Today’s snippet, titled “Six Fingers More & I’ll Be Kissing Oblivion”, is a piece I wrote about my current character, Mim, to sort of demonstrate her experiences with a major in-game event.
      Be forewarned, there are mature themes and naughty language below.
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      There are some things you can’t unsee.
      Mim closed her eyes, but the image was seared into her retinas. That girl was less than twelve – a child, an innocent. Her tiny frame was chained to the altar and bathed in ugly sanguine light. The violations… Horrible, unimagineable, monstrously evil things had been done to her. The evidence was painfully obvious; the brutality of the attack was hideous.
      A sound that was equal parts growl, groan, howl, and roar had burst up from the ritual chamber and rang through their heads. It lingered there still, a burning echo between her ears. The chanting was loud, but it was a mere dull, throbbing annoyance. Mazul’s voice – that was…
      She could still hear it.
      And the resounding crash of the ruddy crystal skull.
      And the sickening thud of the blade into the girl’s neck.
      And the cry that escaped her own throat.
      Mim threw back her head and downed three fingers of some local whiskey. It was not as satisfying as Zzar, but when one left Waterdeep behind, one had to accept leaving the realm’s best brandy behind as well.
      “Think Eric will ever forgive me for cuffing and hog-tieing him?”
      Anajalihn glanced up from her book and carefully twirled her parasol upon her shoulder as she considered. “Perhaps, if you copulate with him. I have heard it said that males can be quite easily cowed by intercourse. Granted, the evidence I have seen is all anecdotal and can hardly be considered-”
      “Yeah, no. I get it.” She chuckled, shaking her head. With a gesture to the barkeep, Mim ordered three fingers more. “Not gonna happen.”
      “I cannot see why not. He is a well-made male. Surely you cannot find him that distasteful – he bathes and his nails are usually quite clean. That is more than you can say for our other friends. Tuanar, in particular. Though Aiden was a- Had you ever considered copulating with Aiden? Dear me, I imagine you could snap him right in half, should the intercourse be less than satisfactory. Perhaps that is precisely-”
      Mim closed her eyes. “Do we have to talk about fucking right now?”
      Anajalihn pursed her lips, falling silent. The look on her face was more petulant than contrite. “Surely not. Though I remind you that it was in fact you who brought-”
      “I can’t stop thinking about her.”
      A delicately arched brow shot up and those lovely elven eyes were instantly filled with a laviscious expression, hungry for titillating gossip. “Who?”
      “The little girl.”
      Deflated, Anajalihn’s shoulders slumped a bit and she lifted a goblet to her lips. “Oh.”
      “We were just a little too late. You know? Just- just a little. If we’d gotten there faster. If we hadn’t wasted so much time counting coins and looting that den. Maybe-”
      “Oh stop it, Mim.”
      “If Mazul gets-”
      “He will not.” Anajalihn placed the glass on the bar and twisted in her seat to lightly pat Mim’s shoulder with an open palm. “He will not get his powers back. We will intercept him and destroy him, all according to plan. You mustn’t be so vexed with the decisions the group made. Surely you understand that we feel the same urgency you do.”
      “Really? Then why in all the Hells are we sitting here slogging down whiskey and wine when we should be on the road, running to catch that big fucking bastard?”
      Tilting her head in a rather patronizing manner, Anajalihn made a clucking sound with her tongue. “We are not wasting a single moment, Mim. Kenzi and Trick have gone to negotiate coin for some of the… items… we procured during the course of our investigation and with those funds we will be better prepared to face the-”
      “Mazul.”
      “Er, yes. Him.”
      Mim downed her whiskey and crossed her arms on the bar, resting her forehead upon her wrists. Rationally, she knew they were right. She did. But every single time she closed her eyes…
      “Hey, you guys ready?”
      “I am,” Anajalihn said, hopping daintily from the stool. “Come now, Mim. Let’s go.”
      She hesitated, lifting her gaze to her empty glass. Six fingers more and she would be kissing oblivion, snoring through a dreamless sleep and maybe, just maybe, have a few minutes of peace.
      “Never worked before,” she muttered to herself, rising from the stool to toss a handful of coins onto the bar. “Just left you muddleheaded and had you waking up, abed with that dwarf.”
      Mim could not still her hand as it shot out to grasp the goblet. She gulped down the dregs of Anajalihn’s wine – delicate and fruity and hardly a swallow’s worth, yet somehow, she felt better. It fortified her resolve. With a grunt, she slung her pack across her chest and trotted out of the taproom to catch up to her companions.
      Throwing her arm across Kenzi’s shoulders, she forced a smile onto her lips. “How much did we make?”
      “A fair bit,” Trick said, grudgingly. Mim decided he was still prickly from her outburst earlier – but she could not help it, every minute they spent here instead of in pursuit- No, stop it, she told herself. They’re right.
      “We’re going to-” Kenzi began, ducking from beneath Mim’s arm, a little frown on her lips. “-to check out one of the shoppes on the High Road. Highly recommended.”
      “Lots of shiny things.”
      The girl’s eyes twinkled and she did not quite manage to hide the way the corners of her lips rose at the idea. “Exactly.”
      “Great.”
      Mim tried to hide her anxiety, keep her impatience under control. But her toe seemed to keep tapping of its own volition and she could tell her friends had just about had enough. Even Anajalihn was snappish when responding to her and Mim considered that to be out of character for her.
      How can they just stand around shopping when that fucking demon is out there already, barrelling toward the tower? How can they be so calm? Am I totally irrational? Shit. Mom would say so. Dad would say so. To the Hells with that – I know I’m right! We have to get going!
      Mim closed her eyes, draping her new belt over her shoulder. She could feel the magic emanating from it and though prayers were not generally her style, Mim asked Waukeen and all the Gods to be with them, to aid them when it came time to fight.
      …and whatever Gnome Gods are out there… I’m sorry I don’t know your names or anything, but… if they bring her back or not, just- keep watch over her. She didn’t deserve the things they did. Protect her.
      When at last she opened her eyes once more, the images remained. Ghostly visions of torture and pain and rage and blood. Mim reached for the flask at her hip, but she hesitated.
      There are some things you just can’t unsee.
     

Note: Image from SXC.HU by VanCanJay