Current
I mean, some people want to do it for the reason it’s supposed to be for, but it being all but outright mandatory, well.
6 days ago
@Ricky: I never thought about it like that, but it really can be, huh? I checked out the Mormons for a stint, and I can 100% see that being a reason behind them pushing that.
7 days ago
Tricks them into thinking it was their choice, when it was structured for them to fail.
1
like
7 days ago
The Amish doing that strikes me as a psychological way to keep people there. Isolate them > send them out > get culture shock > return to the comfortable rather than figure out a foreign culture.
3
likes
8 days ago
Ashifa: Shoving/forcing the religion on someone isn't what Christianity should be about. I'm sorry if/that that's what's going on for you.
4
likes
Bio
Click Here at Your Own Risk:
Previously Known As: Siaya Dragalorn
Call Me: Riven. What, expecting something else?
Phonetic Pronunciation:rih-vin whyte (like the color)
Time Zone: Central Standard Time (CT) (GMT-6).
Active Hours: I'm an insomniac with an unpredictable schedule. While I prefer being on graveyard shift hours, it changes regularly. Long story short, there's no predicting what time or days I'll be active on here.
Country: United States of America (boo)
Age: How rude! But if it matters to you, I'm over 21.
Writing/Play-by-Post Experience: Well over a decade for both.
Likes + Hobbies: Reading. Writing. The night. Most things fantasy and paranormal. Collecting things (I think I'm part dragon). Creating art (an amazing woman once told me that she and I don't make crafts. Crafts are like coloring books or pre-made kits and their like. What we do is create. We make something from nothing). Gaming (PlayStation for the win!). Wandering old cemeteries. Night walks...
Personality: *Laughs manically.* Personality? Do you really wish to know the personality of someone without a heart? Yes? *Sighs.* Very well, then. I'll recognize there's an advantage in knowing what you're getting into. To try and put me simply, I'm an old soul, and yet I have a semi-teenage personality wrapped in a body occasionally required to masquerade as the adult society says it is. With my rather unusual preferences, I tend to favor media in the Children's/YA sections, though my own writing tends to have dark and violent themes that threatens to tip it over into New Adult content.
Other: ~ If you want to chat and/or roleplay, feel free to message me! ~ Non-LGBT asexual (I will die on the hill that asexuality doesn't belong in the LGBT line-up). Sex-repulsed, to be specific, and yet I'm a closet romantic. Because, yes, there's a difference between smut and romance.
~ Rise of the Guardians ~ Nightmare Before Christmas ~ Harry Potter ~ Merlin (2008) ~ Warehouse 13 ~ Spirited Away ~ Howl's Moving Castle ~ Avatar: The Last Airbender ~ Trollhunters (Tales of Arcadia) ~ Jackie Chan Adventures ~ Teen Titans (2003-'06) ~ My Hero Academia ~ Yona of the Dawn ~ Death Note ~ The Legend of Dragoon ~ Persona 5 ~ The World Ends with You ~ Final Fantasy ~ Kingdom Hearts (*Gasp!* Such a shocker!) ~ Little Nightmares 1 + 2 (3 had potential, but fell flat for me) ~ Rising of the Shield Hero ~ Shadows House
Because they can make for interesting conversation starters.
1x1: Eh. Not the best idea at this point, probably. I'm rather unreliable. If you don't care that I'm unreliable, my inbox is open. Group: No, but thanks for the thought.
~ None at the moment, but if you have an idea that might fit our matching preferences, feel free to message me!
As of 6/8/26: I don't even know anymore. Maybe once a day. Maybe never.
(Sorry, I know it's long. What can I say? I know what I like--and don't like.)
~ Main Character Gender: No preference. I'll gladly play a main male or female character! No doubling necessary.
~ Partner RL Gender: Man or woman, as long as you can write decently for the gender (and creature) you want to write for.
~ Multiple Main and/or Side Characters? Yes to both! I can be equally content writing for a semi-larger group of characters, or playing only a single MC. I do prefer keeping it small on the MC front (two to three in my control, max), but can do as many side/secondary characters as the story needs!
~ Writing POV and Tense: Third-person past-tense. This is both my typical style, and what I'd like from a RP partner.
~ Character Age: Various. My favored MC age (or appeared age) range tends to 17-24, but I do write for characters 24+.
~ Driver, Shotgun, or Passenger? All, mental capacity allowing. I can GM a story on my own, co-GM, or let my partner take the driver's seat while my character(s) causes chaos from the backseat.
~ Genres:Favored: Fantasy, paranormal/supernatural horror, fairy tale. With a Side Of: Adventure, suspense, mystery, action, drama, magic. But Not: Hard sci-fy, solely slice-of-life, erotica, canon fandom, tabletop style.
~ Cannon or Originals: I will NOT write for cannon characters or plots. I'm all for "Inspired By," or "Based On," though!
~ Swearing: I'd prefer none, but can tolerate PG-13-ish in IC. I personally don't use standardized or direct profanity. Not a fan. Lord of the Rings doesn't have any cussing in it, you know. Proof you can make an incredible dark story without profanity or sexual content. And please try to avoid it entirely in OOC with me.
~ Sex/Smut:NO. If you absolutely need smut in your RPs, then we're NOT a match. I don't even lead characters to a "fade to black" point. As a sex-repulsed asexual, I don't write sex scenarios. Period. I adore romance (see below), and this doesn't rule out semi-intimate physical scenes; it just means that my characters' undies stay on.
~ But, Romance? Love Interests?! Romance and sex are NOT the same thing! I adore the presence of a REALISTIC love interest for characters. But not having romance/love interests wouldn't be a deal breaker, either; if it forms between characters, then great!
~ General Nudity: PG-13. I can tolerate non-sex-based nudity if it's absolutely pertinent to the story/situation, though it tends to be uncomfortable for me, and I'd request that you don't go into details. Ask yourself, "Would it change anything important if this character wasn't nude?" If the answer is 'no,' it's unnecessary in my book--which, honestly, is 99.99% of the time.
~ Gore and Violence: YES, please! As long as it fits the characters and story we're telling, BRING ON THE BLOOD AND AGONY! I enjoy physically (and mentally) torturing characters more than what's probably healthy.
~ Other Mature Themes: I'm okay with the presence of most other "mature/adult" themes not directly mentioned here. Though, that may depend on how, exactly, they come into play in the story.
~ Eras of Interest: Modern, medieval, renaissance, Victorian, mixed, made-up. Just not purely futuristic.
~ Gender Pairings:Romance Potential: MxF only. I don't care which I write for in that role. Just Friends: Any pairing.
~ Writing Level: Advanced/literate. I'd like a partner to at least somewhat match that.
~ Usual Post Length: Situational. I don't expect a partner to know their word count, but on average from me, expect no fewer than 200 words, while I've hit 1,500+ with story-heavy and/or loner posts. As a rule of thumb, the more you give me to work with, the more I'll give back.
~ Requested Partner Post Length: Situational. I request my partners be capable of somewhat matching when circumstances allow. But sometimes the situation only requires a small number of words. When in doubt, as they say, quality over quantity! However, I can't stand one-liners, or constantly short, static posts.
~ Grammar and Spelling: I ask that a RP partner have basic English grammar and writing skills. I like understanding what I'm reading. But I won't turn into a grammar police officer on you--unless you give me permission to.
~ Roleplay Medium: Conflicted. I used to prefer only forum threads for many reasons. But with the rise of AI, RP guilds have got to be the perfect theft fodder with all the continuous new public content. Which would leave the less-organized PM.
~ AI Use: NO. AI has absolutely no place in anything that involves art, or anything that eliminates a human element. In RPs with me, don't use AI for anything, be it writing, editing, or even storing or getting ideas or research. No AI art, either. Not knowingly, at least--that garbage is getting harder to avoid. And if you feed my stuff to AI, and I WiLl EnD yOu.
~ Posting Speed: Inconsistent. Some days I can do one or more, others one a week, and yet others one a month+. Depends on, well, everything.
~ Partner Posting Frequency: As long as I know you're still interested, I really don't care. Take your time. This is for fun, not something that should be stressed over!
~ OOC Chat: Not a requirement for me beyond plotting, but encouraged; I enjoy getting to know the mind behind the characters!
~ Other: >> I'm pretty ghost-friendly. It isn't fun to be left hanging, of course, but I quite understand that life doesn't always give you the chance (or energy... or willpower...) to say something to a partner before it rips you apart. If you come back, don't feel too guilty to message me, be it to RP or just chat! Chances are, I've been a bit worried about you. But no offence taken if you don't! >> Don't feel shy to give me pointers with my writing! While I look at roleplays as one giant, beautiful mess of a rough draft, I LOVE getting well-intended feedback with my writing. >> I typically create long and overly detailed character profiles, but note that this isn't something I require of my partner. What matters is that YOU know your character well, while I know what I need to know. I just want to warn you! If you want to know what you'd be getting into with there, click here for my character vault on the Guild.
~ Want a Writing Sample? Then click the below hider for an example of an opening IC post.
. Calrin crouched in front of the Noble’s weapons’ cabinet. His dark blue jeans tightened to accent his leg muscles, his bare chest showing off his toned upper body. Dark blue tribal tattoos on his arms licked toward his chest and shoulder blades, stopping just short of each on either respective side. The cabinet before him was crowded with various weapons, from swords and spears to a couple historical guns tucked securely in the corner. Emphasis on securely. Though disabled now, even Calrin could sense the residue of its protective enchantments. Though that alone should have been enough to deter most thieves, it had at least five different locks keeping the door of the main cabinet secured, with the same number on the small drawer in front of him. The ones on the drawer even required enchanted keys to unlock. And yet, somehow, the Stardust Phantom had broken through all of it, disabling the ones on the drawer, while leaving no trace of himself behind. Five identical daggers rested side-by-side on the velvet lining of the drawer. In one space where a sixth dagger should have been, there was nothing but pebbly sand. Nothing but ‘stardust,’ as it had been labeled. The glittery substance glowed with a faint silvery light in the shadows of the drawer. Each 'star' winked and flickered, as if mocking Calrin and the avorian Noble the dagger had belonged to. Calrin scooped up the handful of the Stardust Phantom’s calling card. As he looked at it, a few of the pebbles winked out, leaving only what looked like glittery black goldstone. He tipped his hand, eyeing the stardust as it shifted. He jerked his head, clearing his vision of his blond bangs, and shifted his dusk-blue gaze to the cabinet. All those weapons, and the thief had only taken a single dagger. He’d known exactly what he was after. He always did. Calrin took a breath and closed his eyes. He had to be certain. Though copycats were few and far between as of yet, they were still out there. He reached into the metaphysical realm where dreams and magic cross. His body shimmered, losing some of its definition into a coppery haze. The tattoos on his arms almost seemed to glow, their lines blurring with the rest of him. Though general magic wasn’t his expertise, he’d spent enough time around its users to be capable of sensing its presence if he tried hard enough, even pick out familiar signatures. To his dismay, the other bits of magic saturating the house were overwhelming, turning into an indistinguishable mass. He grunted frustratedly. His brows furled as he focused harder on the stardust. Though the other magic auras were nearly all the same to him, he’d since familiarized himself with the true Stardust Phantom’s calling card. Finally, he managed it. Though it was fading, and fast, the flitty, mischievous aura of fae magic was unmistakable. It mingled with the twang of human meddling, chemicals the faery magic corroded beyond scientific recognition. In turn, the human chemicals burned away the defining characteristics of the fae magic, making it impossible to tell which Fae Court the magic-user belonged to, even if Calrin had been apt enough in standard magic to sense that himself. Calrin released the partial link to the more abstract realm, and his form solidified. A grin spread over his lips; this was, without a doubt, the work of the Stardust Phantom. “So?” Evara, the victimized Noble, asked from behind him, her voice twittering and musical. “Was it really him?” She finished in a heated whisper. Calrin nodded. “You said you found it missing a day ago?” he confirmed, pouring the stardust from one palm to the other. That seemed right, compared to the strength of the fading aura and glow. “About that, yes.” His grin widened. This was the quickest he’d managed to hear about one of the Phantom’s thefts. Which meant that the thief might not be too far out of town yet. Or, if Calrin was lucky, perhaps the thief was still here. “Did he take anything else?” Calrin asked without looking from the stardust. “Some money I’d left out. Nothing else of such value. Nothing that can be traced.” “The Enforcers already tried to scry for the dagger?” “Twice! But something’s concealing it!” She huffed her frustrations. “Is it true what they say? That he’s nothing but a human?” She spat the word as if it was the foulest of insults. “As far as anyone can tell, yes.” He straightened and faced the avorian. Evara Airlar scowled at the stardust as he trickled it again from one hand back to the other. Feathers in the browns and whites of a falcon sprouted from her head, flowing down like a bobbed haircut. Though she had the face of a human, her features were sharp, her eyes deep brown with pupils disconcertingly larger than a human’s. A pair of feathered wings tucked into her sides, protruding from the open back of a designer halter top. She crossed her feather-speckled arms over her chest, her fingers tipped with avian claws. “Filthy vermin, the lot of them!” she spat, her wings twitching with her irritation. “I’ve put the Enforcers on it, but they’re incompetent buffoons!” She threw a hand and wing up exasperatedly. “Can’t even find a single thief, let alone that nuisance cluster of local rebels that—!” She cut herself off, eyes widening as she remembered who, exactly, she was speaking to. She swiftly bowed her head, hands folding in front of her as if in prayer. “Forgive me, m’lord. I shouldn’t be burdening you with such troubles. This isn’t your territory to worry about.” Calrin waved the apology away. “The burdens of one are lighter when carried by the shoulders of all!” The woman smiled at him. “Eloquently put.” He winked his thanks, though he couldn't take credit for it. It was something his late sister had been fond of saying. The people seemed to love it, so he'd adopted it. “The thief got the real one?” He nodded to the open drawer. “The rest are just decoys?” “Yes, Lord Ba’alrin.” “Please, call me Rin.” He smiled warmly at her. “This is hardly a formal visit! The Enforcers are skilled, but I’m as vexed as you about why they haven’t caught this pest.” He exaggerated a frown at the dust as it trickled through the bottom of his fist. “Might I keep this?” He nodded to the stardust. “Yes, yes. It’s worthless, but yes.” He gave her another charming smile. “Many thanks, Lady Airlar!” He opened a small bag at his belt, careful to make sure the Noble didn’t see the contents. He trickled the pebbly sand inside it, letting the glowing bits join the collection of now dark stones he’d collected from other crime scenes. He straightened, then offered the Noble a deep bow. “I thank you for allowing me into your home under such short notice, good Lady!” Evara twittered at his show of formality despite his own request. That he was shirtless and shoeless paired with his physique to paint a perfect picture of the Nomadic Prince. “The pleasure has been mine, Lor—Rin.” She curtseyed as well as her pencil skirt allowed. Her wings flared slightly beside her. He started through the manor house to the front door. “Won’t you stay for lunch?” Evara asked, following him. “Or perhaps some tea, at the least? It wouldn’t take our cook long to prepare some refreshments for your trouble! It’s the least I could do to thank you for coming all this way.” “That’s generous of you, but no.” He stopped at the grand front door. Sunlight filtered in through a stained-glass window near it’s top. It glinted on the copper-inscribed black torc around his throat. “Sadly, I have business to conduct elsewhere.” “Of course.” He collected his pair of leather riding boots from beside the door, and slipped them on. “Should you need anything,” Evara went on as he opened the door, letting in the afternoon sunlight, “don’t hesitate to call on us!” “You’ll be the first I come to, dear Lady!” He smiled dashingly, gave her another flourishing bow, then left. The mild warmth and blossoming scents of late spring filled the air. The Noble’s manor took up most of one side of the street. Other grand houses found space further down the road. Lawn mowers rumbled as human servants and slaves tended to the gardens of their supernatural betters. Calrin upheld his trained posture and regal stride until, at last, he was out of the line of sight of the Noble's house. He breathed a sigh of relief, relaxing his posture. Though Evara wasn't so bad as far as the Nobles went, he was happy to leave her presence. He reached into the pouch at his belt and removed a small bit of the stardust. He couldn’t tell in the light if he’d gotten any of the pebbles that still retained their glow, but it didn’t matter. He wasn’t entirely sure why he was still keeping it. It really was worthless. It wasn’t enough to trace the origin of the thief, the fae magic scrubbing the traces of its owner away, and it had no monetary value. Yet, Calrin found it intriguing. Its existence felt like a challenge. A challenge he was quite eager to accept. He shook it around in his palm as he walked, thinking. Though he refused to admit it, he'd been obsessed with finding the Phantom since he first heard the rumors. Though the Houses had done their best to prevent the knowledge of this thief from spreading, especially among the human population, spread it had. There had even been speculation that the Phantom was working with a popular rebel group, the Diamond Templar, though the validity of that was yet unproven. Despite the Phantom’s crimes, Calrin couldn’t help but admire the thief. It took no small amount of both skill and talent to do the things this thief had accomplished. Yes, the thief had to have at least one supernatural accomplice to create the stardust and to have evaded capture for so long, but still, even with aid, he'd accomplished things that should have been impossible for a human, help or no. Calrin could only hope that he found the culprit first. A human like that could be of more use alive than dead if in the right hands. And not just for interrogation purposes. Now, he just had to figure out where the Stardust Phantom would strike next, and get there first. Though the Phantom’s thefts had seemed random at first, recently, Calrin had started to notice a subtle pattern. If he was correct, he had a vague idea of what the Phantom would go after next. Now, if only he could figure out where the next target was, along with the possible ‘what.’ He ground the stardust against his palm with his fingers. He needed information. Obscure information that, regrettably, even Evara couldn’t provide. The Noble hadn’t even really known what she had, only that it was an ancient family heirloom. Calrin had been content to let her think that that was all it was. After all, he only suspected it was more than just an old magical trinket. He couldn’t be sure without seeing the real thing. As far as he knew, it could be nothing more than a wild goose chase. As it was, there were two places you were guaranteed to find even the most elusive of information: a library, and a pub. Of the two, Calrin much preferred doing his research at pubs. And he had just the place in mind. He dripped the stardust back into the pouch. With his next step, his body evaporated into a puff of copper smoke, vanishing as he left the physical realm behind. The houses around him turned into ghosts of their physical forms, the emotions of the people inside tickling at his senses as tangible things, not just ideas. In his gaseous state, he shot through the warped streets of the Dreamscape. For now, it was fairly quiet. This city had very few nocturnal creatures taking up residence, their and their staff's dreams distant wisps twanging at the web of this realm. With the twisted time of the Dreamscape, it took only moments before he found himself outside a pub he’d heard good things about. With another swirl of smoke, Calrin reformed in the physical plane across the street from the pub. The noise of people always hit the hardest when he came back from the relative quiet of the Dreamscape. People swarmed about on lunchtime breaks between the brick buildings around him. A passing dwarf in a stained business suit cursed and startled away at Calrin’s sudden appearance. Recognition flashed in the gruff man’s eyes. He belted out a curt apology, then hobbled on his way. Designed to retain an old-world feel, even the magic-fed street lanterns of this business district looked like they came from another era, each one meticulously forged with the likeness of dragons and other spindly creatures wrapping them. A lazy smile played across his face. Now this was where he'd rather be, not some stuffy Noble's estate. Nobles might have the funds for finery and extravagant galas, but the citizens were the ones who really knew how to have a good time. Calrin crossed the cobblestone street to the pub. A sign hung outside the door in the shape of a skull, displaying the pub's name: The Drunken Skull. Keeping to the theme, the door’s handle was a brass skull. A few large crystalline skulls peered out from the door itself, giving glimpses of light and movement from the inside. Pulling the door open by the handle's mouth, he entered the familiar fray of a pub in the raucous throws of lunch-hour.
Dang, you're still here after all that? You deserve a treat for sticking round!
If you have any interest, even vaguely, don't hesitate to contact me! The worst I can do is say no. Hope to hear from you!
Victoria sat on the side with the rest of the diner behind her, placing only Alex and the wall behind him in her immediate view. She returned his smile. It was almost impossible for her not to. Looking away, she mimicked Alex and took one of the menus, unfolding in on the plastic-and-metal table in front of her. She started to look it over. She was in the middle of debating on whether she wanted to go healthy or disgusting, when he spoke, drawing her attention up. She looked back to the menu as he finished his question. “It’s alright. They’re a lot of people in the classes, though. The work’s definitely going to keep me busy.” She gave an airy chuckle. Her face fell slightly as she thought to her dorm, of Cali. “I... don’t really care for my other roommate, though.” She sighed.
As soon as she saw the outside of the building, Victoria knew the era it was designed after. From the accent pink and blue paint, to the neon lights hung around the top, it screamed 50s diner. She couldn’t help but smile as she stepped inside. Seats upholstered in red sat in front of a bar with red and silver stripes running down it. The booths sported a matching pattern. A single waitress worked the tables, her pink poodle skirt twirling slightly with her every turn. Victoria quickly averted her gaze from the waitress, not giving her ability the chance to act up. Just in case. Though, she had noticed over the years that Alex had a knack of picking places with fewer supernaturals... at least, as far as she could tell from the rare times she let her guard down and looked at someone longer than intended. “Have a seat anywhere, dears!” the young waitress called, placing plates from a tray in front of a group of teenagers at one of the booths. “I’ll be right with you.” Victoria offered a quick nod at the checkered floor, then turned, wanting to let Alex choose their seat.
“... It isn’t particularly dangerous, I trust. Wouldn’t want to put them in unneeded danger.” “Hmm. I don’t know.” Thayva tilted her head back and closed her eyes, enjoying the relaxing sensation of his hands kneading her shoulders. “I heard some pretty nasty sounds coming from one of the privies earlier. It may be mutating.” She grinned, showing off her sharp teeth. “Mmm, much,” she answered his question. She cracked an eye open when she heard him sniff. He never has gotten used to that smell, she thought lightly, realizing what he probably smelled. When he finished rubbing her shoulders, Thayva quickly markrf the last of the tests as Serapis glanced over the others. “The human twins’ grades have improved.” She placed the last of the tests with the others. “Though a few others’ have fallen.” She picked out about five tests from the bottom of the pile and placed them on top for Serapis to see. “But, that can wait.” She stood, stretched her back, and picked up the stack. Her stomach growled. “First, lunch calls. After all, a battle isn’t won on an empty stomach. Even one against poor grades.” She patted his chest lovingly. Thayva stopped at the door leading into the house, her purple scales glittering in a ray of sunlight that managed to breach the clouds and filter through the glass room.
* * *
Something felt off. The halfling child felt it the moment he entered the dining hall. He moved to the corner, as he always did, and slowly made his way toward the usual tables with their display of dishes. His classes had been as long and torturous as normal, even from his seat at the back of the room. The last thing he wanted was trouble while trying to eat. And yet, he couldn’t shake the feeling that that was exactly what was going to occur. He glanced over the sea of faces, trying to figure out what, exactly, was off. Perhaps it was something simple. New cushions? Different tables? No. They were all the same. Then he realized. A few of the orphans were acting... odd. They were not eating. Their plates sat in front of them, full as ever, and a couple he had grown used to seeing being talkative were quiet. Concentrating. Sure, some people took longer than others to eat, but their plates were untouched, and they looked like they had been sitting comfortably for a while. The child couldn’t recall a time when, after a morning of classes, plates remained untouched for more than a few seconds. Did someone do something to the food? The halfling waited until the last of the orphans had gotten their food before collecting his own plate, selecting his entrées with more precaution than normal before slowly heading to his favored nook. But, before he could get too far, the loud voice of a lizard folk rang through the room…
* * *
Once everyone got their food, Kai chose the perfect corner to keep an eye on the most important people in her plan. The few others she had recruited for their mischievous plot already speckled the fairly crowded dining hall. She had made certain to instruct them to sit in places to ensure mass foodstruction. Tor sat near at the table marking the center of the room. Beating Aurelian to his job, she had slyly coerced Greentail closer to where Nick sat. She gave the other lizardfolk a swat on the back with her tail when the teachers’ backs were turned. Gereentail looked about ready to attack, before an adult lizardfolk far more intimidating than him caught his eye. He sat, swearing his revenge, between two other lizardfolk. Kai turned her attention to Nick, who met her gaze for a split second before looking back to his food. She half listened to the conversation floating around the table, discretely keeping an eye on how much everyone had eaten. Finally, she noticed the adults making their way nonchalantly toward the front of the room. The changeover. She looked once more to Nick, who gave her an inconspicuous wave to wait. Ten seconds passed. Fifteen. Nick glanced behind him at the adults as they left the room, and started to count down on a hand. Five seconds. Kai quickly caught Tor’s eye. The lizardgirl cocked her head, tore a large bite off of what looked like a turkey leg, and quickly chewed it. Two seconds. One. Nick nodded her the go, which Kai gave to Tor. The lizardgirl promptly swallowed, and hopped to her feet. Paying little regard to the other plates sitting on the table, Tor jumped onto the middle of the table, making herself as tall as possible among all the sitting orphans. “Meats!” Tor began, her volume calling for everyone’s attention. “Vegetables! Breads! Too long have you sat idly by, allowing these savages to feast upon your brethren!” She clenched her fists angrily. “But no more!” She spread her arms to the sides, glancing from one plate of food to the other. “Now is your time to fight back! Rise!” She spread her arms slowly higher, her clawed fingers bent wickedly. “RISE, MY BEAUTIFUL DELICACIES!” Magic buzzed through the air from unheard spells as select magic users around the room simultaneously called on it, including Kai and her close friends. Then, mass chaos broke loose. Food all around the room quivered, then began to explode, sending gooey pieces of fruit, chunks of bread, puddles of water, and mulched meat spewing everywhere. Screams and laughter erupted, all but drowning out Tor’s manic, triumphant guffaws. Across the room, a dwarf boy tried to escape as his sandwich started convulsing, then spat out its innards at him before the bread exploded into a fine dust of crumbs. At Greentail’s table, the lizardboy’s pile of meats burst forward, throwing themselves on Greentail’s face. The meats started to bubble and turned into a pinkish goo that caked into his scales. Kids tried to run to the door, to escape the food flying everywhere and catching ruthlessly on hair, scales, and clothes. Many slipped and fell on the paste that had formed from the combination of jellified fruits, bread, and meats. With her own damage done and seconds carefully counted, Kia stood, a look of panic that matched the others on her face. She tried to run into as many of her cohorts as she could to show them it was time to go before everyone got caught. She slid to a stop, and suppressed a grin as she noticed two of her acquaintances, both humans of about sixteen who proved to be talented sorcerers, working together. They created a small tornado out of the paste, which lasted only a couple seconds. But that was long enough. It sucked in a few other food bits, then barreled between the legs of children. It burst apart, making the substance airborne once more and splattering a handful of people unlucky enough to be near it. Noticing Kai, the two joined the crowd of fleeing students. “Kai!” Ilyrana raced toward Kai, her face a perfect picture of shock and fear. “You okay?” she asked loudly to be heard above the noise of over a hundred students trapped in a gory battleground of fruit guts, vegetable blood, and severed pieces of meat and bread. “I’m fine!” Kai grabbed her friend’s wrist and pulled her forward. “Let’s get outta here before things get worse!”
Victoria’s eyes narrowed and brows rose in mock suspicion at Alex’s grin. Instead of a straight-forward answer, he answered her question with a question. “Of course.” More than anyone, she added to herself. There were few people in the world whom she trusted, and Alex made it to the top of that painfully short list. “Well, unless you keep smiling like that.” Amusement glittered in her pale blue eyes. She linked her arm through Alex’s, happily letting him guide her to whatever mystery location he had in mind. After all, everything would be right with the world for the short time they had together that afternoon... or until her gaze lingered too long on a supernatural server. Victoria gave a quiet frustrated sigh at the thought. She instinctively hung her head slightly, and focused on the ground as if it was suddenly something of interest.
Gray light filtered through the glass of the solarium situated at the back of the house. Various plants sat in the corners of the room designed to hold heat better than the rest of the mansion. Thayva sat on one of the five cushions placed in a circle at the room’s center. A stack of papers sat atop a large, round table in front of her. She held a featherless quill, which she dipped in a bottle of red ink every now and again as she marked a couple forgotten tests. Wind gently blew through the room from the couple glass panels Thayva had opened, flooding the usually warm space with the fresh scent of the impending storm. Thayva paused and inhaled the smell. Even after the few years she had spent outside the dracon realms, she still had yet to grow used to the pleasant scent of rain. She heard the inside door to the solarium open. With the familiar gait and way he shuffled forward, it could only be her beloved Serapis. “Good morning, my dear.” She glanced up and returned his loving nuzzle before looking back to the papers. “Any big jobs for the students to do?” Thayva gave him the nod she knew he awaited. “Well,” Thayva reached into a small pocket hidden in her skirts, pulled out the prank note, and placed it beside her pile of papers, “I’d say eliminating a fire-breathing duck would count. Don’t suppose you’ve heard anything about it, have you?” A smile pulled at her maul. “Other than that, the blacksmith’s apprentice has fallen ill, so he needs an extra pair of hands this weekend, the butcher’s looking for an extra hunter, and the potter has offered her knowledge to teach any who may want to learn the art of pottery.” Thayva glanced out at the yard, then to the sky, trying to gague the time. “It looks nearly eleven. Lunch should be served soon. Would you care to join me?”
* * *
When the teachers released the orphans for their last class of the day and sent them on their way to lunch, Kia and Laya stopped and waited outside one of the classrooms for Nick and Ilyrana. At last, the door all but burst open, and people flooded out. The two girls stood to the side so the others could exit. As soon as the other two elves joined them--Nick and Aurelian having separated during their last class--the four headed to the lunch room. “Remember, don’t sit together,” Kia whispered just loud enough for her friends to hear. “And try to make our separation look unintentional. We don’t want to arouse suspicion.” The others nodded. The four separated, losing one another in the crowd of students flooding the halls as they headed to the dining hall.
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/RJyFv7T.png[/img][/center]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/jsheRX6.gif[/img][/center]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/7QnMzQi.png?3[/img][/center]
[center][youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOvaPmnvwfo&ab_channel=TheMelodiousNocturn[/youtube][/center]
[h2]Click Here at Your Own Risk:[/h2]
[hider=Introduction][img]https://i.imgur.com/V9r4Cn4.png[/img]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/8crUwn3.gif[/img][/center]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/RJebQce.png?1[/img][/center]
[color=gray][b]Previously Known As:[/b][/color] Siaya Dragalorn
[color=gray][b]Call Me:[/b][/color] Riven. What, expecting something else?
[color=gray][b]Phonetic Pronunciation:[/b][/color] [i]rih[/i]-vin whyte (like the color)
[color=gray][b]Time Zone:[/b][/color] Central Standard Time (CT) (GMT-6).
[color=gray][b]Active Hours:[/b][/color] I'm an insomniac with an unpredictable schedule. While I prefer being on graveyard shift hours, it changes regularly. Long story short, there's no predicting what time or days I'll be active on here.
[color=gray][b]Country:[/b][/color] United States of America (boo)
[b][color=gray]Age:[/color][/b] How rude! But if it matters to you, I'm over 21.
[b][color=gray]Writing/Play-by-Post Experience:[/color][/b] Well over a decade for both.
[b][color=gray]Likes + Hobbies:[/color][/b] Reading. Writing. The night. Most things fantasy and paranormal. Collecting things (I think I'm part dragon). Creating art (an amazing woman once told me that she and I don't make crafts. Crafts are like coloring books or pre-made kits and their like. What [i]we[/i] do is [i]create[/i]. We make something from nothing). Gaming (PlayStation for the win!). Wandering old cemeteries. Night walks...
[b][color=gray]Personality:[/color][/b] *Laughs manically.* Personality? Do you really wish to know the [i]personality[/i] of someone without a heart?
Yes?
*Sighs.* Very well, then. I'll recognize there's an advantage in knowing what you're getting into.
To try and put me simply, I'm an old soul, and yet I have a semi-teenage personality wrapped in a body occasionally required to masquerade as the adult society says it is. With my rather unusual preferences, I tend to favor media in the Children's/YA sections, though my own writing tends to have dark and violent themes that threatens to tip it over into New Adult content.
[b][color=gray]Other:[/color][/b] ~ If you want to chat and/or roleplay, feel free to message me! ~ Non-LGBT asexual (I will die on the hill that asexuality doesn't belong in the LGBT line-up). Sex-repulsed, to be specific, and yet I'm a closet romantic. Because, yes, there's a difference between smut and romance.
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/7QnMzQi.png?3[/img][/center]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/oKVvwzz.png[/img]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/bSjkdrQ.gif[/img]
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] Rise of the Guardians
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] Nightmare Before Christmas
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] Harry Potter
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] Merlin (2008)
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] Warehouse 13
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] Spirited Away
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] Howl's Moving Castle
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] Avatar: The Last Airbender
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] Trollhunters (Tales of Arcadia)
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] Jackie Chan Adventures
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] Teen Titans (2003-'06)
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] My Hero Academia
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] Yona of the Dawn
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] Death Note
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] The Legend of Dragoon
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] Persona 5
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] The World Ends with You
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] Final Fantasy
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] Kingdom Hearts (*Gasp!* Such a [i]shocker![/i])
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] Little Nightmares 1 + 2 (3 had potential, but fell flat for me)
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] Rising of the Shield Hero
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] Shadows House [/center]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/7QnMzQi.png?3[/img][/center]
[right][img]https://i.imgur.com/UsRJvcK.png[/img]
[img]https://64.media.tumblr.com/b7a2ec8bb931bbd0b6269344d7aa8810/tumblr_pstzh2j9gm1tvvsht_400.gif[/img]
Because they can make for interesting conversation starters.
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] Bladed weapons
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] Human-made art
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] Books
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] Masks
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] Enamel Pins
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] Crystals
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] Dragons
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] Vampire themed stuff[/right]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/7QnMzQi.png?3[/img][/center]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/4dePkyv.gif[/img][/center]
[/hider]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/7QnMzQi.png?3[/img][/center]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/6HGd4BT.png[/img][/center]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/1mwxAXC.gif[/img][/center]
[h2]Click Here at Your Own Risk:[/h2]
[hider=Roleplay Preferences]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/qoth5Oj.png[/img]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/GnYWhpC.gif[/img]
[color=gray][b]1x1:[/b][/color] Eh. Not the best idea at this point, probably. I'm rather unreliable. If you don't care that I'm unreliable, my inbox is open.
[color=gray][b]Group:[/b][/color] No, but thanks for the thought.
[right][img]https://i.imgur.com/Dfvs5bh.png[/img]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/O9E2hXz.gif[/img]
[color=gray][b]~ [/b][/color]None at the moment, but if you have an idea that might fit our matching preferences, feel free to message me! [/right]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/ntjvhI1.png[/img]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/yaDvzeY.gif[/img]
[b][color=gray]As of 6/8/26:[/color][/b]
[color=gray][b]I[/b][/color] don't even know anymore.
[color=gray][b]Maybe[/b][/color] once a day.
[color=gray][b]Maybe[/b][/color] never.
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/0xp8D16.png[/img]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/fePs5Fw.gif[/img]
(Sorry, I know it's long. What can I say? I know what I like--and [i]don't[/i] like.)
[/center]
[color=gray][b]~ Main Character Gender:[/b][/color] No preference. I'll gladly play a main male or female character! No doubling necessary.
[color=gray][b]~ Partner RL Gender:[/b][/color] Man or woman, as long as you can write decently for the gender (and creature) you want to write for.
[color=gray][b]~ [/b][b]Multiple Main and/or Side Characters?[/b][/color] Yes to both! I can be equally content writing for a semi-larger group of characters, or playing only a single MC. I do prefer keeping it small on the MC front (two to three in my control, max), but can do as many side/secondary characters as the story needs!
[color=gray][b]~ [/b][b]Writing POV and Tense:[/b][/color] Third-person past-tense. This is both my typical style, and what I'd like from a RP partner.
[color=gray][b]~ [/b][b]Character Age:[/b][/color] Various. My favored MC age (or appeared age) range tends to 17-24, but I do write for characters 24+.
[color=gray][b]~ [/b]Driver, Shotgun, or Passenger?[/color] All, mental capacity allowing. I can GM a story on my own, co-GM, or let my partner take the driver's seat while my character(s) causes chaos from the backseat.
[color=gray][b]~ [/b][b]Genres:[/b][/color] [u]Favored:[/u] Fantasy, paranormal/supernatural horror, fairy tale. [u]With a Side Of:[/u] Adventure, suspense, mystery, action, drama, magic. [u]But Not:[/u] Hard sci-fy, solely slice-of-life, erotica, canon fandom, tabletop style.
[color=gray][b]~ [/b][b]Cannon or Originals:[/b][/color] I will NOT write for cannon characters or plots. I'm all for "Inspired By," or "Based On," though!
[b][color=gray]~ Swearing:[/color][/b] I'd prefer none, but can tolerate PG-13-ish in IC. I personally don't use standardized or direct profanity. Not a fan. Lord of the Rings doesn't have any cussing in it, you know. Proof you can make an incredible dark story without profanity or sexual content. And please try to avoid it entirely in OOC with me.
[b][color=gray]~ Sex/Smut:[/color][/b] [i][u]NO.[/u][/i] If you absolutely need smut in your RPs, then we're NOT a match. I don't even lead characters to a "fade to black" point. As a sex-repulsed asexual, I don't write sex scenarios. Period. I adore romance (see below), and this doesn't rule out semi-intimate physical scenes; it just means that my characters' undies stay on.
[b][color=gray]~ But, Romance? Love Interests?![/color][/b] Romance and sex are NOT the same thing! I adore the presence of a REALISTIC love interest for characters. But not having romance/love interests wouldn't be a deal breaker, either; if it forms between characters, then great!
[color=gray][b]~ General Nudity:[/b][/color] PG-13. I can tolerate non-sex-based nudity if it's [i]absolutely pertinent[/i] to the story/situation, though it tends to be uncomfortable for me, and I'd request that you don't go into details. Ask yourself, "Would it change anything important if this character wasn't nude?" If the answer is 'no,' it's unnecessary in my book--which, honestly, is 99.99% of the time.
[color=gray][b]~ Gore and Violence:[/b][/color] YES, please! As long as it fits the characters and story we're telling, BRING ON THE BLOOD AND AGONY! I enjoy physically (and mentally) torturing characters more than what's probably healthy.
[color=gray][b]~ [/b][b]Other Mature Themes:[/b][/color] I'm okay with the presence of most other "mature/adult" themes not directly mentioned here. Though, that may depend on how, exactly, they come into play in the story.
[color=gray][b]~ [/b][b]Eras of Interest:[/b][/color] Modern, medieval, renaissance, Victorian, mixed, made-up. Just not purely futuristic.
[color=gray][b]~ [/b][b]Gender Pairings:[/b][/color] [u]Romance Potential:[/u] MxF only. I don't care which I write for in that role. [u]Just Friends:[/u] Any pairing.
[color=gray][b]~ Writing Level:[/b][/color] Advanced/literate. I'd like a partner to at least somewhat match that.
[color=gray][b]~ [/b][b]Usual Post Length:[/b][/color] Situational. I don't expect a partner to know their word count, but on average from me, expect no fewer than 200 words, while I've hit 1,500+ with story-heavy and/or loner posts. As a rule of thumb, the more you give me to work with, the more I'll give back.
[color=gray][b]~ Requested Partner Post Length:[/b][/color] Situational. I request my partners be capable of [i]somewhat[/i] matching when circumstances allow. But sometimes the situation only requires a small number of words. When in doubt, as they say, quality over quantity! However, I [i]can't stand[/i] one-liners, or constantly short, static posts.
[color=gray][b]~ [/b][b]Grammar and Spelling:[/b][/color] I ask that a RP partner have basic English grammar and writing skills. I like understanding what I'm reading. But I won't turn into a grammar police officer on you--unless you give me permission to.
[color=gray][b]~ [/b][b]Roleplay Medium:[/b][/color] Conflicted. I used to prefer only forum threads for many reasons. But with the rise of AI, RP guilds have got to be the perfect theft fodder with all the continuous new public content. Which would leave the less-organized PM.
[color=gray][b]~ AI Use:[/b][/color] NO. AI has absolutely no place in anything that involves art, or anything that eliminates a human element. In RPs with me, don't use AI for anything, be it writing, editing, or even storing or getting ideas or research. No AI art, either. Not knowingly, at least--that garbage is getting harder to avoid. And if you feed my stuff to AI, and I WiLl EnD yOu.
[color=gray][b]~ Posting Speed:[/b][/color] Inconsistent. Some days I can do one or more, others one a week, and yet others one a month+. Depends on, well, everything.
[color=gray][b]~ Partner Posting Frequency:[/b][/color] As long as I know you're still interested, I really don't care. Take your time. This is for [i]fun,[/i] not something that should be stressed over!
[color=gray][b]~ OOC Chat:[/b][/color] Not a requirement for me beyond plotting, but encouraged; I enjoy getting to know the mind behind the characters!
[color=gray][b]~ Other:[/b][/color] >> I'm pretty ghost-friendly. It isn't fun to be left hanging, of course, but I quite understand that life doesn't always give you the chance (or energy... or willpower...) to say something to a partner before it rips you apart. If you come back, don't feel too guilty to message me, be it to RP or just chat! Chances are, I've been a bit worried about you. But no offence taken if you don't!
>> Don't feel shy to give me pointers with my writing! While I look at roleplays as one giant, beautiful mess of a rough draft, I LOVE getting well-intended feedback with my writing.
>> I typically create long and overly detailed character profiles, but note that this isn't something I require of my partner. What matters is that YOU know your character well, while I know what I need to know. I just want to warn you! If you want to know what you'd be getting into with there, click [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/189349-rivens-brain-children/ooc]here[/url] for my character vault on the Guild.
[color=gray][b]~ Want a Writing Sample?[/b][/color] Then click the below hider for an example of an opening IC post.
[hider=Writing Sample]
. Calrin crouched in front of the Noble’s weapons’ cabinet. His dark blue jeans tightened to accent his leg muscles, his bare chest showing off his toned upper body. Dark blue tribal tattoos on his arms licked toward his chest and shoulder blades, stopping just short of each on either respective side.
The cabinet before him was crowded with various weapons, from swords and spears to a couple historical guns tucked securely in the corner.
Emphasis on [i]securely.[/i]
Though disabled now, even Calrin could sense the residue of its protective enchantments. Though that alone should have been enough to deter most thieves, it had at least five different locks keeping the door of the main cabinet secured, with the same number on the small drawer in front of him. The ones on the drawer even required enchanted keys to unlock.
And yet, somehow, the Stardust Phantom had broken through all of it, disabling the ones on the drawer, while leaving no trace of himself behind.
Five identical daggers rested side-by-side on the velvet lining of the drawer. In one space where a sixth dagger should have been, there was nothing but pebbly sand.
Nothing but [i]‘stardust,’[/i] as it had been labeled.
The glittery substance glowed with a faint silvery light in the shadows of the drawer. Each 'star' winked and flickered, as if mocking Calrin and the avorian Noble the dagger had belonged to.
Calrin scooped up the handful of the Stardust Phantom’s calling card. As he looked at it, a few of the pebbles winked out, leaving only what looked like glittery black goldstone.
He tipped his hand, eyeing the stardust as it shifted. He jerked his head, clearing his vision of his blond bangs, and shifted his dusk-blue gaze to the cabinet.
All those weapons, and the thief had only taken a single dagger. He’d known exactly what he was after.
He always did.
Calrin took a breath and closed his eyes. He had to be certain. Though copycats were few and far between as of yet, they were still out there.
He reached into the metaphysical realm where dreams and magic cross. His body shimmered, losing some of its definition into a coppery haze. The tattoos on his arms almost seemed to glow, their lines blurring with the rest of him.
Though general magic wasn’t his expertise, he’d spent enough time around its users to be capable of sensing its presence if he tried hard enough, even pick out familiar signatures. To his dismay, the other bits of magic saturating the house were overwhelming, turning into an indistinguishable mass.
He grunted frustratedly. His brows furled as he focused harder on the stardust. Though the other magic auras were nearly all the same to him, he’d since familiarized himself with the true Stardust Phantom’s calling card.
Finally, he managed it. Though it was fading, and fast, the flitty, mischievous aura of fae magic was unmistakable. It mingled with the twang of human meddling, chemicals the faery magic corroded beyond scientific recognition. In turn, the human chemicals burned away the defining characteristics of the fae magic, making it impossible to tell which Fae Court the magic-user belonged to, even if Calrin had been apt enough in standard magic to sense that himself.
Calrin released the partial link to the more abstract realm, and his form solidified. A grin spread over his lips; this was, without a doubt, the work of the Stardust Phantom.
“So?” Evara, the victimized Noble, asked from behind him, her voice twittering and musical. “Was it really [i]him?[/i]” She finished in a heated whisper.
Calrin nodded. “You said you found it missing a day ago?” he confirmed, pouring the stardust from one palm to the other. That seemed right, compared to the strength of the fading aura and glow.
“About that, yes.”
His grin widened. This was the quickest he’d managed to hear about one of the Phantom’s thefts. Which meant that the thief might not be too far out of town yet. Or, if Calrin was lucky, perhaps the thief was still here.
“Did he take anything else?” Calrin asked without looking from the stardust.
“Some money I’d left out. Nothing else of such value. Nothing that can be traced.”
“The Enforcers already tried to scry for the dagger?”
“Twice! But something’s concealing it!” She huffed her frustrations. “Is it true what they say? That he’s nothing but a [i]human?[/i]” She spat the word as if it was the foulest of insults.
“As far as anyone can tell, yes.” He straightened and faced the avorian.
Evara Airlar scowled at the stardust as he trickled it again from one hand back to the other. Feathers in the browns and whites of a falcon sprouted from her head, flowing down like a bobbed haircut. Though she had the face of a human, her features were sharp, her eyes deep brown with pupils disconcertingly larger than a human’s.
A pair of feathered wings tucked into her sides, protruding from the open back of a designer halter top. She crossed her feather-speckled arms over her chest, her fingers tipped with avian claws.
“Filthy vermin, the lot of them!” she spat, her wings twitching with her irritation. “I’ve put the Enforcers on it, but they’re incompetent buffoons!” She threw a hand and wing up exasperatedly. “Can’t even find a single thief, let alone that nuisance cluster of local rebels that—!”
She cut herself off, eyes widening as she remembered who, exactly, she was speaking to. She swiftly bowed her head, hands folding in front of her as if in prayer. “Forgive me, m’lord. I shouldn’t be burdening you with such troubles. This isn’t your territory to worry about.”
Calrin waved the apology away. “The burdens of one are lighter when carried by the shoulders of all!”
The woman smiled at him. “Eloquently put.”
He winked his thanks, though he couldn't take credit for it. It was something his late sister had been fond of saying. The people seemed to love it, so he'd adopted it.
“The thief got the real one?” He nodded to the open drawer. “The rest are just decoys?”
“Yes, Lord Ba’alrin.”
“Please, call me Rin.” He smiled warmly at her. “This is hardly a formal visit! The Enforcers are skilled, but I’m as vexed as you about why they haven’t caught this pest.” He exaggerated a frown at the dust as it trickled through the bottom of his fist. “Might I keep this?” He nodded to the stardust.
“Yes, yes. It’s worthless, but yes.”
He gave her another charming smile. “Many thanks, Lady Airlar!” He opened a small bag at his belt, careful to make sure the Noble didn’t see the contents. He trickled the pebbly sand inside it, letting the glowing bits join the collection of now dark stones he’d collected from other crime scenes.
He straightened, then offered the Noble a deep bow. “I thank you for allowing me into your home under such short notice, good Lady!”
Evara twittered at his show of formality despite his own request. That he was shirtless and shoeless paired with his physique to paint a perfect picture of the Nomadic Prince.
“The pleasure has been mine, Lor—Rin.” She curtseyed as well as her pencil skirt allowed. Her wings flared slightly beside her.
He started through the manor house to the front door.
“Won’t you stay for lunch?” Evara asked, following him. “Or perhaps some tea, at the least? It wouldn’t take our cook long to prepare some refreshments for your trouble! It’s the least I could do to thank you for coming all this way.”
“That’s generous of you, but no.” He stopped at the grand front door. Sunlight filtered in through a stained-glass window near it’s top. It glinted on the copper-inscribed black torc around his throat. “Sadly, I have business to conduct elsewhere.”
“Of course.”
He collected his pair of leather riding boots from beside the door, and slipped them on.
“Should you need anything,” Evara went on as he opened the door, letting in the afternoon sunlight, “don’t hesitate to call on us!”
“You’ll be the first I come to, dear Lady!” He smiled dashingly, gave her another flourishing bow, then left.
The mild warmth and blossoming scents of late spring filled the air. The Noble’s manor took up most of one side of the street. Other grand houses found space further down the road. Lawn mowers rumbled as human servants and slaves tended to the gardens of their supernatural betters.
Calrin upheld his trained posture and regal stride until, at last, he was out of the line of sight of the Noble's house.
He breathed a sigh of relief, relaxing his posture. Though Evara wasn't so bad as far as the Nobles went, he was happy to leave her presence.
He reached into the pouch at his belt and removed a small bit of the stardust. He couldn’t tell in the light if he’d gotten any of the pebbles that still retained their glow, but it didn’t matter.
He wasn’t entirely sure [i]why[/i] he was still keeping it. It really was worthless. It wasn’t enough to trace the origin of the thief, the fae magic scrubbing the traces of its owner away, and it had no monetary value. Yet, Calrin found it intriguing. Its existence felt like a challenge. A challenge he was quite eager to accept.
He shook it around in his palm as he walked, thinking.
Though he refused to admit it, he'd been obsessed with finding the Phantom since he first heard the rumors. Though the Houses had done their best to prevent the knowledge of this thief from spreading, especially among the human population, spread it had. There had even been speculation that the Phantom was working with a popular rebel group, the Diamond Templar, though the validity of that was yet unproven.
Despite the Phantom’s crimes, Calrin couldn’t help but admire the thief. It took no small amount of both skill and talent to do the things this thief had accomplished. Yes, the thief had to have at least one supernatural accomplice to create the stardust and to have evaded capture for so long, but still, even with aid, he'd accomplished things that should have been impossible for a human, help or no.
Calrin could only hope that [i]he[/i] found the culprit first. A human like that could be of more use alive than dead if in the right hands. And not just for interrogation purposes.
Now, he just had to figure out where the Stardust Phantom would strike next, and get there first. Though the Phantom’s thefts had seemed random at first, recently, Calrin had started to notice a subtle pattern. If he was correct, he had a vague idea of what the Phantom would go after next.
Now, if only he could figure out [i]where[/i] the next target was, along with the possible ‘what.’
He ground the stardust against his palm with his fingers. He needed information. Obscure information that, regrettably, even Evara couldn’t provide. The Noble hadn’t even really known what [i]she[/i] had, only that it was an ancient family heirloom.
Calrin had been content to let her think that that was all it was. After all, he only [i]suspected[/i] it was more than just an old magical trinket. He couldn’t be sure without seeing the real thing. As far as he knew, it could be nothing more than a wild goose chase.
As it was, there were two places you were guaranteed to find even the most elusive of information: a library, and a pub.
Of the two, Calrin much preferred doing his research at pubs. And he had just the place in mind.
He dripped the stardust back into the pouch. With his next step, his body evaporated into a puff of copper smoke, vanishing as he left the physical realm behind. The houses around him turned into ghosts of their physical forms, the emotions of the people inside tickling at his senses as tangible things, not just ideas.
In his gaseous state, he shot through the warped streets of the Dreamscape. For now, it was fairly quiet. This city had very few nocturnal creatures taking up residence, their and their staff's dreams distant wisps twanging at the web of this realm.
With the twisted time of the Dreamscape, it took only moments before he found himself outside a pub he’d heard good things about.
With another swirl of smoke, Calrin reformed in the physical plane across the street from the pub. The noise of people always hit the hardest when he came back from the relative quiet of the Dreamscape.
People swarmed about on lunchtime breaks between the brick buildings around him. A passing dwarf in a stained business suit cursed and startled away at Calrin’s sudden appearance. Recognition flashed in the gruff man’s eyes. He belted out a curt apology, then hobbled on his way.
Designed to retain an old-world feel, even the magic-fed street lanterns of this business district looked like they came from another era, each one meticulously forged with the likeness of dragons and other spindly creatures wrapping them.
A lazy smile played across his face. Now [i]this[/i] was where he'd rather be, not some stuffy Noble's estate. Nobles might have the funds for finery and extravagant galas, but the citizens were the ones who really knew how to have a good time.
Calrin crossed the cobblestone street to the pub. A sign hung outside the door in the shape of a skull, displaying the pub's name: The Drunken Skull. Keeping to the theme, the door’s handle was a brass skull. A few large crystalline skulls peered out from the door itself, giving glimpses of light and movement from the inside.
Pulling the door open by the handle's mouth, he entered the familiar fray of a pub in the raucous throws of lunch-hour.[/hider]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/7QnMzQi.png?3[/img][/center]
[b][color=gray]D[/color][/b]ang, you're still here after all that? You deserve a treat for sticking round!
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/hsGZnJX.gif[/img][/center]
[color=gray][b]I[/b][/color]f you have any interest, even vaguely, don't hesitate to contact me! The worst I can do is say no. Hope to hear from you!
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/7QnMzQi.png?3[/img][/center]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/4hWNt64.gif[/img][/center][/hider]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/7QnMzQi.png?3[/img][/center]
[center][h1]It was so... [i]kind[/i] of you to stop by.[/h1]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/j0Xku1K.gif[/img][/center]
<div style="white-space:pre-wrap;"><div class="bb-center"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/RJyFv7T.png" /></div><br><div class="bb-center"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/jsheRX6.gif" /></div><br><div class="bb-center"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/7QnMzQi.png?3" /></div><br><div class="bb-center"><iframe src="//youtube.com/embed/QOvaPmnvwfo?theme=dark" frameborder="0" width="496" height="279" allowfullscreen></iframe></div><br><div class="bb-h2">Click Here at Your Own Risk:</div><br><div class="hider-panel"><div class="hider-heading"><button type="button" class="btn btn-default btn-xs hider-button" data-name="Introduction">Introduction [+]</button></div><div class="hider-body" style="display: none"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/V9r4Cn4.png" /><br><div class="bb-center"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/8crUwn3.gif" /></div><br><br><div class="bb-center"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/RJebQce.png?1" /></div><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">Previously Known As:</span></font> Siaya Dragalorn<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">Call Me:</span></font> Riven. What, expecting something else?<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">Phonetic Pronunciation:</span></font> <span class="bb-i">rih</span>-vin whyte (like the color)<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">Time Zone:</span></font> Central Standard Time (CT) (GMT-6).<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">Active Hours:</span></font> I'm an insomniac with an unpredictable schedule. While I prefer being on graveyard shift hours, it changes regularly. Long story short, there's no predicting what time or days I'll be active on here.<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">Country:</span></font> United States of America (boo)<br><br><span class="bb-b"><font color="gray">Age:</font></span> How rude! But if it matters to you, I'm over 21.<br><br><span class="bb-b"><font color="gray">Writing/Play-by-Post Experience:</font></span> Well over a decade for both.<br><br><span class="bb-b"><font color="gray">Likes + Hobbies:</font></span> Reading. Writing. The night. Most things fantasy and paranormal. Collecting things (I think I'm part dragon). Creating art (an amazing woman once told me that she and I don't make crafts. Crafts are like coloring books or pre-made kits and their like. What <span class="bb-i">we</span> do is <span class="bb-i">create</span>. We make something from nothing). Gaming (PlayStation for the win!). Wandering old cemeteries. Night walks...<br><br><span class="bb-b"><font color="gray">Personality:</font></span> *Laughs manically.* Personality? Do you really wish to know the <span class="bb-i">personality</span> of someone without a heart?<br> Yes?<br> *Sighs.* Very well, then. I'll recognize there's an advantage in knowing what you're getting into.<br> To try and put me simply, I'm an old soul, and yet I have a semi-teenage personality wrapped in a body occasionally required to masquerade as the adult society says it is. With my rather unusual preferences, I tend to favor media in the Children's/YA sections, though my own writing tends to have dark and violent themes that threatens to tip it over into New Adult content. <br><br><span class="bb-b"><font color="gray">Other:</font></span> ~ If you want to chat and/or roleplay, feel free to message me! ~ Non-LGBT asexual (I will die on the hill that asexuality doesn't belong in the LGBT line-up). Sex-repulsed, to be specific, and yet I'm a closet romantic. Because, yes, there's a difference between smut and romance.<br><div class="bb-center"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/7QnMzQi.png?3" /></div><br><br><div class="bb-center"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/oKVvwzz.png" /><br><br><img src="https://i.imgur.com/bSjkdrQ.gif" /><br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> Rise of the Guardians<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> Nightmare Before Christmas<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> Harry Potter<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> Merlin (2008)<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> Warehouse 13<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> Spirited Away<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> Howl's Moving Castle<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> Avatar: The Last Airbender<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> Trollhunters (Tales of Arcadia)<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> Jackie Chan Adventures<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> Teen Titans (2003-'06)<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> My Hero Academia<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> Yona of the Dawn<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> Death Note<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> The Legend of Dragoon<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> Persona 5<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> The World Ends with You<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> Final Fantasy<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> Kingdom Hearts (*Gasp!* Such a <span class="bb-i">shocker!</span>)<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> Little Nightmares 1 + 2 (3 had potential, but fell flat for me)<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> Rising of the Shield Hero<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> Shadows House</div><br><div class="bb-center"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/7QnMzQi.png?3" /></div><br><br><div class="bb-right"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/UsRJvcK.png" /><br><br><img src="https://64.media.tumblr.com/b7a2ec8bb931bbd0b6269344d7aa8810/tumblr_pstzh2j9gm1tvvsht_400.gif" /><br><br>Because they can make for interesting conversation starters.<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> Bladed weapons<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> Human-made art<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> Books<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> Masks<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> Enamel Pins<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> Crystals<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> Dragons<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> Vampire themed stuff</div><br><br><div class="bb-center"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/7QnMzQi.png?3" /></div><br><br><div class="bb-center"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/4dePkyv.gif" /></div></div></div><br><div class="bb-center"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/7QnMzQi.png?3" /></div><br><br><div class="bb-center"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/6HGd4BT.png" /></div><br><div class="bb-center"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/1mwxAXC.gif" /></div><br><div class="bb-h2">Click Here at Your Own Risk:</div><br><div class="hider-panel"><div class="hider-heading"><button type="button" class="btn btn-default btn-xs hider-button" data-name="Roleplay Preferences">Roleplay Preferences [+]</button></div><div class="hider-body" style="display: none"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/qoth5Oj.png" /><br><br><img src="https://i.imgur.com/GnYWhpC.gif" /><br><br>	<font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">1x1:</span></font> Eh. Not the best idea at this point, probably. I'm rather unreliable. If you don't care that I'm unreliable, my inbox is open.<br>	<font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">Group:</span></font> No, but thanks for the thought.<br><br><div class="bb-right"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/Dfvs5bh.png" /><br><br><img src="https://i.imgur.com/O9E2hXz.gif" /><br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~ </span></font>None at the moment, but if you have an idea that might fit our matching preferences, feel free to message me!</div><br><br><img src="https://i.imgur.com/ntjvhI1.png" /><br><br><img src="https://i.imgur.com/yaDvzeY.gif" /><br><br><span class="bb-b"><font color="gray">As of 6/8/26:</font></span><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">I</span></font> don't even know anymore.<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">Maybe</span></font> once a day.<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">Maybe</span></font> never.<br><br><div class="bb-center"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/0xp8D16.png" /><br><br><img src="https://i.imgur.com/fePs5Fw.gif" /><br><br>(Sorry, I know it's long. What can I say? I know what I like--and <span class="bb-i">don't</span> like.)</div><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~ Main Character Gender:</span></font> No preference. I'll gladly play a main male or female character! No doubling necessary.<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~ Partner RL Gender:</span></font> Man or woman, as long as you can write decently for the gender (and creature) you want to write for.<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~ </span><span class="bb-b">Multiple Main and/or Side Characters?</span></font> Yes to both! I can be equally content writing for a semi-larger group of characters, or playing only a single MC. I do prefer keeping it small on the MC front (two to three in my control, max), but can do as many side/secondary characters as the story needs!<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~ </span><span class="bb-b">Writing POV and Tense:</span></font> Third-person past-tense. This is both my typical style, and what I'd like from a RP partner. <br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~ </span><span class="bb-b">Character Age:</span></font> Various. My favored MC age (or appeared age) range tends to 17-24, but I do write for characters 24+.<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~ </span>Driver, Shotgun, or Passenger?</font> All, mental capacity allowing. I can GM a story on my own, co-GM, or let my partner take the driver's seat while my character(s) causes chaos from the backseat.<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~ </span><span class="bb-b">Genres:</span></font> <span class="bb-u">Favored:</span> Fantasy, paranormal/supernatural horror, fairy tale. <span class="bb-u">With a Side Of:</span> Adventure, suspense, mystery, action, drama, magic. <span class="bb-u">But Not:</span> Hard sci-fy, solely slice-of-life, erotica, canon fandom, tabletop style.<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~ </span><span class="bb-b">Cannon or Originals:</span></font> I will NOT write for cannon characters or plots. I'm all for "Inspired By," or "Based On," though!<br><br><span class="bb-b"><font color="gray">~ Swearing:</font></span> I'd prefer none, but can tolerate PG-13-ish in IC. I personally don't use standardized or direct profanity. Not a fan. Lord of the Rings doesn't have any cussing in it, you know. Proof you can make an incredible dark story without profanity or sexual content. And please try to avoid it entirely in OOC with me.<br><br><span class="bb-b"><font color="gray">~ Sex/Smut:</font></span> <span class="bb-i"><span class="bb-u">NO.</span></span> If you absolutely need smut in your RPs, then we're NOT a match. I don't even lead characters to a "fade to black" point. As a sex-repulsed asexual, I don't write sex scenarios. Period. I adore romance (see below), and this doesn't rule out semi-intimate physical scenes; it just means that my characters' undies stay on.<br><br><span class="bb-b"><font color="gray">~ But, Romance? Love Interests?!</font></span> Romance and sex are NOT the same thing! I adore the presence of a REALISTIC love interest for characters. But not having romance/love interests wouldn't be a deal breaker, either; if it forms between characters, then great!<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~ General Nudity:</span></font> PG-13. I can tolerate non-sex-based nudity if it's <span class="bb-i">absolutely pertinent</span> to the story/situation, though it tends to be uncomfortable for me, and I'd request that you don't go into details. Ask yourself, "Would it change anything important if this character wasn't nude?" If the answer is 'no,' it's unnecessary in my book--which, honestly, is 99.99% of the time.<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~ Gore and Violence:</span></font> YES, please! As long as it fits the characters and story we're telling, BRING ON THE BLOOD AND AGONY! I enjoy physically (and mentally) torturing characters more than what's probably healthy.<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~ </span><span class="bb-b">Other Mature Themes:</span></font> I'm okay with the presence of most other "mature/adult" themes not directly mentioned here. Though, that may depend on how, exactly, they come into play in the story.<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~ </span><span class="bb-b">Eras of Interest:</span></font> Modern, medieval, renaissance, Victorian, mixed, made-up. Just not purely futuristic.<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~ </span><span class="bb-b">Gender Pairings:</span></font> <span class="bb-u">Romance Potential:</span> MxF only. I don't care which I write for in that role. <span class="bb-u">Just Friends:</span> Any pairing.<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~ Writing Level:</span></font> Advanced/literate. I'd like a partner to at least somewhat match that.<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~ </span><span class="bb-b">Usual Post Length:</span></font> Situational. I don't expect a partner to know their word count, but on average from me, expect no fewer than 200 words, while I've hit 1,500+ with story-heavy and/or loner posts. As a rule of thumb, the more you give me to work with, the more I'll give back.<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~ Requested Partner Post Length:</span></font> Situational. I request my partners be capable of <span class="bb-i">somewhat</span> matching when circumstances allow. But sometimes the situation only requires a small number of words. When in doubt, as they say, quality over quantity! However, I <span class="bb-i">can't stand</span> one-liners, or constantly short, static posts.<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~ </span><span class="bb-b">Grammar and Spelling:</span></font> I ask that a RP partner have basic English grammar and writing skills. I like understanding what I'm reading. But I won't turn into a grammar police officer on you--unless you give me permission to.<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~ </span><span class="bb-b">Roleplay Medium:</span></font> Conflicted. I used to prefer only forum threads for many reasons. But with the rise of AI, RP guilds have got to be the perfect theft fodder with all the continuous new public content. Which would leave the less-organized PM.<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~ AI Use:</span></font> NO. AI has absolutely no place in anything that involves art, or anything that eliminates a human element. In RPs with me, don't use AI for anything, be it writing, editing, or even storing or getting ideas or research. No AI art, either. Not knowingly, at least--that garbage is getting harder to avoid. And if you feed my stuff to AI, and I WiLl EnD yOu.<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~ Posting Speed:</span></font> Inconsistent. Some days I can do one or more, others one a week, and yet others one a month+. Depends on, well, everything.<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~ Partner Posting Frequency:</span></font> As long as I know you're still interested, I really don't care. Take your time. This is for <span class="bb-i">fun,</span> not something that should be stressed over!<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~ OOC Chat:</span></font> Not a requirement for me beyond plotting, but encouraged; I enjoy getting to know the mind behind the characters!<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~ Other:</span></font> >> I'm pretty ghost-friendly. It isn't fun to be left hanging, of course, but I quite understand that life doesn't always give you the chance (or energy... or willpower...) to say something to a partner before it rips you apart. If you come back, don't feel too guilty to message me, be it to RP or just chat! Chances are, I've been a bit worried about you. But no offence taken if you don't!<br> >> Don't feel shy to give me pointers with my writing! While I look at roleplays as one giant, beautiful mess of a rough draft, I LOVE getting well-intended feedback with my writing.<br> >> I typically create long and overly detailed character profiles, but note that this isn't something I require of my partner. What matters is that YOU know your character well, while I know what I need to know. I just want to warn you! If you want to know what you'd be getting into with there, click <a href="https://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/189349-rivens-brain-children/ooc">here</a> for my character vault on the Guild.<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~ Want a Writing Sample?</span></font> Then click the below hider for an example of an opening IC post.<br><div class="hider-panel"><div class="hider-heading"><button type="button" class="btn btn-default btn-xs hider-button" data-name="Writing Sample">Writing Sample [+]</button></div><div class="hider-body" style="display: none">.	Calrin crouched in front of the Noble’s weapons’ cabinet. His dark blue jeans tightened to accent his leg muscles, his bare chest showing off his toned upper body. Dark blue tribal tattoos on his arms licked toward his chest and shoulder blades, stopping just short of each on either respective side.<br>	The cabinet before him was crowded with various weapons, from swords and spears to a couple historical guns tucked securely in the corner.<br>	Emphasis on <span class="bb-i">securely.</span><br>	Though disabled now, even Calrin could sense the residue of its protective enchantments. Though that alone should have been enough to deter most thieves, it had at least five different locks keeping the door of the main cabinet secured, with the same number on the small drawer in front of him. The ones on the drawer even required enchanted keys to unlock.<br>	And yet, somehow, the Stardust Phantom had broken through all of it, disabling the ones on the drawer, while leaving no trace of himself behind.<br>	Five identical daggers rested side-by-side on the velvet lining of the drawer. In one space where a sixth dagger should have been, there was nothing but pebbly sand.<br>	Nothing but <span class="bb-i">‘stardust,’</span> as it had been labeled.<br>	The glittery substance glowed with a faint silvery light in the shadows of the drawer. Each 'star' winked and flickered, as if mocking Calrin and the avorian Noble the dagger had belonged to.<br>	Calrin scooped up the handful of the Stardust Phantom’s calling card. As he looked at it, a few of the pebbles winked out, leaving only what looked like glittery black goldstone.<br>	He tipped his hand, eyeing the stardust as it shifted. He jerked his head, clearing his vision of his blond bangs, and shifted his dusk-blue gaze to the cabinet.<br>	All those weapons, and the thief had only taken a single dagger. He’d known exactly what he was after.<br>	He always did.<br>	Calrin took a breath and closed his eyes. He had to be certain. Though copycats were few and far between as of yet, they were still out there. <br>	He reached into the metaphysical realm where dreams and magic cross. His body shimmered, losing some of its definition into a coppery haze. The tattoos on his arms almost seemed to glow, their lines blurring with the rest of him.<br>	Though general magic wasn’t his expertise, he’d spent enough time around its users to be capable of sensing its presence if he tried hard enough, even pick out familiar signatures. To his dismay, the other bits of magic saturating the house were overwhelming, turning into an indistinguishable mass.<br>	He grunted frustratedly. His brows furled as he focused harder on the stardust. Though the other magic auras were nearly all the same to him, he’d since familiarized himself with the true Stardust Phantom’s calling card.<br>	Finally, he managed it. Though it was fading, and fast, the flitty, mischievous aura of fae magic was unmistakable. It mingled with the twang of human meddling, chemicals the faery magic corroded beyond scientific recognition. In turn, the human chemicals burned away the defining characteristics of the fae magic, making it impossible to tell which Fae Court the magic-user belonged to, even if Calrin had been apt enough in standard magic to sense that himself.<br>	Calrin released the partial link to the more abstract realm, and his form solidified. A grin spread over his lips; this was, without a doubt, the work of the Stardust Phantom. <br>	“So?” Evara, the victimized Noble, asked from behind him, her voice twittering and musical. “Was it really <span class="bb-i">him?</span>” She finished in a heated whisper. <br>	Calrin nodded. “You said you found it missing a day ago?” he confirmed, pouring the stardust from one palm to the other. That seemed right, compared to the strength of the fading aura and glow.<br>	“About that, yes.”<br>	His grin widened. This was the quickest he’d managed to hear about one of the Phantom’s thefts. Which meant that the thief might not be too far out of town yet. Or, if Calrin was lucky, perhaps the thief was still here.<br>	“Did he take anything else?” Calrin asked without looking from the stardust.<br>	“Some money I’d left out. Nothing else of such value. Nothing that can be traced.”<br>	“The Enforcers already tried to scry for the dagger?”<br>	“Twice! But something’s concealing it!” She huffed her frustrations. “Is it true what they say? That he’s nothing but a <span class="bb-i">human?</span>” She spat the word as if it was the foulest of insults.<br>	“As far as anyone can tell, yes.” He straightened and faced the avorian. <br>	Evara Airlar scowled at the stardust as he trickled it again from one hand back to the other. Feathers in the browns and whites of a falcon sprouted from her head, flowing down like a bobbed haircut. Though she had the face of a human, her features were sharp, her eyes deep brown with pupils disconcertingly larger than a human’s.<br>	A pair of feathered wings tucked into her sides, protruding from the open back of a designer halter top. She crossed her feather-speckled arms over her chest, her fingers tipped with avian claws.<br>	“Filthy vermin, the lot of them!” she spat, her wings twitching with her irritation. “I’ve put the Enforcers on it, but they’re incompetent buffoons!” She threw a hand and wing up exasperatedly. “Can’t even find a single thief, let alone that nuisance cluster of local rebels that—!”<br>	She cut herself off, eyes widening as she remembered who, exactly, she was speaking to. She swiftly bowed her head, hands folding in front of her as if in prayer. “Forgive me, m’lord. I shouldn’t be burdening you with such troubles. This isn’t your territory to worry about.”<br>	Calrin waved the apology away. “The burdens of one are lighter when carried by the shoulders of all!”<br>	The woman smiled at him. “Eloquently put.”<br>	He winked his thanks, though he couldn't take credit for it. It was something his late sister had been fond of saying. The people seemed to love it, so he'd adopted it.<br>	“The thief got the real one?” He nodded to the open drawer. “The rest are just decoys?” <br>	“Yes, Lord Ba’alrin.”<br>	“Please, call me Rin.” He smiled warmly at her. “This is hardly a formal visit! The Enforcers are skilled, but I’m as vexed as you about why they haven’t caught this pest.” He exaggerated a frown at the dust as it trickled through the bottom of his fist. “Might I keep this?” He nodded to the stardust.<br>	“Yes, yes. It’s worthless, but yes.”<br>	He gave her another charming smile. “Many thanks, Lady Airlar!” He opened a small bag at his belt, careful to make sure the Noble didn’t see the contents. He trickled the pebbly sand inside it, letting the glowing bits join the collection of now dark stones he’d collected from other crime scenes.<br>	He straightened, then offered the Noble a deep bow. “I thank you for allowing me into your home under such short notice, good Lady!”<br>	Evara twittered at his show of formality despite his own request. That he was shirtless and shoeless paired with his physique to paint a perfect picture of the Nomadic Prince.<br>	“The pleasure has been mine, Lor—Rin.” She curtseyed as well as her pencil skirt allowed. Her wings flared slightly beside her.<br>	He started through the manor house to the front door.<br>	“Won’t you stay for lunch?” Evara asked, following him. “Or perhaps some tea, at the least? It wouldn’t take our cook long to prepare some refreshments for your trouble! It’s the least I could do to thank you for coming all this way.”<br>	“That’s generous of you, but no.” He stopped at the grand front door. Sunlight filtered in through a stained-glass window near it’s top. It glinted on the copper-inscribed black torc around his throat. “Sadly, I have business to conduct elsewhere.”<br>	“Of course.”<br>	He collected his pair of leather riding boots from beside the door, and slipped them on. <br>	“Should you need anything,” Evara went on as he opened the door, letting in the afternoon sunlight, “don’t hesitate to call on us!”<br>	“You’ll be the first I come to, dear Lady!” He smiled dashingly, gave her another flourishing bow, then left. <br>	The mild warmth and blossoming scents of late spring filled the air. The Noble’s manor took up most of one side of the street. Other grand houses found space further down the road. Lawn mowers rumbled as human servants and slaves tended to the gardens of their supernatural betters.<br>	Calrin upheld his trained posture and regal stride until, at last, he was out of the line of sight of the Noble's house. <br>	He breathed a sigh of relief, relaxing his posture. Though Evara wasn't so bad as far as the Nobles went, he was happy to leave her presence.<br>	He reached into the pouch at his belt and removed a small bit of the stardust. He couldn’t tell in the light if he’d gotten any of the pebbles that still retained their glow, but it didn’t matter.<br>	He wasn’t entirely sure <span class="bb-i">why</span> he was still keeping it. It really was worthless. It wasn’t enough to trace the origin of the thief, the fae magic scrubbing the traces of its owner away, and it had no monetary value. Yet, Calrin found it intriguing. Its existence felt like a challenge. A challenge he was quite eager to accept.<br>	He shook it around in his palm as he walked, thinking.<br>	Though he refused to admit it, he'd been obsessed with finding the Phantom since he first heard the rumors. Though the Houses had done their best to prevent the knowledge of this thief from spreading, especially among the human population, spread it had. There had even been speculation that the Phantom was working with a popular rebel group, the Diamond Templar, though the validity of that was yet unproven.<br>	Despite the Phantom’s crimes, Calrin couldn’t help but admire the thief. It took no small amount of both skill and talent to do the things this thief had accomplished. Yes, the thief had to have at least one supernatural accomplice to create the stardust and to have evaded capture for so long, but still, even with aid, he'd accomplished things that should have been impossible for a human, help or no.<br>	Calrin could only hope that <span class="bb-i">he</span> found the culprit first. A human like that could be of more use alive than dead if in the right hands. And not just for interrogation purposes.<br>	Now, he just had to figure out where the Stardust Phantom would strike next, and get there first. Though the Phantom’s thefts had seemed random at first, recently, Calrin had started to notice a subtle pattern. If he was correct, he had a vague idea of what the Phantom would go after next.<br>	Now, if only he could figure out <span class="bb-i">where</span> the next target was, along with the possible ‘what.’<br>	He ground the stardust against his palm with his fingers. He needed information. Obscure information that, regrettably, even Evara couldn’t provide. The Noble hadn’t even really known what <span class="bb-i">she</span> had, only that it was an ancient family heirloom.<br>	Calrin had been content to let her think that that was all it was. After all, he only <span class="bb-i">suspected</span> it was more than just an old magical trinket. He couldn’t be sure without seeing the real thing. As far as he knew, it could be nothing more than a wild goose chase.<br>	As it was, there were two places you were guaranteed to find even the most elusive of information: a library, and a pub. <br>	Of the two, Calrin much preferred doing his research at pubs. And he had just the place in mind.<br>	He dripped the stardust back into the pouch. With his next step, his body evaporated into a puff of copper smoke, vanishing as he left the physical realm behind. The houses around him turned into ghosts of their physical forms, the emotions of the people inside tickling at his senses as tangible things, not just ideas.<br>	In his gaseous state, he shot through the warped streets of the Dreamscape. For now, it was fairly quiet. This city had very few nocturnal creatures taking up residence, their and their staff's dreams distant wisps twanging at the web of this realm.<br>	With the twisted time of the Dreamscape, it took only moments before he found himself outside a pub he’d heard good things about.<br>	With another swirl of smoke, Calrin reformed in the physical plane across the street from the pub. The noise of people always hit the hardest when he came back from the relative quiet of the Dreamscape.<br>	People swarmed about on lunchtime breaks between the brick buildings around him. A passing dwarf in a stained business suit cursed and startled away at Calrin’s sudden appearance. Recognition flashed in the gruff man’s eyes. He belted out a curt apology, then hobbled on his way.<br>	Designed to retain an old-world feel, even the magic-fed street lanterns of this business district looked like they came from another era, each one meticulously forged with the likeness of dragons and other spindly creatures wrapping them.<br>	A lazy smile played across his face. Now <span class="bb-i">this</span> was where he'd rather be, not some stuffy Noble's estate. Nobles might have the funds for finery and extravagant galas, but the citizens were the ones who really knew how to have a good time.<br>	Calrin crossed the cobblestone street to the pub. A sign hung outside the door in the shape of a skull, displaying the pub's name: The Drunken Skull. Keeping to the theme, the door’s handle was a brass skull. A few large crystalline skulls peered out from the door itself, giving glimpses of light and movement from the inside.<br>	Pulling the door open by the handle's mouth, he entered the familiar fray of a pub in the raucous throws of lunch-hour.</div></div><br><br><div class="bb-center"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/7QnMzQi.png?3" /></div><br>	<span class="bb-b"><font color="gray">D</font></span>ang, you're still here after all that? You deserve a treat for sticking round!<br><div class="bb-center"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/hsGZnJX.gif" /></div><br>	<font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">I</span></font>f you have any interest, even vaguely, don't hesitate to contact me! The worst I can do is say no. Hope to hear from you!<br><br><div class="bb-center"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/7QnMzQi.png?3" /></div><br><div class="bb-center"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/4hWNt64.gif" /></div></div></div><br><div class="bb-center"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/7QnMzQi.png?3" /></div><br><br><div class="bb-center"><div class="bb-h1">It was so... <span class="bb-i">kind</span> of you to stop by.</div><br><img src="https://i.imgur.com/j0Xku1K.gif" /></div></div>
Member
StarfrostedFox
Bacon
Ohm
Azure Bubbles
Lyric Hop
Tyler Night
Kirah
SkyeOfStars
BlackRoseSiren
Dezuel
