Current
@Grey Dust: Of course not. Then it's ice water.
3
likes
1 yr ago
When you know you should get ready for bed, but then a cat sits on your lap.
4
likes
2 yrs ago
It's interesting being the indecisive introverted leader of your group of very indecisive introverted friends.
10
likes
4 yrs ago
It's fun to think that play-by-post roleplays are basically just one giant rough draft.
13
likes
4 yrs ago
A quick thank you to Mahz and his minions for making this site into what it is! I've yet to encounter a RP site so aesthetically & OCD pleasing. You guys are the best!
17
likes
Bio
Click Here at Your Own Risk:
Previously Known As: Siaya Dragalorn
Call Me: Riven. What, expecting something else?
Phonetic Pronunciation:rih-vin whyte (like the color)
Time Zone: Central Standard Time (CT) (GMT-6).
Active Hours: I'm an insomniac with an unpredictable schedule. While I prefer being on graveyard shift hours, it changes regularly. Long story short, there's no predicting what time or days I'll be active on here.
Country: United States of America
Age: How rude! But if it matters to you, I'm over 21.
Writing/Play-by-Post Experience: Well over a decade for both.
Likes + Hobbies: Reading. Writing. The night. Most things fantasy and paranormal. Collecting things (I think I'm part dragon). Crafting. Gaming (PlayStation for the win!). Anime (though I don't watch as much as I'd like). Wandering old cemeteries. Night walks...
Personality: *Laughs manically.* Personality? Do you really wish to know the personality of someone without a heart? Yes? *Sighs.* Very well, then. I'll recognize there's an advantage in knowing what you're getting into. To try and put me simply, I'm an old soul, and yet I have a semi-teenage personality wrapped in a body occasionally required to masquerade as the adult society says it is. Perhaps sharing a connection to that, I favor media in the Children's/YA sections, including with my own writing. But I'm not opposed to certain, more "adult" themes; I'm a sucker for tastefully dark, violent stories that likely fit more into "New Adult" than YA, but we'll save that for the "Preferences" hider below.
Other: ~ If you want to chat and/or roleplay, feel free to message me!
~ Rise of the Guardians ~ The Flash ~ Nightmare Before Christmas ~ Harry Potter ~ Merlin (2008) ~ Warehouse 13 ~ Stranger Things ~ Spirited Away ~ Howl's Moving Castle ~ Avatar: The Last Airbender ~ Trollhunters (Tales of Arcadia) ~ Jackie Chan Adventures ~ Teen Titans (2003-'06) ~ My Hero Academia ~ Yona of the Dawn ~ Death Note ~ The Legend of Dragoon ~ Persona 5 ~ The World Ends with You ~ Final Fantasy ~ Kingdom Hearts (*Gasp!* Such a shocker!) ~ Little Nightmares 1 + 2 ~ Rising of the Shield Hero ~ Shadows House
Because they can make for interesting conversation starters.
1x1: Open! PM me if you're interested! Group: Probably not, but thanks for the thought. PMs/DMs: I do not roleplay this way, but am always up for chatting!
~ None at the moment, but if you have an idea that might fit our matching preferences, feel free to message me!
As of 1/11/24: Depression and life in general has been hitting me with a flaming war hammer. I'm currently prone to vanishing without warning, and posting is unpredictable. If you can put up with that, by all means, send me a message!
(Sorry, I know it's long. What can I say? I know what I like--and don't like.)
~ Main Character Gender: No preference. I'll gladly play a main male or female character! No doubling necessary.
~ Partner RL Gender: As long as you can write decently for the gender (and creature) you want to write for, and are respectful, you could be a hippopotamus wraith living on Jupiter for all I care.
~ Multiple Main and/or Side Characters? Yes to both! I can be equally content writing for a semi-larger group of characters, or playing only a single MC. I do prefer keeping it small on the MC front (two to three in my control, max), but can do as many side/secondary characters as the story needs!
~ Writing POV and Tense: Third-person past-tense. This is both my typical style, and what I'd like from a RP partner. First-person POV would be weird for a RP to me, and present-tense writing tends to annoy me. Nothing wrong with it, per say, it's just not something I care for.
~ Character Age: Various. My favored MC age (or appeared age) range tends to 15-19, but I do write for characters 20+. Especially if there's plans for lots of glorious violence that would be plain awkward for an "adult" to write happening to a bunch of characters whose "actual age" is under 18.
~ Driver, Shotgun, or Passenger? All, mental capacity allowing. I can GM a story on my own, co-GM, or let my partner take the driver's seat while my character(s) causes chaos from the backseat.
~ Genres:Favored: Fantasy, paranormal/supernatural horror, fairy tale, superhero. With a Side Of: Adventure, suspense, mystery, action, drama, magic. But Not: Hard sci-fy, solely slice-of-life, erotica, canon fandom.
~ Cannon or Originals: I will NOT write for cannon characters or plots. I'm all for "Inspired By," or "Based On," though!
~ Swearing: I'd appreciate PG-13-ish in IC. I don't cuss IRL and would be happier if more media avoided it, but I'd be a hypocrite to request an abstinence if it's your typical style, what with the media I consume.
~ Sex/Smut:NO. If you absolutely need smut in your RPs, then we're NOT a match. I don't even lead characters to a "fade to black" point, neither in a RP nor my personal writings. As a sex-repulsed asexual, I don't write sex scenarios. Period. I adore romance (see below), and this doesn't necessarily rule out semi-intimate physical scenes, but my characters' undies stay on. My characters tend to lean more toward Old-Timey chaste. Basically, PG content by modern standards, here, by for me. Maybe low-end PG-13.
~ But, Romance? Love Interests?! Romance and sex are NOT the same thing! I adore the presence of a REALISTIC love interest for characters. But not having romance/love interests wouldn't be a deal breaker, either; if it forms between characters, then great! If it doesn't, then also great! It's story (and general character interactions) over romance in these things for me.
~ General Nudity: PG-13. I can tolerate non-sex-based nudity if it's absolutely pertinent to the story/situation, though it tends to be uncomfortable for me, and I'd request that you don't go into details. Ask yourself, "Would it change anything important if this character wasn't completely nude?" If the answer is 'no,' it's unnecessary in my book--which, honestly, is 99.99% of the time.
~ Gore and Violence: YES, please! As long as it fits the characters and story we're telling, BRING ON THE BLOOD AND AGONY! Ahem, literarily speaking, of course. I enjoy physically (and mentally) torturing characters more than what's probably healthy, and like reading about, writing for, and RPing alongside a partner's cruel characters.
~ Other Mature Themes: I'm okay with the presence of most other "mature/adult" themes not directly mentioned here. Though, that may depend on how, exactly, they come into play in the story.
~ Eras of Interest: Modern, medieval, renaissance, Victorian, mixed, made-up.
~ Gender Pairings:Romance Potential: MxF only. I don't care which I write for in that role. Just Friends: Any pairing.
~ Writing Level: Advanced/literate. And not just because of how long my posts can get. Word count isn't everything, dontchya know?
~ Usual Post Length: Situational. On average, expect no fewer than 200 words, while I've hit 1,500+ with story-heavy and/or loner posts. As a rule of thumb, the more you give me to work with, the more I'll give back.
~ Requested Partner Post Length: Situational. I request my partners be capable of somewhat matching when circumstances allow. But sometimes the situation only requires a small number of words, especially in conversations between characters or other close PC interactions. When in doubt, as they say, quality over quantity! However, I can't stand one-liners, or constantly short, static posts. Avoid those, and we'll be fine.
~ Grammar and Spelling: I ask that a RP partner have basic English grammar and writing skills. I like understanding what I'm reading. But I won't turn into a grammar police officer on you--unless you ask me to.
~ Roleplay Medium: Exclusively forum threads. Why? They're wonderfully organized, the "Subscribe" option lets me keep everything in one place, it shows when a post has been edited so I know I should go back and reread it, and it's near impossible to hit the Guild's character maximum with a normal post.
~ Posting Speed: Some days I can do one or more, others one a week, and yet others one a month+. Depends on, well, everything.
~ Partner Posting Frequency: As long as I know you're still interested, I really don't care. Take your time. This is for fun, not something that should be stressed over! If I like our story, I won't bail on you for slow posting.
~ OOC Chat: Not a requirement for me beyond plotting, but encouraged; I enjoy getting to know the mind behind the characters!
~ Other: >> I'm pretty ghost-friendly. It isn't fun to be left hanging, of course, but I quite understand that life doesn't always give you the chance to say something to a partner before it rips you apart. If you come back, don't feel too guilty to message me, be it to RP or just chat! Chances are, I've been a bit worried about you. But no offence taken if you don't! >> Don't feel shy to give me pointers with my writing! While I look at roleplays as one giant, beautiful mess of a rough draft, I LOVE getting well-intended feedback with my writing. >> I typically create long and overly detailed character profiles, but note that this isn't something I require of my partner. What matters is that YOU know your character well, while I know what I need to know. I just want to warn you! If you want to know what you'd be getting into with there, click here for my character vault on the Guild.
~ Want a Writing Sample? Then click the below hider for an example of an opening IC post.
. Calrin crouched in front of the Noble’s weapons’ cabinet. His dark blue jeans tightened to accent his leg muscles, his bare chest showing off his toned upper body. Dark blue tribal tattoos on his arms licked toward his chest and shoulder blades, stopping just short of each on either respective side. The cabinet before him was crowded with various weapons, from swords and spears to a couple historical guns tucked securely in the corner. Emphasis on securely. Though disabled now, even Calrin could sense the residue of its protective enchantments. Though that alone should have been enough to deter most thieves, it had at least five different locks keeping the door of the main cabinet secured, with the same number on the small drawer in front of him. The ones on the drawer even required enchanted keys to unlock. And yet, somehow, the Stardust Phantom had broken through all of it, disabling the ones on the drawer, while leaving no trace of himself behind. Five identical daggers rested side-by-side on the velvet lining of the drawer. In one space where a sixth dagger should have been, there was nothing but pebbly sand. Nothing but ‘stardust,’ as it had been labeled. The glittery substance glowed with a faint silvery light in the shadows of the drawer. Each 'star' winked and flickered, as if mocking Calrin and the avorian Noble the dagger had belonged to. Calrin scooped up the handful of the Stardust Phantom’s calling card. As he looked at it, a few of the pebbles winked out, leaving only what looked like glittery black goldstone. He tipped his hand, eyeing the stardust as it shifted. He jerked his head, clearing his vision of his blond bangs, and shifted his dusk-blue gaze to the cabinet. All those weapons, and the thief had only taken a single dagger. He’d known exactly what he was after. He always did. Calrin took a breath and closed his eyes. He had to be certain. Though copycats were few and far between as of yet, they were still out there. He reached into the metaphysical realm where dreams and magic cross. His body shimmered, losing some of its definition into a coppery haze. The tattoos on his arms almost seemed to glow, their lines blurring with the rest of him. Though general magic wasn’t his expertise, he’d spent enough time around its users to be capable of sensing its presence if he tried hard enough, even pick out familiar signatures. To his dismay, the other bits of magic saturating the house were overwhelming, turning into an indistinguishable mass. He grunted frustratedly. His brows furled as he focused harder on the stardust. Though the other magic auras were nearly all the same to him, he’d since familiarized himself with the true Stardust Phantom’s calling card. Finally, he managed it. Though it was fading, and fast, the flitty, mischievous aura of fae magic was unmistakable. It mingled with the twang of human meddling, chemicals the faery magic corroded beyond scientific recognition. In turn, the human chemicals burned away the defining characteristics of the fae magic, making it impossible to tell which Fae Court the magic-user belonged to, even if Calrin had been apt enough in standard magic to sense that himself. Calrin released the partial link to the more abstract realm, and his form solidified. A grin spread over his lips; this was, without a doubt, the work of the Stardust Phantom. “So?” Evara, the victimized Noble, asked from behind him, her voice twittering and musical. “Was it really him?” She finished in a heated whisper. Calrin nodded. “You said you found it missing a day ago?” he confirmed, pouring the stardust from one palm to the other. That seemed right, compared to the strength of the fading aura and glow. “About that, yes.” His grin widened. This was the quickest he’d managed to hear about one of the Phantom’s thefts. Which meant that the thief might not be too far out of town yet. Or, if Calrin was lucky, perhaps the thief was still here. “Did he take anything else?” Calrin asked without looking from the stardust. “Some money I’d left out. Nothing else of such value. Nothing that can be traced.” “The Enforcers already tried to scry for the dagger?” “Twice! But something’s concealing it!” She huffed her frustrations. “Is it true what they say? That he’s nothing but a human?” She spat the word as if it was the foulest of insults. “As far as anyone can tell, yes.” He straightened and faced the avorian. Evara Airlar scowled at the stardust as he trickled it again from one hand back to the other. Feathers in the browns and whites of a falcon sprouted from her head, flowing down like a bobbed haircut. Though she had the face of a human, her features were sharp, her eyes deep brown with pupils disconcertingly larger than a human’s. A pair of feathered wings tucked into her sides, protruding from the open back of a designer halter top. She crossed her feather-speckled arms over her chest, her fingers tipped with avian claws. “Filthy vermin, the lot of them!” she spat, her wings twitching with her irritation. “I’ve put the Enforcers on it, but they’re incompetent buffoons!” She threw a hand and wing up exasperatedly. “Can’t even find a single thief, let alone that nuisance cluster of local rebels that—!” She cut herself off, eyes widening as she remembered who, exactly, she was speaking to. She swiftly bowed her head, hands folding in front of her as if in prayer. “Forgive me, m’lord. I shouldn’t be burdening you with such troubles. This isn’t your territory to worry about.” Calrin waved the apology away. “The burdens of one are lighter when carried by the shoulders of all!” The woman smiled at him. “Eloquently put.” He winked his thanks, though he couldn't take credit for it. It was something his late sister had been fond of saying. The people seemed to love it, so he'd adopted it. “The thief got the real one?” He nodded to the open drawer. “The rest are just decoys?” “Yes, Lord Ba’alrin.” “Please, call me Rin.” He smiled warmly at her. “This is hardly a formal visit! The Enforcers are skilled, but I’m as vexed as you about why they haven’t caught this pest.” He exaggerated a frown at the dust as it trickled through the bottom of his fist. “Might I keep this?” He nodded to the stardust. “Yes, yes. It’s worthless, but yes.” He gave her another charming smile. “Many thanks, Lady Airlar!” He opened a small bag at his belt, careful to make sure the Noble didn’t see the contents. He trickled the pebbly sand inside it, letting the glowing bits join the collection of now dark stones he’d collected from other crime scenes. He straightened, then offered the Noble a deep bow. “I thank you for allowing me into your home under such short notice, good Lady!” Evara twittered at his show of formality despite his own request. That he was shirtless and shoeless paired with his physique to paint a perfect picture of the Nomadic Prince. “The pleasure has been mine, Lor—Rin.” She curtseyed as well as her pencil skirt allowed. Her wings flared slightly beside her. He started through the manor house to the front door. “Won’t you stay for lunch?” Evara asked, following him. “Or perhaps some tea, at the least? It wouldn’t take our cook long to prepare some refreshments for your trouble! It’s the least I could do to thank you for coming all this way.” “That’s generous of you, but no.” He stopped at the grand front door. Sunlight filtered in through a stained-glass window near it’s top. It glinted on the copper-inscribed black torc around his throat. “Sadly, I have business to conduct elsewhere.” “Of course.” He collected his pair of leather riding boots from beside the door, and slipped them on. “Should you need anything,” Evara went on as he opened the door, letting in the afternoon sunlight, “don’t hesitate to call on us!” “You’ll be the first I come to, dear Lady!” He smiled dashingly, gave her another flourishing bow, then left. The mild warmth and blossoming scents of late spring filled the air. The Noble’s manor took up most of one side of the street. Other grand houses found space further down the road. Lawn mowers rumbled as human servants and slaves tended to the gardens of their supernatural betters. Calrin upheld his trained posture and regal stride until, at last, he was out of the line of sight of the Noble's house. He breathed a sigh of relief, relaxing his posture. Though Evara wasn't so bad as far as the Nobles went, he was happy to leave her presence. He reached into the pouch at his belt and removed a small bit of the stardust. He couldn’t tell in the light if he’d gotten any of the pebbles that still retained their glow, but it didn’t matter. He wasn’t entirely sure why he was still keeping it. It really was worthless. It wasn’t enough to trace the origin of the thief, the fae magic scrubbing the traces of its owner away, and it had no monetary value. Yet, Calrin found it intriguing. Its existence felt like a challenge. A challenge he was quite eager to accept. He shook it around in his palm as he walked, thinking. Though he refused to admit it, he'd been obsessed with finding the Phantom since he first heard the rumors. Though the Houses had done their best to prevent the knowledge of this thief from spreading, especially among the human population, spread it had. There had even been speculation that the Phantom was working with a popular rebel group, the Diamond Templar, though the validity of that was yet unproven. Despite the Phantom’s crimes, Calrin couldn’t help but admire the thief. It took no small amount of both skill and talent to do the things this thief had accomplished. Yes, the thief had to have at least one supernatural accomplice to create the stardust and to have evaded capture for so long, but still, even with aid, he'd accomplished things that should have been impossible for a human, help or no. Calrin could only hope that he found the culprit first. A human like that could be of more use alive than dead if in the right hands. And not just for interrogation purposes. Now, he just had to figure out where the Stardust Phantom would strike next, and get there first. Though the Phantom’s thefts had seemed random at first, recently, Calrin had started to notice a subtle pattern. If he was correct, he had a vague idea of what the Phantom would go after next. Now, if only he could figure out where the next target was, along with the possible ‘what.’ He ground the stardust against his palm with his fingers. He needed information. Obscure information that, regrettably, even Evara couldn’t provide. The Noble hadn’t even really known what she had, only that it was an ancient family heirloom. Calrin had been content to let her think that that was all it was. After all, he only suspected it was more than just an old magical trinket. He couldn’t be sure without seeing the real thing. As far as he knew, it could be nothing more than a wild goose chase. As it was, there were two places you were guaranteed to find even the most elusive of information: a library, and a pub. Of the two, Calrin much preferred doing his research at pubs. And he had just the place in mind. He dripped the stardust back into the pouch. With his next step, his body evaporated into a puff of copper smoke, vanishing as he left the physical realm behind. The houses around him turned into ghosts of their physical forms, the emotions of the people inside tickling at his senses as tangible things, not just ideas. In his gaseous state, he shot through the warped streets of the Dreamscape. For now, it was fairly quiet. This city had very few nocturnal creatures taking up residence, their and their staff's dreams distant wisps twanging at the web of this realm. With the twisted time of the Dreamscape, it took only moments before he found himself outside a pub he’d heard good things about. With another swirl of smoke, Calrin reformed in the physical plane across the street from the pub. The noise of people always hit the hardest when he came back from the relative quiet of the Dreamscape. People swarmed about on lunchtime breaks between the brick buildings around him. A passing dwarf in a stained business suit cursed and startled away at Calrin’s sudden appearance. Recognition flashed in the gruff man’s eyes. He belted out a curt apology, then hobbled on his way. Designed to retain an old-world feel, even the magic-fed street lanterns of this business district looked like they came from another era, each one meticulously forged with the likeness of dragons and other spindly creatures wrapping them. A lazy smile played across his face. Now this was where he'd rather be, not some stuffy Noble's estate. Nobles might have the funds for finery and extravagant galas, but the citizens were the ones who really knew how to have a good time. Calrin crossed the cobblestone street to the pub. A sign hung outside the door in the shape of a skull, displaying the pub's name: The Drunken Skull. Keeping to the theme, the door’s handle was a brass skull. A few large crystalline skulls peered out from the door itself, giving glimpses of light and movement from the inside. Pulling the door open by the handle's mouth, he entered the familiar fray of a pub in the raucous throws of lunch-hour.
Dang, you're still here after all that? You deserve a treat for sticking round!
If you have any interest, even vaguely, don't hesitate to contact me! The worst I can do is say no. Hope to hear from you!
*Facepalm.* Right. I had been looking at it with a solid black background while altering the lightening to enhance the color while tweaking it. And the text, I probably didn't turn off my blue-light filter all the way. The text looked less thick-purple-outline and more not quite blue, not quite purple.
Sorry, Rin. I deserve the Night Terrors tonight for blaming you. xD
I know it doesn't matter much, since it's just a fun header, but my OCD was angry. So here. This was more how it was, though I did add some black outlining/glow to the text. Because black is such a pretty, happy color!
https:// i.imgur.com/cETxp50.png, if you want it. Also, is that too much more purple-blue than blue-purple? Okay. Now I'm obsessing. I don't obsess this much over mine (I don't think) when I do them, but it's different doing it for someone else, you know?
Quite alright! I don't mind taking point. I think you've said that it's been a while since you last roleplayed, correct? I know it can take some time getting back into the swing of creating story and writing for characters, especially after long writing dry spells. I'll start on my post as soon as I'm able!
Oh, good! I'm glad it worked! *Goes to see.* ... Are you sure you're okay with that? The lettering color and lightening solidity looked very different on my laptop than what it does on my tablet or phone. Which makes me wonder what in the world is wrong with my laptop NOW?
There's nothing wrong with liking flashbacks, mind! They just have to be done tactfully for me to like them. When I encounter them in books, most of the time I just get frustrated about jumping between past and present, rather than reading events in order.
Want me to take point and put up the first post once it's written, then you can follow my lead? Or did you have something in mind where you'd rather I follow your lead?
Huh. I see that. I played around with it in my last post, and it shows up fine...
Ah! I see what happened. There's a weird glitch on the site or something. For some stupid reason, the code function snips part of the link off. It shouldn't BE a clickable link.
The link in your character post is missing "https://" before the i.imgur. So it should be https:// i.imgur.com/9EcqkIx.png, but without the space. I had to add that or it erased it again.
A... flashback to explain how they met up? What do you mean? Isn't that where we're starting? Or do you mean in how they know each other? I don't really care for flash-backs, personally, and we have it established how they know each other. I mean, it'd probably get mentioned that they kind of grew up together, but I don't think that would need it's own full, detailed scene? Or were you hoping to write something with young Vik and Rin?
Awesome! If you're happy with that, here's the code for it:
HA! Well, at least YOU have the sense to try to NOT antagonize your characters who have questionable morals. Me? I wanna poke em' with a stick and see what happens.
Just bear in mind that if we start with them actually bumping into each other in town, it'll be a while before Nyx gets involved with them. I don't mind that in the least, just know that that means some of my posts will be a lot longer, because she's still going to have scenes to set her up, even if she's on her own.
Do you want to go with focusing on Rin and Vik meeting up for the start of this, then?
"Whatever you want to have." He's... YOUR CHARACTER, you crazy! So no overly-stylized text. Blue-purple. Alright, try this on for size:
Sorry, it's big, so I don't know how it's going to size down once I post this. I tried shrinking it, but it blurred the name pretty bad.
I remembered that you'd sent a photo for him once, so found that in PM. If it isn't the right photo that you have in mind for him now, please send me the correct one! I just used that one so I could put something together for you to tell me what you'd want tweaked about it. On that, please don't hesitate to ask me to change anything about this! I saved the art file, so it'll be super easy to swap out photos, alter colors, or whatever you want!
"Freaky" is a compliment, as far as I'm concerned! Right up there with "weird," "creepy," and "strange." 🦇⚰️☠️
No worries! I wouldn't have expected you to remember any of that after all this time. I mean, I tend to let quite a while lapse between messages/posts... Anyway, no bother at all!
Completely happenstance, with the names. xD
Hmm. I'm thinking we're going to go with door number three, then? 😆
Rin: It was my idea! Me: *Glares.* Was not. Rin: *Leans in close with a threatening grin.* Do you really want to challenge me on that? Me: *Is tempted to say yes just to find out what would happen.* Er... Rin: *Smirking.* As you wish, then, little human. Me: I didn't say anything coherent! Rin: *Poofs into smoke, just to whisper menacingly in my ear from behind,* It was all the answer I needed. Me: ... Arista, if I go missing, you know who to blame.
Hmm. Well, Vik travels wherever he's needed to weed out traitors and rebels, right? What if Vik was in town to take care of a pesky pack--nothing large or strong enough to be their own "official" group, but enough to be a nuisance--and Rin happened to be in the area? Could they sort of sense each other nearby, do you think, with how much time they'd have spent around each other?
Maybe Rin was his way to see if he pinpoint the Phantom, since he has a unique skillset with being capable of toggling between the physical and metaphysical world. A human who can thwart supernaturals would be someone that would've gained his attention pretty quick, especially since she'd earned her own epithet. Or it could be vice-versa with Vik hunting for the Phantom, if you wanted, though that would be a smaller detail.
A larger detail, would be how far ahead would you want to start? Vik and Rin meeting each other in town? Or skip ahead to more action, and start with them chasing down the last of the group they'd been after?
Put it up there however you want or need to! I'm not picky. I just like making my profiles look pretty, and have managed to pick up a couple things over the years to help with that--I don't expect the same from my partners! If you wanted, though, I wouldn't mind putting something together for his header for you. Just let me know what kind of text and simple design elements you want!
Edit:
If you care, I changed up the song in the first post. Thought it might be fitting, but if you find something else, feel free to send it my way! It's always fun to have a soundtrack.😆
Yep, yep! I like having a sort of “book blurb” for characters to follow, just so we have something to go off of and build on.
It might be thrown in the PMs randomly. Sorry, I hadn’t had the brain power at the time to write them out again in my last post here!
I’d had three different ideas for how Nyx could maybe meet Viktor, but that was before I decided to make Rin, or knew the details for Vik (heh… three characters, three three-letter names/nicknames). So I’ll add what I remember of that, in case any of the elements in it strike your fancy, but it would likely be something that would have to be integrated differently:
1) Her sneaking into the Ruling House of your character as a servant or something after hearing rumor that either her sister may have been given to his House at some point, or that their records may lead her to the House she was given to—was thinking it could be because she was taken from a town in his House’s region.
2) The irrelevant one—A contact she has in the Diamond Templar rigged it so that she’d be one of the chosen sacrifices come the next choosing, and that she’d be high in the rank to be sent directly to YC’s House—which was a thought before you went with him being apart of an actual Ruling House, rather than a Noble House.
3) Perhaps the most plausible of what I'd initially thought up at this point, if you have any interest—Since she’s as thief, and her reputation has begun to spread and even has that suspected link between her and the Diamond Templar, she could end up being set up for capture by Vik (and Rin) to get what information they can out of her. In that case, though, if you like that to any extent, I might change up her dynamic with the Diamond Templar a bit. Like, maybe on of our guys heard a rumor that the Stardust Phantom was lurking in the area of [insert city here], and calls in the other, since she’s proven as elusive as she has. Ooh, or maybe they were both on a different mission together already, and someone they catch slips that s/he had heard that the Phantom was on the prowl in [insert city here]?
Well, that’s what I’ve got right now! Let me know if you like any of the elements from those, and if you have any other thoughts for a starting point! I’d like to hash out the long-term goal, too—nothing too detailed, just, again, to have some sort of Point B to work on getting our characters to. If you don’t mind, of course! For now, though, we may as well get things started. If we need to, we can adjust things as we go, and just pretend it was always like that. 😆
Edit:
Since we have a bit of a better understanding of some things, would you have any objections to me changing the title of this to "Rogues and Rulers?" (The question is, who are the rogues, and who are the rulers? 😉)
Edit 2:
I FORGOT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION! So sorry about that!
The text headers are actually photos that I put together. I made a Word Art image, then tacked it together with the photo using Gimp (a free photo editing program, in case you've not heard of it). So, they're just photo inserts using the IMG BBC. So, in the "Raw" text, Rin's image is on there as: [center][img]i.imgur.com/lf6zNa5.png[/img][/center]
Alright! Now... we never did decide how (or where) we wanted to start, or how Nyx gets involved with our boys, did we? And, with how Vic is with humans, I feel like he'd need a really good reason to not kill Nyx, depending on how we end up having them meet.
We don't have to have the whole thing planned out--it's no fun having it super planned!--I just like having a general starting point to release our characters at.
I think I suggested a couple things via PM, but did you have any ideas/suggestions?
“You’re lost?” The words slipped out in Nikita’s surprise. This was practically their forest in all but deed; how could he not know where he was? Her eyes narrowed at his next question, his cautious tone bellying the context; he wasn’t asking her for directions. “It’s supposed to be near the center of the woods.” She dared a glance down to her feet, checking her position relative to her traps before she put a slightly safer distance between herself and Illion. The last thing she needed was to trigger one of them herself. She glanced up to the trees, searching for the sun behind the clouds. Finding what she thought was it’s lowering ball of blurred light, her jaw clenched, and she shifted uneasily; it was later than she’d thought. Penelope would be leaving Nico soon. And with the cloud cover, night would come sooner than normal. She needed to get back before darkness left her blind. But, despite her feelings toward elves, some part of her felt guilty thinking about leaving him when he was lost. It seemed a poor way to repay his lack of hostility, and his open curiosity almost reminded her of her brother, of how lighthearted he used to be before his sickness fully struck him down. Perhaps she could kill three birds with one stone; give him directions, avoid being put on a hit list for knowing too much about the elven city, and bring this conversation to an end so she could get home without a parting curse. She pointed through the trees, not quite in the direction Illion had emerged from. “Best guess is it’s that way, if the sun’s where I think it is. It’s hard to tell from here. It’d be a ways, though. Nowhere I could get to before dark.” Not that the night bothered elves, as the stories went. She tensed slightly with his last question. If he really didn’t know, offending him with the demonizing tales seemed a bad idea. But, again, lying was a risk all its own. She ran a few possible answers through her head—more half-truths, as well as full truths. In the end, the majority of it came down to one simple truth: “To already be dead,” she muttered truthfully as the first few stray drops of rain started pattering against the leaves. She scowled, her gaze flicking upward for half a second. Oh, perfect, Now she’d have to fight her sled through the melting earth, on top of hoping she could get reasonably close to town before nightfall.
I'm OUTRAGEOUSLY late, but yes, please do! And remember, you can edit posts on here, so if you post him and decide you want to edit something about him, you have that ability! The time stamp on the upper left-hand corner of the post will just adjust to inform that there was an edit, and when.
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[center][youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOvaPmnvwfo&ab_channel=TheMelodiousNocturn[/youtube][/center]
[h2]Click Here at Your Own Risk:[/h2]
[hider=Introduction][img]https://i.imgur.com/V9r4Cn4.png[/img]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/8crUwn3.gif[/img][/center]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/RJebQce.png?1[/img][/center]
[color=gray][b]Previously Known As:[/b][/color] Siaya Dragalorn
[color=gray][b]Call Me:[/b][/color] Riven. What, expecting something else?
[color=gray][b]Phonetic Pronunciation:[/b][/color] [i]rih[/i]-vin whyte (like the color)
[color=gray][b]Time Zone:[/b][/color] Central Standard Time (CT) (GMT-6).
[color=gray][b]Active Hours:[/b][/color] I'm an insomniac with an unpredictable schedule. While I prefer being on graveyard shift hours, it changes regularly. Long story short, there's no predicting what time or days I'll be active on here.
[color=gray][b]Country:[/b][/color] United States of America
[b][color=gray]Age:[/color][/b] How rude! But if it matters to you, I'm over 21.
[b][color=gray]Writing/Play-by-Post Experience:[/color][/b] Well over a decade for both.
[b][color=gray]Likes + Hobbies:[/color][/b] Reading. Writing. The night. Most things fantasy and paranormal. Collecting things (I think I'm part dragon). Crafting. Gaming (PlayStation for the win!). Anime (though I don't watch as much as I'd like). Wandering old cemeteries. Night walks...
[b][color=gray]Personality:[/color][/b] *Laughs manically.* Personality? Do you really wish to know the [i]personality[/i] of someone without a heart?
Yes?
*Sighs.* Very well, then. I'll recognize there's an advantage in knowing what you're getting into.
To try and put me simply, I'm an old soul, and yet I have a semi-teenage personality wrapped in a body occasionally required to masquerade as the adult society says it is. Perhaps sharing a connection to that, I favor media in the Children's/YA sections, including with my own writing. But I'm not opposed to [i]certain,[/i] more "adult" themes; I'm a sucker for tastefully dark, violent stories that likely fit more into "New Adult" than YA, but we'll save that for the "Preferences" hider below.
[b][color=gray]Other:[/color][/b] ~ If you want to chat and/or roleplay, feel free to message me!
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/7QnMzQi.png?3[/img][/center]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/oKVvwzz.png[/img]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/bSjkdrQ.gif[/img]
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] Rise of the Guardians
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] The Flash
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] Nightmare Before Christmas
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] Harry Potter
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] Merlin (2008)
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] Warehouse 13
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] Stranger Things
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] Spirited Away
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] Howl's Moving Castle
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] Avatar: The Last Airbender
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] Trollhunters (Tales of Arcadia)
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] Jackie Chan Adventures
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] Teen Titans (2003-'06)
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] My Hero Academia
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] Yona of the Dawn
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] Death Note
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] The Legend of Dragoon
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] Persona 5
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] The World Ends with You
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] Final Fantasy
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] Kingdom Hearts (*Gasp!* Such a [i]shocker![/i])
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] Little Nightmares 1 + 2
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] Rising of the Shield Hero
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] Shadows House [/center]
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[right][img]https://i.imgur.com/UsRJvcK.png[/img]
[img]https://64.media.tumblr.com/b7a2ec8bb931bbd0b6269344d7aa8810/tumblr_pstzh2j9gm1tvvsht_400.gif[/img]
Because they can make for interesting conversation starters.
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] Bladed weapons
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] Button pins
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] Books
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] Masks
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] Enamel Pins
[color=gray][b]~[/b][/color] Crystals[/right]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/7QnMzQi.png?3[/img][/center]
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[/hider]
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[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/1mwxAXC.gif[/img][/center]
[h2]Click Here at Your Own Risk:[/h2]
[hider=Roleplay Preferences]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/qoth5Oj.png[/img]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/GnYWhpC.gif[/img]
[color=gray][b]1x1:[/b][/color] Open! PM me if you're interested!
[color=gray][b]Group:[/b][/color] Probably not, but thanks for the thought.
[color=gray][b]PMs/DMs:[/b][/color] I [u]do not[/u] roleplay this way, but am always up for chatting!
[right][img]https://i.imgur.com/Dfvs5bh.png[/img]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/O9E2hXz.gif[/img]
[color=gray][b]~ [/b][/color]None at the moment, but if you have an idea that might fit our matching preferences, feel free to message me! [/right]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/ntjvhI1.png[/img]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/yaDvzeY.gif[/img]
[b][color=gray]As of 1/11/24:[/color][/b]
[color=gray][b]D[/b][/color]epression and life in general has been hitting me with a flaming war hammer.
[color=gray][b]I[/b][/color]'m currently prone to vanishing without warning, and posting is unpredictable.
[color=gray][b]I[/b][/color]f you can put up with that, by all means, send me a message!
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/0xp8D16.png[/img]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/fePs5Fw.gif[/img]
(Sorry, I know it's long. What can I say? I know what I like--and [i]don't[/i] like.)
[/center]
[color=gray][b]~ Main Character Gender:[/b][/color] No preference. I'll gladly play a main male or female character! No doubling necessary.
[color=gray][b]~ Partner RL Gender:[/b][/color] As long as you can write decently for the gender (and creature) you want to write for, and are respectful, you could be a hippopotamus wraith living on Jupiter for all I care.
[color=gray][b]~ [/b][b]Multiple Main and/or Side Characters?[/b][/color] Yes to both! I can be equally content writing for a semi-larger group of characters, or playing only a single MC. I do prefer keeping it small on the MC front (two to three in my control, max), but can do as many side/secondary characters as the story needs!
[color=gray][b]~ [/b][b]Writing POV and Tense:[/b][/color] Third-person past-tense. This is both my typical style, and what I'd like from a RP partner. First-person POV would be weird for a RP to me, and present-tense writing tends to annoy me. Nothing wrong with it, per say, it's just not something I care for.
[color=gray][b]~ [/b][b]Character Age:[/b][/color] Various. My favored MC age (or appeared age) range tends to 15-19, but I do write for characters 20+. Especially if there's plans for lots of glorious violence that would be plain awkward for an "adult" to write happening to a bunch of characters whose "actual age" is under 18.
[color=gray][b]~ [/b]Driver, Shotgun, or Passenger?[/color] All, mental capacity allowing. I can GM a story on my own, co-GM, or let my partner take the driver's seat while my character(s) causes chaos from the backseat.
[color=gray][b]~ [/b][b]Genres:[/b][/color] [u]Favored:[/u] Fantasy, paranormal/supernatural horror, fairy tale, superhero. [u]With a Side Of:[/u] Adventure, suspense, mystery, action, drama, magic. [u]But Not:[/u] Hard sci-fy, solely slice-of-life, erotica, canon fandom.
[color=gray][b]~ [/b][b]Cannon or Originals:[/b][/color] I will NOT write for cannon characters or plots. I'm all for "Inspired By," or "Based On," though!
[b][color=gray]~ Swearing:[/color][/b] I'd appreciate PG-13-ish in IC. I don't cuss IRL and would be happier if more media avoided it, but I'd be a hypocrite to request an abstinence if it's your typical style, what with the media I consume.
[b][color=gray]~ Sex/Smut:[/color][/b] [i][u]NO.[/u][/i] If you absolutely need smut in your RPs, then we're NOT a match. I don't even lead characters to a "fade to black" point, neither in a RP nor my personal writings. As a sex-repulsed asexual, I don't write sex scenarios. Period. I adore romance (see below), and this doesn't necessarily rule out semi-intimate physical scenes, but my characters' undies stay on. My characters tend to lean more toward Old-Timey chaste. Basically, PG content by modern standards, here, by for me. [i]Maybe[/i] low-end PG-13.
[b][color=gray]~ But, Romance? Love Interests?![/color][/b] Romance and sex are NOT the same thing! I adore the presence of a REALISTIC love interest for characters. But not having romance/love interests wouldn't be a deal breaker, either; if it forms between characters, then great! If it doesn't, then also great! It's story (and general character interactions) over romance in these things for me.
[color=gray][b]~ General Nudity:[/b][/color] PG-13. I can tolerate non-sex-based nudity if it's [i]absolutely pertinent[/i] to the story/situation, though it tends to be uncomfortable for me, and I'd request that you don't go into details. Ask yourself, "Would it change anything important if this character wasn't completely nude?" If the answer is 'no,' it's unnecessary in my book--which, honestly, is 99.99% of the time.
[color=gray][b]~ Gore and Violence:[/b][/color] YES, please! As long as it fits the characters and story we're telling, BRING ON THE BLOOD AND AGONY! Ahem, literarily speaking, of course. I enjoy physically (and mentally) torturing characters more than what's probably healthy, and like reading about, writing for, and RPing alongside a partner's cruel characters.
[color=gray][b]~ [/b][b]Other Mature Themes:[/b][/color] I'm okay with the presence of most other "mature/adult" themes not directly mentioned here. Though, that may depend on how, exactly, they come into play in the story.
[color=gray][b]~ [/b][b]Eras of Interest:[/b][/color] Modern, medieval, renaissance, Victorian, mixed, made-up.
[color=gray][b]~ [/b][b]Gender Pairings:[/b][/color] [u]Romance Potential:[/u] MxF only. I don't care which I write for in that role. [u]Just Friends:[/u] Any pairing.
[color=gray][b]~ Writing Level:[/b][/color] Advanced/literate. And not just because of how long my posts can get. Word count isn't everything, dontchya know?
[color=gray][b]~ [/b][b]Usual Post Length:[/b][/color] Situational. On average, expect no fewer than 200 words, while I've hit 1,500+ with story-heavy and/or loner posts. As a rule of thumb, the more you give me to work with, the more I'll give back.
[color=gray][b]~ Requested Partner Post Length:[/b][/color] Situational. I request my partners be capable of [i]somewhat[/i] matching when circumstances allow. But sometimes the situation only requires a small number of words, especially in conversations between characters or other close PC interactions. When in doubt, as they say, quality over quantity! However, I [i]can't stand[/i] one-liners, or constantly short, static posts. Avoid those, and we'll be fine.
[color=gray][b]~ [/b][b]Grammar and Spelling:[/b][/color] I ask that a RP partner have basic English grammar and writing skills. I like understanding what I'm reading. But I won't turn into a grammar police officer on you--unless you ask me to.
[color=gray][b]~ [/b][b]Roleplay Medium:[/b][/color] Exclusively forum threads. Why? They're wonderfully organized, the "Subscribe" option lets me keep everything in one place, it shows when a post has been edited so I know I should go back and reread it, and it's near impossible to hit the Guild's character maximum with a normal post.
[color=gray][b]~ Posting Speed:[/b][/color] Some days I can do one or more, others one a week, and yet others one a month+. Depends on, well, everything.
[color=gray][b]~ Partner Posting Frequency:[/b][/color] As long as I know you're still interested, I really don't care. Take your time. This is for [i]fun,[/i] not something that should be stressed over! If I like our story, I won't bail on you for slow posting.
[color=gray][b]~ OOC Chat:[/b][/color] Not a requirement for me beyond plotting, but encouraged; I enjoy getting to know the mind behind the characters!
[color=gray][b]~ Other:[/b][/color] >> I'm pretty ghost-friendly. It isn't fun to be left hanging, of course, but I quite understand that life doesn't always give you the chance to say something to a partner before it rips you apart. If you come back, don't feel too guilty to message me, be it to RP or just chat! Chances are, I've been a bit worried about you. But no offence taken if you don't!
>> Don't feel shy to give me pointers with my writing! While I look at roleplays as one giant, beautiful mess of a rough draft, I LOVE getting well-intended feedback with my writing.
>> I typically create long and overly detailed character profiles, but note that this isn't something I require of my partner. What matters is that YOU know your character well, while I know what I need to know. I just want to warn you! If you want to know what you'd be getting into with there, click [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/189349-rivens-brain-children/ooc]here[/url] for my character vault on the Guild.
[color=gray][b]~ Want a Writing Sample?[/b][/color] Then click the below hider for an example of an opening IC post.
[hider=Writing Sample]
. Calrin crouched in front of the Noble’s weapons’ cabinet. His dark blue jeans tightened to accent his leg muscles, his bare chest showing off his toned upper body. Dark blue tribal tattoos on his arms licked toward his chest and shoulder blades, stopping just short of each on either respective side.
The cabinet before him was crowded with various weapons, from swords and spears to a couple historical guns tucked securely in the corner.
Emphasis on [i]securely.[/i]
Though disabled now, even Calrin could sense the residue of its protective enchantments. Though that alone should have been enough to deter most thieves, it had at least five different locks keeping the door of the main cabinet secured, with the same number on the small drawer in front of him. The ones on the drawer even required enchanted keys to unlock.
And yet, somehow, the Stardust Phantom had broken through all of it, disabling the ones on the drawer, while leaving no trace of himself behind.
Five identical daggers rested side-by-side on the velvet lining of the drawer. In one space where a sixth dagger should have been, there was nothing but pebbly sand.
Nothing but [i]‘stardust,’[/i] as it had been labeled.
The glittery substance glowed with a faint silvery light in the shadows of the drawer. Each 'star' winked and flickered, as if mocking Calrin and the avorian Noble the dagger had belonged to.
Calrin scooped up the handful of the Stardust Phantom’s calling card. As he looked at it, a few of the pebbles winked out, leaving only what looked like glittery black goldstone.
He tipped his hand, eyeing the stardust as it shifted. He jerked his head, clearing his vision of his blond bangs, and shifted his dusk-blue gaze to the cabinet.
All those weapons, and the thief had only taken a single dagger. He’d known exactly what he was after.
He always did.
Calrin took a breath and closed his eyes. He had to be certain. Though copycats were few and far between as of yet, they were still out there.
He reached into the metaphysical realm where dreams and magic cross. His body shimmered, losing some of its definition into a coppery haze. The tattoos on his arms almost seemed to glow, their lines blurring with the rest of him.
Though general magic wasn’t his expertise, he’d spent enough time around its users to be capable of sensing its presence if he tried hard enough, even pick out familiar signatures. To his dismay, the other bits of magic saturating the house were overwhelming, turning into an indistinguishable mass.
He grunted frustratedly. His brows furled as he focused harder on the stardust. Though the other magic auras were nearly all the same to him, he’d since familiarized himself with the true Stardust Phantom’s calling card.
Finally, he managed it. Though it was fading, and fast, the flitty, mischievous aura of fae magic was unmistakable. It mingled with the twang of human meddling, chemicals the faery magic corroded beyond scientific recognition. In turn, the human chemicals burned away the defining characteristics of the fae magic, making it impossible to tell which Fae Court the magic-user belonged to, even if Calrin had been apt enough in standard magic to sense that himself.
Calrin released the partial link to the more abstract realm, and his form solidified. A grin spread over his lips; this was, without a doubt, the work of the Stardust Phantom.
“So?” Evara, the victimized Noble, asked from behind him, her voice twittering and musical. “Was it really [i]him?[/i]” She finished in a heated whisper.
Calrin nodded. “You said you found it missing a day ago?” he confirmed, pouring the stardust from one palm to the other. That seemed right, compared to the strength of the fading aura and glow.
“About that, yes.”
His grin widened. This was the quickest he’d managed to hear about one of the Phantom’s thefts. Which meant that the thief might not be too far out of town yet. Or, if Calrin was lucky, perhaps the thief was still here.
“Did he take anything else?” Calrin asked without looking from the stardust.
“Some money I’d left out. Nothing else of such value. Nothing that can be traced.”
“The Enforcers already tried to scry for the dagger?”
“Twice! But something’s concealing it!” She huffed her frustrations. “Is it true what they say? That he’s nothing but a [i]human?[/i]” She spat the word as if it was the foulest of insults.
“As far as anyone can tell, yes.” He straightened and faced the avorian.
Evara Airlar scowled at the stardust as he trickled it again from one hand back to the other. Feathers in the browns and whites of a falcon sprouted from her head, flowing down like a bobbed haircut. Though she had the face of a human, her features were sharp, her eyes deep brown with pupils disconcertingly larger than a human’s.
A pair of feathered wings tucked into her sides, protruding from the open back of a designer halter top. She crossed her feather-speckled arms over her chest, her fingers tipped with avian claws.
“Filthy vermin, the lot of them!” she spat, her wings twitching with her irritation. “I’ve put the Enforcers on it, but they’re incompetent buffoons!” She threw a hand and wing up exasperatedly. “Can’t even find a single thief, let alone that nuisance cluster of local rebels that—!”
She cut herself off, eyes widening as she remembered who, exactly, she was speaking to. She swiftly bowed her head, hands folding in front of her as if in prayer. “Forgive me, m’lord. I shouldn’t be burdening you with such troubles. This isn’t your territory to worry about.”
Calrin waved the apology away. “The burdens of one are lighter when carried by the shoulders of all!”
The woman smiled at him. “Eloquently put.”
He winked his thanks, though he couldn't take credit for it. It was something his late sister had been fond of saying. The people seemed to love it, so he'd adopted it.
“The thief got the real one?” He nodded to the open drawer. “The rest are just decoys?”
“Yes, Lord Ba’alrin.”
“Please, call me Rin.” He smiled warmly at her. “This is hardly a formal visit! The Enforcers are skilled, but I’m as vexed as you about why they haven’t caught this pest.” He exaggerated a frown at the dust as it trickled through the bottom of his fist. “Might I keep this?” He nodded to the stardust.
“Yes, yes. It’s worthless, but yes.”
He gave her another charming smile. “Many thanks, Lady Airlar!” He opened a small bag at his belt, careful to make sure the Noble didn’t see the contents. He trickled the pebbly sand inside it, letting the glowing bits join the collection of now dark stones he’d collected from other crime scenes.
He straightened, then offered the Noble a deep bow. “I thank you for allowing me into your home under such short notice, good Lady!”
Evara twittered at his show of formality despite his own request. That he was shirtless and shoeless paired with his physique to paint a perfect picture of the Nomadic Prince.
“The pleasure has been mine, Lor—Rin.” She curtseyed as well as her pencil skirt allowed. Her wings flared slightly beside her.
He started through the manor house to the front door.
“Won’t you stay for lunch?” Evara asked, following him. “Or perhaps some tea, at the least? It wouldn’t take our cook long to prepare some refreshments for your trouble! It’s the least I could do to thank you for coming all this way.”
“That’s generous of you, but no.” He stopped at the grand front door. Sunlight filtered in through a stained-glass window near it’s top. It glinted on the copper-inscribed black torc around his throat. “Sadly, I have business to conduct elsewhere.”
“Of course.”
He collected his pair of leather riding boots from beside the door, and slipped them on.
“Should you need anything,” Evara went on as he opened the door, letting in the afternoon sunlight, “don’t hesitate to call on us!”
“You’ll be the first I come to, dear Lady!” He smiled dashingly, gave her another flourishing bow, then left.
The mild warmth and blossoming scents of late spring filled the air. The Noble’s manor took up most of one side of the street. Other grand houses found space further down the road. Lawn mowers rumbled as human servants and slaves tended to the gardens of their supernatural betters.
Calrin upheld his trained posture and regal stride until, at last, he was out of the line of sight of the Noble's house.
He breathed a sigh of relief, relaxing his posture. Though Evara wasn't so bad as far as the Nobles went, he was happy to leave her presence.
He reached into the pouch at his belt and removed a small bit of the stardust. He couldn’t tell in the light if he’d gotten any of the pebbles that still retained their glow, but it didn’t matter.
He wasn’t entirely sure [i]why[/i] he was still keeping it. It really was worthless. It wasn’t enough to trace the origin of the thief, the fae magic scrubbing the traces of its owner away, and it had no monetary value. Yet, Calrin found it intriguing. Its existence felt like a challenge. A challenge he was quite eager to accept.
He shook it around in his palm as he walked, thinking.
Though he refused to admit it, he'd been obsessed with finding the Phantom since he first heard the rumors. Though the Houses had done their best to prevent the knowledge of this thief from spreading, especially among the human population, spread it had. There had even been speculation that the Phantom was working with a popular rebel group, the Diamond Templar, though the validity of that was yet unproven.
Despite the Phantom’s crimes, Calrin couldn’t help but admire the thief. It took no small amount of both skill and talent to do the things this thief had accomplished. Yes, the thief had to have at least one supernatural accomplice to create the stardust and to have evaded capture for so long, but still, even with aid, he'd accomplished things that should have been impossible for a human, help or no.
Calrin could only hope that [i]he[/i] found the culprit first. A human like that could be of more use alive than dead if in the right hands. And not just for interrogation purposes.
Now, he just had to figure out where the Stardust Phantom would strike next, and get there first. Though the Phantom’s thefts had seemed random at first, recently, Calrin had started to notice a subtle pattern. If he was correct, he had a vague idea of what the Phantom would go after next.
Now, if only he could figure out [i]where[/i] the next target was, along with the possible ‘what.’
He ground the stardust against his palm with his fingers. He needed information. Obscure information that, regrettably, even Evara couldn’t provide. The Noble hadn’t even really known what [i]she[/i] had, only that it was an ancient family heirloom.
Calrin had been content to let her think that that was all it was. After all, he only [i]suspected[/i] it was more than just an old magical trinket. He couldn’t be sure without seeing the real thing. As far as he knew, it could be nothing more than a wild goose chase.
As it was, there were two places you were guaranteed to find even the most elusive of information: a library, and a pub.
Of the two, Calrin much preferred doing his research at pubs. And he had just the place in mind.
He dripped the stardust back into the pouch. With his next step, his body evaporated into a puff of copper smoke, vanishing as he left the physical realm behind. The houses around him turned into ghosts of their physical forms, the emotions of the people inside tickling at his senses as tangible things, not just ideas.
In his gaseous state, he shot through the warped streets of the Dreamscape. For now, it was fairly quiet. This city had very few nocturnal creatures taking up residence, their and their staff's dreams distant wisps twanging at the web of this realm.
With the twisted time of the Dreamscape, it took only moments before he found himself outside a pub he’d heard good things about.
With another swirl of smoke, Calrin reformed in the physical plane across the street from the pub. The noise of people always hit the hardest when he came back from the relative quiet of the Dreamscape.
People swarmed about on lunchtime breaks between the brick buildings around him. A passing dwarf in a stained business suit cursed and startled away at Calrin’s sudden appearance. Recognition flashed in the gruff man’s eyes. He belted out a curt apology, then hobbled on his way.
Designed to retain an old-world feel, even the magic-fed street lanterns of this business district looked like they came from another era, each one meticulously forged with the likeness of dragons and other spindly creatures wrapping them.
A lazy smile played across his face. Now [i]this[/i] was where he'd rather be, not some stuffy Noble's estate. Nobles might have the funds for finery and extravagant galas, but the citizens were the ones who really knew how to have a good time.
Calrin crossed the cobblestone street to the pub. A sign hung outside the door in the shape of a skull, displaying the pub's name: The Drunken Skull. Keeping to the theme, the door’s handle was a brass skull. A few large crystalline skulls peered out from the door itself, giving glimpses of light and movement from the inside.
Pulling the door open by the handle's mouth, he entered the familiar fray of a pub in the raucous throws of lunch-hour.[/hider]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/7QnMzQi.png?3[/img][/center]
[b][color=gray]D[/color][/b]ang, you're still here after all that? You deserve a treat for sticking round!
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/hsGZnJX.gif[/img][/center]
[color=gray][b]I[/b][/color]f you have any interest, even vaguely, don't hesitate to contact me! The worst I can do is say no. Hope to hear from you!
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/7QnMzQi.png?3[/img][/center]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/4hWNt64.gif[/img][/center][/hider]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/7QnMzQi.png?3[/img][/center]
[center][h1]It was so... [i]kind[/i] of you to stop by.[/h1]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/j0Xku1K.gif[/img][/center]
<div style="white-space:pre-wrap;"><div class="bb-center"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/RJyFv7T.png" /></div><br><div class="bb-center"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/jsheRX6.gif" /></div><br><div class="bb-center"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/7QnMzQi.png?3" /></div><br><div class="bb-center"><iframe src="//youtube.com/embed/QOvaPmnvwfo?theme=dark" frameborder="0" width="496" height="279" allowfullscreen></iframe></div><br><div class="bb-h2">Click Here at Your Own Risk:</div><br><div class="hider-panel"><div class="hider-heading"><button type="button" class="btn btn-default btn-xs hider-button" data-name="Introduction">Introduction [+]</button></div><div class="hider-body" style="display: none"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/V9r4Cn4.png" /><br><div class="bb-center"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/8crUwn3.gif" /></div><br><br><div class="bb-center"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/RJebQce.png?1" /></div><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">Previously Known As:</span></font> Siaya Dragalorn<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">Call Me:</span></font> Riven. What, expecting something else?<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">Phonetic Pronunciation:</span></font> <span class="bb-i">rih</span>-vin whyte (like the color)<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">Time Zone:</span></font> Central Standard Time (CT) (GMT-6).<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">Active Hours:</span></font> I'm an insomniac with an unpredictable schedule. While I prefer being on graveyard shift hours, it changes regularly. Long story short, there's no predicting what time or days I'll be active on here.<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">Country:</span></font> United States of America<br><br><span class="bb-b"><font color="gray">Age:</font></span> How rude! But if it matters to you, I'm over 21.<br><br><span class="bb-b"><font color="gray">Writing/Play-by-Post Experience:</font></span> Well over a decade for both.<br><br><span class="bb-b"><font color="gray">Likes + Hobbies:</font></span> Reading. Writing. The night. Most things fantasy and paranormal. Collecting things (I think I'm part dragon). Crafting. Gaming (PlayStation for the win!). Anime (though I don't watch as much as I'd like). Wandering old cemeteries. Night walks...<br><br><span class="bb-b"><font color="gray">Personality:</font></span> *Laughs manically.* Personality? Do you really wish to know the <span class="bb-i">personality</span> of someone without a heart?<br> Yes?<br> *Sighs.* Very well, then. I'll recognize there's an advantage in knowing what you're getting into.<br> To try and put me simply, I'm an old soul, and yet I have a semi-teenage personality wrapped in a body occasionally required to masquerade as the adult society says it is. Perhaps sharing a connection to that, I favor media in the Children's/YA sections, including with my own writing. But I'm not opposed to <span class="bb-i">certain,</span> more "adult" themes; I'm a sucker for tastefully dark, violent stories that likely fit more into "New Adult" than YA, but we'll save that for the "Preferences" hider below.<br><br><span class="bb-b"><font color="gray">Other:</font></span> ~ If you want to chat and/or roleplay, feel free to message me!<br><br><div class="bb-center"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/7QnMzQi.png?3" /></div><br><br><div class="bb-center"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/oKVvwzz.png" /><br><br><img src="https://i.imgur.com/bSjkdrQ.gif" /><br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> Rise of the Guardians<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> The Flash<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> Nightmare Before Christmas<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> Harry Potter<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> Merlin (2008)<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> Warehouse 13<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> Stranger Things<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> Spirited Away<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> Howl's Moving Castle<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> Avatar: The Last Airbender<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> Trollhunters (Tales of Arcadia)<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> Jackie Chan Adventures<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> Teen Titans (2003-'06)<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> My Hero Academia<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> Yona of the Dawn<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> Death Note<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> The Legend of Dragoon<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> Persona 5<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> The World Ends with You<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> Final Fantasy<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> Kingdom Hearts (*Gasp!* Such a <span class="bb-i">shocker!</span>)<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> Little Nightmares 1 + 2<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> Rising of the Shield Hero<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> Shadows House</div><br><div class="bb-center"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/7QnMzQi.png?3" /></div><br><br><div class="bb-right"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/UsRJvcK.png" /><br><br><img src="https://64.media.tumblr.com/b7a2ec8bb931bbd0b6269344d7aa8810/tumblr_pstzh2j9gm1tvvsht_400.gif" /><br><br>Because they can make for interesting conversation starters.<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> Bladed weapons<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> Button pins<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> Books<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> Masks<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> Enamel Pins<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~</span></font> Crystals</div><br><br><div class="bb-center"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/7QnMzQi.png?3" /></div><br><br><div class="bb-center"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/4dePkyv.gif" /></div></div></div><br><div class="bb-center"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/7QnMzQi.png?3" /></div><br><br><div class="bb-center"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/6HGd4BT.png" /></div><br><div class="bb-center"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/1mwxAXC.gif" /></div><br><div class="bb-h2">Click Here at Your Own Risk:</div><br><div class="hider-panel"><div class="hider-heading"><button type="button" class="btn btn-default btn-xs hider-button" data-name="Roleplay Preferences">Roleplay Preferences [+]</button></div><div class="hider-body" style="display: none"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/qoth5Oj.png" /><br><br><img src="https://i.imgur.com/GnYWhpC.gif" /><br><br>	<font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">1x1:</span></font> Open! PM me if you're interested!<br>	<font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">Group:</span></font> Probably not, but thanks for the thought.<br>	<font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">PMs/DMs:</span></font> I <span class="bb-u">do not</span> roleplay this way, but am always up for chatting!<br><br><div class="bb-right"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/Dfvs5bh.png" /><br><br><img src="https://i.imgur.com/O9E2hXz.gif" /><br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~ </span></font>None at the moment, but if you have an idea that might fit our matching preferences, feel free to message me!</div><br><br><img src="https://i.imgur.com/ntjvhI1.png" /><br><br><img src="https://i.imgur.com/yaDvzeY.gif" /><br><br><span class="bb-b"><font color="gray">As of 1/11/24:</font></span><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">D</span></font>epression and life in general has been hitting me with a flaming war hammer.<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">I</span></font>'m currently prone to vanishing without warning, and posting is unpredictable.<br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">I</span></font>f you can put up with that, by all means, send me a message!<br><br><div class="bb-center"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/0xp8D16.png" /><br><br><img src="https://i.imgur.com/fePs5Fw.gif" /><br><br>(Sorry, I know it's long. What can I say? I know what I like--and <span class="bb-i">don't</span> like.)</div><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~ Main Character Gender:</span></font> No preference. I'll gladly play a main male or female character! No doubling necessary.<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~ Partner RL Gender:</span></font> As long as you can write decently for the gender (and creature) you want to write for, and are respectful, you could be a hippopotamus wraith living on Jupiter for all I care.<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~ </span><span class="bb-b">Multiple Main and/or Side Characters?</span></font> Yes to both! I can be equally content writing for a semi-larger group of characters, or playing only a single MC. I do prefer keeping it small on the MC front (two to three in my control, max), but can do as many side/secondary characters as the story needs!<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~ </span><span class="bb-b">Writing POV and Tense:</span></font> Third-person past-tense. This is both my typical style, and what I'd like from a RP partner. First-person POV would be weird for a RP to me, and present-tense writing tends to annoy me. Nothing wrong with it, per say, it's just not something I care for.<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~ </span><span class="bb-b">Character Age:</span></font> Various. My favored MC age (or appeared age) range tends to 15-19, but I do write for characters 20+. Especially if there's plans for lots of glorious violence that would be plain awkward for an "adult" to write happening to a bunch of characters whose "actual age" is under 18.<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~ </span>Driver, Shotgun, or Passenger?</font> All, mental capacity allowing. I can GM a story on my own, co-GM, or let my partner take the driver's seat while my character(s) causes chaos from the backseat.<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~ </span><span class="bb-b">Genres:</span></font> <span class="bb-u">Favored:</span> Fantasy, paranormal/supernatural horror, fairy tale, superhero. <span class="bb-u">With a Side Of:</span> Adventure, suspense, mystery, action, drama, magic. <span class="bb-u">But Not:</span> Hard sci-fy, solely slice-of-life, erotica, canon fandom.<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~ </span><span class="bb-b">Cannon or Originals:</span></font> I will NOT write for cannon characters or plots. I'm all for "Inspired By," or "Based On," though!<br><br><span class="bb-b"><font color="gray">~ Swearing:</font></span> I'd appreciate PG-13-ish in IC. I don't cuss IRL and would be happier if more media avoided it, but I'd be a hypocrite to request an abstinence if it's your typical style, what with the media I consume.<br><br><span class="bb-b"><font color="gray">~ Sex/Smut:</font></span> <span class="bb-i"><span class="bb-u">NO.</span></span> If you absolutely need smut in your RPs, then we're NOT a match. I don't even lead characters to a "fade to black" point, neither in a RP nor my personal writings. As a sex-repulsed asexual, I don't write sex scenarios. Period. I adore romance (see below), and this doesn't necessarily rule out semi-intimate physical scenes, but my characters' undies stay on. My characters tend to lean more toward Old-Timey chaste. Basically, PG content by modern standards, here, by for me. <span class="bb-i">Maybe</span> low-end PG-13.<br><br><span class="bb-b"><font color="gray">~ But, Romance? Love Interests?!</font></span> Romance and sex are NOT the same thing! I adore the presence of a REALISTIC love interest for characters. But not having romance/love interests wouldn't be a deal breaker, either; if it forms between characters, then great! If it doesn't, then also great! It's story (and general character interactions) over romance in these things for me.<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~ General Nudity:</span></font> PG-13. I can tolerate non-sex-based nudity if it's <span class="bb-i">absolutely pertinent</span> to the story/situation, though it tends to be uncomfortable for me, and I'd request that you don't go into details. Ask yourself, "Would it change anything important if this character wasn't completely nude?" If the answer is 'no,' it's unnecessary in my book--which, honestly, is 99.99% of the time.<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~ Gore and Violence:</span></font> YES, please! As long as it fits the characters and story we're telling, BRING ON THE BLOOD AND AGONY! Ahem, literarily speaking, of course. I enjoy physically (and mentally) torturing characters more than what's probably healthy, and like reading about, writing for, and RPing alongside a partner's cruel characters. <br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~ </span><span class="bb-b">Other Mature Themes:</span></font> I'm okay with the presence of most other "mature/adult" themes not directly mentioned here. Though, that may depend on how, exactly, they come into play in the story.<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~ </span><span class="bb-b">Eras of Interest:</span></font> Modern, medieval, renaissance, Victorian, mixed, made-up.<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~ </span><span class="bb-b">Gender Pairings:</span></font> <span class="bb-u">Romance Potential:</span> MxF only. I don't care which I write for in that role. <span class="bb-u">Just Friends:</span> Any pairing.<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~ Writing Level:</span></font> Advanced/literate. And not just because of how long my posts can get. Word count isn't everything, dontchya know?<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~ </span><span class="bb-b">Usual Post Length:</span></font> Situational. On average, expect no fewer than 200 words, while I've hit 1,500+ with story-heavy and/or loner posts. As a rule of thumb, the more you give me to work with, the more I'll give back.<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~ Requested Partner Post Length:</span></font> Situational. I request my partners be capable of <span class="bb-i">somewhat</span> matching when circumstances allow. But sometimes the situation only requires a small number of words, especially in conversations between characters or other close PC interactions. When in doubt, as they say, quality over quantity! However, I <span class="bb-i">can't stand</span> one-liners, or constantly short, static posts. Avoid those, and we'll be fine.<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~ </span><span class="bb-b">Grammar and Spelling:</span></font> I ask that a RP partner have basic English grammar and writing skills. I like understanding what I'm reading. But I won't turn into a grammar police officer on you--unless you ask me to.<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~ </span><span class="bb-b">Roleplay Medium:</span></font> Exclusively forum threads. Why? They're wonderfully organized, the "Subscribe" option lets me keep everything in one place, it shows when a post has been edited so I know I should go back and reread it, and it's near impossible to hit the Guild's character maximum with a normal post. <br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~ Posting Speed:</span></font> Some days I can do one or more, others one a week, and yet others one a month+. Depends on, well, everything.<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~ Partner Posting Frequency:</span></font> As long as I know you're still interested, I really don't care. Take your time. This is for <span class="bb-i">fun,</span> not something that should be stressed over! If I like our story, I won't bail on you for slow posting.<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~ OOC Chat:</span></font> Not a requirement for me beyond plotting, but encouraged; I enjoy getting to know the mind behind the characters!<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~ Other:</span></font> >> I'm pretty ghost-friendly. It isn't fun to be left hanging, of course, but I quite understand that life doesn't always give you the chance to say something to a partner before it rips you apart. If you come back, don't feel too guilty to message me, be it to RP or just chat! Chances are, I've been a bit worried about you. But no offence taken if you don't!<br> >> Don't feel shy to give me pointers with my writing! While I look at roleplays as one giant, beautiful mess of a rough draft, I LOVE getting well-intended feedback with my writing.<br> >> I typically create long and overly detailed character profiles, but note that this isn't something I require of my partner. What matters is that YOU know your character well, while I know what I need to know. I just want to warn you! If you want to know what you'd be getting into with there, click <a href="https://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/189349-rivens-brain-children/ooc">here</a> for my character vault on the Guild.<br><br><font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">~ Want a Writing Sample?</span></font> Then click the below hider for an example of an opening IC post.<br><div class="hider-panel"><div class="hider-heading"><button type="button" class="btn btn-default btn-xs hider-button" data-name="Writing Sample">Writing Sample [+]</button></div><div class="hider-body" style="display: none">.	Calrin crouched in front of the Noble’s weapons’ cabinet. His dark blue jeans tightened to accent his leg muscles, his bare chest showing off his toned upper body. Dark blue tribal tattoos on his arms licked toward his chest and shoulder blades, stopping just short of each on either respective side.<br>	The cabinet before him was crowded with various weapons, from swords and spears to a couple historical guns tucked securely in the corner.<br>	Emphasis on <span class="bb-i">securely.</span><br>	Though disabled now, even Calrin could sense the residue of its protective enchantments. Though that alone should have been enough to deter most thieves, it had at least five different locks keeping the door of the main cabinet secured, with the same number on the small drawer in front of him. The ones on the drawer even required enchanted keys to unlock.<br>	And yet, somehow, the Stardust Phantom had broken through all of it, disabling the ones on the drawer, while leaving no trace of himself behind.<br>	Five identical daggers rested side-by-side on the velvet lining of the drawer. In one space where a sixth dagger should have been, there was nothing but pebbly sand.<br>	Nothing but <span class="bb-i">‘stardust,’</span> as it had been labeled.<br>	The glittery substance glowed with a faint silvery light in the shadows of the drawer. Each 'star' winked and flickered, as if mocking Calrin and the avorian Noble the dagger had belonged to.<br>	Calrin scooped up the handful of the Stardust Phantom’s calling card. As he looked at it, a few of the pebbles winked out, leaving only what looked like glittery black goldstone.<br>	He tipped his hand, eyeing the stardust as it shifted. He jerked his head, clearing his vision of his blond bangs, and shifted his dusk-blue gaze to the cabinet.<br>	All those weapons, and the thief had only taken a single dagger. He’d known exactly what he was after.<br>	He always did.<br>	Calrin took a breath and closed his eyes. He had to be certain. Though copycats were few and far between as of yet, they were still out there. <br>	He reached into the metaphysical realm where dreams and magic cross. His body shimmered, losing some of its definition into a coppery haze. The tattoos on his arms almost seemed to glow, their lines blurring with the rest of him.<br>	Though general magic wasn’t his expertise, he’d spent enough time around its users to be capable of sensing its presence if he tried hard enough, even pick out familiar signatures. To his dismay, the other bits of magic saturating the house were overwhelming, turning into an indistinguishable mass.<br>	He grunted frustratedly. His brows furled as he focused harder on the stardust. Though the other magic auras were nearly all the same to him, he’d since familiarized himself with the true Stardust Phantom’s calling card.<br>	Finally, he managed it. Though it was fading, and fast, the flitty, mischievous aura of fae magic was unmistakable. It mingled with the twang of human meddling, chemicals the faery magic corroded beyond scientific recognition. In turn, the human chemicals burned away the defining characteristics of the fae magic, making it impossible to tell which Fae Court the magic-user belonged to, even if Calrin had been apt enough in standard magic to sense that himself.<br>	Calrin released the partial link to the more abstract realm, and his form solidified. A grin spread over his lips; this was, without a doubt, the work of the Stardust Phantom. <br>	“So?” Evara, the victimized Noble, asked from behind him, her voice twittering and musical. “Was it really <span class="bb-i">him?</span>” She finished in a heated whisper. <br>	Calrin nodded. “You said you found it missing a day ago?” he confirmed, pouring the stardust from one palm to the other. That seemed right, compared to the strength of the fading aura and glow.<br>	“About that, yes.”<br>	His grin widened. This was the quickest he’d managed to hear about one of the Phantom’s thefts. Which meant that the thief might not be too far out of town yet. Or, if Calrin was lucky, perhaps the thief was still here.<br>	“Did he take anything else?” Calrin asked without looking from the stardust.<br>	“Some money I’d left out. Nothing else of such value. Nothing that can be traced.”<br>	“The Enforcers already tried to scry for the dagger?”<br>	“Twice! But something’s concealing it!” She huffed her frustrations. “Is it true what they say? That he’s nothing but a <span class="bb-i">human?</span>” She spat the word as if it was the foulest of insults.<br>	“As far as anyone can tell, yes.” He straightened and faced the avorian. <br>	Evara Airlar scowled at the stardust as he trickled it again from one hand back to the other. Feathers in the browns and whites of a falcon sprouted from her head, flowing down like a bobbed haircut. Though she had the face of a human, her features were sharp, her eyes deep brown with pupils disconcertingly larger than a human’s.<br>	A pair of feathered wings tucked into her sides, protruding from the open back of a designer halter top. She crossed her feather-speckled arms over her chest, her fingers tipped with avian claws.<br>	“Filthy vermin, the lot of them!” she spat, her wings twitching with her irritation. “I’ve put the Enforcers on it, but they’re incompetent buffoons!” She threw a hand and wing up exasperatedly. “Can’t even find a single thief, let alone that nuisance cluster of local rebels that—!”<br>	She cut herself off, eyes widening as she remembered who, exactly, she was speaking to. She swiftly bowed her head, hands folding in front of her as if in prayer. “Forgive me, m’lord. I shouldn’t be burdening you with such troubles. This isn’t your territory to worry about.”<br>	Calrin waved the apology away. “The burdens of one are lighter when carried by the shoulders of all!”<br>	The woman smiled at him. “Eloquently put.”<br>	He winked his thanks, though he couldn't take credit for it. It was something his late sister had been fond of saying. The people seemed to love it, so he'd adopted it.<br>	“The thief got the real one?” He nodded to the open drawer. “The rest are just decoys?” <br>	“Yes, Lord Ba’alrin.”<br>	“Please, call me Rin.” He smiled warmly at her. “This is hardly a formal visit! The Enforcers are skilled, but I’m as vexed as you about why they haven’t caught this pest.” He exaggerated a frown at the dust as it trickled through the bottom of his fist. “Might I keep this?” He nodded to the stardust.<br>	“Yes, yes. It’s worthless, but yes.”<br>	He gave her another charming smile. “Many thanks, Lady Airlar!” He opened a small bag at his belt, careful to make sure the Noble didn’t see the contents. He trickled the pebbly sand inside it, letting the glowing bits join the collection of now dark stones he’d collected from other crime scenes.<br>	He straightened, then offered the Noble a deep bow. “I thank you for allowing me into your home under such short notice, good Lady!”<br>	Evara twittered at his show of formality despite his own request. That he was shirtless and shoeless paired with his physique to paint a perfect picture of the Nomadic Prince.<br>	“The pleasure has been mine, Lor—Rin.” She curtseyed as well as her pencil skirt allowed. Her wings flared slightly beside her.<br>	He started through the manor house to the front door.<br>	“Won’t you stay for lunch?” Evara asked, following him. “Or perhaps some tea, at the least? It wouldn’t take our cook long to prepare some refreshments for your trouble! It’s the least I could do to thank you for coming all this way.”<br>	“That’s generous of you, but no.” He stopped at the grand front door. Sunlight filtered in through a stained-glass window near it’s top. It glinted on the copper-inscribed black torc around his throat. “Sadly, I have business to conduct elsewhere.”<br>	“Of course.”<br>	He collected his pair of leather riding boots from beside the door, and slipped them on. <br>	“Should you need anything,” Evara went on as he opened the door, letting in the afternoon sunlight, “don’t hesitate to call on us!”<br>	“You’ll be the first I come to, dear Lady!” He smiled dashingly, gave her another flourishing bow, then left. <br>	The mild warmth and blossoming scents of late spring filled the air. The Noble’s manor took up most of one side of the street. Other grand houses found space further down the road. Lawn mowers rumbled as human servants and slaves tended to the gardens of their supernatural betters.<br>	Calrin upheld his trained posture and regal stride until, at last, he was out of the line of sight of the Noble's house. <br>	He breathed a sigh of relief, relaxing his posture. Though Evara wasn't so bad as far as the Nobles went, he was happy to leave her presence.<br>	He reached into the pouch at his belt and removed a small bit of the stardust. He couldn’t tell in the light if he’d gotten any of the pebbles that still retained their glow, but it didn’t matter.<br>	He wasn’t entirely sure <span class="bb-i">why</span> he was still keeping it. It really was worthless. It wasn’t enough to trace the origin of the thief, the fae magic scrubbing the traces of its owner away, and it had no monetary value. Yet, Calrin found it intriguing. Its existence felt like a challenge. A challenge he was quite eager to accept.<br>	He shook it around in his palm as he walked, thinking.<br>	Though he refused to admit it, he'd been obsessed with finding the Phantom since he first heard the rumors. Though the Houses had done their best to prevent the knowledge of this thief from spreading, especially among the human population, spread it had. There had even been speculation that the Phantom was working with a popular rebel group, the Diamond Templar, though the validity of that was yet unproven.<br>	Despite the Phantom’s crimes, Calrin couldn’t help but admire the thief. It took no small amount of both skill and talent to do the things this thief had accomplished. Yes, the thief had to have at least one supernatural accomplice to create the stardust and to have evaded capture for so long, but still, even with aid, he'd accomplished things that should have been impossible for a human, help or no.<br>	Calrin could only hope that <span class="bb-i">he</span> found the culprit first. A human like that could be of more use alive than dead if in the right hands. And not just for interrogation purposes.<br>	Now, he just had to figure out where the Stardust Phantom would strike next, and get there first. Though the Phantom’s thefts had seemed random at first, recently, Calrin had started to notice a subtle pattern. If he was correct, he had a vague idea of what the Phantom would go after next.<br>	Now, if only he could figure out <span class="bb-i">where</span> the next target was, along with the possible ‘what.’<br>	He ground the stardust against his palm with his fingers. He needed information. Obscure information that, regrettably, even Evara couldn’t provide. The Noble hadn’t even really known what <span class="bb-i">she</span> had, only that it was an ancient family heirloom.<br>	Calrin had been content to let her think that that was all it was. After all, he only <span class="bb-i">suspected</span> it was more than just an old magical trinket. He couldn’t be sure without seeing the real thing. As far as he knew, it could be nothing more than a wild goose chase.<br>	As it was, there were two places you were guaranteed to find even the most elusive of information: a library, and a pub. <br>	Of the two, Calrin much preferred doing his research at pubs. And he had just the place in mind.<br>	He dripped the stardust back into the pouch. With his next step, his body evaporated into a puff of copper smoke, vanishing as he left the physical realm behind. The houses around him turned into ghosts of their physical forms, the emotions of the people inside tickling at his senses as tangible things, not just ideas.<br>	In his gaseous state, he shot through the warped streets of the Dreamscape. For now, it was fairly quiet. This city had very few nocturnal creatures taking up residence, their and their staff's dreams distant wisps twanging at the web of this realm.<br>	With the twisted time of the Dreamscape, it took only moments before he found himself outside a pub he’d heard good things about.<br>	With another swirl of smoke, Calrin reformed in the physical plane across the street from the pub. The noise of people always hit the hardest when he came back from the relative quiet of the Dreamscape.<br>	People swarmed about on lunchtime breaks between the brick buildings around him. A passing dwarf in a stained business suit cursed and startled away at Calrin’s sudden appearance. Recognition flashed in the gruff man’s eyes. He belted out a curt apology, then hobbled on his way.<br>	Designed to retain an old-world feel, even the magic-fed street lanterns of this business district looked like they came from another era, each one meticulously forged with the likeness of dragons and other spindly creatures wrapping them.<br>	A lazy smile played across his face. Now <span class="bb-i">this</span> was where he'd rather be, not some stuffy Noble's estate. Nobles might have the funds for finery and extravagant galas, but the citizens were the ones who really knew how to have a good time.<br>	Calrin crossed the cobblestone street to the pub. A sign hung outside the door in the shape of a skull, displaying the pub's name: The Drunken Skull. Keeping to the theme, the door’s handle was a brass skull. A few large crystalline skulls peered out from the door itself, giving glimpses of light and movement from the inside.<br>	Pulling the door open by the handle's mouth, he entered the familiar fray of a pub in the raucous throws of lunch-hour.</div></div><br><br><div class="bb-center"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/7QnMzQi.png?3" /></div><br>	<span class="bb-b"><font color="gray">D</font></span>ang, you're still here after all that? You deserve a treat for sticking round!<br><div class="bb-center"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/hsGZnJX.gif" /></div><br>	<font color="gray"><span class="bb-b">I</span></font>f you have any interest, even vaguely, don't hesitate to contact me! The worst I can do is say no. Hope to hear from you!<br><br><div class="bb-center"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/7QnMzQi.png?3" /></div><br><div class="bb-center"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/4hWNt64.gif" /></div></div></div><br><div class="bb-center"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/7QnMzQi.png?3" /></div><br><br><div class="bb-center"><div class="bb-h1">It was so... <span class="bb-i">kind</span> of you to stop by.</div><br><img src="https://i.imgur.com/j0Xku1K.gif" /></div></div>