Salinye

Dove jumped back from the table, sword in hand, just as a large piece of the ceiling came crashing down onto it, nearly hitting her. Rolling away from the collapsing table, she ended in a crouch. Setting the sword on the floor she focused her mind inwardly, calling her powers to the tip of her consciousness, while tracing arcane symbols in the air before her. Two demons threw some sort of fire-based spell towards her and Mira. She waited until the last second to release her spell, throwing up an invisible shield that glowed bright blue as the magical fire ricocheted off of it and bounced back towards the casting demons. One was quick enough to dodge to the left and the fire hit the wall with hot impact, throwing flames up towards the ceiling. The other creature was not quite so agile. It dropped to the floor with a sickly crunch. Its own magic seemed only to wound it lightly, so after a few moments of disorientation it launched itself at her in a fierce rage. With no time to cast another spell she did the only thing she could. She picked up the sword, stood and held it defensively before her. Although she had formal training and some limited experience with a sword, it was not her weapon of choice. The shield above them flashed bright blue again as she saw a streak of red flame out of her peripheral vision. Her heart beat intensely as the demon neared her, raising its clawed hand above its head to slash down on her. She hoped her timing was right as she grunted swinging the heavier-than-she-was-used-to sword around in a quick arc. The metal of her blade connected with the red flesh of the demon. It howled in agony as its arm was severed at the elbow, it’s forearm dropping at her feet bleeding a thick black blood. Without even thinking, she reflexively brought the sword back around, slicing the demon’s head cleanly off its neck. Dove’s eyes widened as the demon slumped to the ground, headless, before her. Bringing the blade of the sword in front of her face, she looked at it awe, her arms shaking in newfound empowerment. Another blue and red flash above her brought her out of her shock. Turning she prepared herself for another fight, her confidence in her melee abilities, growing.

*laughs* Okay, Merry. This is bit of writing is a LOT different than my usual. But none the less, here is what my warped muse has come up with. Thank you for the challenge! ************ Sean ran through the woods, his pulse racing, flames of passion filling his bosom. Tonight was the night! The very thought of her sent a rush of wild abandon soaring through his body. Meet me at midnight upon the rising of the first full moon,” she had whispered to him at a dinner party at the Nightingale’s estate last month. John Nightingale was the most brilliant lawyer in the small town of Saunders. The party he threw was in celebration of his winning a rather large and controversial case. His client, Robert Olson, was there, looking more relieved than he had in months. Although the trial ended with a “hung jury”, that was better in than it ending with a “Hung defendant.” Besides, each town member knew that the accusations against Robert were little more than rubbish. The man, although mighty in stature, was equally soft in heart. The thought of him being the assailant responsible for a recent string of murders first concocted feelings of angry contempt. After all, people did want to be able to punish someone for the unthinkable crimes. Over time, however, the townspeople threw their insecurities into the garbage and gave Robert the honest trial he deserved. Sean had done his research well. He knew that today, Monday July 1st would be the night of the first full moon of the month. He dipped his quill in red ink and marked it on his calendar, hardly able to eat, drink or rest over the next 3 weeks without his thoughts drifting to her. One early morning later that week, he was working his father’s potato fields. In the summer months, he would often start his work before sunrise in order to avoid the unbearable heat that was sure to come. A figure approaching from the distance caught his attention. Wiping the sweat from his brow, he shoved his spade into the soft earth. Bending over, with a reach into his satchel, he returned with a handkerchief to wipe some of the soil from his hands. As his visitor came into view, he recognized him as the local priest Gillman. Gillman was a somber fellow of portly stature. He preferred sermons based around hellfire and brimstone lectures. Sean assumed he probably meant well, however, he didn’t believe in scaring people into religion. Giving the priest a quizzical look, he extended a semi-clean hand. “Reverend, to what do I owe this pleasure?” The next hour was filled with lecture. Gillman had seen the way Sean looked at Laura Harrison, recent widow. He warned the young man to curb his appetite! She was nay a moral woman while she was married, do not become part of her new sins! He had warned, claiming the boy was being misled by blinding lust. Sean tried his best to seem like he was taking the reverend seriously, however, Gillman was not so easily fooled. The woman is trash, Sean. God forgive me for saying so. He ended his “mini sermon” with many warnings of the judgments God would justly exact upon him, bringing down the fires of Heaven to smite him, lest he change his ways. Yet here he was, standing just behind the tree line, staring into the clearing. His eyes fell upon her, standing in the center of the grassy area, her lithe form hidden beneath the folds of her hooded green cloak. Before he revealed himself, she called to him. “Come, Sean. I have been waiting for you.” She turned slightly to face his direction, her cloak parting momentarily revealing the creamy color of her bare thigh. His heart nearly jumped into his throat as a bout of second thought pulsed through him. However, he had crossed way beyond the point of no return and slowly stepped out from the tree line. She laughed as she saw him, the sound of which was like music to him, enticing him closer to her. He reached up to pull the hood of her cloak back so he could look upon her beautiful face. She closed her eyes as he did so. It was just as he was remembering to memorize every detail of her and this night for his best friend that the clouds passed from in front of the moon bathing them in moonlight. Laura opened her eyes causing him to take a step back, for instead of the deep blue pools that he had come to adore, they appeared yellowish and canine. His heart only had a moment to fill with dread before it was all over. The last fleeting thought before his life was ripped from him was, “Perhaps Priest Gillman was right.”

The wizardess shifts her gaze from one to the other as they speak in turn. Her shoulders relax slightly as it becomes clear that her interruption was not considered an intrusion. "Well, you have come at a good time. I'm sure you've noticed the summer solstice carnival. Please, make yourself at home, enjoy the festivities, and thank you for sharing your tales with us. I hope to get to know you each much better. If you should have need of anything, please don't hesitate to find me or any other member of The Pen. We don't bite..." Here she paused to consider her statement, after a moment she added, "...usually." OOC: Mynx! I wondered if you were Reaper mynx from The Hunt. We're still hoping to get that story going again! I haven't had time to read your tale yet, but I plan to when I return home this evening! If any of you have not explored The Pen thoroughly, be sure to check out the codex and faqs. They answer a lot of questions. Also, for info on the Carnival, click here. :0) You are all welcome to participate in any way you wish! :0) ~Salinye

Salinye sits in the assembly hall looking at the three honored guests as they talked quietly hunched together, assumedly, working out the details of their storyline. The wizardess had seen them here before, but noticed that they kept mostly to themselves. Standing, she decided to take this opportunity to introduce herself and find out a little bit about them. Approaching them, she smiled and spoke softly as not to startle them. "I'm sorry for intruding, but I've seen you around Pen Castle lately, and wanted to introduce myself and welcome you to The Pen. My name is Salinye." She waited for them to reply.

Salinye placed the last jewel-encrusted pin into her hair, her blonde locks styled into a pile of curls atop her head. Random curls cascaded down from their nest, making her stubborn strand that always refused to be pinned, not seem so out of place. The tiny jewels that adorned the pins glittered elegantly among her flaxen hair. She chose a simple, yet elegant, golden spaghetti strap gown for her first homecoming appearance. It glittered as the light reflected off of it. A simple gold necklace with a long teardrop diamond hanging from it dangled from her neck, smaller teardrop diamonds hung from her delicately pointed ears. A simple gold chain adorned her wrist and right ankle as well. The hem of her gown rested just above her knees in the front, just below her knees in the back. She liked this dress. It showed off her figure nicely, while still being elegant and tasteful. When she left Fe’Thwyn she was but a girl, she wanted to be viewed as a woman upon her return. A knock at the door called her attention. She automatically turned to open it, but was beat to the task by a quick handmaid. Another servant stood peering in from the hallway with a small box held within his hands. “A gift has arrived for M’lady Salinye.” He announced loud enough for her to hear. Owaelyn, her personal handmaiden, took the box from the man and closed the door. “Ohhh, Lady Salinye. Someone wants to spoil you this eve,” she gushed bringing the velvet box to her. Not being able to keep the hopeful smile from her face, she gently took the box from her servant’s hands and slowly opened the lid. Lying within was a rather exquisite wrist corsage comprised of fire and ice roses. Although she found the piece quite lovely, the smile slowly faded from her face. “What’s wrong, M’lady? Do you not like it?” Owaelyn asked. “Oh, I like it. They’re quite beautiful.” Lord Attaway was kind to send it over. She carefully took it from its box and placed it upon her wrist. “Are you sure it’s from Lord Attaway and not Gabriel or your half elven friend?” “I’m quite sure. See, they know my favorite flowers are lilies and Irises.” She admired white tipped edges of the red roses. “They’re lovely, but I tend to prefer my flowers one of three ways- in my garden, in my hair, or in my hand or vase. These are things Gyre and Gabby would know.” Seeing the questioning stare of Owaelyn, the mage blushed already regretting speaking her thoughts aloud. Recovering quickly she smiled embracing her handmaiden in a warm apologetic hug. “I’ve just been away too long, Owaelyn. My nerves are on edge. This will be my first public social since I’ve returned. I know the city is abuzz with rumors, and I’m just…” Pulling back from the startled servant she looked into her eyes sincerely. “…I’m just nervous.” Owaelyn fiddled with the bands that held her black hair back, smiling sympathetically. “Whatever they will say, M’lady Salinye, let them say. You are here, we are glad. Don’t let their words hurt you. Soon you will impress them with your compassion and charm, and your past will be left just where it should be-in the past.” Salinye smiled appreciatively. “You know, I really needed to hear that. Thank you.” “My pleasure. Now, I think it is time you head to Lord Attaway’s. There is a carriage out front awaiting you. Your mother has already gone.” She curtsied submissively and quietly walked into the adjoined sitting room of Salinye’s suite. Salinye allowed the waiting coachman to take her hand as she stepped from the carriage onto the cobblestone courtyard of the Duke’s estate. Elegant white-frosted glass lanterns lined the walkway that led from the circular drive, to the grand entrance. Formally dressed butlers stood to either side of the open double doors greeting people as they entered, knowing who was and was not invited by memory and sight. She gave a polite nod of her head in their direction, a simple soft smile plastered to her face in an effort to disguise the turmoil of nerves and emotion that tumbled within her stomach. She followed the general flow of the crowd until she reached a short line outside a set of white ornately carved double doors. Another servant stood there, took names and announced people as they entered. Salinye stood wringing her hands together in growing anxiety. She didn’t know how the night would go, she only knew she had to hold her head high in faux confidence. Deep inside of her she had the desire to run. However, she knew if she was to return and potentially become the bride of a very influential duke, than she needed to overcome the demons of her past first. She also knew if things got really bad that Gabriel and Gyrfalcon would be there. “Your name M’lady….” The servant asked before looking up and recognizing her. “Oh, I will be happy to announce you, Lady Celestialgrace. The duke has named you the guest of honor.” Salinye’s stomach twisted, tightening the knots within. However, she simply smiled graciously, a light blush heating her face. “Lord Attaway is too kind. I’m hardly worth of such an honor.” She could play the part as well as the best of them; she just let her natural royal instincts take over. The servant nodded to her briefly before throwing the doors open, hitting a pleasant chime and announcing in a booming voice, “Presenting, The Lady Salinye Celestialgrace.” Knowing this was her cue she withdrew every sign of nervousness from her features and walked gracefully into the room with her head held high and a pleasant smile upon her lips. For all intents and purposes, Salinye looked the belle of the ball. She seemed a natural part of the setting. Only her eyes would give away her true feelings, and even then, only to someone who knew the wizardess well. The large dining hall was decorated in hues of burgundy and gold. It was breathtakingly beautiful. She momentarily forgot herself as she drank in the elegance. Salinye was just as comfortable elbow deep in the dirt of her garden, however, there was a special part of her that craved the regal beauty of high elven culture. A quick scan over the crowd let her know that every important noble in Fe’Thwyn had been invited and all their eyes turned her way, as her name was called. No one knew what to expect of the wayward daughter that had so rebelliously abandoned her people years before. Some wished for nothing more than for her return to be a miserable failure, after all, it would serve her right. Others affectionately remembered her father, and hoped to see her rise to new heights within the community. She continued making her way into the room, all the while running her eyes along each side of the room, nodding to those who’s eye she caught. She was able to relax when, to get her attention, Gabriel rose to stand at his table. Her gait lightened and sped up a bit as she turned heading towards him. She immediately leaned forward to embrace him and kiss him on the cheek, whispering, “I’m so glad you are here,” into his ear as she did so. It was only as he released her from his embrace that Gyrfalcon stood from his chair, allowing Salinye to see him. She smiled and met his eyes then looked down shyly for a moment, a common effect he had on her, before raising her eyes to meet his again. He was, by nature, quite handsome. He chose to wear the formal attire Salinye had given him. Although it was not his preference, the ranger was no stranger to regal manners. If not for the less-than-normal point of his ears, one might think he was from Fe’Thwyn. He bowed before her, quite courtly, his head tilted so that his green eyes never left hers. Taking her hand gently, he placed a kiss upon the back of it, briefly noting the corsage upon her wrist. “Salinye, you look even more wonderful than normal.” He smiled still gently holding her hand. Before she could respond, she noticed Gyrfalcon shift his gaze to her left and she became suddenly aware of another person at her side. “Doesn’t she, though?” Garon asked, placing a hand on the small of her back. “Exquisite, even.” He turned her towards him, her hand slipping from the rangers. “It’s as if the sun has returned to warm a storm beaten meadow.” Salinye blushed fiercely. Not only did she shy from flattery, but the current situation also made her extremely uncomfortable. “Lord Attaway”, she curtsied demurely before him. “You are too generous in your assessments.” “Actually, Salinye. I’m well known for my shrewd eye. I know breathtaking finery when I see it, and rarely fail to acquire it.” He smiled taking her hand to inspect the corsage. “I see you got the corsage I sent you.” A forced smile came to the mage as she noticed he wore a matching boutonniere upon his lapel. “Yes, a kind gift, thank you. It’s lovely. Lord Attaway,…” “Please, we’re to be married, call me Garon.” He smiled. “Garon,” she started again. “Have you met my friend Lord Gyrfalcon No’Dessu?” She turned slightly gesturing to the ranger. The duke bowed respectfully before him. “Not formally, although I do believe we met briefly in the halls of Celestialgrace Manor.” Gyrfalcon returned the bow with a similar one, of precisely the same depth and length, which thinned Garon Attaway's lips just slightly. "Indeed we did, Lord Attaway," his voice coolly polite. “Well, I’m glad you could make it, please, consider my hospitality open to you. Any friend of Salinye’s is a friend of mine.” He then turned his attention to Gabriel, bowing again. “M’lord Lothanius, a pleasure as always.” Gabriel returned the formality before sitting back down. “Now, if you gentlemen will excuse us, I think I’ll escort Salinye to our table. Oh, and before I forget, I think you bachelors will find your table companions quite…enticing,” he winked to the men before turning to lead the wizardess towards the front of the hall. Gyrfalcon stared after Garon before seating himself beside Gabriel. "I think I'm beginning to dislike that man." he whispered, barely audible. It took every bit of the royal manners inside of salinye NOT to look back over her shoulder longingly.

BUMP! Just bumping this since it is invaluable information as well as good things to be aware of with the coming poetry events. Thanks a million, Alaeha and Nyyark! ~Salinye

It's up to you, really. If it's more of an rp thing, the conservatory is probably a good place. If it's a poetry challenge, then the BAnquet hall, etc. You are also welcome to run things in the cab room or guild halls. :0) Up to you. Wherever you think it would fit best. :0) ~Salinye

I am hearing a lot of ideas for people setting up their own booths and/or rides for the carnival and that is FANTASTIC! It's exactly what we, the guild leaders, hoped you would do. Before you set something up, there is no need to get "permission", you need only consider two things. 1. Clearly list how much geld the event will cost and if the payment for participating needs to truly come from people's earned geld stores or if it is nearly for rp purposes. For example, if I were offering a real life service, I would charge true earned geld, and add what I acquire to my own stores. Then I would give the participants no earned geld back. Instead they would get the service. However, if I were running the ferris wheel, I'd probably only charge fictional geld, add no geld to my own stores, but offer 5 geld per participant, etc. :0) If you are offering geld to all participants, please try to keep it in the 5, 10, 15 and 20 geld range. We're trying to keep this a closed economy an an even one. :0) If you are charging true earned geld, we ask you stick to the same range. :0) 2. Please list the "rules" or instructions of what you expect from the participants clearly in the entry post. :0) Okay, if there are any other questions, please don't hesitate to ask. Also, look for many more booths and events to start opening. I know there will be some great poetry writing events soon!! An edit for clarification: When you are running a booth that rewards people with geld, that geld does NOT have to come from your personal supply. :0) IT comes from a fictional abundant source somewhere in Wyvern's vault! ~Salinye

Salinye took a step back from the ranger, her face flushed an almost purplish red. If shyness and ability to blush were a contest at this year’s carnival, Salinye would certainly have taken first place. Tearing her surprised eyes away from Gyrfalcon, she was suddenly very aware of the people standing around and staring at them with knowing smirks. Self-conscious, she ran a hand through her hair, smoothed the front of her summer dress and picked up a button from the table, handing it to the ranger. “Um…” She stammered with a shy, dreamy smile. “Thank you for supporting the guilds.” She then turned and over-busied herself with the task of cleaning Zool’s painting and frame wondering what other surprises this carnival would unearth. Gyrfalcon looked from her to the button in his hand that was identical to the one Peredhil had worn on his lapel. It simply read: “I support the Guilds.”

Things were happening so quickly…..Too quickly…..Salinye found herself in a state of utter confusion. “Ayshela! I never added your name to that sign!” She turned to her friend, speaking in sincerity. “Zool, I DID add your name to the sign, though. However, I have NO idea who did the rest and…Who was that little sugar monkey that hit me with a pie?!? THIS IS A KISSING BOOTH! NOT A PIE THROWING BOOTH!” With that the mage flopped back into a chair, once again a victim of her own mischievousness. A hot blush began rising to heat her face. “…AND….I think….I’ve been violated by both a wolf AND a Dwarf….I’m not yet sure which is more disturbing!”

Pshaw! Merry practically BEGGED to sign up! Also, Merry. After your recent behavior, you might DESERVE a little use and abuse! ~Salinye

Katzaniel! Wow, great idea! You can feel free to open that booth! I would definately encourage charging geld. We are still in negotiations about how much geld can be charged for things, but we are trying to keep the numbers simple, like 5, 10, 15 and 20 geld or something like that. Once I know the final numbers, I"ll post them. I encourage you to set up shop as soon as you're able. Then these pennites can go earn some geld and put in orders! You also might want to specify if you are charging when it's finished or upfront or half and half, etc. :0) *hugs* Great idea! ~Salinye

I'll get a mod to change this room, ASAP! ~Salinye

The dark elven woman whips her head around, staring at the tigataur that now stood in her office and cocked a curious brow. "Well, for starters, you need to learn to knock," she snapped scowling at Katzaniel. "Secondly, fill out this paperwork and return it to me. If I like what I see, then I'll call you back. If not, have a drink on the house with the rest of the inadequates." She handed a peice of paper to the tigataur that simply read: "Why I would be an asset to the AVV." Katzaniel looked down at the paper and back up to Scarlot skeptically. "This is it?" Scarlot sat down behind her desk tapping her fingernails impatiently. "Yes, either your an asset to our organization, or you're not. You have some skills? List them. Have any weaknesses? Now would be a good time to let us know. Now, I have work to do." Looking down to the mountain of paperwork on her desk she mentally dismissed her visitor. Kat, I'm sorry, I didn't see this until just now. Earlier I was having problems with posts in the AVV flagging me letting me know they were here! Also, I moved this to the underground so that it could be it's own thread and also so this thread could be for ooc questions. :0) I hope that's alright! Don't be intimidated by Scarlot, she's a wench! *grins* ~Salinye

This thread is readily available for chaos, humor and thread hijacking! Do your worst and have fun! The cost of the booth is fictional and will not come from your stores of geld! Also, each participant earns 5 geld for participating. Salinye looked out a window overlooking the courtyard, a twinkle of giddiness in her eyes. She had heard that people were welcome to open their own booths, and the sometimes-mischievous mage had JUST the perfect idea…. 1 hour later One of the empty stalls had been decorated with large feminine lip prints. Behind the counter sat Salinye, Ayshela and a special stand holding the very large square item covered by a sheet. “HEY what’s the idea with the sheet? Where have you taken me?” Cried an indignant voice from beneath the sheet. Ayshela stifled a giggle leaning into her friend. “I’m so glad you asked me to help with this booth. This ought to be a hoot.” Giving Ayshela a conspirator grin she reached over and gave the sheet a tug revealing a rather disgruntled Zool. Adjusting his toupee, he blinked and looked around. “What is this?” He asked, curiousness now replacing the irritation in his voice. Salinye looked over to him and smiled sweetly. “I just thought you might like to enjoy the goings on of the Summer Solstice Carnival.” “Carnival.” He said examining the colorful booths around him. “Oh, well…alright then.” He wasn’t sure yet whether or not he liked this idea. The two ladies of The Pen giggled knowingly. Hanging from the front of the table was a large sign that read: Kissing Booth! Kiss Zool for 5 geld! What the sly ladies didn’t realize, was that two other words had been hastily hand written under the word “Zool” Making the sign read: Kissing Booth! Kiss Zool (or Ayshela) for 5 geld!

A flyer appears tacked to a wall in the conservatory tower. Upon it is a picture of many of the pen ladies with various dating attire. Some had flowers or chocolate while others sat charmingly among a picnic lunch. Beneath the picture were the following words: WE ARE IN NEED OF A FEW GOOD MEN! BE BOLD! BE BRAVE! WE WANT YOU! Then in smaller print: (For the good of The Pen, you know.) Gentlemen and not so gentle men! Now is the time to do a selfless act and volunteer yourself to be auctioned off at The Pen’s first ever, Bachelor auction! You have nothing to lose! (Other than your self esteem should you really bomb the date, or perhaps a limb should the wrong lady get you, but I digress… ) If you have questions or concerns please view the general carnival info thread here(this will be a link), and watch for details on the auction itself , coming soon! To be held Wednesday July 14th. More details TBA.

Geld! Geld! GELD!! Orlan has created a place in our profiles that will record how much geld we earn throughout the entirety of the carnival. It will be updated regularly to reflect gain and loss. :0) Each event at the carnival will have a geld amount attached to it. The tag event, which has already started, will be edited to include a 10 geld reward for participating. So, those who have already participated will earn 10 geld and those who participate further will do so, as well. Whether or not certain events can be done more than once will be stated in each event, as well. Or, to be more accurate, whether the event will pay out more than once. :0) I’m sure you’re welcome to do any event more than once. Now, if you decide to create and run your own ride, booth, swap meet, sell services, run ads for the carnival or anything else related that you can dream up, than that also will earn you geld. Geld will be able to be used at the various auctions as well as to purchase anything someone may be selling. For instance, perhaps someone will advertise that they will make sigs for geld. (just a random example) Also, don’t forget, that you should save up for the winter solstice bachelorette auction as well! Happy Geld Hunting!

Hear Ye! Hear Ye! You’ve been told there would be a Summer Solstice Carnival, and now alas it has arrived! To read about all the details and layout of the events, please go here. You will be seeing many events and activities popping up throughout the coming weeks and I will post a list here (this will be a link to a post that will be edited regularly to list all the different events with their links) and will update them regularly with links to the various events. Most of the events are open to all who happen upon them, however, there are a few that will be held within the halls of the various guilds, meaning only pages and up will be able to attend them. Guild membership is not a requirement to participate in any event. :0) However, there will be a few events, contests, exercises that will take place concerning poetry, that will have pages write with pages etc. Each contest/exercise/event will include it’s own set of instructions and/or rules. Not only can you attend any and all of these events, BUT ALSO you are hereby invited to create your own! Perhaps you have a booth you’d like to run. Perhaps you’ve always dreamed of running a swap meet where members can sell their talents such as, writing a poem for another member, making a sig for another member, etc. Get your creative juices thinking, because the fun doesn’t stop here! WE HAVE REWARDS! This year, the carnival will be based around (plug’s Wyvern’s ears and mouths the word “GELD”). Every event you participate in or create you will earn geld for. So, you may be thinking, “Okay, so we get geld, annnndddd…” Well, you could save your geld for things later to come, OR you could use it at The Pen’s FIRST EVER BACHELOR AUCTION! You heard me correctly! We will be holding a bachelor auction two weeks from now, on Wednesday July 14th. I will be putting out an in depth post describing exactly how it will work in detail. However, for now, I’ll give you the basic idea. Between now and July 14th we will all have opportunities to acquire much geld. For detailed instructions on how the geld will work, click here. With that acquired geld, the ladies of The Pen have an opportunity to bid through a silent auction, via email, for one of the pennite bachelors. BUT Men, don’t slack off on earning yourself some geld, for there will be a bachelorette auction at the Winter Solstice carnival! Any geld you earn now can be used then! Guys who are willing to put themselves up on the auction block, (you know, for the good of the pen) will need to sign up to do so here. Once a bachelor has been won, he is required to do one of two things. A. Write something for and/or about the lady that purchased him or… B. Write up how their “date” went. (Lots of potential for romance, humor and chaos!) We will be having various other auctions and services that can be bought with your geld, so hang onto it and keep an eye out! This is just the quick nuts and bolts informational post, be sure to visit the various links within to get the full picture and WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? Get out there and participate, create and HAVE FUN! ~Your humble guild leaders

*laughs* Oh good! Now you have something to burn next time he REALLY makes you mad. ~Salinye

I think so too, and would add a suggestion to wait until after the Carnival. *grins* ~Salinye

“NO! No one comes in or goes out without going through me!” Insisted a stubborn, gruff voice. “I was just thinking you could get some rest, and I could hold your post for a while.” Pled a softer and kinder voice. “As long as Salinye is in this room, than I shall remain in THIS chair! Anyone who thinks to change that will have to physically move me!” These were the sounds that made their way through the groggy fog that filled Salinye’s head. Slowly she opened her eyes, quickly shutting them again against the noonday light. “I really don’t think I need a chaperone to bring my friend lunch!” The female voice got a bit more intense. “I told you, no one goes in or out without going through ME. Either accept that, or give me the tray and I’ll take her lunch.” Salinye opened her eyes a bit slower this time, allowing them to adjust to the pristine whiteness that seemed to be all around her. The mage pondered the situation momentarily confused as to where she was until the memories of the battle, three nights earlier, came back to her. She sat up with a jolt. The room she was in housed many beds, five on each side. She was able to stifle a bit of the panic rising up within her as she recognized the room she was in as the hostel’s infirmary. The door at the far end of the room opened up, the argument making its way into the infirmary. “I swear, you are the grumpiest, grouchiest, stubborn, and yet loyal druid I have ever met.” Ayshela conceded, walking into the room. “Aye, M’lady. They don’t make us like they used to.” He replied with a wink. Their good-natured discussion cut short as they both noticed Salinye sitting upright in her bed staring at them. “SALINYE!” Ayshela shouted, nearly dropping the lunch in her rush to get to her friend. Setting the tray of food on the bedside table, she threw her arms around the mage in a hug. Salinye smiled. She knew she could trust Ayshela. “Hello, Ayshela.” Surprised by the scratchy hoarse sound of her voice, she placed a hand to her throat looking to the druid. “Oh, don’t worry, M’dear, ‘tis only temporary. Happens when you sleep for three days straight. “Three days!” Salinye croaked in surprise. Tossing the covers aside, she jumped out of bed and barely caught her balance by grabbing the windowsill next to her bed. “Whoa.” “Yes, lady. You’ll be a wee bit wobbly for a day or so. It’s nothing to worry about, completely normal. I’m sure before long you’ll be bossing us all around, once again.” She shot the druid a dirty look. It was well known that Salinye’s authority was respected among the hostel staff and guests. She had no need to boss anyone around, however, the druid liked to get her blood boiling now and then. Looking out the window, she saw piles of grayish black ash. Hired people that she didn’t know were collecting it in wheelbarrows and hauling it away to, she could only assume, be disposed of. “Who hired these people?” Ayshela looked out the window to see whom the mage was talking about. “Oh, that’s the cleanup crew Gyrfalcon hired. He figured you would want the Hostel rid of this….mess as soon as possible.” “I see. That makes sense.” Salinye croaked turning to make her way towards the door. The old druid immediately rushed to her side taking an arm. “I do not need help walking.” She snapped, causing him to look to the side a bit wounded. Pausing she turned to face him placing a hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry. You’ve been so good to me. I don’t know what I would do without your help.” With that she hugged him. A hot blush rose to color the man’s face. “Just doing my job, M’lady.” “Yes, and you do it well.” Smiling she reached the door hearing Ayshela’s soft steps following her. “Lady Salinye, are you sure you want to go…..out there?” She finished the last two words as Salinye stepped into the hallway. They walked through the hostel as Salinye examined the damage to her beloved estate. Ayshela thought the wizardess was relatively silent in response to all the damage to her hostel. Granted, the majority of it was not structural, however, much of the furniture and decorative architecture had been ruined. As they walked down the west hall, she could hear muffled voices. She stopped at the closed door and almost knocked before she remembered it IS her office. “Salinye, before you open that door….” Ayshela started, the wizardess opening the door without giving heed to her friend’s advice which was finished beneath her breath. “…you might want to change your clothes.” Salinye hadn’t thought to look at what she was wearing, yet. Turns out she had been dressed in a favorite old oversized sleeping T-shirt. That combined with her “three days bed head” made her a stark contrast to those gathered around several large maps and files from her filing cabinet. They all looked up in mild surprise to see her standing there. “Salinye! You’re awake! How are you feeling?” Annael asked with a sincere smile. “I’m alright.” She half whispered, her voice still hoarse. “What are you doing?” “Well, Salinye." Gyrfalcon looked up from where he was bent over her desk examining a map. "First of all, I’m glad to see you up and around. You had us all worried. We’ve been going over your files on the drow and some of my maps of the area. I hope you don’t mind. I took the liberty of getting them from your filing cabinet.” “No, it’s alright. The private stuff is not findable. Where are the others?” She asked still hovering in the doorway. “The ones that aren’t staying here are in contact or visit every day.” “I see….and…what are you doing?” She asked again. “We’ve been trying to determine where the attack came from and why. We also want to ensure that there isn’t another attack on its way, as well as try to prevent it from happening again. Once we put all the pieces of the puzzle together, we can plan our next move.” “I see.” Salinye remained in her place letting everything sink in trying to decide how much information to give them. Pretty easy to know what the enemy’s moves are, if you’re playing for his team. She thought still unsure of who to trust. “I’ll be glad to join you, after I’ve had a shower.” With that she turned leaving them all in her office. Once she got to her quarters she closed and locked the door behind her. (The druid insisted on setting up guard outside her door.) Her room looked just as she left it, aside from a letter sitting on her bedside table.

Salinye began floating up so that she can be eye to eye with her favorite painted Elder. Keeping her hands behind her back she smiles mischieviously. "I've seen that smile before, Salinye. Whatever are you up to?" He asked a little warily. "Happy Birthday, Zoolio." Zool puffed his chest out, pleased to be the center of a special day. "Why thank you, Salinye. I always thought this day...." His words were cut short as she pulled out an enchanted paintbrush (It allows her to paint whichever colors she thinks) and began painting a bright birthday hat upon his head. "What in the..." Next, she painted an enormous pink cake within his arms. "Well, thank you, but really...." Since he so cooperatively opened his mouth, she also painted a loud blow horn party favor coming from his mouth. Standing back she admired her work. "There, now you look the part!" Giggling, she ran from the room too fast to hear his tirade. ~Salinye

Salinye walks with her haiku clutched within her hand. The closer she got to the Conservatory, the more odd the sights and sounds grew. Having been at Pen Castle for over a year now, you would think she would expect unparalleled chaos at any function. However, being the socialite she is, upon hearing the word “party” she can’t help but hope for the best. Stepping over rubble comprised of charred and twisted metal, (who knew what that was from) she began thinking that her white spaghetti strap dress might not have been the best choice. Approaching the two troll guards she subconsciously fiddled with the pearl necklace about her neck. “Entrance Fee,” one of them grumbled at her. She was a late arrival and these trolls seemed tired of their job and on edge. Deciding against any kind of small talk, she simply handed over the haiku she wrote for Tzimfemme. Born a kitten. Life full of catnip and naps Death after nine lives The trolls stepped aside allowing her entrance into the bright room filled with people. She hadn’t noticed the music before, however, her eyes were immediately drawn to a flaming mosh pit. I wonder who’s responsible for that. Scanning the room for familiar faces; she was quite taken off guard when something slammed into her face knocking her backwards, onto the ground. “MMmmphhhh!” Reaching up she grabbed whatever was stuck to her face and pulled at it. She finally got it free from herself with a loud suctioned Thhhwwwwaaaaack Opening her eyes she was shocked to find herself holding a rather large bullfrog. “A Frog!” If she wasn’t shocked enough by the fact that upon entering the party, she was immediately assaulted by a frog, it warping into a prince in her lap did the trick. “What the…” was all she could stammer. “Thanks Doll.” The handsome prince said removing himself from her lap and offering a hand to help her up. “Somehow the spell missed me, so I had to take matters into my own hands.” “…..by attacking me?” She said gathering her wits back together. “No, baby, by kissing a princess.” Salinye raised an eyebrow. “That was supposed to be a kiss?” She frowned. “…And how did you know I’m a princess?” “Just took a guess, besides, that white flower in your hair reminded me of my lily pad. Anywho, look…I don’t like messy break ups, so I’ll just cut to the chase. We had a few laughs, shared a kiss. I know back in the day when prince frogs were rescued, they were obligated to marry the girl who set them free, but I’m not really the settling down kinda man. You’re a sweet girl and all, really appreciate you helping me with that whole spell thing, but I’m a WILD man, Baby. I must go mingle with all the honeys at this party.” With that the handsome prince reached down, smacked her on the butt and headed into the crowd, obviously on the prowl. Salinye was left standing, just inside the door having been kissed by a frog, engaged and dumped all in the first 2 minutes of arriving. This really is going to be SOME party.

You know, Katz, I think we would really get along! lol ~Salinye

Well, before I clarify, first things first. *grabs TAmaranis into an impressive headlock and noogies his head* QUIT BEING SO YOU! Now that we have THAT out of the way, it was just a stomach bug. ~Salinye