Fairess

Totem

What an insufferable old twit! Hours upon hours into the journey, Adele was still glaring at Djonn's back and cursing both him and Thorpe for their paltry travelling arrangements. You'll be happy we won't be using dingy inns,' he says! We'd much rather you fight over a single room for our amusement, as everyone else will be sleeping in barns and stables like animals. The nerve! Are they going to be serving meals in the mangers, too? The heat of her broiling temper was such that most of the men had taken care to avoid her as much as possible. How the back of Djonn's shirt hadn't caught fire from her burning gaze was a wonder indeed. Most impressive of all, however, was the strength and duration of her righteous indignance--not once did her feet falter nor her pace slow on the long road. Her long legs were brisk, her gaze determined; were she to die then and there, she would undoubtedly become a peerless banshee destined to haunt Djonn for the remainder of his life and long after. Even when they had been forced to stop, Adele's features showed neither fear nor concern. She just stood there at the obi wagon's side, cracking her knuckles as she dared the shadows beneath the trees to come out and play target practice. It was rather disappointing that they never did. So it was that Adele finally showed a kink in her anger when she found herself soaking her feet while the company took a break. Her dusty boots lay at her side along with a pair of long stockings--anyone was free to stare at her legs when she stripped them off: well, they could if they wanted to die. Otherwise, she seemed content, wetting her handkerchief in the stream and using a dab of honeysuckle oil to refresh her sweaty arms, neck, and face. It was only then that she began to appreciate her natural surroundings. Other than the nearby chatter, the woods were quiet. There was plenty of shade to keep the worst of the sun off, and the slight breeze rustling through the trees was soothing. That, of course, was all the more reason to keep her cannon close. Even while paddling her feet in cold meadow water, the weapon remained on her lap. Two minutes into her little break, she tired of the freezing water and pulled her feet out. The grass, by comparison, felt heavenly running through her toes, so she simply carried her boots and stockings by her side as she went to grab a snack from her trunk. That was when she approached. In a flash, Adele's bad mood returned. Her eyes narrowed as the woman started to speak, and by the time she was finished, Adele's hands were clenched and trembling at her sides. "You've got some nerve." Adele stepped closer to the woman, green eyes flat as an icy plain. "First you treat us like animals, then you parade around in that gaudy carriage, and now you bastards have been withholding information imperative to your own safety? Do you have a death wish or do pushovers like you enjoy wearing targets on your backs?"

Totem

Oh come on! He had to ask that now? Adele’s gaze swiveled over to Zach. She didn’t answer immediately, torn between being polite and getting Haine to crack, but she finally decided against putting more pressure on the shy guy. She’d just have to remember that his exceptional hearing could be useful later—all the more reason to get on his good side. Rook was getting more intriguing by the second, too: who’d have thought he was just as happy to spy on his commanding officers? “This must be your first time seeing Oester tech.” Adele turned, a smug smirk on her face. It was about time the White Guard learned exactly how much they’d gained in recruiting her. “The best machines we’ve been able to put together are those based on totemic crystals—synthetic gems created by flame fusion. Most processes use what we call a “totem extension” to activate and control the crystals: these ‘extensions’ are glyphs based on the crystal’s matrix that connect crystal to machine. In short, the crystals and the patterns used to control them make up one totem composed of two significant parts—hence it being called a totemic machine. Back home, they simply call it cryst-power.” Had anyone followed her thus far? Probably not, which was all the more reason to go on. “Of course, my little friend here doesn’t use the same totem extension despite using the same crystals, although the basic theories are very similar. You’ll see what I mean if you’re lucky enough to see me in action.”

Totem

Yes, a lively OoC is always a good thing. Having a fixed post a week should keep things moving along quite swimmingly. After all, if someone is unable to finish out an interaction, they can coordinate in the ooc or PM to fill in holes.

Totem

Soooooo… what had she learned about caravan duty so far? Nothing, absolutely nothing, aside from the fact that some mercenaries apparently liked carrying around fragile jars while guarding caravans. Her face was cynical as she gazed at Marcel, having hoped for something more. As near as she could tell, their little group was far from being elite—apparently nearly all of them were inexperienced with the most basic of duties for hire-on mercenaries. Sure, they were just going to walk alongside a line of wagons, but wasn’t there a little more to it? And what about that big obi wagon? Doesn’t it just scream ‘rob me?’ Did they run out of normal wagons, or is there actually something big in there? If so, what could they possibly be selling? Adele resisted the temptation to poke Fluffy’s ear that managed to stay upright and gave the caravan another glance-over. It sure would be nice to know about group formations before going in. That Obi is probably going to be the slowest, and thus the weakest point of the caravan. Does that mean the most muscle will be stationed there? It would make sense for the lighter soldiers to be kept on the fringes, where they can both scout and react the fastest to counter-attack any point we may be targeted from. Adele sighed and ran a hand over her hair. Why am I even bothering? It’s Djonn’s job to worry about that, not mine. Hopefully he has a better idea of what he’s doing than the rest of us. And speaking of the rest of them, who needed sarcasm when Rook was there to lay it down? She’d given him an appreciative smirk when he greeted Zach, but didn’t actually risk saying anything. Hopefully there would be a time again when it was just the two of them—then she could try and make up for her behavior. In the meantime, she’d have to work on fixing up the stupid trinket that was supposed to have been her apology. “Now, now, Fluffy, don’t be a spoilsport.” Adele leaned closer, one arm resting against the top of her cannon while the other recoiled behind her back. “You’ve been eavesdropping this whole time, so isn’t it fair that the rest of us should hear? Otherwise, I might have to tell Djonn to be a little more careful about having chats with the higher-ups when a certain someone is around.”

Totem

“Morning, chaps.” The voice from behind triggered a thousand volt jolt that blazed down her spine. Her body was so tense that she struggled to turn her head, but she managed to do so just in time to see Rook curtsey. Had she not been trying to calm the goosebumps along her arms, she would have rolled her eyes. This was definitely the Rook she’d met the night before—a tease whose intensity made it impossible to tell exactly what he was thinking at any given time. And she really would have liked to know what he was thinking because she was about to spend the entire day walking within speaking distance to him. Should she apologize as soon as possible? Pretend to be mad? Play aloof until she knew what his feelings were? Crunch. A new wave of nervous sweat rolled over Adele as she felt the trinket in her hand snap. Crap, crap, crap! It broke before I could even—noooooo! Gods, why hadn’t she paid more attention to the tension in her hands? That was where she always put her tension and now she wanted to release that tension by punching something. Don’t look at it. Just don’t. As subtly as possible, Adele snuck the broken trinket in her hand into one of the pouches of her belt. She forced a smile as she did so, dipping her head towards Rook. “Did you get enough beauty sleep? I was just telling these two about I need someone to show me the ropes of caravan guarding. Apparently, Fluffy here is in the same boat, too.” At this, Adele finally did what she’d wanted to try since seeing Hain’s bobbly ears: she poked them. Really, how did it feel to have ears like that? Was it bothersome when the wind was blowing really hard? Was his sense of hearing super sensitive, and if it was, how did he deal with loud sounds up close? Was she already talking too loud? And seriously, why didn’t he have more fur on his body? Science needed to know! Even so, she softened her face to look as innocent as possible as she smiled down at the Lessir. “Do you mind if I call you that? It just seems to suit you.”

Totem

Whew! Finally got that post in! >.> I feel like I'm just wandering around with it, but there it is. @hank: Deeeeewd! Promotion! I'm crossing my fingers for you. @clark: Yeah, it could be interesting. I'm usually against any sort of coloring in text (due to it being distracting), but I guess that's the point of coloring character names. It might be a little weird, what with how I often refer to other characters without using names. And for no particular reason: Writing Mood Music

Totem

Dear Mum, Everything has still been peaceful in Belencrest. Some of the men have even complained that they need more action rather than braving another boring street patrol. You really should see how much quieter here it is here than even Bossart. It reminds me a little of our house on the edge of town. I know you wanted me to make friends and all, but it hasn't been easy. Most of the folks here are older and into drinking at dingy pubs. What few girls there are here are always quipping about how I take too long to get ready in the morning or how my 'delicates' are impractical when we do laundry. Exactly when was a lady's underwear even a little bit practical? I know what you must be thinking, but don't worry. My roommates and I were always making petty little quips at the academy. They may have had a better idea of what 'practical' means, but they also weren't exactly mature when it came to comparing who could shave her legs the best. Yeah, in a lot of ways, these White Guards are a slightly more mature crowd. How are things at the mansion? Did Dad hire more help for the repair shop yet? He's got to learn how to relax every once in a while, you know? I think about you all the time and miss your cooking more than you know. Even the stores I’m used to shopping at are hard to be without. I'll be joining an escort group to Paolou this morning, so maybe I'll finally get a taste of something luxurious in a week or two. As always, I'll write you as soon as I arrive. Lots of love, Adele Brunsque Adele sighed as she set her pen down, rubbing her eyes for the tenth time. Despite getting to bed late, she'd arisen before the sun to make sure she could finish her errands and preparations for the trip. She'd managed to fold her dresses and other things into a trunk the night before, but it was always wise to make an inventory check for her equipment. Sure, it looked like she just had that big, weird cannon to worry about, but that cannon sure came with a lot of adjustable nuts, screws, filters, and strings. All of those had to be checked before the cannon could be operated. Her high-tech crystal sycronization device? A tuning fork. She took the thing from her desk drawer before knocking it on the desk's wooden top. Pliiiiiiiiiing. Adele closed her eyes and grabbed the crank of the cannon, slowly turning it. Wheel rubbed against string, making a hum that sounded like a metallic bagpipe. She smirked, already imagining the groans of her drunk neighbors as she awoke them with the instrument's loud music. Well, it wasn't really music, as she was simply testing every note of the thing's chromatic scale, but it still sounded nice to her musician's ear. Once that little task was complete, she checked to see that everything in her utility belts was in order. The number of small trinkets and devices in those pouches was enough to give even her a headache. Was she done then? Please. If every woman in the world simply woke up and went out ‘as-is,’ the world would probably implode. She freshened up with a pitcher of water and some peony scented soap, making sure every last stench from the night before was gone. Since she had some extra time, she even managed to painstakingly shampoo her hair, lathering it up with some fruity-yet-sharp scents of pear and juniper. What she didn’t have time for was to let all her hair dry, so she simply pulled it up into a bun and clapped her goggles around the top of her head. Dressing for the day was easy for once—all her other dresses were packed away, so she was left with only one choice. It was a ruffled, light blue shirt with a leather corset and simple brown skirt. Her utility belts formed an x over her waist, and she had an additional one running from the top of her left shoulder to the right side of her hip. Finally, her thick leather shoes were belted up all the way to her knees, and running up from those were creamy white stockings. Of course, this offered nothing in the way of protection, but she wasn’t going to be the one parrying blades. If anything was silly enough to get close to her, it would be incinerated, electrocuted, or blinded. Possibly all three. With letters in one hand the handle of her trunk in another, (plus a small pack on her back—she was a veritable pack mule), Adele finally made her way out of the barracks. She didn’t actually have hands to carry her cannon, but that was solved with a harness gripping around her neck and shoulders. The weapon dwarfed most of her torso, but she barely seemed to pay any mind to it as she hit the streets and headed towards the market. The first thing she did was drop off the letters, but the market was far too tempting for her to just pass through. Plus… she was tempted to find a make-up gift for a special someone. Last night hadn’t exactly ended well and she wasn’t sure how to approach that someone without an excuse. Ah, but when was a marketplace good for finding only one sort of thing? The smell of freshly baked pastries was so tempting that it was only minutes before a hot and flaky raspberry tart was in her mouth. She stopped to smell flowers, to admire some locally woven cloth—at some point, she could have sworn she even saw the bear-like form of Marcel somewhere along the fringes of the marketplace. After a few more self-indulgent minutes, Adele finally found what she wanted, or rather, what she wanted found her. “Oooh, what a pretty lady. You must fancy fine things, yes?” A middle-aged woman grinned at Adele, making the young lady stop to listen. Well, honestly, even if the woman hadn’t spoken, she was still something to stare at, what with all those bangles and flowing tufts of purple fabric about her body. “You look a little lost, too. I can help.” Adele folded her arms, more than a little skeptical. “I’m not lost, and I only buy fancy, fine things when they’re worth the cost.” The woman held out a hand, gesturing Adele closer with the other. “You are seeking guidance on a personal matter, yes? Your spirit animal will guide you if you only choose to listen.” This was getting ridiculous. All the same, Adele found herself ridiculously intrigued. She vaguely recalled spirit animals in reference to some ancient cultures that used totems shaped like animals. Given that she was standing in a city quite lacking in such history, the likelihood of the woman selling fake totems was quite high. Perhaps the woman was already guessing at her thoughts, because she waggled a finger. “I do not specialize in magic. I am a craftswoman who is in touch with the spiritual world. Allow me to show you.” The woman reached forward, gently cupping her hands around one of Adele’s. Without asking, she removed the leather glove from it and lightly traced the lines of her palm with one finger. “Ahhh, you see this line closest to your thumb? This is your life line, and you have a very promising one. Long and clearly marked, you shall have a long life full of vitality, but it is not without some problems. Your line is chained, ah, perhaps emotional problems are plaguing your health?” Adele raised a brow. “I’m perfectly healthy. Exactly what are you trying to convince me of, here? Are you trying to sell medicine?” The woman shook her head with a small smile. “Now, your head line, the next up. This one is very long and straight—you are logical and direct in your thinking. You must have excellent memory and quite the imagination, quite potent over your body when this line is joined with your life line. "Ah, and the most tender of all—your heart line. You have a disregard for the true meaning of love and its responsibilities, which is why you are prone to give your heart away more than you must suspect. This long line also tells me you are looking for one whose status rises above yours, someone you respect. Again, your chained line here tells me you are bothered by the tension your love life is giving you.” Adele’s cheeks flushed, and she promptly pulled her hand away. “Like I said, complete nonsense.” “You think so?” The lady rummaged through a drawer hidden under the table she had been leaning over, and finally procured a strange trinket—a butterfly. It appeared to be some kind of brooch made from woven strings and glass. The center was riddled with white rhinestones, and the wings extended out like a net with each one nesting a pane of dyed red glass. Or was that polished quartz? “Your personality has attracted the butterfly. He is a lightness of heart and spirit, a bringer of transformation. There is a part of you ready to transform, my dear.” The woman offered up the trinket, her smile widening. “This can be your companion for only a few coins.” Adele rolled her eyes at this, though she didn’t up and walk away. Actually… the more she thought about it, the more interesting such a gift could be. It’d certainly look nice as a brooch for a certain sash. “Eh, I’ll take it if you stop talking.” Adele made a quick exchange, finally holding up the trinket to the light of the morning sun. All that crap about spirits and palms was too much to swallow, but the lady did make some gorgeous accessories. With that distraction out of the way, Adele picked up some thin bronze squares she’d pre-ordered some days ago and finally made her way over to the caravan. Surprisingly, it seemed like some of the White Guards were still missing—namely the one she wasn’t too keen on seeing again. She shrugged that off and stuffed her trunk into the wagon with the White Guards’ supplies before looking around to find the best way to kill time. Hahaha—Thorpe looked like he’d been dragged across half the country and back again. The frazzled soul was standing a little of a ways off from the caravan talking to Djonn, probably about discretionary ‘mission’ stuff. She found she didn’t really care about being outside the special information, given that she already knew the most important thing: she’d be travelling the road instead of remaining in a barracks where she could comfortably work on her cannon. She sighed as she cradled the instrument in her arms, looking for something better to amuse herself with. Luckily, she found Marcel again, this time waving and walking up to that strange rabbit fellow she’d caught a glimpse of the night before. Yeah, that was as good an opportunity as any. “Hey, guys!” Adele put on a smile as she stood close enough to form a small circle with the two men. “Just to make things official between us, I’m Adele. This is my first time guarding a caravan, so I’ll be sticking around you two to get the hang of it.”

Totem

:< That is a shame, Chapa. Take care out there! I'm also sorry for taking my time in posting, but I will have a post up today. And it will have more Adele drama than you can shake a stick at.

Totem

A wave of sound and light rolled over the otherwise quiet street when the pub door opened for the first time. Adele turned to look and arched a brow at the following mercenary—from what she could hear of the party, it was way too early for drunks to be stumbling back to the barracks. With the fleeting light of the closing door surrounding the man, it was easy to pick him out as one of the older mercenaries. He also seemed to be among the more unique, what with the sun baked skin. He was unmistakably Ramzi, the Ramzi younger recruits like her never shut up about when the endless re-livings of Belencrest’s skirmishes with the greyskin barbarians were made around the table. Wait! He started walking in her general direction. Pace? Leisurely. Purpose? Probably to head back to the barracks—at least until he decided to pop her inflated personal bubble and get right next to her. She could smell the stench of alcohol on him before he even opened his mouth to speak. "Good evening. Why do you stand alone out here and not inside the Finnic, comrade?" Her brain pulled a blank. In her mind, her intent had been obvious: she’d wanted to get away from smelly, noisy soldiers, and now he was ruining her perfect little cool-off spot. Had her sarcasm from earlier not given any hints as to how much she wanted to punch something? Only then did it occur to her that she’d been addressing no one in particular, and in the heat of the heavy drinking after Thorpe’s toast, it was likely that no one had heard her at all. Adele’s shoulders twitched and the smallest sort came out. What amusing frustration she’d imposed on herself, feeling like she could toss cold water into a room full of fiery comradery. Perhaps it was best that no one had noticed her exit, or were at least feigning ignorance. She wasn’t in the mood for a lecture or pity talk. “Some people have the ability to think whilst surrounded by merry-making. I lack that particular gift.” Adele’s gaze finally swiveled up to meet Ramzi’s and she felt a strange sort of satisfaction knowing the difference between eye-levels was miniscule. People could call her prissy if they liked, but she still had a stature that could compete with the other trained women of the White Guard. Simple facts like that unfortunately weren’t capable of dispelling awkward silences. Her lips parted as her brain dug for something to add to her former statement; then she noticed Ramzi shivering. The night air did lean towards the chilly side and the ghost-like street lamps weren’t really helping the atmosphere. Before she knew it, her arms were folded around her chest against the cold and the pub’s stone wall was that much more uncomfortable. “Wow, it is kind of cold out tonight, isn’t it?” When in doubt, always default to weather. Adele knew it was clichéd, still awkward, and poor excuse for conversation, but any sound at all to fill the silence building between her and the ‘old’ man was music to her ears. How long was it now? Minutes? Seconds? Another White Guard exited the tavern with the same pop of light and sound. Oh no. Was he waving at them? You’re walking towards me. Crap. Stop walking. Now you’re waaaaay to close. Did you have to bring that booze with you? I swear, all of you are up to your eyes in that stuff. Do you have any idea how bad your breath is? You’re going to melt my face off!. Adele’s arms tightened around her as she braced herself for Awkward Encounter II. "I thought I was supposed to be the antisocial one at parties, I'd expect a young lass like you to be having a ball in there. You're Adele right?" That was so Djonn, niggling a greener recruit with that dry humor. In all honesty, though, she couldn’t blame him—he did his job really, really well. She just tended to enjoy it more when someone else was getting the end of it. After Djonn finished addressing Ramzi and offered out the snacks (which she would not have touched even if she’d been kept from food for days—maybe), Adele was quick to answer him blow for blow. “Yes, I’m Adele Brunsque. As it happens, the people back home have a different idea of what a party is. Just try to imagine a buffet table, some music, a sweet-smelling gentleman and some dancing—then you wouldn’t find me outside trying to catch a breath. You haven’t happened to see any gentlemen around these parts, have you?” Whether or not Djonn’s reaction was worth his invasion fell beyond Adele’s attention span as the pub’s door opened. Again. Out came White Guard III, the bear with a mystery arm. She’d seen him around, just like the others, though his stature alone made him impossible to miss. While she’d learned to fear the vengeful stench of a man in armor at the end of a day, for some reason, Marcel was more tolerable. Probably due to the hair. Since her little moment of solitude was already broken, she was out of complaints as Marcel joined them—until he reached for one of those things. Yay for her—it was a beer-cabbage breath special tonight. Marcel was in the middle of saying something, but her distracted brain got worse with the simultaneous entrance (or exit, rather) of another mercenary. Forget pub bashes—this is a full-on family reunion. The party ends and they’re still talking. Am I going to have to sit through another war re-telling? Think of some excuse, Adele! You’re going to die here if you don’t leave! You’re going to die young and pretty and so full of regrets and these guys are still going to be chatting. Was there a way to detach herself without being rude? Did she care about being rude at this point? Adele’s back began to sink down against the wall, only for her hand to relax just enough to drop her notebook. She blinked and bent down to pick it up, only to notice a pair of boots that weren’t Ramzi’s. They had to belong to the last person exiting the pub, but… no way. Those taut calves? It was so wrong, but what could she do besides follow the rest of the guy’s leg up to his face as she stood back up? Maybe it was because she’d just been socializing with two veterans, or maybe it was because she was feeling something other than frustration for the first time that evening, but this guy was something else. It wasn’t the leather armor (a common sight among mercenaries), but the way he wore it with that lanky, confident sort of gait. And that sash! Since when did anyone besides her have a fashion sense beyond armor practicality? He’s totally looking at me and I’m ogling! Crap! Play it smooth, Adele! After all, it wasn’t like she hadn’t done this sort of thing before. At the academy, most particularly in the engineering department, she ran into guys all the time, even dated a few. She knew the look he was giving her and she knew how to start a recovery after that awkward little gawk session. The trick was not to stare and not to shyly avert her gaze, either. She tilted her head slightly, meeting his gaze innocently and speaking with her eyes, “Yeah, you’re not so bad, either..” Then she turned her head to pretend that she was listening to Djonn as he piped up again. She got the impression that he was saying something about being old again, but was a little bit distracted by the blue pair of eyes that made the cold suddenly not so cold. Enter the what, seventh mercenary now? This was another of the interesting personalities she knew of among the mercenaries—the guy with the weird eye. She’d never asked him directly about the story there, but given the gristly condition of half his face, she wasn’t sure she really wanted to know. For all strange appearances, though, Zacharias was still quite the smooth one, diving into the conversation as casually as if he’d been standing there the whole time. He wasn’t going to get away with that one. “Just to be clear here, not everyone considers standing around guzzling ale a party. I mean, seriously, when was the last time any of you danced with a girl?” Ooch, maybe she was starting off a bit too harsh. She softened her tone a bit before continuing. “Anyways, I’m also concerned about preparations. I haven’t been on caravan duty before and I’ve got a lot to sort through as far as my weaponry is concerned. How do these travel sessions even work? Do we just walk all day?”

Totem

I'm glad we got you in, too, Hank! My question for the time being is... how exactly are we working turns, here? I'm eager to post, but I don't want to do so at the exclusion of others. Neon, did you want to post before I do? And... Clark, were you going to post again, or shall I continue on with my own post? Also, I was really bored and was imagining everything out thus far in my brain. I realized that I don't actually know where most of your characters are standing in relation to Adele, and so I made up this little diagram. I find things like this very helpful when there's a lot going on. Hopefully y'all agree with this suuuuper artful rendering.