Dominic Diamondheart's Story

Dominic Diamondheart

Johnathan had been awake since the crack of this miserable and cold morning that loomed over the city. The usual vivid view of the district was shuttered close from the bedchamber he worked in the legendary Carmine Maid. The prostitute examined the three supreme locks that were attached to each window, rumor accounts of a three story burglar were beginning to spread from whore keeper to whore keeper. A burglar that unlocked the latches, slipped in while client was being entertained and steal the valuables that were on his person before slipping out.

The Madame of course replied to these rumors by adding more locks and from what he had even traps on the windows of the Maid's high earners. With a released breath Johnathan began continued to clean up his station, the Westbrook Brothers had made an awful mess. Johnathan had a very busy evening he was almost glad no one had called upon him this early morning.

His evening had consisted of a Toothless old woman who was one of his regulars, two very plum dwarven sisters of the Ambassador's Aide; A limp wrist foreign nobleman that had a fixation for whips, floggers, riding crops and curious costumes of leather; and of course, the Westbrook Brothers: A pair of ruthless enforcers for the Sethur's Hand. They were always excessively rough and excessively forceful and trashed half the room by the time they were done. Still, they paid really good coin for their perks.

They also seemed to have introduced a new 'game' which the Westbrook Brothers always doing with their whores and for the rest of the night Johnathan had to resist the urge to scratch the wig they putted on him as they "Took a stab at Abel Beth-Dragon." Who so ever said that the life of a whore was a glamorous one had obviously never been a whore themselves.

With his station somewhat recollected he looked back to the accursed thing that laid on one of the bed posts lifting up the rather itchy wig as he went back to the mirror. The uncanny resemble to the small portrait that loosely was wedged into the mirror's crack had made him shiver slightly as he took the wig off, the body art on Johnathan not helping his case.

He was tolerate of many things, but he certainly hope this would not become a regular thing as he continued to get redressed. As he did, a rather shapelly dwarven woman that was currently stripped from the waist down approached the door for a moment. "Johnathan, the Madame needs more fire wood for the chimney right away." Was all she said before she advanced further down the hall.

Johnathan looked back at the leaving co-worker before he finished dressing in very colorful grab of vivid silks and revealing tight materials as the whore proceeded without rejection. He had ignited some fresh inscents into the room before he left. Sometimes a client arriving in one time and arriving in fifty times was the difference if the room did not smell like feet and sex.

Pacing downstairs he quickly made his way through the back, he paced through the many brothel courtesans getting dressed, preparing for the day, a few were practicing their various yammers, cries and moans in the back for the new entries to learn the trade as he reached the backdoor and paced outside to the wood shed. The air was bitter and cold making him regret wearing such thin clothes as he scammered over to the shed opening it revealing the great deal of firewood inside.

Strongly and stoutly he carried a heft bundle back into the Carmine Maid somewhat approaching the fireplace after a brisk walk. He was certain to neatly stack the wood where it needed to go remembering how a red haired woman had not done this, a client had tripped on the wood and she was quickly kicked out of the brothel. He had never saw her again, the client who tripped was a very powerful woman and he had heard rumors that the client did something to her face that compensated 100 times over for the bruise that woman obtained.

He rather not think about it now, once the wood was stacked he placed the first logs inward and he began to strengthen the fire he looked back and to his shock he had found Madame Tre'vani idly leaning on the counter top. "Madame." He hailed back to her "Good morning." With that slightly said he resumed to poke and stack the fire as it burned a little brighter.

Luna's ears perked at the sound of Dominic's cheery voice. "Good morning Domi dear." The Madame purred, walking over towards where her favorite whore was tending the hearth. The fire itself was more smoke than flame, but the warmth it did bring to the room warmed her, straight to her icy heart. Her head tilted to the side as she stared at the fire, then back onto Dominic's muscular form. She scanned him from the top of his shaggy head to the tips of his boots. She vaguely remembered the sight of the Westbrook Brothers from the night before; two men who were known to create quite a ruckus in her establishment. They had violent tendencies as well, but after a few subtle threats from her and a few members of the Merchants Guild she stopped having complaints about them and whores with bruises.

No one EVER hurt her girls [ and men in Domi's case] without consequences. They were her flock, and she was their Shepperd. If any wolves wandered into her home and snapped at her sheep, she was sure to gut the creature and make a robe out of him.

" Domi, tell me I'm doing the right thing by letting the Westbrook fools come here. Gods be good they pay well enough....but -" She sighed and silenced herself, waving her pale hand in front of her face. “As it matters, though, I have more pressing concerns than those two. Gold .” Her eyes twinkled and her hands found themselves pulled together in front of her face as she began rubbing them together excitedly. " A friend of mine is coming in today, with a list of future clients who want only one man or woman of their choosing. If you can be a dear and greet her for me, I'll give you a little extra to shop with. She'll be an elf, with hair as red as fire."The corners of her mouth quirked upward and she grinned. She didn't wait for an answer before continuing to speak. " I'll be out for awhile dear. I need to see if there's any new fabric about in the Bazaars, so if you need anything talk to the halfling like usual. Oh, and If you don't want the job, find another to take it.I can't see why anyone would turn down a bit of extra gold, but who am I to question foolish minds." Her grin remained, continuing to spread playfully across her gentle face. As she spun on her heel and began to walk out the door, she gave Domi a final wave of her hand before stepping out towards the dawn light and into the red light district of the city.

The smell of perfume, sex, and wine vanished as soon as she stepped outside, only to be be replaced with the smell of money and dirty dealing. Usually she made a servant go out for her whenever she needed something, but she felt the need to shop today. Owning a brothel was a lucrative business, and it gave her the baubles and delights she could never afford as a child wandering the streets. Troubling memories flashed in her mind, one after another, each worse than the last. She grimaced. Her thin black eyebrows furrowed, and her lips pressed together in a tight line. Violently, she shook her head and she continued walking at her easy pace. No, she thought tiredly. That time is over and never to be returned too. I'm a grown woman now, one with a business and people to look after.

As the rising sun lifted up into the steel gray sky, Madame Tre'vani lifted the hem of her scarf away from her tanned face. Gentle indigo eyes flicked towards the clouds and a smile would again drift across her face. Pulling the fabric back over her head, she took the last few steps forward under the two stone pillars in front of her that read "The Bazaar" in black Elven, Human, and Dwarven lettering.

"Sweet Mother watch over me, for in you I place my faith.
"Blessed Father guide me, for you I ask for protection.
"Gentle Watcher I beseech you, guide my path while I walk this morning."

Her lips murmured the prayer all human children were taught from the the time they could speak. She wasn't a highly religious person, but with assassins and thieves about she'd take all the blessing she could get.

Dominic Diamondheart

Johnathan continued his glance over to the Madame as she began to pace over to his side. Of all the Whore Madame, Keepers, Pimps and other various 'management' from disillusioned noble to vicious extorting gang member: Madame Lunora was alright. Anywhere else she would be considered a vicious tyrant, but this was not anywhere else: This was the most dangerous city in Pathos and the male whore could always tell she had their best interest in mind. After all, dead and scarred prostitutes don't make very good money in this city.

He listened to her as he slowly warmed up his soothing alluring body. Her words of the Westbrook brothers made him rather befuddled. He was about to reply to such a notion but she quickly changed the subject to what really mattered: gold. Without those two his earnings would not be half of what they were worth and something rough would always be something rough in Johnathan mind. Plus there was always the notion that he didn't want to make the Madame guilty by telling her he had been through a lot worst here in the Red Ruby Quarter.

Then came the offer that followed and his eyes caught a flare of intrigue. A client that could afford a single whore here was incredibly lucrative and affluent enough to have a great deal of coin. It could easily Make Johnathan an even greater earner and this opportunity was rare. Even before he could speak he was merely tossed with the job standing their idly as she waved him good bye. "Well... Have a good day then." Was all he could really force into the conversation. Madame or not, Lunora had a particular habit of monopolizing the conversation at time.

He merely shook his head as the same dwarven woman came to his side somewhat warming her hands as the various patrons and people were moving about the room, some to rooms others out the door.

"She fond of you, you know." She had uttered as she poked through the bright ambers again.

Johnathan turned his attention around "the Madame??" He exclaimed somewhat confusedly before he uttered out a "Why??"

The other said nothing merely rubbing her palms together as the heat increased "I wouldn't know, but if I were you I convince Lunora to set aside some earnings to pay for Madeline's new babe's education." She advised.

"It happened last night??" Johnathan was surprised he was sure Madeline wasn't expecting til the end of the this month. Births of bastards were a very common thing here in the Carmine Maid. It was a somewhat twisted game the others would like the pool based on the number of clients that particular whore had what color the baby's hair would appear out and it's hair and so forth. .A steady pool by the amount of coin what was now attached to his companion's sash he could tell she won.

"This morning actually." The dwarven woman corrected "With any luck it will be her last whelp for a while." God forbid to be not able to work for 4-5 months was a risky thing to pull with Lunora and to do it multiple times meant multiple risks.

"Lets hope."

"So do you know who I saw on the books today Johnathan." Johnathan companion added with a swarmy grin. Johnathan only took one look to her grin and he knew what was next.

"Oh no."

"Thats right, Felicia the Cleaver."

Felicia the Cleaver, she was the leader of the extremely ruthless Red Ripper Gang and one of Johnathan's regulars. Surprisingly for a woman of her giant homely stature and imposing built you would never expect her to be such a gentle partner. Of course this was very undisclosed, something he knew if he even gossiped to a close friend Felicia would break down doors and slice him off part by part, Lunora or not.

"Do I have enough time?" Was the first thing that Johnathan requested

"By the look of the Ledger I say so..." She had proposed back before her eyes dawned over to the four very intimidating men that could be seen passing by the window. "The Sea Monster and his first officers are approaching the main door." She said to herself knowing it the visual que for such a prestigious customer. The dwarven woman somewhat walked away somewhat clapping her hands as she hailed the other women and men that were lounging for a moment awaiting appointments and arrivals. "Alright! Look alive everyone!"

Johnathan as he saw Drake Sigurdsol arrived inward knowing that he could have to manage the door for now pacing over at the door frame while the extremely towering man and his men were passing by. Leaning against the door frame his own frame popping very nicely through is attractive looking clothes he cooed the four with a slight devilish grin. It was show time.

"Captain Sigurdsol, Why don't you chose the world renowned Carmine Maid for your time on land?" He hailed hoping to attract their attention as he advertised the fine inviting time inside.

Drake Sigurdsol

Drake and his men strode confidently down the alleyways until they reached the Ruby Ward. As far as the wards went, this one was the nicest outside of the Palace Ward. The establishments here, while certainly not of the reputable sort, were often grades above those of the lower wards. Indeed, there were a number of fine brothels and taverns to be found throughout the ward. Even the air seemed nicer in this ward, not as tainted by the filth and poverty of those in the lower class wards. This ward at least established a pretense of finery and civility, even if pretense was all that it was.

The sun shining down upon them went unnoticed, accustomed as they were to the far harsher beatings affected upon those at sea by the sun, ocean, and all the other elements whose powers were amplified upon the open seas. While they were moving through the ward, one of the mates mentioned that he had put a special order in with one of the local merchants for absinthe, a rarity even in the city of thieves and vice. Drake clapped the man on the back, causing him to stumble forward as he laughed, "Well why didn't you say so in the first place? Not trying to hold out on your captain are you?" Laughing, the men moved off towards the bazaar to pick up this rare and potent alcohol. They stopped only when a voice called out from one of the brothels.

"Captain Sigurdsol, Why don't you choose the world renowned Carmine Maid for your time on land?" The quartet of pirates stopped and looked at the male prostitute standing in the doorway of the brothel. Still in a good mood from the mention of absinthe, Drake laughed aloud. "You have a right mighty pair of stones boy to be addressing the Lord of Pirates yourself." After a moments thought he continued, "Well I reckon we could do wit a good brothel, but we have important business to attend to first. We will be back in a short while." And with that the pirates went off to attend to the important business of procuring alcohol.

When the pirates entered the bazaar, it was already filled with a pack of customers, merchants, thieves, and others. Some people tried to make room for the pirates to pass, but that wasn't always possible given the crowded conditions. In those instances, Drake roughly pushed aside the sea of city-dwellers, making room for them to pass through unhindered. It took some time, but they finally reached the shop where the crewman had requested the absinthe. One of the crewmen spoke briefly with the merchant who then ducked under his stand for a moment. When he stood back up, he had a large, ornate glass container filled with green liquid. He placed it in a box with a felt indentation, specifically fit for the bottle. It cost quite a pretty penny. As the crewman was paying for it, Drake took some gold from his own purse and chipped in. The merchant raised his eyebrow at this, the captain was known for many things, though generosity when it came to gold was not one of them. Still, the merchant accepted the gold unquestioningly, and the transaction was thus completed. The men turned and left.

Making their way back through the crowd, the crewman who knew the merchant holding the absinthe box, they witnessed the spectacle of the elf-bard chasing a small purse snatch through the crowd. It was truly a humorous sight to behold. Drake observed the quick, agile movements of the child, he would make a fine pirate with the agility he had. Then the child climbed a tree, effectively trapping himself. Looking on impassively, Drake listened to the ensuing confrontation between the female elf and the street urchin. A crowd formed, but it seemed their presence was keeping the elf from taking further action against the little thief. He frowned, it seemed the elf was on the verge of giving up, to an insulting whelp no less. And the crowd just stood by doing nothing. That sent the wrong sort of message, he thought to himself. If petty thieves were just allowed to run amok in broad daylight with no one lifting so much as a finger to stop them...nay, the crowd was actually helping the little brat get away with their seeming judgement of the elf. If such things were just allowed to occur unchecked, well, even cities like this one needed some sort of rules. "Time to send a message." Drake said, mostly to himself. "Open thievery will not go unpunished." The child was still jeering at and mocking the elf lass when Drake removed his hand crossbow from its holster, pointed it at him, and pulled the trigger. The small twang went unheard by the crowd, the bolt unnoticed, at least until it buried itself in the boy's chest. It was then that the crowd fell into a shocked silence. The boy looked down at the bolt in surprise before he fell over, and landed on a lower branch, blood dripping down onto the cobblestones below.

However, the silence lasted only a moment, then an uproar began to swell, outraged that someone could shoot a child, even one that had committed theft right in front of them. The crowed turned about, looking for the one who had committed such a deed, and fell silent again when they saw the Sea Monster himself holding his larger-than-normal hand crossbow. The quartet of pirates moved forward without a word, the crowd parting before them, fear and awe apparent, but mostly fear. The boy was slumped in the tree, blood continuing to fall to the earth. Using his height, Drake reached up and plucked the child unceremoniously from the lower limb. Holding the boy with one hand, he pulled his bolt from the body, before letting it drop to the ground as carelessly as one might discard a piece of refuse. He reloaded the bolt into the crossbow and placed the Drake-sized hand crossbow back in it's holster.

The pouch of coins was sitting in the pool of blood expanding out from under the body. Drake picked up the pouch, opened it, and plucked out four gold coins. He looked at the elf girl, for she was certainly not out of her twenties and said, "For services rendered." Then he closed the pouch and holding it by the top extended it towards the elf, it was hers after all. Blood dripped from the bottom of the bag onto the street. He waited stoically for her to take the pouch.

Dominic Diamondheart

For a brief moment Johnathan had thought he was going to get a crossbow bolt lounged between his eyes. He knew that in most instants that the Sea Monster wouldn't murder a man for speaking to him. The moment he had turned around through, he seemed as intimidating and massive as the leviathan he was named after. His words had somewhat grounded him back to reality as he had offered a seemingly calm smirk and a nod of his head. "The lovely fragrances of the Carmine Maid will be eagerly awaiting your legendary company." he prose as the four departed again.

Johnathan was surprised how good of a promoter he was at time, the rare patronage of a powerful warlord for the evening for the Madame and the Carmine for a brief exchange of words. Then again, when finding words to say Johnathan always had a particular talent in that aspect: even as a lying good for nothing whelp. With a smirking grin, the handsome well toned man returned back into the confines of the rich exotic brothel. A few approached the single prostitute, some neutral and others irritated.

"You didn't piss off the bastards with those smug words of yours did you!?" One in the group accused almost appearing as though she was about to strike him for losing such fine business. Johnathan's dwarven friend was quite quick to come to her co-worker's aid. "If the Sea Monster was disgusted by the offer there would be one less whore in the Ruby Quarter." She asserted.

Though it did silence the critics, Johnathan was not so terribly assured with those amoral wording. "The Sea Monster has business in the day, he told me he will be dropping by the evening." He proposed which gave enough certainty to dispel the group away. Johnathan took another breath as he looked a rather fat hairy man wearing too much jewelry with teeth made of gold that was pacing out with a friend armed thugs. It was none other than Hassir the Flesh Peddler, a slaver that bought exotic people of the wild untamed lands and sold exclusively to brothels. If he was here, it had meant he was seeking business.

"You! Whore!" he somewhat bellowed. Hassir had never bothered to learn any name he did not deem important, it was strange of all the seasons he had been in the city he was always referred simply as 'whore' to this man. Holding in his true disposition he turned to the man with a neutral face bowing his head as he spoke "Master Hassir, How may I-" Was all he could say before the impatient man spoke again "I have no time for formalities! Where is your mistress!? I have business to attend with her. Very rich business that need not wait!"

He paused for a moment before he idly spoke "She is at the Bazzar during this hour." Johnathan had answered in return "Good! Good! Than that is where I go next!" With that had said the immensely wealthy man paced away with his guards in tow. Rumors had circulated that Hassir had privately funded a war in the wild lands beyond the seas for an aggressive chiefdom to expand its statehood. This had resulted in Hassir having first pick of the thousands of war captives in the aftermath of this war, some have said the fleet of ships that were said to arrive would be rich in 'black gold'. To Johnathan though, it may mean having new blood in the Carmine for Hassir always had a habit of saving his absolute best pick for the Madame.

For now Johnathan would wait, the red haired client would arrive sooner than later and it was his personal responsibility to greet and escort her through the Maid with her list of potential new clients.

---

The Docks

Prince Constantine IV

The morning was still and the skies a murky grey, fog had begun to roll along the piers obscuring the fleet of ships that crowded the free port of Daggerford. Nathan Bounty had been a smuggler and a very successful smuggler at that. His days in piracy and contraband from slave to foreign silk had given the man a rather comfortable retirement in the Palace Ward. As a sign of sentimental value he had kept his old vessel: The Sapphire of the Ocean seaworthy in port managed and maintained by a few paid crew members to clean and manage her a small gang of toughs to discourage vandalism and theft.

Nathan was now an elder man, a bald wrinkled head with a well trimmed white beard. He was deeply tanned and still a very active looking man due to his many adventurers on the high seas and dressed in rather rich clothes as a sign of his own status in the Merchant Guild which he served somewhat as a adviser to for a good pension. Dulled brown eyes examined the vessel again as a voice spoke out to him. "Its rather a marvelous vessel old friend, it sometimes makes me wonder our place in this new generation."

His eyes turned to Merrivian Veldonnas. Veldonnas had been an actor once, though when the more respectable seeking pashas had noticed how eloquent he was with words they began to hire him to write speeches and pamphlets of all kinds. Within the city where literacy was rare, Veldonnas quickly became the most popular playwright and author within Daggerford, supply the ample masses with witty comedy, beautiful drama and to some extend tragedy that was not booed off the stage by the groundlings.

The equally old man seemed to age somewhat more gracefully, appearing a smooth, handsome man of his late forties more than the elderly pirate before him. Dressed in equally rich flowing robes he was accompanied by a single slave bodyguard, a loyal mercenary that held no tongue from the Wild Lands. Merrivian spoke a foreign dialect and the man departed from earshot for now as he joined his old friend's side to speak in private.

"We'll out live the little bastards yet." Bounty had boasted rather firmly prompting his friend to somewhat chuckle.

"Still as jovial as ever I see." The other old man commented as the two actually made their way up the walk way of the ship.

As the two arrived on top deck, they behold an image they had not been expecting: Prince Constantine awaiting for them. "Gentlemen." The masked prince hailed the other two men. Both were in slight fright, and this was what Hugo desired if for a brief moment the brief and sudden realization that he could be anywhere at any moment. The loyal and secretive monarchists returned their attention to Hugo both bowing their heads respectively as they spoke "Your Highness." In their graces.

Hugo had liked these men, they were experienced and competent something he found lacking with the boot lickers and flatterers of merchants that made the bulk of the movement here in the city. He did tried to seek other counsel now and then to give the illusion that he held them dear and appreciated their support but he would not be a vain and rash ruler but a prudent one and remained grounded in wise counsel.

"Forgive my intrusion on your weekly conversations of philosophy and science, but I knew this was the only time I could seek word with you." The spies the Prince had been able to install had told him through contacts that The Rakkath had vanished from affairs and that his Blood Hound was distracted with an assassination attempt on his life to manage the guild personally in his master's absence. The infrastructure of the Achaz was awe inspiring and perhaps too good for Rakkath's other lieutenants to truly manage on their own accords. It had left cracks in the system, which have given the Prince ample enough time to slip this small meeting in and then vanish out before anyone above could suspect a thing.

"Let us take this conversation inside the captains quarters." He requested and with that statement the two men followed him inward to speak.