Ava’s Gor Story – Part 6

Continued from Part 5  (Read from the beginning Here)

So Ava is now short on prospective customers she wracks her brain trying to recall others she could visit.

In the meantime she returns to the Veck’En tribe to pursue that avenue…

I had dealings with Mina one of the girls there, she had been loaned to me occasionally to help in my tavern so I knew her quite well. I left some samples with her for her superiors to try, there was mention of a tavern opening nearby and I could possibly supply it. However not everything was so smooth. She told me that while I was probably safe on the trade dock area there,anywhere else might be dangerous. 

Arrival dock
Arrival dock
Trade area
View of camp

Apparently at some point I had supposedly shot at Mina’s Mistress by the name of Hazine. This had led to her capture because she was injured (low hit points on her GM meter)  when a slaver attacked her. Now those of you that have read my story from the beginning will know I don’t  like combat in SL and that is why I play a non-combatant role. So this accusation was quite a surprise to me to say the least!

However the facts of the matter did seem to stack up against me. Being a non-combatant doesn’t mean I had no weapons though, it would have been stupid not to have something to protect myself in Gor. As mentioned in part 1,I kept hold of my sheath of throwing knives for when travelling far from my tavern. The description of the alleged shooter and the location of the incident did point at me.

 “A woman in Red near the Last of the Sa Sheku camp.”

My red dress had been extremely distinctive in green forest country, the Sheku camp was a 2 minute walk South-West of my tavern and I had to pass it frequently.

I vaguely recalled an incident there when I had been caught in crossfire between a raiding party and the Sheku,but didn’t realise any of my return throws as I left in haste had done any damage. So it appeared Hazine was justified in being out to get me if I was caught in the wrong place, since she had escaped the slavers after some time.

If I wanted to trade freely with the tribe, I needed to fix this. The apparent fix? Get Hazine’s name off the top of this slavers hit list! Not an easy challenge, given any woman of Gor having dealings with a slaver could quite easily end up as merchandise.

With the name of this slaver, Ricka, and roughly where he may be found, I went in search of him. Rather unwisely, on my own. On my first visit to the area I encountered local man and I asked him about the slaver. At first he appeared to be showing me the way,then it became evident his intentions weren’t so good for my health and I ran. I made it to a dock and jumped into a boat just ahead of him,making a very lucky escape!

I should clarify here about Docks in SL Gor. They are safe areas where people are safe from attack,allowing time for the surroundings to load or change any outfit or settings on arrival. This doesn’t apply in both directions though. If someone is leaving via a dock and there is already rp or combat in progress, like a raiding party being chased off or in my case being pursued, they are not safe. If my pursuer had shot at me, I’d have been fair game until my avatar was actually inside the boat and I rped pushing off from the dock. I frequently had to settle disputes over things like this, since my tavern was at the Elation dock and I was a sim moderator.

So I headed back to the Outpost to find myself an escort for my next visit, I didn’t want to risk a repeat of those events.

While I was able to find a willing volunteer to accompany me there next time,the Head Merchant of the Outpost, his busy trading schedule (real-life timezone issues)  put those plans on hold. So I’d have to think of something else. This is where spending time with panthers and customers loose tongues in taverns pay off.

In the Gor book series there are only a couple of panther girl tribes. They rarely had anything to do with each other, if they did it was usually hostile. In SL Gor there are approximately 29 panther tribes at the time of writing (March 2019). There are shared SL groups and other community links such as the Gazette of Gor blog. So it was fairly short work to find out which bands operated in that area, so I could go talk to them. In rp terms I could have got this information from asking around at tribes I was friends with, so isn’t too unrealistic.

However in this case not all the information came from panther gossip. I needed an alternative male bodyguard for my next trip so I inquired with my friend the Blacksmith, Olavi. He was based in Mirkwood (a few SL sims south of my tavern) but had often come and done work at my place. So Olavi escorted me to slavers trade area that I hadn’t been able to find safely on my own before. Here’s what transpired:

Start RP log
Olavi: “there is the current list..”

Ava gasps as she sees who the person she’s come to bargain for is meant to be delivered to “I know her!”
Ava: This might be easier than I thought
Olavi: “well, the girl wont be taking any delivery.. her and my children have been missing for weeks. No, i think this is a handy mess”
Ava: So who do I need to speak to?
Ava: who’s in charge?
Olavi: “i believe her name is josie..  lets see what we can find out”
Ava: Josie?
Ava: this is getting eaiser by the minute
Olavi: “used to be a bell here someplace…”
Ava shouts: “Josie!”
Ava: no damn bell
Olavi: i dont see one either
Ava shouts: Josie! Are you here?
Josie Seubert shouts: YES be right there
Ava: Tal again Josie, wel met
Josie Seubert smiled  to her ” Tal Lady Ava, a pleasure as always”
Ava: I came to make a bargain with a slaver by the name of Rikki. But I understand you are now in charge?
Ava: I am glad it is you that I have to deal with now
Josie Seubert   nodded” That I am while the High Jarl is away. what kind of bargin?” she looked over at the man and then back
Ava sees here glance “he’s here just for my safety”
Ava: I came about a name on the list outside
Olavi watches the pair talk, smiling but stay a bit back
Ava: How tricky would it be to get a name removed?
Josie Seubert  nodded to him” Tal Jarl feel free to look about” she loooked back to Ava” which?”
Ava: What would it cost..a friend?
Josie Seubert  rocked on her heels a bit and then she rolled her lips as she thought”  I can answer that, it would be the price of the reward”
Ava: The name is Hazine
Olavi: “Greetings lady josie.”  he nods, turning to look about some, enjoying the changes since his visit when the port was new
Josie Seubert smiled to her” or she could if she wished take it out on Rickkas hide”
Ava: you mean as well as being removed from the list? Hazine could punish Rikki? Or her representives in her absence perhaps?
Ava: what would the cost of this be?
Josie Seubert  looked in deep thought” The cost to get her name removed is whatever the rewartd is.. however, if she wanted  she could save you  coin and simply come and take her pound of flesh”
Ava: Then this is good new indeed!
Ava: how about adding a name?
Ava: Replace one name with another
Josie Seubert  kind of smiled ” I fear I would be pressing my favor with Odin ”  she shook her head ” Ity is the  most distrubing thing. but it would take  a hand to go over everything., but that is the  price”
Ava: Let me get this straigh..to get her name off the list, Hazine has to come here and tan Rik’s hide? And to ge another name on the list, al I have to do is wait a week?
Ava: *hand
Josie Seubert drew in a breath” let me explain Lady Ava,, right now  the man you know as Rickka , sits collared in a cell at Fort Hope, so named because that rally is our hope to heal his mind, but  he only time he seems top think straight is when he is  being threatned, so  by ordfer fo those that know the mind, he is to be  .. well.. you know.. “
Ava: Beaten?
Ava: Makes sense
Josie Seubert: ” I am exhausted, I cannot  operate a Port and try to  heal him as well, and thus I conceded to those that are the experts, ” Lady Ava even a mere sight of a Panther sends him into fits”
Josie Seubert: ” so she would actually be  helping .. I guess, In a  way. I will removes her name , if she will come at some point  and ..” she moved her hand forward
Ava: Then since it was such that sent me on this task, I’m sure I can arrange someone to have him weeping
Josie Seubert nodded” he is clean in all blood tests,  his mind needs unlocked and any help you can afford to send our way it is appreciated
Ava: Then I shall send word of this
Josie Seubert: ” I am just not  to be able to do this”
Josie Seubert: ” Thank you Lady, greatly”
Ava: or perhaps..I could deliver him to them?
Ava: or did you want to keep him?
Josie Seubert pointed up to the Fort. He  is shackeled, chained to the bars and a hood placed over his head, his eyes look crazy, they will have privacy I will  make sure no one bothers  them..But yes he needs to stay here, he is  what they called Lunitical?”
Olavi smiles, glad to see things work smoothly between the two. “seems the boy got himself into far too much mess with the local wildlife. I myself welded a cuff on him some time ago… He is lucky to have survived them”
Josie Seubert nodded to him”  I can tell you I am not able to count all the brands he has on”
Ava turns to the smith “thankyou for your escort, if you need to be anywhere else, I am safe with this particular group of..wildlife
Ava: or can walk me back to the dock since business seems to be concluded
Josie Seubert: may I ask one thing of you please
Ava: If hazine can’t come herself, I’ll make sure someone comes from her band, is that satisfactory?
Ava: what is it?
Olavi: “I am happy to escortyou, I see you so rarely now.”  he nods before turning to josie  “Though I would like to return and discuss some possible trade and perhaps work, I am a smith nearby, and not opposed to doing a bit of extra work if you do not have a smith of your own yet”
Josie Seubert nodded”  it is, tell her to retain the word ” talender” and I will know for sure it is  from  hazine, so in case someone else hears of this .. but I ask you , be  careful in whom you speak to about this” she  looked to the Jarl” of course gates are always open , you are welcome here”
Ava: well I met with them for a trade before I came here, said I would be coming here
Ava: it would appear they were concerned for my welfare
Ava she adds as she sees Mina approach”
Josie Seubert: ” Ok Lady Ava, and thank you. ” wait” she   looked at her”  because of RIckka?”
Ava: Mina here is who asked me to come bargain
Mina smiles a bit cautiously and confused, “Tal.”
Josie Seubert nodded to her ” Tal”
Ava: When I set out to make this meeting, I didn’t know rikka wasn’t in charge
Mina: He isn’t in charge?
Josie Seubert nodded some and  her shoulders were relaxed” that is true”
Ava: Mina here is from Hazines group
Ava: it is her that sent me to make a bargain
Olavi: “I only informed her as i met her at the docks.. I may not visit here, but there isnt a rumor in the woods i dont hear or a tree-urt with a bow I dont know”
Mina shifts nervously now.
Josie Seubert looked to wards  him” that is well to know  Jarl, we  will have to establish a accord of somekind to be sure”
Ava: so I shall leave the two of you to discuss the situation of rikka and hte price of hazine, or rather the lack of preice
Mina: Is Rikka for sale?
Josie Seubert smiled” very well, she will be safe, on my honor”
Ava nods “I am sure of it”
Josie Seubert looks to Mina
Ava: come on olavi, lets leave them to their discussions
Olavi: Safe paths to you both, and I look forward to speaking with you again soon Lady Josie”
End RP log
Will this placate Hazine enough to allow me to trade with the Veck En? We shall see..

Ava’s Gor Story Part 5

Continued from Part 4  (Read from the beginning Here)

On my next trade venture I visited once again the land of the Zima tribe, which wasn’t a particularly eventful trip. Since despite having assisted Bodi with the running of the nearby tavern, I had not formed a particularly strong bond with them. Maybe some readers will see the irony of this when contrasted against the events in Part 1. Given that my supposed association with Zima resulted in me sadly having to leave Elation. (SL drama is a strange thing.)

However in sl gor (one incarnation of) the city of Tharna is on the neighboring sim, in the books obviously it is a great distance away.

I headed over to the city in search of the head merchant or some official I could ask about setting up shop or any required trading permits and was in luck.

Tavern on the Zima territory and Tharna sim border.
Start RP Log:
Ava]: Tal Adele
Adele D’Whitbuk]: Greetings.
Adele D’Whitbuk]: How are you?
Ava]: much better than I was thankyou
Adele D’Whitbuk]: Won’t you have a seat?
Ava]: thankyou
Adele D’Whitbuk]: i know how that goes.
Ava]: I had a bit of an accident, my tavern caught fire and I fell in the river
Adele D’Whitbuk]: Anyway, I am currently HoC of the merchant caste.
Adele D’Whitbuk]: for Tharna
Adele D’Whitbuk]: What can you tell me about your position?
Ava]: then you are exactly the person I need to talk to, how very fortunate!
Ava]: now I have no tavern, but a lot of contacts, so I have taken a shop at an outpost near that camp
Ava]: from which I intend to try and negotiate trade
Ava]: so..you being the head merchant..very useful!
Adele D’Whitbuk]: have you seen our new trading post?
Ava]: no, I haven’t . A lot has changed everywhere in the month I was sick
Ava]: pretty much every camp or civilized place I know has changed
Ava]: finding my acquaintances has not been as easy as I thought
Adele D’Whitbuk]: I am also Tavern keep for both the Soke and the Drinking Horn & Trading Post.
Ava]: You must be extremely busy
Adele D’Whitbuk]: yes!
Ava]: just the taverns would be enough
Adele D’Whitbuk]: The Taverns are coming around slowly, I need to get merchant/vendors for the Traading Post.
Adele D’Whitbuk]: and trade goods too.
Ava]: well I’m here to enquire what goods may be available and in exchange ofr what. So I can match up with others
Adele D’Whitbuk]: Well if you take one of the stalls you will be my first, therefore your stock can be of your choosing, with my approval, of course.

End RP Log

There were new vacant stalls that I could occupy with my drinks merchandise for only a small percentage of sales. So a very worthwhile trip, or so I thought.

Ava looks at her list and ponders “Yes, the Veck’En next I think.” and heads to the the docks..

Start RP Log

Veck ‘En Bell:   ▶ 
♫ ◠◡◠◡◠◡◠◡◠◡◠◡◠◡ ♪
TRADE: Someone seeks trade with the locals.
♫ ◠◡◠◡◠◡◠◡◠◡◠◡◠◡ ♪
Luna: greetings Mistress
Ava: Greetings girl
Luna: may this girl assist you?
Ava: I came a couple of days ago and met Mistress Mina to propose trade, I just came to inform her that I shall have the paga and ka-la-na she wanted very soon
Luna: Yes Mistress, I will leave a message for Her so she will know
Luna: right now she is away on a hunt
Ava: If you could tell her that her friend Ava came that would be useful.
Luna: I will, thank you Mistress
Luna: I wish you safe travels
Ava: thank you
End Log
Not such an eventful visit, but continues the story.

A couple of days later I returned and spoke with Adele of Tharna again, this time near one of the taverns

Start RP Log

Ava: Tal Adele and all
Ludmilla Lunasea is back: Greetings all
Ralph [Ralph1 Silversmith]: Tal Lady Ava
turvis85: Now then: May I buy a wee dram for m’self to braze for the jpourney?
turvis85: Tam Mistress Merchant
Adele: turvis, remember you are in Tharna, ruled by a woman and mind your manners to all Free.
turvis85: Yes Mistress
Ava: Tal both of you
Ava: Adele, I gather the Tatrix didn’t approve my suggestion of merchandise?
Adele: apparently not , last I heard she only wants G&S merchaqnts from Tharna… (( won’t work well))
Ralph [Ralph1 Silversmith]: It is the law of the land
Ava nods
turvis85: h.here comes the boat now.’bout time.. always late..You All be sae and well
Ava: very well, I shall have to find elsewhere to trade my wares
Adele: Do keep in touch with me.
Ava nods “I shall visit”

End RP Log

So Tharna becomes a dead end, seems cities are definitely not for Ava after all and Ava’s list of contacts is growing very short.

Click here for Part 6

Hangar Liquide

Once again Sweet Bliss has inspired me, another fantastic sci-fi sim called Hangar Liquide.

I couldn’t resist going for a bit of an explore and there’s a lot to explore!

Location: Hangar Liquide

Ava’s Gor story Part 4

Continued from Part 3  (Read from the beginning Here if you’ve missed the earlier parts)

So I was now a merchant, with a base in a remote outpost.

In Gor there is a very rigid caste hierarchy system, each with associated colours that are worn by people to identify them. In my case being born of a Tavern Keeper father, that made me of Merchant caste,which has the colours white & gold. I decided if I was going to do this,the red dress would have to go and I’d have to adopt my caste colours.

Merchant outfit

My first step would have to be re-establish contact with groups and individuals that had passed through the tavern and already knew (and so wouldn’t shoot me on sight). Gor is not a very safe place for a lone woman.

This would have to start with Dani’s camp nearby to see which of my tavern workers Bodi had been able to retrieve and deliver there, since doing this on my own would be far from practical and a Free woman without servants would be very unusual.

Camp of Dani’s band

Bodi had been able to find five people, four females (Dove,Lips,Mara,Shirin)and the single male (Nemo) I had acquired not long before the fire. However only four were present at the camp. Bodi found out that Mara,unbeknown to me, had been asleep upstairs in the tavern! Fortunately she had also made it out but lost her way in the dark and wandered for a time before finding her way to the Ikeri camp after I had been taken from there by bodi. I would have to collect her from the ikeri camp.

So I made a list of who I had to visit after Dani and packed up my trade samples.

I had prepared some sample barrels of drink as gifts for the groups I would be visiting, with my new trading symbol instead of the tarn bird of the tavern.

New trade barrels with my name and red Phoenix embelem

First I headed back to the Ikeri camp in my new Merchant clothing, including a hooded veil. Veils were not often worn in the North,despite being mandatory in the South, but I wanted to disguise my identity to some degree for the time being.

I arrived at the Ikeri camp and was let in by Mara, who did not recognize me in my current guise, but I was apparently a Free merchant wanting to trade. Inside the gates I removed my veil and Mara nearly fainted with surprise. First she was pleased to see me, it had been over a month since bodi took my prone body away in a boat, she did not know if I had survived. That quickly turned to fear which I was not expecting, it turned out she liked living with the Ikeri and didn’t want to be taken from there. So I spoke to Sky.

The feeling was apparently mutual, they liked having her there, she was a nice girl and a good worker, so it was agreed she would stay there under their care and protection.

I had decided it would be useful to have someone in these parts that could keep me updated on local affairs, for example I wouldn’t want to be bringing goods to trade into the area if there was a conflict between locals.

So my next visit would be to the Sheku to the south-west. I knew one of the former Shekinah Arani, Tara Freckleface, had gone there after the Forest Moon incident. So it would be safe for me to approach and would be welcomed.

Start RP log:

Tara: Tal, Ava *smiles

Kristin: yes tal again. you just missed Cally. she went comatose

Ava: Tara!

Ava: Tal indeed!

Ava: can I come in?

Ava smiles and hugs her friend

Tara hugs my old lovingly

Ava: good to see you in so long

Tara: If you have a weapon, just drop it near the gate inside, dear. But we welcome

Ava drops her whip to the foloor outside and steps in

Tara: Be seated my friend *smiles*

Ava: thankyou

Ava opens her backpack and takes out a container that was occupying most of it’s space and hands it to tara

Ava: I may no longer have a tavern, but my new role as a merchant will still involve drink..a sample

Tara smiles and pulls Ava close, half in her lap, but then she sees  a containerd offered to me…”For me? I’m surprised”

Ava smiles waiting for tara to recognize the embelem on the barrel

Ava: I chose that for my mark

Ava: in red instead of black

Ani: will you go trade Kristin?

Tara: Oh dear!! You’re spoiling me, or this tribe, Ava… paga… It’s very welcome, we’re running as bit short nowadays. Thank you very much

Tara looks sad “No tavern any more? how come?

Ava: it burned

Tara: You mean the tavern at Elation?

Ava: the tavern burned and i fell in the river, but I have other friends and was cared for while I was sick, so now I have gone from tavern keeper to merchant

Ava: you recognize the mark I presume?

Ava: I thought it apropriate

Tara: The white and gold matches beautiful with you sis *smiles

Ava smiles “thankyou”

Tara: Yes, I recognize the mark on the barrel, I will try not to notice it.

Tara: It has bad remembrances

Tara: But paga is unpolitic hehe

Ava: ah, but in red it is my symbol of defiance

Ava grins

Tara: In that case I apologize

Ava: it is fine

Ava: you all seem quite settled now

Tara: Yes, I am… I have found a home, an own hut sharing with my sis Jess *blushes*  and thanks to the Goddess no responsabilities, just an huntress… the only thing which worries me is that I might be expecting…

Ava gasps “Oh..my! That is not good!” Rumages in her bag “you want some slave wine to fix that?

Tara: Too late, I fear, but thanks… slave wine does not make undone a pregnancy, it only prevents it

Tara: I have been raped by a wild Tuchuk… it was awful

Ava: I used to give it to my girls regularly, never had to deal with the after

Ava looks over at footsteps “Tal Cally”

Cally: smiles Tal Ava

Cally: nice to see you here

Cally: tal tara

Tara: Tal, my En!  I suppose you know Ava?

Ava: I brought a small gift, a small barrel of my brand of paga

Cally: smiles……how nice …thank you

Cally: so what news from your travels Ava…..I see a massive outlaw fort is being built in Three Moon Valley? “

Ava: I would not know

Ava: I visited the ikeri recently but didn’t explore any further there

Cally: Nods…an unusual tribe

Tara: I saw that bunker too…

Ava: unfortunately on my first visit, forest moon raided them while I was there. So they now know I survived my fall into the river, which is unfortunate

Tara: Ikerei you visited? You know Prinven? She’s manufacturer of wonderful perfumes. A merchant should be interested!

Ava: I do know her, I did not have time to talk trade on my second visit, I was there to check up on some property that I hoped they had found.

Ava: My girl, mara, was still in the tavern

Ava: she ran from the fire and to the ikeri camp

Ava: they saw my collar on her and took her in

Tara: And sis you find her?

Ava: so she is well and making herself useful, so I have my own eyes and ears in that part of gor now

Ava: she was terrified when I arrived, thought I would take her away from there. But it serves my purposes beter that she stay

Tara looks at the tribe flag and shivers at the strong breeze from the west, then answers Ava: “Ikerei are good people generally…  “

Ava: Sky pulled me out of the river..so yes!

Tara nods  has it been clarified how the fire originated?

Ava: I am now setting up my merchant business in a northern outpost

Peyton shouts: arrows flying……..we’re being attacked

Ava blushes “errr..the fire was my fault”

Tara: Well, I certainly will visit you, buying some beads and mirrors *giggles

Ava groans at the sound of arrows “I haven’t missed that sound “

Tara shouts: ATTACK!!

End RP Log

As you can see the camp was attacked while I was there. So since I’m appalling at combat, I stayed out the way, but rather than sit idle, I played paramedic. The GM system allows for players to “bandage” each other, restore their hit points, so I ran back and forth along the wall bandaging people when they got critical. This was well appreciated, they said they’d probably have lost if I hadn’t been bandaging. Half an hours good deed would be remembered in the future no doubt.

I look at my list of contacts to visit and pondered where to go next .. Continued in Part 5

Click here for Part 5

Ava’s Gor Story – Part 3

Continued from part 2 (Read from the beginning Here)

Ava asks a little unsure having only been to the place once before “Is this Dani’s camp?”

Akashana  looks  over the  fire  to  Ava.. “Dani is EN here”  she  states  simply  and  kicks  the  thigh of  Bay  a  little  annoyed  he  is  still kneeling and  not  serving the  visitors

Ava sighs with relief now knowing where she is and she is safe

While I slept bodi worked to find my tavern workers and have them brought to the camp, so that their service would help compensate the panthers for my residence in their camp. The one you will hear most of is a girl by the name of “Lips”, who proved to be the most loyal during this journey.

I woke occasionally during this time, one time of note was when a healer came to the camp and examined me.

I was unable to find an rp log for this, however I did find the healers prescription for treatment:

Lady Ava has an amoebic infection from being  submerged in the river  recently. There is not much  we can  do  except  build  her bodies  defences up and  help  her  purge the infection. Here is  what I want her  to have.

    1. She  needs plenty  of fresh clean water and or  tea. Cherry Bark and cinnamon  bark in particular.. Mint tea if her stomach get upset

    2. Feed her plenty  of  fruits and melons. Cherries in particular.

    3. Leaving  her a mild antibiotic to  take  twice a day..

    4. No cheese, but mildly spices suls and lean meats in small amounts.

Make  sure  everyone  follows this. I will check on her  as  well.

Thank you

Sigmond Jones, Physician

 

Physicians Seal

This “sickness” was deliberate story element that allowed me to take a break of about a month from sl Gor to consider what I would do next. It was a year to the day between placing my new tavern building and sending out the Tavern Fire rp notecard.

Towards the end of this period of sickness Dani’s band moved their camp (the SIM closed). I felt perhaps it was time to try life in a gorean city…

Start rp log:Ava stirs as she hears footsteps in the hut
Ava turns over and looks up “Lips?”

Lips greetings my Mistress
Ava: Is something wrong? I heard a lot of noise in the camp
Lips “Mistress, the panthers are moving their camp, we have to leave, your sister left a note”Ava sits up startled “they’re moving? We must leave! ” sways a little at the sudden movement and looks about her
Lips hold Mistress by her hand and helped her in getting up “Mistress is there anything you want to take with you”
Ava passes the blanket covering her to the girl “quickly bundle up my good clothes and things into this and the bottle of water”
Lips takes up the blanket and started bundling things up “Mistress where will we go?”
Ava takes the note from the girl as she picks things up and reads through it “Ah bodi says she has found somewhere for me to go and paid a months rent for me in advance! It appears to be a city,called Skargill, judging by the map.”
Ava pulls on her boots grateful they have had time to dry out and are in a better state than her red dress
Ava looks at the map again “I’ve not heard of it, but I’m sure a captain will have. Lets get to the dock”

Lips picks up the luggage and follows Mistress
Ava looks about the camp sad to be leaving the place that has sheltered her and heads to the gate and the dock
Ava: which way to the dock girl? I don’t remember my way in
Ava stumbles slightly on the log bridge, unsteady on her feet still after her sickness
Ava eventually finds her way to a dock and shows the captain the map of where she wants to go
End of rp log.

Ava steps off the boat followed by her girl,Lips, and heads to the town gate. She tries the door but it doesn’t budge so she rings the bell and a slavegirl appears and lets them in.

Start rp log:
Ava: Tal, my name is Ava.  My sister has rented a house here for me, I have a map of where it is

Janet [Janetstar]: Greetings Misstress

Ava: Ah there you are my girl

Lips: Greetings Sister

Janet [Janetstar]: Greetings Karijra

Ava: My name is Ava, this is my girl by the name of Lips. I have traveled far from the forests, I believe there is High Caste housing here? Could you show me the way?

Janet [Janetstar]: Yes Misstress we do have a few did you rent the House over by the Long Hall Mistress

Ava: I believe that’s what my sister said in her note yes

Janet [Janetstar]: this one that is open

Janet [Janetstar]: i can show you your sister home

Ava: I had to cross a bridge to get to it, further from here

Janet [Janetstar]: yes misstress

Janet [Janetstar]: i can show you your sister home

Janet [Janetstar]: this is your sister home

Ava pushes open the door and looks around

Ava: She seems to have found a nice place for me to finish my recovery

Lips follows Mistress inside the house

Ava: Well lips, looks like this will be home for a while

Lips: Yes, my Mistress

Ava: Looks awfully bare, but I’m sure we can make ot habitable

Lips “yes my Mistress

End rp log

 

However this turned out to be a complete waste of time. The very next day I logged back in to find an empty sim. It became apparent (after some rather strong words with one of the owners that was there),that while I’d been sleeping (in real-life, not the rp) the owners of this brand new sim had a major fall-out and were closing the place!

So evidently Ava wasn’t destined for city life and retraced her steps to follow Dani’s band to their new camp.

The next morning Ava awakes to a rumbling in the city then sudden eerie silence, something is clearly very wrong. She quickly dresses, glad that the slaves have been able to repair her favourite dress and won’t have to wear the scraps of clothing the panther girls had been kind enough to loan her.  She steps out the door of the house to a horrific scene of emptiness. Very few buildings remain standing and those that are,are mostly in ruins. She takes a final look around, glad she had sent Lips elsewhere the night before. She scoops up her few remaining possessions and runs toward the dock,hoping it intact and a ship is still there.

As she approaches she sees the ship that brought her just the day before preparing to cast off. She calls rp them “Tal! Wait! I need passage!” The captain looks at her for a moment seemingly not recognizing her in her much better attire then recognizes the fur cloak she had still draped over her shoulders and answers, “yes Lady where do you wish to go this time? Was this not your destination? ”

Ava takes a step into the boat to better address him “yes, this was the place I was given directions to,but as you can see,it’s not fit for anybody to occupy, let alone a Free woman. Since I have no alternative destination available to me I need you to return me to the dock where you collected me yesterday. Hopefully from there I can find  a tracker to help me find the camp the panthers moved to.” Ava holds up a silver tarn disk she had liberated from one of the houses on her way to the dock “I’m sure this will cover your inconvenience captain”,she places it on the rail next to him and without another word heads to the sheltered part of the deck, leaving the captain and crew to their jobs.

Arriving back at Dani’s old camp,Ava uses her rather rusty tracking skills learnt from the panthers to follow the departing band, who hadn’t made much attempt to hide their path. She follows it to another dock..

On arrival at the docks where Dani’s band had apparently landed,I see a stone building across a rope bridge,clearly some kind of outpost or trading station. Perhaps city life wasn’t for Ava, but such a place would definitely have more comfortable beds than furs on the floor in a tent or hut.

I approach the gate cautiously now dressed once again in her repaired red dress, that will probably need replacing at some point soon. I did not however make it as far as the bridge, I met a Free man and his slave on the path.

While I was exchanging simple pleasantries with him a huntress emerged from the trees leading a kajira, which was to my surprise my First girl from my old tavern! Knowing that the panther band would have taken my other tavern workers with them to their new camp, I decided that despite how it pained me, to let the huntress keep her.

I then went somewhat dejectedly to sit on the dock to consider my options. I resolved that I’d had enough of tavern life and that having been born into Merchant caste family, I could use the contacts I made while running the tavern, combined with the stash of coin I had hidden a short distance from the tavern, to take up the trading way of life. I looked at the nearby outpost and got to my feet and headed for the gate.

When I entered the outpost the only person in sight was a lone kajira. I enquired of her owner who was apparently the head slaver there. I then had the girl show me around housing she knew may be vacant that I could occupy for my trade business. The third property she showed me seemed suitable and vacant, so I decided I would ask the head merchant for this one. As the girl and I returned to the town square a man arrived and introduced himself as the Tavern Keeper. Being in official position in the village he was able to accept me as Merchant on behalf of the Head Merchant and allow me to move into the house I liked. It appeared I would now indeed become a merchant!

There’s a little more to come before the end of this tale in the next part:

Click here for Part 4