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The Court of the Night-Blooming Flowers

The Night Court is the casual name for the 13 houses of Mont Nuit in the City of Elua where the Servants of Naamah worship and ply thier trade. Elua's blessed principle is 'Love as thou wilt' but love can take many forms. These houses see to each and every shade and color of Elua's principle. Pay a house fee and take your pick, but remember to leave a patron gift if you have been well pleased by Naamah's servants.

How it Works

1. Comment with your character/s. Put their name and canon along with preferences in the subject space.
2. Others will tag with their character and the house they have chosen from the list.
3. Your character can either be visiting the house or working as one of Naamah's servants.
4. Play nice! Or naughtily, if you happen to be in Valerian or Mandrake house.

The 13 houses are essentially brothels, although religiously affiliated ones, so sexual situations are to expected. Also some houses lend themselves to more triggering fare so please be respectful of each other and talk it out with your RP partner if there are problems with a scenario.

The 13 Houses of the Night Court

1. Alyssum - The House canon is modesty. Their motto is "with eyes averted", and the servants here are well suited to acting shy, modest, and slightly uncomfortable with their own desires. If you wish your lover to tremble and blush with shame when you reveal their nakedness, this is your destination.

2. Balm - The House canon is compassion. Their motto is "rest and be soothed". Those who need healing and soothing through gentle touch and companionship may come here. These adepts are also the most skilled at massage of all the houses.

3. Bryony - The House canon is cupidity and the desire for money. Their house is more of a carnival of wonders, where you may gamble with your desires in a game of will and wits. Be careful what favors you gamble with though, for the adepts who work here are said to rarely lose.

4. Camellia - The House canon is perfection. Those who work here are physically perfect, without flaw, and as such they are considerably more proud of their station. Perhaps haughty and brilliant would best describe the adepts who reside here.

5. Cereus - The House canon is fragility, their motto "all lovliness fades". The youthful and delicate serve here, those who hold their beauty for a fleeting moment. Cereus also has the distinction of being the oldest of all the houses. The adepts here are ones who know the value of living for the present and making each moment count.

6. Dahlia - The House canon is dignity and regality. All those who serve in Dahlia house conduct themselves as royalty, with the proper mannerisms, decorum, and attitude.

7. Eglantine - The House canon is performance. Those who serve here are skilled in the arts of singing, dancing, and poetry and can perform together or privately for their patrons.

8. Gentian - The House canon is purity of spirit. The adepts here can read visions and dreams, and may reveal things that hold great meaning to those they share their knowledge with.

9. Heliotrope - The House canon is love and devotion. Their motto is "thou and no other". It is said that when one lies with an adept from Heliotrope, they shall make you feel as if you are the only one who has ever touched their hearts.

10. Jasmine - The House canon is sensuality. Their motto is "for pleasure's sake" and the experience is pure hedonism. Adepts are said to be the most exotic of all the houses, and they emphasize this in their dress.

11. Mandrake - The House canon is sadism and dominance. The motto is "yield all". Adepts are Mandrake are trained to dominate those who come seeking such release, using skills and tools to bestow plain and pleasure. A signale is arranged beforehand that patrons can use should they ever wish to stop their session.

12. Orchis - The House canon is mirth, it's motto "joy in laughter". Adepts from this house are joyful people who believe in fun above all else. They are quick with a grin and a game, and skilled in making their patrons smile.

13. Valerian - The House canon is submission, the motto "I yield". Adepts are trained from childhood to experience pain with all pleasure and pleasure with all pain. They also have a signale they can use if things go too far.
Premise is based on Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel's Legacy series. Reposted from memebells@livejournal

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Note: Will be AU'd to human.

Edited 2016-01-18 20:44 (UTC)

[As a Servant of Naamah, likely Heliotrop, Gentian, or Jasmine. Valerian absolutely possible with discussion. Can also have Wanda as the patron if preferred, and definitely okay with any discussion in advance ♥ Also familiar with the Kushiel's Legacy series for what that's worth. Kink list and other preferences on journal.]

Edited 2016-01-18 21:24 (UTC)

((Ok with Clint? Possibly an elder in her house or even a client?))

[ooc: Absolutely! I'm good with both situations.]

((He might make a good client who becomes a patron. Any preferences on her house?))

[ooc: Sounds good :> I'm thinking Heliotrope or Jasmine for them unless you have a specific idea?]

[Terre d'Ange. He didn't make a habit of visiting the city itself. Cities were crowded, overrun with people and political intrigue. Intrigue that normally begged the services of a spy and marksman. But he hadn't always been in such high demand. A young boy offered up as an apprentice, Clint had learned many hard lessons along the way. Lessons that he would much sooner forget.

Never quite good enough for his father, for his brother, for the man who taught him how to shoot and how to kill.

Clint tended to hang on to his coin, choosing to spend it on weapons, a new bow, new arrows or skillfully crafted knives. But tonight, after a heavy bounty paid by the crown, he has a little extra in his pockets.

Enough to visit one of Naamah's sacred houses.

There was never any real question which house he would choose. Heliotrope. "Thou and no other". Skilled hands that would ease his loneliness for a night.

So he makes his offering, divests himself of his weapons, and he waits.]

[After being orphaned as children, Wanda and Pietro had been raised in the Night Court. It was far from the first time that it had happened to a child in the city before, and neither had they been the only ones in that situation. They were, however, the only twins in Heliotrope, and as such something of a novelty that they might have traded better on if Pietro had not been better suited for Bryony House when they had both turned ten.

It was clear from a young age, however, that Heliotrope was where Wanda belonged. While not openly affectionate in groups, Wanda's fondness for others had a certain sort of presence with obvious weight to it. Her smiles were infrequent, but they warmed her patrons from the inside out, and when she touched them, it was with such care and devotion that for the time they shared together, they could forget that she ever saw others in her room at Heliotrope house. And, the more frequently her patrons came back to see her, the more she could build on what intimacy had been shared before.

With new patrons, however, it's a curious thing. Wanda would never say that she feigns falling in love, but she does fall for them. After all, such emotions are given mutually in her House.

So, when Wanda steps into her room, wearing her dark red dress that brushes the toes of her shoes, it begins. A curious look turning to one of slowly growing fascination as she offers him a small smile that may make him think they're not easily won. And yet, there it is. For him.]

Welcome to Heliotrope. [She curtsies.] My name is Wanda.

[It is a difficult thing, letting down your guard when it's one of the few things that keeps a man like Clint Barton alive. While he might not be a deeply religious man himself, he and his brother had actively fled the offer of sanctuary the Night Court offered two orphans, he does find some comfort in ritual the softness that is offered.

The courtesan they have chosen for him is beautiful. Young with a curtain of soft, dark hair and a deep crimson dress. There is something indeed special about her smile, something warm and private and he offers a half-bow in return, echoing her smile.] My name is Clint.

[A slight glance around and his smile takes on a vaguely self-conscious air.] And it has been a very, very long time since I have been a guest of the Night Court.

[House Cereus, Gentian or Valerian. Willing to discuss anything first.]

[Either Camellia or Valerian. Willing to discuss options and whatnot.]

[ He had been born to Balm, the son of a mother with gentle hands, but he'd soon been traded to another House, one a bit more suited to his needs, his personality. Dean grows up wearing the colors and beliefs of Heliotrope and still feels misplaced, out of his skin. He knows his job, and he does it well, so well, but he wonders if there's more than the devotion he gives to those who pay him, if there's anything else to this life of his. It's an odd thought for Dean, one he ignores and ignores until it festers into something explosive, and despite the rules, the beliefs, he slips away to taste them all.

Disguised as a patron, he visits the other Houses slowly, one by one.

And by the time he tries Camellia, he's far more comfortable with the ruse. Cocky. Maybe he could have belonged to this house if he hadn't felt so flawed himself, but he'd think about that another time. Right now? He's much more invested in the adept watching him with a look Dean knows far too well, and he plays it up and smirks, presses into the other guy's space like there's nothing else he'd rather be doing. ] So. [ Hand on his chest, he slides his fingers to touch his arm. ] You come here often?

[ The double entendre can't be missed, though he skips out on wiggling his eyebrows and settles on licking his bottom lip instead. Obviously he just means the room they're in. Really. ]

Funny. [He isn't laughing, though.] No one usually bothers to point that part out.

[As it turns out, Jackson usually could be found in this room when he got bored. Anyone who frequented Camellia with any regularity knew that. How new was this patron? He'd been thinking of mixing a drink for himself, his empty glass still in his hand when the patron interrupted by waltzing in and pushing up into his space. Definitely new, Jackson decides. He'd remember that face.

The edge of the wet bar digging into his lower back brings him out of that thought.]

Are we skipping the part where we bother with introductions?

[No one ever claimed his House didn't have some attitude, though Jackson often toed the line on how much was acceptable.]

[ Good thing Dean is there to make his life easy then.

He hadn't missed the cup or the bar, but he's decided that tonight needed to be free of any simple distractions, especially since he was practically casing this House. The other guy certainly knew were he belonged, Dean would give him that, but it's kind of unusual to get this much lip out of an adept. Might just be the way they do things here, which is something he thinks he could come to like a lot more considering he was no saint himself. There's a moment where he considers dropping the act altogether and discussing things with him instead, eyes leveling on the other's mouth. Yet, that'd seem pointless this far in the game. This is supposed to be the fun part after all. ]

I figured they'd have told you who I was by now. Ain't that how it works here? [ Because that's how it works in half of the other Houses he's been to. ] Name's Dean though. [ And his hand slides all the way down to take that cup, thumb tracong along the rim as he stares at it rather than Jackson's face. ] You know, in case you need something to yell out later.

[ Okay, now he's just being a smug dick. ]

[He takes the last remark with an obvious grain of salt.

He doesn't fight for control of the cup, not having made a decision either way about that drink he'd been thinking of making. Out of the corner of his eye, Jackson notices a panicked-looking apprentice peering through the door like the world just ended. She must've been the one they sent to tell him about this patron. She would've looked in his quarters first but Jackson had decided he'd prefer to lounge on better furniture. It only takes an irritated look to send her away, door soundlessly sliding shut, giving them privacy.

Luckily, Dean isn't looking at his face to notice the exchange.]

Jackson. [His smile's sharp but slightly amused.] In Camellia, we prefer a little etiquette to go along with any yelling that might happen.

( ooc; If you don't mind playing off an OC (and it's totally fine if you do, feel free to let me know), I was thinking I could adapt Davy here to either be an incarnated angel like Elua's companions, or he could just be a human sailor who got some good coin to spend. We could do some interesting things with Jackson as a Camellia or Valerian adept with the former option, but I think just Camellia would be best with the latter. )

[I don't mind OCs at all. But, just to let you know, I've only read Kushiel's Scion and that was a while ago, so there's a fair chance I might get things wrong depending on how detailed you want to get with the setting. That said, both those options are intriguing. I do kind of want to explore Valerian more than Camellia if that helps but I'm not picky, I could roll with either of those.]

[ It had been several years since Davy had awoken to what he really was - a servant of the Most High who had willingly abandoned his position for the world that had been created by an infinite complexity of powers. Ages and ages ago he had willingly gone to sleep in the earth, seeking to sidestep the squabbles of his siblings with their father. Only now did he learn that most of that had been settled, mainly through an intriguing turn of events.

As Davy traveled, he learned of Elua, his companions (Davy's siblings), and the end result of their grand venture - a land where the seed of angels took root and flowered, where their blood flowed beautiful and strong in mortal flesh, where love was the law. He had been a sailor when he thought himself a mortal, and he was no stranger to paying for flesh when a desire came upon him, but now knowing what his brothers and sisters had wrought, he wanted to taste of their work.

The City of Elua was a splendid place, worthy of his siblings' descendants, and these people definitely belonged to his family. The Court of Night-Blooming Flowers was the crown jewel, and over the last week, Davy had been sampling its brighter flavors. Tonight called for something darker - Valerian called to him, and when he entered, he paid for his night the same way he had paid for the others, with coin conjured by the power of his blood. He requested that the head of the house bring him someone who would be willing to test both of their limits, trusting their expertise.

He waited in the chamber prepared for him, reclining on a long couch, savoring a few grapes that had been provided with some wine. ]

[He almost hadn't gone to Valerian.

He would have been offered to Camellia, specifically, for his appearance alone. His selling point had been his unusual eyes, appearing either blue or green depending on the environment. However, the Dowayne had recognized something darker in him that bore reconsideration. A flaw, Jackson used to think. He hadn't understood it properly then.

Other apprentices would be glad to go to the House that suited them best, but not Jackson. He came to Valerian an apprentice with the taste of cinnamon and bitterness still on his tongue. Because he'd always dreamed of going to Camellia, Jackson hadn't been able to see how his desires aligned so perfectly to that of Valerian's canon. I yield. His training had been less than ideal, shame colouring each lesson even as the desire to submit and fight burned hot in him. He used to be more conflicted about it when he'd been younger.

There were still moments where he had to swallow back his agitation. He could fake perfect trust when he needed to but there were a few patrons who caught on to his trembling like wolves catching the scent of blood. Some even liked it. Those times had only served to provoke his competitive spirit. He needed the validation that he'd done a good job, better than the others, if they'd had any others. He had to be the best. What else was he worth except that?

He's never failed to rise to the challenge, so when Jackson's selected for a patron who asked for an adept with specific qualities -- well, he couldn't help being smug about it.

All those things eventually faded into the background, unimportant until some other time. It was sometimes like slipping into a different skin whenever he met a new patron, absent of his usual nerves and arrogance. It's not different when he appears before Davy Jones, gaze angled down at the floor.]

My lord.

[He doesn't say anything else, ready to take his cues from the man on the couch.]

[ I yield was the motto of this house, was it not? David, or Davy as all people came to call him in this life, smiled faintly at the way this powerful stripling came in, going through the motions of humility. Davy had asked for someone whose limits he could test as much as they could test his. It was why, as Davy slowly moved to sit up with a little more grace than a sailor might have had in his powerful limbs, he would have no more "My lord." ]

That is a finer acknowledgment than any I've received in this lifetime. Thank you for that. [ He nodded at Jackson and pressed to his feet. He took the bowl of grapes that had been served him and held it out for the young man. ]

Have a grape for such manners, and tell me your name.

[ It was a little like being a large tomcat, playing with a mouse, though he hoped his lover for the night really was another cat such as he. "Angel," or no - he had heard much of his siblings' children and he wanted to know if they were worthy members of the family. ]

And please look at me.

(More than likely in Orchis if part of a house)

[ooc: Heliotrope or Alyssum.]

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