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Post by Kaelen Silverblood on Dec 27, 2016 0:00:09 GMT
 Mystmarch was always looking for new trading partners to expand their markets and increase their wealth. As word of them spread, so to did the number of requests for representatives to travel to strange lands to set up relations. Kaelen had already been asked a few times to setup relations with new nations and lands, so it was no surprise to him that he was being sent yet again on such a task by the Council and High King. The place he was being sent to this time was called Leichenfurstenbund. They knew nothing of this place. It was too far for their scouts to reach in time to get a read of the situation and return before they would need to send Kaelen out. He was going in blind and that was never a good thing. The carriage Kaelen was in had finally arrived at this Moon Keep, but it was dark out already. He had decided to come alone this time around, because travel would get too difficult and expensive if he had others with him. It was a risky move, but one he had decided to make. He wondered what kind of place he was in now as he looked outside of the window. Not much to see because of the nightly veil covering everything. The most he could make out was the dark outlines of buildings as they past by. Hopefully the ruler of this uninviting land was hospitable. praiselasol
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Post by praiselasol on Dec 29, 2016 16:11:07 GMT
As the carriage pulled up to the base of the Moon Keep, a pair of well dressed servants stepped towards it in regimented steps. They both wore the same costume, black doublets that extended into a knee-length tunic below the waist. Each had a white ruffle round their necks above their high collars. Both them wore pale faces with cold silver eyes and white hair. One reached the door of the carriage, opening it. "Welcome ser." He said politely, moving out of the way and gesturing a welcome. "Her liege is awaiting your audience in the Lunar Room." The servant than stepped away and then other one then stepped closer. "If you would kindly follow me, Ser." she said, guiding the guest from the Mystmarches up a set of stone steps that ran up the middle of a slopping rampart. Each side of the steps was flanked by large statues of sitting wyverns, with gaping mouths and flipping tongues. As they arrived at the front gate the door was knocked twice and the large oak doors decorated in engravings of dancing drakes and moonlight creaked open. Inside was a brilliant vestibule with a grand staircase at one end that rose up and split into two paths that wrapped around the second level of the large chamber. These second levels were suspended by balconies with wooden columns that reached down to the sides of the first. Beneath the balconies and above them on the walls were large paintings, canvases that dwarfed adult men. Painted upon them were bewitchingly beautiful maidens and stark handsome men, with eyes of shining blues and silver with pale and black hair. And at the far end right above where the grand staircase splits an enormous painting of a grim faced man with a stare that felt like it could reach the edges of the world. The second servant wandered off ahead as the first came up to the guest and raised his arm slightly asking the guest to stand still. The second then shouted a declaration of arrival, "MEIN HERR. Ser Kaelen Silverblood of the Mystmarches."From beyond the darkest corners of the second levels the figure of the ruler of this evernight realm came. She dressed in a long dress that was held at the torso by a black corset. The dress rose up into a high collar that sported a black lace ruff. Silver hair was tied into a high bun. This was Mondwylin von Aschfalblassen, Prince of the Moon Keep and Lord of the Pale Moon Principality. She sauntered over to the grand painting of the Leichenhaus's previous head, standing below it she smiled at the man from Mystmarch. "Grannacht to you Ser Silverblood." Mondwylin said with a soft and welcoming tone. "I have heard mutterings of Mystmarch Isles. Please come. I shall hear what you have to say."
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Post by Kaelen Silverblood on Dec 30, 2016 3:02:00 GMT
This land was strange, even by Mystmarch standards. Kaelen was use to a land where spirits roamed free and magic was unhindered. He had met fairies, dryads, and nymphs. He walked and studied with elves and beast folk. He had done all of this, and yet this place was strange to him. It seemed too dark. It was as if the sun never touched this land and the people were just as lacking in light. They almost felt like walking corpses that moved along as if by unheard commands. There was just something about this place that caused the hair on the back of his neck to stand on end. Kaelen walked out of the carriage wearing a fine, yet practical set of clothing. His burnt silver longsword, Stormedge, was strapped across his back with the hilt over his right shoulder. His right hand held his silver ring that he had gotten from his brother with the emeralds laid into it. He looked the part of a visiting noble, but he wasn't sure right now if it was such a good idea to have come here. The place was more uninviting than any other he had visited for trade talks. The people were friendly enough so far, but appearances were deceiving. He just wasn't sure which appearance right now was the one trying to trick him, the land or the people. The inside of the Keep was designed to look as beautiful and as intimidating as the outside was. This fact was made even more clear to Kaelen by the images of past rulers upon the walls. Those who placed such large pictures on the walls did so to make those who entered to feel small while those who ruled the hall to feel larger. A standard tactic that was effective. Kaelen just hoped that he was wrong about his current gut feeling. Then the one he was here to meet arrived. A regal woman with silver hair and a beauty that could only be called elegant walked down to one of the pictures. She was graceful and her voice attractive. This was the worst sort of situation for Kaelen. He knew he was not going to be able to stop himself and was already fantasizing about what the woman looked like under that dress. He was going to end up starting a war at this rate. "It is just Kaelen, your Grace. I am no knight." Kaelen replied as he gave praiselasol a small bow out of respect. "I am Kaelen Silverblood the Undaunted, and it is a true honor to meet a woman with as much beauty and grace as yourself. I came here to speak about possible trade deals between Mystmarch and Leichenfurstenbund, but now I believe it was just to get to meet the most elegant Lady I have ever seen."
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Post by praiselasol on Jan 6, 2017 15:24:11 GMT
Mondwylin raised her open palm to cover her lips as she let out a sly chuckle. "The undaunted?" she said, "My, my...Kaelen...what titles we bestow upon ourselves."
She lowered her hand and began to descent the steps. As she came face-to-face with Kaelen, her full eerie beauty was clear. Her skin glowed in the pale moonlight like fresh snow. And her silver eyes held no life in them but, glimmered like jewels at the bottom of a dark river. She reached out her hand requested Kaelen to take it in a light embrace, like the knights of old and their maidens.
"Would you be so kind as to walk with me, Ser Silverblood." Mondwylin said. "We have much to discuss."
Her lips thinned and she smiled. If Kaelen reached for her hand he would not only see the snow white skin but, the chill that came with the idea of snow. Mondwylin, dead for nearly a millenia, was stone cold to the touch. Frozen in her own undead preservation.
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Post by Kaelen Silverblood on Jan 11, 2017 3:30:34 GMT
The woman was attractive, but something was telling Kaelen to be careful. He could not place it though as she was behaving as properly as any Lady at court would. She was being a little flirty back with him, but that was not anything strange. It was common for such things to happen during these kinds of meeting, and was one of the few reasons he actually was okay with diplomatic missions. But there was just something that was off and it was beginning to bother him that he could not directly place it. The woman, praiselasol , offered her hand out to him. He took it as she mentioned them taking a walk to discuss matters. He did not notice the temperature of her skin however as he still had gloves on, which covered the silver ring on his right hand from making contact with her skin. He smiled to her as he took her hand on his arm. That sensation that something was off grew as this happened, which just worked to unnerve him a bit more. He didn't show it on the surface as he continued to smile to her warmly. "A moon lit walk with a fair maiden is every man's deepest desire." Kaelen said to her with a quirk to his grin. "Just call me Kaelen. I am no knight after all. Please lead the way and serenade me with your lovely voice."
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Post by praiselasol on Jan 20, 2017 17:45:49 GMT
Together they walked back up the stairs and passing a corridor the exited the building to a stone balcony that over looked a jagged mountain side that ran up the side of the back of the fortress like a natural rampart. Above the bright and brilliant pale glow of the full moon drenched the balcony in long shadows.
As they strolled, Mondwylin stopped and pointed to the celestial disc of dark light.
"I have ruled these mountains and the subjects below for decades." she said. "And yet this is the first I have come across a diplomat from the Mystmarches."
Her silver eyes rolled to connect with Kaelen's. They searched him and with a strange miasma her will became something to be sensed and felt. Vampyric charm of a subtle gaze. She was looking for something. Something she could read.
"Tell me...Kaelen." Mondwylin's voice rotted from gentile to the menacing power of a ruler with power. "What would you do, if you found that I am not as beautiful as your heart has fooled you to think?"
"Tell me...have you ever danced with the devil underneath the pale moonlight?"
Mondwylin's fingers clapsed over Kaelens and with her other she raised his other and in a forced waltz, she began to spin about the balcony with Kaelen. Her eyes continuing to connect and her dark aura coddling the man, she smiled widely for the first time revealing her fangs.
She titled her head to the side, a demonic combination of humanly beauty and unholy monstrosity. They spun and spun, the waltz of shadows continued and Mondwylin let out a flirty laugh.
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Post by Kaelen Silverblood on Jan 30, 2017 21:20:09 GMT
Kaelen's blood burned as Mondwylin connected their eyes together. What ever dark powers she was attempt to cast upon him were being purged from him as she spoke. He could feel it deep down as each beat of his heart struck his chest like a blast of a horn in the heat of battle. His sense of danger before him growing ever more intense as she spoke. Decades. Devil. Moonlight. The words warned his ears as his mind took in every detail about him. This woman was not natural. He could not say what she was, but she was not human nor mortal. Then the woman smiled to reveal her fangs. Vampress. Then she began to force him into a dance he was not familiar with, but allowed her to lead him on. What was her aim? She seemed to be after something from him. What was she after? She had revealed herself while using some form of unholy magic. Why was she doing all of this? Kaelen didn't know the answers. He didn't know, but he knew playing her game likely would reveal them for him. The best thing he could do was just going along to see where the river took him this day. "I can not say I have danced with the devil underneath the pale moonlight." Kaelen said to her as he kept up his smile and cheerful tone. "But I have danced with Death often enough. Between us, I much prefer my current partner." Kaelen just gave her a smirk after he finished. He needed to stay flirty, which was not hard. Despite how dangerous, how unholy, the woman might be she was still a beautiful woman. A beauty preserved in her prime in fact. It was a shame that her touch neath his gloves was likely as cold as the night outside the walls. "Now what might we do next?" Kaelen asked as they continued to waltz about. "Shall we get to our business or continue on with our pleasure? I much prefer pleasure myself." praiselasol
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