I did not feel I should take much credit. I just did what I could when I could. Emmaline was the amazing one, as far as I was concerned.

"And might I garner a name, my lady?" The councilor asked her, a quill now in his hand as he fingered a small piece of parchment.

---

Across the thoroughfaire, a few off-duty dock workers stood together and smoked pipes, one laughing like a uproariously in a strange, high pitched cadence that did not fit his burly frame. The smell of freshly cooked meat and an assortment of other savory foods wafted in the air from a collection of windows in every direction, and colorful birds sat upon clotheslines and on rooftops, letting out hoots and caws of every kind imaginable. A gang of freebooters with the bowling gaits of sailors and the scars of pirates passed by us as we absorbed all the sights and sound, a few of their eyes lingering on Emmaline. I had the urge to step between her and their leering eyes, but both Emmaline and I were tired and if I started a fight for a look, I think she would consider it more trouble than it was worth.

Honestly it was nice being back. I loved the smell of the water and the look of the city, and the people here were fun, though notably dangerous I had to remind myself. Still, the sun was shining brightly, and from another street we heard the delectable, rhythmic tunes of local music.

"Quite a city for being so far south." Emmaline commented, impressed.

"Yeah, it's all the trade and spices, and a lot of people are explorers or the descendants of them who made a living here. At least that's what my dad told me." I replied, feeling a bit nostalgic. Briefly I wished he was here. He had been the last time, introducing me to some of the lords and ladies, and the magistrate. Being a notable priest was not well paying in coin, but you did rub shoulders with some of the rich.

We passed through one of Darkwater's squares, a wide area with a central fountain of cascading clear water. A group of people congregated around it, some tossing in small copper coins to make wishes and others marveling at a brown-skinned aradian man and his pet leopard, the spotted beast yawning lazily. A few stepped back as the gesture revealed its long fangs and strange tongue. I always had a large urge to pet animals that allowed me, but Emmaline knew that and she prodded me forward gently. I gave her a guilty smile, and across the square we reached the inn we agreed to stay at temporarily while we awaited a summons to court.

The Stuck Pig was more of a restaurant and brewery than an inn, but there were a few rooms upstairs for special guests, and I knew the owner. Olly Gormson had been the owner of the establishment for almost as long as I had been alive, and he was an old friend of my father's. Though honestly, I was most excited for his pulled pork loaded potatoes. The thought alone had me salivating, but that could wait until after Emmaline and I had cleaned and gotten settled. We passed under the expansive awning, the outdoor tables under the shade in an open space in front of the building. Men and women enjoyed spiced drinks and spoke of local rumors, and once we passed inside, it restuarant was flavored like a northern tavern from the Sea of Swords. Kegs and notched, round tables, along with the timber walls gave the entire room a rich coloring of mahogany brown. I made a B line for the counter, seeing who I wanted to without hesitation.

The man there was balding, with chops of hair only above his ears. Below his nose, a wide grey mustache stretched like two arms spread out to their full extent. I knocked on the table surface, and he drew his head up from the orders he was reviewing. "Hey Olly, how's business?" I asked.

Olly blinked, peering at me for a moment until it clicked in his brain. "Beren! My, boy, you've grown! And I don't just mean taller," He said, making a show of flexing his arm. "I can't even believe it. Is your father here?"

"No, but I do have this..." I responded, handing a small slip of paper. Olly adjusted his spectacles and read the note carefully. He seemed equal parts amused and startled. Glasses clinked and someone called for more sweet sauce in a small span of seconds before he spoke.

"I assume this has to do with your lady friend?" He said, and with a nod, he gave Emmaline a kind smile. "We would treat nobles as directed, always. But if you're with Beren, we'll give you a bit extra on the house." He told her with a wink.

Darkhearts: A Forgotten Realms RP

Amal would have found it humorous that a woman less than a full head shorter than him commanded so much fear and obedience, even if it was a goblin on the receiving end. Only he had to admit she played the part well, or rather, she simply was that way, and he understood why the goblin felt the way it did. He wasn't afraid of her, but had he not allied himself with her and was similarly restrained, he would be intimidated. It piqued his interest, actually. Mostly because she was so unlike all the women he had known.

He stroked his fine chin when she inquired if he had anything further to add. "Is Fel'dregar this Zhengyi?" He pointedly asked the goblin.

It shook its head, ears flapping like leather. "No, Zhengyi isss who the master tries to use. Someone master did call master..." It croaked, and when further prodded, the goblin had nothing further to add save for his whines. Amal guessed the creature really did not know more, and he wasn't surprised it was told nothing concrete about any of the operations or goals of those above. The two satisfied, Amal hesitated a moment, and then snickered, before striking the goblin in the head again as he did last time. The little thing barked in pain, but it was dazed, and he tossed it to the floor.

If Charynrae gave him a questioning gaze, he would give her a grin. "He'll either keep quiet, or he'll have to admit he helped us escape." He explained, before Amal added slyly: "Best to leave him to the mercy of his wonderful master."

Amal swiftly grabbed the map, and tossed one of the satchels to Charynrae to take with them. An easy throw for one of the agile elves. Afterwards, he gave her the handsign that marked he was ready, more for practice than to prove anything to her. The cutthroat drew both of his elven daggers, flipping one easily.

"Shall I follow your lead, and then we switch when we reach the sun? Or do you still not trust me?" He said playfully. Of course she did not fully trust him. Even for someone non-drow, they had just met. However, he felt it was obvious it was in his own best interest to not betray her, even if he would have an easy way to strike her from behind. While he was good in the dark, her eyes were still better than his and he did feel she should take point.

"If we make it out of here alive, I'll buy you a drink..." He shrugged, adding as an after thought: "If the city lets us in, and if you drink that sort of thing, and if we don't freeze to death..."

Darkhearts: A Forgotten Realms RP

"I'll remember the warning," He said to her, choosing to not view it for a thinly veiled threat. He let her give her name, and said it aloud for emphasis. "Charynrae... nice name." He said breathlessly, letting it roll off the tongue. "I'll call you your full name, unless we decide to stick around a bit together. Once I call you Char, you'll know you've made it."

He decided to stop messing with her, his smile disappearing as he concentrated on her swift teachings. He mirrored her movements as best he could, repeating them multiple times in repetition. Drow hand signs were exceedingly hard. He wondered why she thought the names were difficult when she was going to show him something as advanced as this. Luckily, he was dexterous with his hands. He had to be in his profession, and he caught on quickly, only fumbling once or twice.

Once they got through nearly ten phrases or words, Amal stretched his fingers by entwining them together and thrusting his hands out. "I think I got the gist, thank you. I would tell you the thieves cant, but it might be more useful in the city rather than for underground stealth." He remarked. As he did so, the goblin stirred. Amal winked at Charynrae, and then grabbed the goblin by the nape of the neck. The little creature groaned pitifully, and when its big eyes opened it was face to face with the drow woman.

It screeched in fright, and Amal whispered in its long ear, quietly menacing. "Answer our questions or she will feed you to a thousand thousand spiders." He promised darkly, smiling wickedly behind the goblin so only Charynrae could see. "How do we get out of here? How many of you are there? How do we get back to civilization?"

Darkhearts: A Forgotten Realms RP

If she had been a human he would have patted her back, but he had the distinct feeling touching her at all, even in a friendly manner, would end up with him being stabbed. And to be fair, he was sometimes friendly and open so he could potentially kill a mark later without them suspecting. But here, he wasn't planning anything nefarious of the sort. He ate the rat nearly as quickly as her, pulling the little bones out and tossing them onto the cavern floor with nonchalance.

"Hmmm, I guess you would continue talking in case you were not within eyesight of one another?" He said somewhat obviously, though he hadn't the appreciation of how being silent meant staying alive in the millions of caverns in the underdark. Even if moving silently was a major part of his own trade. He planted his elbow on the table, chin resting on his hand as he watched her move back and forth. Her robes were almost mesmerizing, and her hips moved nicely, he thought absently.

However she broke his thought process with her next question, and the thief laughed when she asked him his name, mostly for his own lack of thought on the matter. "You are right, we should know one another a bit better. I am Amal, former thief and bandit under Pasha Buldaro of Calimport." He unsheathed one of the elven knives, running a finger over the keen blade idly. "Now I am a current thief and bandit for myself, or whoever wishes to pay me the most."

The dagger was sharp as obsidian, which suited him. He sheathed the weapon again, and hopped up off the chair. "And I think I am ready to learn a handsign or two after you tell me your name." He declared, running a hand through his thick dark hair before he reached her. The firepit made the room quite cozy, and it made Amal feel a bit more amicable. He was used to the unrelenting heat of the sun in the far south, after all.

Amal glanced at the goblin, but thankfully it was still out cold. He'd wake him once their lessons were over, the cutthroat decided. Then after that, he would probably have to kill the little guy. Nothing personal, but it was just how the world worked.

Grim Galaxy: Shots and Chances

Neil stared at her for a second. Not because she was naked, or not only because of that, but he was also concerned. If one was sleeping while R.I.P. tides were uneven, and particularly if they were entering or exiting the lanes, it was a common occurence to cause dreams, particularly vivid nightmares. There was something about the phenomenon that effected the brain and triggered such things, particularly when one was offguard and asleep. He wasn't going to ask her if his theory was right, but it was clear he could make an educated guess as to what happened. "Lonney, take the wheel." He said absently, before getting up.

"Hey Captain, it's all good. We had a bit of trouble but we're safe now," He temporized. Junebug's eyes were set forward, almost as if she was still dreaming, or at least thinking about something far away. "Babe? Why don't you get some clothes on before Taya wakes up? You know how I jealous I get." It was a joke, but he did think her heartbeat needed to slow down a notch or two. "Get a shower too, you're kinda sweating-"

"Just give me the report, Neil." She said, finally looking at him. He scratched his head, glancing back at the display monitor.

"Ok, at around 300 hours standard terran time, there was an anomaly in the R.I.P. tides and we all almost died. Bad news is we need more power and coaxium to get back into R.I.P. space and make our payday. Good news is, we're not dead thanks to my piloting skills, and we're also not in the middle of deep space. We actually ended up in a known system. One you know better than most, probably." He ended the explanation with a shrug, thinking it was good luck they stopped here. Sayeeda might have a contact or two that would help them get the supplies they needed without denting their funds too much.

"What do you mean?" She asked curiously, eyes narrowing.

"We ended up in Hydronikas, and judging from the sensors here-" He walked to the cockpit chair and pointed at a smaller display where data was still beading across the screen as Lonney continued to scan their surroundings. "We're just a few hundred thousand miles away from your home planet. We can dock there and get the shit we need and then head out after a small holiday. If you got family there you can introduce me."

He looked back at her, and her face was unreadable for a brief moment. "Babe?"

Darkhearts: A Forgotten Realms RP

It did not register with Amal at the moment that he and other humans were the usual slaves for drow. So he merely shrugged and nodded thoughtfully. Still, to take out something so large and ferocious with little to no fear was impressive. As he donned his weapons and grabbed one of the satchels, he idly wished he had a reflective surface to see how he looked. He imagined his mane of dark hair was somewhat disheveled from the number of days he was a prisoner.

He grabbed the two sticks, the crisp rats smelling fairly delectable to his tastes. He had eaten rat plenty before as a child, and it was almost nostalgic smelling the cooked meat once again, after at least fifteen years. But before he could bite into one, he saw the dark elf collecting something off the wall. She approached him and explained herself, presenting him with the blue moss. He was looking forward to the rodents, but he didn't want to offend her, and it was interesting learning about her particular expertise of the underdark.

"Thanks," He said, and gingerly took a bit of the moss to eat. Once it was in his fingers, he didn't hesitate, dropping the handful into his mouth. He blinked, surprised at how sweet it tasted, though that quickly gave way to bitterness, with a pungent, strong taste of raw vegetables throughout his chewing. He swallowed and cleared his throat. Not as good as cooked rat, but it was surprising how much he did not mind living off that, at least if the need arose. "Not bad. Here-"

He presented her with one of the sticks with a rat on it. "I'm not sure how much dark elves appreciate meat, but I heard your surface cousins aren't a fan, which likely means you might appreciate it. After all your tastes are far more refined." It was true he was playing to her prejudices, but honestly he had no surface elf loyalty and this drow was the most help he had ever gotten of one of the fey folk. Plus, while one might survive off moss, meat was still filling and he wanted her to be at tip top shape.

"And yeah, that's smart. I did not know you had handsigns, but I'm ready to learn once we eat a bit." He said. Couldn't be much harder than a thieves cant.