NekoKyu

In Secret We Lie: Still Accepting, In Need of Humans

𝕀𝕟 𝕊𝕖𝕔𝕣𝕖𝕥 𝕎𝕖 𝕃𝕚𝕖 ł₦ ₴Ɇ₵ⱤɆ₮ ₩Ɇ ⱠłɆ

Source: Erik Sanders

Once every four decades, a grand feast is held for the gods. At these feasts, humans are blessed with the chance to serve them. It's an opportunity that is considered a great honor! Every human above the age of ten has the chance to be presented with glory and prestige. Before the feast is to occur, humans across the lands are chosen randomly by draw from each kingdom. If they accept the call, a carriage will arrive to escort the blessed individuals chosen. The humans will then board a boat to the Palace of the Gods, a mysterious castle on an island that only appears during the year of the celebration. Before arriving, the humans will be cleaned and groomed to perfection. They will be taught how to interact with and serve the Gods. They will be memorize every known room and every hallway within the Palace. They will be shaped into the best servants to the Gods for the month-long celebration. In return, they will gain honor and fame for their family, and will find a future full of new opportunities awaiting them.

Except….

…The Gods have a little secret. The truth is, they aren't actually gods at all. They are, in truth, monsters. In ancient times, they were hunted down by humans and slaughtered. There was no peace as humans and supernatural waged war against each other. They were already quite few and rare, but the war devastated their numbers to a dwindling speck. They went into hiding after a time, long enough that their presence was almost forgotten. Then a few of these beings reemerged and discovered that by posing as gods the humans would worshiped them instead of trying to destroy them. The news spread quickly among the supernatural, and eventually every monster became accepted as a God by the humans. Life became easy–enjoyable, even, after that. But while they certainly enjoy the gifts and feasts, they must take great care during this grand month-long feast to not let any of the humans know what they really are, or else the tragic wars might begin again...​

TLDR

There is an elegant palace standing isolated on a beautiful island. This palace belongs to the gods, and every four decades there is a grand feast held here in honor of the Gods and Goddesses. A selection of some lucky humans are chosen to attend these feasts as servants to cater to the gods. This is viewed as an incredible honor. The lucky humans are sent to the island several months before the event and trained before the gods’ arrival. However, those they serve are not really gods. They are actually monsters posing as gods to avoid being massacred. Will they be able to keep their secret hidden from the humans, or will the humans discover the truth and reveal it to the world?

What An Honor: A Human's Guide to Serving the Gods

During the festival, humans are considered as always working. However, so long as there are no Gods in need of immediate serving, then it is permissible to take a break. Just make sure to stay out of sight of the Gods during that time, or you will be expected to start serving them again immediately.

If, for one reason or another, you are unable to work for a time, you must stay in the Servant's Living Quarters. Make sure that you let a Supervisor or Coordinator know, or that you responsibly hand your duties over to another servant for the time that you will be unavailable.

It is of crucial importance that you not be visible to the Gods when you are not working. Failure to adhere could very well result in your expulsion from the island, and will mar you in the eyes of human society, forever stunting your future.

In addition, God's may at any time choose a servant to start working as their Personal Attendant. This is a great honor; congratulations! This is the highest rank available. Please report the change to a Supervisor. You will receive a new uniform befitting you rank, and a new room in the main building closer to the God's Quarter. Maintain this rank until the end of the festival, and opportunities galore will await you: the Chosen of the God.

History of the War

How long ago were the wars between humans and supernatural creatures, and what important events happened during this time?

Throughout ancient history, there has always been unrest between mankind and monsters. Random attacks were always happening, and any creatures found hiding among humans were promptly chased out and usually killed. About 8,000 years ago, events began to grow more bloodied as towns of humans and towns of monsters would attack one another. Battles would spark across the land, but the dreaded war did not officially start until roughly 7,000 years ago.

This war was started by 7 brothers, charismatic kings who held a firm belief that all monsters needed to be exterminated. They rallied the other kingdom behind them and actively began hunting down all creatures and destroying their towns. Many supernaturals wanted to find a new land away from humans, and they might have if it hadn't been for the Great Commanders.

The Great Commanders were five powerful supernatural creatures that fiercely believed in fighting against the humans for the right to their homeland. They were Ewan the Buggane, an intelligent and giant mole-like creature with fearsome claws and with tusks who was largely believed to have been sent on behalf of the faeries, Alucio the Cherufe, a powerful warrior formed of rock and magma and capable of causing earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, constant companions Zephyra the Harpy and Otaktay the Thunderbird, riders of the harsh winds and harbingers of storms, and Murdock the Selkie, a dangerous shapeshifting seal that plagued the seas and commanded the waters. Together, these five led their armies against the humans.

The war might have been easily won, if it hadn't been for the human's secret weapon: witches. Although witches were considered monsters, they were seen as a necessary evil in order to defeat the other monsters.

It was a violent and devastating war, the worst of which were during the first five hundred years. Things began to turn badly for the supernaturals when the cleverest of the Great Commanders, Ewan was killed. His death was soon followed by Zephyra and Otaktay. With three of their leaders gone and resources and warrior morale running low, it wasn't long before Alucio too fell to the hands of humans. Murdock was the last Commander left, but he mysteriously vanished under unknown circumstances, with many believing him to be dead or grievously injured.

With the Great Commanders gone and no one left to carry on in their stead, the war slowly grew quiet. The war had lasted roughly 1,000 years, but eventually the creatures gave up. Many fled while others tried to hide or disguise themselves as humans. It wasn't until nearly 5,000 years ago that the "discovery" of gods was made, although it is unknown by whom.

The Great Commanders

Alucio The Cherufe:

Charismatic and proud, Alucio was largely considered the main leader of the commanders. He was very involved in both war and recovery efforts, and generally agreed upon as personable and likable. He cared greatly for his fellow supernaturals. He was especially close to Ewan, and was left very shaken with the Buggane's death.

Then Zephyra and Otaktay were also killed, and his bravado and spirit became broken. He tried to push through for the soldiers that still followed and believed in him, but each new loss or defeat only broke him more. He once had high hopes and dreams, but the war destroyed that part of him.

In the end, he and his army were tracked down and surrounded. Unwilling to allow even more souls to be sacrificed for his escape, he gave up. His death is considered to be the true defeat of the monster army.

---

Ewan The Buggane:

Nicknamed the Messenger of the Faeries, Ewan was the brains and strategist of the supernatural war front. He actually almost never spoke more than maybe one or two words ever in a conversation, if at all. Most of his communication was through trust and understanding, but somehow that worked. He was widely acknowledged as brilliant and efficient. He had only ever had one failure in his commander career, and unfortunately that failure was fatal.

It was a mission to infiltrate one of the main human kingdoms through tunnels made underground. What was believed would become the victory blow against humans turned out to be a trap. The tunnels were flooded with holy water from both ends, leaving Ewan and his army to drown.

---

Zephyra The Harpy:

She was violent and wild, with a temper that was easily triggered. Even many supernaturals feared her anger. However, she was tender hearted and easily swayed by flattery or things she considered cute. And despite her rough edges, she frequently went to great lengths to rescue the weak or defenseless. She was especially liked by children, and she had dreams of having a large family with her life partner: Otaktay.

She left most of the planning to her fellow commanders, as her preference was to just wing it. She and Otaktay were normally a team effort on most missions. They were very widely acknowledged as a couple of lovebirds. Zephyra specifically specialized in aerial combat and ambush maneuvers. Her army was small, but incredibly mighty and fierce.

She fell alongside her husband. Ewan's death had not yet been verified yet, and they had received a tip of his supposed whereabouts. Believing him still alive, they rushed to his rescue. It was, of course, a trap. Although the battle involved the sacrifice of many, the humans ultimately won and slayed the pair.

---

Source: Galecoroco

Otaktay The Thunderbird:

He was actually very charming and quite popular with many women as well, but he was loyal to his wife Zephyra. If anything, it was more than likely he liked it when Zephrya would drag him away: he loved her wild and angry side. As such, many agreed it was just a game they liked to play to show affection to one another.

He was also very clever, with an eye for noticing details that others miss. He was especially skilled in reconnaissance, surveillance, and intercepting. He prioritizes self preservation and has a talent for finding points of escape. Normally calm and collected, he really would only lose his cool if it came to the safety of his wife.

He and Zephyra were defeated when they became embroiled in a trap. They were following information on Ewan's possible survival. During their final battle, Otaktay had several opportunities to flee, but he never considered it for a moment. Abandon his wife? Not even if his heart stopped beating! And it did, when he tried to shield his beloved from the onslaught that ultimately took their lives.

---

Source: Fenrae-l

Murdock the Selkie:

He was jovial, with a love for good food and alcohol. He enjoyed partying with others and joking with friends. Whenever things got dark, it was he who always managed to rebuild everyone's spirits. Despite his carefree attitude, he was a surprisingly serious and thoughtful commander.

He normally took charge in battles over seas, being especially well suited to the task. He was also adept at cutting of supplies and transportation efforts for humans, as well as ensuring the safe delivery of supplies to the supernaturals.

While all the other Great Commanders fell to the hands of humans, Murdock alone still remained. However, rather than continue the war efforts, he mysteriously vanished. There were rumors that he got grievously injured and perished, but nothing was ever confirmed. Not only did Murdock disappear, but so did many of his wives and children. His (and their) current whereabouts and status are unknown.

FAQ

Q: What time period is the roleplay set in?
A: The roleplay is not set within a specific time period. It's more of an anachronism stew (anachronistic meaning 'not in its correct historical or chronological time). It's probably most similar to 17th/18th/19th century, but even that's not entirely accurate. Definitely NOT modern though.

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Q: What sort of technology is there in the roleplay?
A: The strong belief in the existence of the gods held by society has left scientific and technological advancements a bit stunted, since anything too news breaking could potentially reveal the false gods for what they truly are. The land is pretty largely dependant on agriculture still, with the biggest advancement of technology being the development of domestic systems and mills. A lot of things are pretty much done by hand, especially since there's no such thing as electricity or mass-producing factories. Steampower hasn't even been founded yet for example, although it might be within another decade or so. And since the land is pretty much dependant on agriculture, much of the raw materials needed are mined or grown from within the country. However, there does exist some trading among neighboring countries.

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Q: Do other countries share the same beliefs, or do they have a different religion?
A: The neighboring countries too follow a similar belief with gods that are really just monsters, but they might just follow a different set of gods. There always exists the possibility these different sets of gods could still be the exact same gods though, just that they might have wanted to try out a new title. Then there's also the chance that people start to believe that two different gods are actually the same god with a different form/name. Some of the gods have likely come up with all sorts of way to have fun with their divine statuses. As to countries that are separated from the land by say, an ocean, those lands have yet to be discovered so it is unknown what sort of belief those countries might have.

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Q: What sort of fashion is in the roleplay?
A: There would be no such thing as machines yet (unless hand cranked or something similar), so things such as graphic tee shirts would not exist. Clothes would be made of handmade fabric, which would mean any fabric that is elaborately decorated or difficult to make would be very expensive and thus considered to be of high status. So in quality, they would be similar to Georgian and Stuart era fashions, but in style they could be of any potential fashion, including a style that would be similar to today. Much of what would be considered fashionable in this roleplay would be determined by the gods, so the possibilities are endless. Also, the servants will all be provided with a clean set of clothes deemed appropriate to be worn for serving and working for the gods, and the higher in status a servant is (for example, the uniform of supervisors or a god's personal servant) then the more expensive and high status their clothes would be (but never a higher status than the gods of course).

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Q: What happened to the witches involved in the war?
A: Witches were largely unaccepted by both humans and monsters, since humans viewed them as unnatural and creatures perceived them to still be essentially human. When the war began, they knew that they too would be hunted and killed by both sides. They sided with the humans as a way to avoid this fate, and fought in the war for about 800 years before suddenly vanishing a short time after Murdock's disappearance. It's possible that, since they were still hated by humans and would never be accepted by monsters for their involvement in the war, they founded their own villages in secret before the humans could potentially make their inevitable betrayal.

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Q: Why are humans unaware of the war?
A: Much of the history of war has been lost to the destruction. Furthermore, any remain texts of the tragic history are written in a language that has long been forgotten. There are also many gods that actively attempt to destroy any evidence or resurfacing of information about the war and the existence of monsters.

---

Q: What exactly is the "Chosen of the Gods"?
A: Chosen of the Gods is a generic title for Servants picked to become a Personal Attendant. It's a stand in for a possible future title or career that the human may follow. Some will be hailed as Saints, Messengers, Warriors, or any number of titles. Some may lead the temple, others may lead a village. There are even a few that have launched businesses!Of course, keep in mind that the title isn't actually true. It is only the human's preference in how they interpret the whims of the Not God. The selection of a Personal Attendant is also something that must be established in character. The Gods and this year's humans haven't met yet, so they couldn't possibly have picked a Personal Attendant already.

---

Q: How long have monsters been worshiped as Gods?
A: They first emerged as Gods roughly 5,000 years ago. No one really knows who successfully pulled off this incredibly long heist first. But by this point in history, their identities as Gods is very firmly established. Humans aren't suspicious because there's nothing currently available to even cultivate suspicions (yet). That's on purpose.

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Q: Can I have my human character know that the Gods are fake?
A: I would prefer not. This secret is something I would prefer to be discovered IC, as in in character during the roleplay. It's kind of the whole plot and reason that this was born. Plus, I have events planned that really only work with the humans being unaware for the time being. The time to learn the truth will come, I promise!

Rules

• You must be 18+. No exceptions. The plot is pretty tame in my opinion, but I am not comfortable participating in a roleplay with minors. I expect that other adults that have joined also feel the same.

• Romance is allowed, but any smut/ERP must go to DMs or fade to black.

• No one liners. One liners don’t have substance for people to reply to. Posts don’t need to be long, but they do need to have enough details and depth that other members can easily build off of and respond to. I expect at least 1 paragraph, but I would love and encourage more.

• No godmoding or powerplay without permission from the other writers involved.

• No perfect characters/flat characters/mary-sues/gary stus. Flaws make a character interesting! Plus, we are a community! Your character shouldn’t be the center of everything ever. Share the spotlight!

• Keep OoC civil. Roleplay groups can only function if all members work together to preserve the unity. If you can’t be respectful, then perhaps rp groups aren't the most suited environment for you.

• Feel free to make as many characters as you like so long as you can handle them all. Only two Gods per member at this time though. Human slots are unlimited!

• No faeries. Specifically, no miniature winged humanoid creatures. Other types of fae creature are allowed.

• Characters can be a "god" presiding over anything (Examples: intelligence, fire, roses, 7 o'clock, the blue star). Get creative.

• More than one character can be a "god" over the same concept/thing/etc. Many might be a God of Death, but each might be considered a highly specific version or aspect of death. For example: Hades is King of the dead, Thanatos is (non-violent) death, Geras is old age (type of death), and Ker is (violent) death. No need to specify, but do keep this in mind should another member make a god presiding over the same thing as your character.

• No time limit for posts, but do keep communication open. If you are unable to respond for some time, let the group know. If someone hasn’t communicated IC or OoC for at least 2 weeks, I will check up with them just to make sure that everything is alright.

• In exchange for no exact time limit, there is a community time limit. What I mean is that someone in the group must make a post within 2 weeks of the last post. It doesn't matter who. There can be exceptions, such as if everyone involved is busy and communicates as such, but if there is no communication from anyone and no posts as well, then I will start to investigate if the rp group is dead.

• If members feel like they are too busy for a time duration to be active within this roleplay, but do not wish to drop either, then they can always have me place their characters within a limbo state until they should be able to return. I will try to make any and all accommodations that I can.

• We're still figuring things out. Let us know if something crops up and we’ll do our best to handle it.

I consider myself a semi-lit/advanced roleplayer, but I haven't done so in years. I got the itch to roleplay again, so I'm currently in search of a new rp forum to call my home. This roleplay is marked as 18+ because I am an adult with irl responsibilities. I am not comfortable being in a roleplay group that has underage members. I'm sure you are wonderful writers, but this is a boundary that I will enforce with the belief it will keep the environment safe and stress free for all.

In Secret We Lie is a remake of an old rp idea of mine from a different rp forum. I would be extremely surprised if someone recognizes it, but if you do feel free to say hi even if you don't intend on joining.

I, again, haven't roleplayed in years. If this gets enough interest to launch then I intend to make a Discord to go alongside it. Discord is new territory for me, so if there is someone who has more experience and would want to take me under their wing I would love it immensely.

Hoping to find some like-minded folks that would be interested in my idea.

I went ahead and created a roleplay thread. I also think I have successfully made a discord server along side it as well?

@NekoKyu

Beyond the Gate at World's End

How could I have somehow missed this? Oh well, I'm still here and willing. ^_^

Beyond the Gate at World's End

Group #4
Location: Willow Tree Field || Action: Escaping Illusion, Inspecting self || Mood: Curious--> Cautious

Interacting with: Wakana Sakura @Tenma Tendo mostly, wondering about Diane Edelweiss @Moonlit Sonata

Rowen stumbled as she tried to steady herself, her vision flickering with the sudden change. Her eyes took a moment to adjust as her mind struggled to separate the two images before her. On one hand, she could see the smooth clean glass walls of the train, a fierce battlefield stretching out around them. On the other hand, she could see a sky alight with colours, and a grand willow tree whose leaves swayed gently above her. It was a strange experience, a feeling that tickled her brain and bridled her excitement.

What can I do with this? Wen thought to herself. She deeply wanted to explore the new possibilities that had been laid out before her, but would it be safe to do so? Who knew what sort of dangerous could be lurking. She was split, not only in a mental sense but in an emotional sense as well. As she argued internally over the choices, a voice pulled her back to the train.

"H-Help..."

"Oh no, she's crying," Rowen sighed, as she tucked her bird back into the safety of her jacket. She may have still been mad with him for keeping a secret, but she still liked him enough to want to protect him. "Hey, hey—" Wen called out to the girl, when suddenly the train began to crack. Twisted fractures crawled up along the sides, when Rowen realized it wasn't just the train that was cracking. A fracture danced up her arm and splintered across her chest, with more stamping across her remaining limbs before the whole world shattered with a dreadful chorus.

The illusion fled in a haze, taking with it the strange experience it had granted Rowen for a short while. Instead, she was back to full consciousness, with only a tree to welcome her back. She reached up to touch the jelly which had trapped her, and found its life fading in her grip. "Aww, it died," she observed out loud, her voice more curious than sympathetic. "Is it a creature of the Beyond?" Rowen asked no one in particularly, merely voicing her thoughts as she let it plop onto the ground and began to poke it lightly with a stick.

Once she was sure that it was truly dead though, she turned her attention back to her surrounding. Her mind replayed the memories of the train crash as she looked over the wreckage. What could have caused the crash? And more importantly, was she injured or missing anything? Her fingers quickly searched her body and clothes as she tried to insure that everything was as it should be.

As she continued her inspection, she spotted Glasses and gave the girl a quick wave. She couldn’t tell whether this version and the version in the illusion were one and the same, but if the red haired bespectacled girl was here, then maybe the white haired lady was as well?

Starkissed

@Mae Hmm, for player's choice I think I shall allow her to have one (1) friend. After that I confirm~

Starkissed

@Mae You're telling me, I've never been on this side of the RRA before. Three sounds like a perfectly reasonable number for Altaira though, so I'm good to continue onward!

Beyond the Gate at World's End

Group #4
Location: Rowen's Compartment || Action: Denying entrance, Trying to free the mind || Mood: Excited--> Frustrated--> Annoyed

Interacting with: Wakana Sakura @Tenma Tendo, Diane Edelweiss @Moonlit Sonata, Bird [NPC], & Train

Just what was the strange white haired girl blathering on about? It was something to do with feeling words and other pretty prose. This girl sure did chatter on with lots of flowery words, that was for sure. From what Rowen could tell, it sounded as if she was refusing to answer the riddle, although she took a rather roundabout way of saying so. What was with the need to drag it out for so long? She could have just as easily said no.

...Unless she was stalling! That had to be it, this girl must actually be acting as a diversion, but also absolutely terrible at riddles. And if she was trying to distract Rowen, that must mean she was planning something. Something to get inside, like perhaps blowing up the door...

"Get down!" Rowen shouted towards Glasses as she hid her bird within her jacket again and swiftly slid underneath the nearest seat for cover. She braced herself for the explosion, but it never came. Instead, she heard the useless wiggling of the locked doorknob.

"Heh," Rowen chuckled softly, before it grew into full laughter. She crawled out from under her cover and popped her head back into the window. "It would seem I overestimated you. Didn't you want to get inside? Or is that not where your voyage leads?" Rowen teased, her grin hidden underneath her mask. As odd as this girl was, at least she kept Rowen entertained from the long monotonous train ride.

Wait… the train?

Rowen's thoughts grabbed frantically at her, dragging her through darkness and into a beautiful scenery of dancing lights and a grand old tree. The image was transcendent almost, ethereal in her mind's eye. That's right, Rowen remembered, the train to World's End… Frustrated that she had somehow been tricked into forgetting, she swatted away at the air above her head with her free hand.

Rowen lifted her fledgling bird up to eye level and fixed him beneath a brown gaze. "Did you know this whole time?" she asked, although why she was indulging in the distraction was another matter. Then again, everything around her was a distraction. The train, the noises, and perhaps even the people. For all she knew, the people were in on it too, keeping her mind at bay whilst those things—

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Tick.

"Be quiet," Rowen muttered lowly, her thoughts trying to break through the infernal ticking and onto a real solution. Time was limited, she knew that, she didn't need some sick reminder constantly ticking all around her. "Just shut up," she growled at the train again, her voice slightly more forceful than before.

Starkissed

Color me intensely interested! <3

Beyond the Gate at World's End

Group #4
Location: Rowen's Compartment || Action: Feeding time, Pretend time || Mood: Cautious--> Playful

Interacting with: Bird [NPC], Wakana Sakura @Tenma Tendo, and Diane Edelweiss @Moonlit Sonata

"Gross..." The bespectacled girl replied as she held out her bag with what appeared to be green kidney beans. Rowen snatched a couple of them up, and sniffed them gingerly. They seemed to be nothing more than harmless, edible kidney beans. Just… jumping. Was this truly what the girl had came in running and screaming from?

It must have been, as the girl then proceeded to make herself comfortable as she sat down and pulled out a notebook, no longer afraid. As she began to scribble down something inside it, the jumping of the girl's kidney beans gave Rowen an idea. She pulled out a bean and squished it into a paste between her thumb and forefinger. She glanced cautiously at the glasses girl, before she gently pulled her newfound fledgling out from hiding. "He's mine," Rowen quickly mumbled, in case the girl had any thoughts of stealing him.

Wen held a finger full of bean paste before the bird's beak. He chirped hungrily as he inspected it, but he seemed hesitant to eat it. "Chirp, chirp," Rowen chirped with soft encouragement. It worked, and the fledgling began to eat. Just as Wen was finishing feeding him, the other girl had finished writing as well and had unflinchingly pushed her notebook in front of Rowen's face.

Surprisingly, the Dominion girl was unfazed, instead intrigued by the other girl's set of action as her brown eyes stared forward at the words scribbled on the page before her. Glasses has already proved she was capable of speaking, so why was she insisting on writing instead? She must not like to speak out loud for some reason... "What does it say?" Rowen asked curiously. She leaned her head so that her gaze peered around the notebook and instead at Glasses. But just then, Wen heard yet another screaming voice nearing her carriage compartment.

"Don't worry, prospective sidekick! Your salvation is at hand!"

"Play along," Rowen quickly whispered to Glasses, a flash of excitement in her eyes, before she hurriedly scrambled back over to the conjoining door. She pulled it shut and locked it, then spoke in a deep and dramatic voice. "You are too late!" Wen shouted back. "If you wish to enter my domain, then you must first pass my test! You must answer… my riddle."

Beyond the Gate at World's End

Group #4
Location: Rowen's Compartment || Action: Bird training, bird protecting || Mood: Bored--> Curious--> Defensive

Interacting with: Bird [NPC], Wakana Sakura @Tenma Tendo

Rowen sighed deeply. The initial excitement she had felt when she had first boarded the train had faded away, replaced with boredom and apathy. It felt like she had been on this rolling metal box for ages—literally days. In fact, exactly how long had she been on this train anyway? Time had become some sort of monotonous blur.

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

The young woman's brows furrowed together. She looked around curiously to find the source of the noise, only to realize that her carriage compartment had stretched out much larger than when she first arrived. And there was an unfamiliar door as well. Her curiosity was immediately tickled. Rowen was just a half second away from lifting herself off her seat, when she felt something land atop her head. "Hmm?" Dagny reached her hands up, her fingers finding something very soft and warm. She lifted the squishy little thing gently in front of her, and found herself facing a small blue and orange bird.

"Chirp! Chirp! Chirp!" The creature sang before her.

"Chirp! Chirp!" Rowen replied back, a smile hidden underneath her mask. It seemed to be no more than a fledgling, but even a brief inspection couldn't reveal to her its breed. She searched around her compartment for its nest, thinking that somehow a bird had built one on the train and the baby had fallen out, but as she expected there was none.

"Just where did you come from, little one?" She asked it quietly. The bird answered her with more chirps. With no home to return it to and what would likely soon become a very hungry baby, Wen had only one choice. She would have to adopt it. First step: getting the bird to imprint on her.

But before she could fully begin the journey to bird mom, a bespectacled girl with orange hair came screeching into her compartment. Wen immediately hid her baby bird defensively within her jacket, her body tense with the expectation of danger. That's why the girl was fleeing, right? Because of danger? "What is it?" Rowen asked the girl almost quietly.

Beyond the Gate at World's End

"Sometimes you just gotta run... And if you're being chased by a monster, then you really gotta run."

Rowen Dagny Sigrid

Rowen Dagny Sigrid • 18 • September 9th • Female • Heteroflexible • The Dominion

• Ro, Wen, Dagger •

Appearance:

Rowen Dagny stands at 5'5" exactly, and no taller. She has a decent amount of muscle tone, yet not so much that she wouldn't be capable of hiding it. She has a light scar across her neck, but otherwise appears to be in perfect condition. Her ears are unmarred and she bears no signs of having ever worn any jewelry and appears to have no intention of doing so either. She's casual and comfortable, and can often be found wearing non restrictive yet fitted clothing. This usually means jeans or shorts and a loose jacket. Despite no longer needing it, she is almost always wearing a gas mask over her mouth. She claims it's due to an embarrassing birthmark above her lips.

Rowen Dagney also has a rather sweet face, although you wouldn't know it with the mask she usually wears. Her expression is framed by haphazard strands of short green hair, although it's certainly not uncommon to see her hair pulled back into a small ponytail. Green is not her original hair color, as she was originally born with black hair. Her eyes are a reddish brown, almost rust like in their appearance.

Personality:

Despite her appearance, Rowen Dagney is an incredibly upbeat girl. She seems quiet and aloof, but she's actually rather enthusiastic and adventurous, being ever the type to explore the newest discovery. She's the kind of person who loves to try new things and learn about the world around her. She's brimming with a constant source of energy and excitement. She can also be a bit of a trickster, and has been known to use her misleading appearance to fool others. She's a joking and sociable girl with what seems to be a child-like naivety, and has no problem approaching the most suspicious of strangers. As such, many would consider Rowen to be incredibly ignorant and vulnerable. Her constant exuberance makes her a liability, her every action a risk. She appears to jump headfirst into danger without a second thought or--worst of all--without fear.

The truth is, every behavior of Rowen Dagny's is carefully calculated. She never steps into a situation without the fullest confidence in her capabilities--although some might say she is overconfident in that regard. While her attitude suggests at a girl who is too gullible and far too trusting, she is actually perhaps the most distrusting of all. While her lips lure in companions and relax their guards with sweet words and charming laughter, her mind is working away at deciphering the secrets before her. She is constantly searching for clues, and is unafraid of doing what she needs to in order to discover the truth. She has the ability to devour vasts amount of information while simultaneously acting as if she knows nothing at all.