Planescape Sequel Story

[Galadria]

I am trying to write a story for the sequel to Planescape Torment, where the adventurers venture back into the Abyss to try and rescue the Nameless one. Here is the first installment. Comments welcome.

As the dark passed from Sigil, called by some the City of Doors, a beam of light touched the eyes of a woman lying on a bed in the Brothel of Slaking Intellectual Desires. At once, her eyelids fluttered open and she rose and began her morning toilette. She did not really sleep, not being human, but rather wandered back through her memories and relived them. For most of her past, the memories had been horrific but some ofthe more recent ones had been pleasant, and it was there that she chose to dwell. Dressed and with a touch of makeup applied, she went out through the building, full of sleeping girls. The only one awake was the custodian, and she exchanged a pleasant word with him before leaving. She went at once to the main gate of the Mortuary and stood there for a while, lost in meditation. When she came back to the present, she shook her blonde hair slightly and went back to the Brothel.
Going back in, she was pleased to note the place all astir. Her girls, who were called “prostitutes” and whose attire they imitated, were entertaining the local real harlots at breakfast. She had started this custom both to expose her students to the experience of the streetwalkers and call girls of the district and to earn good will among these unfortunate women, who otherwise might have viewed her establishment as a rival. Actually, her girls were under a vow of physical chastity until they had finished her course of instruction in the nuances of non-carnal entertainment and were eligible for membership in the Society of Sensation, commonly called the Sensates, who believed that the Multiverse could only be understood through the senses.
One of the students stopped talking to a weary looking hooker to come over and greet her. She smiled, as this was one of her favorites, Nenny, called the Nine-Eyed for her powers of observation and devotion to gossip. Likewise a pretty blonde, she smiled artlessly at her teacher and spoke. “Mistress Grace, it is good to see you this morning. You look lovely, but then, you always do. Come and sit down with us and have some breakfast.”
Grace, for this was one of her names, had to repress a raging surge of demonic lust and desire to seduce this young woman and dominate her. This was nothing new, she had been doing it for so long with every human that she met, and she automatically repressed it. Indeed, so practiced at it was she that she scarcely noticed it. She smiled pleasantly. “Yes, Nenny, I shall do that,” she replied, and sat down to nibble on a piece of fruit. The portions served to each of her students were wildly disparate, from a little fruit for Nenny, who tended to be plump, to breads and cakes for Vivian, who was very slender. Grace designed, and rigidly enforced, the diets of each of her students, and the amount and kind of exercise that they took, to maintain them at the peak of physical desirability. She did not try to think much about why she did this, merely noting that the conversations and arguments that they engaged in with the patrons of the Brothel would be more interesting and complex if carried out with a very beautiful woman.
A servant came in and murmured in her ear, “Mistress Grace, there is a person here to see you.”
She turned and smiled at the man. “Pedro, I am eating. Tell them that the Brothel will not be open until evening.”
The man shook his head. “No, madam, she says that it is personal, and that you know her. She said to tell you that her name is Annah.”
At that, Grace immediately arose and walked into the foyer. There, indeed, was the tiefling girl with whom she had shared so many adventures. She was surprised and concerned at her appearance, for she had been sleekly muscular, her fair skin alabaster in its complexion and her red hair glossy with health. Now, she was pale and had obviously lost a lot of weight. Her provocative leather outfit, once tight and bulging, hung slack on her. Her whole demeanor, once fiery and brash, was changed. Now she seemed withdrawn and depressed.
She went at once to her and took her into her arms. She had tried to do this, before, but the girl had often stiffened and drawn away, spitting insults. Now, she hugged her back, strongly. “Ah, succubus,” she said in a muffled tone that was only a shade of her old fire, “ye are a forgiving sort, ye are. I hae wanted to coom here and talk to ye before, but mah pride forbade it. Boot, now, I din knae what else to do. I am dying, I think, wi’out him, and had to talk to some’un who knew him, too. Can I speak wi’ ye, a little?”

[ 06-02-2002, 01:25 PM: Message edited by: Galadria ]

[Bahamut]

Annah! Annah! *ahem* hehehe

[Yack]

Bringing a man from dead its hard, taking him away from the Blood War its impossible...

Good luck on your trip Galadria, that was a good start, I will hope they never find him, don't get me wrong, its for their own sake, as once he learn, some things can change the nature of a man, and of all things, a war in Hell can prove too much, even for the Nameless One...

[Galadria]

Thanks, Yack, for the kind words. No, I don't think they can, but as you say, it's for their own sakes. I just hated that Annah was just left there, without anyone, and this is my tale of her redemption, more than TNO's.

[Yack]

Annah prove to be a great character to share with, that will make a more interesting story than having a Nameless One comeback, she is at first glance, a one dimensional character, and during her time in Torment she didn't get the time or opportunity to develop further, that make for tons of opportunities on your endeavor, just try to keep her true to herself, even if she turn into a Cinderella, her old personality, habits and language should not die.

[Galadria]

Okay, this is the rest of the first instalment:

“Certainly,” Grace replied. “Come along to the private sitting room. There will be no one else there at this hour.”
But she was proved wrong when they entered the comfortable little room, when a skull rose from a settee and gloated at both of them. “Well, Grace, look what you have brought me. My favorite thiefling, Annah. Come sit next to me, feebling, and whisper sweet nothings in my ear.”
“Morte, this is not the time,” Grace answered firmly. “Go pester Kensai-Serrit, or entertain those poor harlots, but we need privacy at this time.”
The skull seemed to grin, but bobbed off out the door, saying, “Well, when you need company again, you know who to call.” Grace firmly closed the door behind him, then seated herself next to the little tiefling.
“Well, Annah,” she began, “tell me about what you have been up to after we left the Fortress of Regrets. You ran off so fast that I didn’t even get a chance to say farewell. Where have you been staying, and why have you lost so much weight? You couldn’t have been eating regularly.”
“I dinnae,” the redheaded girl said slowly. “I went back to the buried village, saw some of me old mates, there, but I cannae keep my mind on anything. Eating doesnae seem to matter, or anything else that I mind. I didnae lack for coin, for I had picked up much when we…” she seemed to flinch at the word and darted a glance at her interlocutor to see if she had noticed, but Grace’s countenance kept its perfect composure, revealing nothing. “Were traveling together,” she finished. “But, as I say, I have no interest in anything, ay more. He is always in me thoughts, it’s like nothing else can find room. I needed to talk to someone, and naeone would speak of him, or call him to mind. They said I would get over it.” She gave a hollow laugh. “How can I? Except for old Stutter-Crutch, naeone has ever shown me a kindness or anything else but the back o’ their fist. I’ve got to find him. I just know that he needs me, somewhere. I would hae gone anywhere with him, but he wouldnae have me. Please help me, you are the only hope that I hae.” She put her face in her hands but did not weep, only dry, hacking noises came out.
Grace let her mourn for a while as she soothingly rubbed the distraught girl’s neck. When the shaking of Annah’s shoulders stopped, she spoke soothingly: “Yes, we all knew that you were in love with him, and I was afraid that it would be hard for you. I tried to speak to you about it, but you never would. But, that does not matter, you are here and we shall have to do something for you. Come, let us go down and get you a place to lie down and I shall get someone to bring you a tray of some food to eat, and perhaps some wine. When you have rested, seek me out and we shall talk again.

[ 06-02-2002, 02:34 PM: Message edited by: Galadria ]

[Yack]

Annah's charm its perhaps what also make her seem "simple" or "uncomplicated", her personality lack the multiple layers of other characters in Torment, but do not see it as a limit or something that make her trivial, for someone to be like her in the Cage its not just a challenge, its a mine of opportunities in narrative.

The Planes, and more particular, Sigil, are places of conflict, where true and lie mingle together in a web so thick than no one can really see what really is happening, every faction have an agenda, every blood have a purpose, even the lowest berk can dream, what if someone is lost and have those things not?, what if a thief no longer craves for jink?, what if the tie that bond friends together broke, leaving only remembrances?

Answers for those questions are what I will seek among your lines, you call it redemption, I will call it surviving, for you a tribulation, for me a good reading to take to bed, for us a chapter among many, for Annah a breath of life on her Torment.

PS gee, after writing this things I realize why its good to take breaks from roleplaying

[Galadria]

Originally posted by Yack: Annah's charm its perhaps what also make her seem "simple" or "uncomplicated", her personality lacks the multiple layers of other characters in Torment, but do not see it as a limit or something that make her trivial, for someone to be like her in the Cage its not just a challenge, its a mine of opportunities in narrative. The Planes, and more particular, Sigil, are places of conflict, where true and lie mingle together in a web so thick than no one can really see what really is happening, every faction have an agenda, every blood have a purpose, even the lowest berk can dream, what if someone is lost and have those things not?, what if a thief no longer craves for jink?, what if the tie that bond friends together broke, leaving only remembrances? Answers for those questions are what I will seek among your lines, you call it redemption, I will call it surviving, for you a tribulation, for me a good reading to take to bed, for us a chapter among many, for Annah a breath of life on her Torment. PS gee, after writing this things I realize why its good to take breaks from roleplaying

This is exactly what I am trying to do with Annah, and, eventually, Fall-from-Grace. In my view, Annah was just beginning to break out of the shell of her tiefling rage and actually care about another person. Then, to have that person torn from her makes her question her very purpose in being. Why steal? She has now money enough. Why still be jealous of FFG? The object of her jealousy provides the only link to her beloved, if one cn use such a word. Grace is a more difficult problem. Read on later for what I am going to do about her.

[uss]

hi, Galadria [img]smile.gif[/img] !
we haven`t spoken for such a long time. did you finish that BG2 Imoen romance patch?
anyway, this story looks like its gonna be brilliant. but what will you do with it? will you make a book or give it to BioWare or leave it on your cupboard or what? if you would make a book out of this, i will try my best to read it, if BioWare would make this kind of a game(Ps:T 2), i would sure as hell play it! [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Bahamut]

Hmm well I think it is great... the change in Annah surely shows how much TNO has made an impact to her life. What I just don't get is... why do they have to be all together? I mean Morte is more of the unpredictable type right? FFG could have met Annah somewhere in Sigil anyway IMHO.. [img]smile.gif[/img]