Velvet, Ambrosia, and Silk

[sistermagnetic]

Who: Big Sis Magne & anyone 20+
What:
The official opening of the first proper entrepreneurship in Pumpkin Hollow!
When:
Late July and onward
Where:
the newly built, remodeled, and furnished VAS
Warning(s):
General warning for sexually explicit talk pertaining to the job functions of the business. Underage characters will not be able to enter via an enchantment on all entrances that stops them in their tracks. There are no exceptions. (My younger characters aren't allowed in, so neither are yours.)


Pre-opening Staff Party
Perhaps Magne talked it over with you while construction was underway, perhaps you heard about it through the grapevine, perhaps you were pinged thirdhand while looking for a position after newly arriving in town. Either way, if you were invited to come and see the newly-built, elegant multi-story brothel, a couple of nights before she had scheduled the official opening of the business proper, the Madame of this particular business will be throwing a small party to get her workers, friends, and little family together. It's a celebration of good fortune and tenacity. It's also a tour to let those that would be staying on the premises claim their rooms and start to talk over decorating with her.

The main parlor is pristine, with a bar and a few stools stationed around it, with bottles of liquor arranged behind it on sturdy shelves. Purchases from The Limoncello, and supplemental bottles from Erin Peters' collection. There are a few chairs, a few cushions arranged around a low tea table, poofy armchairs and footrests to go with them, loveseats and a couch. Around the walls are a couple of portraits already, one of the Madame herself, with an enchanted magnolia blossom attached to it softly glowing due to her presence in the building. This, she will explain, is the indicator for who is on staff at any given time, bending to the will of the person in the portrait. If they don't want it known that they're in the building, it won't show. First and foremost, it is to tell patrons who is available on staff. Hers is to let them all know when she is there. It will almost certainly be permanently lit. She will always be there for them.

There is a kitchen off the main parlor, specifically that that had come with the front of house that was originally just a normal two-storey home that Magne had built her business onto. It's not only functional, but now supporting the production of light foods for the gathering, with more supplies due to come in in the next couple of days. She had asked Max Maximum to be there a bit earlier than the rest to help her prepare for it all, knowing that he would want to be part of the hospitality for the event.

Everybody under her employ, regardless of position, would be walked through the rules and the security measures. Nobody would be in danger, so long as this was her business. Not if she could help it.

If Magne spots you on your own when you're in attendance, she will come and say hello. You may be the recipient of a big, squeezy hug and a "Hello darling!". Maybe even a kiss on the cheek. Sorry not sorry about lipstick smudges.

The Grand Opening
The wards are set. The rules are in place. A list of names is available with their own flowers beside them in place of the eventual portraits that will line the walls of the front of house. The curtains are drawn and the lights are soft and a radio plays softly from the shelves behind the bar. Everything is warm and inviting, and Magne? Magne is beaming. Her business is officially open.

"It's really happening," she says to herself, not for the first time since the construction was completed. She stands at the end of the bar, her hands clasped around one another mostly hidden by the wide sleeves of the kimono that she had had designed by committee to fit her, deep red with pink and gold embroidery of flowers and vines, the sash tied at her back. Her hair is pinned up in neat, elegant rolls and her makeup done subtly, and she looks every part the Madame that she decided she would be.

The rules are pretty standard, all things considered: consent can be recalled at any time. Refunds will only be given if all parties are in agreement that such a thing is called for. Abuse of her employees will be stopped by force if need be, and that will be done by Magne herself. This is not something that you want to happen to you. There will be nobody on the premises under twenty years of age, barring extremely specific gatherings to be announced at a later date. There is no "three strikes" in this building; testing your luck is not something that you will walk away from looking particularly pretty.

Welcome to the Velvet, Ambrosia, and Silk. Whatever your pleasure may be, it will be seen to.

(Well, unless you want something from a vampire, in which case you'll be put into contact with Lord Erik Osborne. They have an agreement.)

The Off Hours
When not at work, Magne can often be found upstairs, in her own personal living space constructed with a soundproof layer between her loft-like home and her business. Her furniture from when she had first acquired the house has been moved up and the remodel has been completed to put in a small tamaya. There are small pencil portraits of the people that she loves framed there, and the little, square-ish figure of one stationed just under his portrait looking somewhat out of place there among the fine wooden shelves. She can be found in front of this every now and then, knelt in proper seiza, offering her fallen friends quiet prayers and updates on the way that things have gone.

There is a door buzzer that can get her attention if you want her downstairs, but some people are welcome to simply come up to see her when they want to. Just step around a curtained corner and pull on a braided silk cord to signal your arrival.

Comments

Lord Erik Osborne | OTA

[lordoftheozarks]

Of course Erik is going to show up. He and Magne have a wonderful professional relationship and he does want to visibly support her in this. He even brought some brass with him in case he sees something on the menu worth trying (excluding Max, obviously.)

"It's even more luxurious in here than I anticipated," Erik says loudly as he crosses the threshold. "Congratulations are in order, I think."

[pineapplesalmon]

César's going to let Magne handle that initial greeting, but he does approach Erik a little while after Erik's arrived, positively beaming. "Look at her! Look at this place!"

[lordoftheozarks]

"I am looking," Erik replies with a proud smile. "You've both done a wonderful job with this place. It will be the envoy of the town."

[pineapplesalmon]

César waves off the praise. "I just helped Magne execute her vision. She did all the heavy lifting, both physically and mentally. I just backfilled when she asked."

He's not the type to seek praise, but he's the type to give it enthusiastically. She went from bouncer-waitress and blended those skills with her life previous and César's lessons on business and old European buildings to create this place.

[lordoftheozarks]

"I don't think she would be as quick to discount the support you gave her," Erik chides gently. "Do you?"

1/3

[pineapplesalmon]

César opens his mouth to say something—

[pineapplesalmon]

—then stops to think about it with his mouth still open—

[pineapplesalmon]

—and then jokingly sags forward with a laugh. "I know an argument I'm going to lose when I see one. Dabi helped out quite a bit, too."

[lordoftheozarks]

"A wise man knows to quit when he is behind," Erik purrs. "I do not think I have had the pleasure of meeting this other person, Dabi, but do send my regards."

[pineapplesalmon]

"A wise man knows that his partner is often wiser." César teases himself, straightening back up; mmm, he almost called Magne 'wife' there. "He more goes by Touya now, but he's not much of a party type. Touya took my open offer to crash at my place when the Oak & Iron's population suddenly exploded."

[lordoftheozarks]

"I must concede to you there. Such is a lesson even I have learned recently enough." Like, have you seen what River can do when she's pissed?

"I see. Of course, I will use whichever name best suits. I cannot say I blame him. That inn is a lively place but it does make it rather hard to hear one's own thoughts. Especially for those of us with, shall we say, enhanced hearing."

[sistermagnetic]

Erik is of course one of the people that gets a warm greeting, her warm hands wrapping around his chilly ones to give them a brief squeeze, accompanied by a kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you darling, I really wanted this place to be the kind where I would be comfortable, so that anyone else that came by might be able to relax and feel safe."

[lordoftheozarks]

He may be cool to the touch but his expression radiates warmth for her as she leans in to smooch his cheek.

"I think you have accomplished that masterfully. The precautions you have put in place here would rival even the modern era I know."

[sistermagnetic]

Not an ounce of rivalry professional or otherwise to be found here.

"Oh good, I'm glad you think so. I tried to account for what might creep up but I do know I won't be able to predict and intercept everything. But that's when we learn and adapt, right?" She smiles broadly and gestures toward the lounges, foregoing the drink she might have offered to most others. For him, it would mean something far different. "Come, have a seat if you're interested in staying for a bit. How's your business holding up? Hopefully booming with the recent influx?"

[lordoftheozarks]

"I have complete faith in your ability to address things as they come." He really didn't mean to make that a pun but the grin on his face shows he realized it after the fact and retracts nothing.

"It is, thank you. Not only the newcomers; I've made inroads with the locals as well. I won't say who of course, but there have been an uptick in couples' sessions." Twice as nice when it's twice the price.

He perches himself on one of those plush chairs in the lounge looking almost like a piece of the decoration himself all suave posture and sultry eyes.

"Between you, George, and myself, I think we're creating something of a movement. A positive one, I think."

[sistermagnetic]

That grin is met with a soft smirk in return. Even if he hadn't meant it that way, she's amused nonetheless.

"Oh, excellent. You've really got the trust of the community here. I daresay that at some point I really do need to stop by your place and avail myself of your services just to see what I'm missing," she teases.

Magne observes the way he lounges, and chuckles quietly. He really does look right at home here. She would certainly not turn him away in the event that he wanted to just hang around in the parlor, pretty as can be.

"Absolutely. There is nothing to be ashamed of here. I can only hope that when the island opens up to the outside world a bit more, it will bring in some measure of tourism as well and really grow this place."

[lordoftheozarks]

"You would be most welcome. I may even be tempted to give you a pro-rate in the spirit of friendship." Not just theirs, but Max's too. He's noticed how close they are.

"Experience tells me that it may be a harder sell to some outside the strange sphere of this island but, if I am voted into the town council, I have every intention of proposing that once we do get that barrier down, we turn this little island into something of an, arts and cultural tourism destination. We have artisans of every stripe and it would be a shame to keep them hidden away."

[sistermagnetic]

Magne's smile only grows as she considers that, then shakes her head. "Perhaps for the first time, but then after I've got enough to pay you full price I'll have to insist upon that." Discounts are nice, but she longs for the day when she won't have to ever worry about money again!

She perks up at his announcement that he's trying for the town council. "Ohh, going into politics? You do have a unique position in the community, seeing as many people as you do day to day. I think you'd be a valuable source of insight." Because of course she's going to encourage him to go for it. "This place has become so diverse as we've arrived here, and it seems like the native population doesn't resent us near as much as they used to... I think letting them have the chance to reconnect with the outside world will do them a lot of good, too. Making this place a little cultural beacon would be a splendid idea."

uh oh

[hate_gettin_older]

Well, here's a familiar face. They haven't spoken much since that day at the hot springs, but it's evident in the direct smile Edgar gives him from across the room that he remembers it well.

His outfit will probably bemuse Erik at least a little. It seems thrown together with no regard for harmony, as though he's raided three unrelated closets for it -- simple laborer's trousers and shoes in dull brown, cream-colored soft silk shirt with the collar unfastened, and a flamboyant brocade vest patterned in peacock feathers. The color makes his eyes startlingly blue, or maybe that's just the light in here.

:]

[lordoftheozarks]

Erik smiles back, pleased to see he's left a good impression even now. He's revisited the fun they had at the springs many times since then. He will admit, he enjoyed seeing Edgar in his skivvies more than in... whatever this outfit is supposed to be. The vest is nice. He'll give the boy that.

Ah. Yes. That little detail. In all the excitement, he never had gotten the lad's name. The mystique was fun, but he should probably properly introduce himself at some point.

"What a pleasant surprise it is to see you here," Erik says as he saunters up to Edgar. Unlike on the train, Erik is very much in his element here. "Hungry for something in particular or are we just window shopping?"

[hate_gettin_older]

"Doing my part to support local businesses," he says with considerable smugness. "How about you, is this where you work or is it the competition?"

[lordoftheozarks]

"Technically, this could be considered my competition, however I am here for much the same reason as you; I am supporting local business. Magne and I have a reciprocity agreement. Anyone with needs I cannot fill will be pointed to her business and she does the same for me. There is no animosity between us. Quite the opposite. I support her fully in this endeavor as a friend and colleague."

[hate_gettin_older]

"Sounds all kinds of civilized," he says airily. "Good to hear it. Might be thinking of patronizing this place myself, sometime."

[lordoftheozarks]

"I encourage it, of course. There is no one single flavor of pleasure to be had. Why not sample everything on offer?"

Still with a twinkle of mirth in his eye, he adds, "That said, I hope you will keep me in your rotation as well. Here," he reaches into his pocket and pulls out his business card. "That's my address, should the mood ever strike you."

The card is a nice thick stock of cream-colored paper printed in wine-colored ink that reads:
Lord Erik Osborne
Premier Whore of Pumpkin Hollow
Inquire at 272 Pumpkinvine Street or call
Walk-ins are welcome but appointments are greatly preferred.

[hate_gettin_older]

"I'll keep it in mind." Edgar grins, and pockets the card without reading it. "Mind you, haven't decided for sure, mostly thinking of it cause a friend of mine's working here."

Reminded, he scans the crowd to see if he can spot Max anywhere.