shylarah

Shard Seekers

Yeah, same. I know you've said stuff is going on irl, @antman0623, but you've said three, four times now you were posting /that day/, and you didn't. If you need time, say so. I can wait, but I don't want to have to keep checking and being disappointed.

Enigma: Dawn Of The Rebellion [Sci-fi/Fantasy]

I ship it. =P

Adelon: Steeling the Faith [Open!]

Starsion? Amuné's eyes widened as she jerked her head up to look at Geoffrey. That was a name she knew. As a healer's daughter, how could she not? They were -- or was it just the one Magi? -- famed healers, known for working the closest thing to miracles since the Saints walked the earth. "There's no way!" she burst out, her face showing marked disbelief. The moment it left her mouth she flushed and ducked her head again, clenching her hands in his lap. That meanie, a Starsion? Not a chance! The innkeeper's son was saying something about Zander panicking and ripping up Seals, but she was too focused on being angry at more evidence of the man's deception to really consider what the new information meant.

And then it turned out he was listening in! She agreed wholeheartedly when Geoffrey told him that healers were people of integrity and didn't go sneaking around. But something about his voice as Zander started speaking made the girl look up at him, though she kept her head down and didn't lift her face. He sounded...distressed, but resigned. Doubt crept into her mind. Maybe he was telling the truth after all. The girl didn't know anymore.

Of course Ethan immediately accepted what was said, and reassured him that everything would be fine. Amuné didn't really want to be leaving town. The guard would probably want to talk to them, wouldn't they? Besides there was that minstrel back at the place they'd bought rooms -- not to mention the fact that now they'd paid for something they wouldn't use. But there was no way to change the group's minds, particularly Nymira. She looked at Zander again, gray eyes shadowed and expression thoughtful, before her brows drew together in an irritable scowl. "You're still a dumb meanie," she informed him, and went to take Ethan's hand again.

Elemental Legacy Reboot(Closed)

Name: Tryilendarel Nerinya
Race: elf (human grandparent -- mother's father)
Age: 93 (appears to be about 20-25)
Gender: male
Alignment: chaotic good (but more chaotic than good)
Height: 6'0"
Weight: ~170lbs
Continent: Lucerna, though he has travelled elsewhere
Occupation: troubadour

Appearance: Trill is quite tall, though very much a thin fellow that only avoids looking gangly because he's an elf. A sun elf, he has lightly tanned skin and extremely pale platinum blonde hair that falls a bit past his shoulders. His golden eyes are lively, often with a cheerful or playful expression. He has an excellent eye for color and cut, and makes sure he wears things that make him look good. He's not the sort of person everyone finds appealing to the eye, but usually enough ladies do that he doesn't lack a pretty face to keep him company.

Personality: Trill is completely feckless. He avoids conflict and actively runs from physical fights. All he wants in life is freedom and a good time. If he can get out of working hard or applying himself, he will. Much like his illusions, he has a bright personality that many find lacking on close examination. It's not that he's entirely shallow, it's just that he doesn't try unless it's something he himself thinks important. He cares about his music with a passion that surpasses everything else, even his fondness for the ladies. Trill is a flirt and a moderately successful one. He thinks highly of women, even though he does have some gender-biased views, and does his best to be considerate. He's completely up front about the fact that he does not intend to linger, though his idea of a short time can be several months or even a year, if the fancy strikes him to stay for a while. Precisely how long he stays is often related to how well he gets along with the local single ladies -- and how many of them express interest.

History: Trill was born in a midsized primarily-elven town near the edge of Lucerna, the son of a magic instructor and an herbalist. His maternal grandfather was a human troubadour with enough skill to catch the attention of an elven composer, herself only a passing musician. He was visiting to learn about elven music, and not at all unwilling to take up with her. When she informed him she was expecting a child, he offered to stay, but the elf knew he would not be happy if he was stuck in one place. She said he should go, and that she just hoped he would remember her fondly. He did more than just remember, returning to visit her and their daughter every few years. The girl was not as accepting as her mother, and resented that he was rarely around. She eventually became an herbalist and a cultivator of rare plants, preferring to set her roots deep. She married a magic instructor, and was most disappointed when their first child was set upon becoming a bard and traveller.

Trill showed an aptitude and love of music early, often sneaking off to his grandmother's house to play her instruments. He skipped his chores and his lessons often, needing to be chased down and practically sat on if one wanted any chance of his presence, and even then he tended to daydream. Most of his skills were primarily natural gift, or something he enjoyed doing and didn't mind working on. Music was one such thing, and a trip to a human market found him another when he saw a street mage putting on a colorful display for children. But he was a lousy fighter, too easily distracted to be good at growing things, and displayed little skill with earth magic. Most elves attend magic school for six to ten years, but after twenty years of what bore little resemblance to actual study, he was told to get out after teaching a flock of birds to follow him on command and shutting them in the headmaster's office.

He has since outgrown childish pranks, for the most part, but not his wanderlust nor his flighty nature. As soon as he was old enough to be heading out on his own, Trill took to the road, travelling farther and farther over the years, though he always made sure to visit now and then. He performs at inns and taverns to pay for his food and lodging, often hitching a ride with fellow travellers to get from place to place faster than his own feet can take him. He flirts and sometimes dallies with various women, though he tries to avoid breaking hearts and is mostly successful (some women just don't get it -- and sometimes without you doing anything to encourage them!) He is currently staying in a city near the outskirts of Lucerna's capital, in the company of Miraem Kastern. Trill is very fond of the young healer, and he's a little worried about just how much he likes her. He's been staying in her town for almost a year and a half now, longer than he's stayed anywhere else.

Weapon: long knife
Talents: music, illusion, knack with animals (possible silver tongue, depends on how well I can play it. ^.^;)
Inabilities: unable to cast high-level earth magic, can't make anything grow (it's likely to die if he so much as looks at it funny), can't aim accurately beyond about 20 feet due to poor depth perception
Fears: getting injured (especially his hands or voice), commitment
Strengths: excellent musician, creative, clever, street-smart, perceptive (when he bothers to pay attention)
Weaknesses: lazy, inattentive, impulsive, easily discouraged, not brave at all (possibly even cowardly), horrid fighter, poor mage (save for illusions)
Powers: illusion, some untrained ability to influence emotions with his music
Notable Items:

Other:
~He has a harp given him by his grandmother, originally used by his human grandfather. It is his most prized possession.
~abyssmal fighter
~would rather run than fight in almost all situations
~not very good with most magic, even the simplest spells
~gets airsick

Notable Skills:
~decent at sewing and mending clothing
~has a good eye for colors and the cut of clothing
~knows how to recognize a number of edible plants (despite his best efforts to ignore the lessons)
~sneaking
~literate (and reasonably well-read, particularly in terms of myths, legends, and fictional stories, with some history)

The Cost of Magic( closed)

@ScreenAcne I am most likely interested~ It's a very intriguing system you've got here, quite different from the usual. I wonder about a couple things, though. Are there any people without any magical attunement? I know Martyrs cannot actively use their power save at the moment of death, but what about people with no power at all? Additionally, what if a Martyr does /not/ make a wish? Will some random great act of whichever element occur? For Manifests, are they able to consciously exercise their power? I'm not really clear how the battery aspect of their ability comes into play. Do they provide power for themselves, or for others (probably Mages)? What if one very rarely uses that energy? Does it build up to dangerous levels and release on its own (possibly resulting in their death, thus the problem with them dying young, among other things)? Or is there an effective max?

The character I'm thinking about using is a female. I've played her at several different ages, and she's generally aligned with water. I'd probably have her be a Manifest -- as a child she was more like a bubbling river, but she's changed since then. She has hidden depths like the ocean, can be relentless like the waves, calm like a lake (at least on the surface), and cold like the rain.

I'm not usually the best at coming up with plot on my own, but I enjoy adding to the ideas of others, and using them as a springboard. I do want an idea of the general story before I commit to joining, however.

Adelon: Steeling the Faith [Open!]

@AlexStarsion I've established she's never heard of him personally, nor Seal Papers, but just the name she might have heard, that they (or at least his father, and possibly whatever ancestors) are renown healers. And your backstory says Zander's dad is known as a Magi, so that's what I'll go with~

Adelon: Steeling the Faith [Open!]

@AlexStarsion I feel a bit sorry for Zander now. A question -- I know you've said the Starsions are well known, but how well known? Would a healer from a small village a ways away know the name?

My Dear Canilo

Late spring, y2198

Lexie let her hand move away from the hilt of a dagger when the woman didn’t appear to be immediately hostile. She glanced around, but whoever else the woman was speaking to didn’t appear to be in sight. “I’m not worried about people trying to take it,” she replied, smiling back. Her gaze swept the other woman head to toe and back up. “You’re not very well equipped for travelling, though. I know we’re not far from the Saint’s camp, but I’m surprised you’ve made it so far. Where’s the rest of your group?” She tapped her ear, indicating a radio. The brunette didn’t feel it was prudent to let the newcomer know about Angie, not yet at least, though she expected her friend to return before too much longer. “Honestly, you don’t look like you’re in good shape at all. Did something happen? Here, why don’t you at least come out of the sun. But don’t touch the Hunk, you won’t enjoy it if you do.” The tarp looked fairly ordinary, but it was designed specifically to block the sun, and had proved to be worth the high price they’d paid for it. Lexie had thought it was too much, but Angie had a good sense for that sort of thing.

Once they were both in the shade, which was significantly cooler, she tilted her head at the woman. “I’m Lexie, Lexie Swift,” she said, deciding that if the other lady knew her reputation enough to know about Angie, that meant she’d also know not to mess with either of them. “Where are you heading?”

Enigma: Dawn Of The Rebellion [Sci-fi/Fantasy]

((@Pree))

Cas set off to do the rest of what she needed to accomplish that day in the way of deliveries. First she stopped by her place to drop off her groceries, but shortly thereafter she was once again hitting the streets, heading across Enigma. She made sure to check her drop boxes for any notes from people wishing to employ her services in passing, as she did every day, even the ones she didn’t work. Everything was carefully recorded in her notebook -- client name, delivery, date, any relevant information. She kept detailed files, everything from the person hiring her, the package recipient, and parcel type to pick-up times, delivery receipts, and any relevant details about the people or job -- anything and everything she might want to recall later, or for future deliveries.

By the time she checked off all but the last two of her deliveries, it was several hours later in the afternoon. She’d saved these two for the end deliberately. Working with Ms. Susan was always rather tense, especially at the beginning. The woman was far more suspicious than the girl, and she’d had decades to refine her paranoia. But the encounter went as smoothly as might be hoped, and Cas left the Slums carrying a box she knew contained a number of children’s books. It didn’t take her too long to reach her destination. The courier shifted the package to one hand and knocked on the door of Kharlee’s bookstore.

Kharlee was staring at the new security shutters that ran up and down all the windows of the bookstore. There were four of them now, all working between two posts and marine grade materials that weren’t going to break apart at the sign of fire. The bookshelves were moving around with the slightest touch, Kharlee had seen The Mummy too many times to want anyone to knock all the book shelves down. Endre wouldn't clean that up. Kharlee definitely couldn't.

Endre had wrapped her wound up again, and she had promised not to fiddle with it. She didn't mind Endre not being there, knowing she would have to accept he wouldn't be there at every part of his life when her parents died. He would have to move on too, to other things if not to other worlds. She had her hands on her hips, her hair tied back into a pony and wearing a construction hat. The workers looked at her a couple of times between every movement that they had to do. Her eyes lit up bright blue as she asked, “Is me being here distracting your men?” she asked the foreman as he tried to keep his chin up looking at her face.

When she heard the door knock she growled, “THERE IS NO ONE IN THERE. DO YOU WANT TO CATCH ON FIRE?” It was not a threat that she would set someone on fire, she was after all putting in mechanisms to protect the building from fire. But her mannerism changed when she realised it wasn't a customer, but a courier. With the children’s books. “You,” she said, half flying to the girl. “You are the delivery girl,” she said, making an obvious statement. “Do you have more books?”

Cas was startled when the voice didn’t come from inside, as expected, and had to silently count her breathing to keep herself calm as she turned to face the harpy. “I do,” she answered, nodding at the box she carried. “But I’ve told you before, Ms. Kharlee, I’m not a girl.” She glanced in the direction from which the other had come. “What’s going on? Aren’t you normally inside at this hour?”

“Yes, yes, boy,” Kharlee replied, but pointed to the windows as she excitedly took the children’s books. “Making the place a little more ... fireproof,” she said, looking at the human girl. Boy. How did this one not fear for its life constantly, and dare to go out among the outer world. “You are human, yes?” she asked softly. Kindly almost.

“I...yes? I am.” The young woman regarded the shutters with polite interest. “You have reason to believe a fire might break out here?” She’d not heard of random fires breaking out anywhere in Enigma, save for that one time someone had left one unattended in the Slums. That had been a disaster. Well, that wasn’t entirely true, but pissed off fire mages or elementals didn’t really count as random, and the blazes were usually dealt with swiftly.

Kharlee sighed, petting the little girl. BOY. She had to remember to say that. She put her hand on the tall one’s head. A bit shorter than Cas when it came down to it. “If anything bad happens, come to me. I will try to help,” she told the little, yet big creature. Kharlee didn’t like seeing people get hurt. “I know people,” she just said, nodding. “Unless you kill someone. Or do something bad. Don’t come to me then, I would be in trouble with Endre.”

The courier danced backwards, moving herself out of petting range. The touch made her decidedly uncomfortable. She knew the harpy, yes, but didn’t think of the monster as a friend, and even from friends she was reluctant to allow much physical contact. But Kharlee’s words were surprising. While the woman was always eager for book deliveries, Cas would hardly have described her as nice, nor thought her to have much concern for the welfare of others. “Ah, that is kind of you…” she said, looking at the harpy with an odd expression.

Kharlee didn't mind the person moving away. She assumed if she were human she wouldn't be a big fan of monstrosities either. She really wished people would get along. Maybe she was staring too much, maybe her eyes were too blue. She shrugged and said, “Anything else, BOY?” She wanted to be nice to the little creature, let alone she get hurt while anything was happening.

“Yes, actually. Endre usually handles it, but there is the matter of payment for the books, and the courier fee.” Cas opened her bag to pull out her clipboard and a pen, making a few notes on the first sheet before pulling it free. “Here is your receipt, and I need your signature here,” she said, indicating the right place on the topmost of the papers still attached to her clipboard, holding out her pen. The girl glanced at the newly-installed shutters again, hesitating a moment before she followed with a question. “Is there...something going on that I should be aware of, when I bring the next set of books? Trouble in the neighborhood, problems you are anticipating…? I doubt it would change delivery fees, but I do prefer to be aware of what’s going on, so I can provide prompt service and avoid damage to parcels.”

“I wish I knew,” Kharlee said, taking the little docket and signing it with her initials. She frowned at it, and took some money out, having some lying about as she was paying the construction costs. She was making the entire place a lot more secure. She raised her head up at some priests who had come forth and just nodded to them, looking at the little girl. “I’d do my best to stay out of trouble if I were you,” she said a bit solemnly, paying the girl as she backed off.

The courier swiftly squirreled the money away. She’d separate it into her pay and what she needed to give back to Ms. Susan later, somewhere less open. “I always do, Ms. Kharlee. Please don’t hesitate to contact me, should you need my services before your next scheduled delivery. Have a nice day.” Cas tugged the brim of her cap and bobbed her head politely, before heading off. Privately she wondered what had happened, that the harpy was flameproofing her store, and acting so differently.

My Dear Canilo

Tachi

-Basics-

Designation: 𝜏chi (Tauchi/Tachi)
Age: several years, exact number unknown
Gender: none

-Survival-

Faction: Complex Unaligned (Derek - Diesel)
Gear/weapons:
two gross manipulation arms
two fine manipulation split arms (retractable)
four support arms, extendable claw grips
three enclosed rotors (one fore, two aft) (damaged)
LED light sources (visible, UV)
short-range radio
solar paneling

Skills:
information archive (resource damaged)
limited sampling, testing, and analysis suite

Powers:
multiple camera modes (primary, infrared (damaged), UV, combination)
GPS (has been known to malfunction)
limited flight

-Appearance-

body reference


reference for rotors

Description: Tachi is a Cifereca-class drone, suitable for observation and testing. Small and lightweight, it is less than two feet in any given dimension and easily portable. Four camera “eyes” -- three on the head and one on the underside of the abdomen -- are intended to provide 360° vision, but the rear-facing camera has been damaged beyond repair without Complex-exclusive knowledge. Four legs with clawed attachments allow for overland maneuvering and some climbing, depending on the surface, and manipulation arms are used to interact with objects and environment. The rotor system is intended for long-distance flight, but due to damage both to the rotors and the systems that handle them, Tachi is only able to fly for brief periods (under a minute), and exhibits a clear list. Tachi originally had a mottled brown paint job with a light gray underside, but damage and wear have left spots where the dark metal underneath shows through. Both body and limbs have evidence of dents that have been repaired.

-Other-

Personality: Tachi is bubbly, cheerful, and eager to please. It has an active curiosity about the world, and loves travelling. Its inquisitive nature has gotten it into trouble more than once. It does have a sense of humor, though it doesn’t always understand everything humans find funny. It is very attached to Derek, and can be jealous and possessive when it comes to him. It does not like those who treat it roughly, or who give Derek a hard time.

History: Tachi, like other Cifereca-class drones, was created by the Complex so they could conduct tests long distance. These drones were equipped with a variety of tools for this purpose, including a basic AI system so they could operate independently. Tachi was adopted by a particular man with a gift for coding, and became his pet project during off hours, with the goal of upgrading the AI into a fully-aware virtual persona. He made reasonable progress, and Tachi showed signs of personality, but encountered a block in the form of certain pieces of the original code that handled commands.

Before he could find a workaround, Tachi encountered a severe dust storm on a surveillance run, losing contact with its base. The storm drove the drone off-course and damaged it severely, eventually slamming it into a low and rocky rise. All but incapacitated, Tachi was able to recharge when the sun emerged again, but flight systems were not functioning, and with two support limbs rendered inoperable it was stranded.

Several days passed before Derek encountered the broken drone, his attention attracted by the distress chirps Tachi emitted. It couldn’t convey its circumstances very well, but the fact that it still exhibited some activity was intriguing. He gathered the pieces and took them back to camp to repair as best he could. Internal systems were also affected by the storm and subsequent crash. A large amount of stored data was gone, including most information on the Complex. However, the losses weren’t all bad, as a large part of the command input system was lost as well, allowing Tachi’s personality to assert itself properly.

Tachi, no longer having a way to find its way home, stayed with Derek. Over the past three years, it’s grown quite attached to him and can often be found clinging to his shoulder or back.

Etc:
~Owned by Derek Walker (played by [@TerrorBubbles]).
~Not particularly sturdy. Any sort of serious blow will inflict damage.