CitrusArms

a Tale of High Adventure

Yeah, that sounds like some cringe doings.

🗡 Roses and Daggers 🎕

Again, nothing drastically different, just.. more, better details.

James Clearwater History Revision

History Summary:
James has had a comfortable, upper-middle-class experience in the Sorian capital for most of his life. With some hard work and a scholarship, he was able to gain entry to university. Two years ago, Knight Captain Stratya Durmand, Hero of Encia, took him as her squire and, subsequently, stuck him into her personal squad in the army. She told her men she’d be training him to be their lieutenant, and before very long, they’d left the Capital Sorian on an investigation, with himself kept close by her side. She only took her closest men and him with her. The Captain relied on his education heavily during her investigation, and by the time it was over and they’d returned to the capital, he had earned her men’s respect and his position as Stratya Durmand’s officer.

Oh, and a Baron NPC

Successor to Ruined Plans, Baron Raynor Lancaster

Baron in Rural Vermillion

Raynor Lancaster, 30, Male

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Appearance

Height: 5'7"
Weight: 145 lbs
Eye Color: Blue
Hair Length/Texture: Short and well-kept, straight, smooth, somewhat oily
Hair Color: Black
Skin Color: Fair
Facial details: Gentle but strong features and a shaved mustache and beard.
Distinguishing features: His eyes are very blue.
Clothing Preferences: Robes and billowy things, though sometimes a nice, crisp suit is good, too.

---

Psychology

Likes:
Fine spirits, quiet, firelight, old lore, plays and theater, anthropology, archeology
Dislikes:
Electric light, burned things, lost knowledge, too much company

Sexuality:
Heterosexual

Hobbies:
Reading, star-guided divination, ancient rituals to the Gods, preserving knowledge, sketching

Life Goals/Dreams:
He has much to learn and rebuild, after the ruin that visited his family. He had been looking forward to a relaxing life of reading, and had been considering becoming a priest, though how serious that consideration had been is unknown. He must soon consider finding a wife to be an important priority.

Personality Summary:
Raynor has become a serious man out of necessity. The rigors of rebuilding the trust in his family his father lost and dealing with staffing issues has drained him of whatever humor he once had. He prefers his time spent alone in the library or in his study, but finds himself often in meetings with his staff.

When he’s not drowning in work and lament, he’s kind and easy-going, he’ll even crack a joke. He’s not a very tidy man, often haphazardly tossing garments onto the floor or some such, though he takes care of his appearance.

---

Background

Current occupation:
Baron

Any past occupations?:
None

Relatives:
Father, Baron Maximilian Lancaster (Deceased)
Step-Mother, Baroness Analise Lancaster (Missing, Wanted)
Brother, Lord Donovan Lancaster (Deceased)

Skills:
Literature and Lore, wine and mead tasting, delegation, star navigation, acting

History Summary:
Before the Kingdom of Caesonia expanded into the region now known as Vermilion, the barbarians that occupied the area around present-day Encia were particularly resilient. Whenever one clan came under attack, with an alarming frequency, another clan would come from a flanking position on the Kingdom’s advancing army. While the Kingdom advanced steadily, engagements were trying. Their strategic coordination was strange and powerful. Their warriors, as well, were particularly formidable among the barbarians in the area. Due to the costly nature of engagements, when the Kingdom received an offer of submission, they took it. The warrior clans asked only to keep their way of life, their culture, and a treaty was struck. The Lancaster Barony is old, old enough that many have forgotten the importance of it.

Up until two years ago, Raynor Lancaster had an easy life to look forward to. Nothing too opulent, like you might find in the capital city, but easy enough. His needs were to be met and he would marry a woman from one of the clansmen elder families, or marry upward, if possible. Two years ago, such ideas were shattered when the then Lieutenant Stratya Durmand shattered his father’s underground sorcerer ring and black market. Raynor was left with many pieces to pick up and put back together.

With his time, the bookish man had read much of the library in his home since childhood. Myths, legends, fiction, non, he’d read much and more in the thousands and thousands of pages. That’s how he noticed something amiss in his town.

It started with the disturbances in 1733, speckled with murders. Stratya, the first child of an elder family and his old friend, had come to him for counsel after the first murder in 1734. Her keen observation and his literary mastery proved useful together, to his surprise. The implications of the things they discovered ran deep into the Barony. It was discovered that Maximilian Lancaster had been keeping things quiet as his own . The problems were routed in 1737.

The Commoner Knight of Caesonia, Stratya Durmand v1.2

Knight-Captain of Caesonia
Stratya Durmand, 26, Female

---

Appearance

Height: 5'6"
Weight: 160 lbs
Eye Color: Brown
Hair Length/Texture: Down to her shoulder blades and silky
Hair Color: Light Brown
Skin Color: Fair
Facial details: Tall, round, slender and strong. Like Xena, but rounder.
Distinguishing features: Plain but pretty, Stratya can be heard from afar by her thick dialect. Though she dresses to hide them, she has a few scars on her body. A few old cuts on her arms, lots of little ones on the backs of her calloused hands, and one on the left side of her torso, shallow.
Clothing Preferences: Nothing very fancy. She often finds herself in uniform, which suits her fine. It doesn't get in the way of her movement, and she doesn’t have to think about fashion. Clothes that are too nice just make her worry she’ll damage them or get them dirty.

---

Psychology

Likes:
Peace, music, good food, affordable mead, shellfish, ribs, weird parrying daggers
Dislikes:
Competitive pressure, snobs, misogyny, discord, abuse, regular fish, fine clothes

Sexuality:
Bisexual

Hobbies:
Baking, drinking, playing music, training

Life Goals/Dreams:
Peace and safety for her people. She's a simple woman, content with simple things. Food in her belly, the sun on her face, people she likes and cares for. A good pint of mead. That's all she really wants, it's just too bad some people won't let things be that simple.

Personality Summary:
Stratya is a simple woman with a sharp mind that thinks too much at times, and an appreciation for nice things. She'd love to just lay on a hillside and play her fife or have a drink at the tavern all day, but unfortunately, there's much work to be done. She's fairly easy-going, which can cause people to lower their guard to her, perhaps even to think she’s less capable than she is.

Questions regarding her father have been a specter in her woods since. Whether she could have done something to have come to a different end, to have left him alive. She feels responsible, partly, like she didn't do enough. Like she didn't see things quickly enough. Part of her says she did what she could, part of her says it wasn't enough.

---

Background

Current occupation:
Knight Captain

Any past occupations?:
Baker, Town Guard, Soldier

Relatives:
Father deceased. Mother, younger brother and two sisters operate the bakery and brewery in the Vermillion region.

Skills:
Flute and vocals, cooking and baking, swordplay and brawling, thought and deductive reasoning

History Summary:
A young girl in a small farming village worked in her mother's bakery, helping to make the bread and often carrying the bread throughout her village to the various shops and folks that needed it. Her father, a guard for the village and nearby trading town, taught his eldest child, Stratya, the warrior traditions passed down to him from his father, and to him from his mother, and so on into days they had no records for.
The day of her first hunt was an important day for her. At just 15, she brought back a whole wild boar for the festival that had been the purpose of her hunt. A very successful hunt. After another year, when she was considered of age by the militia, she enlisted into the town guard.
After two years of guard service, Stratya Durmand began her service to the crown as a woman-at-arms for the local Barony’s militia at the age of 18, but through service exceeding her station, she was recognized for excellence and given an officer position. As a Lieutenant, and with the authority such rank gave her, her sharp mind began sniffing things out.
The particular event that earned her knighting was the shattering of an underground sorcerer's ring, the capture of about a dozen gathered magic-users, and the elimination of violent resistors, including her father. She used a small, well-organized squad to breach a meeting and take the ring by surprise. That was in 1737. Since then, she's gone from the capital on a major investigation that was, ultimately, a failure, but not without fruit.

Change Log - Stratya Durmand

Personality Summary expanded
History Summary revised
Distinguishing Features expanded
Clothing Preferences expanded

Pokémon: There and Back Again

Stella Lumite

Inventory

GP: 5000
Items: PokeBall 6x, Potion x5, Antidote x5, Escape Rope, Repel

Roster

Kaebe

Tyrunt ♂, Lv 8, Full HP
Moves: Tackle, Tail Whip, Roar, Ancient Power
Ability: Strong Jaw

Ocul

Blipbug ♂, Lv 7, Full HP
Moves: Struggle Bug, Infestation
Ability: Swarm

Scamp

Yamper ♀, Lv 5, Full HP
Moves: Tackle, Tail Whip, Nuzzle
Ability: Rattled

Niblet

Joltic ♀, Lv 7, Full HP
Moves: Absorb, Fury Cutter, Electroweb
Ability: Compound Eyes

Sterk

Rookidee ♂, Lv 5, Full HP
Moves: Peck, Leer, Power Trip
Ability: Big Pecks

Spoops

Gastly ♂, Lv 6, Full HP
Moves: Lick, Confuse Ray, Hypnosis
Ability: Levitation

PC

Empty

”Oof, wrong immediately, huh?” Stella frowned softly to herself as she began reading. It was an immediately sad book. She gently ran her fingers over the egg as she read, subconsciously measuring it.

”Ooh, long break.” The girl hung for a moment on the name of the other woman mentioned. Ellanore’s sickly friend. December, ”you're going after her on new years..”

Another page. She gasped and held the egg a little closer, covering her mouth with the hand she'd been turning the book with. Was that.. blood? What had she done to herself? ”And then, two years later..”

Hesitantly, she turned to the last page, only to find herself confused, ”’32..? But, who wrote this page..?” and why?

Before she could ruminate, Mr. Osman appeared. Stella was so startled, she couldn't help her ”oh, sorry,” as she closed the diary.

She'd read enough. That wasn't Mr. Osman. She put both arms lightly around the egg, petting it gently as she studied the figure in the door. “You're not Mr. Osman. Are you. I'd say you were Marie, but that would make you very old. In this place for a long time. I suppose it's possible you're so long-lived, but,” Stella paused and looked around the room, “to have stayed here for so long.. why?”

"What.." Stella dreaded to even ask the question. She wanted nothing to do with whatever had driven Ellanore mad and made her friend so cold and distant. But.. it could hurt someone else, too, "what's in the woods?"

A Heathen's Desires; F for Any.

🗡 Roses and Daggers 🎕

Stratya Durmand

Time: 25th, 10 am
Location: Edwards Estate
Attire: Officer’s Formal
Family Dirk + Crest
Interactions: Ariella @Tpartywithzombi
Mentions:

Hmm. Another, similarly pleasant, young lady. Must be the high-class upbringing. Of course, she’d only spoken to Lady Charlotte briefly, and only just met-

Ariella.

Stratya did a fairly good job of hiding the flash of recognition as it crossed her face. Only have a slightly sharp inhale of mild surprise, which she blended into a deep, slow breath.

Defaced the King’s painting, apparently. Somehow, the Captain had a hard time being upset. If it had been the Queen’s, she’d probably be actually a little upset, but the King? She’d seen enough glimpses of what that man was like to not care too much.

She’d just conveniently forget about that, for now.

“When I do make tha’ brread, I’ll be surre ta send ya an ‘ole loaf. But, if you’d like to get a taste before tha’, there’s tha’ choc’l-,” she stopped suddenly, canted her head briefly, letting out an “hoo.” She took a moment and shook her head, “choc’la’e foun’ain - sorry, I.. I saw i’, I used i’, I ate from i’, but only now tha’ I’m sayin’ i’ am I..” her body and head turned to look at the fountain again, “wooo, ‘choc’la’e foun’ain', ‘at’s lavish. _{If I don’t stop sayin’ it, it’ll stop soundin’ like words,}" Stratya slowly turned back to her new acquaintance, "every once in a while, i’s like I go back ta bein’ a wee lass from ‘t village. Like my eyes ‘ave gone back to what they were before an’ I see things like I would ‘ave then. Y’ken me meanin’?”

Having been about to take another sip, Stratya stopped and assessed herself; feeling a bit buzzed already, and the drink was only half gone, “‘is drink’s pret’y strong for t’ taste. Think I’ll change off i’ for t’ momen’.” Stratya caught the attention of a nearby servant as she set the cocktail glass down a short distance separate from herself, but still in front of her seat. She glanced at the place that had previously been an argument as the servant approached, “would you break out t’ mead I brough’? The Durmand mead, aye, aye. Let’s..” another short glance over, “let’s ‘ave a tastin’ wit’ everyone to set’le things down, shall we? Make a wee birt’day trea’ ou’ o’ it, ‘ere a’ t’ par’y.” If she could get tasting notes from some of the guests, or critiques, her brother would be over the moon.

The servant, having listened intently to decipher the Captain's accent, bustled off, and Stratya turned back to Ariella, leaning in to admire the other. “I love your hair, by t’ way,” the first part of the sentence was delivered with a deliberate pronunciation rooted in honesty, “like a campfire, i’ is, warm and invitin’. Have y’ been? Campin’.”

Pokémon: There and Back Again

Stella Lumite

Inventory

GP: 1500
Items: PokeBall 6x, Potion x5, Antidote x5, Escape Rope, Repel

Roster

Kaebe

Tyrunt ♂, Lv 8, Full HP
Moves: Tackle, Tail Whip, Roar, Ancient Power
Ability: Strong Jaw

Ocul

Blipbug ♂, Lv 7, Full HP
Moves: Struggle Bug, Infestation
Ability: Swarm

Scamp

Yamper ♀, Lv 5, Full HP
Moves: Tackle, Tail Whip, Nuzzle
Ability: Rattled

Niblet

Joltic ♀, Lv 7, Full HP
Moves: Absorb, Fury Cutter, Electroweb
Ability: Compound Eyes

Sterk

Rookidee ♂, Lv 5, Full HP
Moves: Peck, Leer, Power Trip
Ability: Big Pecks

Spoops

Gastly ♂, Lv 6, Full HP
Moves: Lick, Confuse Ray, Hypnosis
Ability: Levitation

PC

Empty

Stella gave a soft sigh as she found nothing obvious within the room. Gastly noted the egg quickly as they entered, and the bookish girl nodded about it but wanted to check out the whole room first. ”Huh. It's like being at home.” It was about as abandoned of people as she expected, but there wasn't anything in here to have made that noise. Did it leave the egg and, what, just left?

Then there were the pictures. Someone bothered to tear out all the depictions of.. someone. The mother died first? Tragically, perhaps. Who was the missing figure? Her finger brushed the fur on the one picture frame, “what, a Pokèmon tore the pictures..? It was probably the Pokèmon that was torn out, anyway. Don’t you think?” The girl looked back at Gastly.

“Gas?”

”Hm.” She nodded softly, considering possibilities, then shook her head. Not enough information. She carefully gathered the egg and diary before having a seat on the couch to go through the diary.

She sat with the egg in her lap, her arms around it as she held the diary in front of her. She brushed her fingers over it for a moment, ”it's just a book now, isn't it..” another moment, and she opened the diary.

Rising Stars: A Fairy Tail AU

“Wh- really? Yea-hea!” Trinity played a short triumphant fanfare with the synth and lyre and struck a quick pose with her fist up, then followed along after Jenna.

As Jenna went quickly into her office, Trinity called up a trumpet and played something ceremonious-sounding. Where to put the mark? Trinity considered the question for a moment before pointing to a spot on her clavicle, just over her chest, “I'll have to show it sometimes, right? This spot should be prevalent enough.”

She closed her eyes and pictured.. her hair color. A gentle lavender. That way, she didn't have to worry about it clashing with her clothes.

She peeked down at it after it was given, “cool! So, I..” the music lulled momentarily, a mute appeared on the trumpet, her eyes came back to Jenna and she touched her finger to her own cheek, “guess I'll look at the job board, unless you've got something special for me? Oh," the intensity grew and built anticipation, the mute came off gradually, she caught her lyre as it floated into her hand and she began to play it herself, "there's probably some kind of orientation or something, right?”

Rising Stars: A Fairy Tail AU

((I hit quote and not edit))

🗡 Roses and Daggers 🎕

Stratya Durmand

Time: 25th, Morning
Location: Edwards Estate
Attire: Officer’s Formal
Family Dirk + Crest
Interactions: Ariella @Tpartywithzombi
Mentions: Anastasia’s servants, Callum, Charlotte

Aah, what a lovely young lady! It didn’t seem like she was just being flattered, the compliments were genuine and thought out. Her uniform wasn’t grand or extravagant, but it was very sharp and powerful. She hadn’t thought of it like that, distracted by all the finery and jewels. The compliment brought an appreciative smile to her face. Beautifully, powerfully, feminine. Ooh, goodness, she could get used to this. ”Y’ think so? Ooh, ‘at’s good to ‘ear. I’ve been yet shy o’ these even's. Hearrin’ such sincerre complimen’s is rreassurin’, thank you.”

Charlotte, perhaps for the best, did not pick up on the Captain’s trepidation regarding the Prince. Yes, it wasn’t anything she needed to worry about, ”’e cer’ainly does, tha’ ‘ighness, him,” Stratya supposed she should just take the compliment, for now. Callum waved to her with the bread and she couldn't decide if he was being saucy or not. It seemed like a plain enough motion. ”I didn' expect anyone ta eat t' 'ole loaf, though.”

A voice shouted something rather scandalous.

At the same time as Charlotte, Stratya and the lady offered under their breath, ”oh dear.” It was, of course, Duke Lorenzo. She nodded as Charlotte turned and excused herself, ”g’on ahead, darlin’.” She eyed the Count, who seemed.. incredibly furious.

Callum blared in next, repeating the scandal. Just as she had been considering how best to distract the Count, the younger prince did something, himself. Maybe not the way she would have hoped to distract him, but it was interesting to note that Callum had done something to deflect from Lorenzo. Perhaps he meant to irritate the Count? Whatever the case, the Count would watch himself doubly so when faced with the Royal Family. Right? The Queen’s Knight caught herself watching the Count and turned her attention away, back to the servants carrying Anastasia’s presents. She sighed softly, deciding this was the least troubling to deal with. Right, let’s organize that mess.

“A’rrigh’, lads, ‘ere I come.” Stratya strode toward the gift-burdened servants, struggling with the crowded bottleneck at the gate, and wondered about how to organize this when she saw her solution just there. Stewart was taking his time, having a leisurely drive on his way home. He must have gone down and come back around. What luck! ”Oye, Stewar’! You faffin’? Bring y’sen hence ‘n ‘elp these lads with ‘at car', put 'er," Stratya took a moment to choose a place, "there. You lads stage there once Stewar’ stops aroun’ and take those ‘eavy ones in two- or three-man teams from there.” She stood by for a moment to see that her orders were working out and nodded, before going to the bar she'd spotted.

She’d been about to get herself mead, but stopped, ”Gods, maybe I shoul’ go ta nice liquorr ‘ouses morre, ‘old on.” Brown eyes scanned over the bottles behind the bar she leaned on with deliberation, ”Oooh, mix me a surrprise, barrkeep. Some’in’... sweet.” When handed a drink, she took a sip and her eyes lit up.

The next thing she saw was the chocolate fountain. What in blazes? The Captain approached the fountain, sipping her drink and looking over the fruits. She settled on a strawberry, sticking it with a toothpick and running it under the chocolate. She let any spare chocolate drip off for a moment before walking away, or so she thought. She saw some about to drip off as she lifted the fruit to her lips and quickly caught the drop on her tongue before taking a bit.

Ooh, she’d tasted fresh strawberry before, but good chocolate was another matter. This was incredible. It was so rich yet so balanced, the way the richness of the chocolate complimented the sweet lightness of the strawberry, she.. had to put this in bread. Stratya had herself a seat with a young lady who, herself, had just sat down to a table alone. The knight had yet to meet Ariella. “Strawb’rries and chocola’e go very well. 'At gives me an idea f'r brread, i' does.” The woman gave a soft ”mmm,” she sat as she finished her strawberry, a pleased smile on her lips, and swallowed before she spoke ”think I’ll ‘ave ta ‘ave morre in jus' a minu'e.” She turned her attention to Ariella, smiling warmly, ”I don’ believe we’ve me’. Cap’n Stratya Durmand.”

🗡 Roses and Daggers 🎕

Stratya Durmand

Time: 25th, Morning
Location: Edwards Estate
Attire: Officer’s Formal
Interactions: @princess Charlotte
Mentions: @Helo Callum, @SilverPaw Wulfric, Annie, James

The Captain felt a little underdressed. She decided she was fine, but the finery all other attendants were wearing made her feel underwhelming. Even the estate itself felt done to the nines. Duke Vikena's attire was particularly fabulous, the color a fine contrast with his surroundings without being overstated.

Someone who was not done to the nines was - James, did she hear his name was? Such a scruffy cat, to be given to Lord Edwards as a birthday gift? Herself, she'd not complain, but she had the suspicion her standards were, ooh, slightly different. She fought the urge to kidnap the cat aside for a quick grooming. Check for fleas, comb out any matts, like she'd done for so many barn cats. Ooh, but, surely the princess knew what- is that the same cat I pet on my way here? Surely she knew what she was doing? Aah, this was probably something better left to - there he is, Wulfric, bringing a stately horse. Yes, she'll let Prince Wulfric worry about that.

Just the distraction the knight needed, she heard a voice next to her introduce herself. One foot moved and the other pivoted, she turned to face the daughter of the Duke she had yet to greet. Charlotte. “Lady Charrlotte, a pleasure. Cap’n Stratya Durrmand.” The woman offered a warm smile, and then took a somewhat theatrical look around before coming back to the young lady and looking her over once, “an’ ‘ere I though’ ‘is uniform was sharp. Well, ’s sharp enough, I s’ppose. Though, I think even the groundskeeper ‘as outdone me,” there was a bit of humor in her voice as she took in her surroundings for a brief moment, and added softly “what fine work ‘as been done ‘ere. 'Ere mus’ be a few skilled pairs of ‘ands abou' it.”

Her attention turned to the gifts Anastacia’s servants were struggling with. She wanted to help somehow, but resisted the urge. She’d been told to mingle, so here she was mingling, here she would stay mingling. She let her attention shift to the gifts themselves, and the sheer amount of them. She touched a finger to her lips sheepishly, and asked quietly, “should I ‘ave brrough’ more gif’s..? I made a baske’ abou’, oh, yae big,” she motioned with her hands, “full o' swee' brreads, and brrough' some good mead. Oh, an’ I made tha’ alcoholic brread, there,” She gave a nod of her head in the direction of what remained. ”Someone rran off wit’ a 'ole loaf, I think.” The Knight looked about and, before very long at all, found her loaf. And the absconder. She took a sharp breath through her nose, “_{and there ‘is ‘ighness is..}” To be devouring that so quickly, so early in the day, had her concerned. She enjoyed a drink, herself, but she didn’t usually start the day with booze. She found him in the slums the other night, too. There could be other problems with that matter in particular, but this overindulgence on alcohol had her concerned. She made a mental note to talk to her sergeant about the location she found the Prince. And.. Wulfric, on the matter, as well.

Stratya turned back to Charlotte, deciding it best she divert her attention for now, back to the matter at hand, rather, the young lady she was speaking with. One hand raised next to her face and she clapped the fingers of her other hand lightly into the palm, “so, how’s t’ day find you, luv?” She settled her chin into her palm with her fingers. A beat, she cleared her throat briefly and said deliberately, ”Lady Charrlotte.” She found herself blushing just a bit for the second time that day.