Meiyuki

Amongst the Lonesome- A return to Santa Somabra [Fantasy Noir]

Name/Nickname: Lorelai "Princess" Von'Strauss

Appearance: Lorelai appears to be a pretty young woman in her late teens with sandy blonde hair and pale grey eyes. Her figure is petite but generously endowed, and lends itself towards a 'cute' image over a 'sexy' one, although the right ensemble can change that depending on what she has planned for the evening. What's off putting about her are her cold, dead, eyes. They've seen the rise and fall of nations, Lorelai let go of her humanity a long time ago, and if you know what you're looking for, her eyes betray that fact.

Race: Vampire

Age: 750

Personality: Where does the mask end and the woman begin? That's hard to say even for Lorelai herself. She conducts herself as a bright, outgoing, even bubbly young lady in public. In private however she's more given to a dry wit, mild cruelty, and a taste for hedonistic pleasures that few can match. Anyone getting close to her has to accept that these differing, almost contradictory persona are both real, in rare circumstances one of her faces may peek through the other. This has lead to a unlife devoid of many close assosiates, as the two masks are jarring to say the least.

Lorelai would tell anyone who asks that "when you get as old as I do, motivations become pointless, I work to feed so I can live another night, so I can eat some more. It's really that simple, and that depressing." That's somewhat the truth, Lorelai has discovered the truth behind the vampiric exsistence. Given to long term manipulations and intricate shadow games younger vampires like to believe that their life has some intrinsic goal in mind. Boil it all down though and it's simple, primitive survival, when you live potentially forever you need a large power base to ensure your needs are met for what could be all time. Lorelai feels most of the time as if she's simply going through the motions of life, from greeting associates to feeding on hot blood it seems like the years are flowing by like motes of dust.

Bio: Lorelai was embraced sometime in the 1200's, the specifics are lost on her and largely irrelevant now. Her sire was a local vampiric aristocrat, and as a matter of fact still is, so Lorelai wanted for nothing. She was predisposed to languishing around her sire's castle in her youth, bemoaning the fact that she had to hurt people to live. Her sire doted on her and ensured that Lorelai had a plentidude of distractions, tutors on any subject that tickled her fancy, live music around the clock, a long line of maidens from the local villages to act as companions and sometimes objects of affection. Lorelai even became talented in mind magic, and learned some basic shapeshifting in that time.

Eventually she, like most vampires do, learned to accept her nature. Other people had to bleed for her to survive, that was never going to change, so why not just accept it and learn to enjoy it? So she distanced herself from humanity, thinking of them as toys at best, and cattle at worst, instead of people. The classic tragedy of the vampire completed, her life settled into a nice exsistence of terrorizing the local villages with her sire, kidnapping young maidens to keep as entertainment, and persuing a large catalogue of intellectual disciplines. The superior stength, speed, and regenerative abilities she was entitled to continued to grow as she passed from new blood, to vampire, to the veritable Methuselah she is today.

Then fifty years ago something happened to shake her from her comfortable dirge, one of the maidens she captured stole her heart. A beautiful elven girl, her and her sire had quite the fight over feeding privledges. In the end Lorelai won, her persistence and her sire's propensity for indulging his protege won out. Lorelai had learned that elves make the best servants over her near seven centuries of unlife, and quickly went about finding task suited for her new pet. Much to Lorelai's astonishment she discovered that the elf was a bright woman, and a truly talented artist and musician.

It wasn't long before her new flame was walking down corridors in Lorelai's heart that hadn't been touched in centuries. It was an exhilarating time, for the first time in recent history Lorelai was looking at a living person as just that, a person. She even regained her grasp on time, months felt like months not moments. Alas, it was not meant to last. One night she and her sire had to abandon the castle she grew up in, fleeing into the night with a mob of locals at their heels. That castle wasn't the only one they'd owned however, so the loss was minimal. What stung far worse was the betrayal, her newfound love had been the one to open the doors for them. Lorelai fell into a spiraling depression after that. Only rising at night long enough to eat as much as she needed to survive decades slid by as moments and soon her sire began to worry.

It was decided she'd vacation in South Sombra, evidently her sire had friends there that would see that she was comfortable. While the city had become a rather seedy destination in recent years it bustled with a messy sense of life that few cities could match. As she stepped off the private jet she'd taken here her servants hurried about the task of packing her effects into the waiting car. She took a deep breath, perhaps this is just what she needed.

Amongst the Lonesome [Player Drive]

@DJAtomikaThank you

The Chronicles of Dosei: Sands of Blood, A Dungeons and Dragons Roleplay. (Full)

@EWilldenNice!

Amongst the Lonesome [Player Drive]

@KingfisherSo, sold, where do I drop my CS?

Spells of the Night (Closed for Now) [16+]

@SillyGoy Agreed, Ideally if we can get things moving sufficiently we could get the hunters introducted to the hunters. Witches introduced to the witches (Mostly done other than fey for what's available) and characters introduced to their 'partner'. Add in a couple scenes exploring the individual relationships beyond introductions, and we've got quite a bit of content to explore before an 'event'. That requires that we keep things moving to the best of our ability. Hopefully Karl will be able to find a remedy for the fact that some of the characters are currently mid interaction with some of Kitten's characters.

I'm considering having Lorelai take a walk in the woods after a couple of posts between, to gather some supplies and what not. That would serve to deeper explore the relationships and types of banter between her and the characters that join her, and take a look at some of the places and what she thinks of them. Also possibly get in a small scrape, which is always good for drama.

I do hope we'll be able to generate some 'direction' as best we can until word comes down, but of course this can't continue indefinately. I'm sure Karl will have some solutions when he posts, and if anyone has an idea for an interaction with Lorelai or would like to murder her familiar for kicks feel free to PM me and we can probably orchestrate it. Or just post of course, either way.

The Chronicles of Dosei: Sands of Blood, A Dungeons and Dragons Roleplay. (Full)

@EWilldenI'm doing well enough. Last day of the week for me so I'm looking forward to a relaxing three day weekend.

The Chronicles of Dosei: Sands of Blood, A Dungeons and Dragons Roleplay. (Full)

Alyssa nearly coughed up the water she'd been drinking as Vivian's...what do you call that? Advance? Flirtation? Cleverly couched offer? In the end Alyssa decided that A: it didn't really matter all that much what you call it. and B: It was probably somewhere between an offer and a flirtation.

"You'll have to show me your fireball soon. I'm sure that would be even more impressive." She had thought her flirtations with Vivian would be met with amusement at best derision at worst, instead it seemed her bedroll might be quite warm tonight in spite of the desert night.

Partnering up with Vivian sounded fantastic. As outgoing as she was Alyssa tended toward maintaining a good amount of distance from others, born a slave she was slow to really trust, Vivian and the rest of their little rag-tag group had just done one of the very few things that generally relaxed her. It wasn't hard to judge the character of a person when they fight, Catarina was quick to protect the physically weaker amongst them, Jarvis was straightforward and decisive, Malkai was accustomed to fighting alone, The new orc was bloodthirsty, Xavio was a greedy idiot, and Vivian was quick to dispatch the immediate threat and look for who needs help. They were hardly a coordinated unit, but that came with time.

Not to mention the faint stirring of...admiration was the safer word, infatuation might be dangerous, she had for Vivian. Quick to joke when it was time for that, serious when the situation demanded, a general interest in adventuring for adventure's sake. She could sign on to that.

"That sounds perfect, I could do with someone watching my back who actually seems to care if it gets filled with metal. I don't have many friends either, I tend to move around alot. Not sure why you wouldn't have any friends, you seem friendly and capable."

Riding on ahead Alyssa scanned the horizon with more scrutiny than she had been previously. The trick was to make sure you allowed your eyes rest between peeks and to actually keep them closed as much as you can. Specks could be recognized with a brief glance, it was more important that the lookout prevent their eyes from getting fatigued by the glare coming off the sand.

Spells of the Night (Closed for Now) [16+]

Lorelai Von'Strauss

Lorelai leaned into Alexina's touch, she had a talent for alleviating the pain that no one ever had. She had wondered whether the twisting effects of the dark powers flowing through her lost their grip in the presence of her lover's touch, but was that specific to Alexina? Or to their love? With any luck she'd never get the chance to find out.

Indeed, the thought had occurred to her that she could simply trade her life for those of her sisters. Lorelai's mother had sent her away when she was young for training, and was hesitant to allow her to return when she became a woman due to her prodigious power. In a way Marian Von'Strauss wasn't so different from Reyna Ruvina, but would her mother have killed her to keep her power safe? She didn't know, she prefered to keep fonder memories at the forefront. What this all meant was this coven was the first and best family she'd known.

One life for many, Hector understood that. She wondered what her old nemesis would have done. Hector was a foolish man to be sure, to face darkness was always foolish. Before there was flame there was darkness, and no matter how bright the light the darkness would return once it faded, light was the illusion, a flickering and fickle thing. Hector was brave and powerful though, and failure to respect that would also be foolish.

Sometimes she missed Hector, the thought that the opportunity to face him in his prime escaped her was depressing. Perhaps she would have died, but the battle would have been all the sweeter. The thought of Fenros approaching, possibly with other hunters, made her fear for her new family and her love. But she'd be lying if she said it didn't also excite her. Ever since Hector died other hunters had seemed dull, simple men, she struck them down with little satisfaction and as much passion as the tide had when it sweeps away children's sand castles.

A real challenge again? After all these years? She felt her heart surge with that rage that she remembered when she was young. She felt the infernal influence all around her, reaching out, offering itself up to her power. Would Fenros taste as sweet? Perhaps the Parisi brothers? She would love to find out.

Her eyes fell on her companions, Hazel a young witch near the beginning of her road to greatness, Vespa a cunning and potent witch already with the potential to be so much more. Then her eyes fell on her love, she scanned her face, committing it to memory.

When you'd lost as much as she had you learned to treat each moment with those you care about as if it might be your last. She impressed the feel on Alexina's hands on her back into her mind. She had a vast library of such moments, the night they met and Alexina stopped her lifeblood from adding to the forest's power, stolen kisses under silvery moonlight, the first time they'd made love.

With an effort she calmed her trembling heart. Sqeezing her love's hand she drug herself back to now. Lorelai simply had too much to lose to be careless, no matter how much it might please her. She turned her mind instead to the task at hand.

"We should use every opportunity we have to increase of supply of sacrifices and other reagents. Vespa, perhaps I could keep an inccubi or succubi ready for you to...absorb power from? Unless you have a better partner in mind of course." Lorelai kissed her love's cheek. "And if there's anything I can do for you my sweet you only need ask." She gave Alexina a look that said both 'I love you' and 'don't you dare die'.

---

Sousiel

---

Sousiel walked towards the little mountain town fuming, to be deposited from her sleeping perch so rudely, and by her Mistress no less. Ever since Lexi had entered the picture she was feeling neglected. She sighed, she was pleased that her Mistress was making powerful allies, and Alexina was certainly among the most powerful of them, but sometimes she missed the days when it was her and Lorelai against the world.

Oh, and armies of demons waiting in the wings, to afraid to disobey her Mistress. She grinned, she wasn't ashamed of the pride she took in Lorelai's power, how could she avoid it? To revel in such hatred, such capacity for destruction, it was intoxicating.

Sousiel was born the day Lorelai was, forged in the pit for the task of acting as her familiar. The Von'Strauss birthright, some of them never took their power beyond that first binding. She remembered the first day Marian had shown her Lorelai, asleep in her cradle as they approached the infant Lorelai stirred already sensitive to the infernal. She knew then she would have to be powerful if she intended to stand next to her witch with any sense of pride. So she rose through the ranks quickly, on the broken bodies of her peers and superiors.

Years later she heard of the fall of the Von'Strauss dynasty, of course well before it happened. Hell knew what was coming long before the witches did. The strangest thing happened though, the word went out to keep it silent. They weren't going to warn the witches. Rumors in the flesh pits were that the Von'Strauss Matriarch had offended the Adversary, King of Shadows for the last time, and that they were keeping the intel to themselves. She hadn't worked so hard to become some simple demon, content to lash tormented souls for all eternity. She made an appeal to The Adversary, she remember how his laugh nearly shook her apart. He said that if she could save my witch she could be bound as planned.

That launched a many month long campaign to ensure Lorelai was out of the picture by the time Hector and his paladins arrived. Marian was already threatened by her daughter's development so it only took a few subtle manipulations to convince her that her bonds with Lorelai needed to be broken, then several more to delay Marian's plan to kill her daughter.

Months later Sousiel met Lorelai for the second time amid the ashes of her family. Grief-stricken the strange girl looked at Sousiel for the first time she would remember and what she offered wasn't a pact, nor was it a demand, Lorelai bound Sousiel as simply as someone stated the sky was blue. That moment was perfect, the first time she felt her Mistress' dominion wash over her, it was like coils of steel wound through her essence, even thinking of resisting made her feel sick inside. From that moment on the two of them went on to slay more hunters than I can count, and bind demons most of the Von'Strauss would have worshipped. Eventually they even slew Hector Digard himself.

To be displaced now by some red headed meatbag whose sole purpose (other than defending Mistress) seemed to be rolling around naked with Lorelai, and generally making her smell like sex or the forest. Suffice it to say it was infuriating.

Sousiel sighed again, she wasn't being entirely fair she supposed. Lexi did save Lorelai's life, and her Mistress did seem to be more at peace with her around, she just wished Mistress would have ended up with someone with more ambition, perhaps Medusa, Electra would have been fine as well. Her and Vespa got along, why not her?

Sousiel finally stopped in front of the mountain village. She spotted her weaker kin out and about. Not all demons were born in the pit, some of them coalesced from the darkness within the hearts of men. Barely useful for anything beyond information she paid them no mind.

Taking on her fully human shape was difficult. Lorelai's power was largely tied up elsewhere, but there were enough of the urge demons about to eat, and she managed it.

Demons had a nose for hunters, each one of them carried a scent that was distinct from normal humans. There's a common misconception that a hunter is just a man that kills witches, but there's a reason there aren't many of them, and why they're all men. Perhaps finding out precisly how many hunters where holed up here would earn her Lorelai's favor again.

She headed to the tavern.

@Aerandir@SillyGoy@Jupiter Hollow@NanoFreakV2@agentmanatee@Vocab

(Sorry for the wall of text, Sousiel needed a backstory apparently.)

The Chronicles of Dosei: Sands of Blood, A Dungeons and Dragons Roleplay. (Full)

Seeing that the fight was well in hand Alyssa fell back on her crossbow. Old reliable barked out bolts at a steady rate, each one finding their mark, more or less.

Once the battle was finished Alyssa took a quick look over her companions to ensure they were alright. Once she that everyone was still healthy she swept a quick 'detect magic' over the orcs, it wasn't likely they were carrying anything of real value, but she wasn't about to miss it if they were. Normally she'd stop to collect whatever coinage they might have, but Jarvis was right, she didn't exactly like their odds against a whole tribe. She did, however pause to admire her ally's handiwork, having seen them in action she was feeling better about this whole endeavor.

She kicked over the orc with the missle hole in him while she was dismounted, cajoling George the camel into chilling out seemed better than having her and Vivian eating sand. "Vivian, if I ever start pissing you off, do remind me before I end up like poor orcy here eh?" She favored Vivian with a grin and a wink before she climbed back on George and urged him off to follow the boar.

Spells of the Night (Closed for Now) [16+]

@Aerandir Hehe don't worry, I'm sure someone will get around to making Fenros' life difficult soon enough.