DUNGEON ♛ LIEFSTE CARNAVAL

[boardmaster]

LIEFSTE CARNAVAL
20 JULY (DELPHINE) 2016

The Heroes chosen for this dungeon may reach Petrosian by any means they choose (by Airy with passports, by foot, by train, etc.) but they must travel to the area under suspicion by a smaller train, sponsored by VIPs; from there, they will take the fifteen mile, bumpy ride from the quaint town station to an open valley downstream. As you’re jostled around in your seat, a cheery announcement informs you that this train ride was sponsored by the illustrious Ryder, who felt it was necessary to express his gratitude to the Heroes and their admirable efforts that just barely saved his life last month. How thoughtful of him.

As the train chugs to a stop, beyond the forest and behind our Heroes, endless fields of gold seem to stretch out as far as the eye can see. What was once rich green grass has been painted yellow by the sweltering heat and clear summer sky. Few trees offer shelter from the sun, but most Heroes will have to provide their own shade as they wait for Secretary Verdoni and Ryder’s quick debriefing.

	Verdoni [ he looks so done with Ryder, but he has a job to do ] Every year, this field serves as the site of the famous Liefste Carnaval. For obvious reasons, we do not usually spend money to send our forces here, and if anyone would like to convince me otherwise, I shall have them entertain their fellow rapscallions at St. Amant.
	Ryder [ coughs ]
	Verdoni [ shut up ] However, due to financial constraints and missing people reports in the area, the carnival was canceled. And yet it is here. We have reason to believe that the reports of missing individuals tie into this carnival. Furthermore, our researchers say there is an abnormal amount of mana activity in the area. Given your previous experience with those, I don’t believe I need to elaborate any further. Your job is to investigate the carnival, find the truth behind it, and retrieve the dungeon core. As for your transportation, we’ve arranged a—
	Ryder Thank you, Secretary. Heroes. Out of gratitude for your heroic rescue, the least I could do was provide some incentive to fetch me a souvenir. This train, the Big Red, was built by one of Gammon’s finest mechanics. I had it shipped here under great expense so that you could enjoy the luxury of Gammon. I hope you Heroes are fortunate enough to visit my land soon. [ and as an afterthought: ] Ah, and rescue those people. Of course. By the way, this weather is absolutely dreadful. My skin was never this dry back in Cochrane. Guard A, Guard B, set up camp. We don’t want to faint from the heat later, do we?
	Verdoni [ why is this guy even here ] To answer the question on everyone’s minds: yes, there is a point to collecting these dungeon cores. Apart from restoring natural order to the land, we have reason to believe the dungeon cores may hold the key to finding a way home for you Heroes... Once we have proper confirmation, I will soon be able to make a formal announcement. Secondly, yes, Commander Lisbrand is still recovering from the Noir attack. We are hoping that she’ll be well enough to join us soon. For now, we do what we can.

Basic info on the dungeon can be found here. Dungeon mechanics can be found here. All OOC questions about the event may be directed to the thread below.

ONE ♙
Welcome to the Liefste Carnaval! Don’t be shy, come on in!

There’s nothing of note when you approach the carnival’s entrance. The hustle and bustle of any other fun-filled festival can be heard from the outside, complete with excited shouts and distant music. The smell of popcorn and other saccharine treats waft over and make your mouth water…

Before you satisfy your cravings, you should get a ticket. You’ll be greeted by a vaguely humanoid ticket seller entirely covered in confetti and pieces of torn tickets, with a rattling breath as if it caught a cold. It doesn’t speak and merely points to a sign that says 500 colle per person! What? Not everything comes for free. An item of similar value will also suffice.

If you refuse to pay and shoulder your way past it, you’ll find yourself shoved onto your back, face to face with the ticket seller himself. The bits of paper on its face rustle before it shuffles back over to the stand. Try again and you’ll find yourself getting further and further away from the entrance as a minor curse begins to settle upon you. You may come up with your own curse (e.g. loss of voice, speaking in gibberish). Thankfully, the curse doesn’t last long, but the message should be clear: pay for your ticket.

Once you have acquired your ticket, you are free to enter the carnival at your leisure. Should you turn around to ask the ticket seller for more information, it will vanish into thin air, leaving nothing but a small heap of confetti.

Walk past the first booth; a gaggle of happy children with balloons approach you with boxes of welcoming gifts. Though you might want to remember what all children are taught: don’t take candy from strangers.

MONSTER ♟ Wicht
Weak against Fire, Holy	Strong against None	Immune to Dark
A demon possessing a wooden puppet painted and carved in the form of a happy child with rosy cheeks. It offers BOXES OF CHOCOLATE to unsuspecting victims. Be warned: the chocolate will give you CHILLS AND MALAISE, and eating it will prompt fellow Wichts to link their hands together and circle around you as they chant RING AROUND THE ROSIE. This is not an innocent game, but a spell that accelerates the progression of the disease inside you, manifesting in RASHES, FEVER, SNEEZING AND COUGHING. The Wichts have no sympathy to spare; they’ll keep chanting ‘til you all fall down! Don’t feel like chocolate today? Oh, the Wichts insist. As they shove their boxes at you, their giggles turn into maniacal laughter. Their cherubic features melt into something sharper, harder, and you barely have time to react before they try to rip your heart out with their SHARP CLAWS. Catching Wichts is not easy. They use the wind magic of their BALLOONS to fly out of harm’s way, and the more mischievous ones will inhale the helium inside to release BANSHEE-LIKE SCREAMS that will stun and knock your party back. You can eliminate these demons by any means, but defeating these wooden puppets with HOLY MAGIC will banish the demonic spirit inside them, rendering them lifeless with the angelic features they originally had. These Petrosian-style puppets show really good craftsmanship! DROPS: Colorful Balloons, Gift Boxes, Petrosian Puppets, Wicht Claws, Mana-infused Wood

Suddenly, the cheerful and festive atmosphere vanishes. A flag flutters against a strong, abrupt gust of wind. Shadows seem to whisper and point and watch with gleaming, uncountable eyes. The paths are deserted and what was a vibrant place full of life is now anything but.


TWO ♙
In the chocolate box of the first Wicht you defeat, you will find a hand-drawn map of the carnival. It is extremely detailed and meticulously labeled with every ride, shop, and sideshow. Does this cartographer have a perfectionist streak? There’s a crudely-painted red heart circling one attraction in particular: the tunnel of love. But from the way the color dried, you’re starting to think that’s not paint…

Before you reach the tunnel of love, you have to pass through game stalls and the haunted house. Move quickly; those familiar Wicht giggles are approaching and they will not take no for an answer. Hide behind stalls or large crates to avoid them. Perhaps Rooks or Illusion Queens can cover the party’s tracks!

If you choose to hide behind stalls and crates, a cold draft might hit your back, send a shiver down your spine and make you whirl around to confront—no one. But you could have sworn you saw a shadow in the corner of your eye… Before you can think, something too close for comfort bursts into hysterical laughter, attracting the attention of the Wichts and forcing you to abandon your shelter.

However, Wichts can’t touch you if you join in the fun, and the carnival offers a variety of games to play, from dime pitch games to shooting galleries. A man next to a strongman game might even holler at you to step right up and test your strength. Neither firearms, ammo or hammers will be provided, but you’re Heroes, right? Improvise! Win, and you’ll be greeted by...

MONSTER ♟ Steun
Weak against Holy	Strong against Dark	Immune to None
Carnival staff manning the stalls with smiles that will haunt your nightmares. People who win their games infuriate them! Their weapon of choice depends on where you find them. Food vendors will be eager to hurl BOILING OIL or throw an entire GRILL at your face, while those at the shooting galleries might come at you with FIREARMS—real ones! But sometimes, a bullet won’t kill you. Instead, it will make you smell like cotton candy. It will also cast CHARM MAGIC on you, making your party members fall in love with you. Only strong willpower can break the spell… or you know, a good, old-fashioned kiss. Staff members may also toss stuffed toys at you, but these cute and cuddly things aren’t a gift of goodwill. They’re enchanted grenades that explode into heart-shaped confetti and release a gas that will make you LAUGH UNCONTROLLABLY for a good five minutes. DROPS: Assorted Guns and Bullets, Carnival Food Items, Stuffed Toys, Carnival Staff Jacket

Glad that’s over! Unfortunately, this doesn’t seem to be the last area you needed to traverse. Checking the map again reveals that the haunted house is up next. But that shouldn’t be a big deal; you can usually avoid those by simply walking past, right?

Wrong. As you enter the area, you’ll soon realize that the roads around the house are clogged up by cotton candy and popcorn which might serve as convenient snacks to replenish your mana. The only free path leads to the front door.


THREE ♙
The floorboards creak as your party enters the haunted house. A flash of lightning preceding a crack of thunder reveals a large, arachnid leg. Clicking noises of pincers are the only warnings Heroes get before your party is grabbed and hauled upwards, one by one. Tough strings like silk trap your bodies in a tight cocoon that dangles from the ceiling. Resistance is futile, as struggling will damage your clothes. Don’t worry about flashing anyone; the spider is more than happy to cover your bare areas with more form-hugging strings. The spider silk seems to be enchanted, since captured Heroes cannot escape on their own. You must help them to proceed!

As the spider works on hauling its prey upwards, the others must rescue their comrade before it’s too late! Unfortunately, your entrance has awoken a sudden rush of monsters, and the blood and drool they’re spewing make it hard to believe they’re in costume. Hobbling and groaning zombies, scarecrows and half molten blobs or something in between are eager to have you for dinner themselves. The enemies themselves are not particularly dangerous; it’s their sheer number and the furniture they’ve knocked over which make this fight a pain in the neck. Kick and bat and suplex your way through the enemy ranks until you reach the rickety stairs.

Climbing with care, you finally make your way to the second floor. There is a spider lurking in a corner...

MONSTER ♟ Heer Spinnekop
Weak against Water	Strong against Earth, Wind	Immune to Lightning
“I must say, that was very rude of you. No one has ever turned down an invitation to my tea parties.” A calm and chipper tea-sipping, monocle-wearing SPIDER too big to fit through the front door. The wealthy Lord Spinnekop studied in Gammon for a time and the accent has stuck with him ever since. Despite his manners, he isn’t too pleased to have his snack stolen from under its nose. What’s he going to dunk in his tea cup now? So he’ll try to trap the Heroes once more with his SILK THREADS, please and thank you. His threads will wrap around you in patterns that bind and appeal to the senses. “Ooh, could you do that again? It makes my spinneret tingle!” For some reason, LIGHTNING MAGIC doesn’t work against the monstrous spider. But continue to refuse him and he’ll splash piping hot Gammonian Breakfast tea at your face… or shirt. Let’s hope you didn’t wear something thin and white. As the battle goes on, he’ll crawl from corner to corner, and soon, you’ll notice a method to his madness: he’s been weaving a HUGE, STICKY WEB for you all! “No, no, you’ve got it all wrong. I’ll wash you down—after I chew and swallow!” Heroes he likes, he’ll trap in his web and eat. Heroes he doesn’t? He’ll toss them in a giant KETTLE of water he’s been boiling in the kitchen! How does Heroic tea sound? However, chatting with the spider (and boy, does he love to chat) will reveal that despite growing up in the lowlands of Petrosian and living in rainy Gammon, he detests water. WATER MAGIC might just wash the spider out! DROPS: Fancy Tea Set, Top Hat, Monocle, Gentleman’s Gloves, Silk Threads

You’ve had it with this @#$%ing spider in this @#%$ing haunted house! Goodbye and good riddance. The doors upstairs seem to lead to nowhere so you’ll have to climb through the open hatch in the ceiling to exit. On the roof, you can finally survey the entire dungeon, but don’t linger for too long. Otherwise, you’ll be compelled to jump off the roof!

Hope you’re not afraid of heights, because the only way to advance to the tunnel of love is by jumping from roof to roof.


FOUR ♙
Finally, the infamous tunnel of love rests before you in all its glittery, pink glory. Rose petals coat the sign and flower chains hang from the tunnel ceiling. Echoes of sensual moans can be heard from the outside, but there’s no turning back. Once you’ve secured yourself a swan boat, you’re in for quite the joyride. The dulcet tones of a romantic serenade give you something else to focus on other than the disturbingly intimate shadows on the walls, but even the music stops every now and then to amplify the voices further in.

Then all of a sudden, the water of the tunnel starts flowing in the other direction. Due to the shape of the boat, Heroes get doused in cold water, and that’s the least of your problems. More Steuns will come out of the woodwork and take potshots at the Heroes with their guns. Talk about wet and wild! The tunnel’s heart-shaped props might also come to life and attempt to drown Heroes. Why not? It’s not like couples ever want to leave.

After several merry minutes, the water will be drained out completely. Who doesn’t enjoy being stranded in the middle of enemy territory? As you walk down the tunnel, there’s a point that diverges into several paths. Following the path that smells like roses will appear to put you on the right track, but leads to a dead end. Looking around, you’ll find a raised, heart-shaped platform with graffiti that says, NOW DO IT! ❤

That’s awfully specific. Considering where you are, you probably meet the riddle with mild surprise. Maybe if you try to kiss someone, you’ll be able to advance! But actually, if you wait long enough, a simple hug might yet suffice.

Once the riddle has been satisfied, the wall opens to reveal the inside of a circus tent. Vacant bleachers surround the stage, and though they are empty, deafening cheers seem to come from people filling the seats. Without warning, all the lights go out, save for a single spotlight...

BOSS ♟ Y. U. Lyon the Spelleider and his Circus
Weak against None	Strong against Fire	Immune to Dark, Status Effects
“Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls! Welcome to the best show in the world! I’ve travelled the seven seas, so I should know.” An outstanding and prolific RINGMASTER who recently fell out of the limelight. After some soul searching, Ser Lyon’s back with a bigger and better show that’ll knock everyone’s socks off! Eat your heart out, Cirque du Etoile. As the leader of this circus, he has the fully loyalty of his performers—and pets. With a crack of his whip, he summons large, maned LIONS that growl as they bare their sharp, white fangs. They attack the Heroes on his orders. Don’t let the large felines jump through those flaming hoops, as these will ENGULF THEM IN FIRE, too! Use WATER to put the flames out. ”Such teamwork… Geluk and I were the same. Why am I thinking about him at a time like this? For our next act…!” Should you defeat his precious lions, he will send out his beloved CIRCUS PERFORMERS: acrobats that can kick your butt, contortionists that can bend themselves twice over as they lock you in a CHOKEHOLD, unicycle-riding jugglers waiting for the right moment to toss you a KNIFE or MOLOTOV COCKTAIL, and tightrope walkers ready to DROP DEADLY SPEARS onto unsuspecting Heroes. You might even get tackled by the occasional cannonball man and GET LAUNCHED OUT OF THE TENT with him! Circus performers of all kinds will try to steal the show, and your imagination’s the limit. Unlike the ringmaster, these people are WEAK TO STATUS EFFECTS. ”He told me to meet him during the Festivale de la Ceinturonne, but I had a show that night. I couldn’t abandon my circus! That was years ago… I haven’t heard from him since. I wonder what would have happened… if I had gone to see him… If I had gone to see him…!” Although his stars are gone, the show must go on. As the drum rolls, the lone Ser Lyon reaches inside his mouth to pull out a sharp SWORD with a flourish. How long has that been in there? Not important. Forget about admiring his top-notch swordsmanship, too—he’s here to kill! Even as you keep your distance, you can’t escape him when he strikes you with his WHIP and singes your skin with his FIRE-BREATHING SKILLS. From time to time, he pulls MAGICAL BIRDS out of his coat to distract Heroes. They will disappear the moment you strike them. ”Bravo, bravo. The circus is my life, but… your teamwork has reminded me of something far more important. Still… we put on a good show, didn’t we?” Before his last breath, he pulls a lovespur out of thin air. It was his closest friend’s favorite magic trick. A DUNGEON CORE rises from his chest, and he ends the show with an elegant bow and a smile. DROPS: Ringmaster Staff, Ringmaster Coat, Lion Mane, Juggling Balls, Sword, Hoop, Balance Pole, Torches

Once Y. U. Lyon the Spelleider and his lackeys have been defeated, the phantom cheering cuts off. The bleachers are suddenly occupied by the missing Petrosians, exhausted and confused as to how they ended up here. The dungeon magic appears to have compelled them to act the way they did. Reassure them, help them down from the bleachers and make absolutely sure you leave no one behind.

Soon, the carnival gates open. The show is over and it’s time for everyone to go home.


FIVE ♙
Once you step out of the gates, there’s a flash of light and a final pop of confetti. The next time you blink, you’ll find yourself in a campsite. It seems like Ryder kept his word and set up a rest stop for everyone exiting the dungeon. You’re back in one piece and the area seems to be back to normal as well. Relieved murmurs spring up from the rescued Petrosians who are quick to thank the Heroes profusely before they are whisked away by Blanc’s medics for a check-up.

Verdoni Good work, Heroes. What you do with the dungeon cores is your business alone, but all efforts to assist us in assessing them will be appreciated. That includes providing us with said dungeon cores, of course. I will report our findings as soon as we can. Thank you.

As he leaves, he catches the sight of Ryder and clicks his tongue. That Gammonian is making good use of his human footrest again. Some things never change.

Now that Heroes have left the dungeon, they are free to do whatever they want to. Rest in the tents? Fill your rumbling tummies? Treat injuries? It’s up to them!

Comments

[overextend]

[ Focus. Yes. He must. There's no choice there. Their enemies are still at large, but his mind won't stop spinning. If it isn't the fragrant scent crawling into his lungs then it's the light smear of sweat across Damianos' brow that he wants to wipe clean or the the slender slope of Corrin's neck, looking so delicate and pale from above his collar.

Knowing that he's been affected by some magic and being able to combat it effectively are two entirely different concepts at the moment. He doesn't know if his will is strong enough, though he's forcing himself to concentrate and not lose grip on his lance as his hands grow clammy inside of his gloves. His nerves have always been on point, but he feels them fraying rather messily as his breath sounds too loud and primitive in his own ears at the moment.

Once again, his eyes find Damianos,' feeling an unbidden desire to stand in radius of the warmth permeating from his body, but then there is Corrin, as beautiful and proud as he's ever seen him. His body grows flushed with the thought of burying his lips in between his shoulder blades.

-no.

The word resounds in his mind as he clenches his teeth and tries to figure out how to break this spell on him. If he gives in, it'll be absolutely deplorable. ]

...There has to be a way to stop this. I can't think this way.

[ His palm presses into his forehead, well aware this is less than exemplary for the perfect retainer. He shouldn't allow personal desire to impede him in battle. ]

Don't come any closer.

[goldbound]

[ Damianos is struck by the expression on Laurent's face as though by a physical blow. He sees the darkening of his eyes, the way they track the height of him like a caress, and feels the change in atmosphere at once. The thunderous quality of his heartbeat, fresh from battle, becomes a heady throb. Laurent squeezes his eyes shut, pressing the fine pale of his lashes against the flush of his cheeks and though his step back appears practiced, Damianos sees the surprise in it.

There is a drug in the perfume.

The prickle of eyes on him is what takes Damen's gaze from Laurent to Corrin, and with belated realization, as the first time he had been similarly drugged, Damianos appreciates what has just happened. This is not what the Vaskians had put in his drink, to make him virile for hours— this is more akin to what is given to slaves in their training, to make them pliant and wanton. Corrin looks to his retainer and Damianos sees where the curl of his hair falls against his neck, the milk pale quality of his skin. He can hear the coaxing in his own voice when he speaks (look at me): ]

If this is magic, you know more about it than we do.

[ In Vere, or in Akielos, it would be a matter of waiting out the worst of it— hours of pleasurable agony. Damianios is quickly learning magic does not work the same way at all. He considers how easy it would be to reach out and draw all of Corrin's attention away from Subaki with a hand on his waist, what the vulnerable line of his throat would look like as he had need to lift his chin to look Damen in the face.

He puts his eyes elsewhere. He puts his eyes back on Laurent, which was more a mistake than his wandering thoughts about the fair-haired lordling, because sensory memory hits him fresh with what he knows about that body. It is too easy to transfer the honey-warm sensation of lust from Corrin to Laurent— beautiful Laurent, with his wicked mouth and his melting blue eyes. It drives him to distraction, even with threat so close on their heels.

What they need to do is regroup.

Damen wants to cross the few paces between himself and Laurent and tip his gilded head back to taste the inside of his mouth. The truth of it is all over Damen's face. ]

i can't do this

[verisimilitudes]

[He counts his breaths. It is the only think that provides even a modicum of leverage over the situation and even that, he fears, may only make matters worse. If the drug is in the air, in the sweet smell that Damen and Corrin wear like a shroud, then all they are accomplishing with each passing moment is swallowing more. Laurent does not open his eyes because he does not trust himself to. It is sensory memory that binds him to Damen, a string of nights they'd spent in the same room, of the feel of Damen's hand on his wrist when he'd stood in the bath, the feel of that gaze moving over his body. What it mean to see the promise of a kiss hanging like fruit in a tree- asking to be taken.

He doesn't need to look up to be aware of Lord Corrin. Laurent recognizes that he has committed to memory the unnatural color of his eyes and in that lies the unnamed desire to watch his pupils blow. To see how dark they might become at what touch, at what murmur, at what caress. He can hear the man panting and deliriously believes that he might be able to taste the heat from his mouth even at this distance. How easily he had flushed. He's probably a virgin- a lover that might not be eager to perform but certainly eager to attend to his-

This is not helpful.

Laurent's hand finds Subaki's wrist. The man's skin is warm, his pulse thrumming beneath the circle of his fingers. He makes the smallest of tugs in an attempt to encourage the man to move with him- to give Damen and Corrin both more space- a wider berth between them.

What does he know of magic here. He's read enough books about it thus far, surely there must be something, he only needs to think. The importance of will cannot be understated- the will is everything; the will of the caster and the will of one cast upon. If there is even the smallest inclination they can't possibly stand a chance of overturning it. Another way then, a method for doing and undoing. All he can think of is a smattering of fairy tales from his youth. His lips part, Laurent breathes shallowly through his mouth. His eyes remain closed.]

I have a suggestion, but it's preposterous.

yes you can do it now

[dragonspawn]

[ Laurent wouldn't be wrong in assuming Corrin's own status with intimacy, simply because it's not like he'd ever have had the chance or opportunity for it amidst the terrors of war, as well as captivity. But right now, that realization, the strange feeling of want that's awakening in himself is making him far, far too aware of the fact that he has needs he has never, ever sought to address.

Which is why, it's a relief when he finds himself freed of the look that Subaki is giving him, the action alone making him capable of actually thinking for himself, too. Just enough to not focus on Damen, on that warm-coloured skin, on the way he feels like everything inside of him is twisting and wrenching from aches he didn't know he could have. He must not think of him that way, he must not think of those things, not right now while they're trying to figure this out. A breath escapes him and he quickly scrambles to his feet, putting some distance between himself and Damen, as well as Subaki and Laurent, as he grabs his sword to sheathe. It gives him a distraction, and enough time to ration his own breathing so he doesn't inhale too much of that sweet scent-

One that reminds him of tea leaves and autumn, and spices... he shivers, pushing himself against a wall as he looks up at the three, though Laurent's words make him focus back on him. ]

I'll take any suggestions if it stops whatever is happening right now!

[ His eyes dart over to Subaki and Laurent, before forcing himself not to trail his gaze over Damen- no, the others are just as beautiful, so where does he look?

He'll look down. Except he's becoming distinctly aware that all that want is actually flourishing from where he's looking, and so he looks away to the wall. Actually, why not just look at it the whole time... ]

This needs to stop... we won't be able to progress otherwise.

[overextend]

[ This is getting ridiculous by now. Why are they all standing here trapped by some unknown compulsion? He's better than this. If anyone can think of a solution, it's him. What has all his training been for if not to free himself from troubling situations, though every time his eyes shift from Damianos to Corrin, his thoughts wind up in a disarray, his body too consumed by the overpowering pulsing sensation through his bloodstream and that nagging itch in the back of his mind begging to be scratched.

It's starting to feel like agony the way the urgency curls along his spine, stretching so far that his thoughts feel incredibly muddled and unfocused. ]

Just speak your mind quickly! This is maddening.

[ He can feel the sweat forming on his skin, making his hair stick unpleasantly to his forehead as his back hits the same wall that Corrin had been looking at. Having the solid surface keeps him propped up while his knees are threatening to fold in as he struggles to distract himself with something -anything.

If his eyes stray just a little, he'll catch the fiery red in his lord's eyes, to let himself be burned in that gaze, or his stare would creep to the powerful and enticing way Damianos' forearms bulge when the muscles there clench.

His own arm swipes across his face as he murmurs as though he's intoxicated- ]

This is ...truly humiliating. I need to stop...

nsf..w....

[goldbound]

[ Focus.

Damianos lifts his arm across his torso, folding his hand over his bleeding shoulder. He digs the meat of his palm against the injury, and the explosive pain of the foreign object lodged in the meet of his muscle brings some modicum of control back to him. It beads sweat on his brow and his jaw clenches, skin blanching. Damen has been run through before, but this pain is jarringly different than that. With adrenaline waning the longer they stand, the more he is aware of the hurt of it.

It is a welcome distraction from Corrin's eyelashes. ]

Laurent. [ His tone is beseeching, though he doesn't intend it to be. Damen can feel his own focus waver, easing back and forth between arousal and determination. As a man tuned deeply to his own sexuality, and equal parts a warrior, this affliction isn't beyond his ability to understand and in some small way control. Arousal is not always so different from the blood-racing throb of battle. He had employed this same technique when Laurent had dictated the precise way for a slave to suck his cock.

The others, he can tell, are not having the same kind of success. Damianos will not be able to protect them all in this foreign environment. ] Speak your mind.

you just had to go full throttle didn't you

[verisimilitudes]

[Laurent's experience with kissing is complicated, to say the very least. He's self-aware enough to recognize it, to understand the ease with which the act passes among others and the discrepancy with where it lies in himself. This is neither the time or place for hesitancy. The time he's taken to measure his breathing, to map his way around the theoreticals of this situation have allowed him to take measure of his pulse. It is no different than any other poison. It is not different than finding two men leading Damianos to his quarters, to finding the residue in his glass.

When his eyes open there is something shuttered to his expression- as though the truth of the man they belong to has been hidden from view. Lord Corrin's build is not dissimilar from his own. There is no difference in their heights to negotiate and no distraction to take into account, no history to color their experiences of one another. Laurent takes the man's chin in the circle made by finger and thumb, and brings him in for a kiss.

Where the experience should be warm, or even a passing of electricity between mouths- Laurent's mana colors the experience- an inexplicably bitter chill that will leave his skin stinging. At the very least it won't be for nothing; how fortunate, that a fairytale kiss should break the enchantment.]

dirty dirty

[dragonspawn]

[ Where the others may have had some experience in the area, Corrin is still- incredibly and absolutely new to it all. He's not stupid about it at least, having had his own awkward time learning what he must know in general with Jakob... however, this, on the other hand, is something he's not witnessed beyond books. And if he's being honest- any other time, he'd be curious, but right now all he's feeling is a surge of embarrassment. His gaze is worriedly lingering on Subaki, more concerned for his sister's retainer's condition than anything, though he notes when Laurent circles around in front of then, years of training together with Xander and Gunter making him hyper-alert to the fact that he's there when his next action catches him so off-guard that he doubts he'd have had time to think up an appropriate response to it even if he were prepared.

Eyes wide and breath catching, Corrin feels his entire body still in shock as he feels a little more of a chill and bite, like the snow in the Hoshidan snow village he protected his sisters in... while it wasn't uncommon for it to be cold in the fortress, this is- different. Also the first that anyone has initiated such intimacy with him, which is why he has no immediate response because he—

Actually, he just has no idea on how to respond. He's taken by the sensation of the mana, his own softer, warm like a golden flame in a garden by the water, and his hand rises almost instinctively, gripping Laurent's arm-

But right then is when he notices that Laurent isn't tense himself- that perhaps... he's calming down, too? From whatever it is that had him entranced.

Emboldened by the thought, Corrin tries to mimic what he's doing, kissing Laurent back- chaste, but not effortless, as he feels the weight of the scent around himself, though not Damen, die down. He finally pulls back slowly, looking up at the other young man as though trying to read his intent, but another important realisation comes to him and he turns to look at Subaki. ]

That- Subaki, Damianos... you both, too...

[ Maybe he's stumbling over his words— he's embarrassed, that's for sure, but if this is what it takes. ]

Hurry!

absolute filth.

[overextend]

[ The noise that comes out of Subaki's mouth at that moment can only be described as a deeply undignified croak as he stares at Laurent and Corrin's lips touching in a manner that under any other situation wouldn't be considered sensual or enticing. However, his mind can't reconcile between the situation itself and the way flames lick at his stomach, making him feel ashamed for staring, for wanting to be caught in between somehow. Yet just as soon as it had begun, the moment also ends, still leaving him yearning and unsatisfied.

No, it's clear what they're trying to tell him -what he'll have to do to break the spell. There's no doubt about it as both Laurent and Corrin have significantly recovered from their states after kissing. He understands that objectively, but the thought of doing so alone doesn't seem to slow his pulse one bit.

Rather, there's an invisible chain yanking him along at this point, a pull so strong that his legs lose all of their usual grace until he's racing towards Damianos. When he reaches out, his grip is charged and forceful, nails digging into the man's strong cheek bones to yank him down to his level. Mind blank, eyes screwed shut, he kisses him with bruising force as though the pain can somehow stop him from surrendering to the sensation like he wants to. It's the only way he can nail some part of him in reality when he wants to be engulfed by this, though the burgeoning clarity at the frayed edges of his mind proves that none of it had been real at all to begin with. All those desires had been purely fabricated, which doesn't mean it's necessary unpleasant. The tingling sensation of mana passing between them still threatens to drag a shiver right out of him leaving him only narrowly holding together his control at the seams before finally letting out a baited breath against Damiano's mouth. ]

...Forgive me.

[ His voice is a hoarse whisper before he realizes that they're being watched and that this a most inappropriate place to be doing sort of. The rest of his clarity slams into him like a brick at that moment, making him jump back, skin flushed and arms held up in alarm, half-expecting the other man to retaliate for being so forward. ]

It was only to break the spell. I assure you I had no other intentions. I would never...! Clearly, not in the middle of battle and not with someone I've just met...!

[ There's a certain delicate propriety to how he normally approaches this sort of thing. ]

[goldbound]

[ He watches it happen in slow motion. There is little discrepancy in their heights. He can see the way Laurent's lashes sweep down and the way Corrin freezes under the attention. Laurent doesn't have the experience Damianos does, the way to soften and to read the situation. His kiss is as clinical as anything else, even when the young lord lifts his hand to hold Laurent as though he might fall over.

Damianos knows, without a doubt, that Laurent's experience extends to himself and perhaps one other person: the rampant rumors of his frigidity, the way he had tensed under Damen's hands. His knowledge of what to do and the precise way to do it did not translate to passion until it was coaxed out of him. Damen finds he cannot look away— and also that it's difficult to breathe around the sudden, unpleasant clenching in his chest. A cool, hard stone, the sort of squeeze he'd felt around Isander only magnified a hundred times because Corrin is no slave.

Laurent's cold blue eyes find Damen's even before he's brought his lips away from Corrin's own. Damen barely hears the order to get on with it around the dull thrumming in his ears.

This is, in part, why Subaki's harsh and forceful kiss catches him off guard in a way no battle ever could. He doesn't close his eyes, looking down at Subaki's creased expression and tightly closed eyes. His nails leave little crescent moons in Damen's olive skin, and before Damianos has any sort of chance to gentle the experience, Subaki is jerking his head away like an embarrassed virgin and putting space between them. Damianos only regards him for a moment, the flustered way he waves his hands, seemingly fearful of some violent response. ]

Of course not. I don't think any less of you.

[ He says it gently, and there's warmth in his voice, but Damen feels separate from the experience, somehow. Of course it was necessity. Laurent wouldn't have willingly kissed anyone, otherwise. He puts his eyes back on the Veretian prince, then puts them away from the entire group to give them a moment to settle as he picks out the direction they should go.

It's easier to put his mind to the task, then to think of the way Laurent looked kissing another man. ]