Draken

The Last Embers (Dark Steampunk/Fantasy)

@Draken gyahaha! *cracks up* If he's not careful she'll argue with him just to argue. But I don't think she likes him. And she doesn't like him bothering Rodion...or her. I get the feeling she'd not take well to him hanging around the workshop, and might end up peeved enough to try puncturing his ego or overwhelming his strategies, if he annoys her enough.

Gods help him if he ever makes a pass at her. Especially with Rodion around.

Just how "together" do people see them, anyhow? *wondering* And for how long have they been seen that way?

@shylarah

Oh no. As far as he's concerned, Ziotea and Rodion might as well be de-facto engaged. Besides, Father Ilya knows she's not fond of him, but still likes to use her as a willing challenge to surmount. I imagine that four times out of five he "wins" their debates, in significant part because he tries to do research and quietly steer discussions in more familiar waters. Whereas Ziotea simply says what's most relevant at any given point.

EDIT: Also, in regards to that IC post that just went up. Can I just say that the Azure Rose is an awesome title? That's the kind of thing that, when you're given it, you've got to try and keep it. Here's hoping Mother Indira pushes for it to stick.

The Last Embers (Dark Steampunk/Fantasy)

@Draken I don't think I saw a mention of him being a racist, or at least not actively and deliberately so. More a "oh yeah there's slaves" sort of a racist. Which is still awful, but that's their world for now.

Given your clarification, I'd say Ziotea's perception fits well enough, yes? Unless he was particularly rude to her for whatever reason. Not impossible -- she's rather abrasive herself, after all. Otherwise anything further for their dynamic is up to you. ^.^

@shylarah

Actually, now that I think about it... I imagine Ilya would kind of like Mother Ziotea. Her complete willingness to tear into every plan or argument would make her a great wall to bounce ideas off of, she's definitely not one to be put off by his attitude, and while Ilya doesn't think the world is absolutely terrible with no hope of redemption, they can certainly respect each other's pragmatism. ((Also it's good to be on decent terms with Rodion's definitely-not-girlfriend.))

EDIT: Alright, I can't do an IC post right now because I need to think it through a bit more and do a big thing with Father Ilya meeting his parents once more at long last. And I simply can't do that in the 10 minutes before dinner. I also have an event after dinner that'll go until midnight, so... yeah.

Also, I haven't read anybody's visions, because both time and I figure those are extremely private and why risk that knowledge possibly slipping into Ilya's perspective?

The Last Embers (Dark Steampunk/Fantasy)

@Draken *waves pompoms for you* You can do it! Definitely focus on school if you need to.

@shylarah

I will when I need to, but I will also let you guys know, moving forward.

I haven't read the IC yet, but I'd like to clarify a bit about Father Ilya to everyone. He's really not an asshole, just dismissive half the time. If you've got an idea, he'll listen. If you've got a deal, he'll consider it. If you want to discuss something with him, he'll at least give you his position on the matter. Y'all seem to think he hates everyone and shuns people, but that's not true. He just doesn't want to deal with small talk or doing favors for people who could never repay him. (As Inquisitors, every single one of you could possibly repay him some day.)

Also, his racism isn't nearly as overt as people seem to think. It's lightened up a lot over time, but from the beginning it was being judgemental, not hateful.

Other than that, I've had 0 objections to people's character relationships.

The Last Embers (Dark Steampunk/Fantasy)

Sorry everyone. School got big and there's a midterm for a class I'm borderline failing. I'm going to plow through everything right now and stay on top of it as best I'm able.

The Last Embers (Dark Steampunk/Fantasy)

Oh, by the way, I hope everyone is okay with the Crucible Ceremony I came up with. It's a fairly common trope, annually pitting students against each other in combat. The exact details were irrelevant, but it was convenient for Ilya's backstory with Mother Indira and seemed perfectly fitting with the Red Seminary's mission of talent development at all costs.

The Last Embers (Dark Steampunk/Fantasy)

Since the CS is right there, I might as well add how Father Ilya thinks of Mother Indira Al-Sayed.

Mother Indira Al-Sayed
Within the first month of arriving at the Red Seminary, Father Ilya and Mother Indira Al-Sayed were silently at odds. She clearly did not like him, and though her name was known throughout Magnagrad, Ilya saw not much special. Indeed, he saw an Omestrian woman of poor character, who specifically burdened him with extra tasks and training which restricted his ability to develop his strengths and barred the usage of time to develop his connections with his peers. That these "extracurricular" activities continuously involved him being saddled with the two other Omestrian students in Warband Leviathan was not lost on Father Ilya. Though he kept a clean face, Ilya knew that a point was being made by his main instructor, he just wasn't quite sure if it was about his prejudices or hers.

Father Ilya was reaching the limits of his willingness to put up with her actions when he finally saw how capable she was. It was at the annual Crucible Ceremony, where each warband in training was pitted against the others of its year in a "friendly" tournament, where instructors and students alike were able to sort out their rivalries and officials could see the growing fruits of their investment in the Red Seminary. The Leviathans placed a strong second, giving perspective to Ilya on just how well Mother Indira Al-Sayed's methods were working. However, more than that, his views were changed when she was needed in action. All matches were mediated by two instructors from warbands not in the current fight. When Indira Al-Sayed stepped in for a particularly lethal-looking blow, it was not with a blade or blast of magic, but with the most terrifying creature Father Ilya had seen by then, and has seen since. It was one thing to hear of the Summoner in city gossip. It was another to see her work first hand.

Since then, Father Ilya has taken her tasks with no complaint, increasingly convinced that it was, in fact, designed to help chosen students grow. The direct exposure to the capabilities of his Omestrian peers forced Ilya to reevaluate his world view somewhat, and he has since sworn to judge the individual based on what they are capable of, not their heritage alone.

The Last Embers (Dark Steampunk/Fantasy)

Sorry for the delay; had to have a lengthy conversation with my scanner about how it's supposed to scan things, and how I know it doesn't have ink but it's not getting ink and it needs to scan my arts anyhow. x.x This thing has such an attitude.

@shylarah

FEED MEE!!!

Edit: tfw you accidentally slip towards using a forum thread like a chat box.

The Last Embers (Dark Steampunk/Fantasy)

@The Angry Goat@Lovejoy Actually, I figured that tracking ether was more or less standard, but then again a magic sense is something I've nearly always felt natural for a mage to have.

@shylarah

Yeah, I had kinda figured anyone with training could do it if they focused on the task. Various degrees of talent, of course, but sensing the active use of ether seemed standard to those who are feeling for it.

The Last Embers (Dark Steampunk/Fantasy)

Jeez. Why do character relationships take so long for me to do?

I finally wrote one proper, for Father Rodion. I edited it in, but I'll put it here too anyways.

Naturally, feel free to voice any objections or adjustments, Drakey.

Fathers Ilya and Rodion

@Drakey
Father Rodion Kuznetsov: Father Ilya Bjornlie has almost nothing but respect for the man. Respect, and a tiny bit of pity for his social life and his doomed talents in the military. As Ilya sees it, imposing the life of an inquisitor on Father Rodion suppresses his ability to grow and create truly great things, especially with the sheer amount of time being dedicated to training and such. That said, the work Ilya has witnessed in his visits to the foundry have been eye opening.

Though massive mechanical wonders are somewhat commonplace in the military industrial complex, Father Rodion's work on intricate marvels showed Father Ilya the sheer potential of the sciences. He is barely able to fathom how the Madrys functions or even exists, despite all of his schooling. However, what kept Ilya's eye was the second unique weapon the reclusive savant had developed: the Sniper Rifle. Though it quickly became apparent to Ilya that Father Rodion had no interest in making a second copy, he kept returning for a night every few weeks. Ilya would help with the manual work, such as lifting, measuring, poring. While doing so, he would ask occasional questions about how things worked, or ask for bits of advise with the ongoing customization of his own kinetic rifle, in contrast to the etheric wonder that the Sniper Rifle is. Indeed, without these exchanges, Father Ilya quietly doubts he would have perfected the "Father Ilya's Piercing Paling" and the various modifications which allow it to be used without damaging the barrel of his gun. Not in time to justify its use to his instructors, at least.

The Last Embers (Dark Steampunk/Fantasy)

WAIT IS YOUR AVATAR ZELDA? *squints*

@shylarah

99% sure not. I totally did not just rip pretty magic symbols from the internet.

Also, it's not like the bodies are being *used*