Extras

A Tiny Key The key in the envelope from E.C. Adelaide is about a centimeter long and made of silver with slight tarnish and an aged patina of cracks. The base (held by the fingers) is a flattened ring; the key itself is a cylinder with two thick teeth jutting straight down roughly 1/4th of a centimeter. They are identical blocks. It is a simplistic key, the kind a child might have for a diary, but it is far too expensively made for such a thing. More likely, it is a cabinet key for a wealthy family, or possibly to a pantry door or jewelry box. There are no distinguishing marks on the key, but it would be difficult to confuse with any other. Not yet drawn, but I'm working on it.

The Wax Stamp Of curious interest is the wax stamp, which seems to be almost nonsensical in its design. While it bears the official 'look' of a crest or family seal, the elements are aesthetically misplaced. At the center is a plain cross, its edges narrowly beveled, and its proportions precise. A thorny rose vine and a serpent wrap thrice up the cross, to meet in the style of a caduceus at the top. Beneath the horizontal bar and to the left of the vertical bar, "A.L" resides in a large, gothic font. Opposite of the letters, on the right side, a lion stands upright, facing the cross. Although the letters are gothic, and the lion positively medieval, the cross, rose and snake are more similar to Mayan or early Sumerian letters than anything later. Ultimately, it appears to be meaningless... the well crafted seal of an eccentric heiress, perhaps, or a fanciful creation of a nouveau rich family, some generations ago, who were unwilling to let the tradition go. Here's the image, provided as a digital picture because I don't have a scanner. I'm pretty happy with it, even if the lion rampant's head is a little too big. ^^;; Please keep in mind that as is true of most pics that ought to be scanned in but weren't, this does look better on paper than it does here--all the lines were done in HB and 2H lead, which is why the pic looks so faded. Also, the cross is very poorly beveled, but that's because I'd forgotten it was supposed to be beveled until I was almost done with everything else. The rose, as always, makes me think of cabbages (I used my imagination with the rose, because I've no idea what a Mayan or Sumerian rose looks like. I think I got one that's kinda art-deco-y.). I am, however, particularly pleased with the serpent twining its up way the cross. Dunno why I like it. I just do.

Now I'm certainly no great artist, and this may be a tad random, but... ...since I spent so much time playing with and modifying other NPC images for this site, I decided to give my beloved Rose Red something that's hand drawn. I don't know what my problem is with roses, but all the roses I've ever drawn look like cabbages to me, for some reason. This one turned out okay, I guess, but it really does look better on paper than it does all squished here. This pic came out better than the one above it because this rose was done mostly with 5 and 6B pencils.

More randomness... ...I came upon this unfinished pic I did years ago, and liked it enough (yes, even unfinished) that I thought I'd throw it up here. (necessary disclaimer of a shy person: It looks way crappier here than it does on paper because it's a pic I took with my digital camera. I really should scan it in, but I don't have a scanner. So this crappy pic is what you get instead. ^^;) I thought it kinda fitting for the Jester and for the 'Harlequin comment' I made in describing Ostrog, and so I'm sharing this poem.

The Tears of Harlequin

Theodosia Garrison (1874-1944)

To you he gave his laughter and his jest,
His words that of all words were merriest,
His glad, mad moments when the lights flared high
And his wild song outshrilled the plaudits' din.
For you that memory, but happier I --
I, who have known the tears of Harlequin.

Not mine those moments when the roses lay
Like red spilled wine on his triumphant way,
And shouts acclaimed him through the music's beat,
Above the voice of flute and violin.
But I have known his hour of sore defeat --
I -- I have known the tears of Harlequin.

Light kisses and light words, they were not mine --
Poor perquisites of many a Columbine
Bought with his laughter, flattered by his jest;
But when despair broke through the painted grin,
His tortured face has fallen on my breast --
I -- I have known the tears of Harlequin.

You weep for him, who look upon him dead,
That joy and jest and merriment are fled;
You weep for him, what time my eyes are dry,
Knowing what peace a weary soul may win
Stifled by too much masking -- even I --
I, who have known the tears of Harlequin.

The following is information taken from the "Resources and Background" thread, and was written by Thomas to explain a post on Page 6 of the "Alea Iacta Est" thread.

Erotic Acupuncture

Just thought I'd take a moment or two to express what I was thinking here.

Firstly, the idea of erotic acupuncture is a fiction (a polite one), but one which fits in perfectly with the idea of someone willing to extend acupuncture in ways that would be considered an abuse of the patient... think that describes the Ace of Clubs adequately?

The essential idea of acupuncture is that there are threads (or lines, or channels) of energy through the body, and that by alternately blocking or opening or strengthening particular channels, the body's ability to heal itself can be enhanced. The needles are really superfluous - the techniques can be applied to moxy burning, fingertip pressure, or simple meditations. The point is the channels.

Channels are alternately more yin or more yang; where yin is a cold, absorbing, consuming aspect, yang is the hot, explosive, creative aspect. The first thing the Ace did was to open, widen and strengthen those channels that were yang in origin - the expected heat is the least of the side effects on endurance, vibrancy and energy (although too much yang is dangerous, even debilitating, when imbalanced too far - the Ace is good at her job). This is merely the first dangerous abuse of the patient.

The second step, although glossed over somewhat in the post, was to manipulate much smaller channels - those of the senses. Perception is a yin trait, a passive absorption of sensation, so it required a delicate balance between the sensitivity of the skin and the ability of the body to shed its increasing heat. At this point, however, the heat provided a second advantage - the body naturally heats up when aroused, as blood flushes to the surface and provides cushioning against the rigors of sex - and the increasing heat can have psychosymptomatic results on arousal, somewhat in reverse. Note that the sensory channels are generally dulled or partially closed during acupuncture, particularly to relieve pain - it is fortunate that the subject was not feeling pain at the time, neh?

The increased sensitivity, particularly to touch, combined with the slight initial arousal, and the Ace's expert hands, has a result somewhat akin to taking a hit of ecstacy... even lust rarely feels so good.

The third step is hardly necessary at all, but was useful in approaching the ritual - the channels of the groin, stomach and anus were opened as wide as they would go. As the primary passages of sexual energies, this primarily just removed the few remaining obstructions to maximum arousal and (ultimately) satisfaction.

Beyond that, little is needed beyond a skilled lover :o

The following timeline was information taken from the "OOC: Whispers in the Aisles 2" thread, and I put it together to make more sense of the information given to me by various NPCs.

Timeline

So. The campaign is coming close to being over, and I got mad at myself for not having figured out some stuff yet, and so I put this timeline together. It's not all-inclusive (I'm too lazy to read through all my own posts again. ^^;;), but it does make things make more sense. I was gonna keep this all to myself, but Thomas really, really wanted me to put it up here for some reason. (Probably to show off how nicely the details dovetail. ^^;; Not that I blame him...)

(I didn't wanna put it up because I was feeling stingy because this timeline took me all of 10 mins or so, and my anagram took me like a week, and no one had comments on the COMPLETELY fitting anagram "Heal Eliza, bind the ire" thing I discovered like 2 weeks into the campaign. Hmph.)

Anyway. Here it is. ^_^

("<-" means before the year that follows it)

There. Makes much more sense now, doesn't it? ^^;;; well, elizabeth's stuff does, at least.

Once upon a time, there was a young Ace of Spades. She was very pretty, but not terribly bright, and she had a terrible temper for which she became somewhat famous.

"Oh, yes, my little girl has quite the temper," her mother the Queen of Spades would say proudly, "Why just yesterday, she was so angry that her mouth opened as wide as a couch, and in a trice, her instructor in social niceties was gone!"

(If you are going to teach a child how to restrain their temper, you should make sure you can handle the temper when it comes.)

But one day, when the young Ace of Spades had just turned eleven, and was receiving gifts from the various court members in honor of the auspicious day, an auburn-haired woman came into the court, her eyes dancing merrily and her feet light upon the black marble flagstones. The members of the court became nervous, for this was the much older Ace of Hearts, and she had a tendency to push people's buttons.

And her Mother could be a terror, even by the Queen of Spades' standards, should the Ace of Spades act brashly.

Skipping lightly through the court, she went straight up to the Ace of Spades (who was frowning slightly at the attention that this outsider was getting on her birthday), and looked her once up and once down, and then burst into laughter.

The Ace of Spades face went red, and...

...her mouth began to open wide!

The Ace of Hearts laughed again, placed a hand beneath the jaw of the monstrous mouth, giving it a gentle but firm caress, which surprised the Ace of Spades so much that she shut her mouth with a snap.

The Ace of Hearts let her fingers linger along the jawline, and she leaned forward to whisper in the Ace of Spades ear, "Darling, if you open your mouth at me again, it should be to kiss or cajole. Try to eat me, and you will suffer the worst heartburn of your life."

And with that, she looked her once up again, then once down again, and said, with not a trace of piety (and a good bit louder than what she'd whispered), "And if you are going to dress yourself, you owe it to me to learn how. Come! I will show you how to be beautiful, like me!"

And before the shocked eyes of the court, the Ace of Hearts put her hand into the hand of the Ace of Spades, and dragged her off at a run, out of the court and into the gardens beyond.

The Queen of Spades laughed lightly and as she left the throne room, said...

.."Well, it's about time that inveterate old bitch sent her daughter over here. We've needed an instruction in manners for some while."

Said a courtier in reply, "But I thought you liked her temper, Dread Lady?"

"Oh, I did and I do, but if she is to be of use to me, she must learn to control it. The Ace of Pathos should be able to do that, don't you agree?"

And after that, the Ace of Hearts came over more often, and was always a source of confusion for the Ace of Spades... but she did learn to control her temper, and dole it out only to those most deserving of its terrible beauty.

And she dressed a lot better, too.

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