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Before I post, here's the ooc thread:: tavern-shadows-ooc-t9221.html

It was late on Samhain night when the veil was at its thinnest. Aiko was dumped unceremoniously out of a portal onto the porch of what appeared to be a mansion in the middle of the forest. She growled a little standing up and checking herself for injuries. What in all of the nine primary hells had provoked her brother to try an uncertain spell on her...she wondered. Her clothing was a dark crimson dress meant for the halls of a Lord's manor not for wandering around strange worlds and she seemed mostly unhurt just very very confused. She would approach the doorway of the building hoping to perhaps find someone who could help her find her way home but the door opened of its own accord silently and it was dark inside. She entered the building muttering a few words in high demonic to summon up a witchlight of sorts that glowed pink and crimson.

As she entered the building, she focused her energies to see if she could sense some sort of living being but nothing. IT was obvious that no one had been here in some time yet there was energy of a sorts. It was the type of energy that said the building itself had a spirit and some awareness. Perhaps the building was only lonely and looking for a new caretaker. Aiko pushed a strand of black hair out of her face and sighed before flicking fingers to light a couple candles she had found in her little portable pocket dimension. She set the candles in ancient holders on the walls before beginning to explore the building. She truly hoped she wouldn't be alone here for long because she hated the way the building seemed to watch her and wait for something.

"Hello there...Who are you? I am sorry, but I can't tell you my name, if you are about to ask in return...At least, I can't tell you until you can prove you are...friendly, to the likes of me. You seem in touch with the demonic...Are you one of them, or just a practitioner of the arts?"

The voice actually came from behind her, just outside the door. There lay a massive snake, whose giant coils had wrapped around himself enough times to raise his head to the girl's level. His scales were entirely silver, shining in the dim light, and only his golden eyes were different from this color scheme. His maw was stretched into a friendly smile...If one could continue a snake of such large proportions 'friendly'.

She turned around, golden eyes glowing in the darkness as black flames appeared around her. She was suprised and the flames were an extension of her inner self. They weren't dangerous at the moment at least. She looked the snake over and bared her fangs letting herself fall back onto what little she had.

"Demon...aye. Or close enough to one. Don't you just hate screwed up portal spells?"
She relaxed just enough to let her clan markings show through the thin back of the dress on her right shoulderblade. Those marks would tell anyone who knew how to read them that she was of Lord Belial's line.

The snake watched her carefully, coolly, before speaking again, noting that she was from Belial's line. "Close enough? Might you explain a little more? And would you mind telling me your name...I am sorry, I believe I'm being a little pushy. Here, to make it up, let's have a little game. I've asked three questions, and now you make ask three in return...We will go from there. And you must answer every question." He liked games, they made life more exciting, even in small intervals.

Unfortunatly for him, this little witchling wasn't interested in games. Actually her thoughts were along a much darker line. She was trying to figure out what she was going to do to her twin brother for using her for spell pratice again. Never ever let an incubus play with spells at least, not if you wanted to stay home. Her eyes flashed icy blue for a moment as she thought of tying her brother by the ankles and hanging him upside down over a pit of poisioned stakes. Giggled before realizing she was expected to answer the snake.

"I am Aiko, youngest of the third of the Council of hell's lords. Close enough means you're on the right track. I'm not exactly a pure blood of demonic kind. My mother had human and elf blood if the tales my Father tells are truth and not just ramblings. As to games, they aren't really all that interesting. But I am glad for your company."

So, not 'full' demon blood, eh? Then she would be good candidate for what he had in mind...Having her be familiar with demons and glad for his company was just a bonus, making his plan all the easier. "A pleasure to meet you, Aiko, and I do believe, then, that we can be in the same company. If you don't mind..." The snake began to uncoil himself and...shrink, to a more manageable, but still impossibly large, size. The 'if you don't mind' came when he began slithering towards her...And up her...Until he was coiled all around her like a garment of some sort, not restricting her movement. His scales felt cool...But pleasant. Yes, a very pleasant sensation....

She was completely relaxed against his touch. She ran a hand along his scales softly and gently. She wasn't sure just what was going to happen but she knew enough to not be afraid of him. After a giant serpent is really just a dragon without legs and wings if you thought about it. She resisted the urge to shapeshift into her own dragon form knowing full well that tans were extinct aside from her and it was a form she had picked up on one of the worlds she had been born into for fun. Eyes went soft golden as she pulled her hair back with a pink ribbon. "So...I suppose you're lonely too? After all, there can't be many giant serpents out in the middle of nowhere like this."

He let out a hiss of pleasure at being petted, and ran his head along her cheek in return, before speaking again. "Lonely? No, I have been alone for thousands of years, and have never felt loneliness...But, that does not mean I do not like pleasurable company, such as yourself." He hissed, and licked her cheek playfully. "And I am not necessarily a giant serpent...I just prefer this form. Now, let's explore this home we have stumbled upon. Perhaps we could make it our own..."

"I understand about forms all to well. And yes, we should explore. This is certainly one of the stranger places a screwed up portal has landed me. Although I guess it's my own fault...I was the one who suggested he needed more practice before he started making portals for anyone." She shook her head, mildly amused by this whole situation. She pulled away from the snakey fellow and focused just enough to light the building up. It was a simple area magick but it wouldn't last if she didn't keep some of her attention on it. So she began to look around the room slowly. "It seems this was like a common room or something." She could see a bar and a fireplace along with some assorted tables. "Does this mean we're opening an inn?" Wondered aloud but the building reacted gently and everything was like new or close to it anyway. Fireplaces were suddenly lit and there would appear a sign over the door with a mug and bed picture on it.

The snake watched it all, still wrapped around her comfortably, observing everything. "This is either a large, grand house,or yes, it could be an inn." Just when they had come to that conclusion, the house seemed to leap to life, starting to turn itself into an inn. "Interesting...It changes to our desires. Perhaps we should find out why, and explore more."

"The most obvious explanation is that there's some sort of spirit or whatever attached to the building. I've heard of such things and among the Fey and Sidhe, their sithens often react to the desires of their rightful rulers. And my daddy's house sometimes reacts to me." She smiled rubbing against the snake a little just glad not to be alone. She laughed a little bit at the building's eagerness to please. Looked to her companion before reverting to one of her most natural forms. Her long black hair, golden eyes, and fangs didn't change but she sprouted some black feathered wings and a tail. Her finger nails also grew longer. They had a tendency to leak different substances based on her mood. Much of her abilities actually required her to be in certain moods. Right now she was feeling a little playful as she looked around. "So, how would you like to do this? After all, more people could stumble on this place at any moment and I want to at least have some idea of what we have to work with here."

He laughed. "I guess you are right...And if we are going to make this an inn, then we will need it easier to find. Paths, advertisement...Something to get it noticed. And everything must be organized...And we will need more people. Guards to keep the fights to a minimum, bartenders, managers, waiters and waitresses, housekeepers for the rooms..." He let out a chuckle. "And why not whores? Those tend to bring in money." He thought of something. "Oh, my name is Argent, by the way."

"Whores? Or perhaps you'd rather allow the BloodMoon guild to use part of this rather large building for a guild house? It's the same as having whores except their girls are much better trained and have a wider training base. I should know." *Grins at him. Her eyes sparkling with color as she reached mentally for the building's awareness. After all, if they were going to make this work she needed to be able to give the building very specific instructions. She felt the house's awareness and stroked it mentally before making a few minor requests such as for a decent road leading to it and signs along the road to guide travellers. She would remeber to find a way to bring in more people. After all, places where those with darker alignments felt safe were rare. Most places on the worlds tended to involve those goody two shoes types. Light aligned dwarves and elves and the like. She'd have a wider variety of beings if she could help it.* "I think all of this will work. If we work together though. The last time I had anything to do with a tavern, it was a guild tavern. I was doing the bartending one night. It was rather fun though...especially with all the comments out of men and the like. I s'pose I forgot to mention I'm related to several incubi and the like hmm?"

"Hm...That would be fine. The more trained employees the better...We will work more on the house as travellers arive...After all, I do not know what would be good for an inn...This is a first for me." He laughed. It had been a long time since he had gotten to say that. "Oh? Related to the incubi? Hm...Then we have something in common." He laughed, then started to twist around her in a matter a little more than 'playful'.

"My own twin is an incubus. I've also got a reaper for a brother. Course I've got way to many brothers to start with. Hard to keep track of who's what and what not." *She laughs and rubs face against her new friend's side softly. She couldn't resist this odd need to simply be in contact with someone. Perhaps it was because of how much fun she was having thinking of things to do with this building. Her eyes were swirling with colors as if they couldn't make up their mind what color they wanted to be. Tail swished behind her wagging a little. She was truely happy. "I'll see if I can get the Guild Master to agree. I doubt he and the House Masters would object...after all, they all had a hand in my training."

(May I join?)

Argent laughed, still curling around her. "I have been mistaken for an incubus in my time, possibly because of a few of my 'activities'." He chuckled, leaving it at that. "Now, it has been a long night, do you need sleep? The house will still be here when you wake up, as will I..." He smiled. "And I would love to see what traits your incubus blood have given you...If you know what I mean..."

((Sure, I don't mind. ^^))

A mess of black silk and chiffon shot into the tavern, wavy black hair flying behind her wildly. "Help... Please..." she panted, clutching her black lace corseted stomach, her bright silver eyes schizophrenically darting around the room. She hoisted the skirt of her dress a touch as she started towards the two, the lightweight layers of translucent silk flowing gently behind her, despite her hurried pace. "Bandits... With some sort of, creature... I couldn't hold them off myself. Help me..." she pleaded, her young, gaunt face exaggerating her pain.

(hope I didn't make it too dramatic too soon... I can change it if you'd like.)

(No you're not being to exciting. But from now 0n can we leave ooc in the ooc thread? Here's the link to that.... tavern-shadows-ooc-t9221.html))

"I'm not tired yet but soon perhaps we should find a bed...or something similar to one. I'll perhaps show you what I know. We'll see my friend. First night's more about sleep right?" She grinned a little rather enjoying his company. Golden eyes were very bright as she let her tail run over the snake's scales softly. Then of course there was that blur that suddenly entered the tavern. She frowned a little bit and looked over at the girl. "Oh dear, are you going to be alright? Perhaps you'd like to wash up? And my companion will handle your bandit issues. We wouldn't want innocents to get hurt. Would we?" The last question was of course directed at the snake. As she spoke she went toward a doorway that opened onto a washroom. She filled a bowl with some water and grabbed some soap. She'd see how hurt the girl was and what herbs she needed when she returned to the main room. Her eyes showed some worry but she masked it as best she could. This was getting a little to exciting...at least for her first night in the place.