Conscripts

🗡 Roses and Daggers 🎕

---

The Varian doctor smiled at Mina's sudden return kiss, but it was not enough to calm his worries yet. His stomach was still turning inside out at the thought of what could be happening right now. But like he tried to instill in her, there is hope somewhere. After the rain, the sun will rise.

His hailstorm of thoughts were immediately cut off and suppressed the moment Shehzadi Munir arrived. While Mina quickly snapped back to her normal public self, Munir was rather less so. He was a very courteous he would not deny it, but there's something hidden in the formality that John could read, like black lines in the middle of a classified documents. What could that be about?

"Your Highness, Lady Blackwood is alright now. She just needs some rest." John stood up and crossed his arms behind his back formally, maintaining the professional image that he was very accustomed to towards the royals. "I will take that into consideration, thank you." He nodded to Mina as he took the blood sample from her hands. Then the two of them left back to Mina's quarter, but not before the Shehzadi giving him a few words of appreciation.

"It is my pleasure to serve. I am glad to see Mina has a calm and caring friend to look after her." Was it intentional that he addressed Lady Blackwood that way, it was difficult to know.

He left the room shortly afterwards as well, letting the servants do their thing. His mind now turned to the blood sample that he had on hand. Drop of similar substance huh? Well to actually take a look and do that, he would need a microscope, and not many were bringing them along in this trip, including himself as well. He did not expect this to be such a weird trip already from day two. The only people whom he knew would bring microscopes were the senior councils that were already getting ready to leave for Varian in the evening, as they tended to bring their research with them. Thankfully, there was one particular person who would not be going back to Varian, at least for the time being.

"Alina?" John knocked on the door, and a quiet sound of chair sliding slightly on the floor was heard. Not long after, the door opened to a brown curly haired woman of over half a decade older than he was.

"Ah John, come in." Alina, or rather Dr. Alina Zinchenko, politely invited him into her room, which seemed to be custom configured more like a hybrid between her office and a bedroom. "What has brought you over today?"

"I need a microscope." John stated, holding the blood sample in his hand clearly for her to see.

"Hmm alright. Who is that for?" She replied, raising her head a little.

"It's for Lady Blackwood, but I can't really say much else. She requested discretion." John replied.

"Well, if it's from you, then I suppose it should be alright." Alina said, as she reached her hands over to grab the microscope, then stood up from her chair. "Let me know when it's done ok?" She said concisely then walked over to the door and closed it. The Kolonivkan doctor gently bowed before sitting down on the chair with the blood sample. As per procedures, he used a tube to take a small sample out into a flat pane of glass before putting it beneath the lens.

His eyes neared the sample. And hitting him was a rather worrisome scene.

The red blood cells. They're dying. Fast.

That explained a lot about his ailments, sickness and fatigue he had been having recently. There was nothing to carry the nutrients around. But why? It was not really something too special of a conclusion, what he wanted to know more would be what could be causing all this. How was his diet, sanitary conditions, or what kind of illnesses he had before all this happened. Because if this isn't fixed soon enough, there is a likely chance he would succumb shortly.

He would make a note to inquire Mina more on that, but there was one more thing that she mentioned: to put other blood in his blood. It's a little awkward to be doing this, but he'd have to steal a little from Alina. He saw the other blood sample tray that she had and took a clean tube and extracted a tiny tiny bit, unnoticeable without measurements, and dropped them onto the sample under the lens.

"What the hell..."

Already, the blood sample turned a shade of red brighter than before. Noticeably too, which is eyebrow raising to say the began to multiply. It was actually multiplying. 'Wait, multiply?' How was that even possible?! From another person's blood?!

His head stumped on his hands. "What kind of vampiric nonsense is this?" He muttered out upon the discovery. In the years he had worked with medicine, this was the first time ever he had seen two blood samples combining to generate red blood cells. This under anyone would have been an incredible thing to witness as any researcher would pound on this opportunity to study this weird effect. Perhaps it would be revolutionary even. Potential cure of blood cell production by simply transplanting? However, he remembered his promise to Mina to keep this discreet, so he would keep this under the rug for now.

But really, what the hell did he just saw?

Life in Gloomminster

Ornager

Name: Ornager
Species: Castoridae Subspecies (Giant Beavers)
Age: 21
Sex/gender: Male

Height: 6'4
Weight: 190 lbs

Fashion:
Ornager is a country man (or beaver) at heart. He likes to wear plaid or very plain collared shirts in public, accompanied with a dark colored gilet, mostly brown, and jeans or work pants. In the wilderness, he tends to dress more lightly up top, often just a t-shirt or a tank top.

Personality:
Despite the seemingly intimidating look, Ornager is actually quite easygoing and relaxed, often seen making jokes and puns with people. He is a devoted beaver of nature, respecting their beauty, revels in its bounties and gives back many. Naturally, that good-natured sentiments extends to those friendly and respectful to him. It is not hard to be buddy-buddy with the beaves, he will be a kind and loyal partner to you as long as you don't have any bad motives. Nevertheless, Ornager lives up to the solid and industrious nature of the Castoridaes. He may be easygoing, but it is a result of his exceptional self-discipline and organization, allowing him to both work hard but also rest easy. The fruits of labour, as he would describe it, is to be enjoyed. However, Ornager can be quite territorial, and if one does not show respect for his boundaries, his temperament can change really easily.

Skills:
- Woodcrafts
- Engineering and physics, especially hydraulics
- Physically strong as well as high endurance
- Cold-resistant

Field of Studies:
- Hydro and Druidic Magic
- Artifice
- Environmental Magic-Engineering (Magineering)

History:
Ornager came from a beaver town called Pine Glen Grove in a wetland to the north of Gloomminster. It is small compared to other cities, but very green, sustainable and surprisingly advanced in technology, completely powered by wind, solar or hydro energy. Magic while a common thing in this world, was not something the beavers thought to be important. It was more of a recreational thing in their culture, good for a campfire night, but nothing fancy. However, while the town had weathered the effects of climate change a lot better than other cities, mother nature is catching up to them. Droughts were becoming harsher and more frequent, storms getting stronger, and crop losses slowly creeping towards the town's livelihood.

Ornager grew up a diligent kid, knowing both the hardships and rewards of living in harmony with the trees and soils. His parents were loggers and carpenters/builders, and Ornager shared his parent's responsibilities diligently even while he was still in schools. He was a smart but not atypical kid, having strong carpentry skills and engineering, able to build himself toys and later tools that he would use for his work. He's also naturally gifted in physics, and in high schools he would be allowed to participate in national competitions in that subject. Life was modest, but the changes to Pine Glen Grove was not something he did not feel...

As crops and trees were struggling to survive in the wetlands that were once capable of thriving, his family work was also suffering, and in its place were new interests in radical solutions, and among them were magics. By the time he was in high school, Ornager's first real contact with magic was through books and videos. He managed to recreate them to some extent, but saw the need to go to an actual magic schools if he were to master it. He applied to Gloomminster University, as it was the closest one and also the only few decently cheap options he could find.

Miscellaneous:
Ornager is a strict vegan whose diet only includes plant-based food like carrots, potatoes or tree barks. He really likes swimming and would not be seen in a swimming pool less than two times a week. Being a rodent species, his teeth is very strong but grows really fast and needs to be grinded every now and then

Life in Gloomminster

Awesome, I'll move it over to the CS tab then. And remember...

Life in Gloomminster

Here's my sheet. The preview picture looks a lot bigger than when I drafted it. Standing by for testing.

Edit: It looks fine actually. Maybe a bit big. Let me know if you want to resize it.

And yes, that is a sentient buffed beaver that can engineer and use magic. I regret nothing.

Ornager

Name: Ornager
Species: Castoridae Subspecies (Giant Beavers)
Age: 21
Sex/gender: Male

Height: 6'4
Weight: 190 lbs

Fashion:
Ornager is a country man (or beaver) at heart. He likes to wear plaid or very plain collared shirts in public, accompanied with a dark colored gilet, mostly brown, and jeans or work pants. In the wilderness, he tends to dress more lightly up top, often just a t-shirt or a tank top.

Personality:
Despite the seemingly intimidating look, Ornager is actually quite easygoing and relaxed, often seen making jokes and puns with people. He is a devoted beaver of nature, respecting their beauty, revels in its bounties and gives back many. Naturally, that good-natured sentiments extends to those friendly and respectful to him. It is not hard to be buddy-buddy with the beaves, he will be a kind and loyal partner to you as long as you don't have any bad motives. Nevertheless, Ornager lives up to the solid and industrious nature of the Castoridaes. He may be easygoing, but it is a result of his exceptional self-discipline and organization, allowing him to both work hard but also rest easy. The fruits of labour, as he would describe it, is to be enjoyed. However, Ornager can be quite territorial, and if one does not show respect for his boundaries, his temperament can change really easily.

Skills:
- Woodcrafts
- Engineering and physics, especially hydraulics
- Physically strong as well as high endurance
- Cold-resistant

Field of Studies:
- Hydro and Druidic Magic
- Artifice
- Environmental Magic-Engineering (Magineering)

History:
Ornager came from a beaver town called Pine Glen Grove in a wetland to the north of Gloomminster. It is small compared to other cities, but very green, sustainable and surprisingly advanced in technology, completely powered by wind, solar or hydro energy. Magic while a common thing in this world, was not something the beavers thought to be important. It was more of a recreational thing in their culture, good for a campfire night, but nothing fancy. However, while the town had weathered the effects of climate change a lot better than other cities, mother nature is catching up to them. Droughts were becoming harsher and more frequent, storms getting stronger, and crop losses slowly creeping towards the town's livelihood.

Ornager grew up a diligent kid, knowing both the hardships and rewards of living in harmony with the trees and soils. His parents were loggers and carpenters/builders, and Ornager shared his parent's responsibilities diligently even while he was still in schools. He was a smart but not atypical kid, having strong carpentry skills and engineering, able to build himself toys and later tools that he would use for his work. He's also naturally gifted in physics, and in high schools he would be allowed to participate in national competitions in that subject. Life was modest, but the changes to Pine Glen Grove was not something he did not feel...

As crops and trees were struggling to survive in the wetlands that were once capable of thriving, his family work was also suffering, and in its place were new interests in radical solutions, and among them were magics. By the time he was in high school, Ornager's first real contact with magic was through books and videos. He managed to recreate them to some extent, but saw the need to go to an actual magic schools if he were to master it. He applied to Gloomminster University, as it was the closest one and also the only few decently cheap options he could find.

Miscellaneous:
Ornager is a strict vegan whose diet only includes plant-based food like carrots, potatoes or tree barks. He really likes swimming and would not be seen in a swimming pool less than two times a week. Being a rodent species, his teeth is very strong but grows really fast and needs to be grinded every now and then

Sky High Delivery Service!

Bactrie

Name: Bactrie Atchison

Gender: Male

Race: Human

Relevant Abilities:
- Some training piloting airships.
- Some familiarity with machinery
- Not necessarily a strong person, but very durable and can last long hours toiling manual labours
- Basic reading and writing ability

Personality:
Despite the less than ideal childhood, Bactrie leans more on the optimistic and friendlier side of personality. He does not believe he'd one day sit among the echelons of greats and riches, but when faced with hardships, he is hopeful that it shall pass, and he would survive. As a result, he tends to be calm in dangerous situation, sometimes serene even. However, he does not have a lot of patience for dangerous behavior. To the contrary of many of the MILOV flight crew, he is very cautious and will always look twice before doing anything. Otherwise, he is relatively pleasant and willing to strike up conversations if you are willing to open up to him.

Bio and background:
Born in a relatively poor family of miners from the city of Miraya, known for its advanced technology and thus a high demand for labour, Bactrie is very willing to join his father and two brothers as soon as he is able to work, but the family wants him no coal hand. He deserves a better life than to cough up toxic air. They tries their best to get him some education, but the tumultuous life does not allow him to stay in school for too long. He would eventually join the workforce anyway, though thankfully having enough literacy skills to avoid the mines and instead working as a warehouse worker for a manufacturing company.

Labour was very much a thankless job. He endured long hours of hauling, dangerous working conditions under the watchful bossy eyes, who was quick to punish any mistakes he made with pay cut or sometimes even physical punishment. Death has sometimes occurred in the warehouse to the poor souls who could not keep up but knew they had no other choices, which is often covered up and swept under the rug. But Bactrie survived. He was no exemplary worker, but he survived. His meals half-full, his rent barely enough, but he lived and hoped he would rise out of the misery that accompanied him.

One day, a demonstration event was held by an airship company. While this was not anything too unusual for the citizens of Miraya, it attracted curious eyes from Bactrie due to the recent contracts between his company and the host of the event. He booked for a fifteen-minute flight in a dirigible. He was seated close to the cockpit, and got to lift off up to at least a few hundred meters off the ground. It was a nerve racking experience seeing the ground from height for the first time in his life, and it costed him a meal for the day, but hope is a meal in enough itself, one eaten quickly. He was mesmerized by the experience, and saw a way forward for himself.

For the next few months, he searched and pestered for pilots who would be willing to give him flight trainings. Most refused, due to costs and the fact that who would want to teach this slum-dweller flying. It is a highly respected profession, reserved for the dignified after all. One sympathetic pilot though, Mr. Carlos as Bactrie would know him as, decided to give the young man a chance and gave him private flight lessons at a discount, provided he could keep up. Despite it, he still needed to work a second job as a kitchen helper to afford the fees, but he was able to pay for two months.

After the first week learning the ropes by listening, Bactrie was allowed to control the dirigible himself under supervision. He proved to be a fast learner but quite a timid flyer, afraid of breaking the expensive piece of equipment, as he had been drilled into by his warehouse employers. However, Mr. Carlos was more than accommodating with the traits, seeing risk-averse pilots to be more valuable than the usual daredevil students he had. Training went on for the two months he could afford, but before they parted ways, the kindhearted pilot, who had been more than impressed with the young man's skills, offered to refer him to an acquaintance of him: Captain Olivia of the MILOV. Bactrie took the opportunity without much hesitation, seeing the MILOV as a stepping stone to rising out of his poverty. While the captain was willing to accept a trainee relief pilot to contrast with her undesirably dangerous pilot, the watch leader had yet to trust him into the cockpit.

Other:
He likes checklists

Le Festin

Sky High Delivery Service!

@Periodity Thank you! Yeah I remember watching Ratatouille when I was smaller too, and loved that song. Now that I'm older and actually read what the lyrics mean, it fits my guy quite well I'd say.

Dreaming Together With You - A Fading Memory Experiment - On Hiatus

Well, that's a long post for me to read lol. Will try to get to it tomorrow. I'll try to move David along this weekend.

Sky High Delivery Service!

No need lol, I finished it anyway. 2 hours of public transit a day gives me a lot of time to write stuffs.
Let me know if the idea's incompatible or if there's anything I need to change.

Bactrie

Name: Bactrie Atchison

Gender: Male

Race: Human

Relevant Abilities:
- Some training piloting airships.
- Some familiarity with machinery
- Not necessarily a strong person, but very durable and can last long hours toiling manual labours
- Basic reading and writing ability

Personality:
Despite the less than ideal childhood, Bactrie leans more on the optimistic and friendlier side of personality. He does not believe he'd one day sit among the echelons of greats and riches, but when faced with hardships, he is hopeful that it shall pass, and he would survive. As a result, he tends to be calm in dangerous situation, sometimes serene even. However, he does not have a lot of patience for dangerous behavior. To the contrary of many of the MILOV flight crew, he is very cautious and will always look twice before doing anything. Otherwise, he is relatively pleasant and willing to strike up conversations if you are willing to open up to him.

Bio and background:
Born in a relatively poor family of miners from the city of Miraya, known for its advanced technology and thus a high demand for labour, Bactrie is very willing to join his father and two brothers as soon as he is able to work, but the family wants him no coal hand. He deserves a better life than to cough up toxic air. They tries their best to get him some education, but the tumultuous life does not allow him to stay in school for too long. He would eventually join the workforce anyway, though thankfully having enough literacy skills to avoid the mines and instead working as a warehouse worker for a manufacturing company.

Labour was very much a thankless job. He endured long hours of hauling, dangerous working conditions under the watchful bossy eyes, who was quick to punish any mistakes he made with pay cut or sometimes even physical punishment. Death has sometimes occurred in the warehouse to the poor souls who could not keep up but knew they had no other choices, which is often covered up and swept under the rug. But Bactrie survived. He was no exemplary worker, but he survived. His meals half-full, his rent barely enough, but he lived and hoped he would rise out of the misery that accompanied him.

One day, a demonstration event was held by an airship company. While this was not anything too unusual for the citizens of Miraya, it attracted curious eyes from Bactrie due to the recent contracts between his company and the host of the event. He booked for a fifteen-minute flight in a dirigible. He was seated close to the cockpit, and got to lift off up to at least a few hundred meters off the ground. It was a nerve racking experience seeing the ground from height for the first time in his life, and it costed him a meal for the day, but hope is a meal in enough itself, one eaten quickly. He was mesmerized by the experience, and saw a way forward for himself.

For the next few months, he searched and pestered for pilots who would be willing to give him flight trainings. Most refused, due to costs and the fact that who would want to teach this slum-dweller flying. It is a highly respected profession, reserved for the dignified after all. One sympathetic pilot though, Mr. Carlos as Bactrie would know him as, decided to give the young man a chance and gave him private flight lessons at a discount, provided he could keep up. Despite it, he still needed to work a second job as a kitchen helper to afford the fees, but he was able to pay for two months.

After the first week learning the ropes by listening, Bactrie was allowed to control the dirigible himself under supervision. He proved to be a fast learner but quite a timid flyer, afraid of breaking the expensive piece of equipment, as he had been drilled into by his warehouse employers. However, Mr. Carlos was more than accommodating with the traits, seeing risk-averse pilots to be more valuable than the usual daredevil students he had. Training went on for the two months he could afford, but before they parted ways, the kindhearted pilot, who had been more than impressed with the young man's skills, offered to refer him to an acquaintance of him: Captain Olivia of the MILOV. Bactrie took the opportunity without much hesitation, seeing the MILOV as a stepping stone to rising out of his poverty. While the captain was willing to accept a trainee relief pilot to contrast with her undesirably dangerous pilot, the watch leader had yet to trust him into the cockpit.

Other:
He likes checklists

Le Festin

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Knight RP

⚘ Steffen Gravinir ⚘

---

Plans do tend to fail, especially when one gets punched in the face.

It was somewhat what Steffen was trying to bait his opponent into. A counter-attack to be counter-counter-attacked, leading to both of them stunlocking each other and the axe. The punch was stronger than he expected though, landing on his cheek bone and veiling his vision with a blur. Nevertheless, with several stumbles backward, he kept himself upright again, maintained alertness with both hands in front of him for any follow-ups. If his sights weren’t working, he’d have to hear it.

But the axe man did not come. Steffen wondered why, but he did not sense anything else. He was seemingly a big target, dazed and seemingly confused, but there was no follow ups.

Ultimately, he took a moment to regain his senses. Seeing that the Barukstaedian had directed his fury over to Steffen’s two brothers-in-arms, he wasted no time charging back into the fray. No more assessment, he had to act quickly. He’d have to make sure that axe never makes contact with a solid surface again.

When the Barukstaedian turned back around, he’d see a huge silhouette coming at him with no signs of stopping. While the runic armor would perhaps give him the ease of mind, the Ingvarr's intentions were clearer when he was close enough. He’d attempt to ram shoulder-first into his opponent. If that were to make contact, and whether that actually managed to tackle the axe man or not onto the ground, one or both his hands would shoot out to try and hold tightly onto the man’s gauntlet. Once again, it would open him to more of the Barukstaedian attacks if his opponent could manage to, but he was ready to quickly counter the easier ones, or take them all head on. All Steffen wanted was buy precious moments for his two knights to attack.
@Rune_Alchemist@Crimson Paladin@Creative Chaos

Sky High Delivery Service!

Well, still here for it. Though might not make it for Thursday IC since an opening just popped the day before. I will try to get mine in by at latest Friday though.