[quote=Lady Sapho Byron]“Ah! Ms …” Lady Byron’s brow furrows in puzzlement as she searches for the name of the woman who has joined them. She only finds it when she glances away. “Ms Raymond. A pleasure to see you here! I trust the season is treating you well?” she asks, passing a glass of mulled wine to Iris and then to Cathy and then taking one for herself.
“A toast to curiosity,” she proposes, and then with a wink to Iris adds, “of all varieties!”[/quote]
"To curiousity!" After their glasses clink, Iris takes a luxuriating drink and then smiles at their new companion. "It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms Raymond. I’m Iris Sims."
“Ah, the lady in the black suit? She’s Nora Harper. Helps me out with courier work and tattooing. And curiously enough, in Fallen London, the two are more intertwined then one might expect.”
“As to our mutual friends… I’ve been following a similar route. Tigers are hard to please without the necessary lucre. Or careful discernment of their social graces. And especially with…” Ixc taps the side of the orbit of his eyes. “… my unique ally. It’s hard for them to stop thinking of someone as an enemy, but I’ve mostly been successful.”
Six keeps their own council during the talk of sorrow-spiders, but perks up when an alternative path to the Iron Republic is mentioned: "The Numismatrix? By jove, I wish I’d thought of her! I shall have to pull some strings the next time she-"
The scandalous detective stops short when the Old Man bolts from the table, and their crimson eyes study him closely when he returns. "I realize it is none of my business, but…" Six reaches into the bodice of their reform dress, pulls out a business card, and offers it to the Old Man. On the back, a room number at the Royal Beth is written in a spidery hand. "If I can ever help with your troubles, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I may not be as capable as the Implacable Detective, but I am much more affordable." They give the old man a sympathetic smile. "Not everyone has to face their demons alone, my dear."
Six keeps their own council during the talk of sorrow-spiders, but perks up when an alternative path to the Iron Republic is mentioned: "The Numismatrix? By jove, I wish I’d thought of her! I shall have to pull some strings the next time she-"
The scandalous detective stops short when the Old Man bolts from the table, and their crimson eyes study him closely when he returns. "I realize it is none of my business, but…" Six reaches into the bodice of their reform dress, pulls out a business card, and offers it to the Old Man. On the back, a room number at the Royal Beth is written in a spidery hand. "If I can ever help with your troubles, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I may not be as capable as the Implacable Detective, but I am much more affordable." They give the old man a sympathetic smile. "Not everyone has to face their demons alone, my dear."
.
edited by Six Handed Merchant on 12/29/2019[/quote]
"thank you for the gesture its really much appreciated, I actually already have a key to that place." The old man says pulling out a old key from one of his pockets. "I swear you go to parabola once and it haunts you for the rest of your life what are the odds." "Now is anyone up for some poker"
[quote=the old man]
"thank you for the gesture its really much appreciated, I actually already have a key to that place." The old man says pulling out a old key from one of his pockets. "I swear you go to parabola once and it haunts you for the rest of your life what are the odds." "Now is anyone up for some poker"[/quote]
"Parabola always sticks with you for life, in good or bad ways. I’m not a great fan of poker, thank you for the offer though. It’s no fun anymore when you always win." He said with a soft chuckle.
"Parabola always sticks with you for life, in good or bad ways. I’m not a great fan of poker, thank you for the offer though. It’s no fun anymore when you always win." He said with a soft chuckle.[/quote]
we’ll see about that shall we. The old man breaks into a maniacal grin as he deals
"Mind if I just sit here and let Oscar take this game? He’s far more cardsharp than I am." Six glances up at the octopus on their hat, which shifts its weight eagerly.
"Mind if I just sit here and let Oscar take this game? He’s far more cardsharp than I am." Six glances up at the octopus on their hat, which shifts its weight eagerly.[/quote]
"more cardsharp eh we’re in trouble then, of course he can"
"Well, I’ve never had the pleasure of playing cards with a cephalopod before" says Thanos merrily "and I don’t see why not. Ahh!" he suddenly exclaims "speaking of tentacled friends!".
A small Blemmigan scrambles up the table and quietly sits next to him, his little tentacles moving placidly, "My friends, this is Truffle, my trusty companion. So deal on, old man" and as he studies the cards the old man deals to him, he asks "you all speak of Parabola as if you have had quite extended experience with the place (if indeed a place it is). Now, in danger of sounding completely ignorant, what can you tell me of it? My short time in the Neath has not yet presented me with opportunities to explore that avenue of knowledge. You all speak of both wonder and danger in equal measure. Is it a place to be sought after or avoided?" he finishes by raising the stakes.
[quote=Thanos Black]
"Well, I’ve never had the pleasure of playing cards with a cephalopod before" says Thanos merrily "and I don’t see why not. Ahh!" he suddenly exclaims "speaking of tentacled friends!".
A small Blemmigan scrambles up the table and quietly sits next to him, his little tentacles moving placidly, "My friends, this is Truffle, my trusty companion. So deal on, old man" and as he studies the cards the old man deals to him, he asks "you all speak of Parabola as if you have had quite extended experience with the place (if indeed a place it is). Now, in danger of sounding completely ignorant, what can you tell me of it? My short time in the Neath has not yet presented me with opportunities to explore that avenue of knowledge. You all speak of both wonder and danger in equal measure. Is it a place to be sought after or avoided?" he finishes by raising the stakes.[/quote]
not necessarily avoided just prepared for, its the place you go when you take honey, its a place of dreams and nightmares where snakes and cats battle under a cosmogne sun and glassmen stalk the eves, so in short it is neither good or bad but it is a place to be careful about, you can enter it through mirrors if you want to see the wild side but honey is the much safer option, just make sure its not red honey that’s all. The old man folds declaring a dud hand with some degree of disgust
Six listens intently to the discussions of honey, but shudders at the mention of red honey. "Yes, beware red honey, and anyone who is associated it. But out of curiosity, where in Parabola do normal honey sippers end up? And is it truly safe there?" The bohemian rubs their chin while Oscar fidgets with his cards, eyeing the pot greedily. "Though these are probably questions I should have asked before indulging in so many honey dreams!" They chuckle.
Six listens intently to the discussions of honey, but shudders at the mention of red honey. "Yes, beware red honey, and anyone who is associated it. But out of curiosity, where in Parabola do normal honey sippers end up? And is it truly safe there?" The bohemian rubs their chin while Oscar fidgets with his cards, eyeing the pot greedily. "Though these are probably questions I should have asked before indulging in so many honey dreams!" They chuckle.[/quote]
"they end up on the border to our world and theirs still fantastical but less locals, as for safety aside from being honey mazed you should be as safe as in any other dream." The old man calls taking a sip of wine as they do so.
[quote=the old man][quote=Six Handed Merchant]
Six listens intently to the discussions of honey, but shudders at the mention of red honey. "Yes, beware red honey, and anyone who is associated it. But out of curiosity, where in Parabola do normal honey sippers end up? And is it truly safe there?" The bohemian rubs their chin while Oscar fidgets with his cards, eyeing the pot greedily. "Though these are probably questions I should have asked before indulging in so many honey dreams!" They chuckle.[/quote]
"they end up on the border to our world and theirs still fantastical but less locals, as for safety aside from being honey mazed you should be as safe as in any other dream." The old man calls taking a sip of wine as they do so.[/quote]
At the mention of red honey, Thanos shudders, and he quickly empties his half-full glass to calm himself, hoping his companions around the table don’t notice his distress, or at the very least, that they don’t make the connection. He calms down a tad, and folds (in spite of his excellent hand) to refill his glass nearly to the brim.
At the mention of red honey, Thanos shudders, and he quickly empties his half-full glass to calm himself, hoping his companions around the table don’t notice his distress, or at the very least, that they don’t make the connection. He calms down a tad, and folds (in spite of his excellent hand) to refill his glass nearly to the brim.[/quote]
The old man notes thanoses discomfort but leaves it at that, all have crosses to bear. The old man goes all in and looks intently at Oscar "you know I can never tell what your thinking your unreadable, you know I wonder do you have any deep insights into parabola Oscar?" The old man says grinning intensely and barley suppressing a laugh
[quote=Six Handed Merchant][
"Mind if I just sit here and let Oscar take this game? He’s far more cardsharp than I am." Six glances up at the octopus on their hat, which shifts its weight eagerly.[/quote]
"My dear Six," Lady Byron remarks, having overheard this conversation, "I was just about to ask Oscar for a dance, but since he is occupied, perhaps you would do me the honor?"
[quote=Iris Sims][quote=Lady Sapho Byron]“Ah! Ms …” Lady Byron’s brow furrows in puzzlement as she searches for the name of the woman who has joined them. She only finds it when she glances away. “Ms Raymond. A pleasure to see you here! I trust the season is treating you well?” she asks, passing a glass of mulled wine to Iris and then to Cathy and then taking one for herself.
“A toast to curiosity,” she proposes, and then with a wink to Iris adds, “of all varieties!”[/quote]
"To curiousity!" After their glasses clink, Iris takes a luxuriating drink and then smiles at their new companion. "It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms Raymond. I’m Iris Sims."[/quote]
"You know, my friends," Lady Byron continues after drinking to the toast, "I can think of only one time when caution overcame my curiosity–no, twice–I have long regretted the one occasion, but the other not at all."
"Sapho! Why, I would be delighted, my friend! Although I’d hate to tear my partner-in-fashion from the game." Six looks up at Oscar. "Would you mind taking my seat for awhile?"
The octopus looks at the detective, then at his cards, and nods. Six gently lifts the cephalopod from their head, but their wide-brimmed fedora leaves with him, sending a cascade of green curly hair down to Six’s shoulders. Six shrugs and places the octopus on their seat, hat and all.
Six quickly checks their green curls in a small compact mirror before offering their hand to Sapho. "Shall we?"
Several tentacles lift Oscar up to the edge of the table. When asked about parabola, the octopus appears to shrug before pushing the remainder of his chips into the pot.
6:45 A small group of young men hang morosely at the edges of the ballroom. Unable to secure dance partners, they have resorted to the refuge of embarrassed youth: bravado. Every now and then, however, one glances at the women who are dancing with each other, and the unspoken questions hang in the air. "What’s so terrible that they’d dance with each other to avoid me? Am I that horrid?" Then the stooped shoulders straighten, and the jovial mask is back in place.
After his fourth dance on the sidelines, however, one of them suggests (in tones of dancing-was-never-that-interesting-anyway) that he’d really rather play cards. Two others agree, and they leave the group to find Nigredo Room and the card tables. The room is livelier than expected. At one table, a man in a gilded bauta mask trumps a King of Swords with the Magician and takes the trick, provoking a round of inventive Italian cursing. At another, a man sits by himself. He invites them, through a thick accent, to play as-nas. ("It is like poker. You play poker, sirs?" Good Lord, no. We’re not Americans.) They find an empty table and sit to play ombre, only to discover that the provided deck is ganjifa, and they can’t make heads or tails of it.
The young men nearly despair of finding a French-suited deck, but are rescued by a rat in a dashing satin mask. (His cards are smaller than usual, though quite big enough to prove ratly valour.) "Sit here, boys! I have what you’re looking for. What’s your pleasure? Whist? Beggar-my-neighbor? Pope Joan? I’m sure I saw a staking board somewhere.
"Say, boys, I have an idea! You know, ol’ Professor Whatzisname didn’t exactly say we couldn’t gamble. What do you think about a friendly wager, just to keep it sporting? Oh, just a gentleman’s wager, a trifle. Couldn’t get you in trouble with your mothers, could we? Besides, you’ll probably win. Say, on the nonce, you aren’t the types to wear silk underwear, are you?"