Her sister nodded. Her ratty squeaking seemed to convey agreement. Odd. As Asteria led them the way they had come into the chamber, back through the burrow and out into the wider cave proper, she considered this issue. Her Mother had never “spoken” or at the very least, Asteria didn’t remember recognizing any of her sounds as holding meaning the same way language would. But her sister had understood her. Was that simply because they were both Dire rats? Even if the other rats had lower intelligence than her previous human identity provided her, they were still the same species. But perhaps there was such a thing as a monster tongue with which she could not only convey ideas to other Dire rats, regardless of whether they would comprehend the complexity of what she might say to them, but also communicate with the other monsters. It was a shame she hadn’t tried to do so with the lizard, but it hadn’t exactly given any opportunity to do so. Perhaps she would simply make more of an effort to try speaking properly with her sister…
As for the cave itself, it offered several opportunities. There was a very distant light, which Asteria assumed led to the cave’s exit, but the light from there was small and steadily disappearing as the night time progressed. Somewhat closer was a fire, but the numerous goblins she could see around it were an obvious sign of danger. Goblins were surely the most dangerous predators of the cave, for they could use tools and therefore advance in a way the rest of them couldn’t, not yet. That fire was to be avoided for now. There were a scant few bluish crystals here and there and Asteria had the impression that there had been more before, but she couldn’t be entirely sure as she hadn’t paid much attention to them when her survival had been her focus. Well, her survival still was her focus. But now, she also wanted to know more about this world.
Asteria intended to head towards the lake, but as it so happened, she passed a certain crystal cluster, in front of which was a male Dire rat. He stared at the crystals intently and Asteria found his behaviour peculiar indeed. He also smelled familiar, but she wasn’t certain whether he was also a sibling of hers or not. She looked from her sister towards the male rat and back again. Asteria observed him with as much intent as he used to stare at the crystals. Was he…a mentally unsound example of their species? Or did his purposeful inspection of a foreign object indicate a higher than average intelligence as far as Dire rats were concerned? Asteria was a bit regretful right now that she had not tried ascertaining what the regular Dire rats were capable of, which she supposed she could have done by observing her siblings while they were all in the nest. However, she could still rely on her sister and this strange male Dire rat to provide her with some basic information. Once she ascertained the male was done with whatever he had been doing, Asteria approached, hoping her sister would recognize her desire to socialize with him and would follow her cue. Carefully and with purpose, she tried sounding out “Sib…Sibling?” She looked from her sister towards the unknown male. Her question was obviously intended for the male Dire rat, but Asteria wondered if either of the rats would understand the verbal communication she had attempted.
Well. That had been a bit easier than Asteria thought it would be. So, their Mother’s attack must really have been effective, because the lizard had been taken by surprise both by Asteria’s sister, who charged it from the front, and Asteria, who managed to bite into its neck from behind it. The lizard tried shaking Asteria off, but she could feel how weak it was, and held tightly on with determination, until the fight and life seeped out from the enemy via blood loss and partial suffocation. The young dark grey dire rat took the opportunity to guzzle down the fresh and freely flowing blood, sating her thirst and hunger in one go. When she finished, Asteria hopped down from the lizard’s corpse. She saw the way its head pointed to the clutch of its eggs and noticed that part of its snout had been gouged out, most likely by Mother’s initial attack. Speaking of Mother…she was still lying in a corner, her panting breaths indicating that she was still alive.
Asteria redirected her gaze back to the eggs. Maybe it would have been considered cruel in her previous lifetime, but they were too dangerous to leave be. She didn’t know when they would hatch, if they even could without their mother around, but the chance of the multitude of small lizards getting out and attacking them in a swarm wasn’t something she was willing to risk, regardless of whether they could use their paralyzing poison as new-borns or not. With that in mind, Asteria poked through an egg's shell with her teeth and lapped up the predominantly liquid contents. The embryo was a bit more substantial but almost equivalently soft and just as palatable. She didn’t feel regretful or guilty about eating what could essentially be another being, not that she expected to what with just having killed one, but it didn’t even feel strange to consume it. She devoured another, then carefully picked up one between her teeth and tongue and clumsily held another in a paw, then rather awkwardly and slowly walked on her remaining free appendages towards her mother and deposited the food in front of her. She licked at her snout, then stepped back to give her space. Mother would probably be fine soon enough and then she could go feed on the adult lizard’s corpse. Asteria blinked as she considered the act of altruism she had just done. How odd. It was most likely some kind of ingrained need to reciprocate Mother’s efforts to bear her and take care of her.
That done, she returned her gaze back to the lizard’s corpse, considering. Her sister-ally was in her periphery, but now that their act of co-operation was done, they might not do anything further together. If she knew she could and how, Asteria would suggest further collaboration, but she didn’t. Maybe if they simply decided to stick together, they could reap the benefits…? Though, as far as Asteria was concerned, she wanted to explore the cave outside this chamber a bit. Knowing she had a safe room which still had plenty of leftovers as an additional benefit just made the idea of going out and seeing about even more appealing. Once her sibling had finished with her own meal, Asteria approached her, cocked her head enquiringly, lifted a paw and made a vague gesture at the chamber’s exit. She tested her vocal cords in a string of squeaks and chatters, doing her best to convey the idea of “Out? Explore?”
Jobst, I think you can decide if what you hear is actual human speech or just a rat's noises, because I don't know what it would be yet at this point without consciously trying to speak as a human but still attempting to communicate.
As Asteria caught up to her sister, she slowed down so she was able to run alongside her sibling in the search of their mother. Most of the cave’s terrain seemed to be hard stone, but in some places, the exposed soft earth underneath had made it possible for someone – probably the Dire rats – to make tunnels and burrows. One such path eventually led them to a spacious chamber, where their Mother feasted on a clutch of eggs. The sight made Asteria salivate and her own teeth ache to bite into something more substantial and she would have obeyed the instinct to devour if it weren’t for the sudden appearance of a lizard.
This new and unexpected opponent attacked their Mother, and although she managed to bite back and shake off the lizard, the large black Dire rat limped backwards, her body convulsing from the lizard’s paralyzing poison, a skill Asteria now remembered them having from the time when she got to choose her own species before her rebirth.
During the short moment her body had frozen in surprise, her sister had already attacked the aggressor, and her sibling seemed furious if a tad uncoordinated in her attacks. Confident that the two of them could take down the lizard as long as they avoided its fangs, Asteria forced herself to move and dashed swiftly to the side, careful to avoid running into her sister-ally and doing her best to stay away from the lizard’s front side. With her running dash, she was lucky enough to position herself by their opponent’s hind leg. From there, Asteria jumped, intending to pin down the lizard by landing on its back and aiming to bite into its soft and vulnerable throat!
The beginning was very fuzzy. The most important thing was the Milk, which was associated with Mother and Warmth. As her perceptions developed alongside the size of her body, she took note of the loud squeaking, the crowded squirming heat and company of siblings, the steadily sharper vision of various coloured coats of fur, the strange and pungent but also familiar smell of Family and Mother, and the somewhat sweeter smell of her milk, which provided them all with nutrition. Though they were all well provided for, instinct drove them to struggle to be the one to feed first, the longest and from the best spot. Mother often had to prevent them from biting and scratching at each other too much, for they were vicious and base in their competition for survival, and perhaps just as importantly, to be the top of the pecking order among the brood of dire rat younglings.
The regaining of her memories and intelligence seemed sudden, though it most likely happened gradually and there simply existed a threshold when she became aware of the process. She knew she used to be Simone. She knew she died, and seemed to have existed in an eternity of confined whiteness. She remembered the self-proclaimed Demon King and his offer. And being here, being alive…well, apparently, he and his offer were the real deal. As she proceeded with her eating, sleeping and a more purposeful observation of her new environment, she pondered what to be called. Even if it ended being for her own sake only, she preferred to be Named. Eventually, she settled Asteria. Something from Earth’s mythology, something to serve as a keepsake alongside her soul if that’s what she could call it.
With her new awareness, she spent a day or so learning to better operate her body. Basic movements and perceptions. Walking, crawling, crouching. She examined her front paws and wondered if they would be sophisticated enough for any sort of tool use. She smelled the near and far away scents. From farther in the cave she sensed Strange, Foreign and something she just knew to be Predator. She did not appreciate the idea of being Prey for anyone, but if she wanted to change that, it would probably have to be on her own power.
All in all, if it weren’t for a rather peculiar sibling, who seemed to have already tried following Mother at least twice, Asteria might not have paid much attention to her fellow rat younglings whom she presumed to be lower life forms. However, she did have a building desire to explore and the idea of following their mother, obviously a competent Dire rat, was probably the better choice for now than striking it out on her own. And so, one day, when her female sibling somehow seemed more purposeful in tracking down their parent, Asteria followed after her. Ria’s seemingly greater innate speed allowed her to catch up to her sibling easily enough, and whether the latter would mind or not, she intended to get in on this expedition. If Mother allowed the pursuit and showed them around her hunting grounds, or whatever it was that she had, this could certainly prove to be a valuable experience.
Appearance: She is marginally smaller than the average dire rat and perhaps a tad faster for it. Her most notable characteristics are her soot grey coat of fur, her sharp and dangerous looking incisors, and her crystalline blue eyes. The shine of her coat almost makes her pretty. For a rat.
Goals: Explore this new world, amass Power, and climb up the proverbial sociobiological ladder.
Past Life: Born as Simone Raiford into an upper middle-class family with parents who had designs at more and an older brother Robert, who wouldn’t fulfil their expectations, Simone was groomed as a socialite. Although she did grow up to be an ambitious and gregarious woman, she always hated the pushiness and hypocrisy of her parents, who very much wanted to be considered nouveau riche even if it meant riding on the coat-tails of Simone and their own long-since eclipsed accomplishments.
Successful in school, she enrolled into a fairly prestigious law school and years of hard work got her into a position with enviable profits. Long since moved far away from her parents, the only thing she repaid their “generosity” with was a deposit the equivalent of the money they had spent raising her and a polite but firm letter not to attempt any further associations with her. Remembering her brother fondly, Simone tracked him down and found him in a rather sorry state as an impoverished artist and a bit of a druggie. Although he was understandably skeptical, she got him to accept her help and friendship, and – him being pretty much the only person she held genuine feelings of affection for – Simone remained in contact with him and kept him off the hard drugs at the very least.
Otherwise, she spent her life living in a luxurious flat, enjoying her job (how could screwing over opponents entirely lawfully and convincing everyone else you're right while at it not be amusing?) and her life. She had a lover with similar interests, a circle of people she went out with to various events and several hobbies to waste free time with. As fit and healthy of an individual as she was, she died quite early; in the beginning of her forties, due to indulging a vice of hers. She loved driving, dangerous roads or not, and speeding and racing were a thrill. She crashed and killed herself driving a beautiful beast of a motorcycle. Though she finds it a shame, she doesn’t particularly regret it.
Abilities:
Beast Senses III – a bundle skill applying to all physical senses. At rank 2: Passive sensory range increased. By actively focusing on one (1) sense, you can further increase that sense's sharpness. At rank 3: Senses are further sharpened. Passive senses are now equivalent to the enhanced sense of Rank II. Focusing on a single sense at a time will still enhance it, now to a level beyond that of Rank II. (Currently at 3.1).
Alert I - Though this skill is limited by the strength of your senses, and does not sharpen your senses on its own, it allows you to become more aware of your surroundings. Without conscious effort, you will pick up on signs in your environment more easily, especially if they present some form of danger to you. Essentially this is an anti-ambush skill. (Currently at 1.7).
Prehensile Tail (--) - Your tail has developed enough muscle and coordination that you can use it as if it were a fully functional limb--minus fingers and toes of course. Any stats, skills, items, spells, etc that could be used or applied by your limbs can, with a few exceptions, also be used by your tail.
Use Light Equipment (--) - The use of small tools, and lighter forms of armor, weaponry, and other items. --Due to your size and limbs as a Dire Rat, even some Small items may be too large or heavy for you to use effectively.--
Smash I - A Physical Skill that consumes Stamina instead of MP. One blunt type attack deals increased damage!
Slash I - Expend Stamina to increase the power of a Slashing physical attack.
Faster II - Your need for speed has granted you a perception that is used to the ground beneath your feet turning to a blur, and the feel of the wind through your hair. Your raw stats grant you slightly greater speed than normal. At rank 2: Further increase your base speed stats and movement rate. (Currently at 2.45).
Stronger II - You have grown stronger through tough training! Tear muscles down, and rebuild them anew! Your physical power stats have increased! By gaining at least one rank of Faster, Harder, and Better, Skill Synergy will occur and you will gain one rank of Physical Conditioning. At Rank 2: Further increase your base strength.
Monster Analysis II - Gain basic biological information about a monster by actively observing it. At rank 2: Gain more information about Monsters. Other analysis skills will further boost the information this skill provides, such as a creature’s capability with magic or its equipment. (Currently at 2.85).
Magic Analysis I - You may now analyze magical energies or objects to learn their most basic magical characteristics. Less effective on Materials and Monsters unless they are magical in nature. (Currently at 1.55).
Plant Analysis I - Basic field knowledge of botany. At this Rank, using this skill only grants you "generalized" information. (Currently at 1.7).
Dextrous II - Your practice with fine manipulation and using your forepaws, as well as the natural physical strength of a Dire Rat, has earned an unusual skill for your species! Your paws can now be used to manipulate small objects and tools, though you still aren’t strong enough yet to “wield” weapons or pick up very large things. RANK 2: Despite the limitations of your species, you have continued to develop skill and coordination in your digits! You can now manipulate small things, relative to your size, just as well as a human hand or comparable limb with opposable thumbs. Slightly larger objects can be manipulated the way small objects could at the previous rank, but only if you have high enough physical stats to do so. Learning Equipment skills with certain weapons or tools is now less difficult despite your species' limitations! (currently at 2.475)
Poison Resistance I - Take less damage from Poisonous spells or skills, and have a better chance to resist this particular status infliction. By gaining at least one rank of all other status resistances, Skill Synergy will occur and grant you one rank of Status Resistance. By gaining further ranks in this specific skill, you will gain a choice of Branch Skills related to it.
Crafting II - Your knowledge and understanding of mechanics, workmanship, and other such things enable you to craft better items. The process of creating regular sized items is still an unknown to you, and your current species doesn't support many smaller items, but if you ever succeed in such a creation its Sub-Stat Enhancements will be higher than normal. Currently you cannot use equipment, and attempting to craft it will be much more difficult. RANK 2: Crafting Complexity Increased. Stamina Requirement Decreased. (Currently at 2.25)
Muffle II - This skill grants you the ability to be just a little bit better at being stealthy, with a focus on reducing the sound of your movements. At Rank 2: You are now even more effective at remaining unseen passively. Activating this skill by using Stamina will noticeably reduce, but not eliminate, the sounds of your movement. (Currently at 2.15)
Suppress Presence I - Using your magical power, you subtly mask your presence from the senses of others around you. By comparison, it's a similar ability to those shy people who seem to disappear at the corner of the crowd's vision as they hover in the corner.
Mana Sense II - Though this sense is still limited by the strength of your other senses, and it still interpreted in some way similar to the other senses (seeing auras, smelling traits of elements, etc), it is now a full sense in and of itself--even if you are blinded or deafened by some circumstance, Mana Sense can be used. Touching an object or creature under the effect of magic, whether its own or from some other source, is no longer required to sense the presence of that magical effect so long as the target is within 5 feet of you. Touching the target will still grant a greater level of detail. (Currently at 2.35)
You have sharpened your mental and spiritual senses as well as your physical ones. By focusing upon a single creature or object, you will be able to sense its magical nature in some fashion. Different creatures may perceive this aura in different ways--some may see a colored aura, others may catch unique scents, etc. This is not an Analysis skill, though it may Synergize with some of them. The range of this skill is limited to that of your other physical senses, though in some cases a mana signature may become easier or more difficult to detect depending on factors such as strength, amount, etc. By touching an object or creature, even if they are somehow suppressing their magical power, you have a chance to learn whether or not magic is present. At this rank, you must activate this skill in order for it to take effect. While active it will consume MP.
Mana Drain I - You have experienced the flow of mana inside your own body, and felt the energy of other creatures being used upon you. Like siphoning water through a tube, this ability allows the user to draw the energies of others into themselves. By using Stamina, you will drain MP from an opponent and add it to your own. However, certain factors may come into play--you are not guaranteed to restore the exact same amount of MP that you drain. At this rank, in order to use this skill you must be touching the creature or object to be drained. While you are using this skill you cannot use any other spell or skill that is offensive in nature or requires complex movements. (Currently at 1.75).
Meditate I - By concentrating and calming oneself, increase the regeneration of Magic Power and Stamina. This skill cannot be used in battle. Any distractions in the environment will drastically decrease the effectiveness of this skill. This skill cannot be used in conjunction with other Active skills. (Currently at 1.05).
First Aid I - Skill in using Healing items such as herbs or bandages. Increase the amount of HP recovered by yourself or allies when consuming these items, so long as you properly apply your knowledge and experience. Does not apply to healing spells.
Minor Heal I - The most basic of healing spells. In most cases, only surface level wounds are affected. Cannot cure diseases. May even accelerate certain conditions not healed by the body's natural recovery. Cast upon a single target within eyesight.
Telepathy II - Channeling Mana through thoughts creates Psychic-type abilities. At Rank I, this skill can only be used when you are in physical contact with another creature. This skill can only send simple thoughts or emotions. This skill is currently only one-way transmission. This skill is an Active Non-Offensive Spell and consumes MP. At RANK 2: MP consumption slightly increased. More complex thoughts and stronger emotions can be sent. One-way messages can be sent to a creature you have made contact with before as long as they are within 5 feet. When making physical contact with a creature, if they are willing they can send you a single return message.
Soil Manipulation I - An Earth Elemental Magic Spell. At this Rank, you may move up to 5 pounds of loose soil (sand, dirt, and powdered minerals, but not gravel, pebbles, or anything made of larger fragments) freely within a 10 foot radius around your body. Using this soil to create a shape or exert a larger amount of force consumes more MP, and takes 30 seconds at minimum. At this rank, created shapes cannot consist of more than one part, or be more complex than quadrilateral structures. At this rank, created shapes cannot change the quality of the soil (sharper, harder, etc) nor its color or texture.
Charisma I - Your personality is almost a magical charm unto itself. You’ll have greater luck convincing others to go along with your suggestions, but only within their own natural reasoning. This skill may not work on those with stronger Wills. (Currently at 1.15)
<UNUSABLE SKILLS> Mental Resistance (0.1) Soil Manipulation (0.9) Overwork (0.9) Lesser Status Heal (0.1) Strengthen (0.3) Scribe (0.3) Spell Chant (0.15) Lesser Force (0.1) Stone Shot (0.3) Lucid Dream (0.4) Spiritual Awareness (0.5) Swift Swimmer (0.1) Alchemy (0.8) Tremor Sense (0.2) Throw Item (0.3) Stealth Kill (0.1) Material Analysis (0.4) Iron Gullet (0.35) Quicken (0.2) Skewer (0.7) Point Strike (0.4) Warcry (0.1) Mind Wave (0.2) Curse Word (0.1) Rabid Fit (0.2) Mana Gift (0.2) Blood Bead (0.1) Pierce Resistance (0.1) Counter (0.1) Slash Resistance (0.1) Charm (0.1) Dash Attack (0.3) Acrobatic (0.2) Breath Control (0.1)
Transformations:
Dire Rat -> Adult Dire Rat (currently lvl 9; 4 pts left over from last lvl up)
Inventory:
Metal knife. (Tied to tail with vine - Tailstrap knife) Vine belt. Green body wrap. Clay jar, full of: Hex cat eye. Four horned goat horn. Tanned leather (1sq foot). Bloodingfly proboscis (ends in a hollow, sharp needle). Shared with Ed and/or Mother rat (stored in grass packroll): Mysterious gold coin, which can conduct (earth) mana. Stone hatchet. Rabbit skull staff. Bone necklace. Green arm wraps. Healing herb. 3 Nullven cones. Myrmindor parts; 3 exoskeleton plates (one with a hole drilled into it). Mandibles. Two legs. Stinger.
Ineraz was sitting near the head of the table, though the head seat itself was empty, his brother nowhere in sight. His father still hadn’t arrived. Or he had, and was attending other business. Ineraz had no way of knowing just yet. The other Drakken present made the ambiance quite the rowdy and cheerful one, despite the still early morning. The Evrenarth heir had just begun his meal and was chatting with his nearby companions, when a puzzled looking Drakkan approached with a seemingly disgruntled servant following closely behind. The servant was of a reptilian race and was obviously one of the cooks.
“Heir Ineraz, this servant claims to have found one of your brides in the kitchen,” the male announced to him. He made no attempts to whisper, because even though he was standing right next to Ineraz, they barely heard each other what with the easily flowing conversation in the hall.
“Oh?” Ineraz asked, looking curiously at the reptilian female.
“Yesss, masster,” she hissed, her forked tongue peeking out swiftly between small but sharp teeth. “One of yourss is moving about. But sshe knowss nothin’ bout the sspices!” the female complained with an annoyed flick of her tail.
Apparently, the servants weren’t particularly pleased to have some unknown Gem loitering about. Ineraz sighed and looked at his guard. “Bring her here. And no need to be rough,” he gave him a narrow-eyed glare. Drakken were so quick to act upon a perceived slight, but he wouldn’t have others taking liberties with his property.
The Drakkan guard and the reptilian servant left, and Ineraz enjoyed his meal in peace for several moments. The male Drakkan soon returned with Zeldria in tow. The guard gently pushed the bride into the seat next to Ineraz, while he himself chewed on a sausage contemplatively.
“She made these, boss, wanted to give one to you, I think” he commented. “Not too bad for a foreigner, though I doubt the servants would like hearing that,” he chuckled.
Ineraz raised a brow as he watched the Drakkan continue eating part of a meal that his bride had supposedly made for him. “Oh, and you decided to be my food taster, did you?” he teased the Drakkan, though there was a hint of sharp reproof in his tone as well.
“Uh,” the other swallowed carefully. “Sorry. But there’s more back there,” he nodded towards the kitchen “if you want,” he then shrugged and left. Ineraz snorted as he watched the other walking away swiftly, probably thinking Ineraz wouldn’t act if he disappeared from sight quickly enough. But to Ineraz even a minor transgression such as this was worth a pay cut, at the very least.
Keeping that in mind, Ineraz turned towards Zeldria. He struggled to keep a grimace off his face at seeing her in the poorly fitting Drakkan clothing. As appealing as she was when taken on her own, her current apparel could be described as nothing but horrendous.
“After we eat, we will go shopping. You definitely need better clothes. Sera as well. How come you haven’t brought any with you? I though the Drakken gave you time enough to get some things from home,” he wondered.
He continued with his meal then, and urged Zeldria to eat as well. Sometime during their meal, Ineraz addressed an earlier issue. “I don’t mind if you like cooking,” he said. Truthfully, he thought such things should be left up to the servants, but encouraging his brides to find things they liked doing was not a bad idea. “The servants here just have some pride, you know. Doing well what they do is what keeps them alive and healthy after all,” he explained nonchalantly. “If you want to try again, just say so, and I’ll arrange the servants to leave you to it. They could even tutor you a bit if you wish, though I doubt they’ll be kind about it.”
Ineraz begins eating, but finds out Zeldria was up to something in the kitchens and has a guard fetch her and bring her to the hall. If she chose to bring some of what she made with her, she might be able to convince Ineraz to try it, but otherwise, he likely won't be trying her cooking today. Ineraz asks Zeldria why she hadn't taken any belongings from Gemmenia with her. Not quite as tactful today, is he? Anyways, if Sera makes it to the hall during this time, she'll see the breakfast is ending. Whether she shows up or not, Ineraz is making sure she eats. I guess he's kind of a mother-hen.
So, I read through the tabs and would like to give this a try.
Name:
Asteria, also goes by “Ria”
Gender:
Female
Species:
Dire rat
Appearance:
She is marginally smaller than the average dire rat and perhaps a tad faster for it. Her most notable characteristics are her soot grey coat of fur, her sharp and dangerous looking incisors, and her crystalline blue eyes. The shine of her coat almost makes her pretty. For a rat.
Goals: Explore this new world, amass Power, and climb up the proverbial sociobiological ladder.
Past Life:
Born as Simone Raiford into an upper middle-class family with parents who had designs at more and an older brother Robert, who wouldn’t fulfil their expectations, Simone was groomed as a socialite. Although she did grow up to be an ambitious and gregarious woman, she always hated the pushiness and hypocrisy of her parents, who very much wanted to be considered nouveau riche even if it meant riding on the coat-tails of Simone and their own long-since eclipsed accomplishments.
Successful in school, she enrolled into a fairly prestigious law school and years of hard work got her into a position with enviable profits. Long since moved far away from her parents, the only thing she repaid their “generosity” with was a deposit the equivalent of the money they had spent raising her a polite but firm letter not to attempt any further associations with her. Remembering her brother fondly, Simone tracked him down and found him in a rather sorry state as an impoverished artist and a bit of a druggie. Although he was understandably sceptical, she got him to accept her help and friendship, and – him being pretty much the only person she held genuine feelings of affection for – Simone remained in contact with him and kept him off the hard drugs at the very least.
Otherwise, she spent her life living in a luxurious flat, enjoying her job (how could screwing over opponents entirely lawfully and convincing everyone else you're right while at it not be amusing?) and her life. She had a lover with similar interests, a circle of people she went out with to various events and several hobbies to waste free time with. As fit and healthy of an individual as she was, she died quite early; in the beginning of her forties, due to indulging a vice of hers. She loved driving, dangerous roads or not, and speeding and racing were a thrill. She crashed and killed herself driving a beautiful beast of a motorcycle. Though she finds it a shame, she doesn’t particularly regret it.
Abilities:
Beast Senses I – a bundle skill applying to all physical senses.
"I will," Yssil said as he followed Aerta down into the lab. He marveled at the beauty of the room, even though it was small compared to the rooms the academy he occasionally visited in Hekaga had been. But having a laboratory like this in a personal home was impressive indeed. Curiously, he approached the various magical equipment and materials. Some of them he recognized by sight if not necessarily their function, but a few seemed rare and were probably very valuable and collected over Aerta's life. He wondered how many of the objects had an adventure and a story behind them. But even more, he was interested in learning all he did not yet know. Although he had come here to learn both the physical and magical arts, and still intended to do both, he was beginning to realize that he was a bit more drawn towards magic. He was sure, however, that he could make both work.
"Yes, I am aware that any kind of shape can be used. I don't think I've ever performed one without drawing any shape at all, but I've heard of them. I know the applications of rituals are...extensive, but so far I mostly used the magic which comes most naturally to me - my own, as a manifestation of my specific power, will and intent. I am looking forward to expand my practical knowledge though," he explained. "What kind of shape will we be using then? If any at all?" Yssil asked as Aerta pointed out the circle.
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