sorry yesterday was somewhat mini hell. Ill get to reviewing character sheets today.
@fillet Resistance is feudal. Well it is. Anyway...this story is ideal for people who do not have tons of free time because I don't either. So I expect it will move slower than many other of the guild's stories. Just saying.
There are, of course, silly questions. That is not one of them. I actually meant to mention this because it's semi-important when we begin. It is summer verging on fall (days still warm nights crispy to a downright chill).
Sorry for the lack of clarification. Yes it's late 1800s...just before the new century. If an exact year is needed 1890 would work well; that way the anticipation of the new century can be an undercurrent. Many of the society are scientists and have their work detailed in the archives of the society...they should be on the cutting edge of the scientific discoveries and new theories (or possibly even ahead of them) so feel free to exploit that in a character if you so wish.
@vigfastsure. that sounds perfectly fine as long as you give some detail as to how the ability works and what precisely you can do with it. A clever person can use their psychic ability to give them an edge at almost any profession so I would expect no less of those who enter law enforcement.
@radioactiveratThe golem is in the RP already as it is a VERY long standing tradition but a character that is researching and studying the golem lore in an attempt to find and use it is most certainly acceptable. If you want to currently have access to the creature we need to converse further via PM (so feel free)
The night had seeped into the land, surrounding House Ianus and the associated grounds in blackness. The electric lights gleamed in a few windows with only a few flickers and stutters. Most of the manor guests were either resting or deep in studies too entrenched in their work to pay much attention to the hour.
Adam sat, sunk deeply into his high wing back chair, lost in deep thought. He sensed the glimmers of a pattern in the chaos of his mind. There were too many things that were not connected, and yet he knew they were intertwined somehow. He just was unable to figure out how.
He kept pulling at a thread of thought, unwinding it to see where it went, and finding nothing. His Talent was heightened but without being able to see the pattern it was flaring wildly. Adam was deeply entrenched in studying every perceivable pattern in hopes that one would actually fit the clues he had before him.
It was entirely possible that they were unrelated; but his Talent told him there was more to each piece than was immediately obvious.
He sipped the brandy in the near-dark, the electric lights having flickered off briefly leaving only the fire to light the room. He wasn't worried about the lights. They would come back eventually. They always did. If his father had been here he would have seen to setting the manor up in a more reliable style, more so than he already had. But Marcus was gone and Adam had no head for such work. It was just one more way to remind himself that he wasn't the leader his father was.
He looked at the clues he had gathered one more time, pondering each. Finally he came to a decision. It was well past midnight but he decided that the trail had to be followed. Perhaps nothing would come of it but he didn't hold out hope for that.
He opened his eyes, stood and stretched. Carefully, using a nearby pair of forceps, he placed the letter he had received in an envelope. He hadn't taken this precaution when he had received it thinking it nothing more than a letter from a member of the Society on some minor matter. He corrected that mistake now thinking about the words in the letter as he did so.
...my husband stands with me now...
Impossible. Adam had seen the man's body. The dead could not be brought back to life; that was ridiculous fiction. There must be another explanation but he couldn't even begin to fathom what it would be.
He rang for his valet. The man kept the same hours as his master, thankfully, and he soon appeared.
“Ahh there you are Ren” said Adam as the man materialized in the next room. “I need you to take this envelope to the Lady Adriana and ask her if she would be so good as to look it over, without gloves, and see what she thinks.”
Ren was much larger than his master, but he had grown up almost alongside Adam. When Adam had moved here to the the Manor he had chosen Ren to be his personal body servant, at very handsome wages, and Ren was loathe to loose his post. He had known Adam all his life and knew just what he could and could not say to the man but he still hesitated; it was clear that his Master's mind was uneasy and that could be somewhat problematic for everyone around him if he was not careful. Adam tended to become obsessed.
“Sir, its past midnight. The Lady, indeed her whole household, will no doubt be abed.”
“Nonsense” said Adam with a wave of his hand. “She is undoubtedly at some soiree or another, it won't be winding down for at least two more hours.”
“ Sir, by the time I reach town, figure out which cursed ball she is at, get there, find her, it will be at least two hours. She will have left or very probably will not wish to be disturbed.”
Adam gave a sigh. Ren was right. He hated leaving a problem hanging though, not now that he had crafted a solution.
“Very well. See to it then at the first acceptable hour of the morning.”
Ren took the letter and turned to leave when Adam called out again.
“One moment” Adam called out. “Send a runner to Mr. Martin and ask him if he would be so good as to Breakfast with me on the morrow. And find Ben, he may be in the tunnels here at the house in research or any of a dozen other places, and leave a message for...wait. Nevermind.”
Adam paused as his thoughts ran ahead of him. Ren was used to his Master having fits of energy and waited patiently for Adam to sort out each step in his process.
“See that the message gets to the Lady as I previously said with the addendum that she should deliver a personal report once she has done so. You are also to send notices to Mr. Martin, Mr. Moshe, and Ms. Valervicus and ask that they join me at their earliest convenience; I will ensure I have breakfast laid out for all in case they wish to join for that, otherwise I hope to see them shortly after. If there are any questions just mention that the Society has need of their expertise.”
With that Adam closed his door, mind considerably eased. He had three separate puzzles, he was convinced they joined somehow, but he would not mention that. He would see what others thought. If they came to the same conclusion after independent investigation so much the better; but it was his experience that if he didn't cloud people's judgment with his own opinions things went so much smoother.
He briefly pondered paying a call on his Lady, warm arms awaited him there. But his mood was still consumed with the puzzle and he would be poor company. He did not wish to inflict himself upon her when he was in such a mood. Instead he sunk back into his chair, leaned his head back, and drifted off into a lonely sleep. Dawn would be here soon enough.
Rank/Titles/Social Class: Adam is a member of the old nobility of the city, able to trace his ancestry back to almost the founding of the city; though his family did not originate there they have been nobility in Prague long enough to count almost as a founder. He also comes from a family of noted eccentrics; often considered to be a bit “off”. But the money and bloodlines of the Ware family are not to be questioned and society simply has to shut up and accept them. Fortunately for society Adam, indeed most of the Ware family, has little inclination to venture into the parties and soirees of the polite world. Invitations are consistently extended to him; and always politely declined. Many a hostess has secretly been relieved, and even more secretly been disappointed for to secure his attendance would be the equivalent of a social coup.
Adam is a slim man built along lean toned lines, not muscular. He has fair skin and hair so pale a blond as to be almost white but his most striking feature is his piebald eyes; one green the other blue. All in all he looks extremely exotic and added to the air of mystery and eccentricity that surrounds the entire Ware family he is often gossiped about or wondered about. He does, after all, project the look and air of a dandy . And sometimes his lack of interest in choosing an acceptable wife, slender form and exotic features lead people to one of two entirely erroneous conclusions: either he is weak or he prefers men in his bed.
In general he dresses in impeccably tailored clothes, slacks and vest fitted perfectly to his slim form. He prefers somber hues, black, gray, or deep blue; all his clothing is of the highest quality and clearly tailored by experts. He conforms to the perfect expectations of society, despite his dislike of the restraining clothing. The only thing he balks at are the ridiculous patterns and loud colors often found. He prefers things simple, and that includes his fashion. As much as he can get away with anyway.
In work he often poses as a tradesman, laborer, beggar, or someone even less reputable. He finds no difficultly passing himself off as such, as once disguised the only thing remarkable about him are his eyes. Though he finds such clothing infinitely more comfortable it is too conspicuous for his normal circles and thus he wears it only rarely.
Personality: Adam is a quiet person; indeed he has no problem with sitting in pure silence for nearly unlimited amount of time. He is content with his thoughts, seeking the patterns in the chaos. He is a genuinely good person; but when one talks with him he comes off aloof or distant. He is a calm sort of person; fairly unflappable and clear headed even in a crisis. He is often bluntly logical and sometimes he forgets that others prefer to be more on the emotional side. So he is sometimes seen as unsympathetic and harsh as well. He is very discrete in all things, particularly his relationships. He has a fiercely protective streak focusing on his family, his lovers, and the society. To those he values as a friend or family he is fiercely loyal. To the society he is devoted. And to the rest of the world he is merely indifferent.
Psychic Talent: Adam's psychic talent revolves around patterns. He can see the patterns in all things, even those that people might consider entirely chaos. He can spot what will work, what fits into the pattern, how things connect, and what things don't fit at all. He can look at a series of clues and sense how they link together, he can find connections in random incidents, he can spot the person in a crowd who doesn't belong. He can work something into a situation, blending it with what already exists, to misdirect and mislead. It is an unusual talent and he had learned to use it in unusual ways. It also makes him an exceptional strategist for many things; both in the society and out as patterns exist everywhere in the world...in the crush at a party, in fencing moves, in a game of cards, in coded writings, or in seemingly unrelated murders. Because he is so psychically sensitive to patterns he is also psychically sensitive to things that are chaotic. He likes order around him and he gets somewhat obsessive over a problem. In fact if he cant find the pattern in a series of things he will often become a bit melancholy; indeed some, mostly his very close friends/family, fear/ed a sufficiently complex problem might one day drive him mad.
Skills: Adam has spent his entire life in the Society, he was born into it, and groomed to one day take over as Master of the Society. He learned to use his talent as soon as it manifested; and it was assumed he would have a psychic talent of some sort for both his parents had strong psychic skills...his father in engineering and his mother had a talent for reading aura's. He was taught by both of them and learned to use his psychic talent to enhance his skills in other areas that might rely heavily on patterns. He has a knack for languages and code-breaking, they are patterns after all, and has over his life, learned many of them. He continues to develop this skill learning not only languages but also dialects. He has also made a thorough study of disguise, business investments, dancing, and even the disreputable pastime of gambling. All have their roots in patterns and he took to them very well. So much so that he often spends time in the gaming hells winning large amounts of money and then investing it into lucrative investment schemes. The extent of Adam's fortune is known to few, and he uses it to fund the society. He has an amateur interest in chemistry, physics, anatomy, and astronomy but no great skill in these areas. Still he devours well researched and written books on the subject.
Weapons/Fighting: Adam's slight form and vaguely feminine appearance have often called him to defend himself on the field of honor. He has gained great skill in fencing, another pattern. Pistols at dawn however is a bit more of a challenge; he is an acceptable shot at best. Fortunately as a master swordsman he prefers to chose a bladed weapon. In his forays into the underworld and on missions for the Society he has discovered smaller more concealable blades are desirable. Thus he trained, and now excels, in knife fighting as well. His small form give him an advantage in speed and dexterity and he actually prefers knife fighting. The thing is it's not a pastime considered worthy of a gentleman so he doesn't often inform people he has this skill.
History: Adam was born Adeleia Ware, the only daughter of Marcus and Esme Ware. Their family has been established in Prague for a long time, but it is clear in both name and appearance that Prague was not the origin of the family. Still, they have been a fixture in Prague for so long that they are accepted as local nobility.
Marcus and Esme were private people, even though Marcus was master of the Society he wasn't seen in public all that often. Instead he relied on seconds to deal with planning assignments and most of the day to day work of the society. He preferred to tunnel in the basement, and work in his laboratory building clockwork doohickies and thingamabobs. His talent ran along those lines, able to create almost anything he put his mind to. The patterns simple grew in his mind; often times too fast for him to even write them down. That was where his wife came in.
Esme was far more personable. She handled most of the personal contact; as well as hosting parties and gatherings, conducting meetings, and in what little free time she had she worked as a record keeper for her husband's ideas. She went into seclusion when she became pregnant and an already reclusive couple became almost hermits. They lived in House Ianus however few, save a few trusty servants, had any contact during Esme's pregnancy. Just before Adeleia was born Marcus and Esme moved out of House Ianus.
They moved into town, dressed as common trade laborers, and raised their child there among the locals and trades folk. Unknown to the nobles as well as members of the society. Only Marcus returned to House Ianus on a regular basis, taking over running things as his wife was busy.
He hated it; but he needed to keep his wife and child a secret. Few knew why; and Marcus did not enlighten them. The truth was he had made enemies, as had his wife. For all they were reclusive they were dedicated to eradicating fraudulent psychics as well as stopping those who would use their Talent for dark work. They were adept at blending their Talents together and working as a perfect team. They had worked together to track and stop a man who was using his Talent to ruthlessly murder. They stopped him; but did not capture or kill him. And for as long as he had gone to ground they worried he would return.
When Adeleia was 6 the murder found his way into House Ianus; lured intentionally there by Marcus who had never given up hunting. He had a very few trusted members assist him and together they lured the man into the caves below the house. Marcus, a genius engineer, had planned for this and had trapped the place in preparation. When the traps were triggered the whole house shook as the cave in claimed the murder's life. Marcus and his trusted friends put it about it was one of his experiments gone terribly astray. Things continued as they were before but Esme and Adeleia were free to return to their home.
During the time she had been raised among the commoners Adeleia had grown to be more comfortable as a boy than a girl. She was accepted, allowed to do far more, able to play freely in the streets, and soon she simply adapted to that lifestyle. As she learned how restricted she would be as a female in society, particularly the elevated circles she was born into, she began to resist it more and more. Her parents accommodated her wishes to live as a boy and when they moved back to House Ianus and the majority of the members met the Master's child for the first time; they met Adam Ware, firstborn son of Marcus and Esme Ware.
Adam continued his education, training, and life as a male and few ever knew otherwise. Fortunately as a descendant of psychically gifted parents, and raised by a society of people who not only believe in but possess and study such Talents, he was taught to use his abilities from a very young age. When he was 15 his parents went on a trip to the continent and never returned. It is believed they perished over there but Adam has had no news or proof to one way or the other. He continues to search for some sign; one way or the other. But he could not allow himself to mope for long. The society needed running; death or absence did not change that; and it needed a strong leader. Adam became that leader. Unfortunately as the Master of the Society is a hereditary position and Adam favors female lovers it is unlikely that he will ever produce an heir and that position will die with him. He knows this and has already begun researching current members seeking who would be best to be named his successor; who has the society's best interests at heart, and who would keep true to it's goals. Unfortunately the member list is quite large and he has not had an overabundance of contact with many of the members. Deciding he needed to have a more direct contact with the members Adam has become the exact opposite of his reclusive parents, to the point of even leading investigations and research projects in an effort to learn more about the members than was cataloged in the member roster.
Random: There are 4 people who know Adam is in fact a female; besides his parents. His lover, his personal butler/valet, and two of his parent's close friends who helped in resolving the issue that had caused Marcus and Esme to move from House Ianus when Adam had been born. This is mainly because Adam himself identifies himself as a male; and with the masculine gender. To him it is as natural as breathing. It is known Adam has a lover; but he gives discretion a whole new meaning and he is fiercely protective of her.
Renwick, or Ren as he prefers, has known Adam since both of them lived in the common district. He grew up with the boy Adam, and learned he was in fact a girl. But their friendship remained despite that and their differences in true rank, and when Adam and his parents moved back into House Ianus Ren accompanied them. Ren was hired on as Adam's personal valet and grew up alongside the other, though the difference in their social standing grew more and more pronounced as Adam aged the two remained friends. Ren is happy to have the post as Adam's personal man-servant and he has served well. He knows his master's moods and they often spend time conversing as friends even now though as far as most folk are concerned they are nothing more than master and servant. Ren has no family and Adam pays well; he has established a very good nest egg over time and Adam has helped it grow by suggesting shrewd business investments. When Ren decides to marry he will be well off and be able to provide a very stable financial future for any family he might have down the road.
Lady Isabeau is a long standing member of Ianus Congreatio. Her Talent involves reading a person's psychic energy in particular with how it relates to health. She can see and diagnose sicknesses by reading such energy. In the case of normal sickness she can often tell how it should be treated, in the case of psychical illness she can use her own talent to right whatever is wrong in the energy of a person. This has helped her to become an outstanding doctor, though not well credited as lady doctors are nearly unheard of. Her work was mostly with the poor who couldn't afford "real" doctors and with the members of the society. Her husband was a Botanical Talent and an exceptional chemist. Together they discovered and brewed many remedies that proved very effective. Their salves and potions were well known among those they treated. Yet despite their great success in medicine they considered most of their work at best useful byproducts of their real research for they sought a much greater discovery. Both were obsessed with the alchemical secrets of the Panacea, a cure all medicine and the holy grail of medical finds.
Birth Name: Anna Havel Other Names: Miss Havel
Gender: Female Age: 21
Rank/Titles/Social Class: Born to a wealthy merchant, Anna's status is relatively modest. She possesses neither the blood nor connection with nobility of any kind.
Appearance: A young woman of medium height, Anna stands at just about 160cm tall, slender of build almost to the point of being petite. She has a heart-shaped face with large, expressive, green eyes, and freckles dotting her cheeks and rather small nose. Due to a habit she blames her mother for inspiring, she is almost always seen with red-painted lips. Spending most of her time in-doors, working, she is rather pale as a result, and sometimes finds herself likening her skin to being the colour of moonlight. The rest of her follows the same theme; small hands and feet, though with nearly cornflower-yellow hair that falls in waves down to her waist, the bangs kept in check by a few decorated pins gifted to her by Lucie.
While on the job she usually wears a relatively standard maid outfit, composed of a long, light blue dress with long sleeves and loose fit, over which she wears a white apron, that also becomes akin to a dress from the waist down, the edge stopping a few centimetres above the angles, as opposed to the inner, blue part of the uniform. Her hair is usually tied back in a ponytail or hanging free, but other times braided or otherwise done up.
Personality: To call Anna a sweet girl would not be wrong, but neither is it entirely accurate. While thoroughly loyal and sweet, she possesses a slightly mischievous streak, that occasionally compels her to make a verbal quip that others with more self-restraint might not have said, something which a particular member of the society finds increasingly entertaining. They are, however, never meant to insult or offend, and only the most uptight and, in her own words, people with the biggest sticks up their arses, will ever take offense at anything she says. Beyond that she is incredibly attentive and quick to learn, especially when it has to do with one of her favourite hobbies: Needlework. Be it knitting, crocheting, or sewing (she is, however, partial to embroidery, sewing various animals into pieces of cloth to hang around her home), so long as it has to do with needle and thread she is always eager.
But in spite of her occasional impishness, she takes care to do her job diligently, and to keep her sharp tongue in check, save when she is around people, who would find it as entertaining as her. As such, she has avoided making too many nobles and members of the Ianus Congregatio scowl at her.
Psychic Talent: Anna's ability is something a lot of people would equate to future sight, or mind reading, but neither of those are accurate. She does not hear other peoples' thoughts, nor see images of what is to come. Rather, Anna has the innate ability which allows her to expect what people around her wants, often before they have even spoken a single word. In most cases it simply helps her be a maidservant who acts quicker than anybody else. Another application is one she has, in the past, used for self-defence, where it allowed her to foresee what her assailant wanted to do before he attacked, allowing her to duck far before his punch was even halfway toward her. In less serious moments, it allows for incredible wit, words having formed on her tongue that, much to even her own surprise sometimes. Other times it allows her to know that someone is approaching, and so will open the door even before they knock.
Skills: Sewing - As a result of her work, and hobby, Anna is proficient with the needle and thread like few others. Cooking - Even though she was born to a, by all accounts, wealthy family, and had some servants, she still learned to cook. She may not be a gourmet chef, but she can make something tasty almost regardless of ingredients. Wit - Perhaps not an extraordinary skill, but Anna is a clever and quickwitted young woman, and often has a smart reply on the tip of her tongue. Mathematics - Having grown up as the daughter of a wealthy merchant, and having watched him go through ledgers, calculations, and various transactions, Anna has gained a keen sense for numbers and equations. Business - Maybe not on par with the likes of Aleksandra, Lucie, or Adam Ware, but Anna has still learned enough watching from the sidelines, to have an above average sense for business, including how to watch the market for when there might be a shortage of surplus of various supplies, and how to make good investments.
Weapons/Fighting: Marksmanship - Anna possesses just enough skill with firearms to wield one with sufficient proficiency. She would win no contest were she to even enter. Hand-to-Hand - Anna knows how to throw a proper punch, but little more.
History: The date is March 16th 1869 and Anna Havel cries for the first time, newly born to Jana Havel, and greeted was by Josef Havel - her father - and her older brother, Krystof. Her father was a wealthy merchant trading in spice and expensive fabrics, and whatever else he can get his hands on. She grew up with a comfortable life and received a proper education, which involved some lessons on how to defend herself. All things considered her life was uneventful up until her thirteenth birthday, where she started to notice ideas popping into her head that, whenever she acted upon said ideas, caused peculiar outcomes. Never anything bad or scary, but always peculiar. She would move out of the way while standing underneath an apple tree, only for an apple to fall down exactly where she had stood moments before. She would watch their cook go about his business, only to pick up a particular spice he would then ask her for moments later, only to notice she already held it. This continued for a few years, where she went about her days confused as to what exactly was happening, though not frightened since nothing bad had happened as a result of this 'Intuition' of hers.
It was when she was nearing her sixteenth birthday that a stranger approached her and her family. Someone who introduced themselves as a representative of the Ware Family, and announced that they were currently looking to expand their staff, and were interested in hiring their daughter, for however long she so desired, or until she were to marry, whichever came first. At first stunned by the prospect of having a daughter work for a family of old nobility, Josef and Jana soon agreed to let their daughter work there. Anna was, however, sceptical and stubborn, and it wasn't until this member of the Ianus Congregatio revealed - during a private chat between the two of them -that he, too, possessed a unique talent like herself, and that many others who lived in the Manor possessed very similar abilities, that her hesitance began to wane. He explained to her that many in the House Ianus possessed talents of a psychic nature, and that she had been approached exactly because of hers. That steady work and pay were not the only things she could stand gain by agreeing to this arrangement, but also the continued development and understanding of her Talent, as well as others'.
Knowing all of this, and swearing herself to tell no one of the truth, Anna Havel agreed, and thus went on to work as a maidservant in the Ianus Congregation, learning to better harness her Talent, as well as learning so much more about the world of Psychics she had previously been unaware of.
Random: She is the personal maidservant of Lucie Ruzicka, having been requested for that position within a month of Lucie's arrival at the House Ianus. Wary at first, due to the younger woman's incredible height and sometimes odd mannerisms, she soon came to enjoy the position, as the two shared the same kind of wit.
kapuchu
Dnafein
