wierdw

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"Smashing-- You can call me Ember, Dahling." he said in his lilting coo. "So, what do you do for a living, and how do you know young Vivian here?"

"She's a venerer-- and there was a mixup with her boarding pass. I let her have the spare bed; I'm not using it, after all." chimed Vivian, with her books beside her on the bed.

"Oh, is that so?" asked ember politely, while seating himself on the nearby chair. "As I said, I am Ember, and I do fashion."
He made a dramatic sweep of his hands to take in his outfit with his head turned toward one side while he made the statement.

"I have a few business contacts with venerers-- Exotic materials are sometimes required in my line of work, and I have an eye for quality. I'm always looking to increase the size of my list of contacts, so, If you happen to be hunting in the southern provinces, and have quality furs to sell, please-- consider my establishment."

Ember once again drew his wand, and made the studiously fixated and struggling expression as he gripped it tightly, as he generated another card for Sonia with a hiss and a pop, before handing it to her.

"So, you're sharing a cabin with Miss Vivian? I only recently just met miss Vivian this morning myself-- It turns out, we're both magicians. I have a bit of soft spot for aspiring h... practitioners of the art-- Do you practice any magic, Miss Sonia?"

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@Pakde
"oh-- Hello there-- You're not vivian..." mused ember confusedly for a moment.

"Unless you're trying out new looks already!?" chortled ember in a near squeal, waving his wand around in eager curiosity, before putting it away again with a disappointed pout.

"No... My apologies madam, I was looking for the young girl assigned to this cabin--"

"I'm here!" came a soft voice from inside the room.

"Oh! SPLENDID!" cooed Ember. "I'm SO GLAD you're making friends! May I come in?"

Upon hearing the assent, Ember sauntered into the room with an almost seductive sway of his hips, removed the (completely illusionary) large hat, and laid it over the baulister of the first bed in the room, then closed the door.

"So? Who's your friend then? We haven't been introduced!"

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By the time Landon called for "Lilly", she had already vanished from her perch at the table, leaving the man alone with his wounded pride, vanishing the rat discretely after directing it to scurry over the table.

Ember had wanted to torture the man further, but he picked up on Vivian's exit, and departed shortly after, returning to his cabin in as quick a pace as was effectively tasteful. He motioned at Luca, who was ever attentive with those wide eyes of his. He put on a display of complete and utter disgust and horror as he trundled away from the dining area in vivianna's wake, diverting from her course only to head to his own cabin.

Once inside his room, he locked the door, and commenced cleanup, then coughed hard to expel the magic he had inhaled before the little stunt, breathing several full deep breaths in afterward, savoring the feeling of unmodified air once more.

Before long, the wardrobe was once more modified: Long shimmery black pants, a white satin undershirt with long sleeves, with a black vest top, and a conjured large floppy hat with a foofy brown ostritch feather.

Yes, a suitably complete dispelling of the "Lilly" performance. That fool Landon would never suspect a thing.

He smiled, then teased his hair into bouncy long curls, before leaving the room and heading back toward Vivianna's.

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"Oh!" gasped ember with false enthusiasm. "How exciting!-- But I mustn't-- I wouldn't want to overextend your invitation, lord Gaensburg. Rules MUST be followed! They're what separate us from 'the beasts'."

He made a coy smile, then fanned a little air at himself. "However, my schedule after visiting my cousin is, open ended."

The subtle slander against the "lower classes" was kind of an artform. You had to do it discretely and innocently in order to pull it off right, damn whoever might be in earshot. You couldn't just pretend to be a noble, you had to BE a noble-- otherwise you would get caught in the act and be too hammy.

The barb was clearly well received by 'Lord Landon', as he made a satisfied snort, and prattled on about how more people should be so observant, before screaming loudly at the kitchen for his man servant, Luca, to hurry things along.

Ember became aware of eyes behind him, and discretely craned his head to look. That dashing foreign boy with the straw hat and the sword was entering, and making eyes at Vivian. Almost as suddenly as his entry however, was his departure. Ember wondered what that was all about...

Moments later, Luca returned with a somewhat dinged up tea service from the kitchen, before carefully setting it on the table. Dry 'ship biscuits' were the only available morsel, and from the look on the boy's face, 'water discipline' had been a topic of discussion while he was preparing the tea. Fabulous. While it would likewise cause consternation for the crew, it would be a nice after-embarasment lecture for Lord Landon. Ember had nearly forgotten about it himself, having pushed it from his mind as a necessity to follow, seeing as he could produce his own water on command, if a bit slowly for his tastes-- but sufficient to not need to utilize the ships stores for his morning toilettes, and the occasional drink. The ship's stores of water were starkly finite, and wasting it was a very serious matter. "Tea", even a very terrible one, such as this, was a radical excess.

"Oh, how dreadful..." he muttered, this time only halfway faking it. The tea service really did look quite horrid. He felt very sorry for the poor manservant, who was sure to get the wrong end of the stick for this. For a moment, he contemplated the propriety of causing that poor chap any further emotional harm-- the accessory to wounding his master's ego-- but pushed it from his mind. He would discretely find some way to make this work out for the boy in the end, he just wasn't sure what that would be just yet.

"but the sea air leaves me so very parched-- "

"It would seem the service on this ship is below second rate!" bellowed Landon. "I should have expected no less! My UNCLE shall hear of this!"

Ember just heaved out a sigh, carrying on with the act. "oh dear... Remember Lilly... Dignity and Poise..." he murmured to himself, half-mocking the kind of liturgical utterance that noble ladies wanting to remain 'true to form' recited to themselves when things were going poorly for them, to avoid appearing 'unladylike', amping up the toxic femininity to match the toxic masculine being thrown off by Landon. ".. Rules must be followed..."

Hamming up the role had a purpose, of course. Landon had taken the seat opposite him at table, and was leering lecherously while continuing to drone on about the inferior service of this ship, careening from 'unsafe' hallways, to 'shoddy, third-rate kitchen service', while Luca poured the tea. Despite appearances, the serving boy did have an eye for attention to detail, ember noted-- the tea itself, while served from such sub-rate service, was quite excellent. It was a shame to waste it, but the plan needed to be carried out.

"Oh, it's quite lovely-- I suppose appearances can be--"

Beneath the table, where nobody could observe the motions or action, ember withdrew his wand, and discretely conjured an illusory rodent. A very large, somewhat grotesque, and misshapen rodent, that appeared to be suffering from some form of mange. The kind of thing that could give a prissy nobleman (or woman) nightmares. The moment had at last come.

"---EEEEEKK!!!" he shreiked, in a shrill cry that could curdle fresh milk, before throwing the hot tea all over lord landon, and jumping away from the table. (while subtly commanding the illusory rodent to pounce from its hiding place beneath the table, up onto the bench, then onto the table, and then toward Landon.)

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@Pakde

It is currently an "American Holiday", and I work healthcare. I am derailing the game with my absence from it. I am just being swamped by having to cover multiple other people who took the next few days off. It is not intentional; just the result of healthcare being 90+% female, and "BUT MY KIDS!!!!!!" being the #1, guaranteed-to-be-mentioned, "I GOTTA HAVE THE HOLIDAY OFF, OR THE WORLD WILL END!!!!" nonsense maker.

Happens on second thursday of November, and on Dec 25 as well, EVERY. SINGLE. YEAR.

(Heaven FORBID that maybe, just maybe, they should have the conversation about not getting what you want with their kids, and that it should be professional and mature. No no. Those brats' expectations HAVE. TO. BE. MET.)

It has gotten to the point that I have started getting really salty about it, asking sharply when it is that I ever get to visit my own family for a holiday. Being the asex man with no kids gets really old some times.

Anyhow-- I did not intend to rant. Just mentioning why I am slow to respond. Having to do the work of 3 people for a week tends to do that.

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"Oh-- My Lord--" Ember gasped in well rehearsed mock flattering tones. Thankfully, he had an extensive repertoire of cheap noble clients that had reneged on payment for service that he could throw under the carriage.

"I am Lilly. Lilly de Rochechouart de Mortemart, my lord. I boarded this quaint little barque to visit my dear cousin, Yolande. I heard she was to attend a wedding. I did not receive an invitation, and would never go uninvited, but I wanted to surprise her with a visit after her return."

The notion that this would cause a massive spiral of political intrigue brought color to his cheeks, along with a dirty smile, which he seamlessly incorporated into the performance. Of course, there was no Lilly de Rochechoart de Mortemart. There WAS however, a Yolande de Polastron, a female noble favored by the queen, and a Gabrielle de Rocheoart de Mortemart, who had a younger sister, who was at royal court. The latter of which, had lodged an order for a gown for a ball that then never took place, and had reneged on payment. Ember considered the great deal of consternation this would cause for the woman to be payment for services rendered, long overdue. This pompous ass will assuredly know of these people, being an attache to local royalty, and putting on airs as he was. The story was just believable enough to be true, and royals did visit each other like this with alarming frequency. A lesser known cousin of a prominent lady at court with an affluent family would largely go unnoticed, but what he intended to do to this man would make the inquiries flow like water later. The idea was delicious.

"--But it would be my pleasure to join you for dinner, my lord. I shall have Alice freshen up before then as well, since it pleases you."

Ember really did not want to get Vivian involved this deeply, this quickly. He had really wanted her there as background color, and as a passive participant in the assassination of this man's pride, and nothing else. He would have to discuss the idea with her more fully later. It would be a difficult trick, but he could possibly make an entirely illusory "Alice" that could attend, if Vivian refused. He would think no less of her for doing so.

Just then, another, more wicked thought crossed his mind-- perhaps this later, 'dinner date' could be derailed before it even began.

"--In the mean time, would Sir Gaensburg wish to join me for morning tea?"

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I very specifically nerfed Ember for this. Rather than think of him as Doctor Doom, he is more "very put out" at being "Woefully unprepared".

Ember is actually quite vulnerable, relies entirely too much on his magic-- making it a liability- and aside from being good at stretches and calisthenics, will crumple like a wet tissue if hit with a good solid punch.

In terms of what he can currently do with what he is equipped with-- He can manipulate small amounts of matter in intricate ways, shoot off something similar to a fireball, cast wall of fire, cone of cold, etc type things, at what would be approx a DnD spell level 2 or 3. Can conjure up to 3 human sized illusions of high complexity, or several more smaller ones that are simple. Cannot fly. Cannot make other people fly. His "Levitation" stunt is really just compressed air with magic glue. More like a "Cushioned glide", or a "hard shove".

He's meant to scale with equipment, and drops of equipment are at the GM's discretion.

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"I am afraid you are mistaken sir. I was visting Ember to possibly commission a gown. However, They said that they had already begun a project. How infuriating!"

Ember whined, trying to throw the man off. (Don't you wreck my lovely disguise before I even make my move you vexatious man!) he growled internally.

"I shall have to try again some other time-- Come along then Alice-- we should be elsewhere."

Vivian needed more experience at this whole disguise thing, but it WAS clear she was having a lot of fun. That made up for the near miss on being discovered.

Continuing on like a huffy, put-out noble woman was actually beneficial though, as the obvious mark of their little game was clearly visible near the entry between the stairs and the dining room, arguing loudly with the first mate.

"INDISPOSED!?" the man shrieked at the first officer incredulously. "INDISPOSED!!?? WHO DOES YOUR CAPTAIN THINK HE I--"

Carefully, so as not to SEEM like it was on purpose, Ember rounded the corner to the dining area and smacked the man on the butt with the poofy bulk of his gown, sending him forward with a lurch. Gracefully, and with perfect practice, he then presented himself to the angry man with a tone of considerable contrition, embarrassment, and grace.

"Oh, FORGIVE ME my lord..." he oozed while taking a very deep curtsy, while purposefully giving the overbearing man a very prominent view of his "endowments." "That was terribly clumsy of me... Are you alright my lord? I do hope you can forgive me--" he continued, while slowly rising. "I was so eager to take morning tea, that I acted undignified! How ever may I make it up to you my lord?" he cooed, while folding and twisting his hands in fake agitation. "--Oh, how embarrassing..."

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"Only what he Deserves dahling.. Don't worry, I don't intend to injure him, --not physically anyway."

"what do you mean by that exactly?" asked Vivian with a worried tone. Ember was completely unflustered, and continued his toilette with aplomb.

"Oh, you know-- take the wind from his sails? that sort of thing-- You'll see dahling..." he quipped with a sparkle in his eyes, just before letting his hair down, teasing it into voluminous silky curls, then giving it a dab with his wand, giving it a shimmering golden hue and lustre.

As he worked, his already decidedly feminine looking features intensified, until the point where nobody would ever suspect he was anything other than a finely dress, drop-dead-gorgeous woman in her mid 20s. The makeup was practically luminous-- rather than dark, giving a vibrant, healthy and vivacious candor to his face.If you didn't already know it was Ember, you would have never guessed.

"Now then-- " he said, as he stood up, then pointed his wand down the front of his bodice, at each side of his chest, one-- then the other. Fantastically well-wrought illusory breasts bloomed inside, neatly and fully filling the loose fitting garment until it looked ready to burst at the seams, before giving them a shake, sending them jiggling.

"How do I look?" he quipped with a naughty tone, while gesturing with his free hand that she should take in the whole ensemble.
"Illusions are supremely useful dahling-- When you get good at them, they even have false substance-- Look how perky they are!"

"But it's not yet complete dahling-- Since I'm going to be doing the talking, there's one last bit that's needed..."

He flicked the wand in the air just in front of him, and a tiny, vaporous 'puff' clung to the air, which he then promptly inhaled, before giving a cute little cough.

"....So? How do I sound? Did I get the timbre right?" he drolled, in a practically princess-sounding voice. ".. A fun little trick dear-- By making the air just a teeny bit lighter, it changes the tone of your voice. You don't have to risk injuring yourself by trying to alter your voice directly dear-- Clever magic works at the problem from the sides-- But it does make you feel a bit flushed after awhile, so don't use it for long."

With a flick, he vanished the curtain, then gestured toward the foot locker, sending the makeup kit and the mirror gently sailing, as they neatly put themselves away before the lid closed with a thud.

"Shall we get going? We shall need names to suit our identities--- I think I look like a 'Lilly'. And you dear? Hmm.... Perhaps ... 'Alice'. Yes.. Alice."

He grinned mischievously, as he gestured toward the door. "Ready Miss Alice? Let's go say hello to that 'charming gentleman'."

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"Oh Vivian Dahling, you're in for a treat!" gushed ember with barely controlled excitement, as he stood from the chair.

"Come with me to my room, and I'll show you something that'll knock his socks off." he continued with a hip wiggle, a broad smile, and a wink, before strolling the the door.

"This way dahling--"

For a moment, Vivian had second thoughts about following this person, but she was equally intrigued by what could possibly be demonstrated, given the clear and profound nature of what they had shared so far. Timidly, and with some trepidation, she followed in Ember's wake.

"I dont bite dahling-- Well, not often.." he cooed with a coy smile. "Just down the hall here, last on the right."

A woman dressed in... something either avant-garde, --or all together made of old rags-- was conversing angrily with the 'gentleman' in the chair that had invaded his room previously, and the tone was not pleasant. Ember hoped she gave him what for, and did his best to otherwise ignore the both of them, as he flicked his wand at the door, causing it to audibly unlock, then glide open.

"Through here--"

Holding the door for Vivian, then closing it behind her furtively, he quickly cast his wand over the door and wall, and frowned. Something had been.... Chewing?... on the wards. With a momentary scowl, he quickly recast, and repaired them.

"What's that all about?" asked Vivian with adorable earnestness.

"That.... PERSON... came into my room through the ceiling, crept down the wall like some venomous spider, and had the CHEEK to interrupt me while I was working dahling. Well I wont have it! He wont be getting in again THAT way, I'll see to it!" he said, gesturing up at the ceiling, and the far wall before putting his hands on his hips, and turning to stroll to the far side of the room.

"But that's that, and not what I want to show you dahling----" he cooed once more, before "painting" with his wand in the open air, causing light and moisture to twist and refract into the appearance of a large, thick drapery dividing the room in half.

"I'm sorry, but my 'creative' process is ... very personal... dahling, so no peeking-- but I will gladly let you see the results." he said with an other hip wiggle and a giggle, before disappearing on the other side.

Hisses, crackles, pops, and flashes of light erupted from around the edges and top of the false curtain, along with delighted humming, and the occasional "Oh yes, that will do it.." and similar utterance.

After some several minutes, Ember re-emerged from behind the curtain in something sleek, but with an altogether too large window for breasts that he clearly did not have to fill the dress out. It was long, and poofy at the sides, a lovely shade of light yellow, with bunting and ribbons, with long white gloves and what looked like diamonds.

"Now the truly FUN part dahling!" he said with with a careful bob and a twirl that would have delighted any princess. "be a doll, and open that footlocker, wont you?" he said while sitting down on the chair beside the bed. "Feel free to sit on the bed honey."

With trepidation, she did as this person asked, noting how seemingly little was actually inside. Just a rather large mahogany box that seemed to open down the middle and fold out, given where the hinges were, along with 3 small drawers in the front, with a large silver compact mirror laying on top.

"When going on business trips, it's important to only pack the essentials, dahling. It was very expensive to ship my entire spring collection for this trip, and well... Allowances HAD to be made."

Vivian was confused. All she could see was a somewhat spartan 1st class cabin, with a practically empty foot locker.

"I dont see any--"

"Oh, they're all down in the cargo hold dear-- Tightly packed with magic-- let's not open them. There's not enough room on the ship." he cooed, as he flicked his wand at the trunk, and the wooden case sailed gracefully through the air on a silvery cushion.

The magic was so complex, but Ember did it so effortlessly and fluidly, it was like watching something from a fairy tale.

"Now then-- ON with the LESSON dahling. Men like ... THAT ... like to think that they control, dominate, and generally dictate the lives of everyone else around them, in a very 'narrow' and 'stunted' vision of how they think things 'should be' dahling. Further, when things go.. shall we say... "Spectacularly Wrong" for them... (giggle).. they tend to get rather vindictive. So-- To prevent any unwanted reprisal dahling, we simply MUST alter our appearances first. You first dear, hold still, don't be frightened."

Ember gingerly flicked his wand this way and that, as the makeup kit opened like a blooming flower, spilling brightly colored pastels, creams, powders and pencils like exotic petals while he worked. In shock, they whirled about her as he continued humming. "These products come from a fine old friend of mine-- Lovely products-- He's been trying to break out of the local market though, and running foul of those same kinds of vicious, dirty, narrow men who feel they need to impose GHASTLY levies on them... But you wont find a better rouge dear.. Despite the name-- Products from The Amazing Onion come HIGHLY recommended." he quipped without missing a beat.

"He gave me that kit just a few weeks ago, as a promotional offering for steering so much business his way. Oh, that lovely little man. He always did know what to get me that would make me smile... And between you and me Dahling-- Using them this way, to get the goat of such a person-- Oh, I shall surely write him about it later, dahling. Guarantee it."

Abruptly, ember leaned back, and took her in. "One last bit dahling, and YOUR look will be complete. He wont suspect a thing."

with a flourish, magic spilled from the tip of his wand, and wrapped around her like gossamer, settling into a very ornate and complex illusion.

"Those tight fitting little things you have on will work just NICELY for this dear-- Plenty of room for the illusions.. Now, the hair, and those cute little ears.."

She gasped, as her golden blonde hair turned jet black, and puffed out to conceal the pointed tips of her ears. In a continuous fluid motion, Ember called up the hand mirror, opened it with a well-practiced single-handed motion, and held it out for her.

The makeup was subdued, but really brought out the angles and features of her face without being overly flashy. The lip color was only slightly more pink than her natural tone-- but the whole totality of the disguise, made her look like a well dressed, but clearly subordinate chamber maid girl for a high class lady.

"Wasn't that FUN dahling!?" he exclaimed, before squirming back into his chair, and flicking his wand around, sending the makeup box and its ungents sailing back his direction. "Now its my turn!"