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Post by Sano Xhaala on Dec 24, 2018 18:31:38 GMT
"Ha!" Vaero gracefully dodged a hypothetical blow before sidestepping into another cool-looking but easily dodged attack. " I don't think I am exotic enough for their refined tastes. You're the main attraction, no matter how many times you fall down." Thrust, parry, feint, thrust, block. "I hear you're going to be entertaining the Kindly Mother personally. And it's not your sword she is going to want to touch." Swiping at him quickly "And where did you hear that ", she answered."I'm not surprised if by the end of the night the whole room doesn't want me to entertain them." She stepped into a thrust, partying his blow,"I'll just be glad when this is over... Tired of the eyes all over me." "I need a proper drink actually."
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Post by The Terror on Dec 24, 2018 18:54:09 GMT
"Spoke to the new recruits. You're fetching Lord Caltarys a rather hefty discount for their flesh, my friend."
Block, twirl, riposte. "Of course, you can now say you are now literally worth six other gladiators on paper. So you have got that going for you. I am probably worth three at most. Maybe four if I am completely sober and there's enough money on the line."
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Post by Sano Xhaala on Dec 24, 2018 19:44:31 GMT
"Spoke to the new recruits. You're fetching Lord Caltarys a rather hefty discount for their flesh, my friend." Block, twirl, riposte. "Of course, you can now say you are now literally worth six other gladiators on paper. So you have got that going for you. I am probably worth three at most. Maybe four if I am completely sober and there's enough money on the line." "Am I now", she asked, dodging his move, "Guess he's pretty proud...." "And you're worth more than that ", she grinned,"to me...."
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Post by Micaela Vaenys on Dec 24, 2018 21:46:34 GMT
"Visenya. I should say 'Lady Visenya Kultarys' but that makes me feel ancient. You're a... Vaenys, right? I met one of your sisters in Volantis. Actually, we were competing for the affections of this young, wealthy noble who had a dragon egg to boot. Of course, I met my Orys shortly thereafter, and he was hardly a pauper himself." She smiled at the memory. "I'm afraid I don't recall that particular incident. Did you know my sister well? I never paid much attention to my sisters' rivals, or their friends. I didn't go to many parties back home."
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Post by The Terror on Dec 29, 2018 17:08:48 GMT
"Indeed. I should like to see more of the continent soon. Perhaps I could find a secret diamond mine. Put the Maltalos family to shane." Rhaenys sipped her wine. "Though I notice you primarily keep your businesses within the town walls. Whores and drinks and gambling. It's all rather domesticated, isn't it? Do you intend to play your own hand at the safari game?"
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Post by The Terror on Dec 29, 2018 17:19:20 GMT
"Not particularly. I mean, I think we made out at a high society orgy once, but that's not really 'knowing' them. Forgive me, but she just didn't seem all that interesting. I married because I wanted a partner in this transient world, not to spend my life on my back pumping out heirs." Visenya shrugged.
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Post by The Terror on Dec 29, 2018 17:26:31 GMT
"Awww..." He grinned and recieved a smack in the stomach for his loss of focus after failing to block a routine blow.
He rubbed his abdomen for a second, before returning to the mock duel.
"I hope we get fed soon. The smell of that fine cuisine is driving me mad. And that wine. I know what Vaero the Voracious shall be doing while you're indisposed. Fear not. I'll save you some."
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Post by Jonarth Dabrezzio on Dec 30, 2018 11:28:01 GMT
"Indeed. I should like to see more of the continent soon. Perhaps I could find a secret diamond mine. Put the Maltalos family to shane." Rhaenys sipped her wine. "Though I notice you primarily keep your businesses within the town walls. Whores and drinks and gambling. It's all rather domesticated, isn't it? Do you intend to play your own hand at the safari game?" Diamonds, now that would be a find. “Business outside the town walls is hard without a family backing you,” he said. “Gambling and alcohol are something anyone with sufficient business sense can profit from.” He looked south. “But I plan on finding out what’s beyond here,” he said. “I would have lived somewhere else if I didn’t have any sense of curiosity.”
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Post by Micaela Vaenys on Dec 30, 2018 11:48:11 GMT
"Not particularly. I mean, I think we made out at a high society orgy once, but that's not really 'knowing' them. Forgive me, but she just didn't seem all that interesting. I married because I wanted a partner in this transient world, not to spend my life on my back pumping out heirs." Visenya shrugged. Micaela's eyes widened and then she grinned. "Oh, I can understand that! Jace spoke occasionally about how it would be pleasant to have a couple of children, but they weren't a priority for either of us." Nor, as it happened, had physical intimacy been a priority for the couple, but she was hardly going to tell her new acquaintance that. "Jace and I loved one another very much," she confided. "But both of us loved the pursuit of knowledge even more. I miss him, but I miss him most as a colleague and a friend."
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Post by Helaena Caltarys on Dec 30, 2018 18:55:04 GMT
Illora nodded. "The Lord of Light is not an easy companion, and neither is the light. I often wish I could remain in the temple for days and let Roshai tend to the Slave Quarter. He is much more adept at dealing with crowds, having lived among them so long. I, on the other hand, have only known the temple my entire life." She studied her apprentice's outfit, tracing the stitching. "You have a beautiful outfit, Helaena. A silver owl suits a Valyrian woman seeking secrets and answers." "Getting out every once in a while will do anyone good," Helaena mused, and smiled at the comment about her outfit. "Thank you," she said. "They do say the owls are often not what they seem." She studied the crowd again, and her glance lingered at the opening of the hedge maze. It seemed not many had dared enter it yet. "But now that the inhabitants of the menagerie have been let loose," she said, motioning at the guests, "there must be many secrets and answers abound. Though perhaps not the ones I am looking for. Will you try the maze tonight?"
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Post by Sano Xhaala on Jan 1, 2019 21:29:18 GMT
"Awww..." He grinned and recieved a smack in the stomach for his loss of focus after failing to block a routine blow. He rubbed his abdomen for a second, before returning to the mock duel. "I hope we get fed soon. The smell of that fine cuisine is driving me mad. And that wine. I know what Vaero the Voracious shall be doing while you're indisposed. Fear not. I'll save you some." Sano chuckled as her bow struck him, "Pay attention or you won't be eating anything but by spoon, if you fail to block again." He was correct, the smell of the food was almost maddening as they continued. "but don't worry about me dear Vaero, I'm sure I'll be eating something later", her eyebrow raised with a grin. "Now stay focused..."
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Post by Lord Aeradar Caltarys on Jan 1, 2019 22:35:28 GMT
(Success. Disposition raised.) Naerys finished the hors d'ourve as his host pitched his idea. "I considered this notion once. I even investigated it alongside my house clerks. And then we discovered a number of obstacles, the first and foremost being our location. All our potential clients live in such a tiny area. Then of course there is the fact no one truly requires an injection of capital. Taxes are comparatively light compared to Volantis or even Braavos, most of our homes are provided to us courtesy of the Lord Governor, and quite frankly, as you and I can attest, there is far more capital awaiting any one willing to just dig in the dirt a few miles away." Naerys took a drink from a passing tray. "So now we're left with the rabble. The foreign merchants and struggling commoners. Does the Bank of Linyanti start investing in them? I don't know how well you know Lord Graevyn or Lord Faekaryen, but neither of them would stand for it. The city council meetings would be a clamor if we started funding 'the enemy'." He sipped his wine before continuing. "But I do agree with your point about the need to direct the colony's development. We give far too much autonomy to foreigners." "But there is the crux of the matter," Aeradar grinned, having expected such objections. "Where you see obstacle, I see opportunity. While there are resources for the taking beyond the settlement walls, such expeditions are costly, even for those of means. Furthermore, they are risky, especially for a single investor. Otherwise both our respective houses would have scooped them up by the handful by now, rather than relying on foreigners for slaves and timber." He allowed that to sink in for a moment, as he took a glass of wine from a passing slave. "A bank allows an alliance of sort between families of means and worth, the right Valyrian families, allowing us to invest in the colony with a degree of separation from the inherent risk without relinquishing any degree of control over the colony. Besides, once the raw resources are found I would much rather be the one minting them into coins than digging them up from the dirt. Give the matter some thought." (Charisma 80 to persuade)
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Post by The Terror on Jan 3, 2019 1:09:32 GMT
"Oh?" She suddenly seemed more intrigued in The Life and Times of Jonarth Dabrezzio. "Is this hypothetical expedition solely for profit or is raw curiosity enough to make you risk your skin? No one has been in that blasted jungle since... well, before my family even arrived."
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Post by The Terror on Jan 3, 2019 1:18:18 GMT
"Yes, I quite know the feeling. Orys was always braver than me. It was his outrageous idea to move here in the first place. He was going to march in that disgusting jungle and become the next Aenys Maltalos. Sadly, this weather was just too much for his constitution." Visenya took a sip before continuing.
"So what are you looking for in that hell? Don't think I haven't heard about you flitting about town like a hummingbird..." She grinned, then raised her hand to halt a response.
"No, wait. In the spirit of adventure, let's have this conversation in that gorgeous maze. I shan't forgive myself if I get too drunk to explore!"
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Post by Jonarth Dabrezzio on Jan 3, 2019 1:26:44 GMT
Jonarth took an extra second to answer, letting the imagined suspense build. “A little of both,” he admitted. “I don’t think anyone can live here without at least wondering what’s out there, certainly more-“ he glanced to ensure his distance from the Maltolos family, “-than just salt. But I admit there’s something to it beyond just gold or diamonds or whatever awaits.” He collected his thoughts another moment.
“The mistake the first expeditions made was their goal of simply seeking to satisfy their curiosity. It led them to irrational decisions, going on long past the point of good sense. Towards the end the great explorer was shouting naked in my tavern, speaking to my workers like they were his dead comrades. I’m driven by a different compulsion,” he concluded. “Hopefully that leads to a different result.” He grinned and took a long drink.
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