ph_logs | Velvet, Ambrosia, and Silk

Velvet, Ambrosia, and Silk

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

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."

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."

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?"

"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."

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."

"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."

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."

"I will accept that. Do you know, even River pays when she uses my services during working hours?" River sticks to her principles and, frankly, he likes that about her.

"I have always been a creature of politics in some form. Being a lord of my territory in my former life has given me plenty of experience. That said, I do intend to keep a strict line between the two professions if I am chosen." He wouldn't want to be accused of doing favors.

"I've been living here more than a year now and, yes, I have observed the same. After all they have been through, their hesitance was natural, but now I believe we represent new hope to them. In a place where death cannot keep its claim, the world can quickly lose its wonder. We have brought that back to these good people. I hope it will continue to be so once we've completed our task."

He cracks a smile to ease some of the severity of the subject, "Besides, I may get bored of servicing the same people over and over again. I'd also like a taste of fresh blood." Metaphorically and literally.

"Of course, she is a woman of principle, and is taking you up on your services. I'm sure César would insist upon doing the same, in her position."

Magne sips at the drink that she'd brought with her, nodding safely. "A wise decision, indeed. There will already be jokes about sleeping one's way to the top, but best not to inspire them in any serious capacity.

"The people that have been here the longest are regaining some of their energy and shaking off the hesitancy that comes with suddenly seeing a dozen new faces at once. I like to think that they've really started to come around.

"But, back to what you were saying about your services there, I know that must be both literal and figurative, but...well, I am curious as to how that works. I'm sure you know there are a thousand different types of vampires in fiction, and in my world, that was really about all, outside of the odd blood Quirk or two. How does yours work?"

"I suppose it's the mark of a good match," Erik answers. Yes, he's sure Cesar would do that.

He nods along in quiet agreement with the rest of Magne's assessment. He agrees, it's good to see this place coming alive.

"Would you believe, there are dozens of stories and lore in my world about us too?" he chuckles. "Which is rather annoying since it isn't as if we are hidden. Vampires are no great secret in my world, they could have asked." Instead, he got sparkling vampires.

"Some of the finer points of how it 'works' are a mystery even to us. As far as I can deduce, we exist due to a form of blood magic. Our teeth carry no venom, however. You won't turn from a simple bite, which is good or most of my clients might be undead at this point. But, no, there has to be intention behind it, and a process. So my clients are in no danger of joining me in undeath.

"There's no inherent pleasure to being bitten, either. I'm good at what I do, so I can make it feel very sensual, but that's down to my own skill and execution. My preference is to wait until my donor reaches the height of climax to bite them. They are usually too flooded with endorphins to feel it." It tastes better that way, too, but he keeps that to himself.

"I only take, at most, two teaspoons at a time. Barely more than you'd miss from a particularly bad accident with a kitchen knife. My own blood has healing properties, as well, so when I am finished I use it to close up the wound as if it never were." Which explains why none of his clients ever come out with bite marks.

"I've been very successful with this arrangement thus far. I stay well fed and my clients leave satisfied with their care and the discount it's earned them."

Magne listens with clear fascination, nodding along as she absorbs his explanations, first of the variety of vampires that apparently exists regardless of worlds, and then the nature of his blood's properties, which is very much the main point of questioning that she'd had. The reassurance that there weren't just a bunch of bloodless ghouls about to spring up from Erik's client base is a relief.

"I see. It's both a service for you, and something of a kink for them. One of my closest friends from home really enjoyed blood in general, and hurting people just to get it unfortunately. She loved so many people and it only made her want to hurt them more, and using their blood, she could take on their traits. It made her a regular little espionage expert." She speaks of Toga very fondly, even with as divisive as the explanation of her power and personality could be. "This seems downright harmless in comparison."

"Yes, exactly. It is very much a choice. I do not demand it from my clients, I only offer it as an option. I am not a sadist. Giving pain brings me no pleasure, even if the taste of blood does." He won't deny that there were vampires in his world who did. The vampire who sired him was one.

"My age has a lot to do with it. The older we get, the less blood we require in a sitting to maintain ourselves. Since I am over a thousand, I need only a small fraction of blood to stay healthy. I get more than enough with this arrangement."

"You're set for life here," Magne concludes, then her head tilts. "Or, un-life, as the case may be."

One hand dips behind her, fishing briefly into the folds of the obi tied neatly against her back, coming up with a small knife separate from the very cute cat-eared brass knuckles that hang like charms at her hip. It's less of a weapon, and more of a utility instrument. "If you ever find yourself feeling peckish while you're here, we can provide for you, too. No reason to exclude someone over dietary restrictions, after all."

"For life, or whatever approximation of it that I possess," he agrees.

His eyes widen when she pulls forth the blade. Not in fear, but in astonishment at the offer.

"I appreciate that very much. But, I don't wish you to feel obligated. As I said, I do have enough to sustain me. More than that is purely for pleasure."

"Ah, no it's not particularly an obligation when I know you're already well-fed. I just know that I can't really offer to pour you a cup of tea, and it isn't as if you would just exanguinate me, so I'm looking at it as a courtesy."

"Then, in that case, it's a courtesy I may take you up on from time to time. I promise to be discrete, so it won't unsettle any other guests." There's a reason he chooses to use wine glasses so often. People are less likely to look too closely at red liquid in a wine glass.

"Of course, darling. For now, I am happy to delight in your company for a little while longer until someone else seems to need me."

"I wouldn't dare keep you from your duties, but I would like very much to enjoy your company while I am lucky enough to have it."

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Velvet, Ambrosia, and Silk

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wrap here and focus more on the later thread?

Yes! Good plan! End~