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[Closed] Week 100: The Birth of Hospitium

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Tenchra

Tenchra

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For peeps
This thread is for those who are joining Hospitium, namely. Fins, Dys, Thana, Val. If anyone wishes to join, speak to me first.


The large boat slowed to a halt as it was tied down by the sailors. They busied themselves as they did their duties as fast as they could in order to have more time for shore leave. They had been on sea for quite a few months and were eager to stretch their land legs. Reilly on the other hand had only been on the boat for a few days, but he was just as eager. Change was coming and he was going to charge towards it. Walking off the boat and onto the deck, Reilly stretched wide and yelled loudly. “Hello, Concha Litus!”.


He had drawn awkward stares from everyone around him, and yet he did not care at all. Walking through the port city only a few things were on his mind, women, buildings, and women. Though not for the reasons most would assume. He was planning on opening a business, that offered some talented people for others entertainment. He had come to Concha Litus because he had heard word of some suitable buildings in this town, and given it was a port town, he was exceptionally interested.

Before setting off, he had posted fliers and notices throughout towns about the business he was opening. Hoping to find those special people who were interested, and build his work force before everything was set. While that may not have been the best course of action it was the one he was taking.

Walking through the city still, he had admired the look of what was already here, planning and scheming was taking place within his mind about how to build the business rapidly and in the form he needed it to be. While he was selling flesh, there was more to it than that, he was going to need friends in certain places to keep everything working the way it needed to be.


It was then he found his way to the building he was searching for. A run down place. Windows were boarded up and walls looked like they were to fall down at any moment, however the foundation was solid. He walked inside and examined things more closely. The support beams were study as ever, and while the floors were rotted out everything was workable. A perfect two story house, with a basement that can easily be extended as needed. His smiled wide and and nodded his head while laughing. This was going to work.

His next step was to begin working on tearing things down and getting things built. He walked outside and immediately headed to get hire workers in town for the job. It was going to take weeks, which was plenty of time for people to show up, he was hoping, and expecting workers to begin flooding in any day now.

[467]
 
Harper sighed as he wandered a bit aimlessly. Since the botched mission with that rat Sarkis, he hadn’t seen hide nor feather of Ignis. Without her safety at stake, he had quickly grown tired of his temperamental boss. As a result, he was in need of new employment --not that he was having much luck finding work.

For all of the spurii’s cleverness, he wasn’t actually sure how to find an employer who wasn’t violently manipulative or interested in sending him into illegal business. Mr. Molli had picked him up off the streets and taught him how to survive a scuffle or two and, more importantly, steal things. Eden had blackmailed his only friend and nearly gotten both of them killed. It was also her fault he was alone again.

“Tsk,” Harper clicked his tongue against his teeth, frustrated. Days of fruitless wandering and learning little had lead him nowhere. It turned out, most people who put out flyers for any work that wouldn’t land him in further trouble took issue with his criminal history. Even after leaving the continent of Hiemis altogether, Harper was reluctant to carelessly pursue offers for work.

A grumbling in the spurii’s stomach reminded him of the urgency of finding work. He was running low on exa and couldn’t afford to be too picky now. The grey-violet eyed man reached into his jacket and pulled out a few folded up pieces of paper. He smoothed out the flyers as best he could and scanned them, looking through the last of his options.

Bounty hunting? Nope. Fence painting? For 50 exa? Nah. Wait… what’s this?

Harper squinted at the final flyer. A whorehouse. It certainly wasn’t his first choice, but the spurii had hope the person opening a brothel would be a little less concerned about legal issues.

“Guess I’ll try this one out.” The former con man folded the paper back up and made his way towards the address listed on the help wanted ad tucked safely in his jacket.

Upon arrival, Harper brought the flyer back out again. He looked at the paper, looked around for signs of people near the dilapidated house. Was this the right place? He spotted a man examining the house, and made a few brief gestures. Approaching Reilly he said, “Looking for some help?”

[385]
 
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The sun glinted off silver studs that decorated brilliant orange fins on the wandering velen’s arms. Slung over her back was a large tattered bag, filled with only her essential clothing, a few alchemical ingredients, and personal items. The fair skinned velen paused at an intersection which contained five exits, and sighed. In her right hand she held the creased and stained flyer with an address somewhere near by, which meant sorting out yet another city’s chaotic roadways.


She could feel the awestruck stares from the local dock workers, as if they knew her profession from their first sight of her. Her left hand combed through long green hair, which flowed backwards on her head between two orange head frills that ran from her temples back to the base of her skull, and shot a group of them a playful smile along with an intense stare. After a few seconds of silence, the stunned men cheered and whistled. She laughed triumphantly, there would be time for them later. Assuming they had the coin to pay for her services, that was.


Aegle pulled close her leather jacket as a sudden wind picked up, and read over the street signage. Why the Vis could no two cities be planned out the same way? Even with ports, there was always a Waterfront Road, but then from there the similarities went to shit. Still, she had seen enough places to sort out where to go, Aegle scratched at the short purple hair she kept trimmed down on the side of her head, and double checked her bearings just in case.


“Castus be fucked, why not,” she swore under her breath, picked a direction and blew a kiss towards the dockworkers that still looked her way. A business, where her skills wouldn’t get her run out of town. This would be a first. At the very least Aegle knew she wanted to check out the establishment, to be sure it was safe for any other women that happened upon the strange request.


After getting lost only twice, Aegle found herself approaching a run down ratsnest of a building, with two figures. Putting on her best face she approached them both, overhearing the man approaching from the other side offering aide. She spoke up, “I was about to ask that myself, care to clue us in on these flyers of yours?”

[395]
 
"Whoa-ho-ho, now this place is a real dive, the skeeviest. And my, what a sight it would be to see in the night," a metallic, echoing voice sang.

A sculpted demvir stepped forward. Sculpted, that term was not an exaggeration. Everything about his body had been carefully crafted. He was tall, broad-shouldered, with muscular arms and well-defined abs. His legs were long and powerful. None of it was actually of any use, but its appearance gave him the look of machismo and virility. He even wore a tight pair of pants that ended just at the thigh. His face still had the same coldness and lack of emotion that demvir had, however.

"I read that you are opening up a fine establishment. I've been looking for a change of scenery. Some place to start anew." The demvir's voice warbled, changing in pitch frequently, sometimes even in the same word. His oculus apertures blinked in a mimicry of organic motion. "My name is The D, pleased to meet you, and you, and you." He extended his hand.

[176]
 
The men were busy working hard to get the building ready for use. It was already looking better than it was when he first approached it. Most of the walls were ripped out as they were being replaced. Reilly’s mind was dancing around when he his concentration was broke by the words of some strangers. Turning around to greet the new people, which he had hoped were really here to work.


“Why yes indeed I am. While I know it is not much, but it has character, it has moxy. With just a lot of work it will be a glorious place for certain. I realized quickly that people are so wound up and need some relief, that is the main goal the sailors I rode here with were seeking, and it was shocking that there was no real establishment to serve those young men. So I thought why not make one of my own. So again I answer you, yes I am looking for help. I need strong willed people who are going to work well for me. I will discuss more about that later, but first... what makes you all think you can handle this kind of work? What is it you can do?”

[673]
 
Aegle pondered his questions, and deliberated her choice of answering the flyer, the man was certainly talkative. She swung her bag to the ground, knelt down, and fished around.

“I’ve learned to tend bar across many ports,” she spoke simply, pulling out a small case which had been nestled in one corner of her duffel bag. Along with the case, two leather thigh high heeled boots spilled out, caught on the metal clasp. Ignoring the boots she brought their attention back to her hands as she clicked open the case and showed the alchemical contents it to the others that gathered around. Rich earthy smells wafted free, and she breathed in the familiar scent. The top section of the case contained a number of pouches. Along the bottom row were several vials painted in various hues clearly coded to hide their contents. In the bottom sat an alembic nestled in soft velvet, a small mortar and pestle, and several measuring containers.

“Along with mixing drinks, I learned to mix in other concoctions that can benefit the drinker, or the establishment I’m working at,” she continued evenly, stroking her fingers gently along the vials, almost in a loving way. “Adding a dose of venom scale to a drink will ensure a patron will keep buying round after round of their favorite expensive whiskey, as they’ve suddenly sobered up. That’s not a usual option, however I’ve even had it requested by one velen merchant in Pelagia. Curious man, but he tipped well.” With practiced care, she wrapped her instruments and closed the case, tucking it back into place.

“And these,” she repacked her boots next, “are for when I’m not strictly working. I’ll find clients at the bar, get a read on them, and then put them under these heels later that night. I do hope I don’t need to explain the mechanics?” She raised an eyebrow as if daring a comment to be made.

[323/718]
 
Harper watched the woman's spiel with mild interest. “I was going to say I could bartend,” he muttered. “Worked for a pub in Terminus for a while, but it looks like she’s got more experience.”

He shrugged and brushed some sand off his clothes. “If you need security I could do that, too,” the spurii offered, eyes half lidded. “I’ve got some skill in Serpens and can hold my own in a fight. I'm not half bad with a gun either.”

Harper straightened himself from his relaxed posture, but it didn't do much to make him look more professional. His somewhat disheveled clothing and feathers undermined that. To his credit, he did look like he could give inspire most people not to break things or cause problems.

“I know a little alchemy and enchanting as well. If there's anything you need, I'd be willing to learn.”

[531]
 
The D tapped his fingers together with a metallic rhythm. It was mechanical, with the tips pulling apart and coming back together in straight lines. "You want a business of pleasure, right? Pleasure is what I do best. Not only the front end, but the back end, too."

The building in front of him was still in a rough state, but it had a lot of potential. With the right touches, it could be a house of splendor. The D sang, "I knoOOooOoow the business well. There are lots of seeEEeecrets that people don't tell. I know the skills to run the house. EeeEEeverything going to be smooooth."

[284]
 
Aegle patiently waited for The D to finish his song, enamoured over a Demvir that could keep pitch in a song, but had such fluctuations when he spoke. She clapped enthusiastically as he finished, and moved next to him. She wrapped an arm around his shoulders, letting her hand fall onto his metal chest.

“Bravo! I would ask for an encore, but you seem to have knocked our prospective employer speechless. However, if he falls through, we should get into business together, you and I.”

She laughed, sliding off him, she nudged the Demvir with her elbow playfully, “although with my luck, lots of ladies will vie for your attention. They must all want The D, eh big man?”

“Well, until they meet me!” she puffed out her chest and stretched to show off, letting her jacket fall open. Her low cut undershirt showed off bright orange scales which glimmered across her cleavage in the sun. A sudden thought crossed her mind, her blue eyes clenched shut and she swore, “ah, fuck me. I forgot to introduce myself.”

She bowed deeply to the gathered men, promptly sweeping so as to stand upright, “Aegle Nicchi, at your service! Well, not your service in that way, unless you pay of course which defeats the purpose of having a cohesive group of like minded people. Staff discounts, perhaps?”

[943]
 
Harper watched the demvir sing his tune, caught off guard. Even more surprising, the woman used it as a segue into her own energetic introduction. He smirked at Aegle’s jokes, getting the feeling that Ignis would have found them funny.

“You can call me Harper,” he added, stepping a little closer to Aegle and The D. Hopefully this employer wouldn’t mind his shady past. If the laicar could bear with the other two’s antics, there was hope for him yet.

“Also at your service,” he continued, “though not quite the same kind the other two are offering. Someone’s got to keep an eye on the bar while they’re entertaining customers.”

[641]
 
The D bowed to Aegle. It was a mechanical movement, full of angles. "HeeEEeeYYY my fine lady, you are looking flyyyy. If yoUUUuuUUuu are looking for some fun, I am your guuuuyyy." His mechanical voice dropped to a low rumble that could vibrate to the depth of someone's stomach.

He then turned towards Harper. "I may not drink, but I certainly will order something. I kneeEEEeew another bartender, so I WAAaant to compare. Wonder how loOOooOOong it will be before we can get a drink up in this PLAAAaaace?" From the looks of things a few days at least. They would need to have a bar first before any kind of stocking and serving could be done.

[401]
 
"You might be able to get that drink a bit sooner than you think if we help get the place up and running," Harper suggested. He hummed in thought before adding, "I am curious about how I match up to Aegle in terms of bar tending. Maybe I could learn a thing or two from you?" He glanced at the woman.

"What do you say? I learned what I know from a demvir fellow with a unique grasp on how to blend flavors, we could compare notes."

[728]
 
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This was going to work. It seemed they were already getting along and that was a good sign. He needed a strong team to work under him if his plans were going to come to fruition. Reilly just chuckled at all the banter.


“Alright, alright. This is a good sign. I like you guys, so consider yourself a part of my team. Now, yes, a bar will be installed. People like to drink while they indulge in our ‘employees’, or alcohol might entice them to indulge. So we will need bartenders, and yes that is plural. Follow me.”

Reilly walked into the building as he started pointing towards sections of the building. “Down to the left will be rooms for our customers if they find someone they like, to the right will be the lounge where our employees to dance and entertain in the non private way. The bar will be here in the center and stairs on either side leading up the second floor, where we will have several rooms for rent for those staying a few nights with us. They may take our people up there if they wish, but they’d have to rent the rooms, which will cost more.”


He turned to face the three and stepped a little closer as he dropped his voice just enough. “Now, this place will be special. Not everything will be.. Legal, so if that is an issue, now is your time to step away.” Noticing none of them were moving he smiled and continued. “If someone has rented a second story room, their identity will be kept secret. No one is to release any info on who is staying with us, breach of this protocol will cause immediate termination... and if it comes to that, I hope you’ve made your peace in this world. Now do you have any questions?”

[983]
 
Waiting for the brief tour to be over, Aegle gave an impressed whistle to the decrepit building’s potential. Even Reilly’s thinly veiled threat did not deter her from being hopeful. In her mind, she could see the bar, the reworked railing on the stairs, even parts of the lounge. As she walked in, her foot fell through a rotten floorboard onto what she hoped was only dirt below. Older buildings in some cities were less than sanitary, she had the misfortune of knowing from personal experience.


“Ah, shit,” she braced her body, both hands on the floor, and wrenched herself free, wincing at the sound of tearing fabric. Huffing at her own woes, Aegle gestured towards the stairway that led to the next floor.


“So employees, will we be staying here and renting rooms, or staying elsewhere?” she enquired. Scratching at the short violet hair next to her ear she continued, “either way I’ve got a few special requests for a room, things that will need to be bolted into the supports.”

[1,115]
 
It was a fine place. Or it will be once things get patched up a bit. The D was eying the newly-made hole in the ground. Likely being the heaviest out of the group, he made a note to step carefully from then on. He was most interested in the rooms where business and pleasure could mix. Compared to everything else, those were the most important to him.

The D walked over to the closest room. He folded his arms with one hand resting against his chin. "Oh. Hmm. Yes. YeeEEEeeEEEs." Whirring went on in his eyes as he adjusted them for the dimmer setting. The rooms weren't too large, but certainly enough to be a comfortable experience.

"Now whyYyYyYy would you want to add in something illegal to the beautiful business of looOOooOOve? Not to worry, my man. I am nooot interested in anything other than. Both paaAAAaarties having a good bang," The D sang. He turned back to the others. "Names are a nice but uneeEEeeEEeeded extra."

[570]
 
The spurii looked around the building, occasionally sparing glances at the ceiling. As it was, the house was a deathtrap and he didn’t trust it not to cave in on their heads.

The taciturn man frowned when Reilly mentioned the goings ons here not being legal. He’d been hoping to stay on the right side of the law; he didn’t need a bounty on his head in two continents. Nevertheless he relaxed when his employer said they just needed to keep their mouths shut about names. Harper could do that. He could definitely “not see” shady things going on. On second thought, that would also mean he could probably trust Reilly not to sell him out if he ever discovered his bounty.

Harper twitched, startled by Aegle’s stumble. . Maybe it was the floors he should be more concerned about. He moved to help her up, but she freed herself without too much trouble. Nevertheless, the former con man took special care to test the floor a bit before each step after that incident.

The spurii looked at The D with an unreadable expression on his face while the demvir sang his agreement to their employer’s request. “It’s a good thing I’m bad with names,” he added, “to follow Aegle’s questions, how long until this place is up and running?”

[947]
 
He listened to their word and just grinned. “It is the illicete things in this world that are the most profitable. Do not worry, you will not be involved unless I need you to. As to your other questions, this place will be up and running very soon, I would say one to two weeks. I have hired a lot of help to speed this process up as fast as I can.”


He looked around again thinking. There was not much they could do now, or go seeing as the place was being rebuilt and fixed and they did need to stay out of the hired help’s way.

“What you guys can do is, go out and find some people. We need some special girls and guys, preferably girls as they are higher in demand. However, you can also spread the word about this place, as when it is done we will have a large party. This place will the crown jewel on the port and then the country.”
 
The D folded his one arm with the other one raised towards his chin. "Well, thiiIIiis sounds like a grand business opportunititty. Why, I think I can locaaAAaate a few of the honeys. I haaAAve a radar for seeEEeeking out those that want to have a gooOOoOoOod time *." The lens on his left eye flicked in what was clearly supposed to be a wink. "I'll pass this place around, see what they think. They might want to vet it themselves, and perhaps have a drink."

The D made some careful steps through the old building. He spread his arms out to their full, impressive wingspan. He sang in a mechanical, vibrating tone that rattled a few of the loose boards, "Well then, Real Pimper, it looks like your stay in Concha Litus is going grAAaand."

[706]

*Not actual feature
 
The spurii frowned at the vague answers Reilly gave them. He had a feeling he'd be sleeping outside for a while unless he found something else to make a few exa so he could stay in an inn. Harper mentally ran through a list of his marketable skills. A bit of bartending, a little magic, and being a kitchen boy.

Maybe that restaurant he'd seen a few days ago would let him cook and clean or wait tables.

Harper glanced at the other two people seeking jobs. They didn't look too worried. He wondered what plans they had.

“Where do you plan to find... honeys?” He asked, turning to The D and Aegle. Perhaps if he talked to them a bit more, Harper could figure out their plans. If he was lucky, they might know of somewhere cheap to stay.

[1087 Words]
 
“As with any port town,” Aegle laughed at Harper’s apparent inexperience with trading flesh, she pursed her lips to accentuate her next words, “follow the sailors, dear fellow. After weeks if not months at sea, they yearn for the touch of the fairer sex.”

She stepped closer to the spurii, purposefully picking her way over on the support beams. She spoke with the same purpose, “granted, not every lady the seafaring folk find will be harlots, and some may even be married to the strapping lads. But if the bulk of the crew visits a particular alley, or corner, or even a tavern or two which may hate us for driving down some profit granted in less that legal ways, we’ve found the right people.”

Aegle stopped just an arm’s reach in front of Harper, and studied him intently. With a satisfied nod she turned away.
“In fact, some of the women may even come to you. If that happens, and you end up with a drink poured on you for asking how much, then you know they wouldn’t work here.”

[1,296]
 
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