SilverPaw

Symphony of Espers

Jacqueline Leroux

When Binky confirmed there was no choice to be made, Jacqueline relaxed back into her seat. She wouldn’t mind having influence on mission parameters, but it was executed stupidly, it’d be pointless. She listened to the political explanation, and nodded at the end. It mostly made sense. The most frustrating part was the fact that Fritzi decided to save face by not using Freelancers, and now the very expected outcome of that population serving as their opponents came into being. Jacqueline didn’t think the emphasis on ‘we, the Gemini, and only the Gemini, will resolve this’, but unfortunately that wasn’t her call. So now they’d have to compete with Mavericks and Freelances, who were supposedly doing it out of good will. Jacqueline wasn’t sure she believed that, but it honestly didn’t matter.

Being assured of Lada’s cooperation wasn’t necessary – Jacqueline thought that woman was likely self-servingly smart enough not to compromise them this time. It was good to hear that their entrance would be covered. Seeing the blood barrier in action was much more exciting though; the bodies of the gang members they’d killed on the previous mission got turned into gelatinous substance and dispersed then shaped into the curved barrier. Jacqueline wondered if these particular bodies worked best because they were fresh, or if they were also used as a subtle test of Lada’s willingness to turn against her previous allies. Then again, from what she’d understood, only Lada and Rottweiler truly had a connection, so the rest of their former team having been killed likely didn’t concern them.

The door of the van opened once the barrier was formed. Jacqueline ran out with the others, following Breacher closely. Since she was near the front, she was easily and swiftly able to use Havoc to throw the door open.

She raised her brows once they crossed the threshold. The mansion was as if taken straight out of some corny vampire horror movie. Jacqueline had no idea if it was supposed to be ironic, humorous, or a genuine expression of the owner’s taste. She glanced warily at the statues – if reality followed a fantasy-inspired script, these might very well become animate. However, she soon noticed the hostages, and peered in their direction. Well, fuck. Hopefully there wouldn’t be even more blood mages this time…But no, maybe they were just to be supposed a pre- or mid-battle vampire snacks that’d empower their enemies? She wasn’t entirely sure how vampires functioned, to be honest.

The pianist stood up, ceasing the oh-so-thoughtful score accompaniment they’d had for that extra kick to the atmosphere. He was obviously a vampire, probably a formidable one given how cocky he was. He probably thought himself smart for that little poem of his, or, more likely, he was just baiting them.

Valkyrie asked permission to get a hit on him. If she thought she could without risking the hostages, Jacqueline thought she should, but didn’t say anything yet. However, she couldn’t help but snark at Wukong over the comms. “Of course, they were expecting us,” exasperation tinged her tone, “we did announce we’d be coming, just not when.” To Orion, she commented, “Well, someone does need to do something for the hostages, but, hm. If we’re assuming the vampire has to kill them himself, rather than there being a mechanism – a trap – in place…Breacher, how many could you build a wall around?”

After their brief yet furious bout of whispering – which Jacqueline wouldn’t be surprised the vampire was able to listen into – she addressed their host. “Why don’t you come earn you precious blood price yourself, huh?” Saying so, she raised her weapon-

-and proceeded to make a long but shallow cut along her unprotected palm. “Mm-m-mm?” she taunted, wiggling her lightly injured hand. Comically, she raised one leg up slowly, then took a very blatant step backwards. She then mock-gasped, “Oh, no, silly me, stepping back like this, huh?” Her words were dripping sarcasm, but hey, if the vampire was hotheaded enough to get enraged by this, or else self-absorbed enough to be willing to take the distraction and make conversation, it’d be good for them.

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Havoc | Great Axe | Arcane | Pry
Eternal Knight | Perfectly polished
Forged Arsenal | Earth/Metal | Fissure
[Quake (2), Mass (2)] Damage X (6), AoE (2), Enhance (2), Powerful (0), Dispel (6), Shield (4)

DAMAGE: B | SPEED: D | SENTINEL: D | 500

PHYSICAL: E | ARCANE: C | CHAOS: D | 500

Qualia: Mission Sub Rosa

Kiran Agnarsson

The Clocktower was beautiful. It was astounding to think of its construction; no Formulization at all! That qualified it as art in Kiran’s opinion. Not that formulized things couldn’t be too, but it was a bit different.

There was even a fountain, and seating in the form of benches. People were taking pictures, which he could understand. However, Kiran merely craned his head up instead, peering at the top. There was a balcony up top which would surely provide a great vista of the academy grounds. Steam gently rolled from its highest point.

Kiran approached the base of the tower, taking note of the basement door. Later. For now, he had a climb ahead of him. Might as well take the scenic route there when he was already there. As he ascended gradually, he only occasionally glanced out and around – the far more interesting view was the exact composition of the tower. When simple observation was not enough, Kiran gently ran his fingers across the array of machinery.

It took him a while to get to the balcony, but it was a worthwhile endeavor, and a pleasant one. At the top, he took a seat, and rested, enjoying the view.

*

Once he returned all the way down, Kiran stretched, then stood himself determinedly in front of the basement door. Cheekily, he knocked once. Then he laid a palm on the door, and sent a spark of Formulization through it to unlock it.

The Hourglass Order

Linah Aranda

_{Interactions: Onarr @Bork Lazer, Anesin @Noxious, Marlijn and Sienna Afraval @Force and Fury}

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The parade proceeded forward, a living example why the street they trod upon had been named as it was, and truly giving it its purpose. Closer to the plaza, those mounted passed off their horses to the hands of others to be stabled; in Linah’s case Valverde had taken up that task.

The crowd trekked slowly toward the center, but the closer they got, the more frenzied it became. The students begun fighting their way toward the front, and as Linah mimicked them instinctively, she saw what it was that was so coveted. An array of seating, best spots being fought over not-quite-rowdily.

Smirking at the idea of uppity nobles engaging in a behavior that they would surely term lowborn in other circumstances, Lin began weaving her way through the tightly packed group. If one ignored the scale of it, this was not all that different from making one’s way through a sale at the market. After her own judicious application of elbows and knees, Linah earned herself a decent enough spot. Close enough to serve as a good vantage point, but not so close that she’d be exposed.

Soon, speeches begun to be made, and Linah kept her gaze affixed forwards. She half-listened to the words being said, but mostly took in the atmosphere. Some were tense, some bored, some excited…But all of them select few from all across the world, there to attend at the best magical academy in existence. Despite everything, Lin was a tad proud to be there. It may not have been entirely on her own merit to have made it in – then again, who did? No matter the hows of it, she was eager to make a mark of her own, here. She would use this opportunity, and it would be to her benefit.

As the current speech dragged on, Linah noticed someone close to her left turn slightly towards her. She curiously tilted her head left, smirking and lifting an eyebrow as she caught the assessing gaze of a pale noble girl. The other girl was looking around at her peers, it seemed. Lin mentally shrugged, and righted her position until she was once again facing the current speaker. On a certain level, she could understand that girl’s fascination; seeing so many foreigners was a novel experience for her as well. In fact, it was so bizarre as to be nearly overwhelming. However, Lin had got used to it during the parade, even if it did admittedly still feel strange.

After the lengthy introductory address, something more rousing was announced: The five monarchs. Linah clapped sedately, though she was as invigorated as the rest of them. These men were all powerful; they knew it, and so did everyone else. Even if she personally didn’t care for any of them, felt bitter towards them for disregarding so many as worthless due to being so far beneath their notice, Lin couldn’t deny that they carried themselves well. They were so well practiced, one would be hard pressed to call it posturing – except in the case of the King of Perrence, she thought.

As soon as the second to last monarch of the Thrones was declared, Linah stood up. So did select few people, all Torragonese. It was a sign of respect for their king. She’d never thought about their nation’s ruler all that much, truth be told. She could see now that compared to the ostentatiousness of the others, Sancho VIII was dressed pragmatically, with little embellishments. His address had been short and to the point, only the pertinent points present, as it should be. This, at the very least, she was now able to recognize and reluctantly respect. It spoke to her Torragonese spirit, she supposed.

(Nonetheless…that ruby alone could feed hundreds of mouths for who knew how long, and that golden thread could do just the same. It irritated her.)

When the Torragonese King sat down, so did the rest of his countrymen. Once again seated, she clapped for the Doge.

When the other representatives begun appearing, Linah relaxed her hands, and simply observed. In mere moments after President Yibozo sat down, there was a shimmer of something odd nearby. Looking at it sharply, she saw the moving outline of a not-completely-disillusioned hand. An illusionist… Someone nearby asked if she saw something, but Lin didn’t have the occasion to answer. Her body had automatically tensed, and she was beginning to stand up-

-unimaginable power spiked -- light flashed -- a series of blinks-

-…Linah found herself half-crouched above the bench, as if ready to rise herself. She couldn’t fathom the reason, so was deeply confused, and sat back down. Three of the Arch-Zenos had a brief silent communication, perhaps, but she had no idea what that was about. There was no reason for her discomfiture and unease. The inconsistency reminded her of something, but she couldn’t quite put her mind to it, and the feeling of wrongness was fading rapidly. It seemed insignificant now. Lin told herself she might ask around later if anyone had experienced something odd during the ceremony. That was enough to dismiss the matter from her conscience.

Now that the brief bout of worry had passed, Linah directed her attention to the present. The most personally relevant part of the event for the students begun: the assignment of each initiate to a master. Lin amused herself playing the classic guess their age-height-weight game – but with a twist. She focused particularly on how those students carried themselves, how observant they were. She thought about how easy of a mark they’d be. If she could steal from them without notice – not that she would, of course not. (Unless someone was being unaccountably stupid with their possessions, and even then…)

Hours passed, and only a dozen of them or so remained. Now that the time of her choosing was night, Linah fully straightened up in her seat – she hadn’t exactly been slouching, but she’d relaxed. Now, she was ready to walk up to the stage the moment her name was called.

A royal Torragonese Zeno was the one to pick her. She may be a royal, but Linah though it appropriate to be with a kinswoman, especially given the recognition of their national bond. Lin walked briskly towards her new master, only peripherally observing her teammates. One was an Eskandish woman, one a small helmeted Joruban, and one a Perrench missing a leg. All of them were a curiosity in their own regard, though admittedly Linah was surprised to see someone disabled.

Regardless of newness of these people, and their peculiarities, Lin’s gaze was leveled centrally on Zeno Afraval. As her approach brought her near, she briefly greeted her in Torragonese, “It is an honour.” Turning towards the rest of her group, she switched to Avincian, “Pleasure,” and summoned a small smile for their sake.

Summary

After passing of the horse Margarita to be stabled, ‘fights’ her way to good seating. Watches and listens to the speech, pondering on the fresh start being at the academy sort of represents. Catches Marlijn’s gaze, smirks at the girl. Thinks about foreigners, then the monarchs. Has Opinions, especially about that Perrench peacock. Stands in respect for King Sancho III, as do all the Torragonese. Notices the illusion, is startled into almost-standing. After the memory wipe, she can’t understand why she’s so tense. Unable to resolve the minor discrepancy, she puts it off, refocusing on the present. Kinda up in the air if she’ll actually pursue this issue later, tbh. Watches the student selection. Is pleased at the recognition of a common national identity by her master, even if she is a royal. Greets Zeno Afraval. Briefly greets Anesin, Onarr, and Penny as well; presumably, any more will be done in a collab.

The Hourglass Order

Linah Aranda

Linah was leaning against the galleon’s railing, right elbow digging onto the wood as it supported her head, and left hand partially hanging off. She enjoyed the sea breeze, the saltiness in the air oddly appealing, and the occasional splash resulting from a particularly unruly wave more than refreshing. She mostly stared at the vast, seemingly endless stretches of water. During the day, when there were no landmarks around or no one passing them by, it was as if they were in a separate realm of their own, just them, the people on the ship, and the ocean beneath them.

It was during this strange mood of hers that Mr. Valverde found her. He was one of Na’ir’s servants, and the only person accompanying her. Officially, he was here to ease he journey; to make all the necessary arrangements for travel, manage the finances, negotiate with officials or merchants, and similar tasks. Unofficially, though everyone involved knew about it, he was there to keep an eye on her. To prevent her from ‘running too wild’ as Na’ir often worried she might when left to her own devices. Really, the man needn’t worry. She may be many things, but an idiot wasn’t one of them.

“Ah, miss Aranda, here you are, after all,” the refined (if somewhat sweaty and windswept) middle aged man greeted her. His lips twitched into a barely-there smile, but the corners of his eyes crinkled in genuine emotion.

She’d heard Valverde’s measured footsteps, and had turned towards him upon arrival, nodding. Addressing him verbally, she asked, “What is it?” and despite the brusque address, her tone was kind. Her expression had relaxed from the pensive frown it’d been set in previously as soon as she’d noticed him.

Gael Valverde looked at her carefully, assessing. “Is something the matter?” he inquired quietly.

Linah tilted her head to the side briefly. There was a reason that this man in particular had been trusted to watch her; he was observant and unafraid to pry. “No, I was only thinking,” she shrugged lightly. “This is pretty new to me,” she gestured at everything, the sea and the ship, “But, well, it is the one ship.” Unsaid was that she was getting restless, feeling cooped up a bit despite the vessel’s size or the incomprehensible immensity of the sea. Not that she was unfamiliar with the latter, having lived so near the coast, but she’d certainly not sailed anywhere previously.

Valverde nodded as if he understood her perfectly. Well, he probably did know enough of what she was like. She enjoyed being involved, and though she’d had fun chats with the sailors whenever they were off duty, it just wasn’t…there was that unspoken rift, that their work and lifestyle was and would forever remain foreign to her. Lin didn’t believe it had to be that way, but then again, a few days’ journey really wasn’t the time for her to try integrating herself with the seamen.

“Understandable, I myself vastly prefer the solid ground beneath my feet,” Valverde commented, and gestured for her to follow.

“Oh, it’s lunchtime?” Linah guessed.

Gael nodded, “Indeed.” Lin saw a brief flash of hesitance on his face; he pursued his lips as if he were about to open his mouth, but stopped himself in time.

“If you want to say something,” she said slowly, with deliberation, “don’t hold it back. No need to be all that politic when it’s just the two of us,” she offered.

“Ahh,” the man sighed, wry. “Margarita has been antsy, I’ve been told,” his voice was reluctant, lips pressing together after his admission.

Margarita was the dapple gray mare travelling with them. Na’ir had sent her with them just to artificially elevate Linah (literally and metaphorically) during the procession of the Academy of Ersand’Enise’s opening ceremony. She understood the gesture, but nevertheless thought it a bit silly. Still, given how she’d grown to love riding despite learning ‘late’ (but only according to the standards of nobles, or families like Yazath’s), she hadn’t forth any complaints. She’d arrive at the City of Ersand’Enise four days before the opening, which would be plenty of time to ride Margie to her satisfaction. “Well, I’m not surprised she got fed up staying here,” Lin said, though her eyebrows had risen up. “A ship’s no place for a creature,” she stated. “Yet, she was fine this morning,” she added, tone puzzled and questioning.

“Perhaps she can sense we are nearing the land,” Gael offered.

Linah doubted it, but said nothing. “Either way, I’ll check in on her after lunch.”

“I’d appreciate it. She’s especially fond of you. Not so of strangers – nearly kicked a man’s face in, I was told.”

Lin laughed. “Well, I’ll do my best to prevent any future injuries. Won’t be long now, as you’ve said.”

Their conversation petered out as they made it to the mess deck, joining in with the other personnel to eat. Linah was slowly but surely onset with excitement; as soon as the next morning, they would arrive at Ersand’Enise. There would be many things for her to do there, while she waited for the ceremony. Getting herself acquainted with the city, perusing the famous Merchant’s Quarter, get Margie properly exercised…Oh, yes, much to look forward to.

***

Sooner than expected, it was the day of their official welcome as students. Linah sat comfortably atop the saddled Margarita, who was behaving quite well, despite the crowd, being forced to a slow walk, and the duration of the whole event itself. They trailed at the end of the merchant crowd. Though she didn’t quite belong to that class, she’d been told there would be a few other non-merchants mounted. Besides, not many people paid attention to her specifically. Even if they had, she’d been trained sufficiently that she’d not let her discomfort show regardless.

Admittedly, there was plenty to divert her attention. At the front, there was a speech (she presumed), and then the leader of the group performed a magnificent light show. Leon Solaire…She’d heard of him, of course. Besides admiration for his magical skills and excellent showmanship, she didn’t have much of an opinion on him. He did seem the sort who’d be good to make an acquaintance of, so Lin supposed she’d have to put in some effort to do so.

One other followed Leon’s lead, and created a fiery wolf. Appreciative, Lin lightly clapped, many others doing the same. Some had been emboldened when they saw someone beside the famous performer doing his bit, and followed the second’s bravery. Linah amused herself by comparing the spectacles by their aesthetic, inventiveness, and skill involved.

The only thing that slightly soured her mood, was when the crier called for “The Torragonese Lady Linah Aranda, patroned by Na’ir Yazath!”

Of course, the infuriating man had to have his name added. Scoffing under her breath, confident that no-one would hear her, she returned her gaze to the sky, letting herself enjoy the remaining examples of what competitive beginner students of magic could create for fun when they put their minds to it.

Since she had her head tilted up, she saw when some boy was catapulted through the sky and right into one of those light shows. What, a failed stunt? she wondered. Lin followed his flight trajectory, feeling very much confused and a tad horrified as he sailed through the skies. When she saw him knock into the balcony where the nobility was, the dread was so acute, she had to avert her eyes. She blinked her eyes quickly, pretending the light had dazzled her.

As she sat there, thinking on the scene, her heart begun beating faster, her throat suddenly dry. She’d merely seen it happen, and she wanted to escape. Oh, that poor boy…Barely arriving at the academy, and he’d already committed social suicide. Linah sighed, and with a barely visible shake of her upper body, put the recent memory out of her mind. While she was aware she could help, she wouldn’t stick her neck out just because she’d felt a brief pang of sympathy for a stranger. If he lived to tell the tale, and didn’t become an outcast based on this events, perhaps she could ask him some time what he’d thought he’d been doing, making such a fool of himself.

Summary

A scene from Linah’s voyage, introducing Margarita, her steed-to-be for the ceremony, and Valverde, a servant of the Yazath family. Then, the welcoming ceremony itself. Mostly observes things. Does notice Vyrik, but chooses not to get involved in that mess.

Symphony of Espers

Jacqueline Leroux

Jacqueline was once again being driven somewhere, mildly bored. Still, the anticipation of an oncoming battle was enough to prevent her from dozing off. Even though she’d prefer to occupy herself somehow, professionalism prevented it. Otherwise, she might have pulled out her phone to play Tetris, or something. As it was, she’d spent some time by inspecting the agents around her. She supposed, after their dinner, she knew Su the best. Valkyrie, Silhouette, and Wukong had been there on the previous mission, but she’d only briefly interacted with Valkyrie. Orion was the newbie, so she’d not even met her yet.

Maybe after this mission, she should try get to know some of the others. The tense awkwardness of this silence, where no one really knew another, and wasn’t willing to make small talk – even if it would just be about mission related stuff – was annoying.

Thankfully, that was when Binky briefed them on the situation. The way Jacqueline understood it, they’d be taking the front entrance, which would have been too risky under usual circumstances, but would now be rendered safer due to the recently captured blood mage. Jacqueline wondered if the woman was getting paid, or if she was doing that just to exercise her arcane muscles. It seemed to her that Binky mentioned the back entrance just to make it a point that’s where they would have had to go if they hadn’t the blood mage. Well, that, and to relate it to the information about the Maverick henchmen being their direct competitors this time.

It was due to this supposition of hers, that she was entirely taken aback when the discussion of a vote began. “Quoi?” she expressed her confusion, in a rare occasion briefly falling back to her mother tongue. She shook her head, and looked from Valkyrie to Silhouette. “Who ever said anything about a vote?” though she’d glanced from one coworker to another, it was more or less a rhetorical question. Frowning, she thought back on what exactly Binky said. She realized that her words may imply a choice that was for them to make…But that was really unusual.

For one, Jacqueline didn’t believe she or any of her coworkers present here (with the exception of Binky) had the kind of clout to make such a decision. It wasn’t just a minor here-or-there alteration of a mission parameter either. It was the kind of judgement that carried political weight. If they went through Bastion, Maverick’s new base in Pax, wouldn’t they be basically announcing they were ready and willing to take the whole of Maverick on? That seemed a bit premature in her opinion. For another, asking them to decide now wasn’t in accordance to the rule of TPO. Only the occasion was somewhat (though questionably) appropriate. The time and place…Well, if they picked the front entrance, and the blood mage was neither willing nor ready to assist, what would be the point of them being made to choose or going exactly there in the first place?

Finally, she looked towards Binky for clarification, raising her brows in wordless question. If they really were supposed to have the final start as to their entry point, she’d give her assent to a frontal assault. It was the more sensible option, for more than one reason.

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Havoc | Great Axe | Arcane | Pry
Eternal Knight | Perfectly polished
Forged Arsenal | Earth/Metal | Fissure
[Quake (2), Mass (2)] Damage X (6), AoE (2), Enhance (2), Powerful (0), Dispel (6), Shield (4)

DAMAGE: B | SPEED: D | SENTINEL: D | 500

PHYSICAL: E | ARCANE: C | CHAOS: D | 500

Qualia: Mission Sub Rosa

Kiran Agnarsson

Since Shou wasn’t in the apartment any longer, Kiran departed with a wry shrug, heading to the public denouncement on his own. He frowned in disappointment to see the charred remains of the library. If Bermuda had had any rare tomes or original prints – possible – how much knowledge had been lost? And how much money?

Du Bordeaux was named the culprit. Kiran would find it a likely supposition even without evidence, even if the lack of any such thing would not move him to hasty judgements. However, in this event, there was plenty of evidence. Caught at the scene of the crime, weapon in hand, photographed during her brazen pyromaniacal venture. It seemed pretty clear cut to him that she was indeed guilty. He was somewhat dubious at students handling the whole trial, though.

Perhaps a similar motivation drove Franz to speak up for Jeanne. He was similarly curious as to who the mysterious vigilante was, and what his role in all of this had been. Franz did have a point that the unknown person’s motives and actions could be suspect. Of course, the suspicion of the unknown individual in question and Jeanne’s guilt could certainly be true at the same time.

Surprisingly, quite a few people seemed to take Jeanne’s ‘side’, as it were. At the very least, she had some friends, allies, or simply people fond enough of her to provide her with a defense. Once it became clear that all that was to be said was said, and a group of volunteers formed, Kiran departed with the crowd. He did not especially care about Jeanne’s fate; admittedly, he was sore and bitter at the library’s destruction, and the sight of the named (but not yet entirely proven) criminal made him uncomfortably irrational.

Thankfully, he had better things to stew than bemoan what’d already passed or stew in ineffectual emotions.

***

His first agenda for the day was investigating the clocktower. Perhaps its activation was truly a mere warning for the start of the curfew. But it could also be physically tied to the activation of the Starsteel Formulization. That’s why Kiran took a walk, strolling towards the tower in question. If he could, he’d go inside, see the sights. Well, that’d be his excuse anyhow. If access was forbidden, he might have to talk to some people.

Though, if it was too much of a hassle, he’d give up for the day. He did still have to secure himself a working space for his project, after all, and he intended to do that today as well.

The Hourglass Order

@SilverPaw That's a cool and compelling CS and is approved. Feel free to add it to the Character tab. Two quick question, though:
1) Who is Nazath in terms of your character and his importance in her storyline and the world? I'd lovve to find a way to work him into the story and have him fit organically into the world if I can. Feel free to respond here or DM me, if you like.

2) Are you on our discord server yet? We have about twenty people on there and not all go by their forum names, so it's a bit hard to keep track of. If you're not, feel free to join!

@Force and Fury

One, thank you, and as for the patron, I will PM you for sure. Two, not yet, but I will join now that my character was approved.

@SilverPaw
Noticed your character was learning Revidian.
Spend much time in Revidia?

@Dark Light

No, not at all, the learning was just Lin receiving lessons from a hired teacher so far.

The Hourglass Order

Linah

Linah Aranda

Link to the Artist

“Whenever you’re down, life likes to kick you, just in case you didn’t get the message. So just keep that in mind, that it can always get worse – somehow. Whenever it gets better or whoever is offering to pick you up? Won’t be for free.”

16 | Female | Torragonese | Commoner | 6.8

P E R S O N A L I T Y

❖ [Driven]
❖ [Observant]
❖ [Crafty]
❖ [Pragmatic]
❖ [Hardened]

Linah burns with the desire to prove herself as capable, important, and worthy of respect. She’s always believed in herself, regardless of criticisms and secret doubts. Though experience has confirmed her belief, she yet yearns for recognition – not empty praise, but something more tangible. She is both realistic and sensible enough to realize that she will likely never be free of making uneasy quid-pro-quo alliances; no one ever is. She does however wish to stand on equal ground to others, at the very least. For that, she will do what she can, even if it is via exploitation and manipulation. From what she’s seen so far, it’s not as if there’s a way to advance without opportunistic cooperation with those beneficial to her goals or ruthless preying upon those who cannot cover for their weaknesses.

C H A R A C T E R A P P E A R A N C E

Linah stands at 5’4, and is lithe and wiry, if still somewhat thin and gangly due to a recent growth spurt. She has a warm, light brown complexion that gets darker during the summer. Her eyes are hazel, and her hair a deep walnut. She used to wear it short, but had to grow it out as that is supposedly more befitting of a ‘lady’. After years of taking proper care of it, it is thick, lush, and wavy, not at all resembling the mess it’d been in her youth. She has been told that it is deeply unfortunate that a scar mars her face, but she truly does not care. Lin has learned a variety of gaits; confident ‘I belong here’, shuffling ‘Don’t pay me any mind’, slow ‘I’ve no care in the world’ among them. She is not naturally expressive, and does well at regulating her emotions, but enjoys putting on expressions that fit the current situation. As far as clothing is concerned, she now tends toward the kind of attire that a lower or middling merchant could afford. Though, she will sometimes adopt what others may term ‘rags’ if it suits her purposes. As long as it’s practical and not too showy, she doesn’t care much for the style, colour, or cut of her clothing.

L A N G U A G E S

Torragonese – mother tongue.
Avincian – upper intermediate, though with a noticeable accent.
Revidian – elementary, learning.

T H E G I F T

Linah has a natural knack for (primarily) the Arcane and (secondarily) the Kinetic schools of magic; she discovered and nurtured the talent herself, if to a limited extent. Because she initially learned on her own, she is an adept Freecaster, and generally forgoes instruments or focus points. Even now, after having studied under another mage, she prefers subtle spells that aid her or disrupt the enemy. In the Arcane school, she is most practiced at blinding an opponent, precisely regulating heat or light to get exactly the intended effect, casting invisibility, and using illusions. As for Kinetic magic, she prioritizes self-empowerment and manipulating sounds so as to confuse opponents. She employs telekinesis when necessary, but isn’t particularly creative with it. While familiar with the very basics of other schools, she has so far taken to certain spells within the Chemical school (Gazes of: Sloth, Terror, Agony, and Deception, Blessings of: Joy, Vigor, and Expulsion), and not much besides.

B A C K G R O U N D

Born to commoners down on their luck, Lin was one of the many inhabitants of the slums on the border of a large city. Her parents were both manual laborers hired for cheap, and hadn’t quite planned for a child either. Still, they took care of her as best they could. However, Lin’s mother died while she was young, and Linah has precious few memories of her. Her father grew despondent, but persisted for her sake. Still, he did dip into alcohol more than he’d before, and the older Linah grew, the more she had to fend both for herself and her father. She did what she could and what she had to; begging, stealing, working a ‘job’ as a courier for some seedy folk who were just fine hiring a slum kid, and the like. It was after a failed risky robbery that she spontaneously manifested magic out of a desperation to escape. After that, she dedicated whatever free time she had, even sacrificing some sleep for it, to practice. She discovered she could take heat from another to use it herself, and often did. Whenever she needed a boost to her running speed, or needed to reach just a bit farther to jump onto the roof, she could do that too.

She isn’t sure when, how, or due to whom, but her magic capabilities were discovered. Of course, she had no idea that was the case until she was snatched. After an uncomfortable journey, she was brought before a certain person by the name of Na’ir Yazath. He offered her great things in exchange for her loyalty. Reluctantly, she agreed – on the condition that her father be brought to the estate as well. A few days later, while still settling in, she was informed her father had been found dead. Disbelieving, she ran off to confirm the truth for herself. Her former home (a dilapidated shack shared by several people) had no trace of her father left. Asking around, she was told that after she disappeared, her father had committed suicide. Whether that was true, or whether Yazath’s men had done the deed themselves, it was clear where the blame lay. However, she returned to Na’ir regardless, and accepted his offer. The following several years, she was taught, tutored, and trained in many subjects, magical and mundane. Her patron even attempted to apprentice her to a well-paid Black Rezaindian, though that soon proved to be futile, as Linah resisted being made into a tool for murder, of all things. In the end, it was decided she’d attend Ersand’Enise. Lin doesn’t mind, but is wary as to whatever may come after she finishes schooling.

M O T I V A T I O N

As someone who started near the bottom of the social ladder, Linah’s always had to struggle simply to survive. Rather than become satisfied with merely getting by, however, she has become covetous of power – precisely because she herself has so often lacked it. While it is true that she has gained many comforts that she’d only been able to dream about in her childhood, they’ve all come with a price attached; the kind of price that may very well take her years and decades to repay. Yet, Lin doesn’t want to spend her whole life beholden to someone else. She strives to be free; free of those who would use her without (equivalent) recompense, free of unwelcome obligations, and free of being hobbled by desperation.

I N V E N T O R Y

• A short sword, sheathed at her left hip.
• A knife, sheathed at her back.
• A shiv hidden within a boot.
• A pouch with a small sum of coins, resting in an inner shirt pocket.
• A decoy pouch with a smaller sum of coins (plus a few stray bits and bobs that make a similar jingle, to make it seem a tad more substantial), tied to her belt.
• A fine leather travelling satchel, which she usually stores under lock and key (or otherwise hides) whenever she is staying somewhere.
• A few sets of clothing, some finer and intended for ‘better’ company, some worn and second-handed for when she’d rather pass as a commoner.
• A piece of flint tied to a gray string around her neck (weak enough to tear if someone attempts to strangle her).
• An assortment of hair ties; those not used for her hair are often wrapped around her wrists or ankles.
• A hooded travelling cloak which can double as bedding and/or a blanket.
• A seal of the Yazath family engraved with her name, which she has been granted by her patron, and which she is most paranoid about losing.

S T R E N G T H S & S K I L L S

❖ Slum Kid. A life in poverty meant doing whatever one could to live to the next day. As many children did, Lin turned to thieving. She isn’t one to grow rusty in what is useful, so her aptitude remains. She can walk quietly, blend into the crowds, act unassumingly, choose appropriate locations and targets for her crimes, snatch purses with no one the wiser, and most importantly, run and hide quickly when necessary.
❖ Code of Honour. She will keep to her agreements, and won’t break her promises. She knows fully well what awaits traitors after all. Those who deal with her do have to be aware of what she is promising, however, so as not to get swindled due to ambiguous wording.
❖ Light-footed. She is agile, flexible, and quick to react, her natural athleticism shaped by need during her childhood and diligently honed during her adolescence. Her past on the streets has made her frightfully skilled at navigating urban terrain.
❖ Dirty fighting. A remnant from the occasional physical quarrel between fellow slum-dwellers. Though she’d been tutored later on in the art of sword fighting, her style of dueling (if it could be called that) is considered uncouth, and she prefers knives and short swords besides.
❖ Merchant’s Patronage. Though Lin isn’t exactly fond of her patron, and certainly not obsequious toward him, she appreciates the doors his influence opened. Any and all knowledge that those born into this life take for granted, she is pleased and proud to have acquired.

W E A K N E S S E S & F L A W S

❖ Mistrustful. She is always questioning the motives of others, especially as to how they might pertain to her. Her heart is closed to others; this makes it difficult to form genuine friendships.
❖ Underhanded. Though she does have a particular (mainly self-serving) manner of fairness, it is a very finicky one. She is willing to trick, steal, lie, cheat, and more if it gets her what she wants – and while she’s now more subtle about it, that kind of thing (if discovered!) may quickly tarnish one’s reputation.
❖ Underdog. Used to getting used, she is very susceptible to being taken advantage of by those with more power than her, even if she detests it. Those unscrupulous enough to wield their influence while disregarding their principles can cow her into submission easily enough – as long as they convince her that she has no viable avenues of opposition, that is.
❖ Self-destructive. Linah truly does value her own life and safety; however, she is willing to gamble with both if she judges the benefits worthwhile enough to take the risks. She is also highly suspicious of kindness, and doesn’t believe there is such a thing as ‘no strings attached’. She is perfectly willing to be as unpleasant as necessary to deter people she views as soft-hearted fools.
❖ Class Conscious. While she has learned how to conduct herself in polite society, she doesn’t feel as if she belongs there. Oh, it is a much more comfortable position compared to her humble beginnings, but she can’t help those pesky twinges of dissonance whenever her memory lingers on the past to compare it with the present. Though she presents a confident façade, the societal hierarchy makes her deeply uncomfortable – she is so much half-this, half-that, it’s almost as if she is in some separate category of her own.

M I S C E L L A N E O U S

Color code: #875f9a

The Hourglass Order

Linah

Linah Aranda

Link to the Artist

“Whenever you’re down, life likes to kick you, just in case you didn’t get the message. So just keep that in mind, that it can always get worse – somehow. Whenever it gets better or whoever is offering to pick you up? Won’t be for free.”

16 | Female | Torragonese | Commoner | 6.8

P E R S O N A L I T Y

❖ [Driven]
❖ [Observant]
❖ [Crafty]
❖ [Pragmatic]
❖ [Hardened]

Linah burns with the desire to prove herself as capable, important, and worthy of respect. She’s always believed in herself, regardless of criticisms and secret doubts. Though experience has confirmed her belief, she yet yearns for recognition – not empty praise, but something more tangible. She is both realistic and sensible enough to realize that she will likely never be free of making uneasy quid-pro-quo alliances; no one ever is. She does however wish to stand on equal ground to others, at the very least. For that, she will do what she can, even if it via exploitation and manipulation. From what she’s seen so far, it’s not as if there’s a way to advance without opportunistic cooperation with those beneficial to her goals or ruthless preying upon those who cannot cover for their weaknesses.

C H A R A C T E R A P P E A R A N C E

Linah stands at 5’4, and is lithe and vary, if still somewhat thin and gangly due to a recent growth spurt. She has a warm, light brown complexion that gets darker during the summer. Her eyes are hazel, and her hair a deep walnut. She used to wear it short, but had to grow it out as that is supposedly more befitting of a ‘lady’. After years of taking proper care of it, it is thick, lushy, and wavy, not at all resembling the mess it’d been in her youth. She has been told that it is deeply unfortunate that a scar mars her face, but she truly does not care. Lin has learned a variety of gaits; confident ‘I belong here’, shuffling ‘Don’t pay me any mind’, slow ‘I’ve no care in the world’ among them. She is not naturally expressive, and does well at regulating her emotions, but enjoys putting on expressions that fit the current situation. As far as clothing is concerned, she now tends toward the kind of attire that a lower or middling merchant could afford. Though, she will sometimes adopt what others may term ‘rags’ if it suits her purposes. As long as it’s practical and not too showy, she doesn’t care much for the style, colour, or cut of her clothing.

L A N G U A G E S

Torragonese – mother tongue.
Avincian – upper intermediate, though with a noticeable accent.
Revidian – elementary, learning.

T H E G I F T

Linah has a natural knack for (primarily) the Arcane and (secondarily) the Kinetic schools of magic; she discovered the talent on her own and nurtured it to a limited extent. Because she initially learned on her own, she is an adept Freecaster, and generally forgoes instruments or focus points. Even now, after having studied under another mage, she prefers subtle spells that aid her or disrupt the enemy. In the Arcane school, she is most practiced at blinding an opponent, precisely regulating heat or light to get exactly the intended effect, casting invisibility, and using illusions. As for Kinetic magic, she prioritizes self-empowerment and manipulating sounds so as to confuse opponents. She employs telekinesis when necessary, but isn’t particularly creative with it. While familiar with the very basics of other schools, she has so far taken to certain spells within the Chemical school (Gazes of: Sloth, Terror, Agony, and Deception, Blessings of: Joy, Vigor, and Expulsion), and not much besides.

B A C K G R O U N D

Born to commoners down on their luck, Lin was one of the many inhabitants of the slums on the border of a large city. Her parents were both manual laborers hired for cheap, and hadn’t quite planned for a child either. Still, they took care of her as best they could. However, Lin’s mother died while she was young, and she has precious few memories of her. Her father grew despondent, but persisted for her sake. Still, he did dip into alcohol more than he’d before, and the older Linah grew, the more she had to fend both for herself and her father. She did what she could and what she had to; begging, stealing, working a ‘job’ as a courier for some seedy folk who were just fine hiring a slum kid, and the like. It was after a failed risky robbery that she spontaneously manifested magic out of a desperation to escape. After that, she dedicated whatever free time she had, even sacrificing some sleep for it, to practice. She discovered she could take heat from another to use it herself, and often did. Whenever she needed a boost to her running speed, or needed to reach just a bit farther to jump onto the roof, she could do that too.

She isn’t sure when, how, or due to whom, but her magic capabilities were discovered. Of course, she had no idea that was the case until she’d been snatched. After an uncomfortable journey, she was brought before a certain person by the name of Na’ir Yazath. He offered her great things in exchange for her loyalty. Reluctantly, she agreed – on the condition that her father be brought to the estate as well. A few days later, while still settling in, she was informed her father had been found dead. Disbelieving, she ran off one off to confirm the truth for herself. Her former home (a dilapidated shack shared by several people) had no trace of her father left. Asking around, she was told that after she disappeared, her father had committed suicide. Whether that was true, or whether Yazath’s men had done the deed themselves, it was clear where the blame lay. However, she returned to Na’ir regardless, and accepted his offer. The following several years, she was taught, tutored, and trained in many subjects, magical and mundane. He even attempted to apprentice her to a well-paid Black Rezaindian, though that soon proved to be futile, as Linah resisted being made into a tool for murder, of all things. In the end, it was decided she’d attend Ersand’Enise. Lin doesn’t mind, but is very wary as to whatever may come after she finishes schooling.

M O T I V A T I O N

As someone who started near the bottom of the social ladder, Linah’s always had to struggle simply to survive. Rather than become satisfied with merely getting by, however, she has become covetous of power – precisely because she herself has so often lacked it. While it is true that she has gained many comforts that she’d only been able to dream about in her childhood, they’ve all come with a price attached; the kind of price that may very well take her years and decades to repay. Yet, Lin doesn’t want to spend her whole life beholden to someone else. She strives to be free; free of those who would use her without (equivalent) recompense, free of unwelcome obligations, and free of being hobbled by desperation.

I N V E N T O R Y

• A short sword, sheathed at her left hip.
• A knife, sheathed at her back.
• A shiv hidden within a boot.
• A pouch with a small sum of coins, resting in an inner shirt pocket.
• A decoy pouch with a smaller sum of coins (plus a few stray bits and bobs that make a similar jingle, to make it seem a tad more substantial), tied to her belt.
• A fine leather travelling satchel, which she usually stores under lock and key (or otherwise hides) whenever she is staying somewhere.
• A few sets of clothing, some finer and intended for ‘better’ company, and some worn and second-handed for when she’d rather pass as a commoner.
• A piece of flint tied to a gray string around her neck (weak enough to tear if someone attempts to strangle her).
• An assortment of hair ties; those not used for her hair are often wrapped around her wrists or ankles.
• A hooded travelling cloak which can double as a bedding and blanket.
• A seal of the Yazath family engraved with her name, which she has been granted by her patron, and which she is most paranoid about losing.

S T R E N G T H S & S K I L L S

❖ Slum Kid. A life in poverty meant doing whatever one could to live to the next day. As many children did, Lin turned to thieving. She isn’t one to grow rusty in what is useful, so her aptitude remains. She can walk quietly, blend into the crowds, act unassumingly, choose appropriate locations and targets for her crimes, snatch purses with no one the wiser, and most importantly, run and hide quickly when necessary.
❖ Code of Honour. She will keep to her agreements, and won’t break her promises. She knows fully well what awaits traitors after all. Those who deal with her do have to be aware of what she is promising, however, so as not to get swindled due to ambiguous wording.
❖ Light-footed. She is agile, flexible, and quick to react, her natural athleticism shaped by need during her childhood and diligently honed during her adolescence. Her past on her streets has made her frightfully skilled at navigating urban terrain.
❖ Dirty fighting. A remnant from the occasional physical quarrel between fellow slum-dwellers. Though she’d been tutored later on in proper sword fighting, her style of dueling (if it could be called that) is considered uncouth, and she prefers knives and short swords besides.
❖ Merchant’s Patronage. Though Lin isn’t exactly fond of her patron, and certainly not obsequious toward him, she appreciates the doors his influence opened. Any and all knowledge that those born into this life take for granted, she is pleased and proud to have acquired.

W E A K N E S S E S & F L A W S

❖ Mistrustful. She is always questioning the motives of others, especially as to how they might pertain to her. Her heart is closed to others; this makes it difficult to form genuine friendships.
❖ Underhanded. Though she does have a particular (mainly self-serving) manner of fairness, it is a very finicky one. She is willing to trick, steal, lie, cheat, and more if it gets her what she wants – and while she’s now more subtle about it, that kind of thing (if discovered!) may quickly tarnish one’s reputation.
❖ Underdog. Used to getting used, she is very susceptible to being taken advantage of by those with more power than her, even if she detests it. Those unscrupulous enough to wield their influence while disregarding their principles can cow her into submission easily enough – as long as they convince her that she has no viable avenues of opposition, that is.
❖ Self-destructive. Linah truly does value her own life and safety; however, she is willing to gamble with both if she judges the benefits worthwhile enough to take the risks. She is also highly suspicious of kindness, and doesn’t believe there is such a thing as ‘no strings attached’. She is perfectly willing to be as unpleasant as necessary to deter people she views as soft-hearted fools.
❖ Class Conscious. While she has learned how to conduct herself in polite society, she doesn’t feel as if she belongs there. Oh, it is a much more comfortable position compared to her humble beginnings, but she can’t help those pesky twinges of dissonance whenever her memory lingers on the past to compare it with the present. Though she presents a confident façade, the societal hierarchy makes her deeply uncomfortable – she is so much half-this, half-that, it’s almost as if she is in some separate category of her own.

M I S C E L L A N E O U S

Anything not covered above goes here. You can leave this blank if you like.

Qualia: Mission Sub Rosa

Kiran Agnarsson

At precisely 10 o’clock in the evening, the Clocktower’s bell rang for the first time today. Kiran startled, especially as it brought with it a change in the world. Electricity surged through the building, and the Starsteel Formulization forced close all the windows and doors in the apartments. The window in their dorm shut with a loud bang just as the last clang petered out. The silence afterwards ringed with phantom echoes of noise.

Kiran blinked several times quickly, then shook his head bemusedly as he sat himself into one of the couches. So…A defense mechanism against Technologist, which would incidentally also inhibit Egoists’ regeneration. Of course, if all one desired was to escape, it would be simple enough to disrupt the electrical current enabling the Starsteel Formulization. But that would surely be noticed – and what other defenses were there in place? The mists to obscure visibility…The Starsteel Formulization…What else was there?

Could this be an opportunity to unravel Sukoro Jinga’s work? Kiran glanced at the wiring powering the SF. It was complex, almost absurdly – yet compellingly – so. However, he did not believe it was one he could solve within the night. Was this a project he could do little by little, over multiple nights? Well, he supposed he could attempt that. There were also several other things he wished to test, however.

Kiran was minutely disrupted from his train of thought by Shou’s comment. “Hm? Oh, yes. It seems you might have been right…” he trailed off, not clarifying his statement. If his mind wasn’t elsewhere, he might have paid more attention to Shou’s discomfort – as it was, Kiran noticed rather absentmindedly, but pretty much disregarded it. “Ah, not to worry, I will not be going outside,” he agreed placidly. Unsaid was he wouldn’t be doing it yet.

As Zheng went about his business in the kitchen and the bathroom, Kiran briefly entered his bedroom. There were a few boxes there, full of material or other less sensitive projects that he’d had delivered. Finally, he gently put the suitcase onto his bed, under the covers. It’d be fine now. There was just Shou there, and Kiran figured he could trust the other youth. Besides, the other student wasn’t a Technologist, so there was that as well.

Instead, he opened up the cardboard boxes, rifling through to pick some random Formalized objects. It was time to test how closely he could bring them to an object affected by the Starsteel Formulization before they began being affected as well, how quickly suppression of formulization worked, and exactly how much more difficult it would be to formulize something suppressed by Starsteel. When those experiments were accomplished to his satisfaction, he’d also take some notes on the Starsteel Formulization. Kiran didn’t think the latter would be easy or necessarily useful, but it might help discern if any patterns he noticed tonight could be useful tomorrow.

***

The next morning, Kiran was awoken by some sort of an announcement being relayed over gramophones all across Bermuda. Kiran rubbed sleep from his eyes, and stood up…from the couch? Seemed like he’d never quite made it to his bed the previous night. Around him, stray pieces of paper were scattered (some crumpled up) and various items in various states of functionality – clear evidence of his experiment. “Hmm,” he muttered, and set to cleaning up.

He had an hour till whatever spectacle they’d been invited to, and he’d make use of it. If there was no sight of Shou till that point, Kiran would knock on the doors of his bedroom after showering and changing clothes. If his roommate was still in the vicinity, perhaps they could make their way towards the library together.

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