13org

Avalia

Time: Morning
Location: Near Guarav Village
Interactions: Cyrus @Helo

---

While Viola thought that the prayer and the symbolic action of closing the boar's eyes was unnecessary, she could still understand the beauty behind the ritual Cyrus performed whenever she they stopped to feed her rose. Even if she didn't care about the respect he offered to the dead creature nor the prayer, the act of planting a seed and making it sprout next to the boar was indeed a beautiful action. There would be many creatures which would feast in the dead carcass of the boar, before it rotted and returned to the earth. When that happened, it would serve as nutrition for the bush Cyrus planted. Other creatures would come to feed on the bush's berries, which would be hunted, only to be consumed and have their remains rot and decay into the earth. No matter where, death was always followed by life.

For Viola, there was nothing more beautiful than the cycle of life, no matter of how cruel and violent it could be... While she and her actions symbolized the end, Cypress' embodied the beginning. Both sides, while opposite from each other, were an integral and necessary part of the cycle of life itself. That small fact gave her a bit of solace when she reflected about her and her brother's relationship. No matter how much she had changed or how different they became, there was still something that would bring them close to each other, even if it was merely their roles towards the cycle of life.

Viola watched, keeping a respectful silence until Cypress was done with his ritual, before she nodded towards him when he was done. As they began to walk once more, Cyrus mentioned 'home', referring to the old River Fairy Kingdom, now called Riverbloom. Upon hearing that word, Viola's expression had a discreet, but still noticeable change.

"Home is a word that lost it's meaning to me a long time ago, brother Cypress... All the years I spent as a prisoner on Daka Island... Stuck in a 'luxury' cell, every single day being fed false kindness only to be tortured and experimented soon after... Waiting for a rescue that never came." Viola said, the vines around her body twitching and moving uncomfortably, a reflection of her current mood.

"Even if I did remember how 'home' truly felt like, it wouldn't matter. My home is gone Cyrus... Gone with the fall of the Kingdom, the slaughter of our family and many of our siblings. Gone to never return. The River Fairy Kingdom was my home. Riverbloom is not." Viola said in a cold, harsh tone.

"I wouldn't care even if Riverbloom was burned to the ground. The only thing I care is finding my missing siblings... Or at least knowing if they are still alive and well." Viola finished, with a twinge of hatred and resentment suddenly appearing on her expression and tone, only to quickly disappear into her usual, emotionless expression once again.

Their conversation was soon cut short though, as Cypress alerted her to a faint, but suspicious noise coming from somewhere around them. While it was a faint noise, Viola knew better than to just dismiss it as being nothing. Any different, suspicious noise, no matter how small it was, could be anything from dangerous creatures to people that might be after her.

"I did, brother Cypress." Viola said, as the vines around her began to unfurl, preparing to attack in case something approached them.

The Five Senses - Second Arc (Accepting New Players!)

Karina Frost

"Feel free to use this to clean yourself if you want... It's ruined anyways..." Karina said with a heavy sigh and an annoyed, bitter tone, handing her torn jacket to Týfurkh and Tayla as she watched the spectacle that they were doing after for some bizarre bad luck, a bird pooped straight into Tayla's mouth.

Akai, who was watching that scene with a mischievous grin on her face let out a snicker, watching Karina's small tantrum after having her jacked ruined.

"What is this girly reaction? It really doesn't suit you, you know?" Akai said, teasing Karina as she laughed.

"I swear to you that I will freeze you in a block of ice if you don't stop right this instant, Akai." Karina said, sending Akai a death stare, enough to make a shiver run down her spine.

"Now that's more likely!" Akai said, with a teasing grin as she raised her hands, signalling her defeat.

Despite the confusion, Karina couldn't help but to wonder since when Týfurkh had gotten so close to Tayla. Were they still playing the bit of 'lovebirds', or was there really anything going on?

"It doesn't matter. As long as it doesn't impact their performance and as long as they don't forget our mission, that is." Karina thought to herself, shaking her head. The fact that she didn't say though out loud was also very lucky. After all, if Sil had heard such thoughts, even if those were mere curiosity, it would undoubtedly only contribute to the weird love triangle Sil had created.

Not even a second after she dismissed those thoughts though, Sil suddenly approached her, mentioning that she had lost her chance to 'sweep Tayla off her feet'. Caught off guard, Karina looked at Sil with a worried expression. Was that pure coincidence? Or was Sil somehow learning how to read minds?

"Sil, don't even start with-" Karina protested unsuccessfully before Sil zipped away once again.

Much to Karina's dismay, she watched as Sil immediately grabbed Chres' flask of water and struggled with it's weight before she handed it to Tayla, saying it was Karina's courtesy.

"Don't let a mere flask of water win! Show it you're stronger than it!" Akai said, encouraging Sil as she laughed, clearly finding that entire situation incredibly hilarious and amusing, much to Karina's dismay.


"Hey! Easy, easy! I'm just encouraging Sil! I'm not doing anything wrong... this time!" Akai protested, hiding behind Chres as Karina looked to Akai once again, this time with a cold current of air beginning to emanate from her.

"Please tell me Sil doesn't know how to read minds, Chres... Knowing her, that would probably only make the misunderstandings even worse and more frequent..." Karina asked, with a heavy sigh as she watched Sil giving her a 'thumbs-up' with an annoyed expression.

Avalia

Time: Morning
Location: Near Guarav Village
Interactions: Cyrus @Helo

---

Viola wasn't sure if it was all the suffering she went through in Daka Island, the experiments that transformed her body or even the reeducation she was forced to go through, but the fact that she was a changed person was quite clear, not only to herself it was evident to Cypress as well, once she met him after escaping. Even after she steeled her will to escape, her hopes to meet her family were nonexistent. Due to that, the relief she felt when she met Cypress after escaping was enough to light a small ember of hope to find her siblings deep within her. It was exactly that feeling of wanting to find her missing family members and the fact that made her follow Cypress. Even if she was changed, even if Cypress ended up not feeling as she was still his sister, he was still one of the few people in Avalia that cared about her. That, coupled with the fact that she had absolutely nowhere to go was more than enough reason for her to travel together with him.

Following Cypress as they searched for their missing siblings took them to the forests between the old River Fairy Kingdom, now called Riverbloom and River Port. Despite the River Fairy Kingdom having fallen with the slaughter of their family 15 years ago, the territory that once was their home was still their best bet of finding any clues... Whether them be good or bad, regarding their missing family.

The reason for them to stop in the forest instead of heading straight towards Riverbloom or River Port was in part, due to Viola's request. It had been some time since she fed her Blood Rose with the blood of a wild animal and she could feel the plant asking her for it. While her own blood was already a good sustenance to it, the Blood Rose still asked for blood of wild animals. Normally, Viola would simply catch a creature that passed nearby them and let her rose drain it's blood, but it was not always that their travels took them through a forest where bigger creatures lived and due to that, she had been feeding it with small creatures such as rodents and rabbits until now.

It didn't took long until they found a boar after they entered the forest. Aided by Viola's Chlorokinesis, the Blood Rose's acted swiftly, ending the boar's life the blink of an eye, impaling it with one of it's thorny vines, the sames that delicately embraced Viola's body, protecting her. After a minute, when Viola felt the rose had finished absorbing the creature's blood, she watched as the thorny vine that was deeply embedded into the boar's chest retracted, leaving a sizeable hole without a single drop of blood left inside.

"It is satisfied. I am done, brother Cypress." Viola said, walking away from the boar carcass and approaching Cyrus.

While that wasn't the first time Cyrus had saw Viola 'feeding' her blood rose, it was still a rather disturbing sight to see her feeding it with another creature instead of feeding it with her own blood. It was especially worse when Viola used Necrosis magic to rot the carcass. Fortunately, since they were in a forest, Viola decided to simply let nature run it's course.

"Thank you... For waiting for me." Viola said as she nodded to Cypress, indicating she was ready to continue their travel.

Avalia

In one moment, Zora could only feel the violent embrace of the sea, her world swirling and spinning as she was dragged down into the depths, salt water filling her lungs as the surface of the sea got further and further away... It was at that moment, after darkness fully embraced Zora that she felt herself falling on her knees into solid ground.

Confused and disorientated, Zora could do little but to kneel on the ground and cough, trying to expel the water from her lungs. It was only after after she recover herself that Zora finally took a moment to look around. With the first breath of fresh air, Zora felt the unfamiliar scents of an unknown forest, strange noises she hadn't heard before and when she finally opened her eyes, after cleaning them from salt water, the explosion of colors she saw around her was enough to almost overwhelm her.

The surreal scenery around her, with plants she had never seen before, was only made even more unbelievable upon realizing that she wasn't alone. From beautiful humans with pointed ears, fairies and animal-like humans to huge, warrior-like creatures with tusks and green skin, all of them seemed to be straight out of fantastic stories and myths. The only ones who seemed to stand out in such a fantastic scenery was Zora herself and four other humans who seemed to be equally as confused.

After the initial shock, a quick evaluation of her surroundings quickly told Zora that not only her and the other humans' presence there was already expected, but it also caused a very positive reaction from the creatures watching them. Despite the 'warm' welcome, there were still many questions on Zora's mind. Fortunately, before she or even any other of the humans could ask, one of the humans with pointy ears gave a step forward, introducing himself as Vaeril as he greeted the confused humans.

His voice was as beautiful and melodic as his appearance and his words at first, were once again almost straight out of fantasy tales. According to his words, they were transported to Avalia. A completely different 'dimension', where magic not only was real but permeated the land. A land where different kinds of fantastical races called home, such as his race, light elves, who fought against the oppression and tyranny that they suffered under the rule of the dark elves and how the humans would aid them in their righteous fight for the future of their land. A beautiful and exciting tale, of the kind many merchants would love to sell to nobles by outrageous prices, but still, it was not something that should be of Zora's concern.

Or that was what Zora thought, until Vaeril spoke about his first 'gift' to them... A new chance at life. His words were heavy as he said that the last memories they all had from their world was their last moments before their death. No matter what they did, their story on Earth had reached to an end and their fate was sealed. Even if they demanded to return, nothing could change that fact.

Avalia was now, her only choice if she wanted to live. With that said, Zora would also soon learn that Avalia held more opportunities for her than simply another chance at life...

---

The next few days in Avalia passed by rather quickly for Zora, thanks to the amount of information she was being taught by Aurora and Rowan, the light elves Vaeril assigned to instruct and take care of her.

Aurora showed herself not only to be incredibly kind, calm, patient and wise. Her peaceful ways made Zora remember of the preachers and priests that sometimes she met during her travels. The ones that weren't corrupt, of course. Should those ever had the chance to meet Aurora, Zora had no doubts that they would immediately think of her as a saint, due to her kindness and selflessness.

With her, Zora learned about the many different races that called Avalia home, about Avalia itself and most importantly, about the magical power that flowed through the land and Zora's connection to it. More specifically to her element, water. Aurora quickly shown to be incredibly wise and by what Zora could discern, very attuned to the magic of the land. Most of the magical advice and teachings came from her.

Unlike Aurora, Rowan, despite having a polite and noble-like behavior, was much more serious. Coming from a military background, he was the one that assisted Zora with combat training, evaluating Zora's combat capabilities, sparring and teaching her about the war tactics that were used on Avalia. His ability with magic seemed to be very limited, but his skill with the bow and short swords was unparalleled. His personality and the importance he gave to honor and chivalry meant that he not always agreed with Zora's ways, but he still could find a common ground with Zora once he started to notice some of the moral rules Zora had.

But those weeks also made Zora reflect about her past life... At first, to think someone like her, who held an incredible influence through the sea had met such a pathetic end was hard to believe... To have been sacrificed thanks to the very own fame she made for herself was ironic to say the least. But when she thought a bit more about it, she realized where her mistake was... While she had influence over many people, she was never 'powerful'. The 'power' she played with was never truly hers and instead, was merely borrowed and on her hubris, she had forgotten that very fact...

But in Avalia, it would be different. The very moment Zora began being taught about magic by Aurora, she became aware of the strong connection she had with magic and specifically, water. If she learned how to wield it correctly and control it, the 'power' she was believed to have in her 'previous life' wouldn't be borrowed. She wouldn't need to borrow the sea's power, to read and interpret the waves. She wouldn't be restricted to have influence over people. In Avalia, Zora could influence the sea itself. To become truly as powerful as others believed her to be back on Earth.

The Eye of the Needle (where Fantasy and Sci-fi collide)

Location: Just outside the Jotunheim => 'Tekeri' encampment.

Nellara heard Ixtaro's words in silence, simply nodding in understanding as she mentioned that regardless of Nellara's words, they were already part of the conflict. While that was technically correct, Nellara didn't see a need for the humans to actively make part of the conflict.

"I understand. I merely ask for caution regarding pointing your weapons..." Nellara said, replying to Ixtaro as she asked for a bit of time for the humans to organize themselves and Vigdis as she explained the reason for her being so cautious. While she did sound rather understanding of the humans' situation, there was still a warning hidden in Nellara's words. A subtle warning, but a warning nonetheless. Just like the humans wouldn't like them pointing their weapons at them, the same was true for Nellara and her group.

While she already had a suspicion about it, Ixtaro was quick to confirm to Nellara that the humans had their own hierarchy, with Zeynep at it's top as it seemed. The idea of having to deal with Silbermine again wasn't one Nellara enjoyed, but she could understand why the humans wanted that. Not only to try and avoid a war happening a few meters away from their ship but also to know both 'sides' of the story. Still, understanding their reason didn't make Nellara less annoyed by it.

"Very well, a meeting will be arranged. Just be ready. Some Mythadians, especially those like Silbermine, can be incredibly hard to deal with." she replied with a heavy sigh.

"The Ascension has no royalty nor an 'official' religion and bloodlines, inheritances and the such were abolished many years ago. Instead of being ruled by kings or nobles, it is led by an Archmagister, who keeps their position not thanks to a law, rule or religion, but solely based on their competence. Especially since any citizen is free to approach the Archmagister and challenge them for their position." Nellara said, explaining a bit more about the Ascendancy after Ixtaro requested her to do so and especially as Vigdis mentioned that the humans and the Tekeri might be more similar than she had thought.

"For centuries, the Ascendancy has been led by Archmagister Vyana, who maintained her position without being defeated a single time in all thirteen times she was challenged. It was thanks to her judgement, her intelligence and her competence that the Ascension is what it is now, as the Archmagister Vyana was herself the one responsible for unifying our kingdom, outlawing bloodlines, inheritances and shaping it into the meritocracy that it is today." Nellara explained. Even for Ixtaro, it was quite clear in her voice and expression as she talked about the Archmagister that Nellara was incredibly proud of her leader.

"In the Ascendancy, one's position must be earned with their own skills and effort. There are no nobles, no bloodlines and no inheritance. The child of a Magister and the child of a construction worker are evaluated the same by the Ascendancy and given the same opportunities to show their own worth." Nellara completed.

While Nellara did seem to be very proud about how the Ascendancy worked, her words would also give the humans a small hint of how ruthless and harsh the Tekeri society was regarding failure. There was no sympathy nor compassion for those who failed.

---

On the next few days, under the request of the humans, Gar'Tan helped them to know more about Kanth-Aremek, sharing knowledge and more importantly, helping the humans to understand their language, so they wouldn't need a thought mage to communicate themselves.
Even from outside, it was quite obvious to notice that the humans were incredibly busy inside the ship. Loud noises from the ship being repaired betrayed only part of the issues humans were dealing with inside their ship.

For Nellara, the following days seemed to be equally as busy. Not only she had to plan and strategize for a possible confrontation, including factoring the terrain, possible usage of mages by Silbermine and his forces and even think about the political consequences behind his actions... Including trying to figure out if Mythadia's king knew what was happening or not.
Besides all that, Nellara also had to constantly watch Silbermine's camp, hoping her reinforcements would arrive before Silbermine's.

After three days of the humans having retreated to their ship, Vigdis was the first to approach Nellara's camp, using the bracelet the humans called a 'wristpad' to talk in S'toric. Apparently, Gar'Tan's collaboration with the humans had paid off.

"I assume their... 'wristpad' does automatically translate our words as well, right?" Nellara asked, looking to her group before she turned to Vigdis again.

"Vigdis, I understand you perfectly well. Can you clearly understand me?" Nellara asked, speaking her words in a clear and steady pace.

🗡 Roses and Daggers 🎕

Time: 6pm
Location: Guest House Dining Room - Dinner with the Sultan
Interactions: Nahir @Rodiak, Layla @Potter, Charlotte @princess, Lorenzo @FunnyGuy, Munir @Infinite Cosmos
Mentions:

---

It only took but a moment between Mayet saying Duke Vikena was a fool, her sister Nahir calling her out for her words and the clueless Duke actually proving her point by talking back to the Grand Vizier. Even though Mayet was already expecting such reaction, she still couldn't help but let out a deep sigh as she massaged her temples. Not only he had the gall to reply in such a way despite being clearly in the wrong, but instead of just keeping the problem between himself and the Grand Vizier, Duke Vikena also dragged the entire Alidasht Royal family into it, insinuating that that was how they treated their 'guests'... Which was an incredibly bold assumption to make, considering he wasn't exactly a 'guest of honor' in that banquet... Considering the reason behind him being invited for it in the first place.

The Grand Vizier was never known for being an... agreeable person. Mayet was always well aware of that. But even with Hafiz being a difficult man to deal with, Duke Vikena seemed to always cause chaos wherever he went. It was honestly incredibly unbelievable that such man was still alive... Considering the amount of people he surely must had offended or humiliated with his lack of tact...

Mayet was certain that if he went to Alidasht... He wouldn't last a year before he did something that was too much to be forgiven...

"So, sister Nahir... Do you still think my words were too much?" Mayet asked, looking to Nahir with a chuckle and an amused expression, playfully teasing her.

"Lady Charlotte doesn't deserve to be punished the way she is by her foolish father's mistakes." Mayet said with a sigh as she watched the scene happen in front of her.

"Brother Munir, It's good to see you changed your mind regarding tonight's dinner. Unfortunately, it seems you have arrived just in time for tonight's show." Mayet said with an annoyed tone as she rolled her eyes, motioning towards the foolish Duke, which seemed to be quite determined to dig his own grave.

Staying a true diplomat until the end, her sister Nahir still tried to salvage the situation, trying to calm down her uncle Hafiz and defuse that entire situation before it ended in bloodshed. While Mayet could appreciate Nahir's efforts, she couldn't completely agree with her words as she asked Hafiz to sit in another chair, disregarding the clear offense and challenge to his authority that was Duke Vikena sitting on such chair.

Where Nahir was the diplomat and the mediator, Layla's venomous, cutting words sought to put Duke Vikena into his place. To humiliate and offend him as much as he had humiliated her for all his words and actions. Much like Nahir, Mayet could understand and respect Layla's point, but fanning the flames of conflict didn't seem to be a smart move to do, considering her uncle Hafiz was already in the room. Regardless, Mayet did agree that Duke Vikena had to learn that he couldn't simply say and do whatever he wanted without consequences.

"Dear sister Nahir, even if uncle Hafiz's reaction might be a bit too much, we cannot ignore the fact that Duke Vikena did offend him and challenged his authority by sitting on such spot." Mayet said, voicing her own opinion, which wasn't as pacifist as Nahir, but it also wasn't as hostile as Layla.

Besides that, Mayet also had another reason to use the words she did... To try and give her uncle Hafiz the feeling that his reaction, albeit excessive, was somewhat justified. Something that would hopefully help to placate his ire.

"Duke Vikena, you should really be aware of your position and your surroundings. You are not the 'guest' of honor tonight, nor you are the dignified noble you seem to think you are." Mayet said as she stood up, with her fiery, hostile gaze betraying the rather polite words and tone she used.

"Nobility is more than just a title, Duke Vikena. Dignity, strength, competence, courage and above everything else, respect. Respect yourself, your ancestors, your lineage and those around you. No matter the situation." Mayet said, with a firm tone, this time not much as a hostile warning, but a firm lesson Lorenzo had to learn.

"Remember why exactly you are here tonight. Recognize and accept your mistakes and face them with the respect and dignity of a noble of your position. If not for yourself, do it for your daughter. Lady Charlotte does not deserve to be punished for her father's words and actions any further than she already have." She continued, looking directly towards Lorenzo.

"If you truly want to become the noble and the man you wish to be, the father your daughter deserves then you need to remember one thing... Change does not come without a great deal of effort and persistence." Mayet finished, her fierce stare still remaining on Duke Vikena for a brief moment before she sat down on her chair again.

🗡 Roses and Daggers 🎕

Time: 6pm
Location: Guest House Dining Room - Dinner with the Sultan
Interactions: Nahir @Rodiak, Layla @Potter, Farim @Lava Alckon, Leo @Helo, Sultan Raif Kadir, Prince Auguste @Inertia , Charlotte @princess, Lorenzo @FunnyGuy
Mentions: Riona @JJ Doe, Grand Vizier Hafiz Kadir

---

Mayet couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the small 'accident' that was most probably caused by the servant who was with Lord Leo. Coupled with the intense stare the woman had, Mayet was definitely intrigued by her. After all, it didn't take much to imagine that servants who made such... 'mistake' would be punished very severely by the likes of King Edin and the other more... haughty nobles.

Fortunately for the servant, Lord Leo didn't seem to take that much offense to her little prank. At least not immediately. While Mayet thought of offering Leo her help, seeing how he apparently didn't want to draw any more attention to that small accident than what he had to, Mayet simply offered a silent, apologetic nod as he regained his balance.

It wouldn't be until later, when Prince Auguste arrived that she would learn the name of the particular servant who almost made Lord Leo fall down. After hearing her name, Mayet gave another glance towards Riona, with an intrigued expression before she turned to Prince Auguste. If it wasn't clear before, it would be more than clear now that Riona had definitely caught Mayet's attention.

"Prince Auguste, thank you! I must admit, even though I was merely testing my opponent at first, she proved herself to be remarkably talented! Its a shame my offer for her to go back to Alidasht with me was rejected. With some training, that woman... 'Reogh', would become a very dangerous blade." Mayet said with an amused expression. While her usage of the word 'blade' instead of warrior was a bit strange, it was undeniable that her words were of praise to the 'unknown' fighter.

"But I digress. Your match was also a wonderful event to watch. Not only a true show of skill and mastery of Caesonian swordplay, but your sword also told me a lot about yourself..." Mayet said, with an amused smile towards Prince August.

Mayet's words to Auguste weren't simply empty words, as it was definitely a very entertaining duel. One thing Mayet couldn't help but notice was how different Auguste's sword was compared to his usual demeanor. The moment the battle began was almost as if Prince Auguste finally dropped the 'noble' mask he wore, truly enjoying the thrill of the combat.

Coincidentally, another one of the Caesonian princes seemed to have a similar 'fire' within him, which became clear in his swordplay... Prince Wulfric. Although this one was much more ferocious and dangerous... Traits that definitely made Mayet interested.

"It seems we both might have more in common than I previously thought..." Mayet said with an mischievous smirk.

"Oh! Before I forget, I must thank you for the events the royal family hosted on these last days. The hunting and the swords competition in particular were very enjoyable." Mayet said, the previous, enigmatic expression she had immediately giving way to a smile as she thanked Prince Auguste for the events, after she overheard him mentioning them to Lord Leo.

Soon after Mayet took her seat before her sisters, Nahir and Layla arrived. The latter one making quite an entrance, as it was already expected of her.

"Sister Layla, sister Nahir! You both surely took your time, didn't you?" Mayet asked with a smile as she greeted both of them.

"Zilal, adorable as always, aren't you?" Mayet said with a chuckle, gently caressing Zilal's head after he greeted Nala with a boop.

"Humble as the room might be, you need to admit that the cutlery, the dishes and especially, the unmistakable aroma of the fine spices surely make up for it." Mayet said, closing her eyes for a moment as she felt the wonderful aroma of traditional Alidasht cuisine being prepared on the kitchen.

"At least we won't have to bear the Caesonian cooks and their pitiful attempts to imitate Alidasht cuisine." Mayet said to Layla with a chuckle.

"Don't get me wrong, Caesonian food isn't that bad... But the cooks surely should keep focusing on their field of expertise instead of trying to copy us." Mayet completed with a shrug.

It was just after that when her cousin Farim approached them, mentioning the growl Nala gave on the park, back when she went to try some of the pancakes before being interrupted.

"Oh that... You can thank that small growl to the impertinent people who don't seem to know how to approach someone of royal blood..." Mayet said, rolling her eyes as Farim mentioned how the commoners seemed to be talking about Nala's growl back at the park.

"Still, ignoring some of the... 'problems' we had to deal with, my stay in Caesonia has been quite interesting so far. The recent events surely helped me to vent some of my frustration." Mayet replied to Farim with a chuckle.

It didn't take too much for Layla to notice Auguste though, which wasn't surprising, considering how well he was dressed. Her small provocation to Prince Auguste made Mayet let out a chuckle before she turned to Layla again.

"You know, sister Layla... Prince Wulfric seems to hide quite a 'fire' inside of him, if you can see past the noble mask he wears... I wonder if this 'fire' extends to other matters beside the blade..." Mayet said in a mischievous tone to Layla, not only because she knew Layla would definitely like to know that, but since her comment would also make help Layla to tease the prince.

Unlike Layla and Mayet, Nahir's reply to Prince Auguste was more formal and not as provocative. In a certain way, Nahir was quite similar to Prince August, regarding the mask both of them wore in most social and political events. Maybe that was the reason why Nahir seemed to want to change the subject instead of letting Layla have her fun with the prince. Instead, she asked both Mayet and Layla about the competition, something which Farim also seemed to be interested in.

"Of course we did! It was very 'fun' to play with my opponent. Although I must admit I was quite surprised by her talent. I wouldn't mind taking that 'Reogh' girl back with us, especially with her talent and potential." Mayet replied to Farim and Nahir with a chuckle.

"Talking about having fun though... Sister Layla! Your match with that woman was very... peculiar, wasn't it! 'Lyra' if I recall correctly. I felt a different kind of 'tension' going on between both of you besides the tension of combat..." Mayet said, looking to Layla with a teasing grin.

Before Layla could reply though, a loud, familiar and rather obnoxious voice echoed through the hall, making Mayet's smile immediately disappear. She was truly expecting the 'guests of honor' to have learned with their mistake... Particularly Duke Vikena, at least to avoid making his poor daughter have to deal with the consequences of his mistakes.

Unfortunately, that didn't seem to be exactly the case, as Duke Vikena announced his entrance with in a loud and cheerful tone instead of being discreet.

"Calm down, Layla... I promised I wouldn't let anyone ruin my mood tonight but I'm not sure if I can keep that promise if Duke Vikena proves to be as much of a nuisance as the previous times..." Mayet said, more directed at herself than for Layla.

The moment Duke Vikena looked towards her, thanking her for helping him deal with his small conflict back at the park, Mayet's expression towards him was a cold and serious one. A warning for him to think twice before doing anything that might offend her.

"There is no need to thank me, Duke Vikena... Truly. I merely ask you to be aware of your words and actions... Lest you want to provoke someone that you shouldn't provoke." Mayet said to Lorenzo, in a not so veiled warning to him.

Nala too seemed to not appreciate Duke Lorenzo's presence that much, as it was evident by her gaze towards him when he spoke.

"Having to deal with such a fool of a father... I truly pity Charlotte." Mayet said with a sigh.

Unfortunately, it seemed Mayet's warnings were for naught, as Duke Vikena immediately followed up with another one of his blunders... Sitting in the very opposite side of the table as her father. Not only that was extremely disrespectful towards Mayet, Nahir and Layla, as he was putting himself on a seat that insinuated he was the second most powerful person aside from the Sultan, but it also meant that he was taking the seat of someone else that hadn't arrived yet... Someone who would definitely not be happy with having his spot taken.

"Duke Vikena!" Mayet said, raising her voice both as to make sure Lorenzo would hear and as a warning.

"Wouldn't you prefer to change your seat, so you can sit closer to your dear daughter...?" She asked, her tone of voice, unlike her words, making it clear that it wasn't a suggestion.

Unfortunately, her warning seemed to come a bit too late, as the Grand Vizier Hafiz entered the dining room like a storm. To make things even worse, it seemed he wasn't exactly in the best mood.

"This night might be much more exhausting than I thought it could be..." Mayet mumbled, letting out a deep sigh as the Grand Vizier commanded Duke Vikena to move.

She hoped Duke Vikena wasn't as mindless as to do or say anything else besides simply lowering his head and changing his seat. It would be better if he did so silently, but for some reason, Mayet doubted he would do so...

🗡 Roses and Daggers 🎕

Time: 6pm
Location: Guest House Dining Room - Dinner with the Sultan
Interactions: Ariella @Tpartywithzombi, Riona @JJ Doe, Farim @Lava Alckon, Leo @Helo, Sultan Raif Kadir
Mentions: Nahir @Rodiak, Layla @Potter

---

Even though the Caesonian cuisine proved to be better than what Mayet had expected, to be able to eat some traditional Alidasht cuisine was certainly a welcome thing. A taste of home after the many 'events' she been through since she arrived on Caesonia would definitely be re-comforting. Even if she had to deal with that clueless duke once again... Hopefully, he learned his lesson and there wouldn't be any issues this time.

Unlike the previous dresses Mayet used, the one she wore for this dinner wasn't as showy and flamboyant as the previous ones she had used, instead being a more traditional and proper silk dress. The particular dress Mayet had chosen to wear was a beautiful black dress with a delicate, green silk shawl. The choice of dress was definitely a subtle hint as to how even Mayet, despite her wild and fiery temper, respected certain Alidasht traditions, especially in such a formal dinner with her father, the Sultan. Despite the formal situation though, Nala was, obviously, still accompanying Mayet.

The scent of Alidasht spices Mayet felt as soon as she arrived was a comforting and familiar one. With the addition of the finely crafted, traditional Alidasht tableware, plates and decoration made Mayet feel almost as if the Sultan had brought a bit of Alidasht to Caesonia.

While she was entering the dining room, Mayet couldn't help but stop for a moment as her eyes met with the servant that was escorting lord Leo Smithwood inside. She wasn't sure why, but there was a rather... familiar 'fire' in her eyes. The exchange of stares only lasted for a brief moment though, before Mayet offered a discreet greeting nod towards the servant and moved on to greet the guests that had already arrived. Fortunately, despite her suspicion it didn't seem like Mayet had caught on who the servant was yet.

"Lord Leo. It's quite surprising to see you here today! I assumed you would come to escort Lady Charlotte, but I see you have a partner of your own today." Mayet said, greeting him and the redhead woman he was accompanying with an smile.

"I hope the traditional Alidasht cuisine will be to your liking." she said with a discreet greeting to both of them before she turned to her cousin Farim, who was also just arriving.

"Cousin Farim! It's been some time I last saw you since we came to Caesonia. I guess I wasn't the only one busy these days." Mayet said with a chuckle.

"I wonder if Nahir, Layla and Munir will also be coming to tonight's dinner as well. I am sure we all have a lot interesting stories to catch up with, right Farim?" she said with a smirk, almost as if discreetly asking if Farim did anything 'interesting' he might want to share with them as well, before she made her way to her father, the Sultan, to greet him.

"Good evening, father. I hope Caesonia has been treating you well." Mayet said, greeting the Sultan with a smile.

"Despite the few... issues we had to deal with, my stay on Caesonia has been quite... entertaining so far." she said to the Sultan with a smile as she took her seat at the table, with Nala lying down just besides her.

While most people who didn't know Mayet well wouldn't think much of her good mood, her cousins, siblings and the sultan would definitely be know that the visible improvement on her mood was, for the most part, thanks to the recent events, such as the hunting and sword competition, which were able to help her to calm down and relax after the... 'problems' she faces upon arriving on Caesonia. Sultan Raif in particular would know that finding Mayet in such a good mood was quite rare. It also meant that unless something really bad happened to offend her on this dinner, it would be highly unlikely he would have to deal with her temper tonight.

Avalia

Zora Sene

Zora Sene ⋆ 26 ⋆ Female Human

Appearance

Height:

5'24" (1,60m)

Build:

Slender and lean build, somewhat athletic.

Hair Color:

Black

Hair Length:

Just below the shoulders

Eye Color:

Hazel

Skin Tone:

Reddish-brown

Distinguishing Features:

⋆ Wears a ram horn headdress, decorated with red feathers on the very tip and a corset made of various animal bones.
⋆ Has tattoos covering her entire body and often paints her face white in a pattern resembling a skull.
⋆ Long and sharp nails, which are often painted black.

Psychology

Likes:

⋆ The sea.
⋆ Freedom, both her own and others.
⋆ Those who are true to and follow their own desires and ambitions.
⋆ Rituals, dances and sacrifices to commune with and appease the spirits.
⋆ Rum and spices.

Dislikes:

⋆ Those who disrespect the spirits, the sea and the dead.
⋆ Those who refuse to follow their own desires and ambitions.
⋆ People who preach about self-sacrifice, abstinence and purity, who preach about the 'evilness' of following one's desires.
⋆ Injustice.

Fears:

⋆ The wrath of the spirits and the Sea.
⋆ Being imprisoned or losing her freedom.
⋆ Being forgotten. Leaving nothing behind after she dies.

Habits/Quirks

⋆ Sometimes use her nails to prick other people's skin and draw a single drop of blood, which is used on small rituals and divination. She tends to occasionally trespass on others 'personal space'.
⋆ Enjoys making 'deals' with others.
⋆ Enjoys having influencing others. Either by purposely being enigmatic with her words or by controlling information she tells to someone that comes to her. She has no qualms against manipulating others for her own benefit.
⋆ Will never deny a request or disrespect a parley. No matter the situation.

Sexuality:

Heterossexual

Personality:

Despite her enigmatic ways, Zora is still an extroverted person. She often approach those that draw her interest rather quickly, something that makes her quite easy both to approach and talk to (especially to those who offer her a good spiced rum). Despite that, those who mistake her sociability for kindness or selflessness would be gravely mistaken. While it is true that Zora will help those who come to her, assuming they treat her with respect, her help never comes without a cost. Be it either strings attached to her 'deals' or with her manipulating you for her own benefit. Needless to say, due to this peculiar nature, Zora is a bit cautious regarding whom she trusts... Lest her own tricks be used against her.

Regarding her temper, Zora is normally a calm and patient person... Until she isn't. It does take a considerable effort to make her lose her calm but when she does, her fury is as terrible as the tumultuous sea. Fierce, unrelenting and impulsive.
Although is rather rare, when she really loses her temper, there is little one can do to placate her ire other than just letting her calm down by herself. Zora does hold grudges for a long time until she can repay the offenses that were committed. At the same time, Zora does not easily forget when someone helps or assists her and is sure to repay the debt.

More than once, Zora has been referred to as an enchantress, both due to her cunning and sharp mind and her charisma. Many were those who fell victims to her words or her charm. To deal with Zora without knowing exactly what you want and exactly how to ask for it is to invite disaster. Despite that, those who know Zora well, know that she is bound by a very strict set of morals, which prevail above everything else, even her fickle nature...

Such tenets are:

To never break a promise, deal or contract.
Once parley has been established, it shall not be broken, as it is a sacred tradition both to the sea and the spirits.
No harm shall be done to each other or their crew by either those who shared table and drink with, at least until the next day.

While rather specific, Zora's knowledge is unparalleled in the fields she specialize in, such as the sea, poisons, herbs, anatomy (animal and human, to a certain extent) and venom.

Background

Occupation

Fortune teller, Soothsayer, Witch doctor... Both her names and titles were many.

Living Immediate Family Members:

Orphan.

Dead Immediate Family Members:

Parents - Unknown

Current Companions:

TBD

Current and Past Lover(s):

None

Current Equipment:

Ritualistic Sickles

Apart from the handles, which are made with a suspiciously sized femur, both of them are just normal sickles. Zora uses them both as a weapons and a tools to gather herbs & etc.

History:

Soothsayer, fortune teller, witch, mystic... Those were only some of the titles the enigmatic woman named Zora would be known thorough the seas. But before she earner those titles, Zora was simply a small girl on a small tribal village in the Caribbean islands. Born in 1656, she was raised and taught by shamans and witch doctors. While she was being taught to was to take up her teachers' positions, the constant visits from pirates, sailors and buccaneers ended up waking up a thirst for freedom on the young Zora.

Every time they came to her village to ask for favorable winds for their travels, protection against spirits, herbs to sooth the pains from wounds or even incenses to soothe their spirits, the young Zora, which was already quite outspoken and charismatic even at a young age, would ask them for tales of the sea and even to teach her how to use a knife to fight. It was exactly the contact with those people that ended up being a deciding factor that led the young Zora to leave her village.

Zora's first year on the sea was spent boarding from ship to ship. Having left her village on a small merchant ship, she would disembark on docks, offering help to those seemed to need it. Sailors and pirates are naturally superstitious, so it didn't take much for Zora to amaze them at first. Herbs, salves, special 'mixtures' of tobacco to calm down the nerves, poisons, sea and weather predictions. For every problem, she always seemed to have a solution.

It was around 1674, when Zora had 18 years that her name started getting known through the seas. Rumors about her started appearing as she continued traveling. About a Mystic who could interpret the sea and the waves, about a witch doctor that could solve any ailment and cure any poison, about a soothsayer who could see one's future and give them advice or warnings.

But fame also came it's fair share of problems... Such as some pirates, who wanted to monopolize Zora's services, to have an advantage over their enemies. Until then, Zora's fame was of a powerful mystic, but after stories of how she dealt with those who tried to make her a prisoner that her fame took a new level. From nasty sickle wounds and sliced necks to even tales of how Zora cursed the sailors who offended her, throwing the fury of the sea on their ship, by sending them to violent and stormy seas. After a few similar cases, with most of those who offended or came after Zora suffering either in her hands or in the hands of the sea, to cross Zora was the same as to make the inexorable and unrelenting sea their own enemy.

From that moment onward, from a normal woman, Zora's status and fame became closer to a powerful entity, some even claimed her to be the personification of the sea... The will of the seas itself, in a mortal body. But once again, fame does come with it's cost. Even though most feared having the wrath of the seas brought upon them, it was simply impossible to ignore the amount of power and influence a single woman had over what happened through the seas. To make it even worse, Zora was never someone who could be controlled with anything other than the most traditional rules and codes of the sea. No amount of money or jewels would be able to buy her, nor any amount of ships. Zora never played sides nor refused a 'deal' that interested her. In some wayss, she was freer than anybody else. Moving and acting solely by her whims and desires and for a good amount of time, there was nobody that could or wished to stop her.

But this all changed when a group of powerful privateers-turned-pirates, with the consent of most of the notorious crews from the time, made an effort to finally 'control' Zora by 'escort' her to a stronghold in the Bahamas. While they claimed to be only for Zora's own 'protection', for Zora, to keep her in one place for too long, regardless of how luxurious and comfortable it was, was closer to imprisonment than it was of protection. But this time, no amount of manipulation seemed to be able to free her, since most of the powerful pirates hated the idea of having to submit and being controlled by someone... Even if that someone was Zora.

Zora could never truly control the weather or the seas and all the rumors saying she could were nothing more than exaggerations from her simply being able to read the tides and the weather but due the fame she earned and the many rumors, her existence had been elevated close to a mythical figure and as such, when terrible storms and hurricanes started assailing the seas, many immediately attributed those to Zora, claiming that taking her away from the sea had angered it.

Even though such storms weren't exactly rare, especially in the last semester of a year, they were particularly violent on that year. When storms and hurricanes started lasting for entire years, sinking ships and claiming many lives, the rumors only became stronger and out of desperation, the pirates turned to Zora again. In the end, it was finally time for Zora to pay for taking advantage of the fame she had earned. In an effort to calm down the seas, many sailors grouped up, invading the stronghold and tied Zora, taking her to sail directly towards the a storm that began forming on the horizon.

No matter how much Zora cursed them, how much she shouted, nothing could dissuade the terrified sailors. In their fanaticism in their superstitious thoughts, Zora was not a woman, but instead, she and the sea were two parts of the same thing and after being imprisoned, the sea now claimed for it's other half and the only way to quell it's fury was to reunite both of them again. And so, with a fiery determination, they sailed towards the storm, regardless of how strong the winds were, regardless of the rain, the waves and the lightning and when their ship started to creak and protest under the unrelenting assault of the waves, they took Zora to the deck, making her walk the plank.

"Foolish men! The sea is bigger than any one of us! No one can control it, not even me!" Zora shouted, her voice echoing above the mighty roar of the waves as she cursed the sailors.

"Your attempts to control it through me will be met with failure and your audacity will be severely punished!" Zora cursed, being gradually pushed further towards the end of the board, until she finally fell into the violent waters.

The sea seemed to open in the spot Zora fell, forming a whirlpool and dragging her further below as she struggled and trashed against the ropes with the noises of the sailors cheering in the background. Strangely enough, only a second after she fell, a bright light appeared, surrounding her. It was only for a moment but when it stopped, Zora was nowhere to be seen, with only the ropes that were tying her left behind...

Combat and Magic

Fitness Level:
⋆ To live among pirates requires a lot of stamina. Either to help around the ship, fight, defend oneself and when necessary, running for one's life. Despite being a rather 'important' figure for most pirates, Zora still had to deal with many situations and for that, she always had to keep a healthy and strong body.

What are your character’s physical strengths?
⋆ Flexibility and agility. Zora uses a ritual sickle as a weapon and her fighting style mixes ritual dances with the quick movements she learned with pirates.
⋆ Dexterity. Sickles are famous for being incredibly dangerous if used as weapons... Both for the user and the enemy. The fact that Zora constantly uses one both as a tool and a weapon means that if she isn't dexterous, at least one of her hands wouldn't have all its fingers.
⋆ Stamina. There were a few times where ships Zora was in had... unfortunate encounter with other pirates and she had to swim back to safety.

What are your character’s physical weaknesses?
⋆ Low strength and weight.
⋆ Low durability. The fact that Zora needs to keep her body nimble and agile for dances and rituals mean she cannot take many hits.
⋆ Hand to hand combat. If disarmed, apart from using poisons and toxins, Zora can't do much in hand-to-hand combat.

Years of Experience:

Weapon(s):
⋆ Sickle - She began to learn how to fight with knives from pirates when she was 8 years old and started practicing ritual dances with the sickles when she was 7. Her particular style of fighting was created by her when she was 10 years old. Her total experience fighting with a sickle is about 16 years.

Hand-to-hand Combat:
⋆ None.

Magical Abilities:

Ability on Avalia:

Hydrokinesis

Zora’s Stats

Physical Stats

Strength: ⬤⬤◯◯◯

Ground Speed:⬤⬤⬤◯◯

Stamina: ⬤⬤⬤⬤◯

Dexterity:⬤⬤⬤⬤⬤

Durability: ⬤◯◯◯◯

Combat Stats

Hand-to-Hand Combat: ⬤◯◯◯◯

Sickle Combat: ⬤⬤⬤⬤⬤

Knife Combat: ⬤⬤⬤⬤◯

Magic Stats

Hydrokinesis: ⬤◯◯◯◯

Avalia

Took me a bit more than my Dark Fairy CS, had some trouble with inspiration but i'm very satisfied how she turned out!

Zora Sene

Zora Sene ⋆ 26 ⋆ Female ⋆ Human

Appearance

Height:

5'24" (1,60m)

Build:

Slender and lean build, somewhat athletic.

Hair Color:

Black

Hair Length:

Just below the shoulders

Eye Color:

Hazel

Skin Tone:

Reddish-brown

Distinguishing Features:

⋆ Wears a ram horn headdress, decorated with red feathers on the very tip and a corset made of various animal bones.
⋆ Has tattoos covering her entire body and often paints her face white in a pattern resembling a skull.
⋆ Long and sharp nails, which are often painted black.

Psychology

Likes:

⋆ The sea.
⋆ Freedom, both her own and others.
⋆ Those who are true to and follow their own desires and ambitions.
⋆ Rituals, dances and sacrifices to commune with and appease the spirits.
⋆ Rum and spices.

Dislikes:

⋆ Those who disrespect the spirits, the sea and the dead.
⋆ Those who refuse to follow their own desires and ambitions.
⋆ People who preach about self-sacrifice, abstinence and purity, who preach about the 'evilness' of following one's desires.
⋆ Injustice.

Fears:

⋆ The wrath of the spirits and the Sea.
⋆ Being imprisoned or losing her freedom.
⋆ Being forgotten. Leaving nothing behind after she dies.

Habits/Quirks

⋆ Sometimes use her nails to prick other people's skin and draw a single drop of blood, which is used on small rituals and divination. She tends to occasionally trespass on others 'personal space'.
⋆ Enjoys making 'deals' with others.
⋆ Enjoys having influencing others. Either by purposely being enigmatic with her words or by controlling information she tells to someone that comes to her. She has no qualms against manipulating others for her own benefit.
⋆ Will never deny a request or disrespect a parley. No matter the situation.

Sexuality:

Heterossexual

Personality:

Despite her enigmatic ways, Zora is still an extroverted person. She often approach those that draw her interest rather quickly, something that makes her quite easy both to approach and talk to her (especially to those who offer a good spiced rum). Despite that, those who mistake her sociability for kindness of selflessness would be gravely mistaken. While it is true that Zora will help those who come to her, assuming they treat her with respect, her help never comes without a cost. Be it either strings attached to her 'deals' or with her manipulating you for her own benefit. Needless to say, due to this peculiar nature, Zora is a bit cautious regarding whom she trusts... Lest her own tricks be used against her.

Regarding her temper, Zora is normally a calm and patient person... Until she isn't. It does take a considerable effort to make her lose her calm but when she does, her fury is as terrible as the tumultuous sea. Fierce, unrelenting and impulsive, although is quite rare, when she really loses her temper, there is little one can do to placate her ire other than just let her calm down by herself. Zora does hold grudges for a long time until she can repay the offenses that were committed. At the same time, Zora does not easily forget when someone helps or assists her and is sure to repay the debt.

More than once, Zora has been referred to as an enchantress, both due to her cunning and sharp mind and her charisma. Many were those who fell victims to her words or her charm. To deal with Zora without knowing exactly what you want and exactly how to ask for it is to invite disaster. Despite that, those who know Zora well, know that she is bound by a very strict set of morals, which prevail above everything else, even her fickle nature...

Such tenets are:

To never break a promise, deal or contract.
Once parley has been established, it shall not be broken, as it is a sacred tradition both to the sea and the spirits.
No harm shall be done to each other or their crew by either those who shared table and drink with, at least until the next day.

While rather specific, Zora's knowledge is unparalleled in the fields she specialize in, such as the sea, poisons, herbs, anatomy (animal and human, to a certain extent) and venom.

Background

Occupation

Fortune teller, Soothsayer, Witch doctor... Both her names and titles were many.

Living Immediate Family Members:

Orphan.

Dead Immediate Family Members:

Parents - Unknown

Current Companions:

TBD

Current and Past Lover(s):

None

Current Equipment:

Ritualistic Sickle

Apart from the handle, which is made with a suspiciously sized femur, it is a normal sickle. Zora uses it both as a weapon and a tool to gather herbs & etc.

History:


Soothsayer, fortune teller, witch, mystic... Those were only some of the titles the enigmatic woman named Zora would be known thorough the seas. But before she earner those titles, Zora was simply a small girl on a small tribal village in the Caribbean islands. Born in 1656, she was raised and taught by shamans and witch doctors. While she was being taught to was to take up her teachers' positions, the constant visits from pirates, sailors and buccaneers ended up waking up a thirst for freedom on the young Zora.

Every time they came to her village to ask for favorable winds for their travels, protection against spirits, herbs to sooth the pains from wounds or even incenses to soothe their spirits, the young Zora, which was already quite outspoken and charismatic even at a young age, would ask them for tales of the sea and even to teach her how to use a knife to fight. It was exactly the contact with those people that ended up being a deciding factor that led the young Zora to leave her village.

Zora's first year on the sea was spent boarding from ship to ship. Having left her village on a small merchant ship, she would disembark on docks, offering help to those seemed to need it. Sailors and pirates are naturally superstitious, so it didn't take much for Zora to amaze them at first. Herbs, salves, special 'mixtures' of tobacco to calm down the nerves, poisons, sea and weather predictions. For every problem, she always seemed to have a solution.

It was around 1674, when Zora had 18 years that her name started getting known through the seas. Rumors about her started appearing as she continued traveling. About a Mystic who could interpret the sea and the waves, about a witch doctor that could solve any ailment and cure any poison, about a soothsayer who could see one's future and give them advice or warnings.

But fame also came it's fair share of problems... Such as some pirates, who wanted to monopolize Zora's services, to have an advantage over their enemies. Until then, Zora's fame was of a powerful mystic, but after stories of how she dealt with those who tried to make her a prisoner that her fame took a new level. From nasty sickle wounds and sliced necks to even tales of how Zora cursed the sailors who offended her, throwing the fury of the sea on their ship, by sending them to violent and stormy seas. After a few similar cases, with most of those who offended or came after Zora suffering either in her hands or in the hands of the sea, to cross Zora was the same as to make the inexorable and unrelenting sea their own enemy.

From that moment onward, from a normal woman, Zora's status and fame became closer to a powerful entity, some even claimed her to be the personification of the sea... The will of the seas itself, in a mortal body. But once again, fame does come with it's cost. Even though most feared having the wrath of the seas brought upon them, it was simply impossible to ignore the amount of power and influence a single woman had over what happened through the seas. To make it even worse, Zora was never someone who could be controlled with anything other than the most traditional rules and codes of the sea. No amount of money or jewels would be able to buy her, nor any amount of ships. Zora never played sides nor refused a 'deal' that interested her. In some wayss, she was freer than anybody else. Moving and acting solely by her whims and desires and for a good amount of time, there was nobody that could or wished to stop her.

But this all changed when a group of powerful privateers-turned-pirates, with the consent of most of the notorious crews from the time, made an effort to finally 'control' Zora by 'escort' her to a stronghold in the Bahamas. While they claimed to be only for Zora's own 'protection', for Zora, to keep her in one place for too long, regardless of how luxurious and comfortable it was, was closer to imprisonment than it was of protection. But this time, no amount of manipulation seemed to be able to free her, since most of the powerful pirates hated the idea of having to submit and being controlled by someone... Even if that someone was Zora.

Zora could never truly control the weather or the seas and all the rumors saying she could were nothing more than exaggerations from her simply being able to read the tides and the weather but due the fame she earned and the many rumors, her existence had been elevated close to a mythical figure and as such, when terrible storms and hurricanes started assailing the seas, many immediately attributed those to Zora, claiming that taking her away from the sea had angered it.

Even though such storms weren't exactly rare, especially in the last semester of a year, they were particularly violent on that year. When storms and hurricanes started lasting for entire years, sinking ships and claiming many lives, the rumors only became stronger and out of desperation, the pirates turned to Zora again. In the end, it was finally time for Zora to pay for taking advantage of the fame she had earned. In an effort to calm down the seas, many sailors grouped up, invading the stronghold and tied Zora, taking her to sail directly towards the a storm that began forming on the horizon.

No matter how much Zora cursed them, how much she shouted, nothing could dissuade the terrified sailors. In their fanaticism in their superstitious thoughts, Zora was not a woman, but instead, she and the sea were two parts of the same thing and after being imprisoned, the sea now claimed for it's other half and the only way to quell it's fury was to reunite both of them again. And so, with a fiery determination, they sailed towards the storm, regardless of how strong the winds were, regardless of the rain, the waves and the lightning and when their ship started to creak and protest under the unrelenting assault of the waves, they took Zora to the deck, making her walk the plank.

"Foolish men! The sea is bigger than any one of us! No one can control it, not even me!" Zora shouted, her voice echoing above the mighty roar of the waves as she cursed the sailors.

"Your attempts to control it through me will be met with failure and your audacity will be severely punished!" Zora cursed, being gradually pushed further towards the end of the board, until she finally fell into the violent waters.

The sea seemed to open in the spot Zora fell, forming a whirlpool and dragging her further below as she struggled and trashed against the ropes with the noises of the sailors cheering in the background. Strangely enough, only a second after she fell, a bright light appeared, surrounding her. It was only for a moment but when it stopped, Zora was nowhere to be seen, with only the ropes that were tying her left behind...

Combat and Magic

Fitness Level:
⋆ To live among pirates requires a lot of stamina. Either to help around the ship, fight, defend oneself and when necessary, running for one's life. Despite being a rather 'important' figure for most pirates, Zora still had to deal with many situations and for that, she always had to keep a healthy and strong body.

What are your character’s physical strengths?
⋆ Flexibility and agility. Zora uses a ritual sickle as a weapon and her fighting style mixes ritual dances with the quick movements she learned with pirates.
⋆ Dexterity. Sickles are famous for being incredibly dangerous if used as weapons... Both for the user and the enemy. The fact that Zora constantly uses one both as a tool and a weapon means that if she isn't dexterous, at least one of her hands wouldn't have all its fingers.
⋆ Stamina. There were a few times where ships Zora was in had... unfortunate encounter with other pirates and she had to swim back to safety.

What are your character’s physical weaknesses?
⋆ Low strength and weight.
⋆ Low durability. The fact that Zora needs to keep her body nimble and agile for dances and rituals mean she cannot take many hits.
⋆ Hand to hand combat. If disarmed, apart from using poisons and toxins, Zora can't do much in hand-to-hand combat.

Years of Experience:

Weapon(s):
⋆ Sickle - She began to learn how to fight with knives from pirates when she was 8 years old and started practicing ritual dances with the sickles when she was 7. Her particular style of fighting was created by her when she was 10 years old. Her total experience fighting with a sickle is about 16 years.

Hand-to-hand Combat:
⋆ None.

Magical Abilities:

Ability on Avalia:

Hydrokinesis