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4 yrs ago
Current Lots of guests coming and going in the next few weeks. I apologize in advance if I lag in posting
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Traveling for a week, and may not keep up with RPs. Thank you for your patience.
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Been busy and scatterbrained this week, and behind on RPs. Please excuse my delay in posting.
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Got back from a two-week vacation overseas. Give me some time to catch up with RPs. Thank you for your patience!
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6 yrs ago
I'll be going on a two week vacation starting tomorrow and don't know how often I'll have Internet access. Thank you for your patience. I'll try to be more regular when I get back.

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Sara, Daughter of Aliya



Theobald @Xiro Zean, Hollyhock @OwO

The rest of the ceremony proceeded without a hitch; Sara received her crystal and walked behind Theobald, wishing the whole time for the pomp and circumstance to finally be over. But the night was still young, and they were whisked away to Gile Manor. Though Sara knew how much Theobald fought to contain himself, she sometimes wished he were less obedient, that he would burst from his social fetters and flee off into the night, and that Sara would be 'forced' to follow him. That way they could both escape the tedium of social events. Expectedly, he dismissed her as soon as they arrived, and Sara obliged, trusting the soldier in him that he wouldn't do anything untoward, though she secretly wished he would. Left to her own devices, Sara pondered on the supposed 'high spiritual honor' of being a templar. Though she was glad to serve Incepta by being a protector for one of her Scions, she wondered if all this...fluff...was really meant to be a part of it. She thought back to part of a conversation she had heard during the anointing of Sir Tyler, how Incepta selecting young Rosemary to be a Scion has robbed her of her childhood. Sara shook her head. No, it is the expectations of the royal family that has robbed Rosemary of her childhood. Nowhere in the scriptures did it say that the Scion of Light had to be a monarch, nowhere in the scriptures did it mandate the establishment of the nobility. No, unworthy humans who wished to greedily suck from the teat of Incepta's blessings crawled out of the woodwork and surrounded the Scions, using their proximity to the Scions to elevate themselves above others. Sara wondered if all this was Incepta's plan. This was a theological question to be sure, but as someone of Kaudian descent, not an easy one for her to ask of the clergy for fear of seeming like she wanted to tear down the foundation of the Estoran Federation. And she did not, to be honest, have a strong grudge against the nobles, but she did wonder if they were necessary, if they should be entangled with the scions, and if there was a better form of government that could do without them? Of course, the various states ruled themselves differently, so maybe it was fine, maybe the social experiment is ongoing, and Sara simply needed to be patient.

Of course, it didn't do to engage in deep introspection at a party, and as a 'celebrity', Sara figured that she should at least make herself available for interaction at this dog-and-pony show; at the very least, she should partake of the amenities so as not to appear rude. Sara found herself at the buffet table, holding a plate with one hand and adding food with the other, though she did so sparingly; rich foods did not suit her palate, and overindulging would only cause indigestion and regret. As Sara was taking her time, someone else in the line caught up to her, Hollyhock, the Scion of Wind. Her hands full, Sara tilted her head in greeting and said, "Your Holiness. I hope you are enjoying the festivities." Remembering Holly's penchant for giving her Templar the slip, Sara added, in a tone that she hoped came off sounding more teasing than critical, "Sir Jannick is taking quite the risk, leaving you out of his sight. Though I do find myself sometimes wishing that my Scion was a bit more...adventurous. Who do I protect, when my charge not only never gets into trouble, but is also more than capable of protecting himself?"
@Nanolyte Hey, I just wanted to ask if everything was okay.
Sara, Daughter of Aliya



Edmund @webboysurf, Maya @Obscene Symphony, Tyler @Scribe of Thoth

Sara blinked a few times in slight confusion, then put her hand to her chin as if lost in thought. Did Tyler truly find Lucas' behavior charming? No, surely he was being sarcastic, but it did bring something else to mind. Straightening back up, Sara replied, "I apologize, it is unbecoming of me to encourage back-biting of our respective Scions. It was not my intent to do so; they are, after all, The Mother's chosen, and it is an honor to serve them, come what may. I merely wished to offer a hand in solidarity and support, should it be needed. But I have spoken out of turn; you have been a Templar longer than I have, so it is not my place to share with you the difficulties of the post." With that, she bowed lightly and took a step back, excusing herself from the conversation.

Though there wasn't anywhere she particularly wanted to, or could, go. Being confined to this room and forced to engage in the politics of interpersonal relationships was tiring; Sara counted her blessings that Theobald mostly kept to himself, allowing her to, by proxy, avoid this kind of awkwardness most of the time. She pulled out her phone and checked the orphanage group chat to see what her 'sisters' and the children were up to, seeing many pictures of their preparations for the millennium festival. Though it brought a smile to her face, it brought a pang of homesickness. That's right, the orphanage, Lorenzia, and The Estoran Federation were her home, if only people could see that.
Sara, Daughter of Aliya



Edmund @webboysurf, Maya @Obscene Symphony, Tyler @Scribe of Thoth

At Theobald's request, Sara gave what was something between a curt nod and an abbreviated bow. Perhaps what he wished to speak with Fyodor about was not meant for her ears. Though Sara took her duty seriously, she generally gave Theobald a fairly wide berth. She knew he was a man not prone to insubordination, and that he would not do anything to disobey the wishes of his superiors nor shirk the responsibilities of his station, so she had no fear that he would sneak away outside of her supervision. He was also a very large and very dangerous man if he needed to be; even if Sara left him to his own devices for a period of time, it was unlikely that he would come to any harm.

Sara found herself drifting towards the Scion and Templar of Gravity. Theobald was close to Edmund, and Sara had been left to supervise Maya when the two men went on their camping trips. As it turns out, the new Templar of Time was interacting with the pair as well, so it only seemed fitting to address at least one of individuals this ceremony was for.

Your Holiness," Sara bowed to Maya, then greeted her Templar "Sir Edmund," before turning to Tyler. "Sir Tyler, I am unsure whether to offer my congratulations or my condolences, so I will offer both." Her gaze flitted over to Theobald and then Lucas for a moment before returning. "In some ways, you and I are in the same boat, though your situation is assuredly the more difficult. If things become...unbearable, call upon The Mother for patience and succor, but also know that there are people who will stand by you. I'm always available if you need to talk." Sara hoped that she was not overstepping her bounds. The primary suspects for Theodore's death were the Kaudians, but she hoped that Tyler did not label her as guilty by association. Though they had both been Scions for a while, Sara had not had many chances to interact with Tyler; perhaps that will change going forward. If anything she had respected the work that the previous Scion of Time had devoted his short life to, Peace with Kaudus, and appreciated that Tyler had been there to support him up until Theodore's martyrdom.
Sara, Daughter of Aliya


Sara quietly follower Theobald towards Commander Fyodor and offered a salute as well. At least that was something she and her Scion had in common; they both respected the old leader. The thought had crossed her mind to ask Fyodor for reassignment due to the tension between herself and Theobald, but she knew this was an impossible request if she wished to remain a Templar as Templars served until death (their own or their Scion's) or until they stepped down from being Templars. And it wasn't like any of the other Scion's didn't already have their Templars. Even if that were the case, Scions were celebrities, and any such reassignment would surely be the topic of gossip and speculation. Though working with Theobald was difficult, there was no need to broadcast that to the whole world. Besides, Sara saw that, underneath it all, Theobald was a good man; he was just hung up on his ambitions and prejudices.

Sara lamented the fact that this room seemed to be filled with Scions who were sick and tired of their Templars and vice versa and allowed their displeasure to be apparent on their faces and demeanor. What happened to duty? What happened to professionalism? What happened to putting one's own personal feelings aside for the greater good? Perhaps this was what the older sisters referred to as the 'deterioration of faith'. In the modern age, each person saw themselves as increasingly important, saw only their own struggles while ignoring those of others, and lost their sense of community and sense of responsibility to others. Sara shook her head and smiled; this had nothing to do with modernity, or social media, or technology; people were like this in whatever era. The 'young people these days' would grow up to say the same thing about their children. It wasn't about 'the times', it was about youth, experience, and maturity, a cycle that every individual had to go through and would be criticized for by the previous generation who 'knew better'. They will learn and they will grow in time; there was no need to be impatient.

Looking around the room, Sara smiled at Ionna's 'stunt'. At least someone was trying to get along with others, and bringing sweets was a good start, though Sara did not partake, choosing to remain at Theobald's side for the time being. Besides, it's possible that whatever Theobald wished to speak with the commander about may be important. However, Sara's gaze wandered to the young princess. While Sara had been around children for most of her life, she had been surrounded by poor children and didn't know how to act around a rich one, let alone the princess herself. Though Sara believed that all children ultimately had the same wants and desires, she saw Rosemary like a delicate vase; best keep her distance lest some neurotic butler accuse her of 'daring to approach' such a 'fragile piece'. After all, Sara was Kaudian.
Sara, Daughter of Aliya


Sara stood at attention next to Theobald during the ceremony. Though she maintained a stoic expression befitting the gravitas of the event, mentally she chafed against the situation. Though she had been a woman of the church, what 'the church' constituted varied from place to place, and the humility of the orphanage that she was used to differed drastically from the opulence of the Cathedra Incepta. Rowdy children, upstart squires, and boisterous knights were what she was used to, and she had a hard time deciding how best to behave in the presence of deeply-entrenched as well as up-and-coming nobility.

The anointing itself was also incredibly awkward. Though the death of the previous Scion of Time was a serious tragedy and a blow to the faith, Sara did not feel that it was fair for Sir Tyler to bear such a stigma. If they were unsatisfied with his performance, why did they not simply dismiss him? Of course, Sara was sure that a thorough investigation must have been made that, on paper, absolved him of blame and negligence, but what was legally determined and what ill feelings people continued to bear in their hearts rarely, if ever, aligned. But though it may hurt Sir Tyler's career and reputation to be dismissed, it may perhaps be better than to be forced to carry such a burden and to face the constant onslaught of derision and suspicion.

Thinking that, Sara realized that she was no different, as she stole a glance at her own 'ward', a man who had made it his life's goal to fend off 'her people' and become a war hero. Sara recalled her ceremony, where Theobald had slapped her afterwards for being Kaudian, and wondered if the same would happen once this one was over. Yet she remained by his side, perhaps out of a sense of duty to the faith, perhaps because she believed she was strong enough to suffer the thinly-veiled insults and unkind glances. Perhaps Sir Tyler felt the same way.

Be that as it may, Sara also knew that this stuffy environment didn't suit Theobald either, and if it ever became too much for him and he stormed out of the cathedral, Sara would be more than happy to accompany him, though she may linger to at least pay respects and congratulate the new Scion and Templar.
I am sensing some slap-slap-kiss yaoi tension from the first post.
(Context, Ros is my favorite character in the game)


Oh, well that's something we have in common then. As a longtime Gundam fan, I've always liked the idea of remote flying weapons, so when I saw a character who wielded telekinetic steel plates, I was immediately intrigued. But then as she featured in Chapter 8 (or was it 7?) and I unlocked more of her story, I wanted to protecc.
Yeah, all I can do is nod in teary-eyed approval at seeing how far Ifrit has come. "Don't touch my daughters, you creepy old man!"
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