Your Character's Hallowmas Confessions

I believe that it’s just fair for the Notable Londoners to also take a peek of our souls (or spirit for our sinfully soul-free friends). Let’s hear what type of confession you want to share and its sordid yet succulent details.

A Confession of Pride:
It was during the time when I have yet to learn from Veilgarden that sometimes honeyed lips is preferred over leaden fists. You see, a certain deviless has taken a fancy on me, or perhaps my soul, and its getting very out of hand. So I plotted to ambush her one lonely evening near the outskirts of Watchmaker’s Hill.

I waited at the roof until she was near the entrance of my lonely cottage. When the time was right, I jumped out of my hiding place and firmly planted my Shiv in her bosom. I thought that I might not be strong enough to pierce her skin but I’m sure my fall will give me enough force to do so. Yet she just took it and did not even flinched. In fact, she seemed rather amused from my attempt.

She grabbed my arm and forced me to plunge the blade even deeper into her heart. During that time she just stared at me, her burning eyes locked intently to mine. They’re like burning embers, painful and burning yet bright and fascinating. Fortunately, I have my Emergency Blunderbuss with me and I fired it with my free arm until she loosened her hold.

I then ran as fast as my legs can carry me, past the thorny swamp fungus and into the tepid beach where my Decommissioned Steamer rested. The place was damp but the presence of water is a welcoming relief for my stinging legs and burnt arm. For extra protection, I began to frantically recited a prayer to St. Joshua that a careless spy left in my lodgings.

The deviless stopped paying attention to me after that event but I can never forget how she stared at me.

I think that’s a great idea, deary, and I’m signing in. Should I resemble Mr. Page on the flamboyance of the story that follows, I ask for forgiveness.

A Confession of Whimsy:

*Regiments of bottles of laudanum, Broken Giants, and Morelways guard the room. Splashes of honey form different pictures all around the chamber. In the centre, Sir Magmionify lies, crestfallen, on a wing chair, his eyes as red as his smile.

“Well, won’t you say hello, deary? Have you come here to hear me talk, babble, or spit blood? Hehehehehe. You look so coaly with that mask. It is detestable. Should you take it down after a while? But at least you’re not wearing the cranium. You don’t know how much I desire the golden skulls of those who seek the prideful, to be red. And I’m not talking of masks. But you’re not here to hear a devilish writer talk nonsenses, in that depraved dates. You’re here because you want to hear my faults. And I shall delight you with, by far, my very best.

It all happened in a honeyed, dark, night, as it always should be in a good history. I was but another journalist on Veilgarden’s endless lines of young hotheads who thought that with his words, they could do something for the world. I suppose that my innocence must had been charming for some of the well-positioned artists that frequented the honey dens, as to not have a perfumed invitation each day to an “artistic soiree”. Yes, they were exactly what you’re thinking, little, clever, masked thing. Not bodies only, but thoughts, ideas… fused together in a little piece of warmness, at an enormous, cold cavern… Isn’t that ironic, now that I think about it? But it was in one of these vile places, where I meet her.

I was drunk as a lord, on that b----y night. You might remember it. I think I made it to the back pages of the newspapers. How glorious they were, the exotic dances and the recitals of cheap poetry, both made as a vain excuse which will garnish an evening that, all in all, only pursued the purpose of obnubilate our minds enough to let us find the good in the world in form of sensible experiences. If there is something that I can remember for sure is that she was in front of me, when I was about to drink my first jar of honey. Skinny past the starving point, as a little artist. The fire of her head of hair framed her pale, frail, skin, painted with freckles. She wore a violet, tattered dress which with his strategic gaps, conferred her a cloud of sensuality so dense that I felt willingly to drown in it. She smiled at my sight. I pointed a free cushion next to me. She came, and we both kissed our cheeks. We talked. For half an hour we only talked, while playing the oldest Game on the world. You don’t know how it haunts me now… How could you?

We then began to gobble. Honey, liquors, the bowls of fruit that our host had put for our pleasure. And we dreamed, oh dear, how we dreamed. While we were kissing, our lips became fields, wet and fleshy fields, each one of our pores was our own different burrow; one was austere, the other, rococo, and so on, till which seemed the infinity. In one of them, we went down. But that precise down, was up, and we rapidly found ourselves in a jungle. The colours feasted on us, and we laughed and singed as they smooth skins tainted ours. Insectoid creatures kneelled before us, and brought us serpentine masks, and my love embraced me fondly, as I did the same.

When I was awake, I saw her pleading eyes, watching me. I knew that look, and we both knew what was the next step to take. But cruelty on me surfaced. I smiled at her, stroked every inch of her smooth, sinewy dermis, as I whispered pleasant lies. She trusted me. A complete stranger which she had met hours before in a bohemian party. For a moment, when he departed, smiling with joy in her eyes, even I believed myself. Then I looked myself in the mirror, and I went to bed. I’ve never wanted something as going to visit her suite, on Veilgarden, but at the same time, something kept me away. It was not the desire to prolong my artistic existence, nor the fear of my relationships with devils could hurt her. It was the verification of how I did not deserve her, not then, not now. She wasn’t something as me, but much better. She had hope, love, maybe even innocence to give. She could enlighten this dark city a bit, at least, and thus, she could not side with me, who will only light himself on fire with but cold scientific spirit in the inside. But I had her, at least, for a night. And with that thought on my mind I tried to forget her, fully working on my artistic compositions.

The next time I saw her, was two months after all of that. She was hand in hand with a young Baronet. She glanced at me, smiling coldly. I was weak, that night. I run, in a frenzy, to her door. I found herself. Long was the night, but longer was the morning. We did not talk. Every time we meet is like that. Both of us are weak for each other, and in London, that is not a convenient thing to be. I cant stop thinking how talkative she was when we met for the first time, and how she won’t say a word to me, now. I doubt she ever will. I feast on the memories of her voice. Each day it is more musical, more subtle, more beautiful. I long for hearing it, some day, but you don’t know how much I fear that moment. Will it be as delightful as I remember, or it will only be a scarred copy of an idea of perfection I’ve created? I wonder if that is love. I don’t want to know.&quot

*Magmionify helps himself with a bottle of Laudanum. He stares at the visitor. His glance seems lost beyond repair.

&quotThey say that in the truly important matters, you should always look for love. In that, maybe they are not as mistaken as in everything else. But be careful. Blood is always red, doesn’t matter why it comes from. And I can assure you that there are worst things… The ones that stay in your head, and the ones that are born of them. Now, I think I have things to do, and you have to confess more wretched individuals. If you don’t want, by coincidence, to stay the night… I could teach you one or two things.&quot

Lamea’s confessions are few, and they are short, and often terse.

Violence


&quotI routinely get into fights with constables who approach me at night.&quot

&quotI walk the alleys of Spite at odd hours, hoping a hapless mugger will give me a reason to exercise my skills on them.&quot

&quotI put a young Stag in the infirmary after he jumped out at me, thinking to spook me. In retrospect, I see now that it was a harmless prank. Oh well.&quot

&quotI accosted Miss Forward in her tent, and then the carnival’s…enforcers, or whoever they were, got involved. I got carried away in that fight.&quot

Curiosity


&quotI read chapter ten of The Perfumed Garden. I regret it.&quot

&quotSome of the first jobs I did for the Embassy before being hired in an official capacity involved paperwork. I wish I could forget some of the things I read in those files…&quot

Guile


&quotI stole a copy of The Perfumed Garden from the Ministry of Public Decency, and I didn’t even like it. I’m still trying to find a buyer. Are you interested?&quot

&quotI almost never pay for carnival tickets.&quot

Impropriety


&quotI had relations with a widow, and I certainly had no intention of marrying her.&quot

&quotI kissed a music-hall singer on the bank of the Stolen River… and she told me it felt like kissing her grandmother.&quot

Lamea refuses to confess anything regarding either a devil or a priest. After satisfying a certain quota of foxes on her doorstep, she begins to take evasive maneuvers. At one point she goes as far as to slip out through the window of a tea shop to avoid a crowd of vulpine prowlers.

Whimsy

For someone who has a reputation in some circles for being solemn-faced and soft-spoken, Lamea seems to be prolific in whimsies.

&quotI pick up ticks several times a year because I always stop to pet stray cats.&quot

&quotI once let a wound go untreated out of sheer stubbornness, and became seriously ill.&quot

&quotI’ve gone broke several times this year because of my extravagant, frivolous spending on Surface imports.&quot

&quotI often do and say things for no reason other than to see what will happen.&quot

&quotSometimes I get so tired of being offered alcohol that I ‘accidentally’ drop the glass.&quot

&quotI promised the rats I would free them from the tyranny of the Big Rat if they helped me. At the crucial moment, I changed my mind. I have tea with him every other Friday.&quot

&quotThe Embassy entrusted me with the retrieval of a missing devil, and I exaggerated my qualifications for the job. As a result of my… incompetence… the missing person was never found.&quot If the confession is a lie, will the Bazaar be able to tell the difference?

Pride

&quotThere is no error in Pride. Good day.&quot
edited by Lamea Lawless on 11/2/2015
edited by Lamea Lawless on 11/2/2015
edited by Lamea Lawless on 11/2/2015

BLOOD, BONE, SINEW, MEAT! RED! RED! RED!

A Confession of Pride

When the devil came knocking, I let him in. Same goes for the devilless. He’s given me silk suits of high Hellish fashion, ordered my measurements to be taken by dry, hot hands. She’s shown me her poetry and her boudoir, both of which I complimented. I’ve danced and dined with devils, discussed with them the merits of abstraction. They’ve each cornered me seperately, several times. I throw them out, but they always come back. They’re too invested in me to quit now. They refuse to go skulking back to the Iron Republic soulless after all this time. The longer it goes on, the more determined they become. Pride is, after all, the most dangerous sin.

I can see myself in their eyes. The idle scholar with too much time and doubt to be faithful or wise. The drunken writer who chases his demons away with honey and, when that fails, actual demons. An intelligent coward with moments of daring, an active model of temptation - if only they could catch me at the right time, they think, they’ll turn the tide in their favor.

In truth, I hate the Republic. I hate that I must flatter them if I want to advance, but not enough to not do it. And I do enjoy their gifts. I have never been a stoic, after all; that is why they pursue me still. But I will never grant them the satisfaction of my soul. Gloating, I watch them empty their infernal allowances on me, let them think they’ve made leeway and snap back at the last minute. Devils love frustration. They always return to inner conflict, their ambrosia - it’s far more interesting than desperation. My soul will always be mine. I have not considered giving it up, not for a second. But they don’t need to know that.
edited by Edison Wake on 11/3/2015

A Confession of Impropriety[li]


You enter the room, and Pink hails you, raising their glass of absinthe. &quotI’ve been waiting for you.&quot You sit, and notice the marsh wolf dozing in the corner. &quotDon’t mind Lou. He’s too gentle to be of any harm. Are you ready for the confession?&quot You nod, and they sigh, looking into their glass for a moment.

&quotIt was back when I was in America, out west. I was working for the governor, basically a hired thug, though they gave me a fancy title. We were in a railroad town in Wyoming, in Cheyenne. I hated that place. The sky was too big, the sun too bright…I spent quite a few hours in the saloon, let me tell you. I took to wandering around the town, looking for mischief. One day I stumbled into the church during a service, and felt too sheepish to leave right away, so I stayed. The priest…well. I’ve never seen such a delicate person. He was small and birdlike, his lips slightly redder than most mens’, his eyes a brilliant blue. And his words…I’m not a Christian, friend, I don’t believe in their God. But he made me want to believe. He made me feel like I was at home, that the Holy Spirit was with me, next to me, in me. He held me in rapture. After the service, I went up to him and thanked him. I began to come to him every day. I stopped drinking. I looked forward to waking up every morning, to meeting with him. I even began to love the sky.

&quotOne Sunday we ate dinner together and shared a bottle of wine I had found for the occasion. One thing led to another and we ended up in bed together. We…he was so innocent. And I wasn’t. And he felt so right in my arms. Like we were made for each other. Our love affair was gentle. He told me about his life, and didn’t judge me when I told him my story. His words cut through to my heart during his sermons. Every psalm became a secret love song between us. I felt I had finally found a missing part of my soul.

&quotBut the governor had other plans. There was a Sioux band that had been causing some problems for the railroad men. I was deployed with a few others to ‘take care of it.’ The things we did…perhaps that is a confession for one in a bear mask. When I came back, I was…different. I was plagued with nightmares. I would have attacks where I would relive the horrors of our raid. I began to drink again. My lover, the poor, earnest young priest tried to help. His patience, his thoughtfulness. He would hold me when I would wake up sobbing. He would hold my hand during my moments of panic. But one day I came to his house raging drunk. He tried to calm me down, to get me to sit, but I was too far gone, and in my state of madness I hit him. He collapsed under my strength and looked up at me with such sadness and pain in his eyes that I couldn’t bear it. I hurtled out of the house and got on my horse and galloped as far away as I could from the place. I felt like a monster. I stayed away from town for a few days, but when I came back, I found that I couldn’t face him. I stayed as far away from that church as I could. I volunteered for scouting missions, ranging as far as I could. But I can’t escape those eyes. I don’t know what became of my priest, if he is still in Cheyenne or if he moved on. I wish I had the guts to apologize. I wish I could see him again. But I can never go back.&quot

Pink looks up at you with tears streaming down their face. The wolf looks up and pads over, resting its head on Pink’s knee. &quotBury that one deep, friend.&quot You shut the door quietly, and as you leave you hear Pink pouring another drink.

A confession of Violence
(based on a &quottrue&quot zee- story)

It was an accident.

In the apocyanic swells of zee there is no law but that of the Neath itself. The Black Flag is merely an expression of such laws. That rickety Steamer was no match for its Majestic attacker. Besides, it’s also a great excuse to lift my L.B.'s spirits up after surviving that dreadful stormfront.

The boarding of the Steamer from the Yacht went well like a tiger catching her prey. The broken crew did not put up much of a fight given that I was accompanied by Zee-seasoned rats and a very, very angry Plated Seal. I know that they’re in the process of jettisoning some of their cargo, given that their ship were more damaged by that storm than mine, so in a sense I’m simply helping them lighten their load.

I chose one of the most worn out crates at the back of their engine as my prize. It’s probably junk but there’s a chance there’s something nice hidden in it. I had the stowaway Clay Man heave it back to my ship so that we can go back to London.

I was turning my back towards the hapless zailors when I heard the very familiar sound of a blade being unsheathed. I swiftly turned around just enough to see the captain rushing towards me with dagger in tow. Now I don’t want to get into the specifics of the fight but let’s just say that I got carried away and gave him a generous demonstration of the Way of the Tomb-Colonists. He’ll revive but I’m sure he needs to be covered in silk when his Steamer ends up in London.

The fight itself wasn’t interesting but the captain’s face was. It was contorted in a visage of alarm and horror even before the fight.

I should have paid attention…

As my crew opened the crate, two hateful glowing eyes met mine. An unholy meow filled the ship as the feline tore itself free from the crate and headed straight to my throat…

The laws of the Neath may allow violence, but it also punishes those who conduct such violence in an excessive manner. It may do so with a hellish Starveling Cat.
edited by Pyrodinium on 11/8/2015

She was clay. I was obsessed. Our improprieties were not exaggerated in any physical sense, but I had designs to marry her. I told her that London could burn before I allowed their small minds to obstruct the beauty I saw. She laughed at me. She found it amusing, I think. She was not the Pirate-Poet of which so much is spoken, that much I am certain of. Were it that she was, I could tell myself she left for occupational reasons.

It was not long after my fiery declaration of love that she departed, unannounced. Perhaps she found it pitiable more so than amusing. I suppose I’ll never know, now.