Rune_Alchemist

Botanist And Bards

~Charlotte LaChance~

---

Charlotte had barely been paying attention when Cait followed her. She was vaguely aware of her presence, but mostly left herself alone with her thoughts. Occasionally, she'd crane her neck upwards through the trees of the forest, trying to catch a glimpse of the sky. It was clear enough, with a few clouds, but otherwise it'd have a good view if the foliage wasn't in the way. Stars were stars, even in this strange land and even if they were unfamiliar. Far away, unknown, even to the scholars of Astril, despite their attempts. She always liked the luminescent dots of light.

After some walking though, it became increasingly clear that she was thoroughly lost. Just a bit. At least, she had lost the location of the mountain. Unthinkable, considering she had memorized the path from her cave to the place quite easily, but something was different. She could tell simply from the way the landscape looked. Thankfully, Cait's voice quickly explained it, though she was asking a question. Land shifting with the seasons? She wasn't even going to question it after the talking animals. It was clear something here was fundamentally different than her usual laws of science and reason. Her normal vein of logic wouldn't work here. That both terrified, and excited her.

Right, she should answer instead of remaining silent probably.

"...no." She replied quietly, shaking her head. She had ended up walking far into the forest, the small cave that passed for her home at least a good distance away by now. Well, she had nothing better to do than talk right now. If Cait was curious, she might as well speak, at least a little. "The land is unchanging as stone. At least, any changes happen over great periods of time. Centuries, even. I assume that isn't the case here from that comment." When all other answers were exhausted, the remaining must be true no matter how improbable, after all. She sighed, shaking her head and turning to Cait. "We don't even have 'seasons', really. Everything is always blanketed in a thick layer of snow and ice sometimes deep enough for a man to fall into and never be seen again. If not, then it's one of the rocky mountains that seem to scrape the skies to the western edge of the land or one of the many pine forests. A few small grassy plains with small shrubs and bushes exist, but for the most part it is simply snow and ice. Not that I mind - Our people have grown quite accustomed to it over the centuries since we settled in the Tower. We can easily move around in a light cloak and clothing without too much trouble, as long as we do not plan to stay outdoors for long. If anything, the heat here is almost suffocating sometimes."

She looked towards the ground.

"Likewise, I am assuming you have guessed animals do not speak where I come from. Or at least, such a method of communication is unheard of among my people, though I doubt they would ever find it useful to any extent. The hunter rarely has need to communicate with its prey." She had to wonder if it even was a thing in some dusty tome in one of the libraries? It was quite possible. There were some books in there that hadn't been touched in ages because they had been deemed useless information or pursuits.

Botanist And Bards

~Charlotte LaChance~

---

Charlotte hardly listened to what the rabbit was saying. She heard some vague talk of being thanked for...something. Whatever it was? She had barely even introduced herself. The rabbit and Cait started talking about the land or something. She couldn't make sense of it in her current state. The smoke was still messing with her head too much for completely rational thought aside from dredging up some thoughts she would have rather stayed buried for now. Oh, and the fact that over the course of the years she had probably killed, experimented upon, and probably did some not so nice things to animals.

As Cait started speaking again though, she managed to pull herself from such thoughts and turned her head towards the other woman. Once again, she was commenting on her facial expression. With a grunt, Charlotte rested her right arm on her right knee, still holding onto the Canteen.

"Well, this is what it looks like when someones had their basic understanding of the world shattered." Charlotte replied grumpily, shaking her head. "Friends, eh?" She had a dilemma here she didn't know how she could possibly solve, except for carrying on like nothing had changed. But she didn't want to do that. Not at all. That wouldn't make her any better than those fools at the tower. She frowned, sighing and standing back up as she brushed some dirt off of her pants.

"...I need to take a walk." She said. Mostly, she just needed a bit of time to think of a solution to this problem. At the moment though, she didn't think she could entirely do it with this smoke clouding her judgement. "I need to think a bit and this smoke isn't helping." She turned and started to leave. "I'll be gone for a bit, but I am going to the mountain near the coast. I'll be back in a few hours."

Her voice was still serious, but it carried a lot less of its usual seeming hostility. If anything, it seemed more thoughtful. Or perhaps just tired.

Magic Apprentices

Alright, here we are.

Viola Rifei

Name:
Viola Rifei

Age:
16

Appearance:
Standing at four foot six and barely over 80lbs, and usually sporting a slightly mischievous, somewhat knowing seeming smirk, Viola is definitely not what one would call physically impressive. Slender, and lacking any sort of definite muscle. Her skin is free of any blemishes and markings of any kind. Her eyes are a dull grey color and sports black colored hair that falls well past her shoulders.

Clothing wise, she is a fan of rather complicated and somewhat eccentric and expensive dresses, preferring darker colors such as black, purple, and dark blue. Her current choice of attire is a black dress, with white accents and red bows that falls to her waist where it meets a pair of black stockings and dress shoes. Why she chose to wear those instead of something more suiting is anyone guess. Some assume she's simply the child of a wealthy family and takes very good care of herself and is quite the pampered little brat, and doesn't know any better. She comments she simply likes the style.

Talent:
Summoning, the art of summoning mythical creatures to temporarily aid one.
Contracts, the art of binding a mythical beast to the will of the user and gaining temporary access to its abilities.

Grimoire Appearance:

Grimoire

Viola's Grimoire is made of exquisite black leather, and is small enough to fit in her pocket. The spine has silver studs adorning it, and is clasped shut with silver locks. Embedded in the center of the book is an onyx gemstone. The book smells of aged leather and paper, and has a hint of age to the covers.

First Spells:

Art of Summoning:
Summon Wind Sprite: "I call thee, Spirit of wind. Answer my summons..."
A simple spell. Summons a small fairy that can manipulate air currents and winds. Not too powerful at all, but everyone has to start somewhere. The wind sprite moves of its own accord, carrying out its orders as it sees fit. Incantation may change depending on creature summoned, and may not always be entirely loyal to the summoner.

Art of Contracts:
Viola is able to effectively bind certain creatures to her will. Some more easily than others, depending on certain characteristics they possess.

Affinity: Faerie Lore
Things that are typically considered to be of a family of Fae. Faeries, pixies, and those residents of the Fae Courts. She is able to communicate with them on some beginner level and press them into her service unless they require specific requirements to 'tame'.

Affinity: Incorporeal Beings
Ghost-like entities that may not entirely possess corporeal form. Ghosts, harmless poltergeists, and those creatures with an affinity for not strictly 'living'. Not necromancy, really, as she's not raising anything. Simply giving what is already existing a little more...direction. She is able to communicate with them in some manner.

There is a limit to how many she can control at a time, of course, and looking after many creatures might get a bit...exhausting. Once contracted, they are bound to the Grimoire and its owner. The mage is then capable of using their power at their leisure.

Personality:
Viola...definitely does not behave the way her appearance might suggest. At first impression, she'd come off as incredibly formal and polite. Talk with her long enough though, and you'll find a somewhat self-centered, cynical, mischievous, somewhat playfully aggressive little girl who has a rather large seeming ego. However, this is just her attempting to be 'cute' or 'cheeky'. Truthfully, she doesn't take her own words to heart, and would never consider herself better than anyone.

Truthfully, she is fairly friendly and likes meeting people and being around people, and also simply likes watching them for...entertainment purposes. She'll be the first to say hello to someone, the first to speak up or attempt to diffuse a hostile situation and otherwise try and make light of things.

Another thing to note, would be an insatiable curiosity about anything and everything. History, technology...everything. While her physical skills are lacking, her academic studies and focus on such things will likely help greatly in the pursuit of magic.

However, like with everyone, she does have her own vices and sins. Hers, is curiosity and a lust and love of all knowledge, and her rather cynical and logical outlook on life and people, despite her seeming playfulness. She, would do anything for the sake of knowledge, and her curiosity drives her to meddle in quite a number of affairs, especially ones that offer the most entertainment value. For the most part, they are likely to be harmless...but perhaps, it could get everyone into trouble one day. Above all though, her desire is simple: Power.

History:
Viola's past isn't that remarkable, really. Born as the sole child to a middle class family in France. Utterly normal. Nothing to complain about. Nothing at all. She went to a normal school. Had normal friends, a normal life. It was a good life, really. Loving parents, friends, family. Even so, Viola herself couldn't help but to feel...well, nothing. Utter boredom, really. She spent her days reading books, studying, looking up myths, legends, and other such things on the internet. She even went to a witch coven once just for the lulz to see how it was. Aside from being completely disappointed, she didn't achieve anything nor alleviate her boredom.

Her life continued this way until she was around fifteen.

Now, she had always had a healthy bit of skepticism about supernatural things. But one night after taking a walk through town she stumbled across something that shouldn't be. A small hint of something otherworldly. For the first time in her life, Viola felt excited. Like a gaping hole in her heart had been filled and had been replaced by one thing: A burning desire. Without a word to her parents or friends, she left, taking as much money as she could and following these scant clues until she stumbled across a run down shop, where the clues seemed to be leading her...

Other:
N/A

St. Sappho Academy, Medieval Magic Academy (Invite Only)

~Selvinia & Co~

"Temple?..." The elder sighed, leaning back in his chair seemingly deciding on what exactly he should say. "Can not say much. Was once friendly, but in recent years..." He shook his head, it was likely clear what he was implying there at least. The temple and village had once been on friendly terms, but in recent years things had taken a bit of a bad relationship. "Was place of study, enlightenment, meditation. Something happened after a foreigner visited. Very distrusting of outsiders, closed doors, drive away any who visit. The weather has been harsher, and crops refuse to grow. Have doubts, but there are powerful sorcerers living there. People are convinced they are at fault."

His head turned to the direction of the hellhound, and the commotion ensuing outside.

Whoever was outside the window, was not expecting to have been seen or heard. As soon as they had been discovered, they immediately retaliated. Something heavy and round would slam into Eith's head if she didn't have the reflexes to dodge. Whatever it was wasn't lethal, and meant more to stun. Either way, by the time the hellhoud would recover the figure, whoever they had been would already be halfway down the street, Eith barely just able to make out whoever it was leaping in an almost in-human fashion onto the roof of a house from a street.

If Eith was fast enough, she might be able to give chase before they disappeared completely, whoever they were.

The elder simply shook his head.

"...and they have killed any outsider who approached. Likely one of theirs."

Botanist And Bards

~Charlotte LaChance~

---

Strands have power? Her hair? That...that was a pretty amazing property for something to be able to do. Interesting, but that was all she could think of it with the current haze her thoughts were in.

"Calm of the forest?! This is the exact opposite of what I consider calming and normal!" Charlotte replied, barely registering the canteen being shoved into her hands. "Just...a little water? Oh yes, because that would make everything just a-okay! Just a little water would make all of this seem completely normal." Cait was right thought, she should try calming down. Just a little bit would help get her thoughts in order. Besides, that tune she was playing was pleasant enough at least...after a few seconds, the dark haired woman gave a tired, defeated sigh, retaking her seat and practically chugging the entire canteen of water before managing a mostly calm reply.

"No, I am not." Charlotte replied to the rabbit. Play it cool Charlotte. If she could remain level headed even when faced with a blood-thirsty, screaming, axe-wielding mountain barbarian, she could keep her cool and talk to a rabbit. "Really great observation there, rabbit." Despite her sarcasm, it would likely be obvious that she was still troubled.

Honestly, this was a...completely troubling development.

Logically speaking, animals shouldn't be able to talk. However if they could, also logically speaking...and they were as sentient and intelligent as people were...then wouldn't that effectively be the same as murdering another human being? Was that what Cait meant by 'friends'? In a literal sense instead of a more pet-like familiar sense?

She honestly felt a little sick.

Botanist And Bards

~Charlotte LaChance~

---

Whatever Cait was doing, Charlotte was hardly interested in it. She was content to pout, glare, and sulk until Cait was satisfied with her being nibbled on my forest creatures. Whatever she was doing though, was obviously some sort of...chemical reaction. Alchemy of some sort? That is what it looked like, and despite Charlotte's annoyance she was a bit curious as to what the smoke was doing. It didn't seem to be harmful, and Cait was playing a fairly...relaxing tune.

In fact, it was getting a little...difficult to think. And that terrified Charlotte. It was brief, though, very brief.

But that fear was quickly suppressed by whatever this thick smoke was doing, and Caits flute playing. It definitely had some sort of mental effect, but Charlotte couldn't place what exactly it was. Any sort of complex or complicated thoughts were deadened, locked away behind some sort of...fog. In fact, Charlotte didn't even seem to be paying attention to Cait. She was too busy trying to think.

"H-huh?" Cait's words snapped Charlotte out of her thoughts, or at least, out of her trying to reclaim them. She looked over to the rabbit, frowning slightly at the creature with a small glare. She expected it to waltz up and start nibbling on her shoe. What she hadn't expected was for the rabbit to start speaking. She looked from the rabbit, then to Cait, then back to the rabbit. She had been drunk before. She had accidentally gotten high a few times off of some fumes. But never in a million years had she ever heard one speak. It took a moment for Charlotte to fully process this though, and ended up staring at the rabbit for a few seconds.

"E-eeeh?! D-did that rabbit just talk!?" Charlotte jumped up, moving swiftly back a few seconds as if she had just been confronted by some sort of demon. She looked back to Cait.

This...this wasn't right. Animals didn't talk. That was...impossible. She turned her head to Cait, and instead of seeming her normal serious self, she looked more than a little distressed.

"A-animals do not talk!" Was she going crazy after all this time? No, no, it was likely that smoke or whatever it was Cait had done. It obviously had some sort of psycho...psychost...mind-altering effects.

That was not okay, and she might just smack Cait for this. Her knowledge and mind was one of the few things she had in this world she allowed herself to feel happy and a small amount of pride over. She would not take anyone messing with that lightly.

"Cait, what did you do to me?!" It would be increasingly clear to Cait that Charlotte was becoming less and less okay with whatever this was by the second.

Botanist And Bards

~Charlotte LaChance~

---

There she was, going on about 'friends' again. Charlotte really didn't like where this was going. At all. Turn out badly for her? She could handle a few wild animals. Easy enough to shoo them off. Charlotte simply glared slightly at Cait, frowning and not making any sort of movement at all to head outside. Of course, she had not expected the swat on her butt once again. Her eyes widened, face reddening in slight embarrassment as her glare towards Cait became cold enough to freeze even fire solid. Ugh, why did she have to invade her personal space so...easily? With a sigh, Charlotte finally gave up trying to resist.

"Fine!" She said irritably. "I'll go...sit outside or something." Charlotte walked outside, steps hitting the stone floor with obvious annoyance as she made her way out. Once outside, she took a seat near the mouth of the cave, crossing arms against her chest, largely ignoring Cait.

Botanist And Bards

~Charlotte LaChance~

---

"Meh." Charlotte grunted when Cait started speaking. She had her doubts. Certainly they were likely older and knew more about the land than she did, but...it seemed a bit of a stretch that they'd be able to help. "My aims? I do not aim to live here for longer than I need too." Charlotte replied, shaking her head. She had no intention of hanging around forever, after all. She had something she wanted - or rather, she felt like she needed to do, after all. She couldn't do it sitting around here any longer than she needed too. However, at Cait's next suggestion, Charlotte turned around and gave Cait a deadpan expression.

"You are joking." She knew what that meant. She wanted to go out there and try...'talking' with a bird or something. Aside from the fact animals couldn't talk, her and them tended to not get along so well. Or perhaps rather...they got too friendly for her liking. Her old roommates pet Snow Hawk tended to get a liiiitle too friendly. And by that, she meant that it liked using her head as a nest when she was sleeping.

Annoying bird...though, she missed it.

"No." She simply replied. Cait would likely have to do a bit of tugging to get Charlotte out there.

Magic Apprentice

@olcharlieboi

Yep, that's pretty much what I figured. I just wanted to give Viola a few affinities that matched her personality mostly and made sense for her. She'll definitely be trying to get her mitts on a little bit of everything. Gotta be prepared, after all.

Botanist And Bards

~Charlotte LaChance~

---

Cave...solution? Did she not know what a map was? That was...surprising. Well, perhaps not entirely surprising. She hadn't expected something completely detailed, but she had assumed that they would at least have some sort of...way of keeping track of the land or where they were. Even the neanderthals living in the frigid lands outside of Astril had a basic understanding of the land, how to travel it, etc. They weren't nearly as detailed as Astril's maps of course but...well. To say they even lacked this basic advancement...she sighed, shaking her head, not noticing the shorter womans flushing face.

"No," Charlotte replied, holding a hand to her forehead. This was just abso-fucking-lutely great. No maps! "Its paper. A form of it at least. You know what paper is at least, correct?" That probably came out a bit more hostile than she intended. "A map is something you use to...record the landscape of an area. So you can travel it easier and remember where certain landmarks are the next time you go somewhere." She frowned, removing her hand from her head and walking over to the map and running a hand over it.

"This map, however...is almost as old as the tower itself. Its sorely outdated and using it to travel would be...difficult." If Cait didn't even know what a simple map was, then she doubted the 'Great Mothers' whoever they were would be of any more help. "Nothing more than legwork, memorization, and a little math to make sure the scale is correct." She grunted. Well...this was bloody great. She had expected to not have a map at all, but when she had run into Cait a small part of her hoped she would have a map. After all, it was something extremely basic any society would have, isn't it? She shouldn't have gotten her hopes up, really. It was foolish of her to do so.

Sometimes, she forgot the rest of the world was sorely behind Astril in terms of technology...

"If you don't have one, it doesn't matter...I can make do. Always have." She grunted irritably, moving back over to the alchemy table where the solution that she had melted Cait's hairs in had finished bubbling. "I doubt your...Great Mothers would be of much help." It'd take the rest of the night for them to finish, and she had nothing better to do other than write and record a few things.

She didn't feel like sleeping.