PrinceAlexus

How high can we count before a mod gets involved?

186

Realms of Sun & Shadow

Syraeia Leela “Sy-a” Inn Keeper

Dawn Haven _ “Hot Springs”

Early Morning

Sya felt a little selfish suggesting the Temple but it was close, easy to find, warm and also was a place they would have some protection from snow etc. She just wanted to soak her feet again and relax. The last day even, just a day had reminded her that she could enjoy her life and make the most of it, so she would and one of those would be taking a little time for herself to enjoy these wonderful hot springs.

Her plan was to soak and maybe swim a little in the deeper public area to ease her tense muscles, her back and feet especially when feeling the benefits of the hot waters. She needed to look after herself, she was not even sure to be honest looking at her pale skin, running a hand past her bun to her now pointed ears what she was now.

Sya just wanted to be happy, was that too much to ask, though waking up next to someone was a thing she hoped would stay. Crazy, they had met a day ago and shared a bed but hey, she was not normal by any means. Broke out her thoughts Sya turned and took the names to faces to memory, her big eye lingered on them for a second as she placed them in her mind. “If you ever need me, I am mostly found at the Eye of Beholder, hot springs, or the market mostly.” Sya said generously and right then and there decided the hot springs would be a place she visited more often.

Sya nodded at her name. “Da, Temple It is, easy on the steps. Be most way once we on flat” She said and wondered how, probably her waist as she was much taller than the just a nudge over 5 foot woman Sya was. Her height and build were somewhat less than others.

“We can manage, enjoy the springs while you can, town will go mad at 10am, that's what I plan to do, look after myself. We forget we need it.” Sya did not know the Princess, only met her in passing as she tends to stick to their lodge but she could feel for her stress, Sya managed the eye, Octavia managed a whole town resting on her and her husband, all would be on them if they failed. The Blighrborn tried to be kind to Octavia and mirrored that she dropped her title and so, approaching it more neutrally and without their stations as much. Sya was trying anyway, she looked in Syas eye and it's detail that she needed some time away from everything and just to sit and enjoy the warmth. Just a feeling she got from Octavia.

For all the …everything. Sya was trying to genuinely just be kind. Olivia had reminded Sya most intimately she was still very much human.

“let's get you to the Temple Celine, Anathema… Ana, you take it right. I'm on the left.” Sya struggled to make the name at first so dropped it down to Ana with an apologetic look.

Hopefully she agreed and Sya could help this blightborn, the blightborn with one eye could spend her time soaking In hot waters.

@The Savant@SkeankySnack@Lu

How high can we count before a mod gets involved?

182

AZUL Islands - Drama, Romance, Mystery, Slice of Life

Dr Katrazyna "Katska" Nadezhda Kowalewska

Main Island BNB

Kat had been walking for a while longer than she should and began to realise she took a wrong turn somewhere. She did think about turning back but the Island was so that she was bound to recognise a landmark, the main Island was big but not that big one could get hopelessly lost on the “main town” area at least. In London,, she would have turned back but this was Azul and curiosity got a little better of her sense and caution.

Her mind had drifted on her walk as it often did much to her discomfort on Azul, she had been walking down a far cooler beach in Scotland with a bench overlooking the North Sea when her 2 year relationship ended as her plans and theirs did not match up, she could not settle down and it caused a make or break…kat chose to join Olympus and with future prospects of heading out far afield. That caused one last kiss and one last look before they took separate paths back both physically and choice. Did she regret it? She had made that choice and stuck with it since she was 22, 7 years later she was now 29, a doctorate to her name, known in her own circles. What would her life have been if she made the other choice?

Shaking her head as she saw all things. Two paths, two routes and a choice. of all the places and things this was just the fates being cruel. “kurwa” she cursed as she hobbled slightly to a larger rock, the nibbling probbly of a smaller one that hurt her foot while not looking properly. Running though several curses in Ukrainian, Spanish and German she checked that there was no blood or so, just pain.

Drifting again she remembered working on a more humorous moment when she did pass her seamanship courses and Kat was fully qualified to pilot the boat at Marina in day and night. However that lesson she had executed every manoeuvre perfectly…but for getting Port and Starboard wrong so she did every move in reverse effectively.

Fate was kinder to her it seemed as she saw a sign for a B&B with cafe, a smaller slot saying open late. That was curious and she hopped up, felt her foot then stood more cautiously and followed the sign that led to a pretty typical older traditional island building, white painted timber overlooking the sea with soft sands and local vegetation sprouting up around it in a controlled but not strangled wildness. She would have to draw this place another day and snap a photo to remind her.

Places like this made her feelings of being forced to take on the job so far from the action entirely moot, this was like a painting more than a place.

Deciding to see as she had come this far and it did not give her any red flags, her gut was calm and seemed to not throw any warnings at her. She trusted that so headed up the weather beaten old stairs that met the sand, maintained but with a little creek as she climbed. pushing a wood and glass door open into a small what might be a … cafe? Maybe, it was pretty homely and hoped she chose the correct door but this seemed only one.

“Hola estas abierta” Kat asked, “Hello, are you open?” in Spanish, not her best Language but passable and English. The Spanish was improving slowly with regular use though even though she spoke more traditional vs the local dialect. Her accent made Spanish with her accent that remained still fairly Polish with a small slice of western Ukrainian a intresting combination. Kat waited and found herself a seat near what was looking to be a coffee machine and a counter to rest her foot. It was not hurting, just sore and hoped she did not have to walk the way she came straight away.

“Mi español todavía está un poco oxidado” She said apologising as her Spanish was still a little rusty and this was the most use it had in years since her move to Azul. The taller woman sighed contently as she rested her foot and waited. One thing she had learned, everyone just worked at their own pace here and a worker might have heard her and choose to spend 5 minutes reading or finishing a cigarette before coming out.

Mention
@Sadie

Realms of Sun & Shadow

Heya guys. I'm still here, still interested! I apologize for vanishing, I was simply very busy at work this week.

I'm about to finish up reading the characters, and then I'll finalize my concepts. Current ideas are:

-a Lunarian doctor who specializes in psychic magic, and functions- essentially- as a medieval fantasy version of a therapist. He uses his psychic magic to try to heal the minds of those traumatized, mentally ill or hurting.

-an Aurelian Blight-Born who used to be a priest. After becoming a Blight-Born, he discovered that, in a horrifying twist of fate, the thing he absorbs to keep himself going is Faith. He now drains the most devout believers of their faith in Aelios or Seluna.

Not entirely sure which I want to do yet.

@Tortoise

Welcome.
Both ideas do sound pretty Intesting.

Lettuce welcome you, we can help you catch up with anything and such.

Ban the User Above You

Banned because the last post in this thread was 2 days ago 😢

@hanzo

Banned because upside down cake does not work in Australia.

How high can we count before a mod gets involved?

178

AZUL Islands - Drama, Romance, Mystery, Slice of Life

Dr Katrazyna "Katska" Nadezhda Kowalewska

United Kingdom to Main Island

D-18 - United Kingdom

“Dr Kowalewska” called out an unsure looking secretary as she read the name out loud, “Katska, just get in there the boss needs to see you” She said with a small smile to the dark haired woman reading a romance novel on a sofa. Lilly Ortega has been roommates with the Polish now Doctor when they were grad students, though she had chosen to work the office side after finding her boyfriend and now fiance wanting a more stable life, Katrazyna had chosen to remain out and yet to put down solid roots, renting, expeditions and so. She had risen higher but Lilly was honestly in her own mind happier taking choices she made.

“You been able to say it since we got our masters”
Relied the taller dark haired Polish woman who was wearing a normal corporate safe outfit skirt suit with a tailored waistcoat at first glance, except for more chunky leather boots, the little bats in pale grey on her white blouse closer up and a long dark deep red coat that rested next to her, it was still England…even in a meant to be warm day it was raining. She could express her style and still fit the dress code. “Meet you at lunch, down by the Poseidon statue? Old Jims?”

“True enough, sure, but I have to call my florist to make sure they got the right shade of yellow. Marcus thinks they're all the same… Closed for redo, The Huntsman does a good meal.” She said with fake sigh and gestured to the office door as was sitting in for a secretary with an emergency vet appointment and had a quiet morning of paperwork despite her higher job title.

“Dr Kowalewska thank you for coming in, We have to explain a change of plans. What do you know about Azul or the SS Vika”...

D-11 - Flight to Azul

Azul, her first sights was a small island nation in distance, bright blue sees, the main Island she guessed by the larger buildings though the pilot had taken her on a little bit a of a diversion saying that there was an bad current, a side wind today and needed to swing about to land on a new approach after a short radio call. A distant island looked far more green, less concrete and so anyway as she looked out windows of a sea plane that was slowly turning and banking to come into land in maybe 5 minutes once the ferry was clear as wake dissipated safely. Everyone seemed not to mind and her bags were packed down in the hold under a cargo net. She was not the only passenger but it only sat 6 and you were pushed up against someone or something. It rattled a little but the Pilot said that was normal mechanical controls and aircraft being a character all of their own.

Kat had already waited, the flight had taken off at…”Island time” after a last minute parcel of mail was loaded, something about the mayor dying, and something about people sending more mail to relatives. She just wanted to take a cold shower that afternoon, flying from the arctic to the UK and then the Gulf of Mexico was certainly a change of climates. She would enjoy an iceberg right then.

“We will be landing soon, make sure your passports are ready. Customs will meet you at the dock, you can collect your bags after. Please remain strapped in till we are safely tied up at the dock. Thankyou for flying with us today.” A cool male voice came over the head sets as they dropped lower and faster to the bright blue ocean. The flight was hardly luxurious but the plane was clean, and the pilot quietly confident as any pilot she had flown with.

D-0 - Early Morning.

Island life took some getting used to, a lot in fact for the woman used to working long hours, ship based rotations and shifts. No one was in a hurry and that she had to accept though it was not natural to Katrazyna to just… be well, alone with her thoughts. Pink trainers sounded softly beneath her feet as she ran along the beach boards, dressed down to a Skort and a sports bra. It was too warm even at this time for her to keep pace in more having found a good route a few days ago to exercise. It was otherwise Yoga on the deck of her “home” , a chartered boat in the Marina. Sunscreen she had by the bucket load though. Maybe beach Yoga tomorrow for some variety.

The paler woman slowed as she hit sand, long back hair was tied back and her prescription sunglasses reflected the light. Upon landing she had found out the Mayor had died, it was a strange mood and people seemed to have stopped entirely across the island or at least paused. Just finding the person to talk to at “city hall” was slower, it took a week to locate the 1944 records she requested as old enough to forget and one assumed she was after the far older and more famous wreck to begin with and brought wrong information. The Mayor's death however meant she could only access the public archive and her application for other information was stuck with heads of department and others who seemed to be less willing to make decisions right now. From what she gathered the man had been Mayor for a long time and this was a massive potential shift in local politics. Major decisions were on hold and people waited. There was little gossip and most were content to wait for people to announce more.

Kat had made more progress on her fitness routine than her mystery and suspected that was by design. They had badgered her to take time off, easy jobs or spend a year or more on a “home” assignment and she had stayed on expeditions. So, they had…sent her to Azul!

She did feel better running in the sunshine of a morning with a sea breeze on her skin was an amazing way to start her day she had to admit. Azul might not be the worst enforced holiday for the now local independent researcher.

Waving to a passing person as she made her way on her lap, the loop earbuds she wore pumped out a mix of 90's dance, rock and Tatu today. The fact they were bright hot pink was a joke of her brother to his well known goth sister, she wore them anyway just to prove him wrong and he had got her some really good ones too that made up entirely for the colour. She had a matching set of headphones with light up cat ears, regular Earbuds courtesy of others. They knew what to get her but gave shit as good as they got like siblings tended to do.

The lack of large cars on the island was nice for her runs, yeah she had a E bike with panniers on boat if needed like shopping but it was safe to go for a run and not be choked by exhaust like London was. Passing preparations for some kind of event Kat took her turn past a beach side cafe that was yet to open and headed back to the Marina for a shower and breakfast. The fruit was really good here with some local yoghurt and bits n bobs she had found at the shops.

D0 - Evening.

As evening rolled round Kat rubbed her eyes and adjusted her glasses, putting the large reference book entitled “American Convoys, 1st June 1944 to December 31st. down on a large map of the area, US Military weather charts from 1944 and more scattered all over the table along with several pages of notes, notepads etc. only confirming what she knew and what they expected to be there. It was a start that the SS Vika could be out in the blue. Closing down the laptop as her music still played over the boats internal speakers pumping out Romanian pop music she had randomly found on Spotify.

Deciding she did not want to be on her own tonight, too much thinking and thoughts that she did not want to face. Kat got up stretched as much as the boat allowed. It took some getting used to sleeping and living on the boat, waves lapped gently against the Hull and it rocked softly all the time, never still. You could tell just by watching the top of your mug of coffee.

Remembering she purchased a dress the week before, the island was more traditional than some places but did not entirely lack modernity either. Her mobile phone worked and she got netflix on the Internet even if it was a little slower and lower definition than used to. Dark blue with lemon pattern, it was cute and she had got it on a whim from a shop run by an old lady who made them. Even better it was technically expenses due to cost and fact she needed to acclimatise to the local climate. The woman had even for a small sum had her stand up on a raised platform and picked it up the next day when she tucked the waist in a little and adjusted the hem and straps a little to suit.

The old woman had commented on her tattoos but she had replied they carried a meaning, an achievement, an aspect of herself and her heritage than just mere ink on skin like some. That had been least taken without further comment.

My Hider

Her bracelet was a little less traditional as a darker goth skull on a paracord bracelet, her red traditional necklace and a silver Pandora charm bracelet that had been a gift from her former partner and she had added to it over the years after. Flats added she dropped down off the boat only bothering with light makeup, it was still warm to go out bare armed even if a little cool later on, she was far more used to that than the heat.

Heading out into the wider town, Kat looked around and wondered what to do. She recalled having spent a night or two at a small ad hoc bar of foreigners that had told her about events locally though as they said she chose a hell of a time to arrive. Deaths, future elections, she just wanted to find a shipwreck and avoided getting stuck into the theories, though she did say it felt a strange kind of tense at times and they tried to hide it but it was notable regardless.

An older hotel manager who had been on the island for a decade did say however quietly and without gossip that tensions seemed higher than they had been between major families since he arrived. Like the tingling feeling before a storm broke. it might miss them entirely or slam home if one could predict it.

adventure awaited however as she left the Marina feeling better for the fresh air after being cooped up confirming research.

Realms of Sun & Shadow

Syraeia Leela “Sy-a” Inn Keeper

Dawn Haven _ “Hot Springs”

Early Morning

Sya listened to Octavia and the information was lacking but it was some information more than what she had. Sya was no trained medic but living where she did, dying and her life after had taught her a few basics lessons. “OK, that's a start, turning and the first…well it's not a good time to say the least.” Sya said with a clear grimace and a look of pain in her eye just from the memories.

“Your doing well Milady” Sya said kindly and quietly, she saw it was hidden well but the woman was nervous and did not need her having a breakdown now. She saw the bunny eared woman raise her upper body andown sit up, the blight born looked unwell, you could definitely tell.

“Il try” Sya said and looked over to find where the items might be, there was not much around as the springs up here were more quiet. She had been bathing in the more open area until things were disturbed…sigh. She just wanted to soak for an hour… but she could not ignore a cry for help.

“Umm…I did not…locate them” Sya said sadly, the … Sya hid her pain as the world had gone into a colour shift, brighter and more vibrant than before, everything turned into that hot colour. She could barely tell the world apart as people glowed almost White forms, everything returned to reality painfully and quickly as it had happened. Sya returned not wanting to admit her pain or weakness. “Anyone else know?”

“My clothes are on the shelves, i left them on the other side of the springs. Honestly people stared at my eye more than me before... This is new.” Sya said but sat down, crossed her legs and put an arm over her chest for their comfort, Sya was not really bothered but would go with what people found comfortable and suited the situation. “I.. Well I do not really feel the cold, I enjoy warmth but since I changed..” Sya said a little awkwardly and found a discarded temple towel cloth she wrapped and tied into a wrap that just about covered her more private parts though it was close and showed most of her thigh with shoulders uncovered.

“I think we should get you to the Temple first, it's warmer, and closer and private. We can decide from there when we get you safe. Then try to find your clothes?” Sya reasoned, the Inn was across town, the temple was closer and what was a better use for a temple than aiding the sick? Right? No one would get angry for that?

“It will be warm, we can always send for a healer from there as we will be easier to find milady?.” Sya looked to Octavia for her approval, she still was the Princess even if she was unsure. “Also, Milady, i am immune, however i do not want to get into trouble for getting you ill. .” Sya said carefully. She was not in charge but was asked her opinion and gave it however she acted out a sense of concern for the Royal woman. It came out a tad sheepish and a odd tone and such for the usually confident and proud Inn Keeper to the public.

She looked about to see if anyone agreed with the suggestions. “Im Sya, the towns inn keeper, can I ask your name? We got all busy.” Sya asked the other blightborn her name, that was the polite thing to do. It also engaged her while someone else who might know her clothes location might be able to help and that it kept the blight born talking.

@The Savant@SkeankySnack@Lu

Realms of Sun & Shadow

Syraeia Leela “Sy-a” Inn Keeper

Dawn Haven _ “Hot Springs”

Early Morning

Sya left Becky after agreeing her limits and headed to baths, the sign saying it was closed was long gone. Gossip said someone poisoned it but she doubted that and it was exaggerated.

Walking over she practically skipped and whistled to the bath house, the fact it was a temple to the sun and she was not setting on fire just by approaching the building was something the preachers claimed would happen to the unclean. Sya smiled and headed inside feeling the warmth radiate off the springs and found a line of slots where a person could leave their clothes safely out of the way.

She knew the custom as her lands aligned more with the sun than the moon, for all the good it did anyways she added with a huff. Sya removed and neatly folded her clothes , stacked her boots and wrapped her boot knife and longer combat dagger. entirely exposed, her marks of her lover's jealous claim and a rather distinctive scar over her heart visible for all to see. Putting her hair up, she did not want to lose her braids but they would get all wet in a simple messy bun. Bar her large eye and ears she looked remarkably normal, she was not a monster, just a woman who had the misfortune or fortune to survive what many others did not.

Vampire…really…the stake would likely have killed her regardless though… Stepping out she sighed feeling the heat on her skin and made way over before easing herself into the hot water and feeling the blessed heat warm her from her toes to shoulders.

She was starting to enjoy her relaxation stretching out, closing her eye and just letting time go by. Falling into a almost zen like state and calming, heart slowing and her whole busy began to feel like she had long rest after a busy day. Nothing mattered, warmth was all about her, her body floated slightly in the hot water taking pressure off her feet and joints, it was honestly something she would do more regularly.

“what” She heard shouting and commotion, Sya felt the pull of a blightborn, it was muted as being of the blight herself it was something that did not draw the same pull from. She alerted and looked around but saw nothing? Pushing off she swam across the deeper central public spring feeling her muscles stretch out and honestly…it felt really good for a short time, free, no aches at all! She was almost sad to reach the other bank, seeing no need she headed straight out and up to the pull, the feeling of energy and the noise.

Padding up the stone steps, she headed up quickly, though she paused and gripped her head, the world turned into hues of reds, yellows and arrangements a second before it stopped suddenly and felt like she got hit over the head. Staggering, she resumed her climb and looked around sharply. The one eyed blight born did not have to look hard to locate it seeing a Blightborn, a woman and pretty sure the Princess, she was a little less sure as Octavia was less put publicly than Flynn, she kept to the lodge so they said and honestly could not blame her if Sya had such a home she might.

“What?” Sya said seeing the scene, feeling snow under her feet, approaching and right now more concerned about this Bunny eared woman than her own modesty that frankly was a lower priority for her. Too much she had faced to be bothered by that. The black vomit? The blight born and so was more concerning.

This one was new, dark skinned, bunny ears, and pulled on her emotions though it was much reduced. Sya was able to block off the majority of it at least for now. Looking at her made her qualification here clear, the large bright blue eye glowed subtly and her ears ended in elefen points.“ I'm Sya, milady, please be careful.” Sya said to Octavia politely at the end and like she was not naked with marks of last night's activities wearing only her simple necklace. How she did that would be a mystery later to unravel.

“Hello? Who are you?” Sya softly asked the bunny woman, she was not an expert but damn she knew better than likely the others. Plus of all of them she was the only one who could even stand a chance against her however slim if she was powerful. “Has she ate anything? We… like food..food… ummm. It does not agree with us sometimes.” Sya enquired and tried to get a better look at the other blight born. Sya was no doctor but remembered a basic lesson her mother taught her and placed a hand to the side of neck feeling a rapid pulse that only concerned her more.

“Are you new? Is this new?” She asked, remembering how she felt when she was first turned into her current form. Was she still manifesting her change?

“What happened? I remember...but i do not... it was a traumatic time for me.” Sya asked the area, now concerned herself, aomthing was very wrong but what was evading her. She had no idea but at same time she almost knew...but could not turn it into answers.

@Lu@The Savant@SkeankySnack