No Man's Land

500 BC, Grecian times, Amazon women live along the shore of the Black Sea in modern day Turkey.

They are organized in a queendom, with the ruling leader descending from the queen's female lineage. If there is no heir when the queen dies, potential candidates fight for the position. If the queen's power is questioned, a challenger does have the right to rise and challenge her title.

Men are either killed or enslaved. Women are allowed sexual encounters to ensure the survival of the clans ONLY - either with the slaves or neighboring clans. The male children who were the result of these visits were either killed, sent back to their fathers, or exposed in the wilderness to fend for themselves; the females were kept and brought up by their mothers, and trained in agricultural pursuits, hunting, and the art of war.

They worship the various goddesses of Greek polytheistic religion. The top ten:
Hera - Queen of the gods. Of women and marriage.
Artemis - Of the hunt, wild animals, wilderness, childbirth, virginity and young girls, independence, and relieving disease in women.
Aphrodite - Of love, romance, and beauty.
Athena - Of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, law and justice, just warfare, mathematics, strength, strategy, the arts, crafts, and skill.
Demeter - Of agriculture and the fertility of the earth.
Eileithyia - Of childbearing, childbirth, and midwives.
Persephone - Queen of the underworld. Of spring.
Gaia - Of Earth. The Great Mother of all.
Amphitrite - Queen of the sea and water.
Hestia - of home and homelife, hearth, architecture, the right ordering of domesticity, the family and state order.

Plot is to be determined while chatting progresses. This is mature, mature things will happen. No PPing or GMing, ask before killing someone's character, usual rules...

Format, if you so choose to fill out -

Name:
Age:
Appearance:
Other:

Name: Adonia
Age: 19
Appearance: Olive skin. Green eyes. Dark, mid back tresses.
Other: Nope, told you this would be flimsy

Name: Otella
Age: 28
Appearance:

Other: QUEEN

Name: Evangeline
Age: 23
Appearance:

Other:

Name: Niobe
Age: 19
Appearance:

Other:

Evangeline
Inland, the sound of the sea's waves left long ago and home nearly half a day's walk away. I ride my horse through the dense forest of our clan's land, bow and arrow at the ready. There wasn't to be talking, the two younger girls behind me knew that. Not until we had won Artemis's favor in our hunt and returned to the queen successful for the party. Eileithyia has finally graced our clan with a living heir to the throne, the queen having been cursed by Ate (goddess of misfortune and strife).

I pause before drawing my bow up, pointing with my arrow's head for the other two to see. A herd drew near to the horses. I would not let fly my arrow until chances were at their highest. They knew not to ruin our chances for this hunt. Both were under the instructions to be careful and aim well.

Adonia
My eyes snap from the dirty rear of Evangeline's steed to the deer in the clearing, still blithely unaware of their impending demise. A small smile touches the corner of my lips- a smile arrogant men often call cruel- and I quietly reach back for a arrow, fingers stroking a feather before pulling it out and knocking it.
I'm not cruel, I just don't waste my breath correcting them. There are some things men will never understand. Like the pleasure of a hunt, for instance. The brutes.
I hold my breath institutionally, glancing sideways at Niobe and then Evangelli.
I aim for the largest, the arrow trained for the soft flesh of his neck.

yay helpful lists~ http://www.paleothea.com/Goddesses.html

Niobe
Trailing behind Adonia, I see both Evangeline and her movement for arrows before following suit and quickly finding our targets. Twenty or so deer in a herd, a male and his harem of females with their fawns. To preserve, I ignore the little ones and younger females, as well as the male - although I would assume that Adonia or Evangelli would be aiming for him. I find the slower, the older, those who have spent their time on Gaia's palace and whom have given all they could. I find my prey and wait. She would give to us now, supporting new life.

Evangeline nods, once, quickly, letting her arrow fly. The moment I see it let loose, I fire mine as well, watching it soar forwards and hit the brown furred hide of the animal. I smile successfully, watching the chaos ensue. They wouldn't die immediately; we would now have to track them, but we were successful. I whisper a quick thanks to Artemis before slinging my bow over my shoulder.

Adonia
I release my arrows with theirs, a soft twang followed by a thump as our aim proved true. My grinned stretches wider, satisfaction filling me as I knock another arrow and watched the herd dash away leaving blood and prints alike in their wake.
I save my praise to Artemis for later; I won't waste my breath until we reap the reward, and lower my bow.
"There be a feast tonight. That's for sure."

Evangeline
"We first have to get home on time," I remind, demounting from my horse and grabbing the reins to lead her forward. "Track your own. Let death be quick; no need to allow their suffering." Each of them, though younger than I, knew how to do so just as well. Our mothers taught well, and they taught the clan's tradition so we all learned nearly the same thing.

I walk off in my own direction, following my doe's blood from the wound in its chest. It was a rich dark red color, which was good news. I hit the heart, and this expedition wouldn't be so long. Through the clearing, to the other side which was again densely packed with trees, I find the struggling deer beneath a cork tree. I pull my blade from my sheath and end it quickly, giving my thanks to the beast and Artemis.

Retrieving my arrow, still in her side, I clean the tip before returning it to my quiver, and then retrieve rope to string the kill upon my horse's back. They, too, had been trained by the best. The smell of death did not bother the horses, and they stood steady as I did my work, jumped back onto his back, and guided him back to the clearing to wait for the others.

Adonia
I nod, winking at Niobe before leading Mei, my mother's horse, through the path of broken limbs and blood. It wasn't long till I found him, already dead from blood loss and struggle.
With a soft command to Mei to keep her still, I heaved my kill onto her back. Blood stained her white coat, but she stayed true and still.
Once secure, I appraised my kill with grim satisfaction, murmured several thanks to artemis, and the deer for giving us his life, then set back to the clearing.
"I claim the hide." I told Evangeline, even though I had just as much right to it as the slaves. This hunt was not for ourselves.

Evangeline
I laugh. "Claiming the hide to gift to the babe, hopefully... This is for the queen, it's not a day for selfishness..." My eyes narrow playfully at the young girl.

Niobe appears a few seconds later, her catch draped before her as she rode. She nods. "To home then, before midday. This fest will need prep time as well," she says, already turning her horse towards the east after a glance at the still rising sun for direction. We had departed before Apollo started his ride across the sky in his golden chariot. We would eat under the moon, as Selene rides across the sky with her milk white horses.

"Well of course," I laugh, throwing a leg up over the horse. "The child will need a blanket." I glanced at my large kiil- the largest of the heard- eyes dancing. The blanket would take up a third, at most of the hide. The rest... well, I've been needing new moccosians.
I murmur one last thanks to Artemis, then a pray for safe travels, and dig my heal into Mei's side, leaving Eva to catch up.

Niobe
I smile as Adonia passes, spurring Nikos on to go at an even pace with Evengelli. Perhaps less than a half day's travel at this pace, leaving enough time to rest before the party. I could taste the wine already...

Adonia
I ride in silence the rest of the way, one hand on a dagger for precaution, and one on the reins.
We finally arrive back to camp and I cut my kill off Mei's back, slipping it into the arms of an all to eager young girl. She's too young to fight or hunt. But she can cook. I look to the others, scratching Mei's nose. "I'm going to wash."
I don't wait for a reply and gently lead Mei to the river.

Niobe
Evangeline and I stop, the younger girls and older mistresses coming up to retrieve our contribution to the party. I dismount, a girl holding his reins for the moment as I remove my quiver and bow to return them to my house. My mother was away, aiding the queen, most likely, and my sisters off gathering from the fields.

I take off the heavier clothes from traveling, changing to a loose garment, and retrieve the horse's brush. As I step out again to retrieve Nikos, Evangelli hands me her horse as well. "Yes, miss," I murmur, nodding to her before leading both towards the river with Adonia. The older women were always my superior.

As I progress through the village, the air was already the scents of broths and boiling herbs, ready for the addition of vegetables and meats. All the sounds of excited chitter and giggling goes throughout the clan, along with the natural music of the river and the waves just a short hike away. I wade in, the gentle sandy slope into the river perfect for the horses, removing their blankets and take off their reins once they were comfortable. Setting both aside to clean later, I set to work brushing both and cleaning off the sticky wet blood stains.

Adonia

I am already in the river when small splashes alert me to Niobe's presence. I glance at her close by reflection in the water, offering her a grime smiling as I wade my nude body deeper into the cold liquid.
This river is constantly flowing, keeping the water fresh, clear, and cold. My toes curl into the sand and pebbles in protest as I duck under, letting my hair out of its loose braid.
I pop back up to hear a whine from Mei, tied off on the shores edge, and turn to face them. I make no move to hide my nude form. We're practically sisters here at them camp. There's no need to.
"What will you wear to the feast?"

Niobe
I smile over, finishing my work with Nikos before allowing him to roam free in the nearby grassy knoll beside the river's bend downstream. I wash Evangelli's Indigo next, light fuzz shedding off of him as spring warmed to summer before letting him go as well to join Nikos.

Tossing up the brush up with the reins and blankets before sitting on a warm rock, I pull my dark hair out of my braid as well and contemplate the question. "My yellow drape, most likely..." I had just finished dying the fabric a few days ago, and I wanted the occasion it be worn to be special... "And you?" I ask, combing through my hair with my fingers.

Adorian

"Nothing," I tease with a wicked smile, running scarred fingers through the tangles in my hair. I duck under one more time then prop myself up on the rock besides her, slowly rebuilding the braid. "Maybe that long cloth I scavenged from the raid last June. The one with flowers stitched across it."
A slave once referred to it as a dress; I had found it after we raided a corrupt, wealthy town of men. It tangles in my legs, making riding Mei an impossible task. But then again, I wouldn't be riding Mei tonight, and this would probably be my only chance to wear the strange cloth.

Niobe
"That would look nice..." I stand to bend back and dunk my hair, gathering it all into a loose ponytail. I glance up the pathway to the city, eager to return and help everything come together.

Adorian
I nod and slide off the rock, untilthering Mei and leading her back to the water. She bucks her head, the ole gal terrible afraid of water. I say a pray to the gods to give her bravery the sing softly, stroking her nose as I carefully wash her off.
She dashes all too eagerly back onto shore once clean, her white coat no longer stained pink from blood.
"Are you ready?" I asked through my skins that smother my words as I slip them over my head.

Niobe
I nod, glancing at her. "No clothes isn't going to be kind around the fires," I say, walking out of the water back onto the sandy shore. Glancing up at the sun, I shield my eyes. Had to stay on time with everything...

We hurried back and went our seperate ways, the village bustling with last minute activity. I dropped off my spoils and went back to my hut. Fuji, my younger sister, was already dressed and bouncing around by the time I arrived. I spared her an affectionate hug and dressed, slipping a flower into my braid and leaving for the celebrations.

The Amazon village was built on a small hill upon a small peninsula with the fresh water river running to the west to the sea lying to the south and east beyond the sand dunes. The river widened near its end, giving a place for marshland and an ESTUARY ecosystem. Buildings were constructed around courtyards, usually one per family line, the centerpiece of these artful areas being large aqueduct powered fountains to supply the fresh water to individual house holds. These were organized into a grid pattern, and along all roads heading towards the palace were heavy doors in case of attack. Nearer towards the entrance of the town was the market and trading center for a convenient place to sell off acquired goods coming back from travel, or for foreigners to show their trinkets without delving into the Amazonian society where they were not welcome, as well as the main stables.

At the zenith of the hill was the palace. A large building, a fortress of defense, surrounded by stone walls in case of siege which could easily protect all of the Amazonians and stay self sufficient for months with its own gardens and stores of supplies. It was the place of court for trials, where the elite of warriors went in relaxation, and where honored guests of the Amazons stayed at during their visit. The school rooms for the young to learn necessary mathematics and mythology and astronomy, the winery, the loom room to make fabrics, as well as the queen's home.

The walls had one entrance to within, to the large outer courtyard in which all village members were welcome. The palace was three stories of pristine white stone, and here each floor was open in balconies overlooking the open space. Archways led to many different hallways that weaved their way throughout the palace, doors to the individual rooms. The largest archway connected to the inner courtyard, with the palace's ornate fountain. Beyond that was the queen's quarters, where only the invited may enter with the accompaniment of a guard. In this courtyard, two long tables which spanned the entire length of the space were set up for the feast.

Evangeline entered from the queen's quarters, observing the gathering masses. Though wearing more formal attire, she still wore her chainmail beneath and her sword visible at her side, the same with the other elite guards of the palace. Her hair was woven back from her face, though still hung loose behind her. Queen Otella would be entering with her child once everyone was gathered. It was not something she wanted anyone to be excluded from.

Adorian floated around the outskirts of the crowd, smoothing out the crinkles of her fine skirt. So fine, she was sure it was from a well bred lady. It fit so tight, she had to leave her chain mail behind. And the flowing material that bushed out at her waists tangled with her hilt, forcing her to settle with buckling a small dagger under the voluminous folds of fabric at her thighs.  She did not think much of it, though. Daggers were for hunting, not celebrations. 
She scanned the front of the room, catching Eva's eyes and smiling widely.

Eva
I give a nod in return, a light smile gracing my own face.  Noticing the eyes of my sisters gathered as the last few enter the building, all looking towards the queen's quarters expectantly.  And from my vantage point near the entrance I see a figure draped in royal blue with a laurel wreath upon her caramel hair come slowly down the shadowed hallway.  

"My queen," I greet, bowing my head, "My princess."

An infectious grin comes to Otella's face, one that seemed to be hard to stay away as she attempted to stay officially regal in composure.  "Our princess," she says, moving away the wrap to reveal the little pink babe with wide green eyes.

Adorian barely suppressed a smile, awing with the rest. The crowd pressed forwards eagerly for a better view just as a sudden hand yanked her back. Several large, ill smelling men brushed by her with prickly arms, making their way straight toward the queen. "Well, well," A deep voice drawled, carrying the arrogance she had only heard on men. "I see you finally birthed me a child."