Our Lady of Legbreakers

[liquidsmooth]

GIVE THE DEVIL HER DUE

A member of the Court of Aster, Claunthe is a Duchess of Hell with domain over debts, greed, and moneylending. The patron of loan sharks everywhere. She is also the mother of Dierdre Breugaire.

With a quick wit and a venom tongue, Claunthe is a master of wheeling and dealing and is always willing to cut a bargain. Be warned, however, that she always gets what she is owed. Can you handle a little toxic love?

Care to chat over coffee?

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[liquidsmooth]

MAIL | PHONE | ENCOUNTER | BLOOD SACRIFICE | FINANICAL CONTRIBUTION

Blood Sacrifice (cw: self-injury, blood)

[freedomsuitsme]

A human being can survive losing about five to six pints of blood before dying. Maxwell doesn't skimp.

It was quite fortunate to find out that medical care is free here. Recreating the Codex Umbra is always an exhausting and risky process, but at least he's not having to do so out in the empty wilderness. He makes a small lengthwise slit in the vein, to let the blood flow more freely and to avoid the risk of severing vital muscles and tendons. Then, he lets the crimson run across the pages, until they're soaked, all the while offering up his usual incantations.

Blood for power. Magic belongs to the magician, and the magician belongs to his magic. A door opened, a bond eternal. Human intention is the conduit of raw power. Human desire draws its potential. Human belief gives it form.

His head is pounding and his vision is swimming, but Maxwell Carter knows his limits. So he waits, and he bleeds, and he watches, in some dark corner of this place.

[liquidsmooth]

It doesn't take long before a strange, inky substance begins pooling on the cobblestone, thick and viscous and shiny, growing ever larger until all at once black tendrils twist up from the ground in a helix and fall in on themselves at the height of a person. A head and neck emerge from the ooze like someone pulling clothing over their head, and arms follow shortly after, long and spindly.

A woman with rich periwinkle skin and eyes like emeralds, wearing a dress comprised of shifting, dripping sludge moving freely about her body, stand before Maxwell. "You rang, sweetheart?"

[freedomsuitsme]

At first, he doesn't think there's anything odd about it. Inky substance leaking from the earth as he conjures? That's just a typical Tuesday. The emerging form? He's gained enough of Their favor at this point that he's had contact with particularly substantial manifestations.

However, when an unfamiliar and quite distinctive woman emerges from the ooze, he begins to second-guess himself.

"You... aren't Them, are you?"

CW: drinking blood

[liquidsmooth]

A coy smile forms on her black lips. "No. You may call me Claunthe. I'm a bit more... local. But if you're looking for power, I can still be of assistance."

She takes the blood soaked book in hand, still open, and tips it up over her head. A long, thin, pointed tongue snakes out to catch what drips out eagerly. When she's had her fill, she simply closes the book and tosses it into the air with a spinning motion. When it lands in her hand again, any trace of blood is gone. All that remains is a black book emblazoned with a red M.

"Here. Take a gander. I think you'll find everything right where you left it."

[freedomsuitsme]

Maxwell looks over the tome, eyeing the woman with suspicion.

Even the first letter of her name is the same. Charlie... Claunthe...

He's more than a little cautious after how badly Tiamat screwed him over on the boat. He doesn't want a repeat of what happened to Valdis.

"If I might ask, Lady Claunthe... how do you generally do business?"

[liquidsmooth]

"I try to keep things simple. Blood sacrifice is acceptable. Money is preferred. Power for rent. I can also take a flat payment of your soul, if you've still got one, but most aren't keen on this option." Claunthe seems to sit in midair, the flow of her gown of sludge following the bend of an imaginary chair. "Monthly payments will work just fine. Consider this your down payment."

[freedomsuitsme]

"I see. Will you be requiring this volume of blood every time? Perhaps we could work out an exchange rate- a quantity of Nightmare Fuel-equivalent per cup of blood, for example."

[liquidsmooth]

"Mmm. I suppose that could work." She muses, putting her index finger just aside of her lip thoughtfully. "It's worth mentioning that the blood needn't be yours. Why don't we set a monthly rate?"

[freedomsuitsme]

"Yes, that's quite acceptable."

[liquidsmooth]

"Splendid!" Her lips curl into a smile. "Let's talk numbers..."

[ Claunthe offers Maxwell an infernal boon, Book of Shadows, which will allow him to use his magic provided that he makes a monthly offering. His payment options are: a) buy Lavish groceries to account for extra self-care items from using his own blood (he will still gain all normal benefits of Lavish groceries), b) purchase 5lbs of Blood Fruit from Calloway's Curios, or c) find someone to kill, which will allow him to be paid up for 2 months. Does he accept? ]

[freedomsuitsme]

[He accepts, extending a void-stained hand. Oh, how he misses his black silk gloves.]