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Color test!
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Talrae… A world of might and magic, of thousands of worlds and the heroes within them, of the struggle for life, liberty, and power. Challenge yourself to one hundred floors of combat and puzzles and come out victorious against Malgoth, Overlord of Talrae, in a bid to win your fame, fortune, and freedom. With 10,000 lives on the line, failure isn't an option.
Following a similar story to SAO, players will have to escape a VR-MMO death game. Death in game results in real life death. This version of the game follows the story of a group of friends who bought the game to play together and now must fight their way upwards, deafeating floor after floor in a bid to escape and earn their place in history as the Saviors of Talrae!
OoC Thread: https://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/174836-talrae-s2-wip/ooc#
TM (Talrae Master): @HueMan
OP
James Kingston
Character Summary
Name: James Kingston
Aliases: Cadeceus, Neo
Age: 24
Birthday: June 13th, 1996
Birth Place: Astoria, Oregon
Gender: Male
Powers: Accelerated Healing Factor (temporarily transmissible)
Training: N/A
Languages: English
Appearance
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 165 lbs
Build: Muscular
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Black
Skin Tone: Light Brown
Tattoos/Scars/Piercings: None
Personal Style: James wears easy and simple clothes. Hoodies, tank tops, tee shirts, jeans, and sensible sneakers. He doesn't have any particular interest in fashion, preferring simplicity and function over style. The only accessories he wears are his mother's locket when he isn't working and a cheap wristwatch.
Psychology
Adaptable * Disorganized * Cooperative * Gullible * Optimistic * Reckless
Sexuality: Pansexual
Relationship Status: Single
Personality:
Since birth, James always was laid back and easy going. He clicked well with most people and prefers to make friends rather than enemies. Coming from a single parent home, James learned from his father to face every day with a smile and he keeps that life lesson close and dear to him. He rolls with the punches life throws at him as best he can, with a smile and joke. He is always willing to see the other side, to take a moment to walk in someone else's shoes before he judges them.
Unfortunately, his willingness to see the good in others often blinds him to their intentions. James often fails to consider the motivations behind people. As a result, he is easily made the butt of jokes and pranks. James takes it mostly in stride as good fun but sometimes it becomes too much and his irritation drives him to do recklessly impulsive things like dirt biking in the middle of the night or accidently setting a dry field on fire with matches he was trying to burn himself with. In truth, James feels like deserves these things. He has this anamoly that everyone around him says is awful in other people, that it makes them do horrible things. And even though his ability has the capacity to help, it must still be dangerous right? So maybe he deserves to be hurt.
Habits: Humming while working, tapping his fingers absently, cracks death jokes when stressed or upset.
Hobbies: Kick boxing, working on cars and Motorcycles, watching hockey at his regular bar.
Fears:
- Being buried alive.
- The possibility he is hallucinating everything.
- Losing his mother's locket.
Likes:
- Rock and Roll
- Dogs
- Coffee
- Building things
- Hockey
- Star gazing
Dislikes:
- Elf on the Shelf
- Insects
- Reading
- Hot weather
- Sour candy
- Dramas of any kind
Cards On The Table
General World Skills:
- Engine mechanics
- Electrical wiring
- Repurposing supplies
- Scavanging
- Developing strong interpersonal relationships
Combat Skills:
- Kickboxing
Possessions:
- Mother's locket with a picture of his parents on their honeymoon.
- Backpack
- Small toolkit
- Wallet with I.D., a few bills, and his mechanic's certification card.
- Duct Tape.
- Pocket knife.
- Simples clothes like a hoodie, tank top, and jeans.
History
How did you discover your powers: James's mutation manifested quietly when he hit puberty. Suddenly, scapes and cuts closed as soon as they appeared and bruises faded almost immediately. He wrote it off, not really noticing them, until he took a nasty spill from a tree and broke his ankle but was on his feet on minutes. He rationalized it as just having blown it out of proportion but it happened again when he tripped and broke his arm in high school. The arm, after a rough set, fixed itself in minutes. After the news about mutants and the danger they pose, James kept his ability to himself.
General History:
James Kingston grew up in a family of tradesmen: electricians, plumbers, mechanics, welders. You name it, at some point a Kingston has done it. They scoffed at the idea of intellectualists and their lofty colleges. After all, why spend thousands of dollars on fancy classes when you can just learn to do it from a tradesman? The Kongstons could fix their homes, rewire their electronics, upkeep their cars, and fix their own plumbing. How many college students could say that at graduation.
James was different. Just after his birth, his mother passed away due to an aggressive infection resistant to most antibacterial options available to a new mother. Her life insurance covered her funeral and the rest automatically deposited into a college fund for her child. James, left with only her locket with a pick of his parents together, insisted on going despite some of the teasing he got from the rest of them. He practically grew up in his father's auto repair shop, jumping right into the Kingston trade as early as ten. He maintained a close relationship with his father through the years and man always encouraged James tendency to tinkering, even if it didn't always go as planned.
When he graduated high school, his father sent him to DC to help his unlce with his recently opened business as a temporary electrican. Reluctant to leave his friends and family before his first semester of college, James agreed when his father pointed out the experience would be helpful both with his degree and his job afterwards. He kept busy over the summer, his Uncle contracted to wire the rapidly expanding suburban neighborhoods popping up around the capital at the time. He kept in closet contact with his friends but his father's schedule and his kept missing so they resolved to catch up again before he left to California for school.
It was his friends who sent him an article headlined “Kingston Fix It Fire - No Survivors.” Seven dead, fine customers, a mechanic, and the owner, Dallas Kingston. James struggled with the death, overwhelmed with funeral arrangements and will executions and life insurance payouts. James delayed his college plans a year as he grieved.
Afterwards, he threw himself into his schooling. He pushed himself and dual majored in both mechanical and electrical engineering, graduating on time and moving back in with his Uncle for a formal apprenticeship with his company before he returned home and opened his own shop in his his father's honor. But shortly after arriving, James's uncle revealed his Purifier sympathies. James just has to keep his head down until the apprenticeship is over.
Extras
Character Quote: "If you believe it will work out, you will see opportunities. If you believe it won't, you will see obstacles."
Theme Song: Don't you worry child.
Anything Else: James's healing factor can be temporarily transmitted through maintained contact and concentration. The process leaves James incredibly weak and while he is transmitting it, he can not benefit from his ability.
Dreamer
Of Blood and Magic
*By submitting this CS in its completion I am stating I have read all the rules for this Rp and am agreeing to follow them to the fullest with respect and courtesy. I acknowledge that I can and will be removed from the RP without warning if I break a rule or cause problems with my fellow Rpers or the GM.
OP
Let the Dance Begin.
Interacting with: @trainerblue192@Obscene Symphony
“We are pleased to hear it. With how soft he is on his household, we were worried he would slip into easier habits.” The mage caressed his cheek caringly. “Stop pouting, it’s unseemly. Ryner provided you with an excellent opportunity to mold the minds of the next generation. You should feel honored.” The mage hummed as Varis murmured his understanding, his eyes lightning a bit. “Perhaps we will attend one of your lectures. We haven’t the opportunity to see you in such a manner yet. With the Princess’s permission of course.” Ryner and the mage locked gazes. “We wouldn’t want to overstep our bounds, now would we?”
“Academy policy requires any guests intending to visit a student give two weeks written notice normally and must be off Academy grounds by six thirty.” Ryner replied without hesitation, sipping at her wine while maintaining eye contact. “As long as your Excellency complies, I see no reason why your visit to my Academy should be denied.” As the pair spoke, the servant’s door cracked open and another servant whispered in Isadora’s ear, who nodded and curtsied next to the Queen. After holding it for a few moments, the Queen acknowledged the mage’s presence and leaned in as the woman whispered into her ear.
“Dinner is over.” The Queen ordered. “Sybil and I. Have business. To attend to. Ryner, we will. Discuss the Spellman. Problem in.The morning.” With little warning, she stood and swept away in one fluid movement with a grace and speed that defied her earlier motions. Her footsteps barely a whisper, she was out of the room with the blink of an eye. The mage huffed under her breath and stood from her chair, directing her sightless gaze at Aaron. Ryner sighed and looked sympathetically at Salem. Under the table, she patted his knee comfortingly as he watched the rest of the group silently.
“We were glad for a meeting, Mr. Starag. We believe we see some potential in you. We merely need to cut out the Noila influence. Right Varis?” She asked as a servant cleared her spot and moved her chair.
“Indeed. Whether he sinks or swims, I will ensure he is an asset to our House.” Varis concurred. “However, my bets are on sinking right now.”
“Varis darling. Play nice with the boy sometimes.” She chuckled. [“We do hope you don’t disappoint us, Mr. Starag. Take care. Varis dear, approach us so we may discuss some business. We have a delightful surprise we know you’ll have fun with.”
Aaron stood as Varis did, paying attention to the two as they spoke and bowing deeply to the mage woman when she finished. Beneath the surface, uncertainty gripped him again; Lady Sinnenodel seemed like she wanted to speak to the Count privately, but Aaron had not forgotten Varis’ warning about staying close. He wasn't sure what to do, but this time, he didn't dare guess.
“Please pardon the interruption, Master,” he said to Varis, bowing his head, “Will you have further need of me, or would you prefer I leave you and Her Excellency to your business?”
“You will attend me.” Varis spoke, not sparing the light mage a glance. He held out his arm for her to take, leading them over to Lady Sinnenodel herself. The vampire watched the door the Queen escaped through but her position shifted at some point from reclining to sitting upright, arm stretched out to her side. The mage girl settled in the next to her and snuggled close to the vampire, letting the vampire’s arm settle around her as she laid her head on Lady Sinnenodel’s shoulder. Varis knelt in front of them, his eyes fixed firmly on the floor in front of them.
“After your little incident with our favorite House,” The mage spoke coldy even as the smile stayed, “We thought it prudent to look into the matter ourselves.” She reached back onto the couch and frowned, looking back at her seat. A white envelope lay across the chair, far too neat to have been accidently dropped. “Goodness. Varis, be a dear and fetch that for me. It's your chance to earn back my trust.” Varis’s jaw clenched. Her attempts to separate them were irritatingly obvious and he wasn't about to let her have her way. His eyes darted to the side, looking for anyone he could send other than the boy, and his spied Isadora helping clear away the dishes.
“Mage,” He said loudly, snapping at her. A few servants looked his way but he focused on Isadora, who looked a little disconcerted to be at the center of the Sinnenodels’ attention. “Fetch.” He pointed where the envelope lay. She put on her court smile and curtsied before hurrying to complete the task. She handed it over to the Count and hurried back to her duties.
“Excellent. Open it quickly. We’re sure you’ll love it.” The mage gushed, clapping her hands. Varis carefully opened the envelope, wary of her last lesson. He could still feel the bite of obsidian from that one. Thankfully, it seemed this was just a plain envelope and he pulled out a few of the papers inside. It was a list of transactions made by Count Illios, the vampire who snatched his business deal out from under his nose. Apparently, the Count indulged in serious underground gambling far too frequently for the Council to willingly overlook.
Kneeling next to Varis with eyes trained pointedly on the floor, Aaron was more than happy to go entirely ignored by the Lady and her mages as they had their rather one-sided exchange. The way the mage woman behaved with her Lady unsettled him, though considering that the images of the girl’s back and eyes would probably find their way into his nightmares later, Aaron wasn’t particularly surprised to find yet more oddities surrounding her. He did, however, bristle at Varis’ tone with his aunt, his brashness toward her incensing Aaron more than anything the vampire had done to him so far. He’d had this problem in the past, getting angry when his mother or aunts were treated poorly; he knew it was irrational, but he could never seem to shake it.
While Varis read, Aaron was thinking. Lady Sinnenodel seemed to be trying to separate him from the Count, and Varis seemed keen on preventing it. Aaron was starting to wonder if Varis’ earlier warning had been for both their benefit; it had seemed strange for Varis to warn him for his own sake when the vampire seemed otherwise content to let him suffer whatever consequences came his way. But why would Varis care if his mind was read? If anything, it would just give him more information on his new mage, would it not? Aaron examined the floor as he searched for an answer, but he kept coming up with none.
“I appreciate the opportunity, my Lady.” Varis smirked. Illios's holdings would be his if it was the last damn thing he did. The mage reached up and wiped gently at Lady Sinnenodel 's brow with a red handkerchief and nodded. “I expect so. You won't get a second chance.”
Glass shattered at the table behind Varis and Aaron. Isadora stood with a platter at her feet and the remains of wine glasses scattered at her feet. Her eyes were wide open and tears ran freely down her face as she watched the Sinnenodels. She clutched at her head and sank to her knees, mouth open as she gasped before a heart wrenching wail escaped. Ryner jumped to her feet and was at the woman's side in a heartbeat, searching for something causing Isadora such agony.
Aaron’s head snapped up and around at the sound of glass breaking, and he was met with the sight of his aunt in apparent agony, in tears and crying out. His heart jumped into his throat and he didn’t even think before he was on his feet, rushing over and nearly sliding as he fell to his knees next to the woman, searching for some cause of her pain.
“Aunt Dora, what’s--” he was cut off when he felt something take hold of him from behind: a hand, hard and smooth as marble, clamped over his mouth. By reflex, he tried to pull away, tried to reach for his sword, but he couldn’t move, and his sword wasn’t there anyway. Princess Ryner was right there, and there were others who could see him, but no one seemed to notice what was happening. Why couldn’t anyone see? Why wouldn’t anyone do something?!
As he tried and failed to struggle he started to panic, but no sooner did he feel it than the hand yanked him back; he felt the horrible jolt of falling backward, but he was powerless to stop it and everything went dark.
[insert memories in hider - RIP me-A new one daddy varis]
Salem watched closely as he saw how Aaron and the others behaved around the council members. How could Aaron stand to watch his family treated so poorly? So, low. It wasnt right. The thought was soon cut off as Isodora seemed to all but collapse on the floor. Salem quickly rushed to her side as soon as he was able to, kicking away any glass before he knelt to meet her gaze. "Aaron make a light! Aaron!” Useless Salem pulled out his phone and turned on the flashlight, checking Isadoras pupils, pulse, anything that could give him a sign as to where her pain was arriving from. Her pulse was fast and anguished, pupils dilated seeming to show her great deal of pain, yet try as he could, Salem couldn't find a cause.
'Someone silence that woman's caterwauling.’ Varis thought irritably as he continued to peruse the papers. The Count's mage won him plenty of money and a nice deed recently it seemed. As the noise continued, Varis finally looked up just as Aaron reached his Aunt. He narrowed his eyes and glanced back at Lady Sinnenodel as a piece of red fabric slipped back behind her. Perfect. Varis waited long enough he knew she would have him before bolting towards Aaron then snatching him up by his neck and tossing him on the table, visibly trembling with rage.
“Shut her up.” Varis hissed at Ryner as he kept his hand around Aaron's throat, waiting for him to wake up from his Lady's grasp. Ryner glared at the Count and rose fully. Her eyes were cold as she stared down the mage who only smiled sweetly at the Princess.
“While I appreciate your presence at my Manor, I believe it is past time you attended your other businesses Lady Sinnenodel. Do have a pleasant morning.” Ryner dismissed the woman, who only laughed. The other mages muttered under their breath and the recliner hovered a few feet off the ground between them, following them as they left the room. Isadora's screaming faded into gasping as the vampire's presence vanished.
The whole scene was only before Aaron for a moment before it faded away, and a new panic gripped him. He felt the hand around his throat before he saw its owner, and by reflex he grasped the arm it was attached to, struggling against its grip. But it wasn't moving, and when Aaron finally saw who was responsible, his hands flew down to his sides, colliding rather painfully with the edge of the table he found himself pinned to and gripping it tightly. His pulse quickened under Varis’ trembling hand, as did his breathing, when he understood what was happening and what had just occurred. The back of his head throbbed, his knees stung, and the rage clear on Varis’ face was enough to keep Aaron speechless, jaw working wordlessly as his eyes flickered around, searching on instinct for some escape.
“Welcome back, boy.” Varis spat. Seeing the boy terrified was quite amusing but he had a role to play right now. Varis made a mental note to explore this piece offun more later. “What was my one instruction tonight? Was I not clear enough for you?”
Aaron opened his mouth a few times before any actual sound came out, the hand around his throat distressing him more than it should have given that he wasn’t being strangled. “I-I’m sorry Cou--Master!” he managed to stammer out, nervously fidgeting; his positioning was awkward at best, his spine was grating against the edge of the table and Varis offered no room to move. “She-- I--”
“Did I ask for apologies or did I ask for an explanation? Your whimpering and whining sicken me. If you hadn't failed me again, you wouldn't need an apology.” Varis cut him off, pulling the boy to his feet by his neck. “Can't even bother to remember three damn feet? Three feet! Pathetic. No wonder your House threw you away. Maybe I should do the same.” He snarled and let the boy drop from his grip, not caring he was dropping him on broken glass. “And I thought your performance this far was a fluke, nothing more than nerves. It's clear now you are utterly incompetent.” Varis wondered if maybe he was over doing it but… it was fun and the boy was an excellent stress reliever after dealing with the damn Devil herself.
Aaron fell to his knees when the Count dropped him, hands flying up to his throat as he gulped for air he hadn’t even been lacking in the first place. He winced when his knees hit the floor, new shards of glass biting into them alongside the old ones, but it was the sting of Varis’ words that occupied his mind, flooding the mage with horror and shame as all of his fears were openly vocalized.
“That is quite enough.” Ryner demanded and the room went still with her words. It was as if a leash wrapped around every neck in the room, vampire and mage alike, and forced them into compliance. Isadora's whimpers faded away and Varis went stock still, unable to do anything but watch the Princess. “Your behavior is unacceptable, Count Sinnenodel. Retire to my study so we may discuss your actions when I've made sure Isadora is well. You are dismissed.” Varis glared at her and stormed from the room, slamming the door loudly behind him and cracking the door frame. Ryner sighed and the intense aura vanished as she scooped Isadora up and put her in Varis’s empty chair. She did the same with Aaron and Salem, depositing them gently back into their seats.
“I do apologize about this disaster of a night.” Ryner apologized, curtsying to the group. “I will have the main course and desert sent in so take a moment to collect yourselves. I will have a life mage in to take stock of your injuries. Please, stay as long as you'd like but speak to a guard when you two are ready to leave.” She gave them both a look. “Together.” With that, she took her leave.
He visibly flinched at the Princess’ command, breath catching in his throat. He could do little but follow when she moved him to a chair, and simply nodded at her words, waiting until she was gone to drop his face into his hands.
Salem stood from his chair and moved over to Aaron. "Cast me a light will you? I swear...I can't make heads or tails of you Mr.Starag” Salems voice was low, almost as if speaking to himself as he knelt by Aaron and began to pick the glass from his wounds. "This'll hurt a bit, but luckily I come prepared for such events, not much but...well you can all afford life mages so itll do.”
OP
Ryner watched the boys enter the car and drive off from a second story window, actively avoiding Varis for a bit so he could cool his head. What was left of her heart went out to the boys. Salem’s forward thinking was what their world needed but he lashed out at the wrong vampires and now he’ll pay the price. And Aaron… she sighed at the thought of the sweet light mage. If it hadn’t been necessary, she would have never paired him with Varis. No one needed to be under his authority and the word Master twisted a knife in her gut. She shivered at the thought. Aaron’s upbringing convinced the boy would start higher on his training regimen but apparently Varis found him lacking. It would be a rough few years if Aaron couldn’t figure out the Count’s pace. Perhaps a helpful push from the shadows…
She shook away the thought. Varis’s inhumane treatment of the boy worked nicely in their favor and she knew Varis would turn up the heat soon. Interfering would only hinder their progress or worse, send everything in the completely wrong direction. And if Varis found out she helped, Aaron would be collared faster than Ryner blinked. She turned away from the window after a murmured “Good Luck” and squared her shoulders as she made her way downstairs. His temper tantrum was likely near its end so quieting the Count down would be easy.
She threw the doors to her study open with a bang and swept into the room with as much regality as she could muster, actively ignoring the obviously brooding vampire in one of the leather chairs in front of her desk. She took another moment to look around her office space, a beautiful rug decorating the wooden floors and bookshelves containing books on every subject and a variety of archeological treasures. She let out a little sigh and finally turned to look at Varis, a pleasant smile on her face that fell flat when she saw Varis paying no attention to her. Instead, he was reading the folder she predicted he’d request later on the students he would be teaching. A folder that was safely stashed in her desk drawers she might add. The Princess cleared her throat loudly.
“Yes, yes. A wonderful entrance. Excellent poise. Perfect pause. The dress hit the desk with the turn but almost perfect.” Varis drawled as he read. “Congratulations. You’ve graduated from C-list to B-list.” Ryner rolled her eyes and sat down behind the desk.
“I’m glad to discover your temper under control.” Varis sent her a disbelieving look. “You were very convincing for someone just acting.”
“The anger was real. The direction was not.” Varis shrugged. “The Astorio deal still irritates me and the Spellman mage’s earlier commentary made it an easy wound to open.” Ryner laughed.
“And your opinion of the boy?” She asked, pulling out a few pieces of paper and looking them over.
“An idiot. Completely out of control and naive.” Varis snorted as he flipped a page. “However, he’ll serve as a useful fracture point. Aaron will get close to the boy on my order and report back everything he says and does under the guise of wanting to crush the imbecile. I’ll indirectly encourage their friendship, build up their bonds and trust, until either the Spellman discovers his close friend’s treachery or the boy betrays me.” Varis explained. “All the while, I’ll be interfering with the investigation. I’ll be sure to extend it, plant false leads and evidence based on what the Salem boy reveals to Aaron. And when something happens? Well, suddenly Aaron is a willing accomplice and both mages should loathe me more than they do now. An excellent way to galvanize the boy. If we’re lucky, the Spellman will exacerbate the polarization and get us exactly what we need.”
“You enjoy this too much.” Ryner sighed. Varis hummed in agreement as he flipped to the part explaining Alder’s changes. A comfortable silence stretched between them, broken only by scoffs from Varis.
“Has this man ever read the treaty? The changes he made to my lessons are horrifying.” Varis grumbled. “He writes like an enthralled mage. Is this the garbage the self important peacock teaches?”
“He does tent to wax poetic about it but his material is solid. I think you just don’t like him.” Ryner laughed. “However, I have arraigned for Alder to be preoccupied most of his class time. It will leave you as the primary instructor as you requested.”
“What business does Alder have?” Varis asked.
“Nothing for you to worry about.” Ryner said sweetly. “In fact, it may even help you with Aaron.” Varis glared suspiciously but didn’t push the topic. Instead, he look at the miniature chess board on her table with its pieces moved. Since he last saw it, a black rook had taken a white bishop. He picked up the newly taken piece, rolling it between his fingers while he considered it. This piece should have stayed in play for another few months. He frowned at it.
“You killed the Eve early. We said end of the year.” Varis placed the piece back down on the table. “My assets weren’t prepared to handle this event and now you’ve forced them out of position while they scramble to cover your tracks. Sloppy job, Ryner.”
“They compromised earlier than we expected. Allowing the breeding bill to move off the table would ruin everything we’ve done so far.” Ryner defended as she pulled out a bottle of blood and two glasses. Vitae Felix specifically. She knew Varis’s favorite and expected the Count to have… objections. He never handled sudden change well. She open the bottle to Varis’s irritable look and poured, passing the ount a glass.
“We made a plan and we work the plan.” Varis snapped, the offering somewhat mollifying him. “We work the plan, with a few spot adjustments, and everything works. Murdering the leader of the Eve traditionalists early is more than a spot adjustment, Ryner.”
“Everything is under control. Just worry about doing what you’re good at.” Ryner smirked over the edge of her glass. “Being an ass.” Varis deadpanned but couldn't hold it, shaking his head with a smile. They sat quietly for another hour, enjoying the silence as they went around their tasks, until Varis stood and stretched. His shirt rode up just a bit, revealing a distinctive set of spiderweb scars jutting up from the helm line of his pants. Ryner did a double take as Varis adjusted his shirt and gave her an inquisitive look.
“Its nothing.” Ryner said, her voice trembling. “Have a good night. Make sure to ask the guards for a car back.” She couldn’t even bring herself to laugh as he grumbled on his way out about not getting a car for the way here. She waited several long moments after he left and her head fell into her hands. Scars on a vampire were nearly rare, especially so on a Sinnenodel the least physically combative of them all, and that pattern itself even more so. The even spacing and grid of the scars screamed Lacrime Solis. Ryner felt sick. She could practically smell the skin burning, the screams and broken pleas of the old days. And she sent him to her. The very one who… She felt the prickle of blood at the edge of her eyes and it took everything in her to keep them at bay. She knew it was his decision, that they rushed in with much less information than they usually had She knew he demanded they take the opportunity but she still felt responsible.
“Well, you’ve made a right mess of things haven’t ya.” A deep voice echoed through the room and Ryner whipped around, an obsidian dagger springing into her hand from a secret compartment in her desk. The wall behind her bulged outwards, forming into an arm and a leg, a torso, the other limbs, and finally a head. Ryner sighed and relaxed, slipping the dagger back into place as her old friend made his way around the desk. The colors of the wall still stuck to his skin and clothes so he shook himself like a dog until his colors went back to normal. A bald man with a salt and pepper beard dropped into the chair Varis previously occupied, not caring that his rugged clothing sat awkwardly at his angle. He kicked his boots up on the desk, earning a raised eyebrow and shrugging in return.
“Yes, I have. I mean, I should- we should- we were too hasty.” Ryner sighed wearily. The man grunted.
“He’d tell ya all pretty like but shut the fuck up and get over it.” The man growled as he reached for the open bottle of blood. He took a long swig. “Shit ya drink fancy crap now. If I didn’t know better, I’d accuse you of falling.” He shook the bottle a bit, growling in displeasure when he discovered it empty. “You still have a bottle or two of that Starag guy’s blood yeah? What was his name… Lathan? Londor? Well, whatever. I’m parched so hand it over.”
“Yes I do but thats for when our youngest comes back. He loved that man’s blood and he deserves something after going through the hell we put him through. Voluntarily or not.” Ryner handed him another bottle, which earned her an eye roll as he bit the glass off, spat it out, and drank the bottle greedily. Ryner picked up the glass he scattered everywhere as he ate.
“Have you found Biero?” Ryner asked. When the man gave her an odd look, she sighed and repeated her question but this time the words sounded more like a song carried too far on the wind.
“That's what he goes by? Awful name.” The man grunted. “Not bad. Your old man locked him up in torpor at the old rite site. Shouldn’t be hard to kill him when its time. Found something better though.” He dug around in his coat for a bit and pulled out a small notebook, flipping it open and slapping it down on Ryner’s desk. The whole book was written in a language most considered dead with little to no existing translations. Ryner had no issue reading it and gasped at the content.
“You found Yvaine?” Ryner demanded in disbelief.
“And if I did, you can bet your undead ass they will soon.” The man stood, retrieving his book. “I’m recovering her before they do.” Ryner nodded and the man stood to leave, walking back to a wall.
“And now its noon.” Ryner whispered. The man paused and clapped a comforting hand on her shoulder.
“We’re almost there. Just a little longer.” The man said, obviously uncomfortable by her emotions. “Keep in touch. The wilds are a bit lonely now, priestess.” Ryner chuckled and a thought struck her.
“Rhalgar, your box. He changed the time and I’m worried he may hurt the boy accidently. He needs something in case Varis takes control and I’m not present.” Rhalgar squinted at her, weighing the pros and cons briefly, before handing over a black box from hs coat. He stepped back into the wall, melding seamlessly into it, and vanished.
Ryner wrote a short note on it and put it in the basket for outgoing delivery, labelled Aaron Starag.
She shook away the thought. Varis’s inhumane treatment of the boy worked nicely in their favor and she knew Varis would turn up the heat soon. Interfering would only hinder their progress or worse, send everything in the completely wrong direction. And if Varis found out she helped, Aaron would be collared faster than Ryner blinked. She turned away from the window after a murmured “Good Luck” and squared her shoulders as she made her way downstairs. His temper tantrum was likely near its end so quieting the Count down would be easy.
She threw the doors to her study open with a bang and swept into the room with as much regality as she could muster, actively ignoring the obviously brooding vampire in one of the leather chairs in front of her desk. She took another moment to look around her office space, a beautiful rug decorating the wooden floors and bookshelves containing books on every subject and a variety of archeological treasures. She let out a little sigh and finally turned to look at Varis, a pleasant smile on her face that fell flat when she saw Varis paying no attention to her. Instead, he was reading the folder she predicted he’d request later on the students he would be teaching. A folder that was safely stashed in her desk drawers she might add. The Princess cleared her throat loudly.
“Yes, yes. A wonderful entrance. Excellent poise. Perfect pause. The dress hit the desk with the turn but almost perfect.” Varis drawled as he read. “Congratulations. You’ve graduated from C-list to B-list.” Ryner rolled her eyes and sat down behind the desk.
“I’m glad to discover your temper under control.” Varis sent her a disbelieving look. “You were very convincing for someone just acting.”
“The anger was real. The direction was not.” Varis shrugged. “The Astorio deal still irritates me and the Spellman mage’s earlier commentary made it an easy wound to open.” Ryner laughed.
“And your opinion of the boy?” She asked, pulling out a few pieces of paper and looking them over.
“An idiot. Completely out of control and naive.” Varis snorted as he flipped a page. “However, he’ll serve as a useful fracture point. Aaron will get close to the boy on my order and report back everything he says and does under the guise of wanting to crush the imbecile. I’ll indirectly encourage their friendship, build up their bonds and trust, until either the Spellman discovers his close friend’s treachery or the boy betrays me.” Varis explained. “All the while, I’ll be interfering with the investigation. I’ll be sure to extend it, plant false leads and evidence based on what the Salem boy reveals to Aaron. And when something happens? Well, suddenly Aaron is a willing accomplice and both mages should loathe me more than they do now. An excellent way to galvanize the boy. If we’re lucky, the Spellman will exacerbate the polarization and get us exactly what we need.”
“You enjoy this too much.” Ryner sighed. Varis hummed in agreement as he flipped to the part explaining Alder’s changes. A comfortable silence stretched between them, broken only by scoffs from Varis.
“Has this man ever read the treaty? The changes he made to my lessons are horrifying.” Varis grumbled. “He writes like an enthralled mage. Is this the garbage the self important peacock teaches?”
“He does tent to wax poetic about it but his material is solid. I think you just don’t like him.” Ryner laughed. “However, I have arraigned for Alder to be preoccupied most of his class time. It will leave you as the primary instructor as you requested.”
“What business does Alder have?” Varis asked.
“Nothing for you to worry about.” Ryner said sweetly. “In fact, it may even help you with Aaron.” Varis glared suspiciously but didn’t push the topic. Instead, he look at the miniature chess board on her table with its pieces moved. Since he last saw it, a black rook had taken a white bishop. He picked up the newly taken piece, rolling it between his fingers while he considered it. This piece should have stayed in play for another few months. He frowned at it.
“You killed the Eve early. We said end of the year.” Varis placed the piece back down on the table. “My assets weren’t prepared to handle this event and now you’ve forced them out of position while they scramble to cover your tracks. Sloppy job, Ryner.”
“They compromised earlier than we expected. Allowing the breeding bill to move off the table would ruin everything we’ve done so far.” Ryner defended as she pulled out a bottle of blood and two glasses. Vitae Felix specifically. She knew Varis’s favorite and expected the Count to have… objections. He never handled sudden change well. She open the bottle to Varis’s irritable look and poured, passing the ount a glass.
“We made a plan and we work the plan.” Varis snapped, the offering somewhat mollifying him. “We work the plan, with a few spot adjustments, and everything works. Murdering the leader of the Eve traditionalists early is more than a spot adjustment, Ryner.”
“Everything is under control. Just worry about doing what you’re good at.” Ryner smirked over the edge of her glass. “Being an ass.” Varis deadpanned but couldn't hold it, shaking his head with a smile. They sat quietly for another hour, enjoying the silence as they went around their tasks, until Varis stood and stretched. His shirt rode up just a bit, revealing a distinctive set of spiderweb scars jutting up from the helm line of his pants. Ryner did a double take as Varis adjusted his shirt and gave her an inquisitive look.
“Its nothing.” Ryner said, her voice trembling. “Have a good night. Make sure to ask the guards for a car back.” She couldn’t even bring herself to laugh as he grumbled on his way out about not getting a car for the way here. She waited several long moments after he left and her head fell into her hands. Scars on a vampire were nearly rare, especially so on a Sinnenodel the least physically combative of them all, and that pattern itself even more so. The even spacing and grid of the scars screamed Lacrime Solis. Ryner felt sick. She could practically smell the skin burning, the screams and broken pleas of the old days. And she sent him to her. The very one who… She felt the prickle of blood at the edge of her eyes and it took everything in her to keep them at bay. She knew it was his decision, that they rushed in with much less information than they usually had She knew he demanded they take the opportunity but she still felt responsible.
“Well, you’ve made a right mess of things haven’t ya.” A deep voice echoed through the room and Ryner whipped around, an obsidian dagger springing into her hand from a secret compartment in her desk. The wall behind her bulged outwards, forming into an arm and a leg, a torso, the other limbs, and finally a head. Ryner sighed and relaxed, slipping the dagger back into place as her old friend made his way around the desk. The colors of the wall still stuck to his skin and clothes so he shook himself like a dog until his colors went back to normal. A bald man with a salt and pepper beard dropped into the chair Varis previously occupied, not caring that his rugged clothing sat awkwardly at his angle. He kicked his boots up on the desk, earning a raised eyebrow and shrugging in return.
“Yes, I have. I mean, I should- we should- we were too hasty.” Ryner sighed wearily. The man grunted.
“He’d tell ya all pretty like but shut the fuck up and get over it.” The man growled as he reached for the open bottle of blood. He took a long swig. “Shit ya drink fancy crap now. If I didn’t know better, I’d accuse you of falling.” He shook the bottle a bit, growling in displeasure when he discovered it empty. “You still have a bottle or two of that Starag guy’s blood yeah? What was his name… Lathan? Londor? Well, whatever. I’m parched so hand it over.”
“Yes I do but thats for when our youngest comes back. He loved that man’s blood and he deserves something after going through the hell we put him through. Voluntarily or not.” Ryner handed him another bottle, which earned her an eye roll as he bit the glass off, spat it out, and drank the bottle greedily. Ryner picked up the glass he scattered everywhere as he ate.
“Have you found Biero?” Ryner asked. When the man gave her an odd look, she sighed and repeated her question but this time the words sounded more like a song carried too far on the wind.
“That's what he goes by? Awful name.” The man grunted. “Not bad. Your old man locked him up in torpor at the old rite site. Shouldn’t be hard to kill him when its time. Found something better though.” He dug around in his coat for a bit and pulled out a small notebook, flipping it open and slapping it down on Ryner’s desk. The whole book was written in a language most considered dead with little to no existing translations. Ryner had no issue reading it and gasped at the content.
“You found Yvaine?” Ryner demanded in disbelief.
“And if I did, you can bet your undead ass they will soon.” The man stood, retrieving his book. “I’m recovering her before they do.” Ryner nodded and the man stood to leave, walking back to a wall.
“And now its noon.” Ryner whispered. The man paused and clapped a comforting hand on her shoulder.
“We’re almost there. Just a little longer.” The man said, obviously uncomfortable by her emotions. “Keep in touch. The wilds are a bit lonely now, priestess.” Ryner chuckled and a thought struck her.
“Rhalgar, your box. He changed the time and I’m worried he may hurt the boy accidently. He needs something in case Varis takes control and I’m not present.” Rhalgar squinted at her, weighing the pros and cons briefly, before handing over a black box from hs coat. He stepped back into the wall, melding seamlessly into it, and vanished.
Ryner wrote a short note on it and put it in the basket for outgoing delivery, labelled Aaron Starag.
When the snake grows too venomous, find him and ring twice to escape and thrice for help.
OP
Naomi:
Health: 2700
Mana: 3550
Items Used:
Teleport Ring (1 charge)
Greater Blue Potion (2)
Passives:
Mana Payback: 14
Mind Shock: 140
OP
The next evening brought cloudy skies that dripped when least convenient. The freshman class, especially most mages, thrummed with excitement despite this and energetic murmurs rippled through the student body as they made their ways to their respective classes. Already a few rumors made their way around the school about the arrest last night, some saying the girl offended the Marivaldi, others suggesting the mage was caught breeding with a Noila mage.
Most of the extra guard was missing coming the new night. A few still wandered the grounds, eyes inspecting the student body. They moved with purpose, seemingly looking for something, but they didn’t stop anyone. Students avoided them at all costs.
OP
Character Summary:
Name: Damien Colin Joshua Baker Jr.
Aspect: Sound
Age: 19
Birthday: April 10th
Gender: Male
Appearance
Height: 5’10
Weight: 145
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Black
Skin Tone: Light
Tattoos/Piercings:
A bird on the neck, two blue flowers on either bicep with vines trailing down the right one into a skull and crossbones on the back of his right hand.
Nose ring, industrial piercing on the right ear, and two 00 gauge piercings.
Personal Style:
Comfort over style is Damien’s motto. If you can’t move around in it and it takes longer than five minutes to put on, it’s probably not in Damien’s closet. Hoodies, T-shirts, tank tops, basketball shorts, sweat pants, and jeans are his clothes of choice with the occasional bracelet to add. Only his ear plus are any sort of fancy, often natural stone or glass.
Psychology
Sexuality: Bisexual - Polyamorous
Personality:
Damien’s motto is “You only live once.” Free spirited and energetic, Damien grins more often than he frowns, laughs more often than he cries, dances more often than he mopes. He loves being outside and living, from hanging with friends to singing and playing his guitar to hping fences and doing questionably legal things. He has his chill days where he just relaxes,letting music play in the background, while he chats away with a friend or three. He never shies away from new people and instead tries to loop them into whatever mischief he decided to be up to that day.
Damien will never claim to be the smartest of the bunch but he’s completely at peace with that. As well as he sympathizes with other people, Damien struggles with understanding his own emotions. His default is aggressive happiness and more often than not, he doesn’t notice his mood nose diving until he’s locked himself in his room with everything but his music player shut off, buried in the safety of his bed. While he’s learned mostly to handle these episodes, they still shut him down for days at a time.
As for the whole “vampire-mage” relationship, Damien’s split. On one hand, a cool vampire means awesome friend for life. On the other, a horrible vampire means he gets to kick his annoying levels up to 11 for the rest of his life. Both options seem pretty awesome! After all, he’s one of the most annoying people he knows.
Habits:
Bounces leg while sitting
Doodles when bored
Finger crossbows his way out of situations
Hobbies:
Skating
Singing, playing guitar
Game Nights
Fears:
Likes:
Physical Affection
Music
Popcorn
Tattoos and Piercings
Skating
Bonfires, roasting marshmallows
Dislikes:
Stuck Up Jerks
Sour candy
Studying
Being stuck indoors
Insulting his family
Fighting
[img]
History:
Damien Colin Baker Jr. was born into a large family in a Marivaldi owned territory. Growing up in the middle of six siblings, his home was chaotic, busy, and a little cramped but his parents made it work. He had three parents, Damien Baker his Dad, Joshua Baker his Papa, and Colleen Baker his Mom. Most other kids thought having three parents was wierd but it meant one was always there when you needed them. Of course, twice the number of Dad jokes and the confusing roundabouts of “Go ask your Father, no your other Father!” were a headache, especially once he found out they did it on purpose.
Joshua was a stay at home dad, the kind of father who liked to show up to recitals and games in full family attire and a banner that guaranteed his children would want to bury their heads in the sand until he left. He doted on all his children, often getting scolded along with them by his spouses. Colleen was the realist, always ready to spout some sort of life advice that flew over her children’s head everytime. But she also instilled a love for music and dance in her family and it was a rare night that the radio wasn’t pumping and the whole house danced along while they went around their chores. She woke her children up on weekends that way for Sunday Funday, the deep clean day, bursting into their rooms and singing at full volume while the vacuum ran. Damien was the chillest of the three. Hanging out with his Dad for the day was watching movies and talking shit about people for no reason at all. Popcorn was almost always involved somehow and there was a 100% chance that at least three of the siblings would dog pile onto the couch by the time the popcorn was finished in the microwave. No one knows how he does it but Damien Sr. always managed to make the perfect snack foods. His ratios were always just right and sometimes the children would catch their parents peeking around the corner as Damien Sr. made food for the kids’ lunches since all the kids demanded Damien Sr. make their lunches now. Josh swore the man was a secret mage.
The family dynamic often earned them weird look while out and about or even at teacher parent conferences when all three of them would show up but Damien wouldn’t change it for the world. None of the kids cared which parent was their biological one, especially since his eldest sister made Joshua break down sobbing after calling him out in a tantrum, and they weren’t afraid to defend their family. Family was always the priority.
Damien was the fourth oldest in the group. There was a bit of an age gap between him and his older brothers and sister but it wasn’t significant enough to affect their relationship. However, there was a seven year gap between him and his youngest sibling. The boy was an unexpected pregnancy but a happy one nonetheless. Colleen jokes they knew he’d be stubborn from birth; he was the hardest delivery of all her children. And there were some complications. In addition to a misaligned head, Sam was born with severe hearing loss and completely lost it just before he reached kindergarten. As a result, the family tends to dote on the boy, sometimes to his frustration. Everyone in the family can sign and they all constantly check up on him, even if they don’t live at home anymore.
Damien was seven when he had his first major depressive episode. He stopped playing with the family, screamed and cried when anyone would touch or talk to him, and stopped eating all together. His parents were eventually recommended a therapist, who explained Damien suffered from ADHD and the rapid and often uncontrollable emotional fluctuations made it difficult to process overwhelming feelings. Since it was already a common tool in the Baker family, Damien learned to use music to keep track of his emotions. Getting a seven year old with the attention span of a cricket to do anything was a task and it took him three years to get used to his new system: Blue, Red, Green, Yellow, Orange, Black, and Pink. Each color represented an emotional range and Damien would use it to help process emotions when everything was just too much. All his records, his CDs, his files and folders on his electronics all had color labelling so he could find them quickly when he needed them.
When his awakening ritual revealed is magic, it was a black month. He’d be leaving everything behind in his life, only the second mage in any of his extended family, and everything he relied on. He felt like he was constantly on the verge of a panic attack and his family would gather every night for the next six months until he would head off to whatever school he was required to attend.
The invitation to the Noila academy helped a little. The other mage in the family, Joshua’s sister Allison, taught at the Academy so at least he’d have someone while away. It took him a few months but he managed to hype himself up for his new chapter. After all, he had freaking magic! Hopefully, he’d get paired with some low brow vamp that he could push into moving back home.
Additional Info
Theme Song:
Font Color:
OP
Name: Damien Colin Joshua Baker Jr.
Aspect: Sound
Age: 19
Birthday: April 10th
Gender: Male
Height: 5’10
Weight: 145
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Black
Tattoos/Piercings:
- A bird on the neck
Large skull on the left shoulder
Series of skulls on his right shoulder coming out of a blue heart
Cartoonish skull and crossbones on the back of his right hand
Nose ring, industrial piercing on the right ear, and two 00 gauge piercings
Personal Style:
Comfort over style is Damien’s motto. If you can’t move around in it and it takes longer than five minutes to put on, it’s probably not in Damien’s closet. Hoodies, T-shirts, tank tops, basketball shorts, sweat pants, and jeans are his clothes of choice with the occasional bracelet to add. Only his ear plus are any sort of fancy, often natural stone or glass.
Sexuality: Bisexual - Polyamorous
Personality:
Damien’s motto is “You only live once.” Free spirited and energetic, Damien grins more often than he frowns, laughs more often than he cries, dances more often than he mopes. He loves being outside and living, from hanging with friends to singing and playing his guitar to hping fences and doing questionably legal things. He has his chill days where he just relaxes,letting music play in the background, while he chats away with a friend or three. He never shies away from new people and instead tries to loop them into whatever mischief he decided to be up to that day.
Damien will never claim to be the smartest of the bunch but he’s completely at peace with that. As well as he sympathizes with other people, Damien struggles with understanding his own emotions. His default is aggressive happiness and more often than not, he doesn’t notice his mood nose diving until he’s locked himself in his room with everything but his music player shut off, buried in the safety of his bed. While he’s learned mostly to handle these episodes, they still shut him down for days at a time.
As for the whole “vampire-mage” relationship, Damien’s split. On one hand, a cool vampire means awesome friend for life. On the other, a horrible vampire means he gets to kick his annoying levels up to 11 for the rest of his life. Both options seem pretty awesome! After all, he’s one of the most annoying people he knows.
Habits:
- Bounces leg while sitting
Doodles when bored
Finger crossbows his way out of awkward situations
Hobbies:
- Skating
Singing, playing guitar
Game Nights
Likes:
- Physical Affection
Music
Popcorn
Tattoos and Piercings
Skating
Bonfires, roasting marshmallows
Dislikes:
- Stuck Up Jerks
Sour candy
Studying
Being stuck indoors
Insulting his family
Fighting
History:
Damien Colin Baker Jr. was born into a large family in a Marivaldi owned territory. Growing up in the middle of six siblings, his home was chaotic, busy, and a little cramped but his parents made it work. He had three parents, Damien Baker his Dad, Joshua Baker his Papa, and Colleen Baker his Mom. Most other kids thought having three parents was wierd but it meant one was always there when you needed them. Of course, twice the number of Dad jokes and the confusing roundabouts of “Go ask your Father, no your other Father!” were a headache, especially once he found out they did it on purpose.
Joshua was a stay at home dad, the kind of father who liked to show up to recitals and games in full family attire and a banner that guaranteed his children would want to bury their heads in the sand until he left. He doted on all his children, often getting scolded along with them by his spouses. Colleen was the realist, always ready to spout some sort of life advice that flew over her children’s head everytime. But she also instilled a love for music and dance in her family and it was a rare night that the radio wasn’t pumping and the whole house danced along while they went around their chores. She woke her children up on weekends that way for Sunday Funday, the deep clean day, bursting into their rooms and singing at full volume while the vacuum ran. Damien was the chillest of the three. Hanging out with his Dad for the day was watching movies and talking shit about people for no reason at all. Popcorn was almost always involved somehow and there was a 100% chance that at least three of the siblings would dog pile onto the couch by the time the popcorn was finished in the microwave. No one knows how he does it but Damien Sr. always managed to make the perfect snack foods. His ratios were always just right and sometimes the children would catch their parents peeking around the corner as Damien Sr. made food for the kids’ lunches since all the kids demanded Damien Sr. make their lunches now. Josh swore the man was a secret mage.
The family dynamic often earned them weird look while out and about or even at teacher parent conferences when all three of them would show up but Damien wouldn’t change it for the world. None of the kids cared which parent was their biological one, especially since his eldest sister made Joshua break down sobbing after calling him out in a tantrum, and they weren’t afraid to defend their family. Family was always the priority.
Damien was the fourth oldest in the group. There was a bit of an age gap between him and his older brothers and sister but it wasn’t significant enough to affect their relationship. However, there was a seven year gap between him and his youngest sibling. The boy was an unexpected pregnancy but a happy one nonetheless. Colleen jokes they knew he’d be stubborn from birth; he was the hardest delivery of all her children. And there were some complications. In addition to a misaligned head, Sam was born with severe hearing loss and completely lost it just before he reached kindergarten. As a result, the family tends to dote on the boy, sometimes to his frustration. Everyone in the family can sign and they all constantly check up on him, even if they don’t live at home anymore.
Damien was seven when he had his first major depressive episode. He stopped playing with the family, screamed and cried when anyone would touch or talk to him, and stopped eating all together. His parents were eventually recommended a therapist, who explained Damien suffered from ADHD and the rapid and often uncontrollable emotional fluctuations made it difficult to process overwhelming feelings. Since it was already a common tool in the Baker family, Damien learned to use music to keep track of his emotions. Getting a seven year old with the attention span of a cricket to do anything was a task and it took him three years to get used to his new system: Blue, Red, Green, Yellow, Orange, Black, and Pink. Each color represented an emotional range and Damien would use it to help process emotions when everything was just too much. All his records, his CDs, his files and folders on his electronics all had color labelling so he could find them quickly when he needed them.
When his awakening ritual revealed is magic, it was a black month. He’d be leaving everything behind in his life, only the second mage in any of his extended family, and everything he relied on. He felt like he was constantly on the verge of a panic attack and his family would gather every night for the next six months until he would head off to whatever school he was required to attend.
The invitation to the Noila academy helped a little. The other mage in the family, Joshua’s sister Allison, taught at the Academy so at least he’d have someone while away. It took him a few months but he managed to hype himself up for his new chapter. After all, he had freaking magic! Hopefully, he’d get paired with some low brow vamp that he could push into moving back home.
OP
Mages
Energy and anticipation buzzed through the mage halls. Most of the high level classes started half an hour later so only first years poured into the buildings, excited to stretch their magic for the first time. As students entered their Affinity Mastery class, they were directed to the walls of the smaller room. Ten tables with two chairs and an awakening crystal set into a wooden base filled the room. Each table had a number marker on it. Two older students, both wearing TA badges, either checked the crystals one last time while the other kept the incoming students along the wall. Above the room, a small balcony ran its length which vampires would use during the last fifteen minutes of class to observe their mage’s progress and interactions.
Interacting with: @Scribe of Thoth@WeepingLiberty
An older gentleman dressed in long robes that spilled over the semi-translucent disk he sat on looked around the room, waiting until he shut the door with a whisper and a gesture. The man wore thick rimmed glasses that caught on the end of his bulbous nose yet he still squinted as he examined everyone. He cleared his throat and the TAs quickly fell into place at his side, cheery smiles in harsh contrast to the professor’s surly frown.
“Good morning class. Today is a big step in your careers!” The Professor’s voice rasped deep in his throat. “I am Professor Devan Rathshrew. You are all here before me because one of two things are true, either you do not know your affinity or your connection to your magic is too weak to expect rapid control over your power. Do not fret, my affinity didn’t reveal itself to me until the end of my first year at my school. These issues are more common than you may think so do not despair; I will train you all into great mages and draw out the outstanding potential in each one of you.” He pulled a bottle of water from inside his robe and drank deeply.
“The purpose of this class is to teach you the basic control exercises needed to tap into your power without losing hold over it and to strengthen your magic through repetitive practice. You will struggle at first. That is a given. But you will wield your magic by the end of it as long as you are determined and focused.” The Professor’s disk floated to one of the tables. “As you are all aware, this is an awakening crystal. Once the rituals that bring your magic out are performed, these crystal act as a natural conduit and glow in direct response to the magic flowing through it.” He put his hand on the crystal and it burned brightly. “Our first exercise is regulating the flow of magic. You will have to reduce and increase the flow slowly throughout your time here, alternating with the other person at the table, so the glow in the crystal dims and brightens.” As he said that, the crystal did just as he said, dimming to the light of a candle before flaring up brighter and down again. “This acts like push ups for your magic, strengthening it and reinforcing your connection to it. And if you don’t know your affinity yet, the light will change color once your magic has developed enough. You could find your affinity today, you could find it next week, you could find it next year but you will find it and its important to remember that. Giving up is never the answer!”
“Now, these two troublemakers will assign you your table partners. These will be your partners for the rest of the semester and this will be important once you move onto the next control exercise. I highly recommend getting to know your partner outside of class. Being on good terms with the person whose magic will interact regularly with yours makes the second exercise go much easier.”
“When you sit down, only one person will have their hand on the crystal at a time. Take a few minutes to get a feel of how your magic feels flowing between you and the crystal. Remember it flows both ways, circling out and back into you. Feel how your magic responds and emulate that as you let more or less flow out.”
The two TAs, name tags reading Joey Beech and Sera Aser, went around the room handing out table numbers and partner names. Sera approached Max with a little slip of paper.
“Alrighty, table two wiiiiiith…” She checked the slip. “Dakota Brookes. We'll be over to check on you in just a bit okay?” She handed him the little slip and moved to the next person. At the same time, Joey just reached Dakota.
“Hey there, welcome in!” Joey beamed as he checked for their slip. “Dakota right? Let's see. Table two with Maxwell Alderman! Okay, head on over and get settled. We'll be over soon to help you if you need it. Good luck, you're going to do great.” He flashed them a grin and moved on after handing then the slip.
A woman in a crisp grey three pieces suit stood at the front if the room, hands folded neatly behind her back. In a crisp grey three piece suit and her greying hair braided tightly down the front of her shoulder, she watched students file in with an impassive face Small bell earrings adorned her ears and a silver necklace wrapped around her neck. Her TAs closed the doors once 9:30 passed and a warm smile softened the steely demeanor she wore originally. Her heels clicked on the floor as she strode into the center if the room, looking around at the students lining the walls.
“I'm pleased everyone came in such high spirits! Magic is an exciting thing and it should be treated as such!” She spoke loudly, her voice used to carrying authority. “I am Professor Allison Baker but you may call me Allison for ease. We are all students of magic here; there's no need for silly titles. I also teach a variety of the mental magic classes that is one of the arcane disciplines you may choose to learn. But that's a tad advanced for you if I may say, so today we'll focus on the basic building blocks of all spell work: control.”
“I'm sure everyone here recognizes an awakening crystal. Most of you just recently underwent the Awakening ritual and this stone was used to determine if and what your magic was. Now that your magic has awoken, the crystal will act like a natural conduit and glows when you touch it like this.” She rested her hand on one and it flared to life before settling on a warm golden glow with sparks of green inside. “As you can see, my affinity is Life. Some if your were not as dramatic as this; in fact, I would say most of hours weren't. But as you gain control over your magic and your magic grows stronger, touching the crystal will produce more and more interesting effects!”
“Now, our first exercise in control is relatively easy.” As she spoke, the light in the crystal brighten and dimmed. “When you touch the crystal your magic naturally flows into it and then back again, creating a magical circuit that you’ll learn to control! The point of the first exercise is brightening and dimming the light steadily and evenly. If it grows too bright too fast, it’ll go out and leave you exhausted. If it dims too quickly, the light will vanish before you have a chance to increase your flow of magic.”
“When you take your seats, take turns placing your hands on the crystal. Take a moment to get used to the flow of your magic. I or my wonderful assistants will be around to help talk you through the process. Once you’ve completed this exercise to my satisfaction, three days of this class will be done with an affinity specific teacher outside of the classroom while you will return to me the other two days for further control lessons.” Kanalie Harper gave a thumbs up and a bright smile to everyone in the room while Aine Wainwright gave a shy smile and waved before the pair broke off, handing out slips with table numbers and partner names.
Kanalie, white hair cut cut just beneath her ears with several colorful clips along her bangs, made the rounds, chatting excitedly with each student. It was easy to tell Kanalie had a passion for magic and was more than happy to share her knowledge, just as excited to see others excel where they could. She reached Lilie after a few minutes and blinked for a few moments as she looked the freshman up and down. A bright grin broke out on her face.
“What are the chances?!” She exclaimed. “We could pass as sisters! That’s so cool! Oh gosh, I wish we could talk more! Maybe after class at some point?” Allison cleared her throat loudly and sent an amused look Kanalie’s way. “Oops, my bad, my bad. Alrighty, so looks like you’re at table six wiiiiith Cassandra Roth! Okay, good luck and have fun!” Kanalie beamed before moving to the next student.
On the other side, Aine spoke softer but no less kindly. She seemed a bit timid but moved from student to student, encouraging everyone as she passed out their assignments.
“Okay, Cassandra right?” Aine confirmed with the girl and smiled. “I like your name. I’m a little jealous. Everyone pronounces mine wrong and yours flows so nicely. I think you’re going to be a natural.” She smiled shyly before passing over her slip. “You’re at table six with Lilie Dionne. Good luck; you’re gonna do great!” She waved a little before moving on.
Interacting with: [@ObsceneSymphony]@Trainerblue192
As students poured into this room, it was much cooler in here than outside. The TAs stood at the front of the room with enough of a gap between them that it was obvious a teacher should be there and yet there was not. As the time to close the door came, Ralph Westerhouse shrugged in his winter coat and went to shut the doors. Ariclie Accai shrugged at him and pulled out her headphones, wrapping them haphazardly around her phone and dropping it into her pocket. She missed and it clattered to the floor as she dove for it, returning Ralph’s deadpan with a sheepish smile. It was quickly tucked away into her pocket.
“Well, I guess since the instructor isn’t here, we’ll be-” Ariclie was cut off as water shot out from beneath the hall door and whirled together in front of her. Light shimmered inside it and the water solidified into an out of breath man clutching his knees. He seemed barely older than his two assistants, dressed in a simple button up and slacks. A bow tie popped up at his collar and he smoothed out the wrinkles in his clothes as he caught his breath.
“Okay, hi hello! Sorry ‘bout that.” He said cheerfully as he straightened. He rubbed his hands together excitedly. “Welcome to Freshman Affinity Mastery! I’m your host, Mr. Martin! I don’t quite feel like I have the whole “Professor vibe” so we’ll avoid that.This is my second year teaching but I haven’t lost a student yet so you’ve got that going for you!” He chuckled as he spoke, pacing the room. “I graduated from this school two years ago myself and… Ralph can you stop that? We don’t all like to freeze.” He gave the ice mage a look. The room warmed a little but Ralph’s breath was visible. “Thank you. As I was saying, I graduated two years ago and was immediately hired on at graduation so I still remember and actually care about what you guys are going through! Outside of teaching this delightful class, I am an assistant research lead for the summoning department so if anyone decides they want to go that route, come talk to me and I can give you some tips on how to get into the program!”
“Anyways, onto the most fundamental aspect of all magic. Control! Really exciting stuff, not really, but the most important lesson you will ever learn in this school. Without it, you overextend your magic, start projects you aren’t ready or don’t have the energy to finish, r you don’t use enough. Non-mages and vampires all have this notion that you cast your spell, it takes up magic, and you keep going. That’s just not true. You can choose how much magic goes into a spell. Too little and the spell fails, too much and the spell can backfire horrifically. Most of my colleagues think we should keep that information quiet but in the line of work I’m in, that is such an important piece of information.” His face turned completely serious but lightened again once he he finished.
“Anyways, now that I’ve terrified you all, onto the show! Today we’ll be learning the simplest control exercise. Basically, you just touch the crystal and it glows. Those of you who know your affinity will already be familiar with the color.” Mr. Martin touched the crystal and it shone a soft blue. It slowly started brightening and dimming as he continued to speak. “The point of this exercise is controlling the flow of magic between the crystal and you. The crystal acts as an extension of yourself, allowing magic to flow in a cycle between it and you. Your job is to regulate that flow in a steady and safe manner. Give too much,” And the blue flared brightly before vanishing. “And it stops. Give too little and it also stops.”
“Now, my helping hands here will be around with your table assignments. I highly recommend getting to know your partner better outside of this class. It’ll make everything a little easier in the future!” He shouted over the excited din as Ralph and Ariclie started handing out papers.
As Ralph moved down the line, people shivered as he passed. He approached Aaron and the temperature plummeted, his breath now visible. Ralph looked down at his paper, up at Aaron, and back down at the slip.
“Great. The guy whose family enslaved us. Welcome on.” Ralph’s said flatly. He handed the paper over to Aaron. “Table three, Salem Spellman. Don’t fuck up.” He moved on down the line and the air around Aaron warmed as the other students shivered.
Salem on the other hand, had to pick his paper up off the floor after the girl dropped it three times trying to hand it to him. “I’m so sorry. I’m such a clutz. Seriously, if I touch it, its guaranteed to hit the ground. It's a talent.” She sighed. “Anyways, your tattoos are pretty cool. Are they a casting focus? If so, wicked. If not, they’re still pretty nice. You’re at table six with Aaron Starag. Good luck; heard he got some girl sent to the mines last night. But you’re going to do great, I’m sure!”
Vampires
Unlike the mage halls, the vampire buildings were usually quiet early in the evening. Many of the younger vampires passed up feeding for extra sleep and their sluggish conversation reflected that. A few bats passed above the crowd, some filtering in and out of special alcoves meant for the vampires’ shifted form. Inside their rooms, a small series of raised seats similar to the orientation auditorium looked down over the a podium, three screens side by side, and a small table. Four seats with the House crest on the back comprised the entire first row.
Interacting with: @Jade Blades@ReusableSword
As the class shuffled in, a tall woman in a red victorian style dress swept in with a meek mage stumbling in behind her, the mousey looking man carrying a laptop back and a black umbrella. He deposited everything on the side table and sat down facing the class, setting up the laptop without making eye contact with anyone. She stood just in front of the podium as she eyed the classroom critically.
“Very well, I guess you’ll all do. My name is Countess Marcella, but you may address me as Professor or Ma’am. Now, there are a few policies to discuss before we get into our discussions today. I do not tolerate tardiness. My classroom doors will be locked at 9:31 on the dot according to my time, not yours. If you are not in this room and visibly in your seat, you will not be counted as attending. Having your mage open a temporary portal at 9:31 for you to slip through does not fall into that category. Grand unveiling displays do not fall into that category.” As she spoke, the clicking of her heels on the floor disappeared as the mage connected the laptop to the displays and the syllabus popped up on two of the screens. On the third, a school website flashed and refreshed.
“My syllabus is on the left and center screen. It has every assignment and due dates as well as several guidelines on how to submit assignments. Many of the teachers have switched to online submission but technology is a crutch that I will not allow my students to rely on so exclusively. I will not accept this and that wasn’t working as an excuse. Everything will be hand written and submitted according to my guidelines. Messy or illegible handwriting will be grounds for a grade reduction or complete invalidation.” She paced past the first two screens and used a pointer to draw attention to the third. “Dwight will explain the school’s central blackboard system. Pay attention as he take you through it.”
“Um, yes, well,” Dwight started, pushing his thick rimmed glasses back up his nose, “Blackboard is the central hub that all of your professors will be storing most of their information: office hours, study sessions, syllabi, and more. Many have switched to online assignment submissions but not everyone. Um, you’ll need to set up your school email before you can register for the site. I’ll have you register here before you leave class so its taken care of and then you can lg in and set up your password for blackboard later.” Dwight logged into the program, opening up the class titled Mortal Biology. It showed all the information the mage outlined earlier and a download copy of the syllabus.
“If you have any further questions about this,” disdain dripped from the word as she gestured to the screen. “You may direct them to the student service clerks in the administrative building. Now, we will discuss the fragility of our mortal companions. Unlike the vampiric condition, mortal biology is soft and weak, requiring careful supervision, maintenance, and care. This class will teach you the proper ways to care for your mortal and the importance of these decisions.” She tapped the long pointer to the podium once and Dwight changed the screens, displaying a diagram of the circulatory system. “We will cover the mortal's circulatory system in further detail later in the semester but for now, we will discuss appropriate feeding points and protocol. The academy has suffered an embarrassing increase in feeding accidents of late and it should not be tolerated. With the turned, it is understandable but purebloods...” She shook her head in disbelief as the screens changed, showing a naked male and female with little red dots over their body.
“A vampire is responsible for the mortal in his or her care while feeding. It is recommended that a mortal be relatively comfortable before feeding as they often become delirious, inebriated, or otherwise incapacitated. Rarely, the mortal becomes aroused or experiences pain but these responses can be conditioned depending on your taste preferences. When feeding, a vampire should focus on drinking arterial sustenance rather than venous. Taking in rich, oxygenated blood leaving the heart and recently cleaned by the mortals’ liver will ensure plenty of energy through the day and will have the freshest taste. The colored dots on the models are recommended feeding points for vampires of various familiarity with the process and we will cycle through them by region.” The image shifted, zooming in on both model’s necks where two red dots hovered.
“The neck is an easy area to feed and is often the most comfortable for vampires of similar height. Blood here is some of the freshest available in the body but there is a high risk of injury to the mortal. It is not recommend a vampire drink here if they are squeamish or have an unsteady touch. The two points on here represent the carotid artery and jugular vein. The carotid artery is the optimal drinking spot. The throat should be extended, stretching the muscle to reduce piercing effort, and the mouth should form a full seal over the wound to prevent spillage. Due to the rate of bleed lose, drinking from this spot should take little time.” While she explained, Marcella demonstrated on Dwight,tipping his head back and pushing up slightly to keep his neck extended. “It is important that the vampire maintain full control over their mortal because if anything moves unexpectedly, it is all too easy to nick the jugular vein and miss it in the thrall of feeding. Even if quickly rectified, the mortal would likely be too drained to feed from and should be taken to a medical professional to be evaluated.” The image shifted as she stepped away from Dwight and the inside bends of the elbow appeared on screen, a red dot just at the top of the bend.
“The brachial artery is another easily accessed area through the thin spot in the skin of the elbow joint. However, it runs similar risks as the throat. Accidental flinching or movement may cause a tear in the artery wall and lead to hemorrhaging. The arm must be extended and pinned to reduce the risk presented to the mortal.” The image moved down to the wrist. “The wrist also allows access to the brachial artery and drastically reduces risk to the mortal. Drinking from the wrist reduces panic and stress because it allows them to maintain a degree of personal space and the illusion of control over the feeding. This is highly recommended for nervous drinkers, those forced to abstain from feeding for a short period, and those with nervous or excitable mortals.” Professor Marcella faced the class, looking over them again. “And make sure you are taking notes. There will be a practical with your mage so I am satisfied no damage will occur accidentally.” She resumed pacing as the image changed, falling down to the groin area where two red dots hovered over the left leg.
“The femoral artery is an excellent feeding area for vampires indulging in sexual activity with their mortal or intend to condition them to experience arousal during feeding. If a mortal suffers pain or other physical discomfort during feeding, conditioning them in this manner is usually the suggested correction. The femoral artery can be accessed through the top of the inner thigh but often requires two piercings, increases the chance of rupturing the femoral vein, and usually causes unnecessary pain so is often used by vampires using feeding as a punitive device.” The screen shifted to the lower of the two dots on both models and shifted up to the soft skin in the bend of the groin. “It is better to access the femoral artery via the femoral fold. The thin skin acts as both an erogenous zone for mortals and makes it much easier to accurately puncture the artery instead of the vein.”
“It can also be accessed at the back of the knee.” She continued as the graphic moved, the models spinning and showing the red dot at the joint. “Similar to the elbow, it presents all the same benefits and problems with two notable additions. This area acts as an erogenous zone for many mortals but many more are quite volatile when interacted here, prone to flailing and laughing. If a vampire prefers feeding here despite the difficulty of access, it is recommended the mortal be enthralled.” The graphic cut down to the ankle, where several red dots covered the ankle. The Professor wrinkled her nose in disdain.
“The ankle is similar to the wrist, though strips the mortal of the illusion of control. Low risk and easily accessed. However, I find mortal foot hygiene incredibly lacking so I recommend supervising a short washing before feeding.” She stopped at the front of the class and turned sharply. “Any questions?”
Interacting with: @WeepingLiberty@MsMorningstar
The first thing students filling into Cardinal Hall would notice is a hunchbacked old vampire dancing across a stage with an old walkman in one hand and a pineapple in another, wearing a tacky button up shirt with the print of a tie set on a bunch of flowers and khaki shorts that did little to stop him from cracking his knobby knees together. Manfred Mann's “Do Wah Diddy Diddy” could be heard playing faintly from the headphones as he picked up a pineapple off the podium and swung it around. A mage set up a pair of laptops, frowned at the bag, and muttered an incantation with a snap, two charging cables popping into neat coils around her hand, all while dodging the obnoxious vampire with a sigh. One of the screens crackled to life a moment later, a website called Blackboard displayed. Two name plates in front of the laptops read Nasir ibn Tariq and Lucille Valade.
“Good morning class. Welcome to Mortal Biology.” Lucille gave Nasir an unimpressed look as he continued to dance around the hall. “Professor Tariq just discovered portable music so he’ll be… distracted until he gets it out of his system. Until then, we’ll walk through the Blackboard system you’ll use the rest of your careers here. If you want your mage to be ahead, walk them through this once you finish your registration. They’ll sign up once they enter their first academic class after treaty law but it wouldn’t hurt to be familiar with the system before hand.” Lucille raised an eyebrow and with another snap, a cell phone popped into her hand. “And while I lack eyes in the back of my hand, I do have complete control over the space in this room and will not hesitate to keep you on task. You may retrieve this after class. Now if you will turn your attention to the right hand screen, we can begin.”
“Blackboard is an online education tool most academic classes employ.” The screen changed as she logged in and clicked Tutorial. She stepped back to the front of the class, a remote clicker in hand. The screen blinked and a powerpoint presentation appeared on screen. “Most classes will post dates and assignments on here as well as their syllabus. All assignments should be loaded into the calendar on their due dates, which you can access via the specific class’s hyperlink on the calendar application.” As she spoke, the slides moved with her, highlighting the sections on the screen shots. “As you can see here-” She cut off abruptly as Nasir held the pineapple in front of her face, sliding the walkman into his pocket and letting the headphones slide around his neck.
“Thank you thank you Lucille!” The vampire spoke energetically. “The whippersnappers can see you during the last thirty minutes to register and all that but we have mandatory feeding lessons to cover. Too many accidents according to her high and mightiness.” Lucille gave her vampire a look before shaking her head and taking a seat behind the laptops. “What? I’m fourteen hundred and seventy three. Just blame it on my age.” He snorted a laugh and turned to face the class.
“Alrighty, my little doe eyed dumb dumbs! Lets get chuggin’ right along here shall we? Normally, we’d have a fun pop quiz to see what you know but since younger generations are mauling their partners while feeding, we get to have the responsible drinking talk! Wheeeee!” The vampire did a little tap dance and spun as the other two screens turned on, nude models of each gender appearing on screen. Red dots hovered over several sections of their body.
“Where to start, where to start. We will start with…” Nasir snapped his fingers. “Weaklings! Mortals are comparatively weaker than their vampiric counterparts. It is a vampire’s responsibility to ensure their mortal doesn’t suffer complications as a result of feeding while here at the academy. Outside of the academy, who cares as long as they aren’t dead and you don’t mind wasting your time, but here it matters! Feeding improperly can lead to permanent disfigurement, loss of body functions, and death but with a little help from me, we’ll get you on the right track! And yes, there is an test on this so move those wigglers!” He held his fingers up and wiggled them to demonstrate.
“Now when feeding, consider the following. Is it arterial? Is it near the surface? Is it lightly covered? If the answer to any of these is no, do not feed from it. The only exception is the first one but arterial blood is often freshly cleaned, fully oxygenated, and recently left the heart, adding a refreshing quality to the blood that venous blood lacks. Feeding from areas that fail the three question test will hurt your mage immensely before the saliva can reach the bloodstream. An excellent choice if you want your mage to suffer but eventually their brains are conditioned that feeding equals pain and all they do is scream and writhe and make a mess of themselves. Tried that, thought is was neat, but never again. Too much work.” Nasir waved off the memory with a shrug. “So instead I’ll walk you through a few different arteries and where to access them and the pros and cons of each spot.” The screen shifted down to the arm and wrist.
“Lucille, come here.” Clicker in hand, she approached arm extended. He held it by the wrist and tapped a point on the writs. “You can follow on the floaty picture but I like props. This spot here gives direct access to the brachial artery. I recommend feeding here for new mages because it gives them space and control over the feeding. Plus, very little chance of damage if something goes wrong, only blood loss.” He pulled her closer, keeping hold on her wrist and bracing her elbow with his other hand. “The inside of the elbow is another area to access the same artery but runs the risk of hemorrhaging in the event of even the slightest movement. Bracing the arm just above the joint and at the wrist will greatly reduce that issue. Mages are also ticklish here so probably test that first before feeding here. We can’t lick that kind of damage away.” He spun Lucille against him, her back against his chest, his hand pushing her head up to expose her throat, and his other pulling the left shoulder down. The screen drifted up to the throats of the models as Lucille continued to presentation, unfazed by the vampire manhandling her.
“This is often the most popular spot, for both ease of access and the popularization of the mainstream media. Messing up here means nine times out of ten, a funeral to pay for! Do not suggest for shakey drinkers or nervous partners. The carotid artery is one of the best tasting sources, in my humble opinion, but the jugular is just so easy to nick in the passion of feeding. If you draw both of them, mage generally bleeds out before the feeding rush clears and you have a mess. Trust me, cleaning blood out of anything is not worth the time. Just throw it away and replace it. Much easier.” Nasir dipped his head and pressed his fangs lightly to the woman’s throat, just barely drawing blood. “Take a moment to note the angle of the punctures. Approach it from that direction and you’ll never go wrong!” Lucille closed her eyes and her lips moved, her bracelets shimmering lightly as she did so. Nasir’s hands went for her pants button.
“The next choice is the femoral artery but most mages are particularly squeamish abo-Oof!” Lucille faded away, letting Nasir face plant into the floor,and reappeared a foot behind the vampire. “Lucille!”
“We discussed this Nasir.” Lucille responded, stepping away from the vampire to lean against the table with amusement clear on her face. “No disrobing in front of students.”
“Yes, right. We did agree to that.” Nasir shrugged and continued lecturing from the floor. “As I was saying, mages are squeamish because its most easily accessed immediately next to the groin in the femoral fold. I find mages’ distaste for nudity odd. They live for so little time and they care about clothes when they can ignore the rules of most mortal’s reality? Quite queer, quite queer indeed.” Nasir popped up and picked up his pineapple, tossing it up in the air like a ball. “Anyways, its an absolute delight. Just the teeny tiniest of presses and jackpot! Blood for all! And if arousal is a taste you enjoy, its easy to condition a mage to experience it there. Again, a waste of time since they live one day and die the next but its your choice! It can also be accessed at the top of the inner thigh but consider the three questions for feeding. Is it near the surface? No. Is it arterial? Yes! Is it lightly covered? No! Two nos and a yes mean doable but guaranteed to be painful. Excellent choice if you need to punish or your mage is into the whole pain game but otherwise…” He crossed his arms in a big X. “Avooooooid!”
“You can also access it behind the knee and at the ankle but I’ll be honest, same issues and concerns as the elbows and wrists but just oilier. Save yourself the time and just don’t. There are easier spots unless you’ve had to restrain your mage and the ankle or knee are the only accessible areas- that's just bad planning really-and you are desperate.” He bounced on his heels, looking around expectantly.”Questions? Questions?”
OP
𝔏𝔲𝔠𝔞𝔫 𝔅𝔬𝔯𝔡𝔢𝔩𝔢𝔞𝔲𝔵
The Royal Guard returned to the barracks stationed between the Noila Academy and the Noila estate without further incident once the meddling Countesses returned to their dorms. Nix ordered the house physically and magically sealed until the sun rose, when the mages could work on finishing the investigation without noble interference. The investigation ran long, continuing until nearly five in the afternoon, and picked up little of interest except a book stashed away in a secret compartment in the snake's cage. There was a side note in the report Nox received that the snake had been mildly aggressive but otherwise nothing of note. The book however was in Ryner's custody as an artifact of the Children and all historical information fell under her jurisdiction.
With eyes hidden behind reflective sunglasses Lucan stretched his arms out after the raid was fully finished. His team had performed flawlessly, as was expected but he himself had felt that the arrest was almost to easy. He hated that feeling, it made him paranoid. His father would no doubt tell him that his paranoia was a good thing, and Lucan decided to just accept that the Steel Mage was simply caught entirely unawares. They were tricky to combat, metal mages. It required special weaponry, tactics, and protection.
He briefly recalled a run in he had with a Rogue Metal Mage. His rapier had been rendered useless and the Vampire was forced into hand to hand. This wasn’t a problem to be fair, but the familiar feeling of his sword always made him feel naked and without hope. It as a true part of himself. The ride back to the barracks was rather uneventful, Lucan simply advising one or two of the Guard on a tactic they could have employed to get the job done better or easier. He was well liked generally, by most of the Guard and while he was young they followed his orders to the letter. A few still resented his age and position but having such a strong title behind his back, along with the results that spoke clearly of his ability, Lucan’s naysayers were few and far between.
Upon reaching the Barracks, Lucan dressed down out of his tactical gear and back into a black and gold dress uniform. He had, had it pressed and ready to go for the next time it was required. But even he, not even two weeks ago felt he’d need it again this soon. He was unsure of whether he was simply -that- good at finding the Rogue mage or that she had just been very careless with her trail. Minfilia, he mused as he thought of her. She had been someone on Lucan’s radar, but it was more her affinity than anything. He counseled himself with the fact that his presence may have made her anxious and careless himself so he could have some credit.
The debrief took place at 7pm, an hour before sundown. Nox stood in full armor at the circular table holding a variety of photographs and documents detailing the results of mundane and magic inspection of each piece. Her axe leaned against the blank wall behind her and her sword, engraved with the name Greta on it's scabbard, hanging from her hip. She stood arms crossed, looking thoroughly unimpressed at the mage stumbling over a report.
“Dismissed.” Nox snapped after she couldn't handle the trembling man anymore. He took his opportunity and was gone in the blink of an eye. She turned back to the table.
“Useless. Since I was occupied during the arrest, report.” Nix demanded as she picked up a picture of the snake. Lucan and Valerie, captains of the guard, and Derryl and Jacob, her head inspectors, stood at attention on the other side of the table.
After finishing dressing, the Knight of the Evening stepped into the command room where Nox was being given a report. Lucan perfectly his his humor at seeing the trembling Mage and stepped up beside of Valerie, adopting a crisp and perfect attention pose. When he was addressed he gave a salute and snapped a step forward, returning to attention and beginning his report on the situation. “Ma’am, initial approach was picture perfect. Lights only so as to not surprise the individual and risk a bolt. I employed a simple containment perimeter around the home and on your order made rapid and overwhelming entry through the front door.”
He paused for a moment to let his superior catch up with the information and then continued on. It wasn’t a long pause, a professional one even. One that most higher-ups appreciated because the knowledge those with boots on the ground or in this case, in the home was essential. “A single yell announced our presence and whom we were and then myself, Jaxon, and Holmes entered as one. The pathetic excuse for a Mage was easily handled and thrown back out towards the transport. I then ordered the standard overview search of the rooms.” He stepped back, his time with the report finished as he had turned over the scene to the Inspectors while he held security after. He saluted one final time as he entered his original spot beside Valerie and became a gargoyle.
Nox listened to his report, eyes shut, head tilted right, and deathly still. She stayed that way for a few moments after Lucan concluded his report before she opened her eyes and clicked her tongue.
“Moving forward, we will establish a perimeter at least one hundred feet outside of the target location when dealing with nobles. The Marivaldi's interference gives us enough cause to strip the nobility of the privilege to information. If the Red Hand agent hadn't been a novice, she would have been a liability.” Nox added as her own mage, Clara Starag, stood behind her taking notes. “Derryl.” The mage stepped forward and saluted.
“Just after sunrise, my division placed several layers of protective wards within the Marivaldi dormitory's yard and unbarred the front door. We deployed three forensic teams, starting with the study, the formal sitting room, and the kitchen. We found nothing of note in these rooms. As our units continued into the living room and bedrooms and secured them, Jacob and I took the time to listen to the spaces. Nothing of relevance was immediately clear but we transcribed what conversations were clear and forwarded it to headquarters for further evaluation. I labelled it as a priority and to be delivered to you personally.” He picked up the folder with a picture of the Countess’s room.
“We found nothing of relevance in the mage's room either. Nothing suspicious in the walls or floors and the room was used as intended. The Countess's room caught our attention however. As per your orders, our forensics teams added additional warnings and Jacob and I entered first, reading the room immediately. Initially the results we found confused us. Jacob contacted Sargent Raquel, who discovered the readings of the room suggested the presence of the Originals or their Children.” He flipped the folder open and laid it down with an analysis of the room’s aura compared to the aura records for the Originals. “Our records indicated that whatever the source was, it was weaker than these parties so we continued our investigation as per protocol. Nothing of relevance was discovered on site until we took a closer look at the snake. The creature itself was mildly aggressive but irrelevant. Its cage however held a secret compartment with a book written in a language incomprehensible to either Jacob or my magics. Sargent Raquel later confirmed it was the First Tongue and so we sent it to Princess Ryner with a containment team. Between regular consultations with the royal archives and cleansing the Countess’s room, our investigation lasted four hours longer than originally expected. The forensics teams only managed to clear and cleanse the Countess Marivaldi’s belongings; the rogue mage’s belongs are still being catalogued and contained.” The mage saluted once more and stepped back into position. Princess Nox maintained her position for a few quiet moments and nodded.
“Jacob, Derryl. Assist our forensics teams with containment and cleansing and prepare the mage’s belongs for transport. Valerie, take Clara and ready a prisoner shuttle for the mage. We will interrogate her in the Guard's facilities.” Nox remained still as her orders were followed as she expected, silently and immediately. The room cleared, leaving Lucan and Nox alone.
“You will be remaining at the school. This entire situation, a Red Hand agent escaping my sister’s notice and the Sinnenodel upstart providing the identity of the agent just before the Queen’s dinner, is entirely too coincidental. I don’t like it. A power play is brewing between the Houses and Ryner and the Sinnenodel are willing to gamble the Crown’s security on it.” Nox passed another folder over, this one with a picture of a mage and a name and two schedules, one Lucan’s and the other Damien’s. “Ryner has taken the liberty of reassigning your mage since your last one is under investigation, despite my recommendations. She decided the pressure from a constant guard, since it wasn’t required by the Queen, would inhibit his learning and be detrimental to his health. Your new mage fell ill shortly after accepting the invitation and only recently recovered. You will intercept him, travel the rest of the way with him, and give him a tour of the grounds and a copy of his schedule. You will regroup with the rest of the students by lunch and continue with your day as if nothing happened.”
“The events of the morning are confidential. The official story is she attempted scrying magic on behalf of another vampire outside of the school but ultimately failed when campus security discovered the faulty spellcasting. You are staying behind as punishment. During the arrest, you authorized an excessive use of force on the mage and damaged her beyond reasonable containment measures. You will take mandatory weapon handling classes to control your aggressive styles and will engage in non-aggressive, noncompetitive extracurricular activities to learn more respect for mages. This story will start circulating among instructors later this evening and several security campus locations are authorized to sparsely spread the official information among the students.” Nox paused a moment for Lucan to absorb before continuing. “Your mission during this time is to observe and report. Any suspicious activity, whispers of rebel connections or influences, or activity pointing to a possible conflict between the noble houses that revolves around the school should be compiled and sent directly to me. This information is under my direct supervision so only the Queen or myself may hear or read your reports. Ryner, the nobles, or any of your classmates are to be stalled or apprehended as applicable if they attempt to access this information. Understood?”
Lucan listened intently at the Inspectors moved on with the report. Nox’s words had been locked away for future use. He held back any returning excuses, it wouldn’t do to try and he knew that the Princess was correct. Most of the time a perimeter of 100 was established anyway, Noble or peasant but Lucan had lacked two of his men who got held up on the way to the home. As it was, he had ordered for a quick perimeter and rapid entry regardless. He was the commander, it was on him and he readily took in the advice given by Nox.
When the Inspector mentioned the language of the children being uncovered in a tome he definitely felt his interest pique. They were legendary obviously and the vampire would only guess as to why the rebel had it in her possession. He didn’t have a lot of time to consider it however as Nox continued with her orders and soon enough Lucan found himself alone with the princess. His stance relaxed into a more parade rest in the less formal environment, remaining rapt and attentive however as Nox gave him his new orders. So he -would- be going back to the school.
Lucan sat when it was obvious that Nox didn’t expect a strict attention or honor position and studied the picture that was attached to it. He lifted a singular eyebrow as he took in the piercings and tattoos but nodded at the order. He was at the point of responding when his superior moved forward with her briefing. His brow furrowed only slightly as it was no use trying to deceive her with his political mask. Nox was someone who had known Lucan from near birth and had even trained him when he was a child. She knew him extremely well and despite that, was old enough to see through the masks of the court. “My Princess, I do not meant to dispute your plan but Aaron Starag is attending the school as that Sinnenodel upstarts mage. He knows that losing control is not something I would do, and could alert the slime to your plan of my reconnaissance.”
He knew she would understand he wasn’t just saying this to save his own reputation. He didn’t care what others thought of him, and duty always came before any personal gain, this was a legitimate concern and one he wondered if the Princess considered when she came up with the plan. If so, he was more than willing to go along with it. There was a brief flash of concern that he -had- actually done something wrong however, but the vampire had thrown it into the back of his brain while he talked the plan over.
“Steps have been taken.” Nox responded as she picked up another image of the mage's room. She read for a few moments and slapped it down on the table. “Get ready to return. Whatever belongs you left have remained untouched but take anything from the barracks you think may assist you. You have half an hour before you will leave to intercept your mage's vehicle.”
“Yes Princess.” He salutes and fully trusts his superior. If she says that she has it taken care of then he would do his job. The punishment, even if it was for an undercover thing stung greatly. He wondered if he had actually messed up being so rough with Minfilia. He shook his head, he knew his team appreciated it. Metal Mages were nothing to be trifled with, trained or not and eliminating the threat was the highest priority. Had he wanted to kill her, the throw could have been much stronger. He just sighed and shrugged his shoulders after exiting the room and securing the door.
He wandered into the main barracks room where his team was finishing up their own debriefing and nodded to them all. Every Vampire stood and saluted the Bordeleaux and Lucan felt pride for them fill his form. “You did well, it was a flawless snatch and grab. I made a mistake however, be sure that we secure a one hundred foot perimeter when dealing with Nobles around and try and get to the location without being stopped. Nothing is more important than the destination, not even if you get sidetracked by a Count or Countess. Understood?” Everyone answered in the affirmative and Lucan continued. “Good, now I’m being assigned to the school once more. This means that, like last time Tristan will be in full command of the squad. Follow his orders as you would mine.” Luc nodded to another younger vampire that had grown up with Lucan as a family in the Bordeleux’s lands. “You’re all dismissed, I’ll see you when I see you.” He gave a salute to his men and woman and then turned towards the armory. He would be going back ready for anything this time.
He cracked his neck as he entered the armory and approached the desk where the logistics officer stood going over some sheets. “Qincy, I’ll be taking some hardware with me on my next assignment. I’ll collect the tags and bring them to you.” Quincy gave a nod and salute to the Officer and then went back to his work. Lucan went first to the ranged weaponry and secured two mini-crossbows, along with a pouch of ammunition. A heavy crossbow was slung across his back, picking up both regular bolts and specialized for the killing machine. Next was the heavy two-handed shock weapons which the vampire ignored, instead heading straight for the daggers. He secured 5 regular daggers of various heights and widths, 10 throwing knives, and another gauche knife which went to secure itself on his belt, behind him. He next went to the specialized weapons and procured a heavy plastic baton should he run into any other metal mages. Once he was sure he was good to go he pulled a suit of heavy ballistic tactical gear and strapped it to his form, along with sun reflective skin protection. With everything collected he let the many tags fall onto Quincy’s desk and just smirked as the logistics officer just sighed and started writing down what was taken.
Now fully armed and ready to go, Lucan strode towards the vehicle that would intercept his new mage and as he climbed into the backseat the mage that would drive him gave him a polite greeting. Lucan responded in kind and leaned back, covering his eyes with his reflective glasses and catching some needed rest.
On the other side of the Academy, a car drove silently through the forest surrounding the institution. The sun disappeared beneath the horizon an hour ago and only the headlights of the car illuminated the world around it. The driver, a mage in the services of the Academy, drove quietly with the music turned low to whatever was playing on the radio. Every now and then his eyes flickered to the rearview mirror, a little exasperated as the fledgling mage in the back jostled his seat unintentionally as he bounced to whatever was playing in his big over the ear headphones.
Damien on the other hand didn’t notice his foot lightly tapping against the driver’s seat, too engrossed in the music blaring out of his headphones. The restlessness kicked in just before sundown and Damien decided having an impromptu dance performance was the perfect distraction for a long car ride. And if it helped distract him from the growing separation anxiety creeping up on him as he counted the miles, well, who was around to judge him. Except for the statue in the front seat but who cares about a guy who just rolled up the soundproof divider at hello.
Hiding in my headphones
Gonna turn them up so loud
Gonna drown this whole world out
Gonna turn them up so loud
Gonna drown this whole world out
He’d discarded the pink, purple, and blue hoodie on the other seat long ago, leaving himself free to wiggle around in the confines of the back seat, much easier to move in just shorts and a tank top. He pulled out a few pencils and tapped in time with the drums, making sure to tap on the divider just because he could. It reminded him of having to wake up his older brother for a job interview, looping his younger sister into blasting music from both their phones and he air guitared across Mark’s bed and flopping down over the guy. He laughed at the memory, the tightness that had been building in his chest dissipating. He still had his memories and he could always call them when he wanted to see them. It still sucked he was bedridden for his last month with them but at least he got a few extra days. Nights. That was going to be rough to adjust to.
His music suddenly shut off as his phone buzzed away. He fished it out from his pocket and a grin broke out as a younger version of himself stared back, face contorted in an ugly face that damien saved as the boy’s contact photo. Double checking the time, he was a little worried since it was past the eleven year old’s bedtime but then he remembered he wasn’t his parents and didn’t care. He bunched up the hoodie and propped the phone up so his entire torso could be seen in the picture.
Charlie! He signed excitedly as it connected, the name a combination of a C and the sign for silly. What’s good, little man? Charlie grinned at Damien and suddenly their sister popped into the picture behind the boy as well, saying a quick hi and bye, and then disappeared off camera.The boys shrugged at each other.
Girls. Charlie signed, exasperation clear in his face. Just giving you a heads up, Dad’s on a mini ramage. Apparently, someone nicked his popcorn stash. And when we mean someone we mean… the following flurry of signs made Damien howl with laughter. Normally pretty chill, their Dad turned sailor level pretty quick over few things. The coveted popcorn stash was one of them and he couldn’t help but think of the box safely stored away in his suitcase. There was no way he was leaving home for the first time without his favorite comfort food. He’s going to have a very long message left for you tomorrow. Charlie’s fingers shook with amusement and Damien sent him a grin.
Thanks for the heads up, little man. Now go to bed before Mom or Papa catch you. Charlie just rolled his eyes but agreed. Damien sent a quick love you and the call ended. He flicked back to his music and sat back, feeling more relaxed after seeing his little sibling’s face. But just for good measure… He started dancing again, definitely not purposely tapping against the back of the seat.
“Sir, we’ve almost intercepted the other vehicle. Perhaps ten minutes out.” Lucan stirred as the voice of his driver invaded his sleeping brain. With a nod the vampire sat up, checking his phone and noticing he had an e-mail version of his briefing. He deleted the message and sighed, sometimes hating how easily he could just be ‘awake’. With a small sigh Lucan tapped a few buttons and brought up the number to his brother Jonah, knowing his father was away from the castle he clicked it and after four quick rings his brothers voice could be heard on the other end, sounding groggy. “Lucan? Why are you calling so early, I haven’t even brushed my fangs yet?” Lucan gave a roll of his eyes after removing his sunglasses. ”Where are the other little bats? Still sleeping?” Jonah nodded and stood from his bed. “Where are you? Are you coming back home?” Lucan gave a shake of his head and frowned slightly. ”No, I still have a mission to complete. I just wanted to say hello since I may be out of contact for a bit. Let the others know I called?” Jonah nodded and stretched before saying his goodbyes. Luc turned off his phone and sighed heavily, rubbing the back of his head and getting his hair back into a semblance of professionalism.
Not even five minutes later the fast moving jet black car speeds around a corner and puts on flashing blue lights to signal for the oncoming Noila Academy vehicle to pull over. Lucan remained in the back seat, ensuring all of his new weapons were concealed and comfortable. He then brushed off his trench coat before standing and exiting the car, standing patiently beside of the door until the Academy car pulled over.
Damien dropped his air guitar as the blue lights caught his attention outside. His hands flew to his pockets, instinctively checking for anything...questionable. Not that he would but he’d done a bit more than dabble during the Revel andbutthis last one hadn’t ended well for him. That was neither here nor now and he pressed his face against the window as he tried to catch a glimpse of what was going on. The bright lights contrasted harshly with the dark around him, leaving Damien squinting fruitlessly into the dark. He could make out maybe a person?
“Hey dude, what’s goin’ on?” Damien tapped on the partition. And again. And again. Completely ignored. Great. Damien sat back, crossing his arms as he waited to find out exactly what the problem was.
The intercepted vehicle pulled over off the road and took up a position with the back-door stopping right beside of Lucan. The vampire gave a nod of appreciation to the drive and then took an unnecessary breath inwards. Luc gave a thankful wave to his own driver, before stepping closer to the door. ”Safe trip back to the barracks.” With that he opened the back seat door and smoothed down his trench coat, then sliding into the back seat beside of Damien with one smooth crisp motion.
Lucan stared at the Mage for a few long moments. His eyes didn’t seem to move but Damien would not doubt feel fully and completely scanned. Finally, after some five minutes the car began moving once again and Lucan spoke. His voice was a soft, whispery tenor that while soft contained more authority than the poor human was probably ever used to hearing. ”Remove the nose ring and gauges first before we speak. I will not tell you how to dress on your own time but while you’re with me or speaking to me you will appear as professional as you can. My name is Lucan, and you just happen to be the Mage assigned to me for the Academy.”
He stopped for a moment, removing a handkerchief and wiping off some invisible dust from his sunglasses which were for all intents and purposes, useless. ”From my understanding, this will be your first time experiencing vampiric customs, though your Aunt is actually an instructor at the Academy. Am I correct in this statement?” He didn’t wait for an answer, continuing on to his next point. ”As I said, your time is your time. I ask that you don’t make a fool out of yourself but other than that you’re free to fail or succeed as you see fit. I will not baby you, but I will respect your opinions. However, this doesn’t mean that I will agree with them and my word is final, there is no other option. I handle feeding two different ways, either from the neck or drawn by needles either by yourself or myself. You may now speak and ask questions if you have any. His voice ended the same way it began. In fact, it didn’t really move in timbre or pitch the entire time he spoke. After he finished, he tilted his head to the right as if questioning the young man.
Damien thought he knew fear. He thought he'd felt it when he was six and his accidently dropped a whole cup of water on his brother. He thought he'd known fear when his sister broke her leg and he thought she was dying when he found her. He thought he'd known fear when he came back from his first Revel, sneaking back in at three am and absolutely trashed, only to jump out of his skin when all three of his parents flicked on the lights in the living room and stared him down. In his condition, Damien honestly thought they were creepy murderers but that was just the paranoia speaking apparently.
But nothing beats the absolute terror of a vampire sliding into your car and just starting. Like, what is this dude-thats an appropriate title for someone that's going to open your veins on a consistent basis right? Yeah totally!-doing? Is he already considering the best way to open him up? Damien normally wouldn't turn down someone paying him some attention, especially a good looking guy like this, but the whole silent stalker crap was ruining that real quick.
And then the vampy opened his mouth and he went from scared to pissed in about .5 seconds. Take out his piercing before speaking? Did this vampire even know him? Firstly, Damien had a talent for making things vanish. Keys? Yeeted. Phone? Into the Void. Sense of self worth? He didn’t know her. These things came out now, he may as well just 'em goodbye. Secondly, apparently Damien missed the memo that holes could fit like two pencils in each ear are more professional that plugs.
“Well Mr. On His Fucking High Horse, I'd say it's nice to meet ya but it's not. So, I'm just gonna unpack this in your order and all that jazz. Number one, are you a dick normally or is this a special occasion? Number two, news flash: gaping holes in the flesh bag, not professional. I have clear gauges for that cause it freaks everyone else out less. Number three, you really should get to know me a bit before all these proclamations, your Majesty. I specialize specifically in fucking up. I'm practically a full time court jester here.” As Damien spoke, he counted each point before dropping his index and ring finger to flip Lucan the bird. “And you can respect this opinion cause that's all I got for you. Here I was hoping we could get along but you slide right in like some drunk creep and ruin my hopes and dreams. Livin’ up to the stereotype, nice.”
One minute, two minutes, three minutes and the only thing that happened was silence. Lucan didn’t blink once as he stared at the human. Then he spoke, his voice was similar but a bit lower and quite sinister, though still at that low tenor register. “My name is Lucan Bordeleaux, Captain of the Noila Royal Guard, Heir to the Duke of Anjou, Knight of the Evening. First, if you ever raise that finger to me again I will snap it off and force feed it to you while licking up the blood trail. Second, you make a good point on the gaping holes, so you will remove the gauges and let the skin heal back. Third, these are my orders until I -do- get to know you. Finally, we have two ways of going about this partnership. We can chafe and scrape against each other or there can be mutual respect, and if you have a problem with any of my ‘declarations’ you may always offer a counter argument. A well thought out counter argument at that. But you will never disrespect me with that tone of voice again.” He got closer, staring -straight- into Damiens eyes. His Trench Coat opens slightly so Damien can see all of the hidden knives and hand crossbow. “Is that perfectly understood?”
Damien flinched at the tone, his hands diving underneath his arms and the barrage of threats forced him flush against the car door. His fingers brushed against the door handle and stilled. Probably locked but better to have an escape plan, even if it probably results in horrifying injuries and possibly death. But how petty would it be to let everyone know that this guy with a half a mile long title met a mage that would rather fling himself out of a running around than be anywhere near him.
The thought did calm him but only barely. He could feel himself trembling, the whole silent staring act unnerving him more than he would like to admit. Who just stares at someone? Is that something he got off to? Did he just stand around, staring at people silently? Did he look over their beds in the middle of the night until they woke and feed them their fingers when they screamed? His imagination ran with the idea and the concept of sleeping anywhere near this guy made him incredibly uncomfortable. Torture, creepy staring… next the monster would threaten to string him up by his damn toes or something! Like he was going to take this lying down. Probably going to end up dead but he'd go to his damn end screaming and kicking.
“Mutual respect? Counter arguments?” Damien scoffed, his voice trembling still. He forced himself to return the vampire's intense stare even though he was absolutely terrified. He did not think those threats were bluffs. “Listen here vampy, I don't know how this crap rolls in your world but you literally set up for “chafing and scraping”. You slid into my car-a complete rando off the road like some fucking axe murderer or kidnapper or rapist-and stared at me for the next damn eternity, open those piss poor fangs, and judge the shit out of me! Then, you get pissy when I get angry? What is wrong with you? You’re screwing me every way but physically, for now, and you have the gall to say I'm the problem?! What kind of backwards bull crap is that?” Damien laughed bitterly at Lucan, tightening his grip on the door handle.
“You want respect, Mr. Seven Mile title? How about you try leading by example first and then I'll talk.” Damien snapped. “I came into this shitty situation hoping to make friends with the blood sucker determined to bleed me dry but I can be your worst damn nightmare if I have to.”
Lucan leaned back and nodded once. When he speaks again his voice is back to a normal level tone, the fast swapping seemingly random. “Well, that’s at least one thing I don’t have to worry about. You have a backbone, and you’re not afraid to give your opinions. This is a good trait to have Damien, in the right scenarios. As my Mage you will be privy to my trust, and as such information not even vampires are allowed to know. I had to make sure you could be trusted to stand up for yourself. I can help you learn the opposite as well, how to appear humble and feeble. My apologies for the intimidation, even if it doesn’t seem to have affected you all to much. Now, as you said it wasn’t very mutual of me to make demands but I was serious in that any of my requests may be debated upon by yourself. Despite my initial impression I will not force anything. You’re new to this and I don’t expect perfection, I simply expect your utmost dedication to trying.”
He let his sentence end and relaxes into the chair, pressing a button on hi watch. “You may enter the Academy ground proper when ready. I have finished my initial evaluation.” The car takes a quick right turn and Lucan sighs a bit. “Now, I do hope you can accept my apology for my earlier actions as you seem to be a good choice as my Mage, and I’d hate to have to find another.” His actions seemed genuine as well, his entire posture changed from intimidating pure blooded vampire to a nonchalant and relaxed one.
“Now, don’t get me wrong. I do tend to better when you discuss your complaints as well, and I will promise not to get annoyed, it doesn’t happen very often so this promise I’m sure I can keep. If I do something or order something that annoys you let me know as I’m also new at having a Mage not used to the strict life of the military.”
Damien gaped at the vampire as he spoke, no longer the Incarnation of Terror but speaking like a reasonable person and offering an apology. His first reaction: Tell the damn monster where he could shove his apology after all that. Licking the blood trail while forcing feeding fingers level of threats needed way more than just a plain jane apology. A rare moment of introspection however brought him to the conclusion his standard “Foot in Mouth” method would likely only make things worse. Damien took a deep breath and relaxed a little, still keeping his hands tucked away. Vampires were terrifying beings and after some whiplash, Damien wasn’t risking his middle fingers. Still probably going to flick him off. Definitely going to. Behind his back though.
“Yeah, okay. I guess we’ll be cool and everything. Say it was some friendly banter or something else less nightmary. Cool, cool, cool.” Damien spoke hesitantly, recovering from the whiplash of this conversation. He didn’t really appreciate his chain being yanked like this but he also just wanted that not to happen again. First real meeting with a vampire: Not Awesome.
“So, uh, real talk then. If that was all just... whatever you call it, what exactly is the plan and all that jazz? Everyone’s heard about the grovelling and boot licking and the “Yes sir, right away sir” but uh, gotta say I’m…” He untucked his hands to gesture at all of himself. “I think we both know I can’t do that but that really long list of names tacked on after yours sounds like crap news for me.”
Lucan peers over at him as the Mage speaks, looking even slightly amused? No, it was gone in a flash. He lets the boy finish and then gives a shrug. “As I said your mistakes will be your own however in special situations. Such as meetings with my superiors, nobles, and the the like I would suggest complete obedience. As if you disrespect them, not even my name will save you from death. That’s how highly they take respect, and that’s the world you’ve been thrown into. I will train you, you won’t like it, and you will no doubt want to kill me when it’s done. But, I’ll at least turn you into something worthwhile in the political scene.”
He stops and listens, having heard the car engine getting softer. “Hold that thought. We’ve arrived.” The car stops then and Lucan waits for his door to open by the driver, stepping out into the night. His sunglasses tuck into his front pocket and he nods to the guards stationed at the gate. He doesn’t approach however, moving to stand next to Damien’s door to wait. An Academy steward comes out of the gates pushing a small trolley, no doubt to help carry the luggage.
Worthwhile? Training? Damien did not like the sound of that. Why couldn't they do the whole “leave the sulky child at home” thing? Then he wouldn't need training, wouldn't have the chance to mess up, and wouldn't be incredibly terrified in front of other vampires. Really, it seemed like the easiest route but the terror turned gentleman outside probably wouldn't take to it but he had to try. Anything if it would get him out of dealing with more of this. He grabbed his hoodie before he forgot it.
“We could always just not involve m-” Damien cut himself off as he stepped out of the car and looked around, almost immediately latching onto Lucan. The entrance to this place looked like it cost more than the net worth of his family and Damien felt immediately out of place. Damien dropped his voice to a whisper “You sure this is the place? I feel like if I even breathe, someone is going to arrest me. Just for being too poor for this shit. There's gotta be a big Do Not Trespass sign here somewhere. I thought you just said you didn't want to lose me.”
The attendant took the trolley to the back of the car and opened the trunk. He began placing the various luggage that Damien brought with him while Lucan just peered at the Mage. “This is in fact the place. No one will touch you so long as I’m around, but you will need to stay close. Do not make eye contact with anyone without them speaking to you first, do not try and make jokes, act funny, or act like your true self until we’re safely in the dorm. I will escort you around campus and show you where everything is. Also, I’m not saying all of this to be a jackass. Believe it or not, I think you have promise. And I wasn’t lying, I don’t want to lose you. Not after I went through all of that time and energy to make sure you were worthy.” He inclines his head after and then turns towards the gates where the guards stood.
“Procure a cart for myself and my Mage.” The guards nodded and instantly activated their radio. The attendant pushed the trolley up beside Damien and when the Mage looks, he would find all of his belongings neatly stacked and ready to go.
Okay, Damien had been partially joking but Lucan did little to reassure him. Don't make eye contact? Don't joke? Don't be himself? Did even the mages here threaten to ripped fingers off when you stood up for yourself? Damien was going to start losing fingers real fast if that was the case. Damien looked up at the slightly taller vampire skeptically.
“Bro, in the…” Damien checked his phantom watch, “however long it’s been since you nearly made me jump out of a moving car, what in the Queen’s name makes you think I am capable of anything you asked right now? Cut me some slack here dude. Jokes, I’ll dial it down. Acting out, eh I'll try. But eye contact? Now there’s a damn joke. I’m lookin’ around, people or not.”
He pulled out his phone and started snapping pictures of the grounds, adding them to a family share file on his phone. He wanted everyone to see this back home but he was very careful not to catch the guards in the photos. Authority figures were always iffy about unapproved photos. He hummed happily as the cart was pulled around and he hopped onto the cart quickly, grinning at Lucan.
“And anyways, the kick ass Knight of the Evening is behind me with the terror eyes and finger ripping.” His face screwed up briefly in confusion but brightened again quickly. “Not sure what that evening thing means but sure sounds awesome!”
“I don’t think you’re capable of it either at the moment, which is why I’m keeping you close for the time being. I’m not going to just throw you out into the world.” He began to point out the various buildings and sights, speeding just a bit as he was quite tired from the night’s activities. He was doing a stand up job of hiding it, but it was going on 48 hours of no rest and his reserves were rapidly depleting.
“The title is one of ceremony, generally only known in the more political circles. It means that I’m meant to become the next Sword of the Night, one of the best duelists in the world and the best swordsman of House Bordeleaux. Complete with its own specially crafted Rapier from a meteorite. The current Sword of the Night is my father, the Duke of Anjou and head of House Bordeleaux.”
He stops his tour at their dorm, having gotten the new number from the front office on the phone earlier. “This is our dorm, take your time to unpack and unload. I will leave my phone number on the table and ensure all of my own belongings have arrived.”
The Academy blew Damien’s mind. Is this what being loaded meant because Damien could totally get used to this. He’d just have to trade it for opening up his veins and giving out some blood sometimes… maybe. He wasn’t really sure how this whole feeding thing worked. Was it every day? Once a week? That was another thing he’d have to forget to ask about. Especially since it seemed a pretty important part of his daily life. They’d get there, they’d get there.
“Ten four!” Damien saluted sloppily with a grin. “That’s what people say right? I don’t know, I tried. I get points for that right? I totally get points for that.” He muttered to himself as he walked up to the dorm and then started recording. Gotta show the fam after all!
OP
GM Update:
“Unfortunately that's my job here. Can't help you unless I know you.” Joey chuckled, taking Max's attitude in stride. It was common for people to be frustrated over their affinity or lack thereof. “I couldn't really tell you without more time spent interacting with your magic and even then I'm a little hesitant. If you get the wrong idea in your head, it could set you back months. What we can do is in class we can spend some time interacting and I can pass on what I get. Then, take that to your spell theory professor and maybe they can guide you on the right path. Categorizing magic isn't an exact science but they'd know it better than me. Does that work better for you?”
Kanalie came back with Aine shortly, the shyer girl sending a quick pulse of green from her fingertips skittering over the little black mark. It felt cooling as it tapped across Cassandra's skin and her eyebrows shot up with a smile.
“Oh, it's just a mark! It didn't hurt you a bit.” Aine exclaimed quietly. “Lucky you, that's a rare natural trait.” A bright flash caught her attention from across the room and she hurried towards it with a muttered “Honestly.” Kanalie giggled at the girl's exasperation before returning her attention to the table, addressing Cassandra.
“A fireproof fire mage, nice! Most of 'em really gotta work to get that skill down but looks like you're a natural, lucky lucky! Come teach my best friend, save me some time when our boyfriend forgets his turn on date night.” Kanalie rolled her eyes at a memory. “Says he doesn't care about it and then sets the dorm on fire when our vampire takes him at his word. Boys. Such drama queens.” She sighed, shaking her head. “Anyways, I'll get out of your hair for now unless there are anymore questions. And since I've decided you two are awesome…” She quickly scribbled her number on a piece of paper. “Here is my number. Don't hesitate to text if you have questions or just want to hang out with someone.”
Aaron and Salem suffered no more interruptions, the erratic professor seemingly satisfied at the pair's note passing. He did flash them a thumbs up every once in a while however and then immediately turned back to whoever he was pestering next. The pair however could easily feel the eyes of vampires on them and, if they looked, they'd see Varis and a scarred, tall vampire talking as they watched the pair. The two vanished a few minutes before the bell rang however.
The bell rung repeatedly, signaling the end of the freshman affinity class and human biology. Students quickly made their way out, most feeling first day nerves about making their next class and beelined for their next lecture. As it turns out, almost all of them headed in the same direction. They deviated at the same place, some turning into Vilbrek Hall and others into the opposite hall. The doors opened at the top of the room, leading down a central flight of stairs with desk on either side and ended in a large speaking platform and a series of there screens. A desk with a computer sat on the right side. Like every other classroom, the nobles had reserve seating just at the front of the platform.
In Vilbrek Hall, a coat hung over the back of the chair and a brief case lay open on the desk. Varis Sinnenodel stood on the platform, an unimpressed look on his face as he watched various students filtered in. Behind him, only the center screen displayed a title slide. Like
Each desk had a syllabus on it, printed with the usual due dates and class requirements. Those glancing through it would notice study sessions and oral arguments listed once each month with the name of a noble house after it. This house was also printed in the top left corner. Three seats sat empty in the front of the room. Varis started speaking as soon as 11:15 pm passed
“Welcome to Treaty Law, the first in a long and highly recommended academic line if for no other reason than it governs every aspect of your life now. For mages and those…” Varis paused, disapproving gaze lingering on the three turned students in the hall, “recently joining our distinguished ranks, this class will be both enlightening and disheartening. The treaty is, like it's creators, strict and unforgiving despite recent attempts at softening it's punishment, restrictions, and even it's wording. It is a testament to the bond between mage and vampire and the degree of protection each needs from the other. That being said, the Treaty is at its core merely a contract. One with wide authority and brutal consequences but a contract nonetheless. The goal of this class will to teach you it's history and provide you with the tools to read, comprehend, and interpret the Treaty's maze of jargon.” Varis paced as he spoke, pulling out a clicker and the other two screens popped to life.
“Look down at your syllabus. You'll notice a noble family's name printed on it. Each House represents a study group and each of you have been assigned to one. Others with the same name are your study partners for the rest of the semester. If you flip to the next page with your assignment dates, you will notice study sessions and oral arguments. Each study group is required to attend to one study session with me a month. Failing to attend even one of these will drop your grade by 10%. If your group cannot make the date listed for your family, contact me with at least two weeks notice or I will not reschedule it.”
“Now, oral arguments are done in class. Each month, we will discuss a major portion of the treaty and it's relevant amendments in addition to its general timeline. Each study group will have to come up with an amendment to the current law we are discussing and present it in class and open themselves to counter arguments from other groups.” Varis stopped in the middle of the stage and looked around. “While you do not need to format your ideas in the manner of your assigned House, it will earn you extra credit for the assignment. At the end of the semester, the house with the highest oral argument grade will have the option to take that grade as their final exam grade rather than take the three hour long test I have written. You will also notice that every two weeks, you'll have a three page paper to submit. Each paper's topic will be available exactly fifteen nights prior to the due date and cannot be submitted early. All assignment submission or presentation requirements can be found on the last two pages of your syllabus. And for your first paper…” he pointed the clicker at the computer and the center screen changed. “The topic for your first paper is your current knowledge of the treaty. Anything and everything, or a summary in the case of the purebloods, you currently know or have a vague notion about. Questions so far?”
Interacting with: @Scribe of Thoth@WeepingLiberty
“Unfortunately that's my job here. Can't help you unless I know you.” Joey chuckled, taking Max's attitude in stride. It was common for people to be frustrated over their affinity or lack thereof. “I couldn't really tell you without more time spent interacting with your magic and even then I'm a little hesitant. If you get the wrong idea in your head, it could set you back months. What we can do is in class we can spend some time interacting and I can pass on what I get. Then, take that to your spell theory professor and maybe they can guide you on the right path. Categorizing magic isn't an exact science but they'd know it better than me. Does that work better for you?”
Kanalie came back with Aine shortly, the shyer girl sending a quick pulse of green from her fingertips skittering over the little black mark. It felt cooling as it tapped across Cassandra's skin and her eyebrows shot up with a smile.
“Oh, it's just a mark! It didn't hurt you a bit.” Aine exclaimed quietly. “Lucky you, that's a rare natural trait.” A bright flash caught her attention from across the room and she hurried towards it with a muttered “Honestly.” Kanalie giggled at the girl's exasperation before returning her attention to the table, addressing Cassandra.
“A fireproof fire mage, nice! Most of 'em really gotta work to get that skill down but looks like you're a natural, lucky lucky! Come teach my best friend, save me some time when our boyfriend forgets his turn on date night.” Kanalie rolled her eyes at a memory. “Says he doesn't care about it and then sets the dorm on fire when our vampire takes him at his word. Boys. Such drama queens.” She sighed, shaking her head. “Anyways, I'll get out of your hair for now unless there are anymore questions. And since I've decided you two are awesome…” She quickly scribbled her number on a piece of paper. “Here is my number. Don't hesitate to text if you have questions or just want to hang out with someone.”
Interacting with: @Obscene Symphony@Trainerblue192
Aaron and Salem suffered no more interruptions, the erratic professor seemingly satisfied at the pair's note passing. He did flash them a thumbs up every once in a while however and then immediately turned back to whoever he was pestering next. The pair however could easily feel the eyes of vampires on them and, if they looked, they'd see Varis and a scarred, tall vampire talking as they watched the pair. The two vanished a few minutes before the bell rang however.
The bell rung repeatedly, signaling the end of the freshman affinity class and human biology. Students quickly made their way out, most feeling first day nerves about making their next class and beelined for their next lecture. As it turns out, almost all of them headed in the same direction. They deviated at the same place, some turning into Vilbrek Hall and others into the opposite hall. The doors opened at the top of the room, leading down a central flight of stairs with desk on either side and ended in a large speaking platform and a series of there screens. A desk with a computer sat on the right side. Like every other classroom, the nobles had reserve seating just at the front of the platform.
In Vilbrek Hall, a coat hung over the back of the chair and a brief case lay open on the desk. Varis Sinnenodel stood on the platform, an unimpressed look on his face as he watched various students filtered in. Behind him, only the center screen displayed a title slide. Like
Treaty Law
Professor: Count Alder Noila
TA: Count Varis Sinnenodel
Professor: Count Alder Noila
TA: Count Varis Sinnenodel
Each desk had a syllabus on it, printed with the usual due dates and class requirements. Those glancing through it would notice study sessions and oral arguments listed once each month with the name of a noble house after it. This house was also printed in the top left corner. Three seats sat empty in the front of the room. Varis started speaking as soon as 11:15 pm passed
- Cassandra: Astorio
- Aaron: Marivaldi
- Lilie: Sinnenodel
- Dakota: Astorio
- Maxwell: Sinnenodel
- Damien: Eve
- Jade: Marivaldi
- Amaris: Eve
- Victor: Eve
- Mariette: Astorio
- ???: Marivaldi
“Welcome to Treaty Law, the first in a long and highly recommended academic line if for no other reason than it governs every aspect of your life now. For mages and those…” Varis paused, disapproving gaze lingering on the three turned students in the hall, “recently joining our distinguished ranks, this class will be both enlightening and disheartening. The treaty is, like it's creators, strict and unforgiving despite recent attempts at softening it's punishment, restrictions, and even it's wording. It is a testament to the bond between mage and vampire and the degree of protection each needs from the other. That being said, the Treaty is at its core merely a contract. One with wide authority and brutal consequences but a contract nonetheless. The goal of this class will to teach you it's history and provide you with the tools to read, comprehend, and interpret the Treaty's maze of jargon.” Varis paced as he spoke, pulling out a clicker and the other two screens popped to life.
“Look down at your syllabus. You'll notice a noble family's name printed on it. Each House represents a study group and each of you have been assigned to one. Others with the same name are your study partners for the rest of the semester. If you flip to the next page with your assignment dates, you will notice study sessions and oral arguments. Each study group is required to attend to one study session with me a month. Failing to attend even one of these will drop your grade by 10%. If your group cannot make the date listed for your family, contact me with at least two weeks notice or I will not reschedule it.”
“Now, oral arguments are done in class. Each month, we will discuss a major portion of the treaty and it's relevant amendments in addition to its general timeline. Each study group will have to come up with an amendment to the current law we are discussing and present it in class and open themselves to counter arguments from other groups.” Varis stopped in the middle of the stage and looked around. “While you do not need to format your ideas in the manner of your assigned House, it will earn you extra credit for the assignment. At the end of the semester, the house with the highest oral argument grade will have the option to take that grade as their final exam grade rather than take the three hour long test I have written. You will also notice that every two weeks, you'll have a three page paper to submit. Each paper's topic will be available exactly fifteen nights prior to the due date and cannot be submitted early. All assignment submission or presentation requirements can be found on the last two pages of your syllabus. And for your first paper…” he pointed the clicker at the computer and the center screen changed. “The topic for your first paper is your current knowledge of the treaty. Anything and everything, or a summary in the case of the purebloods, you currently know or have a vague notion about. Questions so far?”
OP
Varis stared up at the vampire speaking, keeping his face arraigned in polite interest as he spoke. The boy must be joking. Seven article clusters to cover in a short five month period and the boy expected guidance on the political platforms of the Houses. Varis raised an eyebrow instead of scoffing like he wanted. And how does he not have a basic understanding of them? Apparently the thing was raised under a rock. A few choice words weighed heavily on his tongue but he brushed them aside.
“No, we will not.” Varis turned his attention to a familiar voice, the Spellman child. Of course, what better way to interrupt his plans that have the Spellman slow him down. “You may, Mr. Spellman. If those are all the questions, we’ll continue into our first topic of the year: The Fundamental Articles. The Treaty is comprised of twenty one articles clustered into blocks based on a variety of criteria. Articles one through three are in the Fundamental block because they were the original articles the human delegates demanded complete first and establish the social structures we experience today. A change to any part of these Articles, even just the wording, would cause massive alterations in the day to day operation of our society. Both King Geoffery and Landar Starag, the heads of the Vampiric and Mortal delegations respectively, included a clause in each of these Articles that requires unanimous agreement from the Council for an amendment to any of these articles to pass into law. To date, this feat has only been accomplished twice.” As Varis spoke, he made his way over to his briefcase and shuffled inside in shortly. He stepped away from it again and gently tossed an egg up and down.
“Article one is known as the Declaration of Authority. This article does exactly what it suggests, establishes vampires as the superior race and delegates mages and humans as subservient to them. It continues on to declare the Noila family as the permanent head of state and details the process in the event of the Noila line disappearing. Interestingly enough, the human delegation demanded that none of the other Noble Houses assume the throne if tragic circumstances eradicated the Noila line. Rather, the Four noble houses would have to establish an entirely new Royal line that all four agreed would sit on the throne. The Noble houses nearly withdrew their support over the idea but lucky for everyone, a well timed werewolf attack on vampiric territory spurned them to overlook it. Almost one hundred amendments have been put forth to change the clause but neither King Geoffery or Queen Anastasia are willing to support the measures.” Varis clicked his little clicker and the screens behind him showed seven massive books sitting side by side, the first four in glass cases. “These are every single original failed amendment organized by date. Almost five thousand pages of writing with the sole purpose of influencing the Noilas into changing the amendment. Almost every single one drafted by a member of every house, ensuring they each gave up things of equal value. And yet, the Noilas refuse to budge even to this day. I’m sure I don’t need to explain why.” He gave people a moment to consider before continuing onwards. “Furthermore, this amendment establishes the Sinnenodels, the Eves, the Astorios, and the Marivaldis as the only Noble Houses and cements their position on the Moonlight Council. It continues and establishes the Moonlight Council as the highest authority in the land and that its decisions are Law.”
“Where Article One legitimizes the ruling bodies of our society, Article Two distances humanity from Vampires. The Declaration of Immunity divides the mortal race into two different groups, Mage and Human. A Mage is anyone defined as having awoken, through either natural awakening or the Awakening ritual, to their magic potential where a human is someone who has no awoken their magical potential. This was not always the case however. Originally, Mages were considered anyone who showed magical aptitude. With little to gauge the term “Aptitude”, often times mages and humans were mistaken for one another in early years.It wasn’t until 1645 that the Awakening ritual was developed and the Council altered the wording in a unanimous decision to better clarify the difference and reduce accidental violations.” Varis paused again, letting anyone taking notes a moment to catch up before continuing again. “It also established feeding requirements, shifting the burden fully onto mages. This article took nearly two years of deliberation between the mortal and vampiric races, the longest of all the articles, specifically because of this issue. Landar Starag and Morgan le Fey, a powerful mage known as the mother of modern conjuration, demanded hunting of the human race cease immediately. It was an impossible task. With the vampiric forces stretched as they were, King Geoffeory and the Astorios who ran the military at the time would have been hard pressed to enforce such a policy. Their counter offer was a transitional period in which the hunting of humans would be restricted further and further every year until a complete ban after the war ended plus a year or ten years, whichever came first. Eventually, article two included a transitional period of five years or a year after the Lycan threat was deemed eliminated. The Lycan threat was eliminated two years later and a year after that, feeding on humans was banned.” Varis paused again, tossing the egg between his hands and watching people write. Once enough pens stilled, he continued pacing.
“However, Morgan le Fey felt another issue needed attention. Vampires were used to a massive herd size, used to indulging in their desires whenever they wished as long as they could catch their prey. Limiting their herd so quickly would, in Ms. Fey’s opinion, drive vampires into a frenzy of overfeeding, especially since mage blood was difficult to procure at the time. Remember, this was before most blood bottling techniques were made public and the idea of drinking blood from something other than the source was horrific and barbaric. Morgan le Fey personally penned the Guardianship clause, the part that demands a mage be directly tethered to one vampire but a vampire may have many mages.” Varis clicked his clicker, switching the screen to the massive length that was the clause. It was the longest clause outside of Article 3 and was incredibly ironclad. “Unlike Article One which suggests mages are at the mercy of all vampires, the Guardianship clause demands a mage be in the service of one and only one vampire at any given time if they are to be in the service of a vampire and establishes that only the vampire a mage is in service to may drink from that mage. Other vampires could drink from a mage given they had sufficient permission but this clause drastically reduced deaths related to overfeeding almost immediately and had all but eliminated them within two years. This clause is one of the best pieces of legal literature in existence.” Varis’s face remained rather impassive but his tone took on an almost awestruck edge as he spoke about the Guardianship clause. “Spanning three pages alone, the Guardianship clause has been torn apart time and time again by treaty scholars and it is only one of sixteen sections with no possible loopholes. It is in an of itself a piece of art and I highly recommend spending the time reading it outside of class.” He clicked the clicker again, and briefly the screen read MAJOR TEST POINT: GUARDIANSHIP CLAUSE as he made his suggestion before it flickered into the next Article.
“Now Article 3 is the longest of the three and is known as the Declaration of Atonement. It details the various punishments vampire can suffer for violating any part of Article 2 specifically. This was the only article the mortal delegation walked in with practically completed. Morgan Le Fey and Landar Starag were both adamant the punishments for failing to follow the Declaration of Immunity were harsh and severe. This Article wasn’t debated deeply because the entire mortal delegation made it clear they would walk without the proper safeguards in place and the King and the Council had little say in the matter. The bare minimum the mortal delegation would accept for harming a human without cause was defangment and public torpor. These are still the easiest punishments a vampire can receive to this day. They are displayed in their Lord or Lady’s main hall for anyone to see for about a century. If a human is fed on or killed, the vampire is to be starved to near frenzy and then caged for the next dawn. Breaking the Declaration of Immunity is considered high treason still to this day.” Varis paused again, his face blank as he considered his next point. Technically, it wasn’t part of the lesson. Technically, it never happened. But it could give the wrong person the right idea. “But that wasn’t the original demand. While technically the mage status amendment to Article One was the first recorded unanimous vote, there was one struck from the record shortly after the Treaty’s ratification. In 1293, just over two centuries prior to the Treaty, the Sinnendol family made a move to stop an ancient punishment the Originals handed down and their Children refined. A torture method known as Solaris Pius in which a vampire was locked in a special box with sliding surfaces. While closed, the vampire remained entirely in darkness but pieces could be pulled back to reveal parts of the victim to sunlight for ten seconds at a time, never long enough to kill but long enough to inflict brutal pain. Kept fed just enough to stay above torpor, the victim would often suffer this for several weeks before finally being allowed to leave. It’s one of the guaranteed ways to scar a vampire,mentally and physically. It was a popular punishment but the Sinnenodel family managed to abolish it by the early 1300 hundreds. The practice was meant to fade into the background of history but Landar Starag and Morgan le Fey demanded those who violated Article Two suffered a full year of Solaris Pius before finally being allowed to die. The Council’s first move, once the treaty was ratified, was to alter that particular punishment to extended starvation rather than branding by sunlight.” Varis’s face stayed neutral as he spoke, the egg still for the duration of the discussion but he resumed tossing it as he continued on.
“Now the most interesting part of Article Three in my opinion, is the Starag Commandment. Written and repeatedly announced by the mage, The Starag Commandment is a demand that those who swear fealty to the Council and the Throne uphold specifically the punitive measures of this treaty. Realistically, the commandment has little power or authority as part of the whole but rather is a symbolic representation of the weight of the Treaty. Not a single member of the council suggested a change in the wording or recommended its removal altogether despite that it places a heavy expectation of responsibility on the shoulders of those involved. But that isn’t the interesting part of the Commandment.” He clicked again and a new series of pages popped up on screen, a large red circle superimposed on a blank space in the center of them. “That was the space the Council left Landar to write his commandment. However, he chose instead to write it on a seperate piece of parchment that is kept away from non-council members under Noila lock and key. There are no other images of the document, no scholars have permission to interact with it, only a few mages associated with the Council are permitted to maintain its integrity. Rumors have it that Landar created a powerful magical failsafe in the event the Treaty was ignored but any archivist granted the honor of seeing the document deny it.” Varis stopped pacing, still tossing the egg in the air. “Questions so far?”
“No, we will not.” Varis turned his attention to a familiar voice, the Spellman child. Of course, what better way to interrupt his plans that have the Spellman slow him down. “You may, Mr. Spellman. If those are all the questions, we’ll continue into our first topic of the year: The Fundamental Articles. The Treaty is comprised of twenty one articles clustered into blocks based on a variety of criteria. Articles one through three are in the Fundamental block because they were the original articles the human delegates demanded complete first and establish the social structures we experience today. A change to any part of these Articles, even just the wording, would cause massive alterations in the day to day operation of our society. Both King Geoffery and Landar Starag, the heads of the Vampiric and Mortal delegations respectively, included a clause in each of these Articles that requires unanimous agreement from the Council for an amendment to any of these articles to pass into law. To date, this feat has only been accomplished twice.” As Varis spoke, he made his way over to his briefcase and shuffled inside in shortly. He stepped away from it again and gently tossed an egg up and down.
“Article one is known as the Declaration of Authority. This article does exactly what it suggests, establishes vampires as the superior race and delegates mages and humans as subservient to them. It continues on to declare the Noila family as the permanent head of state and details the process in the event of the Noila line disappearing. Interestingly enough, the human delegation demanded that none of the other Noble Houses assume the throne if tragic circumstances eradicated the Noila line. Rather, the Four noble houses would have to establish an entirely new Royal line that all four agreed would sit on the throne. The Noble houses nearly withdrew their support over the idea but lucky for everyone, a well timed werewolf attack on vampiric territory spurned them to overlook it. Almost one hundred amendments have been put forth to change the clause but neither King Geoffery or Queen Anastasia are willing to support the measures.” Varis clicked his little clicker and the screens behind him showed seven massive books sitting side by side, the first four in glass cases. “These are every single original failed amendment organized by date. Almost five thousand pages of writing with the sole purpose of influencing the Noilas into changing the amendment. Almost every single one drafted by a member of every house, ensuring they each gave up things of equal value. And yet, the Noilas refuse to budge even to this day. I’m sure I don’t need to explain why.” He gave people a moment to consider before continuing onwards. “Furthermore, this amendment establishes the Sinnenodels, the Eves, the Astorios, and the Marivaldis as the only Noble Houses and cements their position on the Moonlight Council. It continues and establishes the Moonlight Council as the highest authority in the land and that its decisions are Law.”
“Where Article One legitimizes the ruling bodies of our society, Article Two distances humanity from Vampires. The Declaration of Immunity divides the mortal race into two different groups, Mage and Human. A Mage is anyone defined as having awoken, through either natural awakening or the Awakening ritual, to their magic potential where a human is someone who has no awoken their magical potential. This was not always the case however. Originally, Mages were considered anyone who showed magical aptitude. With little to gauge the term “Aptitude”, often times mages and humans were mistaken for one another in early years.It wasn’t until 1645 that the Awakening ritual was developed and the Council altered the wording in a unanimous decision to better clarify the difference and reduce accidental violations.” Varis paused again, letting anyone taking notes a moment to catch up before continuing again. “It also established feeding requirements, shifting the burden fully onto mages. This article took nearly two years of deliberation between the mortal and vampiric races, the longest of all the articles, specifically because of this issue. Landar Starag and Morgan le Fey, a powerful mage known as the mother of modern conjuration, demanded hunting of the human race cease immediately. It was an impossible task. With the vampiric forces stretched as they were, King Geoffeory and the Astorios who ran the military at the time would have been hard pressed to enforce such a policy. Their counter offer was a transitional period in which the hunting of humans would be restricted further and further every year until a complete ban after the war ended plus a year or ten years, whichever came first. Eventually, article two included a transitional period of five years or a year after the Lycan threat was deemed eliminated. The Lycan threat was eliminated two years later and a year after that, feeding on humans was banned.” Varis paused again, tossing the egg between his hands and watching people write. Once enough pens stilled, he continued pacing.
“However, Morgan le Fey felt another issue needed attention. Vampires were used to a massive herd size, used to indulging in their desires whenever they wished as long as they could catch their prey. Limiting their herd so quickly would, in Ms. Fey’s opinion, drive vampires into a frenzy of overfeeding, especially since mage blood was difficult to procure at the time. Remember, this was before most blood bottling techniques were made public and the idea of drinking blood from something other than the source was horrific and barbaric. Morgan le Fey personally penned the Guardianship clause, the part that demands a mage be directly tethered to one vampire but a vampire may have many mages.” Varis clicked his clicker, switching the screen to the massive length that was the clause. It was the longest clause outside of Article 3 and was incredibly ironclad. “Unlike Article One which suggests mages are at the mercy of all vampires, the Guardianship clause demands a mage be in the service of one and only one vampire at any given time if they are to be in the service of a vampire and establishes that only the vampire a mage is in service to may drink from that mage. Other vampires could drink from a mage given they had sufficient permission but this clause drastically reduced deaths related to overfeeding almost immediately and had all but eliminated them within two years. This clause is one of the best pieces of legal literature in existence.” Varis’s face remained rather impassive but his tone took on an almost awestruck edge as he spoke about the Guardianship clause. “Spanning three pages alone, the Guardianship clause has been torn apart time and time again by treaty scholars and it is only one of sixteen sections with no possible loopholes. It is in an of itself a piece of art and I highly recommend spending the time reading it outside of class.” He clicked the clicker again, and briefly the screen read MAJOR TEST POINT: GUARDIANSHIP CLAUSE as he made his suggestion before it flickered into the next Article.
“Now Article 3 is the longest of the three and is known as the Declaration of Atonement. It details the various punishments vampire can suffer for violating any part of Article 2 specifically. This was the only article the mortal delegation walked in with practically completed. Morgan Le Fey and Landar Starag were both adamant the punishments for failing to follow the Declaration of Immunity were harsh and severe. This Article wasn’t debated deeply because the entire mortal delegation made it clear they would walk without the proper safeguards in place and the King and the Council had little say in the matter. The bare minimum the mortal delegation would accept for harming a human without cause was defangment and public torpor. These are still the easiest punishments a vampire can receive to this day. They are displayed in their Lord or Lady’s main hall for anyone to see for about a century. If a human is fed on or killed, the vampire is to be starved to near frenzy and then caged for the next dawn. Breaking the Declaration of Immunity is considered high treason still to this day.” Varis paused again, his face blank as he considered his next point. Technically, it wasn’t part of the lesson. Technically, it never happened. But it could give the wrong person the right idea. “But that wasn’t the original demand. While technically the mage status amendment to Article One was the first recorded unanimous vote, there was one struck from the record shortly after the Treaty’s ratification. In 1293, just over two centuries prior to the Treaty, the Sinnendol family made a move to stop an ancient punishment the Originals handed down and their Children refined. A torture method known as Solaris Pius in which a vampire was locked in a special box with sliding surfaces. While closed, the vampire remained entirely in darkness but pieces could be pulled back to reveal parts of the victim to sunlight for ten seconds at a time, never long enough to kill but long enough to inflict brutal pain. Kept fed just enough to stay above torpor, the victim would often suffer this for several weeks before finally being allowed to leave. It’s one of the guaranteed ways to scar a vampire,mentally and physically. It was a popular punishment but the Sinnenodel family managed to abolish it by the early 1300 hundreds. The practice was meant to fade into the background of history but Landar Starag and Morgan le Fey demanded those who violated Article Two suffered a full year of Solaris Pius before finally being allowed to die. The Council’s first move, once the treaty was ratified, was to alter that particular punishment to extended starvation rather than branding by sunlight.” Varis’s face stayed neutral as he spoke, the egg still for the duration of the discussion but he resumed tossing it as he continued on.
“Now the most interesting part of Article Three in my opinion, is the Starag Commandment. Written and repeatedly announced by the mage, The Starag Commandment is a demand that those who swear fealty to the Council and the Throne uphold specifically the punitive measures of this treaty. Realistically, the commandment has little power or authority as part of the whole but rather is a symbolic representation of the weight of the Treaty. Not a single member of the council suggested a change in the wording or recommended its removal altogether despite that it places a heavy expectation of responsibility on the shoulders of those involved. But that isn’t the interesting part of the Commandment.” He clicked again and a new series of pages popped up on screen, a large red circle superimposed on a blank space in the center of them. “That was the space the Council left Landar to write his commandment. However, he chose instead to write it on a seperate piece of parchment that is kept away from non-council members under Noila lock and key. There are no other images of the document, no scholars have permission to interact with it, only a few mages associated with the Council are permitted to maintain its integrity. Rumors have it that Landar created a powerful magical failsafe in the event the Treaty was ignored but any archivist granted the honor of seeing the document deny it.” Varis stopped pacing, still tossing the egg in the air. “Questions so far?”
OP
Varis, with over a century tucked under his belt, felt confident when he said he could handle most things. From out maneuvering petty political opponents to orchestrating several assassinations halfway across the realm during a Lord’s ball, Varis had trudged through plenty of situations in his life with little more than a twinge of aggravation. So when the doors to his classroom unceremoniously slammed open, Varis expected just another mild bump in the road that he’d bulldoze with a few sharp words and maybe a thrall just because he could. But all that went out the window when none other than Eris fucking Samael strutted down his stairs like a red carpet event.
Varis would never admit he’d been shocked into silence for more than a few moments but irritation snapped him out of that as the vampire threw his orderly class into disarray. He’d watched the offending vampire saunter his way up to the podium, glaring daggers all the while, before pinching the bridge of his nose and sighing for a long while. When he’d requested Eris make some noise in the news to cover for Ryner’s idiotic decisions, Varis expected a scandal with one of the nobility. Maybe a little blackmail, maybe a failed fling, he didn’t particularly care. The last thing he’d expected, or wanted really, was the movie star involving him directly. He had several choice words for his acquaintance but they’d have to wait. He had a room to bring to heel now.
“Settle down.” Varis cracked like a whip above the din of the classroom and most students quited immediately. Those that didn’t, he made the point to stare them down until they did and Varis turned his attention back to the offending party with a hint of a sneer. “If you are going to have the audacity to be late Mr. Samael, I recommend avoiding your typical theatrics. While your vanity affords you certain privileges in our society, I will not tolerate you distracting students from one of the most important subjects of their lives. You will sit there,” He pointed at the empty Sinnenodel chair in front of the podium. “Until I decide you can behave yourself and if you cannot, I will be more than happy to implement a scaling deduction to your overall grade until you can. You will stay after class to catch up on the material you missed.”
“As for you Countess Marivaldi, I would appreciate it if you left interruptions to me. Your lackluster commentary opened the floor to further chaos and deprived your classmates of valuable time. As a noble, your behavior serves as an example to your…” Varis glanced around with a pause, clearly reconsidering his wording. “Peers and perpetuating the discord Mr. Samael benefits no one. Return to your seat so we can continue. As for your question, roughly seven individuals since its creation have seen the Starag Clause. The five custodians through the years, Princess Ryner, and Queen Anastasia are everyone I am aware that have the privilege of seeing the document. As for your question Mr. Spellman, plenty. Obsolete and cruel laws are struck from record often enough. Society is vicious enough without people remembering the pain they’ve caused in the past. Removing such distractions allows us to grow in a direction more beneficial for everyone.” Varis looked up at the mage with a raised brow. “That question earned you an additional ten points on your next paper. Include that question in the paper’s heading,”
“Moving on. Our first oral argument will revolve around Article 2 and a high profile amendment that ultimately failed. In 1857, the Astorio family introduced the Equilibrium Act which would add that mages who lost their magic would still be considered mages for the purposes of feeding even though they no longer met Article 2’s requirements. This was in response to the Dravonican Plague of 1855, a disease that devoured a mage’s magic and left them catatonic if they survived. It left massive logistical issues amongst lower vampiric society and far too many had to be put down as a result of taking human life in frenzy fueled feedings. In an attempt to alleviate the pressure from the after effects of the plague, enterprising nobles Alister Eve and Nicholas Astorio popularized bottled blood shortly after the amendment’s introduction and subsequent failure at the hands of the Marivaldi.” Varis paused. [color=f7976a]“As we delve further into the Foundation Articles, you will be expected to develop your own amendment in response to the Dravonican Plague with the intent to reduce the loss of life suffered by vampire, mages, and humans alike.”[/color[ Varis went to continue but the ringing of the bell cut him off. Apparently Eris’s little distraction took more time than he anticipated. He made eye contact with Aaron, snapping his fingers at feet before turning his attention back to Eris. His expression did soften slightly, a shade shy of fond. “And what do you have to say for yourself?”
Varis would never admit he’d been shocked into silence for more than a few moments but irritation snapped him out of that as the vampire threw his orderly class into disarray. He’d watched the offending vampire saunter his way up to the podium, glaring daggers all the while, before pinching the bridge of his nose and sighing for a long while. When he’d requested Eris make some noise in the news to cover for Ryner’s idiotic decisions, Varis expected a scandal with one of the nobility. Maybe a little blackmail, maybe a failed fling, he didn’t particularly care. The last thing he’d expected, or wanted really, was the movie star involving him directly. He had several choice words for his acquaintance but they’d have to wait. He had a room to bring to heel now.
“Settle down.” Varis cracked like a whip above the din of the classroom and most students quited immediately. Those that didn’t, he made the point to stare them down until they did and Varis turned his attention back to the offending party with a hint of a sneer. “If you are going to have the audacity to be late Mr. Samael, I recommend avoiding your typical theatrics. While your vanity affords you certain privileges in our society, I will not tolerate you distracting students from one of the most important subjects of their lives. You will sit there,” He pointed at the empty Sinnenodel chair in front of the podium. “Until I decide you can behave yourself and if you cannot, I will be more than happy to implement a scaling deduction to your overall grade until you can. You will stay after class to catch up on the material you missed.”
“As for you Countess Marivaldi, I would appreciate it if you left interruptions to me. Your lackluster commentary opened the floor to further chaos and deprived your classmates of valuable time. As a noble, your behavior serves as an example to your…” Varis glanced around with a pause, clearly reconsidering his wording. “Peers and perpetuating the discord Mr. Samael benefits no one. Return to your seat so we can continue. As for your question, roughly seven individuals since its creation have seen the Starag Clause. The five custodians through the years, Princess Ryner, and Queen Anastasia are everyone I am aware that have the privilege of seeing the document. As for your question Mr. Spellman, plenty. Obsolete and cruel laws are struck from record often enough. Society is vicious enough without people remembering the pain they’ve caused in the past. Removing such distractions allows us to grow in a direction more beneficial for everyone.” Varis looked up at the mage with a raised brow. “That question earned you an additional ten points on your next paper. Include that question in the paper’s heading,”
“Moving on. Our first oral argument will revolve around Article 2 and a high profile amendment that ultimately failed. In 1857, the Astorio family introduced the Equilibrium Act which would add that mages who lost their magic would still be considered mages for the purposes of feeding even though they no longer met Article 2’s requirements. This was in response to the Dravonican Plague of 1855, a disease that devoured a mage’s magic and left them catatonic if they survived. It left massive logistical issues amongst lower vampiric society and far too many had to be put down as a result of taking human life in frenzy fueled feedings. In an attempt to alleviate the pressure from the after effects of the plague, enterprising nobles Alister Eve and Nicholas Astorio popularized bottled blood shortly after the amendment’s introduction and subsequent failure at the hands of the Marivaldi.” Varis paused. [color=f7976a]“As we delve further into the Foundation Articles, you will be expected to develop your own amendment in response to the Dravonican Plague with the intent to reduce the loss of life suffered by vampire, mages, and humans alike.”[/color[ Varis went to continue but the ringing of the bell cut him off. Apparently Eris’s little distraction took more time than he anticipated. He made eye contact with Aaron, snapping his fingers at feet before turning his attention back to Eris. His expression did soften slightly, a shade shy of fond. “And what do you have to say for yourself?”
OP
Character Summary
Name: Césaire Clément Montague
Aliases: Requiem
Age: 32
Birthday: March 24th, 1988
Birth Place: Paris, France
Gender: Male
Powers: Vocal Hypnosis, Vocal Replication, Omnitone
Training: CIA (6 years)
Languages: English, French
Appearance
Height: 6’ 0”
Weight: 185
Build: Lean
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Black
Skin Tone: Tan
Tattoos/Scars/Piercings: Scarring all over his left leg after months of torture, the word ‘Mutant’ branded on his left thigh.
Personal Style: Césaire favors clean, crisp, and professional clothing. Accents should be used sparingly because while they add to the presentation over all, glittery things distract from the main event: himself. He meticulously frequents salons, only ones with a good reputation and generally with a recommendation, keeping his appearance spotless. If an event is incredibly casual and he knows the individual well enough, he may relax his style into less than suits. He stays closely shaven mostly but will let his facial hair grow when it gets cooler.
Psychology
Patient * Manipulative * Polite * Perfectionist * Charming * Arrogant
Sexuality: Pansexual
Relationship Status: Single
Personality:
Césaire learned long ago haste breaks men far faster than pain. He treads carefully and contemplates extensively before taking action. The man prefers words to fists―it is rain that grows flowers after all―but doesn’t hesitate to take decisive action if he must. He moves only when he is ready, once the exits plan is in place and the margin for error has been calculated and accounted for, and little change the stubborn man’s mind.
Césaire indulges in the finer side of life, surrounding himself with music and food and wine as he watches his plans play out around him. Rare a day it is that the man forgets his warm smile, always pleased more with his own accomplishments than any current company, but the days he does often lead to disaster for those who thought to interrupt his machinations. Césaire never forgets a grudge and lets them age like wine until his pieces are in place and he can watch from the box as his adversaries crumble beneath the weight of their follies.
Habits: Always sits with his back in a corner, keeps one exit in sight, fiddles with the engagement rings given to him by his now deceased fiancés.
Hobbies: Carving, collecting records
Fears:
- Swimming
- Enclosed Spaces
- Absolute silence
Likes:
- Reading
- Gothic Art
- Spicy foods
- Wine
- Opera
- Cleanliness
Dislikes:
- Crass behavior
- Non-mutants
- Filth
- Yelling
- Animals
- Pop Music
Cards On The Table
General World Skills:
- Deception
- Singing
- Cooking
- Interrogation
- Reading People
- Diplomacy
Combat Skills:
- Krav Maga
- Handguns
- Improvised Weapons
Medical Issues/Injuries:
- Severe nerve damage in the left leg, resulting in a painful limp.
- PTSD
Possessions:
- Locket with a picture of Natasha and Devon.
- A Cane
- Two knives, one on his ankle and another hanging down his back.
- A CZ 75B hidden beneath his jacket.
- Wallet containing various forms of payment and a fake identification.
- Phone.
History
How did you discover your powers:
Césaire’s powers manifested during an accidental fight that broke out in an Amsterdam bar. One second he’d been sipping at a glass of Pinot Grigio and singing along with the dulcet tones of a street singer and the next his shadow was suddenly flying across the seedy room with a full beer stein following close behind it. As he sung, people stumbled, not unusual in a bar, and then people collapsed, fully falling asleep where they stood. And when he spoke, the street performer’s voice rang out among the sleeping bar instead of his own.
The cover up was easy. A small, seedy little bar on the wrong side of town had little in the ways of cameras and he promptly fainted from shock at the time so it seemed like he also fell asleep with the rest of them. When he woke, his voice had returned to normal but with little effort her could mimic the girl again. He nearly fainted once more but managed to make his way to his stay house and contact his finacés in tears.
General History:
The child of an American Spaniard business man and a French history professor, Césaire grew up in Paris as an only child of the pair. They lived well and Césaire attended a small private school with excellent instructors, excelling in academics early on. His father traveled for business regularly and his mother lived the life of a socialite, regularly hosting large soirées on her husband’s card, who hired a private etiquette tutor as part of his after school curriculum. He maintained a cordial relationship with his classmates with the exception of the small circle of close friends he found connection with.
At fifteen, his father’s job called him back to the States and the family followed. His mother found employment at Yale University, where Césaire would eventually attend and graduate with a bachelors and masters in political science with a specialty in human trafficking, and immediately re-established her lavish social life, bringing her son along for the ride. Césaire learned to enjoy the almost strategic plays that accompanied the life of a socialite, learning how to read and manipulate those around him to ensure his success. It was these early parties that he managed to establish the lasting connection that would eventually lead him into his career.
Césaire met Devon Rathail at one of his mother’s parties his sophomore year in college. The pair hit it off almost immediately and fell in love less than two months later despite a less than warm welcome from Devon’s family. Their relationship, like all of them, had its ups and downs, a few screaming matches than ended in broken belongs, bruised egos, and stewing silences but they made it through college happily over all. And then Natasha, a beautiful woman from Brown, fell into the relationship. It took time for the three of them to adjust, and more than once one of them stalked out on it, but they managed to find their stride by graduation and all three of them proposed to each other the same week. Césaire cried the first two weeks every time he looked at the rings, much to his fiancés’ amusement.
The man’s original plan was to move into the private sector with a crime analysis group but Devon’s father made him another offer. Dr. Rathail worked for the CIA as a senior analyst and his department recently lost a member to retirement. He offered to help Césaire earn an interview and, after months of interviewing and applications, Césaire secured the position. Natalia and Devon entered the private job sector, working in the healthcare industry and hospitality industries respectively. The three spent two more years in a small apartment in Connecticut before purchasing their own home in upstate New York.
Shortly after moving, Césaire took an offer to transfer across the Atlantic to the Paris office at the goading of his fiancés. They made plans to meet several times a year in either Paris or New York as possible and he regretfully crossed the ocean only to discover that his application to move from analytics to field agent had been approved with several high recommendations from Dr. Rathail and his associates. He spent three years training, flying constantly between Paris and Amsterdam.
It was during this training period Césaire discovered his mutant abilities. During the early part of his training, Césaire’s abilities manifested and he covered up the incident against regulation. He knew full well the political climate that surrounded this development and he refused to allow it to effect his lovers back home. He continued honing his abilities in secret.
When he was finally given his assignment, Césaire vanished from society for two years as he fell into the horrific world of European human trafficking. He managed to track and dismantle a portion of a massive crime ring that plagued France at the time but his efforts did not go unnoticed. A message from Devon and Natasha about visiting and discussing the possibility of adoption came through, leaving Césaire’s brain scrambled as he desperately made his way home.
I miss them.
Halfway to the airport, the remnants of the cartel he dismantled abducted him and tortured him for three years. He managed to keep them from cutting out his tongue before they gagged him, silencing him for the next two years. They tortured him mercilessly, waterboarding a particular favorite, for his entire stay but he stayed focused on the job. They grew careless because his mutant abilities were suppressed and talked outside his cramped, lightless cell. They spoke about their lives outside of this, their families if they had one, their activities, how someone sold their captive out because he was a mutant, how they were planning on selling him as a freak in Italy once they were satisfied.
I have a plan.
He planned. He learned the rotation, made notes of new voices, practiced chewing through the gag even when he was allowed to eat. He ignored the humiliation, the pain, the jeering insults and jibes, He’d learn that his suffering only spurred them to greater heights. He ignored it all, even as they branded his deteriorating leg with the word “Mutant”, because he knew his plan would work. They noticed too. Months later, on the eve of his escape, he woke and for the first time, he struggled. Devon and Natasha stared back at him, bound and gagged, and one of his captors held a knife with a wicked grin. It was the last time he saw them.
Please don’t. Oh god, please.
He heard them for the next three days until they finally died.
A week later, he sang for the first time in two years. As they turned their own weapons on themselves, tears dripped down his face as Louis Armstrong’s “La Vie En Rose” tumbled from his lips. Some he allowed to live, only to interrogate them when they awoke. He felt sick to his stomach when he discovered his government sold him out because they discovered his little secret and decided his death would be the easiest way to handle it. He finished his job there, leaving no one behind, and made his way back to America. Dr. Rathoil sold his belongings to various holders soon thereafter and committed suicide in his missing son’s room.
I'll fix everything for you.
With some degree of closure, Césaire moved onto his next project.The pain in his right leg reminded him daily why it happened. He was sold out because he was a mutant and if things weren’t fixed, it would happen again.
Extras
Character Quote: “Great feats are performed not by strength but by perseverance.”
Theme Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtfJj8oF6xM
Anything Else: Post!; Dreamer
Powers:
- Vocal Hypnosis: Nicknamed the Lullaby, Césaire can effectively hypnotize anyone who hears his voice and implant thoughts, ideas, and suggestions into those affected. This can range from an immediate task, such as fall asleep, or something far more complex, record the guard rotation for a week and deliver it to a P.O. box. Césaire can also condition his victims if he uses the Lullaby on them frequently enough, making them easily bent to his machinations even without his power.
- Vocal Replication: Césaire can mimic any voice or animal sound he hears.
- Omnipitch: Césaire has no limit with how high or low of a sound he can make.
*By submitting this CS in its completion I am stating I have read all the rules for this Rp and am agreeing to follow them to the fullest with respect and courtesy. I acknowledge that I can and will be removed from the RP without warning if I break a rule or cause problems with my fellow Rpers or the GM.
OP
The battlefield fell silent as a new light radiated across the field, pulsing from a door dominating the skyline. Ornate designs swirled along its wooden surface, golden foliage and silver insects shifted and flowed over crumbling ruins. A winged lancer gazed down upon the world depicted and spears of gold spun around her. Armano swept through the players, an irritable healer following him as his health ticked upwards, and knocked gently, the rap of knuckles against wood booming like a gong.
The winged lancer drove her lance down the middle of the door and a line of brilliant light followed her, spreading outwards until the door shattered and an open portal to the next level remained. Lightning flashed and thunder boomed through the opening. The brief flashes of light revealed a muddy road, lined with a few plant covered buildings and dark figures rushing between the buildings. Little more could be made out in the dark of the thunder storm.
As the portal opened fully, a series of pop ups appeared in front of every player in the room.
As soon as the messages cleared, a bright flash took over the field and suddenly it was dark. The door vanished and the ruined goblin city were replaced by the dark and raining city of Reliquia. A small glass disk floated above a large stone platform where the door once stood.
The winged lancer drove her lance down the middle of the door and a line of brilliant light followed her, spreading outwards until the door shattered and an open portal to the next level remained. Lightning flashed and thunder boomed through the opening. The brief flashes of light revealed a muddy road, lined with a few plant covered buildings and dark figures rushing between the buildings. Little more could be made out in the dark of the thunder storm.
As the portal opened fully, a series of pop ups appeared in front of every player in the room.
Foglands Unlocked. Reliquia Map Unlocked.
Severe Weather Alert.
Find Shelter Immediately.
Inns Available: River Run Inn, The Verdant, The Tipsy Troodon
As soon as the messages cleared, a bright flash took over the field and suddenly it was dark. The door vanished and the ruined goblin city were replaced by the dark and raining city of Reliquia. A small glass disk floated above a large stone platform where the door once stood.
OP
Mages
“That is absolutely correct! Using humans as a control since they’re the only ones we can consistently Awaken, animals likely don’t display any higher tiered affinities because of the development of traits at those tiers!” Carina explained excitedly. “Of course, that could be completely wrong too! No one has seen anything else than humans with Secondary and Tertiary affinities so it’s all a shot in the dark and if that doesn’t get your blood pumping, I don’t know what will!”
“Arcane magic isn’t an alternative. Connecting with and controlling your affinity is a crucial step to a stable, successful magical career.” Carina tapped her foot as she thought. “Yes, you can cast arcane magic without discovering your affinity but you will find yourself exhausted far more quickly since you are fighting two battles: the first to make your magic comply and then to strip it of all essence of yourself.”
“And, uh, what is Sound then?” Damien piped up from the seat he managed to snag closer to the front. “Cause I’m going to be honest, this is an absolute ton of sh- stuff I’ve never even thought about until today and I really just wanna focus on getting a grip on me before I learn everything else here.”
“Oh, affinity twins!” Carina giggled as she pulled out a thin metal rod. “Mine acts like a Secondary but Sound is classified as a Conditional because it can present as any of them! And you’ll learn plenty about your magic in Affinity Mastery.” She gave a concerned frown at Damien’s blank stare and her wand tapped against her throat before flourished it with a flick of the wrist and put it away, her lips moving silently. Damien beam and flashed her a pair of thumbs up. The professor beamed back at him before turning get attention back to the class.
“Now that we know a little about what magic is and how and why we group it, let’s discuss how it works! Magic is a tricky, fickle thing and the effort to understand it has been enormous. Now, I have to correct myself from earlier. I know I mentioned the Alfonsi model but we’re actually going to cover the Varissean model, aka the Limited Capacity model!” Carina waited for a few moments for people to correct their notes. “Now, the Limited Capacity Model states that all mages draw magic in from their surroundings, store it as magical potential in a limited reserve, and expend it in a fantastic fashion! Well, not that last part but I think it sounds more fun than ‘Casts magic.’ The model states that magic is drawn out of the reserves like water from a faucet and our control determines the rate of flow and a mage’s focus is the cup that makes magic safe and stable!”
“While Robert Varissean’s model from 1809 is certainly one of the easiest and most comprehensive of the four accepted magical models, it misses two major points of magic: Dissonance and Resonance. This is where foci become incredibly important. In fact, they’re literally life saving.” Carine chewed at her lip as she contemplated. “A focus is a tool that allows mages to shape and direct their magic safely. The traits that define two of the magic tiers also make handling those affinities dangerous for a mage, creating a sort of kickback that can have serious and lasting effects on its mage. For this reason, there are two qualities when considering a focus. First, it should be sturdy enough to handle this kickback. Soft metals and fabrics should never compose the core of your focus but I always recommend embellishing. Second, a focus should have an emotional connection to the mage, something that has history and familiarity so the magic is far more willing to accept it as an extension of the mage rather than an object. Failing to take these into consideration may lean into the severe form kickback known as Dissonance.” The screens behind her flickered and each held a different image: The first was a mage missing a hand, another a mage with welts and hives covering her face, the third was a boy with glowing veins, and the last was statue with empty eye sockets and mouth agape.
“Dissonance is a state in which the differences between magic and mage create so much friction, it is impossible to contain. This most often happens when a Secondary or Tertiary mage has no focus while casting a complex spell or when they attempt to cast something outside of their skill level. The resulting friction causes the magic to turn on the mage, ranging from explosive damage to complete transformation.” Carina pointed to the statue. “1913, Andres Demickel. Gravity mage attempting to reverse the gravitational pull on an entire mansion. Full transmutation into stone expect for the eyes. The eyes stayed flesh and witness accounts suggest they could still move until something finally ate them out.” Carina spun around, her grim face shifting back to her smile. “But as long as you know your limits and keep your focus in good condition, you’ll be just fine!”
“The opposite effect is known as Resonance and while it is significantly more beneficial than its opposite, Resonance carries its own complications. Resonance is when magic and mage work in perfect harmony, or Resonate, with one another which allows the mage to supersede their traditional limits and draw on magic directly from the environment. It’s a difficult state to control, often times the state triggering a chain response similar to a vacuum in which magic flows to fill in the gaps but continues flowing as the mage uses it until the mage passes out or is Consumed.” The images behind her changed, a video playing of a water mage pooling all of the rain from a storm above a forest with a bright smile and a laugh before she just vanished. All of the water came crashing down, flooding the forest and the video stopped. “Resonance offers near unlimited power to a mage and that feeling makes stopping a Resonance difficult. As one can expect, the natural connection between Primary and Primary-presenting affinities makes them susceptible to Resonance but all mages can reach it. People who Resonate struggle with the feeling, becoming addicted until finally they try too much, push themselves too far, and their magic Consumes them. Most times, it’s an organ or two. Other times, like what you saw, it is everything.” She shook her head, her smile brightening once again.
“A somber topic but a necessary one. Questions?”
“Arcane magic isn’t an alternative. Connecting with and controlling your affinity is a crucial step to a stable, successful magical career.” Carina tapped her foot as she thought. “Yes, you can cast arcane magic without discovering your affinity but you will find yourself exhausted far more quickly since you are fighting two battles: the first to make your magic comply and then to strip it of all essence of yourself.”
“And, uh, what is Sound then?” Damien piped up from the seat he managed to snag closer to the front. “Cause I’m going to be honest, this is an absolute ton of sh- stuff I’ve never even thought about until today and I really just wanna focus on getting a grip on me before I learn everything else here.”
“Oh, affinity twins!” Carina giggled as she pulled out a thin metal rod. “Mine acts like a Secondary but Sound is classified as a Conditional because it can present as any of them! And you’ll learn plenty about your magic in Affinity Mastery.” She gave a concerned frown at Damien’s blank stare and her wand tapped against her throat before flourished it with a flick of the wrist and put it away, her lips moving silently. Damien beam and flashed her a pair of thumbs up. The professor beamed back at him before turning get attention back to the class.
“Now that we know a little about what magic is and how and why we group it, let’s discuss how it works! Magic is a tricky, fickle thing and the effort to understand it has been enormous. Now, I have to correct myself from earlier. I know I mentioned the Alfonsi model but we’re actually going to cover the Varissean model, aka the Limited Capacity model!” Carina waited for a few moments for people to correct their notes. “Now, the Limited Capacity Model states that all mages draw magic in from their surroundings, store it as magical potential in a limited reserve, and expend it in a fantastic fashion! Well, not that last part but I think it sounds more fun than ‘Casts magic.’ The model states that magic is drawn out of the reserves like water from a faucet and our control determines the rate of flow and a mage’s focus is the cup that makes magic safe and stable!”
“While Robert Varissean’s model from 1809 is certainly one of the easiest and most comprehensive of the four accepted magical models, it misses two major points of magic: Dissonance and Resonance. This is where foci become incredibly important. In fact, they’re literally life saving.” Carine chewed at her lip as she contemplated. “A focus is a tool that allows mages to shape and direct their magic safely. The traits that define two of the magic tiers also make handling those affinities dangerous for a mage, creating a sort of kickback that can have serious and lasting effects on its mage. For this reason, there are two qualities when considering a focus. First, it should be sturdy enough to handle this kickback. Soft metals and fabrics should never compose the core of your focus but I always recommend embellishing. Second, a focus should have an emotional connection to the mage, something that has history and familiarity so the magic is far more willing to accept it as an extension of the mage rather than an object. Failing to take these into consideration may lean into the severe form kickback known as Dissonance.” The screens behind her flickered and each held a different image: The first was a mage missing a hand, another a mage with welts and hives covering her face, the third was a boy with glowing veins, and the last was statue with empty eye sockets and mouth agape.
“Dissonance is a state in which the differences between magic and mage create so much friction, it is impossible to contain. This most often happens when a Secondary or Tertiary mage has no focus while casting a complex spell or when they attempt to cast something outside of their skill level. The resulting friction causes the magic to turn on the mage, ranging from explosive damage to complete transformation.” Carina pointed to the statue. “1913, Andres Demickel. Gravity mage attempting to reverse the gravitational pull on an entire mansion. Full transmutation into stone expect for the eyes. The eyes stayed flesh and witness accounts suggest they could still move until something finally ate them out.” Carina spun around, her grim face shifting back to her smile. “But as long as you know your limits and keep your focus in good condition, you’ll be just fine!”
“The opposite effect is known as Resonance and while it is significantly more beneficial than its opposite, Resonance carries its own complications. Resonance is when magic and mage work in perfect harmony, or Resonate, with one another which allows the mage to supersede their traditional limits and draw on magic directly from the environment. It’s a difficult state to control, often times the state triggering a chain response similar to a vacuum in which magic flows to fill in the gaps but continues flowing as the mage uses it until the mage passes out or is Consumed.” The images behind her changed, a video playing of a water mage pooling all of the rain from a storm above a forest with a bright smile and a laugh before she just vanished. All of the water came crashing down, flooding the forest and the video stopped. “Resonance offers near unlimited power to a mage and that feeling makes stopping a Resonance difficult. As one can expect, the natural connection between Primary and Primary-presenting affinities makes them susceptible to Resonance but all mages can reach it. People who Resonate struggle with the feeling, becoming addicted until finally they try too much, push themselves too far, and their magic Consumes them. Most times, it’s an organ or two. Other times, like what you saw, it is everything.” She shook her head, her smile brightening once again.
“A somber topic but a necessary one. Questions?”
“How astute. Yes, Sound and Empathy are both Conditionals and if presenting as Primary affinities, may be used without foci. As with all Primary affinities, they are closely tied to emotional state due to the innate bonding of Primary affinities and may react without prompting as a result.” Hayes explained, sipping from his drink again. “There are also rare cases that a Conditional changes after the Awakening, developing a sudden Dissonance or Resonating perfectly into Primary. I recommend Edith Caine’s “The Conditional Quandary” for further research if you are interested.” Professor Hayes looked around, no other pens popping up for questions, before continuing on.
“Understanding the mechanics of magic is a struggle predating the Treaty. Between the personal nature and the complexity of devices needed to quantify the phenomena, spell theorists struggle constantly to discern predictable patterns and behaviors in magic. The information we have governerning the nature of magic is always tentative. New discoveries are made every day. Keeping an open mind is crucial to your success as a mage.” Hayes spoke sternly on the subject, taking the time to meet everyone’s gaze.
“The primary model of magic is the Varissean model, or the Limited Capacity model, developed by Robert Varissean in 1809. This model states that magic is an intrinsic force in nature and those with magical aptitude act as reservoir for this force. Each mage has clearly defined limits to the amount of magical potential they can store and casting magic depletes that until a mage can rest long enough to replenish.” A brief moment of silence stalled the lecture as Hayes flipped the page, allowing people to catch up with their notes. “A mage’s control acts like a faucet, increasing and decreasing their magic’s rate of flow as they draw on the stored energy. The Focus acts like a container, allowing the mage to transport it more efficiently and safely from themselves to their intended goal.”
“As encompassing as this model is, it fails to include two issues: Resonance and Dissonance. Mages use foci to more easily shape their magic and protect them from some of its inherently dangerous backlash. As a result, foci must be incredibly sturdy, made of hard metals, crystal, or wood generally, and must have emotional history with their mages. This will not only reduce the likelihood of a Dissonance state but will keep your focus from exploding in your hand. Magic, regardless of tier, likes emotional pathways so the greater the emotional, preferably positive, connection, the more responsive your magic will grow.” Hayes paused again before continuing.
“The most important reason for a focus is to avoid Dissonance. Dissonance is the friction between mage and magic when the direction the magic wants to go and the direction the mage makes it go are not the same. Since Secondary and Tertiary affinities develop a separation from their mage, this occurs almost always but the effects are negligible and magical backlash is absorbed by the focus. However, a Dissonance state is when that friction drastically spikes and the mage loses control of their magic as a result to horrendous effect.” Professor Hayes sighed at the thought. “Dissonance can result in almost anything occurring, ranging from physical injury to permanent transformation to death. The number one cause of Dissonance is failing to understand one’s own limits and attempting something far outside a mage’s capacity to control. The Limited Capacity Model has nothing for Dissonance because this state ignores the limits of the mage and taps directly into the magic in the immediate area, drawing on far more than what the mage could have ever achieved. During the Blood War, more than one mage weaponized this state against the lycan threat in order to save their homes.”
“On the other hand, Resonance is when magic and mage are in perfect harmony. Like Dissonance, this state allows mages to transcend their normal limits and draw directly on the magic in an area rather from only their own reserves. Primary and Primary-presenting affinities reach Resonance far more easily than any others and is the unfortunate reason why we know so much about it.” He snapped his book shut, tucking his hands behind his back. “Resonance brings two new challenges for mages: Addiction and Consumption. Limitless power is a dangerous thing in a mage, whose will directly affects reality as we interact with it, and mages find solace in that degree of power, escaping their feelings of helplessness in a spring of magical energy. However, exposure to that much magic forcefully expands a mage’s capacity for magic and this process is reflected in a mage’s body. Generally, the kidney disappears first, followed by the liver, and then bones as they dissipate into pure magical energy. Organs lost this way never regrow and magical attempts to stimulate growth fail while the body rejects transplants almost automatically. Resonance can be a powerful tool when used appropriately but often times, its risks fail to outweigh the benefits.” Professor Hayes glanced at his watch.
“Questions before we are dismissed?”
“Understanding the mechanics of magic is a struggle predating the Treaty. Between the personal nature and the complexity of devices needed to quantify the phenomena, spell theorists struggle constantly to discern predictable patterns and behaviors in magic. The information we have governerning the nature of magic is always tentative. New discoveries are made every day. Keeping an open mind is crucial to your success as a mage.” Hayes spoke sternly on the subject, taking the time to meet everyone’s gaze.
“The primary model of magic is the Varissean model, or the Limited Capacity model, developed by Robert Varissean in 1809. This model states that magic is an intrinsic force in nature and those with magical aptitude act as reservoir for this force. Each mage has clearly defined limits to the amount of magical potential they can store and casting magic depletes that until a mage can rest long enough to replenish.” A brief moment of silence stalled the lecture as Hayes flipped the page, allowing people to catch up with their notes. “A mage’s control acts like a faucet, increasing and decreasing their magic’s rate of flow as they draw on the stored energy. The Focus acts like a container, allowing the mage to transport it more efficiently and safely from themselves to their intended goal.”
“As encompassing as this model is, it fails to include two issues: Resonance and Dissonance. Mages use foci to more easily shape their magic and protect them from some of its inherently dangerous backlash. As a result, foci must be incredibly sturdy, made of hard metals, crystal, or wood generally, and must have emotional history with their mages. This will not only reduce the likelihood of a Dissonance state but will keep your focus from exploding in your hand. Magic, regardless of tier, likes emotional pathways so the greater the emotional, preferably positive, connection, the more responsive your magic will grow.” Hayes paused again before continuing.
“The most important reason for a focus is to avoid Dissonance. Dissonance is the friction between mage and magic when the direction the magic wants to go and the direction the mage makes it go are not the same. Since Secondary and Tertiary affinities develop a separation from their mage, this occurs almost always but the effects are negligible and magical backlash is absorbed by the focus. However, a Dissonance state is when that friction drastically spikes and the mage loses control of their magic as a result to horrendous effect.” Professor Hayes sighed at the thought. “Dissonance can result in almost anything occurring, ranging from physical injury to permanent transformation to death. The number one cause of Dissonance is failing to understand one’s own limits and attempting something far outside a mage’s capacity to control. The Limited Capacity Model has nothing for Dissonance because this state ignores the limits of the mage and taps directly into the magic in the immediate area, drawing on far more than what the mage could have ever achieved. During the Blood War, more than one mage weaponized this state against the lycan threat in order to save their homes.”
“On the other hand, Resonance is when magic and mage are in perfect harmony. Like Dissonance, this state allows mages to transcend their normal limits and draw directly on the magic in an area rather from only their own reserves. Primary and Primary-presenting affinities reach Resonance far more easily than any others and is the unfortunate reason why we know so much about it.” He snapped his book shut, tucking his hands behind his back. “Resonance brings two new challenges for mages: Addiction and Consumption. Limitless power is a dangerous thing in a mage, whose will directly affects reality as we interact with it, and mages find solace in that degree of power, escaping their feelings of helplessness in a spring of magical energy. However, exposure to that much magic forcefully expands a mage’s capacity for magic and this process is reflected in a mage’s body. Generally, the kidney disappears first, followed by the liver, and then bones as they dissipate into pure magical energy. Organs lost this way never regrow and magical attempts to stimulate growth fail while the body rejects transplants almost automatically. Resonance can be a powerful tool when used appropriately but often times, its risks fail to outweigh the benefits.” Professor Hayes glanced at his watch.
“Questions before we are dismissed?”
“Starting off with a million dollar question and a touch of the macabre.” Manuel laughed. “I’ll continue in just a moment on how magic works. Unfortunately, however, we are uncertain why vampires cannot use magic. Originally it was believed that because vampires technically died, no longer dependant on involuntary respiratory or circulatory functions, but the advent of the purebloods forced us to reconsider the idea. It was decided that organism works better because vampires are not considered living organisms like mortals since they have lost, or never had, much of the identifying biological requirements of an organism. Unfortunately, it is forbidden for vampiric nature to be studied so we are left with only untested hypotheses.”
“Absolutely. Earth contains ones such as Metal and Gravity, Water contains Poison and Torrent, Fire contains Lava and Combustion, and Air contains Cloud and Divination. As for difficulties,” Manuel sighed and rubbed at his chin thoughtfully. “There are too many difficulties with the Tertiary affinities to simply list solutions. I’d be here all day describing them but stay after class for a moment and we’ll discuss your situation in particular.”
“As the question about mage death, I believe it will mostly answer itself but we’ll revisit at the end just in case. In 1809, Richard Varrisean developed the Limited Capacity model, also known as the Varrisean model, and is the primary model among the magical function theories. Varrisean stated that magic exists in the natural world and all living organisms have the potential to connect with it but only some do. Those that do connect, or Awaken as we now call it, draw magical potential from around them and store a finite amount inside themselves. Once a mage has filled their reserves, the mage may expend this potential in the form of magic and thus the process begins anew.” The screens behind him flickered again and a flow chart popped up on screen, depicting the outline of a body holding a wand with arrows depicting the flow of magic. “A mage manages the faucet to these reserves with their control, allowing the appropriate amount of magic to be applied through the vessel that is the focus for safe and efficient handling.”
“As comprehensive as this model is however, it fails to describe three areas of spell casting. The first is relatively small, just the difference between Primaries casting verses Secondaries and Tertiaries. Primaries do not need a focus because of the close nature of their bonds where as Secondaries and Tertiaries suffer without them.” The screens behind him flickered and each held a different image: The first was a mage missing a hand, another a mage with welts and hives covering her face, the third was a boy with glowing veins, and the last was statue with empty eye sockets and mouth agape. “The other two issues, Dissonance and Resonance, are far more severe. Dissonance occurs when the mage and magic are at odds and the resulting friction generates enough magical backlash that it overwhelms the mage’s control. The images above me are only a few examples of Dissonance, the left two mild versions and the right two extreme versions. In those, everything but the man’s eyes were turned to stone and the boy’s blood was turned entirely into firefly luciferin and luciferase.”
“The Dissonance effect is what developed the standard rules for most foci. With Secondary and Tertiary affinities, there is always a small amount of negative feedback but it is negligible, the focus neutralizes the blow. However, Dissonance is a far larger feedback loop and usually destroys the focus in question. Secondary and Tertiary, and likewise presenting Conditionals, are all at risk for developing Dissonance but it isn’t incredibly common. In order for Dissonance to occur, the mage in question must either be attempting something without the necessary focus or have started something far outside their skill range.” Manuel smiled reassuringly at some of the pale faces in the lecture. “Like I said, Dissonance isn’t common. Focus guidelines have been developed since the discovery and classification of the effect to help prevent it. First, a focus should be made of a hard metal, wood, or crystal. Stone doesn’t particularly care for moving magic normally and fabric and soft metals, like gold, will break down beneath even the simplest spell. Second, a mage should have an emotional attachment to the focus. The emotional history will help the magic travel through and reduce the friction between mage and magic since the magic will recognize the mage in the material.”
“I see a few Primary affinities looking a bit relieved. It’s true. Dissonance has never occured with a Primary or Primary-presenting affinity. The mage and magic are practically one in these affinities, which is why they can cast without foci. These affinities suffer no feedback and so are safe handling their magic directly. But they are not without their dangers.” The images behind him changed, a video playing of a water mage pooling all of the rain from a storm above a forest with a bright smile and a laugh before she just vanished. All of the water came crashing down, flooding the forest and the video stopped. “Resonance is the opposite side of the coin and traditionally affects Primary and Primary-presenting affinities. During Resonance, the magic and its mage work in perfect tandem and trigger a chain reaction in which the magical energy is replaced as quickly as it is used, effectively removing the Limited Capacity model’s focal point. Mages under the effects of Resonance command the most raw power with none of the finesse we instill. Arguably, a mage can never be more power than themselves in Resonance but that much magical energy begins to degrade the physical form. Those addicted to the state, mostly Primaries but a few cases of Secondary and Tertiary affinities have been reported, find themselves disappearing; a kidney, a liver, entire bones, until finally, they cease to exist. Foci can help prevent this, adding a degree of separation between mage and magic, and so can maintaining control over your magic.”
“These are terrifying but as long as you focus on your mastery classes and maintain your focus, you will be able to avoid these disastrous ends. Have your questions been answered?” Manuel addressed the room and looked back up at Salem.
“Absolutely. Earth contains ones such as Metal and Gravity, Water contains Poison and Torrent, Fire contains Lava and Combustion, and Air contains Cloud and Divination. As for difficulties,” Manuel sighed and rubbed at his chin thoughtfully. “There are too many difficulties with the Tertiary affinities to simply list solutions. I’d be here all day describing them but stay after class for a moment and we’ll discuss your situation in particular.”
“As the question about mage death, I believe it will mostly answer itself but we’ll revisit at the end just in case. In 1809, Richard Varrisean developed the Limited Capacity model, also known as the Varrisean model, and is the primary model among the magical function theories. Varrisean stated that magic exists in the natural world and all living organisms have the potential to connect with it but only some do. Those that do connect, or Awaken as we now call it, draw magical potential from around them and store a finite amount inside themselves. Once a mage has filled their reserves, the mage may expend this potential in the form of magic and thus the process begins anew.” The screens behind him flickered again and a flow chart popped up on screen, depicting the outline of a body holding a wand with arrows depicting the flow of magic. “A mage manages the faucet to these reserves with their control, allowing the appropriate amount of magic to be applied through the vessel that is the focus for safe and efficient handling.”
“As comprehensive as this model is however, it fails to describe three areas of spell casting. The first is relatively small, just the difference between Primaries casting verses Secondaries and Tertiaries. Primaries do not need a focus because of the close nature of their bonds where as Secondaries and Tertiaries suffer without them.” The screens behind him flickered and each held a different image: The first was a mage missing a hand, another a mage with welts and hives covering her face, the third was a boy with glowing veins, and the last was statue with empty eye sockets and mouth agape. “The other two issues, Dissonance and Resonance, are far more severe. Dissonance occurs when the mage and magic are at odds and the resulting friction generates enough magical backlash that it overwhelms the mage’s control. The images above me are only a few examples of Dissonance, the left two mild versions and the right two extreme versions. In those, everything but the man’s eyes were turned to stone and the boy’s blood was turned entirely into firefly luciferin and luciferase.”
“The Dissonance effect is what developed the standard rules for most foci. With Secondary and Tertiary affinities, there is always a small amount of negative feedback but it is negligible, the focus neutralizes the blow. However, Dissonance is a far larger feedback loop and usually destroys the focus in question. Secondary and Tertiary, and likewise presenting Conditionals, are all at risk for developing Dissonance but it isn’t incredibly common. In order for Dissonance to occur, the mage in question must either be attempting something without the necessary focus or have started something far outside their skill range.” Manuel smiled reassuringly at some of the pale faces in the lecture. “Like I said, Dissonance isn’t common. Focus guidelines have been developed since the discovery and classification of the effect to help prevent it. First, a focus should be made of a hard metal, wood, or crystal. Stone doesn’t particularly care for moving magic normally and fabric and soft metals, like gold, will break down beneath even the simplest spell. Second, a mage should have an emotional attachment to the focus. The emotional history will help the magic travel through and reduce the friction between mage and magic since the magic will recognize the mage in the material.”
“I see a few Primary affinities looking a bit relieved. It’s true. Dissonance has never occured with a Primary or Primary-presenting affinity. The mage and magic are practically one in these affinities, which is why they can cast without foci. These affinities suffer no feedback and so are safe handling their magic directly. But they are not without their dangers.” The images behind him changed, a video playing of a water mage pooling all of the rain from a storm above a forest with a bright smile and a laugh before she just vanished. All of the water came crashing down, flooding the forest and the video stopped. “Resonance is the opposite side of the coin and traditionally affects Primary and Primary-presenting affinities. During Resonance, the magic and its mage work in perfect tandem and trigger a chain reaction in which the magical energy is replaced as quickly as it is used, effectively removing the Limited Capacity model’s focal point. Mages under the effects of Resonance command the most raw power with none of the finesse we instill. Arguably, a mage can never be more power than themselves in Resonance but that much magical energy begins to degrade the physical form. Those addicted to the state, mostly Primaries but a few cases of Secondary and Tertiary affinities have been reported, find themselves disappearing; a kidney, a liver, entire bones, until finally, they cease to exist. Foci can help prevent this, adding a degree of separation between mage and magic, and so can maintaining control over your magic.”
“These are terrifying but as long as you focus on your mastery classes and maintain your focus, you will be able to avoid these disastrous ends. Have your questions been answered?” Manuel addressed the room and looked back up at Salem.
Vampires
“Ah, youth.” Dame Patel chuckled at the pair’s interaction. She curtsied neatly to Amaris first, putting the actor’s question on the back burner for the time being. “To a degree, mortals will always resent their new masters if they grew up among other mortals. They often adjust poorly to sudden changes in their lifestyle and time should always be given for them to see we know best. Like a child who resents their parents when the parents take away the child’s favorite toy, mortals rail against our decisions for a while as they adjust. It falls to us to accept that with the grace and dignity our status grants us.”
“Particularly resilient mages may require hard limitations and a clear punishment and reward system for disregarding the aforementioned boundaries . This manner works best to cultivate dependance and instill manners in a mage who struggles to accept their new position. These limits, rewards, and punishments should be clear and well defined, sat down and discussed, and possible written by the mage so they have easy reference. This reduces confusion or misunderstandings which will lead to additional frustration in our pets and they already have plenty of stressors, no need to add more during this confusing time in their lives. Poor things.” Dame Patel sighed at the thought. “While using a rewards and punishment system, there are a few ways to introduce your mage to them. I always recommend using positive reinforcement rather than negative. Give treats, days off, and other things your pet enjoys, special foods or candies, but make sure they do not have access to those on the regular. If a mage has access to your treats without you, they lose their effectiveness very quickly. Some vampires find removing most of a mage’s previously expected independence, stripping them of their private quarters for example, and then rewarding them with these over time is an effective method. It is not my favorite but it has worked historically, serving as a reminder that their lives are in our capable hands now.”
“If this is a method you choose to employ, discuss it in detail. Tell them firmly but accept their feedback. Punishment severity should match the rewards they may earn but should also be fair and easily connected to the violation. In all of this, communication is key. Discuss why these will help, explain where you see the mage being after they successful complete their training. Mortals do not work well without clear, defined orders and expectations and they will more quickly learn to appreciate your efforts if they are aware of the results you are trying to achieve and feel like they have an active role in the proceedings. Dame Patel smiled sweetly as her mage, petting him gently as she spoke. “Remember, focus first on developing pride for an accomplishment over frustration at a failure.”
“And what a perfect time to transition! Our little ones are such social creatures, thriving better when they have a flock to frolic with. They come home with smiles and stories, and what warms the heart more than a happy pet at home? Dame Patel chuckled fondly. “Mages, with their talent for self destructive tendencies, must have their circles carefully curated and groomed before they are allowed to branch out on their own. It is important to surround you mage with individuals who will benefit your mage rather than benefit from them.
“While considering how to best allow our little ones to interact, we must first consider their temperment. An extroverted mage will find themselves doing best in regular group situations, finding energy and meaning in their place in a social hierarchy. These mages are often the worst at establishing long term, meaningful relationships and I highly recommend letting them start their own groups then culling their social circle, much like trimming unwanted branches and leaves off a growing tree.” Dame Patel clicked her tongue thoughtfully for a moment. “On the other hand, these mages may get wrapped up in the social situations and it will be important that you as their caretaker ensure they are resting appropriately, taking breaks before the poor darlings exhaust themselves or exhaust others.”
“Introverted mages are an entirely different breed, requiring precise time management. Introverted mages are often more work but in the end, generally shine more brilliantly when with those whose company they enjoy. It is imperative to remember that introverted mages are far more resistant to growing their social circles, easily succumbing to social exhaustion, but this is still a critical component to their mental well being. Do not let them seclude themselves away. No matter how they feel about it in the beginning, all mortals are social creatures and they will suffer if left without a flock.” She smiled at the room, starting to pace. “In either situation, communication and constant observation are critical to the successful social placement. Discussing potential friends and mates and observing those individuals will make deciding who to allow your pet to interact with a far easier task. Make sure to pay special attention to those your mage doesn’t mention―they always try to hide someone―because those may be the most destructive influences on your mage.”
“Actually, the mortals have a quaint analogy for extroversion and introversion. They liken these states to an battery―Albert was a dear and explained what a battery was―in which extroverts recharge during their socialization and expend additional energy while alone whereas the introvert is the exact opposite. It is important to learn the signs your pet exhibits and adjust their social times accordingly.”
“There are three major criteria you should consider while grooming your pet’s social circles. First, do they motivate and support your little one? These social circles are small support groups for your pet and it is imperative none of them are draining and belittling your mortal. Second, do they make your pet happy? If the individual makes your pet miserable, it will poison the entire group and effectively force you to remove your pet from it and start fresh. Finally, does your pet benefit their group? Mortals thrive when they are useful and needed and if your little one isn’t thriving, it may be they need to cultivate new skills to find their place in the flock once again.”
“Particularly resilient mages may require hard limitations and a clear punishment and reward system for disregarding the aforementioned boundaries . This manner works best to cultivate dependance and instill manners in a mage who struggles to accept their new position. These limits, rewards, and punishments should be clear and well defined, sat down and discussed, and possible written by the mage so they have easy reference. This reduces confusion or misunderstandings which will lead to additional frustration in our pets and they already have plenty of stressors, no need to add more during this confusing time in their lives. Poor things.” Dame Patel sighed at the thought. “While using a rewards and punishment system, there are a few ways to introduce your mage to them. I always recommend using positive reinforcement rather than negative. Give treats, days off, and other things your pet enjoys, special foods or candies, but make sure they do not have access to those on the regular. If a mage has access to your treats without you, they lose their effectiveness very quickly. Some vampires find removing most of a mage’s previously expected independence, stripping them of their private quarters for example, and then rewarding them with these over time is an effective method. It is not my favorite but it has worked historically, serving as a reminder that their lives are in our capable hands now.”
“If this is a method you choose to employ, discuss it in detail. Tell them firmly but accept their feedback. Punishment severity should match the rewards they may earn but should also be fair and easily connected to the violation. In all of this, communication is key. Discuss why these will help, explain where you see the mage being after they successful complete their training. Mortals do not work well without clear, defined orders and expectations and they will more quickly learn to appreciate your efforts if they are aware of the results you are trying to achieve and feel like they have an active role in the proceedings. Dame Patel smiled sweetly as her mage, petting him gently as she spoke. “Remember, focus first on developing pride for an accomplishment over frustration at a failure.”
“And what a perfect time to transition! Our little ones are such social creatures, thriving better when they have a flock to frolic with. They come home with smiles and stories, and what warms the heart more than a happy pet at home? Dame Patel chuckled fondly. “Mages, with their talent for self destructive tendencies, must have their circles carefully curated and groomed before they are allowed to branch out on their own. It is important to surround you mage with individuals who will benefit your mage rather than benefit from them.
“While considering how to best allow our little ones to interact, we must first consider their temperment. An extroverted mage will find themselves doing best in regular group situations, finding energy and meaning in their place in a social hierarchy. These mages are often the worst at establishing long term, meaningful relationships and I highly recommend letting them start their own groups then culling their social circle, much like trimming unwanted branches and leaves off a growing tree.” Dame Patel clicked her tongue thoughtfully for a moment. “On the other hand, these mages may get wrapped up in the social situations and it will be important that you as their caretaker ensure they are resting appropriately, taking breaks before the poor darlings exhaust themselves or exhaust others.”
“Introverted mages are an entirely different breed, requiring precise time management. Introverted mages are often more work but in the end, generally shine more brilliantly when with those whose company they enjoy. It is imperative to remember that introverted mages are far more resistant to growing their social circles, easily succumbing to social exhaustion, but this is still a critical component to their mental well being. Do not let them seclude themselves away. No matter how they feel about it in the beginning, all mortals are social creatures and they will suffer if left without a flock.” She smiled at the room, starting to pace. “In either situation, communication and constant observation are critical to the successful social placement. Discussing potential friends and mates and observing those individuals will make deciding who to allow your pet to interact with a far easier task. Make sure to pay special attention to those your mage doesn’t mention―they always try to hide someone―because those may be the most destructive influences on your mage.”
“Actually, the mortals have a quaint analogy for extroversion and introversion. They liken these states to an battery―Albert was a dear and explained what a battery was―in which extroverts recharge during their socialization and expend additional energy while alone whereas the introvert is the exact opposite. It is important to learn the signs your pet exhibits and adjust their social times accordingly.”
“There are three major criteria you should consider while grooming your pet’s social circles. First, do they motivate and support your little one? These social circles are small support groups for your pet and it is imperative none of them are draining and belittling your mortal. Second, do they make your pet happy? If the individual makes your pet miserable, it will poison the entire group and effectively force you to remove your pet from it and start fresh. Finally, does your pet benefit their group? Mortals thrive when they are useful and needed and if your little one isn’t thriving, it may be they need to cultivate new skills to find their place in the flock once again.”
“Wrong.” Ms. Talney moved wickedly quick and the metal met Jory’s hand in the blink of an eye. “If you will recall, your blood was completely drained from your body and your breathing stopped entirely. Clinically, you were dead and now you are not, thus undead by the definition of the word. However, you are correct partially. Although the cells are still technically functioning, vampiric cell mitosis and mortal cell mitosis are incredibly dissimilar. The true cause of aging is unknown; however, mortal genetic codes degreade and mutate as they divide, leading to flaws and failures that gradually become more and more visibly apparent. Vampiric mitosis is perfect, in that every part of the original cell is duplicated without failure. Because of this, a turned vampire’s body will always retain the same issues it had in mortal life. A poor healed broken nose from a mortal life? A vampire will always have it. A limp from a mortal life? A vampire will always have it. Missing limb from a mortal life? A vampire can never regenerate it.” The vampire moved back to the front of the room, writing on the board as she spoke.
“It is also different because vampires do not naturally generate scar tissue. For example, in mortal connective tissue, a tear results in scarring dependant on the severity of damage. The replaced collagen, the primary structural protein of connective tissue, suffers different structural patterns. Where the collagen in normal, undamaged connective tissue is a random basketweave, the new scar tissue’s collagen is cross linked and in a singular direction. Vampiric regeneration perfectly mimics that which was before, and while it can not fix scar tissue existing before the Embrace, it will never develop new scar tissue.” Ms. Tinley finished writing, turning back around and staring at Jory. “The short of it is no, you no longer have that luxury.”
“Ms. Tinley? If vampire cells die immediately, how do we know all this?” Hilda spoke up timidly, nervously adjusting the moon pin in her hair before slipping her hands under the desk. Ms. Tinley turned her attention to the girl and stopped next to the desk, staring at her for a few moments before turning away. The girl let out a shaky breath as quietly as she could, slipping her hand in her pants pocket and fiddling with something.
“That is the correct question. How do you study cellular activity in something that turns to dust the second it is removed and when it is mostly illegal to experiment on vampires predating the Treaty?” Ms. Tinley returned to the front of the class. “You are no longer mortals. You will be beset on all sides by bored, tired, and frustrated immortal beings looking for any advantage they may gain over their enemies or for a brief moment of amusement in a long, unbroken chain of boredom. The inherent trust and naivety must be abandoned and you must learn to always question where the information came from, always question how in came to be, and always question who is providing it and why.”
“In this instance, we know about vampiric regeneration because in 1233 a Houseless Lord committed hundreds of turnings in the name of science. He tortured and studied these new vampires as much as he could and turned them out into the sun once he was done with them. He provided a vast majority of the documentation and observations that would later be compared to mortal biology and develop a comprehensive look at vampiric biology. Experimentation on vampires of any age was strictly forbidden even before the Treaty formally established the law.” Tinley began pacing the room again, eyes sweeping over the class. “Thankfully, the five Noble Houses obliterated the Lord and his entire bloodline after consfisctating his work.” She glanced at the grandfather clock on the back wall.
“Final questions on vampiric regeneration?”
“It is also different because vampires do not naturally generate scar tissue. For example, in mortal connective tissue, a tear results in scarring dependant on the severity of damage. The replaced collagen, the primary structural protein of connective tissue, suffers different structural patterns. Where the collagen in normal, undamaged connective tissue is a random basketweave, the new scar tissue’s collagen is cross linked and in a singular direction. Vampiric regeneration perfectly mimics that which was before, and while it can not fix scar tissue existing before the Embrace, it will never develop new scar tissue.” Ms. Tinley finished writing, turning back around and staring at Jory. “The short of it is no, you no longer have that luxury.”
“Ms. Tinley? If vampire cells die immediately, how do we know all this?” Hilda spoke up timidly, nervously adjusting the moon pin in her hair before slipping her hands under the desk. Ms. Tinley turned her attention to the girl and stopped next to the desk, staring at her for a few moments before turning away. The girl let out a shaky breath as quietly as she could, slipping her hand in her pants pocket and fiddling with something.
“That is the correct question. How do you study cellular activity in something that turns to dust the second it is removed and when it is mostly illegal to experiment on vampires predating the Treaty?” Ms. Tinley returned to the front of the class. “You are no longer mortals. You will be beset on all sides by bored, tired, and frustrated immortal beings looking for any advantage they may gain over their enemies or for a brief moment of amusement in a long, unbroken chain of boredom. The inherent trust and naivety must be abandoned and you must learn to always question where the information came from, always question how in came to be, and always question who is providing it and why.”
“In this instance, we know about vampiric regeneration because in 1233 a Houseless Lord committed hundreds of turnings in the name of science. He tortured and studied these new vampires as much as he could and turned them out into the sun once he was done with them. He provided a vast majority of the documentation and observations that would later be compared to mortal biology and develop a comprehensive look at vampiric biology. Experimentation on vampires of any age was strictly forbidden even before the Treaty formally established the law.” Tinley began pacing the room again, eyes sweeping over the class. “Thankfully, the five Noble Houses obliterated the Lord and his entire bloodline after consfisctating his work.” She glanced at the grandfather clock on the back wall.
“Final questions on vampiric regeneration?”
OP
Ơ͙̳̥͙̪̮͇͇̮̙̭̭̘̖̫͖̠͍͈͗̓ͨͦ͗͑ͨͣ̅͢ṉ̴̡̲̟̖̖̔̒͆ͧ̀ͭl̸̨͖̯͔͙͉̭̩̯̰̘̮̠̬̹̖̲ͮͧ͑ͯ͌ͭ͆y̡ͣ͑̐ͧ͒͆ͮͭͩͧ͋̌ͩ̅̾ͧͥ̍́҉̛̣̯̻̱͇̞̼̥̘̻̻̯̣̤̟͍͎̕͠ ̡̧͇̬̤͉̫̩̳̬̥̰̥̺̽ͫ͐ͨͥ͂ͬ̌͊̓̀o̴̴̪̘͚̳̥ͤ̿́̕͘n̷̝̘̪̻̘̥͓̘̩̱̰͍̥̞͈͉̳͔͒ͥ̽̈́ͅ ̧̢̣͖̦͍͇̯͇̯̱̩̟̫͙͙̥͙̖̰̃͂̌̾̀̾̃̌ͮ͌̿t̴̶̛̘̞̙̠̳̖͇̪̟̥̭̠͉̏ͨͥ̐̿ͫ̽̂͑͌̍͂̾ͮ̈̀ḩ̵̛̫̞̣̣̠̯̙̙͈͈ͯ̃ͤ̍͋̓̀ͭ͂̉̇̓́̄̌̓ͧ͊̚͠ę̸̍͊͆ͧ͐̃ͨͥͭ̏̑ͤ̏̀͑͑̅̂ͩ͜҉͍͚̘̪ ̴̶͓̠̳̞̣̙̬͍́ͨ̐̑ͩͯ̔̒͒͘W͈͚̳̪̫̤̱͖͓̣̦͎̹̘̲̫̍̊̾͗͋̋͊̀̾ͭ͂͞ͅi̽͊ͨ͒ͯ͋ͩͤ̔̒͛̓̒҉̢͓͕̹̠̱n̵̸̨̡͖͉̤͙̰̺̠̳͍̠̻͗ͦ̇͂͑̀̈́̊ͩ͂ͪ̊ͯ͞dͯͤͧ͊ͭ̎҉҉̴̴̰͖̩̯͈̫̭̯̭̘̩ͅͅs͑̄̄̉̎ͨ͂͛̿̑͐̂ͨ̉ͭ̚̚҉̪̺͕̱̤̘͚̱̣̹͚ ̸̢̣̥̬̠̺͖̙ͯͪ̒̂̀̓̍͐̉ͩ̎͋̐͗͜ͅͅö̙̱̪̟̣͎̮̜͚͉̞̜̦́̂ͮ̊ͣ̂͛ͧ̓ͮ̍͒͡f̨̳̝̲̫͈̲̦̻͕̣͙̟̣͙̉̋̆ͬ̽ͫ̾ͣ͛̋͐̍̎ͫ͆͂̅ͧ́͘͝͞ ̶̧̛̥̖̟̱̣̘̼̠̙͍̦͔̰͌͂̊ͧ̾̈́ͭͮ͝Ḍ̡̯͎̻̦̮̳̤̘̦͇̀̒́ͪͥͫ͌ͭ̾̾̈́̈́͛̎́̐̈͠͝ị̶̧̡͎͔͇͓̠̦̲̗̳͈̻̼͖̻̊ͮͭ̾̉ͧ̇̔ͯ͂̀ͫ̌̈̃̇͋̀̚͜v̨̢͎͍̙̻͈̰̼̤̫͗̐̌ͨͭ̃͂̕͡ȋ̷͙̞̘̖̹̥̦̙͇̜̪̈́ͪ͂̋ͫ̏͛̾ͣ̌̆̊ͧ̇̾͜͝ṋ̨̟̬̲͇̙̙̺̣̼͇͑́͂ͭ̃́̉̕͜i̵̧̡̝̳̪͚̠̘̠̜̜͈͔̬̥̼ͬ̑̔̋̑̓͒̾ͤ͑̆ͪ͆t̤̬͖̩̫̫͕̳ͬ̑̾ͤ͐ͨ̂̇ͦ̀̚̚͡ͅy̵̵̥̜͖̮͙̘̗̱̠̝̣ͪ́̈́̅͐́͡ ̶̦͉̖̭̈́̊ͣ̅ͥ͆̈́̉͂ͭͮ̊̕͞
̢̛̯̮͈̖̫̩̻͈̩͍͖͌̽͐ͬ́̂ͤͭͦ̾̃ͤͮͤ̏ͤ̿̓́͜͢
̡̪̜̖͚̜̺̭̲͓̖̙̲̺̻̬̳̳̳̎ͤ̌̏ͨ̾́ͨ̈́̈ͦ͛̍͌̍̔́͞C̸̶͚̭̹̮̲͇̬͕̮̮̠̟͋̈́̽̋́͐̑̔ͨͭ́̽́́͠a̴̴̷͍͙̥̥̤͉͎͙ͮ̾̒ͩ̐͐ͤ̔̾͐̒̎ͥ̈͟n̴̤̬̩̗͎͓͎̰̘̺̬̻̆ͯ̽͆ͯͫ̍͑̄̈́̎ͯ̽̒ͮ́͡ͅ ̷̰̠͚̲͖͖̮͕̥̅͊̈ͧ̂̉͗ͯ̽͗̀͠͞o̿̔̒̑ͭ͋͡҉̯̗̖͍͕̭͜n͊͛ͭ͑̂̆̍ͬ̾͗͒͞͞͡҉̞̼͇̝̗̰̟̱̩e̶̢̬̜̤̠̖̯̻̥͙͂̾ͪͨ̔̍̌̌ͧ͛̕͟͝ ̶̧̡̔ͪ̋͗̽ͪ͑̆͐ͤ̀҉͉͍̼͚̟̠̘̗̳r̷̡ͥ̊ͪ̃͛̓̾͊͒ͨͩ͋̎͑͂̉͡͏̧̟̠̞͓͖͕̥̞̪eͧ͌͊ͥ̂̍́͘҉̡̞̦͖̜̤͉̺͇ͅa̳̦͔͚̘͕̞͔̣̖̫̤͎͐͌̓́͒̾̑̌͊ͭ̇̔̎͆̀̚̚͟c̥̫̘̟̹͉͙͙͍͓̳͕̘͍͕̪͉̀̌̄ͩ̆͌ͦͬ̋̐̄̿̐ͩͯ͛ͩ̚͘h̴̶̛͎͍̭͖̘͙̬̒ͤͫ̅̇̉ͦ̓ͦ̇͂͆ͦͧ̇͐̌̕ ̷ͬ̍̏ͣ̾͒ͧ҉̸҉̯̖̭͈̞͕̦̲͎͎̺̪̫̞̠̬͡ͅt̼̜̬̱͚̩͕͕̠̻ͫͧ̈ͧͨ̈́͑͋̾̓͊ͯ̂̉̒͋ͧ͌͜͠ͅh̴̶̗͖͈̯̤͎̩̞̗͕̭̤̥͎ͪ͊͐͆ͨͬͨ̽̔ͨ̌͐̕e̢̧̢̺̹͓̞̐̆̍́ͣ̄̽ͮͫ͐̋̄ͪ̓̄͌̉́͟ ̷̹̞̮͕̰̟̤̬͑̿ͭ͑̌͗͛̌ͪ̌͛͂̌̌͂͛̈͑̀͟͜S̺͈̗͔̤̼̙͍̐͐̎͛̇̚͘͠͝k̪̦̺̻̰̯̍̓̓ͪ̔ͧͪ̓͒̇ͥ͒̌́ý̢̡̻̘̹̼̻̥̥̜̬͉͈͍̬̼̮͙̣͕̅̾̈́̀͘͜
̰̮̺̜̖̙̺̮̊̒́̽̂ͮ̽͋̒ͪ̃ͬ̎̒ͭ̀͘
̸̢̢̫̞̞̻̬̼̞̋̒͗̇͌ͥ̿̀W̧͔̜͎̗̘͓̒̌ͣ͒ͣ̽͋̑ͣͥͪ̓ͬ͆̆́̀iͭ̍ͣͣ̿̋͆͒̓̆̃ͨͭͭͮ̄ͣ͗ͣ͟͝҉͚̻͈̙̼̜̠ẗ̷̴͙̟͚͙̯̹͚͔͕̟̘̱̜̙̦̘̦͒ͪ̓h̨͚̹̘̜͚̦̦͙̞ͨ̉̓̄̾͒̆̋͛ͦ̀͞͝ ̢͍̳̮͇̦͍̱̥̼͇̖̯̜̞̰͋ͪ̉̿ͧͭ͗̃̾̋̃͗̊͐́̐͊́͠͝͠ͅs̖͓͔͚̟͉͕̩͉̦̣͙͖̠̻ͫͣ͛̈́ͨ͆̃̿ͯ̈́̏͒̈́͢͞u̽ͧ̽̒̎̉̒͒ͩͧ̊͗ͩ͏̪̲̖͎̥̜̳̞̩͠c̢̯̞̘̹̣ͤ̓ͤͦ̈́̐́ͣ̉ͦ͌ͫ̊̀͆̅̆͂͢͞͝h̵̢̥͉͇̺̩͔̩̭͉̘̥̙̹̮͍ͭ̍͌́͑̂͗̅ͬ̐̅̍ͦͧͯ̑ͩ͌͘͟ ̡͙͚̗͇͖̤͕̙̲̟̥͗́̽ͩ͆͝Ş̷͇̗̙̮ͫ͊ͮ̑į̸̜̜̳̌̔̑ͤ̉̾̊̋ͩͨ̊̒͂n̴̷̘͖͕̜̐ͤ̃̆̽͑ͫ̿͒ͬ̔̉ͮ̅͊ͦ̀͟͝ ̸͔̲̖̙͕̠͉̙͖̻̳͎̱͎̻̰̯̑́̐ͫͤͤ̓̀͢͢t̡͙̦͙̘̼̲̣͕̗̲̬̪̭̩̎͆̆͒͗̈́̇̈́ͨ̓͊̎ͪ̃̊̄̑͜͝͡o̷ͦͯ͗̈́̓̈́̓ͭ̀̂̕͏͙̗̳̩̳̫̟͈͕̦̠͠ͅ ̨̻̫̹͚͉̮̘̭̜͈͍̳̯̱̟̟͋̾͆ͮ̒ͣ̄ͥ̅̉̾͌ͥͩ̉͆̓̄ͩ̀͢b̸̬̤͓̘̼̹̼͕̻̐̅̄̏̉ͯͥ͂̂̒̒̈́́ͦ̅͋͝ͅu̎͂̿́ͧͦ̍ͭ̀̑̔̎̀̕͟҉͚͇̹̠̟̹̖͙̠̭̣̞ŗ̥͚̺̮̊ͣ̊̐̿̓ͪ̒̅̒̕͢d̶̖̯̼̞̟̝̞̰̥̱͛̇͗͛͛̑ͪ̋͂ͪ̆̊̽̄̀ͣ̽ͦͭe̸̷͕̖̯̥̪̫̺̻̮̯̫̥̬̼̬̺̹̟͙͒̈͐̊͊̆͗̈̆ͯ̋͑͟n̨̧̡̡͖̲̻͓̹̭̱͇̥̤̙̹͎̹̘̪̔ͤ̑̉̄͆͌ͥ͌ ̡̥̬̬̼̜̘̜̳̲͎͓̗̮͒̿ͤ͑̅̉̈́̓ͪ̿̄ͨ̌͑ͥ͗̑͗͢͟ͅy̷̧̯͉̓̀ͥ̌͌̿͡ͅǫͧ͆͛͊́͐̃̀͜͡͏̼̗̰̲͓̺̠̻͕̱̜̪̠̱̺ͅu̡̡ͪ̅͐́ͧ̂̂ͣ̋ͮ̂̿͜҉͈͔̦͉̣͕̫̪̜̹̳̱͖͎̝̯̪ͅŕ̷̨̘̬̗͈̜̟̬̙̺͔͖͕̈́͛̄͋ͣͧ͊͋͛͐͌̈́͒̽͘͟͟ ̵̨̺͔͎̰̮̮̮̱͉̗̳̈̇̄ͯ͊̽̄̓̾͐̂͊̐ͪ̚͝͞͞f̨͙̭̠̣̻͍͚̦̭̗̭̩̃̈̃̈́̌͆ͩͦ̾͛ͦ̔ͦ̂͒͜ͅͅe̢̨̡̳̣̪͓̘̺͓͔͊̎̃̆́͢é̡̹̱̮̫̳̣̟̖̝ͪ̀̂̀ͦ́͟͟ț̤̱̬̗̱̫̝̹̺͆ͧ͑̓̍͋̂͑͐̕͠ͅ
̨̤̹̩̤̹̬̥̬̙̭͓̫͕̠͔̩̤̝̿̎͗̋͆ͮͣ͋̾͋̉̿͑̍̚̕
͖̖̘̞͓͚̪̜͉̜̻̬̺̺̩̱̻̼̥̇̃̅͐͐̈́̍͗̍̉̋̈́̀̅̆̏ͧ̕͟H͚͕̖̪͚̣͉̬͙̬̯̺͎͉͂ͤ̋̿̓̒ͯ͛͒̕͠ǫ̛̠̰̭̱͔̖̼̱͇̭̹̹̥̬͎͈͗ͧ̑̂̎̇̃̒̂ͮͭ̌͛ͅͅw̡̲̩̣̙̼̟̥͔̣̖͙͚̑ͥͩ͢ͅ ̉̋̀̌ͪ͐͏̙͈̺̀w̷̵͈̼̼̥̩̫̠̯̙̯̤̙͉͖͚̼̣̳̦̒̉̈́̄̊͌̃͐ͪ̄͂ͤͥ́͊ͯͯͩ̔͟i̶͉̯̹ͨ̐̐ͬ́́͢ͅl̞̟̳̟͖͎͕̰͙͕̺̙̝̖̑̐̃̎ͩ͂͋ͧ̋̔̈ͩ͜͡͠l̵̸̹͓͓̼̝͉͖̟̮̟͈̤̗͖̗̞ͥ͑͌ͤ̎ͥ̑̋ͬ̈̾͋̋̐̚͠͡ͅͅͅ ̢̢͍̼̼̞͉̬͍̜͚̜̬̳̝̭̳̣͓͆̆ͨ̑ͦ̚y̡ͣ͒̽̄ͩ̉͒͊̂̿̒ͪͬ҉̵̵̤̺͓͓͎͉̭̬̣͎̝̱͕̤̟̟̗̖̘͟ȏ̷̧̡͍͎̤̺̟̞̺̳̺̹̠͓̠̆͒͒̐ͧͭ̆ͩ͗ͥ͟û̷͙̟͉̙̠̭̮̖̺͚̘͕̜͕̗̯ͦͪ͋͗̒̆ͭ̒ ̨̹̩̣͓̻̗̭̻̟͕̣̭̎ͨ͒̔͆̿͝ͅĕ̵̵̗̟͈̼͇̹̳̼͖̹͈̤̳̭̭̞̱͐͛͒̈́̌ͩ̈́ͅv̵̥̙̤͙͕̹̤̘̗̫̘̞̞̯ͬͩ̓̂̅͢e̙̫̠͓̹̠͍̩̳̜̹̞ͬ̈̾͆̉͂ͭ̂̂̿͘͝r̴̢ͯ̈́ͫͥͭ̀ͩ͢͏͉̲̠͉̦͈̟̝̳̦̬ ̶̢͕̫̳ͮ͛͌̊͆̽̽͛͆̀ͧͦͪ̐̉̃͌̽̕͝͡ͅs̩̺̞͕͕̹ͣͩ͂̈ͧͯ̊ͮ̌͐̊ͧͥ́̀͡͠͠ů̋̉ͭ̆̑̂ͭͪ̏̚͟͏̕͏̜̦̜͚̤̲͔͍͇̺̩͎͍͇͖̣c̵̭̙̭͇̖͕̞̪̦̪͖̣̠͔ͦͫ̀̊ͭ͗ͬ̍̓̉̏̆̈̇͂̓͌̚̕̕̕͡c̛̟̮̼͕̲̮͈͙͇̭̩͙̳̱̪͎͋̌̓͊͛̋̈̒ͣ̀̃̉̿͒ḙ̢̢̯͓̹̖͑͂͒̒̎̔̐ͬ̓͊̾͋̃̋͟e̬͕̗͎̦̣̻͕̘̙̲̼̼̯̝̘͐̈̄̌̉ͧͩ̓̍̚̕͞ͅd̴̃ͦ̑ͨ͆҉͖̙̮̹͍͓͓̙̜̻̭̫̤ͅͅ
Ả̴̠̱̼̖̖̥̠̱̩̩̹̮͔͔͔̿ͨͦͬ̂̉ͧͪ̓͢͠ͅn̶̗̱̯̞̺̠̺̩̲̺͚̱͈̳̙̫̒͑͂͊͐͛̐̍̈́ͯ̋ͣͫ͌ͧͭ͗͞d̂̿̍ͮ̂͐ͣͩ̐͏̵̧͓̲͖̝̝͘ͅ ̸̢̲̯̦͖͇̠͕̱͓̿ͦ̓̌̈́ͩ͌ͥ̽ͫ͒̊̑̉ͅw̡̖̲̬͉ͥ̓ͮͨ͂̈́͗́͛ͪ́h̴̡̨̡̦̦̥͎̩̖͓̩̟̳͕̘̭͍͖̙̫ͭ͂ͩ̓ͩ̃̑̀ͣe̢̨̤̩̠̳̞̥͓̳̬̯͉̞̥̲ͭ́̇͛̀ͩ̇ͥ̓̒͛́̕ͅn̛͂ͧͥ̊͊ͣ͋͐̑͊҉̩̹̠̠̼͈̘̰ ̷̍̈́̊̾̓ͪ͏̶̱̥͎͠͡ţ̵̮̝̥͍̝̤̬̰͍̪̊ͦ͒͐ͦͤ̇ͥ̎ͣ͆ͯ͑͟ͅh̷̢́̇ͧ̐͏͎̱̦̙̟̖̺͠ͅe̵̴̤̺͍͎̝͇̠̱ͭ͛ͣͩ̊̎͐̉̍̆̚ ̵̨̛͓͖̻̤̖̩̰̬̦̱̱̭̭̄̅͑̀̆̉ͬͧ͐͊̌̚̕͡ͅS̙̜̫̖̭̫̲̳̮̉͆̔̑ͪͬͪ̄̌͂ͤ̈ͧ̇̈̔͛͂͜ͅͅk̂̓̽́̏̂̈́ͪ̈́̑̏҉҉̴̲͓̜̟̤̀͡ͅy̶̧̤̝̭͍̣ͩ̽̿̀͗̃͆̇ͭͦ̃͘͘ ̧̼̼̻̫̳̠͔͓̞̰̔ͧ̎ͦͦ̾͊͋ͭ̊̔̄͆͆̚̚̕͜ͅc̪̭͔͎̗̤̞̣̰͉̤͑̂̊̃͊͑̎̋͋̿͋ͩ̓ͥ͂ͤ̋ͬ͢͠͞r̵̪͕̮̞̲͓͔̠͈̘̈̾͒̿ͬ͊͋̈͗̆ͪ̓̕͜ͅã̴̵̫̼̪̰̭̂ͯ̓ͧ͆ͅs̓̌ͣ͑̈ͣ̋͌̿͋̽̓ͨ̀ͧͥ̌͌̚͘͏͏̙̠͓̭̺̦̭͎̮̜̘̝̤͙͓h̴̸̨͈̳̝͙̙̝ͯ̒̇̄̍̀̈̾̅̆̊ͯ͘e̙̠̝͓͔͇͇̰̦̗̒͛ͦ̀̚͢͠sͥ̇̊͛ͤ͋̀͟҉̭̤̝̬̫͖̦̰̰͍̠ͅ ̛̟͇̱͎̘̲͔̼̹͍͉̲̠̹ͮ̈̈ͥ͊͑ͩͨ́ȁ̷̶̗͙̮̯͇̗̒̓ͫ̏̃̚͝r̷̨̛̰̰̼͔͖̟̬̖͎͙̖̭͕̦̱̫ͩ̽̑ͮ̇ͤͧ̊ͣͯͨͭ̀̈́͗̽͌̌͒͜͟ͅo̸̵̴͈̗̣̹̘͚̖̳͋̅͆ͧ͌ͤͮͩ͒͐͌̓͊̀͝ų̸̧̲̦́͆ͪ̀͑͗̾͌͐͂ͧ̃ͦͨ̂̕ͅn̞̦̣̐̄̅̿ͤ͂̇̿̀ḓ͕̖͍̓ͩͩ̅̿̓̓ͥ͐̒́̕ͅͅ ͩͩ̎ͨ̆ͮͧ̐̈́͂̒ͮ͒ͮ̓̎ͤ̍͏̴̸̗͍̩̬̺̗̺̭̜̗͖͈̺͝ͅͅy̧̧̼͇̝̮͚̣̺͓̒ͥ̌̍ͭͪ̏̃̈́ͦ̽̍̈́ͧ̂̑̚͟͞o͙͇̠̹͕͍̝͍̜͔͔͂̃̂͗̂ͨͩͪ͋́̚͜ͅͅu͑̈́ͫ̅͗́͊ͩͧͧ̆̿ͭ̋ͭ̈͋̽҉̴̢͓̘̥͚̫̳̘̩͙̘̜͉͖̳̞̙̹̯͡ͅ
̵͓̤̭̳͎̦͒̉ͮͫ͘
͔̺̘̰̫̖̝̲̦ͩ̑̍ͬͬ̀̇̃͆̍̿̕B̲̗̩̦̱̼͖̩͈̻͍̭̺̼̘̱̬̥́͂̾̌͝͝͠uͫ͐̑̐̾́̃͏̴̦̦͍̭̼̹͈͎̩͎̳͢͢r̵̡̧̪̞̭̝̘̻͙̙͖̖ͦ̔̄̈́̋̊ͫ̑̑̽̊̅̊̓̊̓̔̒̐́͡nͦ̆̏͗̇ͤ̿̈͗͂̇ͭ̅͒͐̒̕͏̖̜̬̯̜̼̖͘̕i̢̯̞̤̮ͣͦ̿͌̀̽̈́ͨ̇̔̒ͩ͐̀͜n̴̢̺̘͉̫͂͑͌ͪ́̕͟g̴̗̦̹͍̥̗͉̯̝̗͉̝̥̺ͧ̔͆͊͐̔ͭ̒̓̇͋̈́̌ͥ͟ͅ ̤͚̤̬͍̣̙̹̘̝̙̥͔̞̱̰͙̗̘ͬ̉ͣ͑̄̓̓ͧ̏̒̆̉̌̚̕͜͝a̢ͭ̊ͫ̓̔͆҉̗̣͎̖̪̩͎̙͙͚͍̼͘͢ͅṡ̴̷̛̙͓͈̝̭̬̜͓̜͍̮̳̞͕̰̪͕͖̂͊ͩ̄̀̚ͅ ̢͔̞̮͈̭̰̻̞̹͉͉̈̎ͥ̄̾ͯͪͯͫ͑̒ͥͪ͢i̺̻̠̬̬̭̪͓͓̲̙̪̮̩̯͍̒̋̐ͧͭ̀̉̓̕͢͝͡t̓̐͑ͭͨͩ͝͏̠̣͚̤̣̺̙͓̫̝͓̼͕͝ ͉̠̭̬̭ͥ̾͛̀̕S̶̹͚̺̣͉͈̪͙̼͙̟̯̞̎͒̇̅ͩͨͣͨ͐͒ͫ͆w̴̡͙̖̻̘̪̯͓̥̖̝̝͈̏̈́͌͊͒ͤ͠͝a̸̶̷̮̙̠̳̱̖̼͇̭̲͎̻̪͕̿̃ͣ͒̊̚͟͞l̍͛͌̅ͨ͋͏̢͏͉͖̺̮̮̮̯̞͈ͅl̷̸̵͇̤̞͍͕͇̳̼̣̫̳͓ͧ͆̓ͥ̈͊ͦ̀̎ͨ̉ͣ̚̚͢o̠͚̺̪̣̤͚̱͚̲̰̘͇̻̝̜̺ͦ̇́ͯ̿͑͛͒̓͗ͯ̂̉̇͠͞͝w̶̧̛̳͓̻̯͍͈̱͕̖̭̲̰̓͊ͪͪͣ̂͗͊̽ͥ́ͧ̑ͯͭ̚͘s̵̨̱͎͓̝̻̭͕̜̘ͯ͐ͦ̾̌ͩ̐ͥ͜ ͮ̌ͨͫ͌͗̄̿͐͗̆ͫ̂ͯ͊̇̔͆͏̡̟̥̜̙͇̣̦͓͖̙̺̗̳͙͖͖̟͟
̢͕̮̼̖̳ͩ̽ͤͫ̓̋ͯ̑ͬ̔͆ͩͥͬ̈̍̚
̛̼̣͎̻̖̦̫͇̋ͫͮͪ̽͋̇̓̃͢͝͝W̛̦̥̪̜̔͌ͬ̿̍͗̎͒̋ͮ̓̎̔́ĥ̨̳̬̣̞̜̦̬̐̊̆̈́͆ͣ̓̈́ͭ̀̀ͩͯ̿͐͗̚͢è̴̸̫͉̳͕̲̮͖̗̱̜̭ͩ̂͐̉ͩ̈̈̊͊͑̀̍ŗ̶̡̠̩͎͕̹̻̙̹̤̪̳͍͂ͤͦ̈ͯ̆ͪę̴̨̧̲̣͖̰̗̭̭͔͇ͫ̓̔ͥ͊͛͆̓̇ͮ̐̍̚̚͝ ̴̸̶̛̜͇̜̟͖̣̱͕̤͎̝̀̐̃̿ͩ̓ͫ̓̔ͫͪͬ̋̄̓ͫ̅ͦ͢s̡̛̩̪̭̄͂̈͑̉̽ͨ͝͡h̵̢̨̰̦̰͔̠͈̫̟̯͓̳̪̰̤̠͎̞̽̂̆̈́̍ͬ̄̅̍̒͡a̷̓̐̉̉̋̾̓̆ͮ͗̉ͨͩ̄͑͊҉͘҉̴̰̹̝̥̘̮̙̗̘͚̫̤̻̫̪͙l̶̥̠̯̺͓̙̤͚͖͍ͫͥ̍͌ͩͮ͂ͨͧ͌́̚͝͡ͅͅl̷̤͉̫̗̻̳̉ͧͫ̑͆ͮͥͬ́ ̢̧̛͊̽ͧ̽̏̿̂̒̔ͪ͑ͬ͘͏̘͈͔̬̞̭̹̺̳̭̝̗̯͓̩ͅy̷̴̨̺̘̲͍̜̦̼͕̠̮͔̗̭̎̃ͩͧ̇̈͛̆ͭ̔͂ͨͮ͐̽̀̚ͅo̙͍̰͕͚̝̮͕̰̭̟͎̹̝͎̯̯ͣ̾ͧͩ͊͆͛̈́ͣ͘͜͠ȗ̶̱̻͚̟̲̦̪ͯ͛ͦ̇̋̀͜͢ ̛̳̝̪̪̱̩̭͖̹̳̈͐̏̿̍̓ͣ͛̽͆̆̊̀f̴̧̝̙̖̮̘̣̟ͭͭ́͐͛̈̓̋̇̀ͮ́͠a̙̭̭̹̺̠͎͖͚ͯͫ̿̅̂̕͞͝l̵̛̩̟̱̰̲̳̳͉̉ͦ͋ͣ́͘ͅl̛̐͆͂̅̓̓̓͛̅̆̈́ͭͨ̑͂ͪ̈́̍͂͢͝͏͖̭͙̘̙͠
̷̶̡̞̞̻͙͕̅ͦͬ
̛̲̞̫̤̺̫̝̞̮̤͙̣̠̺̪̝͚͗ͩͥͤ̈̈́ͧͯ̿̄̇ͬ̚B̎̔̍͊ͯ͆́́̚͢͏͔̫̮͓ų̐̑ͦͩ̓ͩͭͨ̀͏͙̲̹͖̱̟̦̗͚͞͡ţ̫͖̳̦͖̣̥̯͂ͣ̉̆̆̍ͨ̈́͋̐͛̎͌ͩͮ̿̎͂̚̕ ̮̠̤̳͕͓̺͙̹͕̪̰͓͙̯̄̅̿̅ͬͧ̀͢t̶͕̺͚̺̦̜̎́ͭ̓ͯͯ͜͠͡o̴̡̜̬̘͍͖̖̻͓͇̹̯̞̅̌ͥ̿ͪͮ͞ ̴̢̂ͪ͒̾ͦ͑͑̓̃ͤ̎͞҉̴̳̩͉͉̹̹̘̜̝̙ť̶̸̝̠̟̯̦̼̽ͫ̔͌̌h̛͉̺͍̖̞͕͙̜͙͍͇̘͂ͯ̓̂͂̌͟͝a̷̛̜̤͙͔̹͉̪̘̝͔̾͌͂̒͗ͩ͘̕ͅt̷̨̡̰̘̞̘͖̙̂̎̄ͮ̅́͞ ̢̈ͪ͑ͤ͊̌̎ͩ̈́̑ͧͫͤ̇҉̪͈̪̤̯͈̟ͅͅs̶̷̶̡̯̘̭͓̱̜̗͉̻̒̊̈ͫ͂ͪ̊̍ͦͪͧͥ͂̀̈́̉̀a̛͎͕̮̲͈̼̜͋͆̊ͯ̉͊̃ͪ͑̽ͫ͐̄ͭ͑̃́͢ͅṃ̨̩̭̮͎̺͙̗̼͇̪̪̈́ͮ̇̅ͩ͆̂ͩ̉ͮ̏͒ͤ̀͠ě̋́̽̉̎ͨ̔̃̃͋͑ͧ͂͒̆̉͜҉̣̯̞̩͚͈̩̙̼̠̙̻̘͢ ̡̯̬͙̫̘̜̹̱̙̝̱̜͍̯̤ͯͯ̑ͣ̑̌̌̉̈̂̋̉ͭ͂́̾̔̅ͬ͘͢͝͡Ŝͤͫ̚͏̶̧̠͔̲̟̰̪̗̲̣̣͙̩̟͚͕̤̳͝i̶̵̵̜̗̙͇̬̙̳͍̺̖̪̹ͩ̀ͬ͗͊͋͊̋̎n̸̷̨̦̟̼̺̝͔̩̥̭̫̞͍͔̬͂̒ͪ͒̽̄̂͆̒̐̽̾͗ͅ ̴̧̨̰͉͈͉͕̻̠̥͓͖̪͔̣̹̯̻͚ͭ̿͂̈́̊ͯͨ͐̉͋ͧ͗͟ȳ̸̫̝̘͇͔̪͔̤͋ͣͭ͛̈́̒̀͛͊͌̒̉͑̃̋̇̓͑̀͘o̵̲̖̝̔̃͐̋̈̓ͧ̏̂͊͊͘ͅͅu̵̵̢̞̙̯̙͔͖͚͙͒̈́̂̓͐̒ͨ̅̍ ̡̟̳͚̭̮͍͔̳̱̭̗̜̼̯͔͍ͧ̀̒ͩ͆ͩͦ̉ͫ̑̋ͩͧͨ̔͒ͦ́ơ̵̧̝̤̘͔͓̲̣̪͚͍̟̘̳͚̔̇̃ͯͨ̊̋ͪ͑̄̉ͥ͆ͧͦ̿ͧ̀͞n͕̖̬̩͕̱̫͑̄ͣ̌̓̋͋̈ͬͬ̓͐̑ͭ͂̔͝c̴̸̴̦̬̙̫̫̖̲͈͕̖̥̼͌̽ͭͭ͝ͅe̴̸̲͇͙͔̦̼̺̯̼̝̗̿̏͒̓͌̇͛̿͌ͬ̔ͨ͂́͐͢͜͠ͅ ͪ̉̃͛̇͛̚͢҉̵̬̰̘̘̫̭̩͝s̴̢̛̳͚͎̫̩̳̮̞͚̗̓̏̋̀̈̆̔ͪ͌̈͆̓̊ͩ͢ļ̶̡͖̬̤̗̰͚̯̟̣͈͒͌ͯ̃̈̑ͯͩ͘͜o̡̐̏̃̎̎͏̷̧̡̩͇̻̟̣̮̤̥͚̻͔̫̼͍̤̟͈ư̷̧̭̩̱̹̘̭̹͍͖̟͌ͥͫ͊͐͒ͬͩ̈́̋̅̐ͨ̽̀̚ͅg̅̀̊ͭ͒̿̍̏ͨ̏͊҉̸̢̙͇̖͓͙̳̠̺͘h̨̪̹̞̬̹̳̹̰̘͉̯̣̟̟̫̀̂̈̉̐ͣ̀ͪͯͣ̀͗̕͝ͅę̶͕̝̝̭͍̪̺̤͓͂ͨ́ͥͩ̑̓ͯͯ͘d͛ͬ͗̎ͮ̀͠҉̻̹̗̳̜̩̦̣̰̖̗̞̥̻̩?̨̧̠̺̮̠̿͗͂͊̅̊̃̚͜͝
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