Tag: chastity

#Lore24 – Entry #135 – Muckenmyre Month #14 – New Allies at the Wayfare Inn

From the journal of Takara, Slave Inquisitor of the Stellae Illustris, Town Marshal of Grimbridge.

I awoke about midday, still feeling as though I had been soundly beaten, but my wounds were noticeably less painful after having rested.  It was another unfamiliar room in which I found myself, though this one was…cozy, I suppose.  It wasn’t large, but had enough room for two beds, the second containing a sleeping Satella, a wardrobe and chest of drawers, neither matching, but both having seen quite a lot of use in their time.  The scent of the swamp, though heavy upon us, was lessened now that we were within the witch’s domain, and over it I smelled fresh bread and smoked meat, boar, if my nose wasn’t mistaken. 

I got out of bed as quietly as I could, biting down against the many pains in my body, and I let Satella rest as I slipped out of the room.  The narrow hall beyond had an ancient feel to it but was well maintained and clean.  The Witches of the Ways were adamant about providing travelers with pleasant stays if they simply followed the rules.  Coming to the end of the hall, I peered out of the window, saw the wagon and our horses, one of the guards leaning against his spear by a small outbuilding, likely where the two bandits had been kept.  Making my way downstairs, I came into the common room, saw another of the guards sitting at the bar, appearing to have just awoken himself, likely not used to hours of hard riding after his usual shift had ended.  Several of the injured survivors from the caravan sat around the room as well, nodding appreciatively to me as they saw me.

I was greeted momentarily by the proprietress, an older human woman by the name of Izel, who ushered me quickly and politely, yet quite insistently, to one of the tables, promising that a propre meal would do wonders for me.  She came off as very motherly, and as she went behind the bar, I heard her speaking to others, likely her children, who would help her run the inn.  Moments later she came out with a tray of sliced bread, butter and jam, hot tea, and a bottle of something I couldn’t immediately identify.  She advised me to drink the concoction first, assuring me that I’d feel much better once I’d done so.  When I asked what it was, she said that it was cummi berry juice; I was unfamiliar with the name, the berries apparently grew within the Muckenmyre, and as I examined it, found the mixture to be a slightly thick, whitish color that smelled similar to blueberries mixed with ginger and perhaps ginseng.  I drank it down, finding the flavor satisfactory, though rather salty, and within a few moments felt my pains beginning to ease, the bruises and cuts upon my body fading rapidly.  I began eating the bread and tea, having expected nothing else, but then I was brought a plateful of the boar meat and cooked vegetables and some local roots; I had thought to decline so much, but Izel insisted, saying that I was a “growing girl” and should eat up.

I am rather ashamed to say that I did not leave a single morsel behind, hadn’t realized I had been that hungry, though I suspect her healing potion might have had something to do with that.

As I finished up my meal, finding it quite pleasant and filling indeed, I spotted four people coming down the Way from the north, an older human man, whom I immediately figured on being Izel’s husband, and a younger man, obviously their son, each carrying bundles of firewood, and two others that were certainly not of the inn’s regular occupants.  The third was a half-elven man with a rugged look about him, wearing well-worn traveler’s garb in greens and browns, a bow secured over his shoulder, a sword on one hip, a full quiver on the other, carrying several large fish strung together in one hand, and a pair of opossums in the other.  The fourth was an absolute giant of a half-orc, standing at least seven feet tall, all battle-scarred muscled, carrying a pair of boars, one over each of her massive shoulders, clad in simple hides, a large axe bouncing on her back, a smaller one hanging from her belt.

They followed the husband and son around to the rear of the inn, the half-elf doing all the talking, seemingly friendly enough.  Recognizing rangers when I saw them, I headed outside into the warm and humid afternoon sun, checking with the guardsman on watch first before I ventured around back.  As they were busying themselves butchering the animals, I introduced myself to the rangers, again getting somewhat confused looks when I bowed to them, and explained the circumstances we found ourselves in, and that I would like to hire them on as guides through the swamp.  The half-elf introduced himself as Jessiryn, and his companion as Augra, though she merely grunted and continued field-stripping the boar, and upon his request, I gave him some more information about the nature of our hunt.  I excused myself politely once he had requested time for them to consider our request, and as I departed, could hear him talking to his partner, though she had yet to utter a word.

Satella and the other town guards were in the common room having their meal when I returned, and we discussed our options, having some of the surviving merchants join us to see what they wished to do.  Though most of their goods were taken, they still intended to reach Grimbridge and try to salvage what they could from the situation and perhaps get passage on a ship bound up the coast in lieu of traveling the Way again.  Most of the town guard would accompany them back to town, though another attack was unlikely, leaving two of them with Satella and myself to track the bandits and the twins.

Jessiryn approached our table then, and announced that he and Augra had decided to join our hunt.  Though they were fairly recent arrivals in the area themselves, they had been hunting the swamp enough to know the area well enough, and would very much like to offer their aid to Grimbridge and the traders. 

And so it was the six of us would depart the inn, having offered our payments to Izel for her kindness, that afternoon, taking the flatboat Jessiryn and Augra had with them, though it was a bit crowded with six of us aboard.  Still, the hunt was resumed, and our new companions would prove most capable during the coming days.

#Lore24 – Entry #134 – Muckenmyre Month #13 – Dangers Along the Way

From the journal of Takara, Slave Inquisitor of the Stellae Illustris, Town Marshal of Grimbridge.

Riding swiftly along the Way, we came upon an unexpected scene in the predawn gloom, that of a trade caravan, scattered, broken, and burning along the roadway.  It didn’t take me but a quick glance to determine that the traders had been attacked by a larger force.  I saw the bodies strewn about as we neared, obviously brigands, mixed with the caravan’s own, some still alive, though wounded. 

Though I wanted nothing more than to keep following my prey, their immediate trail ended at the battle site, the horse they had stolen laying near death amongst the carnage, their scents lost to the smell of death and burning wagons.  I saw the disgust in the faces of the town guard, and though Satella appeared outwardly serene, her face was devoid of its usual smile, and I could sense that she was inwardly quite angry at the scene.  So, as we approached, I gave the order to aid the survivors, and to be on the lookout for any swamp creatures that may have been attracted to the smell of the dead.  Though they never said it, I saw in the eyes of the men of the town guard that I had made the right call, that their lingering doubts about me were lessened. 

Many were dead, but several more were only wounded, the worst of these being tended to by Satella, though their pained screams as Yurisaya’s healing flowed into them were loud.  Still, I did what I could, taking on the lesser of the worst injuries myself, bearing the pain of their injruies as I had long been accustomed to.  We learned that the caravan master, among the first to die in the bandit attack, had set out early and with haste, intending to reach Grimbridge as the market opened, hoping to maximize their earnings with the locals before offering their wares to the ships coming into the port.  They knew they were being followed soon after leaving the Wayfare Inn, and it wasn’t long before the bandits attacked; they had spotted scouts from the same group as they approached the inn the previous evening, but none were bold enough to tempt the fates by attacking the group within the witch’s domain. 

Not long after the fighting began, the twins had shown up, riding into the fray and leaping from their dying horses, hurling spells indiscriminately, intent on taking fresh horses.  The bandit leader, an orc going by Jaggedtusk, was quick to offer them a cut of the profits if they joined their group, as there would be plenty to go around since his band was now a few members shorter.  Grabbing up what goods they could, the bandits and the twins disappeared into the Muckenmyre via the Crocodile Run and some well-concealed flatboats they’d had hidden near to the Way.

Luckily for us, there were bandits who had survived as well.  Unluckily for them, there were two very well-trained torturers in my group.  Though I keenly felt the many wounds I had taken upon myself, and Satella was out of healing magics, my purpose remained clear, and I did not hesitate in getting all the information I could out of them.  It didn’t take much coercion, for the will of a bandit is a weak one.  By the time we had finished our task, the town guard had managed to get one wagon upright and had hitched their horses to it, and we made the decision to continue to the Wayfare Inn, an hour or so ahead, to rest and consider our next course of action, the surviving bandits bound and made to walk along behind the wagon of the wounded.

Satella and I had learned of the bandit gang’s numbers and the location of the hideout, but it would mean little without someone to guide us there, for neither of us were familiar with the depths of the swamp, and both of us needed rest, me more than her, as did the town’s guards.  I gave my horse to some of the wounded to use, and rode behind Satella to the inn, every step growing more excruciating as we went, even though the depth of the wounds I had taken upon myself were not life threatening.

I can barely remember reaching the Wayfare Inn, can only really recall the change in the air as we crossed into the witch’s domain, then the canopy tree tunnel opening up as we came out into the clearing around the inn itself. 

I’m ashamed to admit that my stamina had given out, and that I had to be carried into bed once again.

#Lore24 – Entry #133 – Muckenmyre Month #12 – The Grimbridge Way

From the journal of Takara, Slave Inquisitor of the Stellae Illustris, Town Marshal of Grimbridge.

Riding forth from Grimbridge for the first time filled me with conflicting thoughts and emotions.  I was intent on capturing the troublemakers, my goal could really have been no clearer.  Though hours had passed since they had ridden out of the town gates, I could still discern their scent well enough to follow them.  Yet, even with Satella riding near, and the members of the town guard who had so willingly joined up and under my leadership, I felt an unexpected sense of melancholy at leaving the town that I had spent my life in for the past few weeks.  I have never been one to easily grow attached to anyone or any particular place given what I have been trained to become, but nonetheless, these emotions were there. 

As we grew further from Grimbridge, I could sense the unease of the town guard growing.  Night in the Muckenmyre, as I was told, was a dangerous time, though the Grimbridge Way was generally considered safe.  By the time we set out, everyone had found a place to shelter for the night, either in town or the handful of nearby farms.  It was during this first ride out of town that I first saw the Witch Lights that lined the roadway at regular intervals.  These are magical lanterns, tended to by the Wayfare Witches that called this area home, giving off a pale bluish-white light, warding off the most dangerous of creatures that called the swamps home.  As the light evening fog came in, the Witch Lights proved to have a most eerie quality about them.  On the one hand, they clearly marked the Way, though it would be difficult for one to become lost given the raised nature of the road, and the way the thick growth of trees, full of their hanging mosses, along its sides rose up and encased the road, like a dark, twisted tunnel overhead.  On the other hand, with the sounds of the night coming alive, and the many new sounds and scents I encountered as we rode, I could not help but feel slightly overwhelmed; there were things lurking just beyond those lights that I could not identify but could clearly understand were dangerous.

I inquired with Satella and the guardsmen as to what the lay of the land was as we came upon a crossroads, a pair of smaller, less well-traveled roads venturing off from the Way and out of the safety of the Witch Lights.  Our quarry had not gone down either of these paths, but the information could prove useful nonetheless.  Both ways led to farmland, smaller outlying villages that were mostly composed of families that had called the swamps home for generations, though they usually relied upon flatboats when coming into town, so the roadways were lightly used.  We were some hours yet from the first of the Wayfare Houses along the Way, one of the traveler’s rests maintained by the Witches, each placed about a day’s travel apart from one another.

Pausing just beyond the crossroads to consider the trail, to discern the hoof prints in the damp soil of the roadway, I asked about local landmarks and possible hiding places should the twins venture off the Way.  Even the guards who had grown up on the local farms before coming to live in the town were wary of the Muckenmyre, and explained that anyone who wasn’t born of the area would be lucky to find the various spots they described to me, which usually were certain ancient trees, nesting areas for animals, or small communities of more reclusive and often hostile humanoids, usually lizardmen and kobolds.  There was a place marked by a particular rock formation called the Witch’s Table somewhere out there, though they were reluctant to say more, and even uttered prayers upon mentioning it, so I reasoned that this wasn’t associated with the Wayfare Witches.  Far deeper into the mire, there was an area known as the Devil’s Armpit, though it was filled with toxic gasses and unpleasant, dangerous creatures.  There had been a several instances over the years where bandit groups had hid out in the swamp, so there were scattered spots that could be made livable, and were possibly in use even now, one being the wreck of an ocean-going ship that had somehow wound up deep in the swamp, likely during a hurricane. 

Though unlikely that the twins would know the area well enough to be aware of any of them, it was nonetheless potentially useful knowledge.  By this time, I had clearly marked the tracks we were to follow using some of the magic I had been taught; with my spell in place, I could see the hoof prints along the road glowing in a golden light, leading onward down the dark tunnel of the Way.  I mounted once again and started following, though I had discerned an additional detail in their trail which I relayed to my party then.  Given the spacing of the hoof prints since we’d set out from town, it seemed the twins were pushing their horses hard, and were likely, if they were perhaps smarter than they seemed, using magic to enhance their mounts’ stamina, otherwise they would certainly have to have rested them this far along.

This would not be quite as simple a task as it first appeared, but that was no discouragement to me.  I had tracked my targets for weeks on end before, though now I did not have to worry about blending in amongst the other kerryn as I did so, didn’t have to rely upon other Inquisitors to tend my leash.  I felt a strange exhilaration at this thought.  If the twins were using magic as they ran, then they too would have to rest eventually, for no arcanist’s power would last forever, and they had already used up several spells when fleeing town.  Would they make it to the Wayfare House to rest, or would they try to push onward, dead set for the city that lay beyond the Muckenmyre perhaps, or did they have another destination in mind?

As dawn approached, I smelled smoke in the air and spotted the glow of fire in the trees ahead of us before my human companions did.  Having rested our horses along the way, though no doubt my companions were beginning to feel fatigued, we nonetheless spurred our mounts forward, and I felt the rush of the hunt fill me.

#Lore24 – Entry #132 – Muckenmyre Month #11 – The Twin Twats from Tempest Tor

From the journal of Takara, Slave Inquisitor of the Stellae Illustris.

Quite the colorful phrasing, that, I must admit.  I suppose it’s fitting enough considering the name of the bar itself.

Though Blackjaw had described their skin as different colors, he insisted that the pair indeed looked identical.  Such things are not unheard of, given the chaotic nature of mazoku blood.  As we spoke to him further, and some of the more cooperative sailors still lingering in the bar, we learned that their names were Charity and Chastity, though my instincts told me those names were certainly NOT accurate descriptions of their natures.  We learned that no insignificant amount of coin had gone missing from the sailors’ pockets, and it’s likely that the two had used some charm magic to stir up the rage as a distraction while they slipped out unnoticed, for there was already suspicion on where the coin had gone.

Once the mayor and I had departed the Bloated Floater, for Satella had stayed to tend to those we had injured, we learned that two mazoku had been spotted running down the Span, had snatched a couple of horses from some of the travelers visiting the city, and rode as fast as possible through the market and out of the gates and onto the Grimbridge Way, tossing a few spells as they went to clear the evening crowd out of their path.  I picked up on their scents even as we crossed the Span and surveyed the damage to the market; mazoku are as rare as kerryn in Grimbridge, and they have a very unique quality to their scent, born of their demonic blood, not unlike brimstone, flavored with, in this case, an elemental affinity.  Oddly, it was only then that I realized that I had not gotten such a scent from Ashelyr when I had met her that morning, only the scent of the swamp.

With the blessing of Mayor Pleasence, I began questioning the sailors at the docks, discovered which ship had brought the twins in, and began to form a picture of what they were truly like.  They were known troublemakers, having booked passage from a city called Taross, far to the east, and around the southern tip of the continent, on the run from the authorities there.  The captain professed that he had nearly thrown them overboard several times because of their constant disruptions with his crew, but each time had been convinced otherwise, cursing their persuasive abilities, which tended towards using their not-insignificant sexual talents.  They are trained in the arcane arts as well; the red-skinned one, Charity, or Char, prefers fire magic, while Chastity, Chas, the blue-skinned one, prefers ice magic, and both had displayed considerable skill with their talents, at least possessing the ability to create destructive balls of their preferred elements, another reason the captain had hesitated to toss them off his ship.  On reflection, he wishes that he had gone ahead and took the risk, for the generous sum they had paid him for their passage had been taken, along with most of his other funds, about the time they had docked in Grimbridge.

As to the colorful moniker Blackjaw had labeled them with, the sailors had heard it before, but could not tell me exactly where it had originated, only that Tempest Tor was a town in the far northeast with a reputation for producing disreputable sorts.  Apparently, Charity and Chastity had earned quite the reputation even before they had wound up in Taross looking for passage out of the region.

Whatever lead they had managed while I investigated them wouldn’t matter for long.  I had hunted many enemies of the Empire in my life, set on their trails with little else but their physical descriptions, if that, and eventually rooted them out in the end, so knowing more of the twins’ natures would make things much simpler.  I would see to it these two were brought in for whatever justice was deemed necessary. 

They would not escape me.

I was not entirely sure why I made this declaration to myself then, and later to the mayor and Satella.  Perhaps during my short time in Grimbridge, I had grown rather protective of the town that had shown me such kindness?  Perhaps it was just my belief that the law existed for a reason, and it should be respected and obeyed?  Perhaps my short time living outside the Empire had already tainted my mind?  Was this…living free, making a decision like that on my own?  Or was I just grasping at the familiar, trying to stick to what I knew best, perhaps in the hope of one day returning to serve my Emperor?

By now, it was well after sunset, and the town was abuzz with discussion about the disturbance to the usual calm.  I returned to Mayor Pleasence, who had convened the town council to discuss the disruption, and what steps were to be taken next.  I waited to be addressed beside Satella and several other residents, even a few visitors to the town, who had shown up to watch the proceedings, and once I had been called, gave them my report on what I had learned of my prey, for that is what I considered them now.  Constable Tamblyn seemed impressed with what information I had managed to collect in such a short time.  I made it clear that I would be involved in hunting them down, as I had their scent, and knew well how to track fugitives.  This caused something of a stir, and some of the less trusting of the council demanded an explanation, though the mayor quashed this, stating that now was not the time.

After some more discussion on the matter, it was decided that I, and Satella, when she volunteered to accompany me, would lead a group of volunteers from the town watch to apprehend the twins and bring them back to Grimbridge to face judgement.  As such, we would be granted a temporary position as town marshals and provided with horses and supplies for the hunt.  We were given instructions not to delve too deeply into the Muckenmyre if the twins went off the Way, for the swamp would handle them in its own way if they ventured too far out.

We were off within the hour following this.  It would be only a matter of time until the twins were found and captured; I had no doubts in myself or Satella in this.  I worried over the watch members more than myself; even though I was given the lead in this endeavor, they were now my responsibility, and that would constantly linger in my thoughts as we grew further from town.

#Lore24 – Entry #131 – Muckenmyre Month #10 – Harsh Discipline at The Bloated Floater

From the journal of Takara, Slave Inquisitor of the Stellae Illustris.

As I attempted to express the council’s lack of interest in the glassware to the merchant, there came shouts from the Bloated Floater.  Though I had not been to the dockside bar myself, I was aware of its reputation for being a place for sailors, and that it was not for the faint of heart; the owner, a dwarf by the name of Hafus Blackjaw, had something of a reputation involving his pet crocodiles, and though I was not privy to the details yet, I could certainly guess.  There were a larger than usual number of ships in the port this day, and as I would soon find out, some of the crews of these vessels were not on friendly terms. 

It was the crashing of wood, followed by a loud battle cry that drew our attention to the bar.  A moment later a dozen sailors ran out, and the sounds of broken glass, more snapping wood, and angry shouting followed.  A few more stragglers ran out, one with a bleeding head staggered out, only to be pulled back in by a muscular orcish arm.  The mayor commanded some of those gathered to seek out the constable and some of the town watch and hurried toward the bar.  I followed, though he tried to dissuade me from getting involved.  I shook my head and continued alongside him, a few other council members following us.  As kind as he had been to me, I would not allow harm to come to him if I could possibly stop it; it was my duty in a way, or at least, I considered it to be so.

Another bleeding man came crashing through a window as we approached, and the sound of battle within was intense.  The mayor called out for an immediate halt to the fight as he entered the front doors, but as I entered, I could see that there was little hope he’d even been heard, and none that anyone involved would have listened.  As Mayor Pleasence again tried to shout down the fury of two dozen drunken sailors, one of them hurled a bottle toward him. 

I reacted without thought, caught the bottle before any damage was done.  I heard one of the councilmen gasp in surprise.  In the next moment, I shoved him away from us while forcing the mayor aside as a tabletop was flung at us.  Though I felt little in the way of anger, I could see the mayor was outraged, and had already set himself to get involved.  Given the fact that I’d seen him practicing his swordplay several times now, it was hardly unexpected.  As I caught his eye, I nodded my understanding and led the way into the chaos; better to let them focus on me first.

It was my first battle in some time, and I was perhaps a bit out of practice despite the exercises I performed daily with Satella.  I only managed to disable three of the sailors during my initial attack, catching the first in a nerve cluster on his back with a strike that left him whimpering upon the floor, while I struck his companion with a kick that shattered his knee, while I caught the third with a flurry of quick strikes to disorient him, then landed a solid punch to his gut that had him doubled over on the floor.  I managed to deflect several poorly aimed strikes from fists and improvised weapons from others as I stepped back to provide cover for the mayor, caught a few blows myself, but the blows were hardly anything for me to worry about. 

The mayor was not skilled in the Arts as I am, but he was no stranger to brawling.  He dealt with several in his own way as I continued to provide cover and strike as opportunities permitted, leaving many broken bones and painful nerve strikes in my wake.  I probably took as many blows as I landed, none that were terribly serious, though, the worst being a broken rib as I stepped in front of an enraged orc and blocked a blow to the mayor’s head from the table leg he had been wielding as a club.  I then took it from him, struck a blow that knocked out several teeth, and proceeded to break both of his arms and one knee.  It has been my experience that orcs do not go down easily when angry, so one must be thorough, doubly so when they’re also drunk.

The fight had mostly left the remaining dozen or so sailors by this point; the arrival of the constable and a half dozen of the town watch helped settle their ire further as they looked upon the many disabled fighters on the bar’s floor.  Though I remained watchful, I had little doubt there would be further trouble as I gazed at them and watched them shrink away from my glare.  With the watch moving in to secure the troublemakers, I noticed that Satella had followed them, and had leaned in through the front door, smiling pleasantly as she took in the scene.  She came in, stepping over the destruction, atop one of the unlucky sailors who lay groaning on the floor, to my side. 

The mayor declined Satella’s offer to heal him, said that his wounds were not so serious, but I could tell he was nursing a broken rib of his own, and his head had a nasty gash from a broken bottle that I had not managed to intercept in time.  Feeling that I had failed in some way, knowing that allowing my charge to be wounded was not acceptable for a member of the Stellae Illustris, I nonetheless offered to heal him myself.  He was surprised that I had suggested it, as I hadn’t told him I possessed such abilities.  I assured him he would not feel the same agony as one would when healed by Yurisaya.  He agreed, and I placed one hand upon his torso, the other over his head wound, and called upon the magic I had been taught by the Stellae Illustris. 

It was indeed healing, of a sort.  I felt the skin on my brow tear open as if it was I who had been struck by the bottle, felt another two ribs break.  My vision blurred momentarily as his pain flowed into me, my breathing becoming labored, but I did not make a sound aside from a grunt.  The mayor seemed more disturbed by this than the prospect of Satella’s healing as I eased myself into a nearby seat.  The wounds would heal eventually, faster than natural healing, but it would still take a few days.

Satella had other ideas, though; she lay her hand upon my shoulder and uttered a healing prayer, and I felt the fiery healing of Yurisaya erupt through me.  I did gasp then, my broken ribs resetting themselves, my flesh feeling as though it was being flensed by a razor as it knitted together.  As the merciful agony began to fade, I thanked her, and as the mayor fixed me with a quizzical look, I assured him that I would answer any questions he had when there was time.

For now we picked ourselves up and spoke to Blackjaw about what had transpired within his bar.  He’d spent most of the brawl safely behind his bar, and was quite vocal about who was ultimately responsible for getting the sailors riled up:  “’Twas a pair of mazoku wenches, it was!  One of them red, the other blue, flirting with one man after another, using their damned demon charms on them, they did!  Wasn’t five minutes passed after they had shook their asses through my bar that the fighting started!  ‘Twas the twin twats from Tempest Tor!”

#Lore 24 – Entry #106 – Sci-Fi Month II #15 – Devil Dog

From the Personal Journal of Kiara Mizutani, Arcane Support Division, assigned UEF-04 Maharani Morgiana

I have had such a confusing day!  As we finalize our preparations to launch into the Demon Sector, Director Tallfoot has been relentlessly drilling us in the ASD on our skills and magical talents, and I’m exhausted from it all!  To make matters worse, she’s continued to give me hell over being late all the time.  It’s not my fault!  I just can’t understand the layout of this ship!  It’s still so confusing!  But she’s demanded I improve, and has taken steps to see it happen.  I can’t believe I let her browbeat me into going along with this, but…she put a chastity cage on me!  Said it was to help to improve my focus!  And it’s got some enchantments on it for punishments that she’s in charge of!  I guess she got it from the Yurisayan delegation? 

Oh, why did I let her do that?!  What was I thinking?!  I had to wear one for five years at the Academy and it was maddening, and barely a year out, and I’m stuck in one again!  I’m such a pushover!  It’s so tight already, and I can’t stop getting hard and making it pinch more, and it’s really annoying!  But she promised it would stay right where it is until my performance improved.  She even put an arcane lock on it to make it as hard as possible to remove!  I have to try to start waking up early tomorrow or something, try to get there on time.  Maybe if I at least make the effort, she’ll take it off? 

But there might be a bit of a bright spot even with all the hell that Miss Tallfoot is giving me.  I met someone new…after the stupid cage was locked on, unfortunately…but he seems…well, I’m not sure.  I’m a little intimidated by him, but he’s got this bad-boy thing going that really has me intrigued.  I mean, with a nickname like ‘Devil Dog’, that just screams cool, right?  He’s a feradogian, can’t say I’ve really dealt with them much, but we wound up on an elevator together after work today.  He was staring at me the whole ride, and we had more than enough time to get each other’s scents.  He’s huge, too!  Like almost nine feet tall, and all of it wolfy muscle!  The more I think about those scars, the more excited I get (and the tighter this stupid cage gets!  URGH!!)! 

He followed me off the elevator toward the cantina and offered to buy me a drink, so how could I say no?  We chatted some, learned a bit about each other.  He’s working on one of the scouting teams, says he’s a really good tracker and hunter.  He seemed really into me, too, said I was a bundle of interesting scents that had him more than a little worked up.  I could tell.  Really wonder if I could handle that gigantic thing he’s carrying around in those leather pants?  Did I mention he goes around shirtless?  Mmmm…

I might’ve had a little too much to drink, gotten a little…touchy-feely with him under the table.  I might’ve been a little cocktease tonight, lol.  He was positively panting for more, and I thought his pants were going to pop open right there.  Guess feradogian tails act like regular dogs when they’re excited, too.  That’s when this stupid little cage decided to pinch me again.  Total mood killer.  I had to try to break things off at that point, but DD was pretty insistent, so I wound up sticking around a while longer.  We started making out in the corner, and I’m sure he felt the cage when he was feeling me up; the look he gave me when he was squeezing me in my sexy little shorts was…oh, gods, I think I’m in trouble!  I think he’s excited by the idea!  I bet he’s into all kinds of kinky stuff!

We’re going to hook up tomorrow after work; I’ve got a day off before we launch, so I’m curious what might happen…I’m a sucker for the bad boys…

#Lore24 – Entry #90 – Fantasy Month #30 – Yurisayan Religious Practices

 

From the journal of Angeliqua “Goldeneyes” Cartacustos:

I cannot say with absolute certainty, but I am convinced there are only two possibilities given Mother’s recent choice of topics.  Either she is going through an extended phase of infatuation with topics that are deeply erotic or could be considered very nearly so, or we are due to receive a delegation from the Yurisayan church at some point during the near future, and they will be practicing some of their rituals at the Great Library, with me as the volunteer.  Of course, a couple of weeks of topics is hardly a blink in the eye of someone Felaria’s age, but for myself, it seems quite long indeed.

Regardless I shall approach today’s choice as I always have.  Though often seen as quite secretive, Yurisaya’s faithful are perhaps the most open of the major religions, requiring the curious to simply inquire within their shrines and temples and to be willing to explore their own limits.  Rumors abound of forced inductions into the clergy, of painful rituals and years of physical torments, but I have yet to find concrete evidence of such things.  Likely such rumors are started by those who simply do not understand Yurisaya’s ways, and are fearful of the darker, carnal nature of her domain, especially when compared to the far gentler nature of her sister Erisaya.  Or, just as likely, they are confusing the actions of various cults with that of the Yurisayan clergy, for there have been many, many cases of evil cults practicing similar rituals against the will of captured victims.

The topic itself is broad, so I shall have to focus upon the details of such religious practices that I am most familiar with, having spoken to directly to several priests and priestesses personally, as well as some who tried to join up only to find that their faith was not as strong as they had first thought.  Firstly, as Yurisaya is the darker of the Lovely Sisters, her clergy tends to wear black as their primary color, though additional favored colors include purples and reds, and they tend toward more revealing attire, either tightly fitting, diaphanous, or both, with certain more extreme exceptions in the case of their newest acolytes and most dedicated clergy.

Specifically, I am referring to their insistence upon strict chastity, enforced by custom-fitted metal and leather chastity gear, for both males and females.  Any who are inducted into the church officially must undergo a period of enforced chastity and denial, with their training specifically meant to enhance the desires they cannot act upon.  “Teasing and edging are commonplace…constant and unrelenting, for one must be at the peak of desire and desirability while being absolutely and utterly denied to truly find the goddess’s favor,” as I have been told.  Either one will presumably be driven mad, or, in due course, they will find their faith solidified and be inducted fully into the clergy as proper priests and priestesses.  At this point, during their ordination, the gear is removed and they are finally allowed to experience a long-awaited release.  Orgies are not uncommon during such events, I’m told.  Later in one’s life as a devoted of Yurisaya, they may then seek to further enhance their dedication by undergoing greater tests, once again donning their sacred chastity gear and entering into a period of intense desires and denials, perhaps lasting through the rest of their lives, though I am told they find fulfillment through other means than simple intercourse.

And I suppose that will be an excellent segway into the more extreme and oft-considered ‘darker” of Yurisaya’s practices, those focusing on heavy bondage, strict discipline, and harsh punishments.  Keeping in mind that the faithful do all this to themselves, often quite gleefully, and that only in specific circumstances such things are visited upon those not of the faith.  Most, if not all, of Yurisaya’s rituals and common practices involve some form of bondage; the aforementioned chastity gear is locked on, of course, and the acolytes are usually made to wear some form of bondage during their daily tasks, to heighten their struggles in performing their daily tasks, add to their frustrations, and improve their focus.  The larger rituals and ceremonies tend to involve various members of the clergy in various states of restraint, or, during the public celebrations, of those of the attendees who volunteer to take part. 

Much of Yurisaya’s perceived “vileness”, as it is described by some, comes from the higher level rituals which delve into the extremely painful, basically torture, that they inflict upon themselves.  And yes, it is torture, every bit as extreme as what any Imperial torturer would inflict upon a captured enemy, though performed with absolute consent and willingness of the “victim”.  The goddess’s grace will either see those who successfully complete such rituals healed completely once finished, or possessing scars that are seen as marks of honor left by the goddess herself; even the most heavily scarred of Yurisaya’s faithful are still considered to be quite beautiful by most, their scars usually forming something akin to divinely inspired art upon their bodies.

Of course, the Yurisayan clergy do have something of a deserved reputation that instills fear into the common man, as since the Empire has grown, the clergy have been entwined with it, as have other deities, of course, but usually in a less glorious light than the faithful would perhaps like to admit.  The Emperor has historically been quite fond of the Yurisayan torture methods, and has made it a requirement to have his most talented inquisitors and torturers to spend time training with the Yurisayans, if not outright employing members of the clergy into these positions.  Individuals who employ their pain-giving arts in such ways are known as Confessors and are typically described as having the most kind and caring personalities one could imagine, which is retained during even the darkest of interrogations.  Some accounts have stated that “they’ll make you scream for days, but whether that’s pain, pleasure, or some strange mix of both, who can really say?”  It is results that the Emperor desires, and the Yurisayans are more than capable of getting those results.

I feel as though I could go on for pages about Yurisaya’s practices, but my daily duties must be tended.  As much as I’m sure Mother would enjoy testing my knowledge further, there simply aren’t enough hours in the day.

 

LORE24 ENTRY #59 – Supers Month #28 – Solaria

 

From the files of Cyber Seer…

 

Heroine Name

Solaria

 

Real Name

Unknown

 
Description

if it’s one thing Solaria has, it’s a sense of style, though, like, I’m not so sure about some of her fashion choices.  On the outside, that whole “priestess of the Light” thing is pretty hot, flowing white dress, revealing slits on the sides and on the skirts to show of her hips and legs, the golden accents, thigh boots and opera-style gloves, yeah, it totally works with the goodly healer bit.  I’m not so sure about the rest of that outfit though.  Like, the golden collar and cuffs on her wrists and ankles, those are totally awesome, sure, but the full set of chastity gear under the dress?  That’s a bit much, I think.  Like, no way I could handle something like that.  Not at all, I’d go like, totally crazy in no time flat.  Wonder if she’s like, focusing her mental energies somehow by doing that, or if maybe she’s like, a virgin and has to protect her virtue or like, lose her powers and stuff?

Oh, she also has this really cool looking sun-themed staff too, also gold, for like, channeling her energy, I think.  Really sets off the rest of her look!

 

Powers and Abilities

So like, Solaria is all about the heals, right?  She’s like, the only person I know who can do a proper RPG-style healing, and she does it super-awesome like.  She even does the prayers and stuff to the Light when she does it!  And she isn’t the least bit shy about sharing her gift, either, which is totally awesome!  She goes around the city to all the clinics and homeless shelters and stuff and heals those she can, from minor cuts and scrapes to broken bones and like, even some diseases!  

She’s even like, got some other powers relating to the light, too.  She can pull off a totally awesome flashbang attack, and she absolutely glows when she calls on her healing powers; total beacon of holiness!  She can do light shields and stuff too.  She’s probably got other powers relating to Light manipulation (HOLY LASERS!!!) if I were to make totally random guesses, but like, maybe she’s saving them for hard times?  Or something?  I’ll get into that more in a sec…

And honestly, guys, I’m like, 99% sure I could take Solaria in a fight, and I’m totally not a fighter, right?  She like, totally doesn’t get the combat thing, even worse than me!  You’ve seen the vids, right?  She can defend herself, like, in the general sense of the term, but like, your average street thugs tend to overpower her on the regular.  If this were like, an RPG, I’d say she totally min-maxed her offense and defense, and it’s like, totally out of balance.

And like, this is totally unconfirmed and stuff, but there’s like, this other chick that’s been spotted near Solaria a couple times now, just came on the scene.  Like, I don’t know if Solaria is summoning a literal angel (cause she totally looks like a kickass avenging angel), or if like, she’s aligned with Solaria spiritually or whatever (her armor sort of looks an awfully lot like Solaria’s chastity gear), but it looks like she packs a punch!  Maybe she’s min-maxed the opposite way Solaria is to act as a balance?  I’m still digging on this one; camera footage is totally whacked so far, just got tons of eye-witnesses and you know how they can be.  

Update from Black Cat:  Dudes!  Finally caught up with Black Cat again and like, she’s totally confirmed some things!  Solaria is definitely using full blown healing magic, and she’s definitely got like, an otherworldly patron of some kind guiding her!  So all that stuff she is always preaching about?  Like, totally true!  What Black Cat couldn’t say for sure was whether it’s actually something from beyond our mere mortal realm, or if Solaria actually willed it into being herself, or if it’s one of those familiar things with a super-bloated opinion of itself.  But like, she also said a bunch of other stuff that I had trouble following (magic is actually pretty hard to understand; give me some deep encryption algorithms any day!), so like, maybe you can ask her about it next time you see her?  But like, that new angel chick spotted with Solaria?  She’s definitely not a manifestation of Solaria’s power, she’s her own thing!  Need more info, like seriously!

 

What She Does

Okay dudes, I’mma lay this one out here and just, like, make of it what you will.  Solaria is like, this totally awesome healer, right?  Seems like someone Sentinel City could use more of, right?  I mean, she totally spends most of her time helping people and expecting nothing in return, right?  Well, like, maybe?  But like, she’s got this quirk about her, and I’m totally not against religion and stuff, but dudes, she’s totally developing a cult around her.  Like, seriously, the Light she is always praying to?  More and more people are praying to it now after she’s been preaching about it so much (like, she’s even been hauled off by the cops a few times when she got really fired up about it); she’s practically starting her own church.  It’s like, only a matter of time before she starts doing healing live on TV and getting donations and stuff from all over the country.  Like, those megachurches that are out there now?  They will have nothing on Solaria if the girl got serious about it.  Am I saying that’s a bad thing?  Not really, I mean, maybe it’s high time for a new religion to spring up?  Not my field, though; I’ll stay well out of the whole theology debate, yeah?

And like, there’s this other quirk about Solaria though, and I can totally get it!  And like, she’s worse than me in this regard!  She gets captured.  A lot.  Like, running the numbers, I’m seeing like, of her known fights that have been captured on video, like 85% of them end with her getting overpowered and captured, tied up in various humiliating ways and drug off somewhere by the baddies.  Like, I get it, totally, she’s got a damsel-in-distress fetish; I’ve been there (still might be there, in fact), but still, when I’m saying that it’s a bit much, you know its bad.  Like, damn, PP, you need to catch up with this girl and put her through some serious training!  I guess maybe that’s why she adopted the chastity gear?  Like, it makes sense in a hentai-kind of way.

 

Known Allies

Hooded Harlot

Her Mysterious Guardian Angel

The Solaria Cult

 

Known Enemies and Rivals

Anyone on the captor side of a kidnap fetish?

Shadow Lynx.  Maybe; I mean, like, their powers are like, totally opposites, right?  We all remember what happened to Shadow Lynx when the lights came on in the Dollface fight, right?  So like, I could see sparks between these two.  And Shadow Lynx is such a bitch (taking PP’s word on that one!), so like, it’d make sense, right?

 

Comments

Mecha Musume – I cannot help but feel like we should be keeping a closer eye on Solaria; her healing abilities are very unique, and could be dangerous in the wrong hands.  As prone as she is to being captured, who is to say that some villain out there doesn’t already have their eyes on her, and is planning on kidnapping her and forcing her to keep them and their minions healed?  I also think that, if you’re willing to assist, Pink Pussy, that some self-defense training is certainly in order.  Perhaps Cyber Seer and Solaria can be enrolled in your program together?  Since someone here has thus far been avoiding said training.

-Reply from Cyber Seer:  Oh, that’s not fair!  You know how busy I am all the time!  The internet totally never sleeps!

–Reply from Pink Pussy:  Si, I’m more than willing to put these two through their paces!  Strength training, combat training, long runs and hikes, the works!

—-Reply from Cyber Seer:  Uhhh…nope, totally not for me.  I’m super-delicate, you know?  All these late nights, stuck by my computer?  I’m totally not built for that kind of thing.  This is a nerd body, through and through!

——Reply from Mecha Musume:  Oh, I think that sounds wonderful!  You could use some proper sunlight from time to time, Cyber Seer.  And perhaps we should look into getting you some gear to match Solaria’s?  Maybe you would be more motivated to getting yourself in shape if certain pleasures were denied?  I can discuss the matter with Mecha Mistress and I’m sure she’d be in agreement.

——–Reply from Cyber Seer:  Totally not cool, dude!  Not cool at all!  Like, no!  NO!

———-Reply from Pink Pussy:  Have Mecha Mistress tag me in on that convo, ‘kay?  I think we can work something out!

Further comments on this thread have been blocked by the administrator.

 

Pink Pussy – Hey, chicas, I have some bad news here…I think Solaria has already been scooped up by someone!  Don’t ask me how I know, but I’m like 99% sure Solaria is moonlighting at the Edgewater Institute!  They’ve got a healer on staff that could absolutely be her, wears the same golden chastity gear, has the flashy light effects when healing, the works.  She wears some pretty heavy-duty latex nurse outfit, though, so her face is hidden.  I’m not sure she’s there of her own free will, but with the way she’s always getting captured, maybe?  Either way, I don’t trust someone like Jennifer Tempest with her.  That woman is scary in her own way.

-Reply from Cyber Seer:  Heavy-duty latex nurse outfit?  Tell me more 😀 😀 <3 <3 <3

–Reply from Pink Pussy:  Nah, I’m not taking that bait, chica.  I’ve said too much already.

—-Reply from Cyber Seer:  Awww, come on!  Edgewater is like, totally locked down; I haven’t been able to take a peek inside at all, so tell me!  Inquiring minds want to know!

——Reply from Pink Pussy:  Fine, I’ll tell you, but you gotta do some serious training with me first.  

——–Reply from Cyber Seer:  You know what?  I’m totally not that interested suddenly 🙁 🙁

———-Reply from Mecha Musume:  Thank you for telling us about this, though.  We’ll have to keep it  on the radar for a future investigation.  Maybe Black Cat could perhaps use her magic to discern more information about the situation there?

 

Gun Bunny – if it weren’t for her healing abilities, Solaria would be in the crazy file at the SCPD.  When she gets rolling about the Light, she really gets rolling; records indicate that the PD have had to gag her a few times when she’s been hauled in, though I’m guessing that’s intentional on her part.  Still, I’d say she’s a net positive in the city, though if she’s got links to Edgewater and the Tempests, I’d definitely tread carefully around her, and be careful what you say, otherwise the Tempests may hear about it.

-Reply from Cyber Seer:  Heh, she’s definitely worse off than me when it comes to the bondage thing.  Totally good advice as always, GB!  I’ve been digging into the Tempests myself, and there’s definitely something shady with that family!  If someone knows more about them, I’d say it’s that reporter for channel 9, Delia Emmerson.  She’s done several interviews with them lately, so maybe we reach out to her?  Seems to me like all of the Tempest’s operations are locked behind the same level of security as Edgewater, and thus far I’ve not had a reason to try to bust through their firewalls.  Might have to take a deeper dive soon…

–Reply from Gun Bunny:  Don’t do anything too dangerous, Cyber Seer.  The Tempest family isn’t to be underestimated; they’ve got their fingers in so much around the city, it’s scary.  They’ve got roots with the Italian mafia families, so expect harsh retaliation if you’re caught.

—-Reply from Cyber Seer:  Don’t worry, I’m the best at this kind of thing!  They’ll never even know I was there!