This woman...if she was a woman, was driven by emotion. Dad used to say that a lot about women. How they couldn't be trusted with simple things because they would let their emotions get the best of them. 'Histrionic.' That was the word he used. And if Dad was right, then it was on full display now.

"It's not fair. I want to be regal and majestic. Glamour is part of me, and I want to be dandy."

Shawn hoped that if flattery got him into this mess, hopefully flattery would get him out of it. "But miss, you're already so elegant and dazzling and incredible! You shouldn't risk all that to stiff the Fortune Teller; you owe it to your fans."

It became less of a conversation and more of a dance or a boxing match. The attacks and jabs weren't physical, but rather verbal. Shawn picking the right moment to set of a flurry of compliments, the Bearded Woman trying to hold on--unwittingly--to her pride and sense of injustice.

OOC: Shawn Rolls a contested roll of Manipulation + Socialize + Striking looks +1 vs. Bearded Woman

OOC: 07:50, Today: Shawn Cramer rolled 1 success using 8d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s. Manipulation + Socialize + Striking looks +1.

09:15, Today: Evil Circus - The Bearded Woman rolled 1 success using 3d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s ((6,9,7)).


Rather than the dance of conversation that Shawn was familiar with having when trying to convince Mom or Dad about something, this was more of an exhausting battle of Stamina. The Bearded Woman would complain and complain. And Shawn, for his part, would feed her ego, stroking it and saying that everything was unfair, more or less agreeing and then highlighting the how they wish there were some other course of action but what could they do?

Still, the Bearded Woman seemed set on self-pity, Shawn would have to keep trying

OOC: Shawn rolls again

OOC:  12:04, Today: Shawn Cramer rolled 2 successes using 8d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s with rolls of 6,5,8,5,5,5,10(+1),4.  Manipulation + Socialize + Striking looks +1.

21:31, Today: Evil Circus - The Bearded Woman rolled 2 successes using 3d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s ((10(+8),4,2)).

But the strange entity couldn't be subdued. For all of Shawn's efforts, simply convincing the woman to pay up would require more effort and more willpower.

"I hear what you're saying, but all people want from me is something...something SOMETHING! Do you know what it's like to constantly have people needing things from you? It follows me into my sleep. And I need my beauty sleep."

"To keep a body like this, I need that beauty sleep!" She wailed.

OOC: Shawn Rolls again

OOC: 21:59, Today: Shawn Cramer rolled 4 successes using 8d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s with rolls of 9,4,5,10(+10,4),8,5,3,6. Manipulation + Socialize + Striking looks +1.

06:19, Today: Evil Circus - The Bearded Woman rolled 1 success using 3d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s ((3,10(+4),5)).

The pressing burden of her complaints was exhausting. She paced around the room, shawl dragging along the floor, bangles around her fat cankles jingling. But it became clear that the woman really just wanted someone to listen to all of these feelings and problems. Shawn dug deep, nodding at the appropriate times, and interjecting with tones of empathy and agreement. Short phrases really, to show that he both understood and empathizes. Whether he did or not was another question entirely.

Finally, Shawn managed to deflect the conversation away from her problems to something that interested the woman simply by nodding and agreeing. She began to talk about other things that interested her.

"Men's clothes are becoming kind of mod. They're becoming more colorful and more flamboyant, and the male peacock is beginning to show his true plumage."

"I like a flamboyant woman that's broken. I like a balls-to-the-wall woman, motherly but not, you know? I either love you or I don't even know you're on the planet. That's how I approach relationships." She explained as she waddled over to a bag and started rummaging through it.

Shawn nodded seriously, like he understood the implications of what she was talking about rather than just listening for key phrases and agreeing with them. "It's about excitement, right? Why pick boring clothes or people?"

"Exactly sweety. Why do that? Especially when you have both kinds of parts like me." She explained, without explaining further. Her tone was less urgent now, more subdued. Like she had gotten whatever was on her mind off of her considerably large chest.

"OK. What was it that you were talking about? Something you needed..." she said absently, still rummaging through the bag.

Shawn remained confused by the Bearded Woman's meaning, but from her tone it seemed like they'd reached some sort of resolution. "I think the Fortune Teller said you were supposed to get me soul rocks?"

"Right...Right." She said pulling out what looked like a small, hot-pot with a nozzle. She sauntered over to a nearby table, pushing the carpet over onto the floor to expose old, cherry-oak wood.

She took out a flint, holding it between two meaty fingers and striking it several times, the flame catching and going through the nozzle, coming out the top like some kind of Bunsen burner.

"This is the best way to do it." She explained to Shawn, without explaining anything.

Shawn looked blankly at the strange device, having no context with which to understand how to use it. "So, umm, how does it work, exactly? The Fortune Teller said I had to make a wish..."

"Oh sweety! Look at you! What are you, 10...11 years old? This is your first time with soul rock? Oh my gosh!" The Bearded Woman gushed, slapping Shawn's knee and inviting him to sit down. The whole gesture seemed overly feminine and flamboyant. It stood in stark contrast to the masculine beard she was sporting.

"I remember the first time I smoked this. You know what? You're lucky really. A lot of people like to fool you and say that you're not smart if you never went to college or school, but common sense rules over everything. That's what I learned from selling this stuff. Soul Rock. It's made souls. And the wishes you ask for speak the truth. I tell the truth. I'm probably the only one in this Circus that does. And I know what I'm talking about. That's why I'm a threat around here."

She leaned in.

"That's why you should feel good that I'm with you all the way, since this is your first time." She placed a heavy hand on Shawn's shoulder.

Shawn resisted the urge to lean away from the Bearded Woman or shake off her hand. "So...I smoke it?" This was starting to seem really dangerous to him - not that he could really back out now.

She pulled out a small, purple velvet pouch and set it on the table. The aperture to the bag opened, golden cords used to close it loosening. Irregular shaped rocks of brilliant purple--shiny bright and almost glowing--spilled out of the bag and onto the table.

She grabbed a single, shiny rock and held it close to the flame before pulling it away. Shawn could see a curl of smoke burn off of the edge of the rock, the sound of a chorus of whispers in the air talking over one another.

"You cook it first." She explained. With a meaty, thick hand, she placed a spoon in Shawn's hand. Placing the rock in the spoon, she then spoke in her own whisper.

"Go ahead, sweet. Cook it." She she said, the voice of the devil on Shawn's left shoulder, encouraging him to do something that was against things his mother and father had told him. Everyone knew that drugs were something you weren't supposed to do.

Shawn almost hesitated; he knew drugs weren't something he was supposed to take. But neither was murder, and he'd participated in those in the Circus. He had to accept that this was his life now. Face grim, he held the spoon over the flame...

Shawn held the spoon above the mid-high flame. Underneath the spoon, the flame made a blackened mark against the metal, like to preferred to set it on fire but couldn't. The purple rock began to melt into a yellowish liquid and floated on top like oil on water.

There were strange whispers all around that seemed to follow the trail of smoke. It smelled sweet, the air filled with a hungry intensity.

"OK, now pour the little yellow rocks into this pipe." The Bearded Woman said with some intensity, holding up a clear pipe.

Shawn steadied his hands against his knees, and carefully poured out the spoon. Things were getting weird, but as far as he could see, the only way out was through.

"Now. Just. Like. This." The woman said, holding the pipe up to her mouth and inhaling she held the smoke in. Her eyes rolled back into her head for a second, eyes fluttering.

She exhaled a smooth stream of purple smoke. And in the air, Shawn could see that the smoke looked like some kind of supernatural mist. A ghostly apparition with two eyes and a face--visible for just a second--it curled in the air, faintly whispering as it rose to the ceiling and dissipated.

"You make a wish as you breath out." The woman said in such a faint, lofty whisper Shawn could barely hear her.

She passed the pipe to Shawn

Shawn carefully took the pipe, but he paused for a moment before he put it to his mouth. "Can you wish for anything? Or wish for more than one thing?"

But the Bearded woman was already gone. Purple smoke twirling around her face, eyes rolled back into her head, the strangest ear-to-ear grin on her face. She was in another world. Or at least another state of mind.

It looked like that world was a happy place for her.

But there was also a sad, falseness to it all. Even though she was smiling. Her body was slumped. Fat rolls billowing out from under he shawl, a glean of dirty sweat on her forehead. The smile itself seemed more plastered on that genuine. Like someone came by and placed a smiley sticker on her face.

Whatever state of mind she was in, the silence spoke volumes: Shawn would be getting no more answers out of her right now.

Despite the woman being right here with him, Shawn felt like he was alone. He exhaled, finally able to drop the mask for a moment or two. He looked at the pipe with some trepidation as he tried to recall the Fortune Teller's exact instruction.

Then he brought the pipe to his lips and inhaled as deeply as he could. He held it for a moment, and then breathed out, thinking to himself as hard as he could I wish the Fortuneteller would reappear as a member of the Circus.

He breathed almost all the way out, leaving the tiniest puff of smoke in his lungs, and hesitated. Then he thought to himself and I also wish I didn't hurt so bad... and exhaled the rest of the way.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:06, Tue 18 Apr 2017.

OOC: Shawn Joins Thread

Shawn: Broken Base Crazies And Giggle Smoke-Soul Rock