SilverPaw

The Hourglass Order

@SilverPaw That's a cool and compelling CS and is approved. Feel free to add it to the Character tab. Two quick question, though:
1) Who is Nazath in terms of your character and his importance in her storyline and the world? I'd lovve to find a way to work him into the story and have him fit organically into the world if I can. Feel free to respond here or DM me, if you like.

2) Are you on our discord server yet? We have about twenty people on there and not all go by their forum names, so it's a bit hard to keep track of. If you're not, feel free to join!

@Force and Fury

One, thank you, and as for the patron, I will PM you for sure. Two, not yet, but I will join now that my character was approved.

@SilverPaw
Noticed your character was learning Revidian.
Spend much time in Revidia?

@Dark Light

No, not at all, the learning was just Lin receiving lessons from a hired teacher so far.

The Hourglass Order

Linah

Linah Aranda

Link to the Artist

“Whenever you’re down, life likes to kick you, just in case you didn’t get the message. So just keep that in mind, that it can always get worse – somehow. Whenever it gets better or whoever is offering to pick you up? Won’t be for free.”

16 | Female | Torragonese | Commoner | 6.8

P E R S O N A L I T Y

❖ [Driven]
❖ [Observant]
❖ [Crafty]
❖ [Pragmatic]
❖ [Hardened]

Linah burns with the desire to prove herself as capable, important, and worthy of respect. She’s always believed in herself, regardless of criticisms and secret doubts. Though experience has confirmed her belief, she yet yearns for recognition – not empty praise, but something more tangible. She is both realistic and sensible enough to realize that she will likely never be free of making uneasy quid-pro-quo alliances; no one ever is. She does however wish to stand on equal ground to others, at the very least. For that, she will do what she can, even if it is via exploitation and manipulation. From what she’s seen so far, it’s not as if there’s a way to advance without opportunistic cooperation with those beneficial to her goals or ruthless preying upon those who cannot cover for their weaknesses.

C H A R A C T E R A P P E A R A N C E

Linah stands at 5’4, and is lithe and wiry, if still somewhat thin and gangly due to a recent growth spurt. She has a warm, light brown complexion that gets darker during the summer. Her eyes are hazel, and her hair a deep walnut. She used to wear it short, but had to grow it out as that is supposedly more befitting of a ‘lady’. After years of taking proper care of it, it is thick, lush, and wavy, not at all resembling the mess it’d been in her youth. She has been told that it is deeply unfortunate that a scar mars her face, but she truly does not care. Lin has learned a variety of gaits; confident ‘I belong here’, shuffling ‘Don’t pay me any mind’, slow ‘I’ve no care in the world’ among them. She is not naturally expressive, and does well at regulating her emotions, but enjoys putting on expressions that fit the current situation. As far as clothing is concerned, she now tends toward the kind of attire that a lower or middling merchant could afford. Though, she will sometimes adopt what others may term ‘rags’ if it suits her purposes. As long as it’s practical and not too showy, she doesn’t care much for the style, colour, or cut of her clothing.

L A N G U A G E S

Torragonese – mother tongue.
Avincian – upper intermediate, though with a noticeable accent.
Revidian – elementary, learning.

T H E G I F T

Linah has a natural knack for (primarily) the Arcane and (secondarily) the Kinetic schools of magic; she discovered and nurtured the talent herself, if to a limited extent. Because she initially learned on her own, she is an adept Freecaster, and generally forgoes instruments or focus points. Even now, after having studied under another mage, she prefers subtle spells that aid her or disrupt the enemy. In the Arcane school, she is most practiced at blinding an opponent, precisely regulating heat or light to get exactly the intended effect, casting invisibility, and using illusions. As for Kinetic magic, she prioritizes self-empowerment and manipulating sounds so as to confuse opponents. She employs telekinesis when necessary, but isn’t particularly creative with it. While familiar with the very basics of other schools, she has so far taken to certain spells within the Chemical school (Gazes of: Sloth, Terror, Agony, and Deception, Blessings of: Joy, Vigor, and Expulsion), and not much besides.

B A C K G R O U N D

Born to commoners down on their luck, Lin was one of the many inhabitants of the slums on the border of a large city. Her parents were both manual laborers hired for cheap, and hadn’t quite planned for a child either. Still, they took care of her as best they could. However, Lin’s mother died while she was young, and Linah has precious few memories of her. Her father grew despondent, but persisted for her sake. Still, he did dip into alcohol more than he’d before, and the older Linah grew, the more she had to fend both for herself and her father. She did what she could and what she had to; begging, stealing, working a ‘job’ as a courier for some seedy folk who were just fine hiring a slum kid, and the like. It was after a failed risky robbery that she spontaneously manifested magic out of a desperation to escape. After that, she dedicated whatever free time she had, even sacrificing some sleep for it, to practice. She discovered she could take heat from another to use it herself, and often did. Whenever she needed a boost to her running speed, or needed to reach just a bit farther to jump onto the roof, she could do that too.

She isn’t sure when, how, or due to whom, but her magic capabilities were discovered. Of course, she had no idea that was the case until she was snatched. After an uncomfortable journey, she was brought before a certain person by the name of Na’ir Yazath. He offered her great things in exchange for her loyalty. Reluctantly, she agreed – on the condition that her father be brought to the estate as well. A few days later, while still settling in, she was informed her father had been found dead. Disbelieving, she ran off to confirm the truth for herself. Her former home (a dilapidated shack shared by several people) had no trace of her father left. Asking around, she was told that after she disappeared, her father had committed suicide. Whether that was true, or whether Yazath’s men had done the deed themselves, it was clear where the blame lay. However, she returned to Na’ir regardless, and accepted his offer. The following several years, she was taught, tutored, and trained in many subjects, magical and mundane. Her patron even attempted to apprentice her to a well-paid Black Rezaindian, though that soon proved to be futile, as Linah resisted being made into a tool for murder, of all things. In the end, it was decided she’d attend Ersand’Enise. Lin doesn’t mind, but is wary as to whatever may come after she finishes schooling.

M O T I V A T I O N

As someone who started near the bottom of the social ladder, Linah’s always had to struggle simply to survive. Rather than become satisfied with merely getting by, however, she has become covetous of power – precisely because she herself has so often lacked it. While it is true that she has gained many comforts that she’d only been able to dream about in her childhood, they’ve all come with a price attached; the kind of price that may very well take her years and decades to repay. Yet, Lin doesn’t want to spend her whole life beholden to someone else. She strives to be free; free of those who would use her without (equivalent) recompense, free of unwelcome obligations, and free of being hobbled by desperation.

I N V E N T O R Y

• A short sword, sheathed at her left hip.
• A knife, sheathed at her back.
• A shiv hidden within a boot.
• A pouch with a small sum of coins, resting in an inner shirt pocket.
• A decoy pouch with a smaller sum of coins (plus a few stray bits and bobs that make a similar jingle, to make it seem a tad more substantial), tied to her belt.
• A fine leather travelling satchel, which she usually stores under lock and key (or otherwise hides) whenever she is staying somewhere.
• A few sets of clothing, some finer and intended for ‘better’ company, some worn and second-handed for when she’d rather pass as a commoner.
• A piece of flint tied to a gray string around her neck (weak enough to tear if someone attempts to strangle her).
• An assortment of hair ties; those not used for her hair are often wrapped around her wrists or ankles.
• A hooded travelling cloak which can double as bedding and/or a blanket.
• A seal of the Yazath family engraved with her name, which she has been granted by her patron, and which she is most paranoid about losing.

S T R E N G T H S & S K I L L S

❖ Slum Kid. A life in poverty meant doing whatever one could to live to the next day. As many children did, Lin turned to thieving. She isn’t one to grow rusty in what is useful, so her aptitude remains. She can walk quietly, blend into the crowds, act unassumingly, choose appropriate locations and targets for her crimes, snatch purses with no one the wiser, and most importantly, run and hide quickly when necessary.
❖ Code of Honour. She will keep to her agreements, and won’t break her promises. She knows fully well what awaits traitors after all. Those who deal with her do have to be aware of what she is promising, however, so as not to get swindled due to ambiguous wording.
❖ Light-footed. She is agile, flexible, and quick to react, her natural athleticism shaped by need during her childhood and diligently honed during her adolescence. Her past on the streets has made her frightfully skilled at navigating urban terrain.
❖ Dirty fighting. A remnant from the occasional physical quarrel between fellow slum-dwellers. Though she’d been tutored later on in the art of sword fighting, her style of dueling (if it could be called that) is considered uncouth, and she prefers knives and short swords besides.
❖ Merchant’s Patronage. Though Lin isn’t exactly fond of her patron, and certainly not obsequious toward him, she appreciates the doors his influence opened. Any and all knowledge that those born into this life take for granted, she is pleased and proud to have acquired.

W E A K N E S S E S & F L A W S

❖ Mistrustful. She is always questioning the motives of others, especially as to how they might pertain to her. Her heart is closed to others; this makes it difficult to form genuine friendships.
❖ Underhanded. Though she does have a particular (mainly self-serving) manner of fairness, it is a very finicky one. She is willing to trick, steal, lie, cheat, and more if it gets her what she wants – and while she’s now more subtle about it, that kind of thing (if discovered!) may quickly tarnish one’s reputation.
❖ Underdog. Used to getting used, she is very susceptible to being taken advantage of by those with more power than her, even if she detests it. Those unscrupulous enough to wield their influence while disregarding their principles can cow her into submission easily enough – as long as they convince her that she has no viable avenues of opposition, that is.
❖ Self-destructive. Linah truly does value her own life and safety; however, she is willing to gamble with both if she judges the benefits worthwhile enough to take the risks. She is also highly suspicious of kindness, and doesn’t believe there is such a thing as ‘no strings attached’. She is perfectly willing to be as unpleasant as necessary to deter people she views as soft-hearted fools.
❖ Class Conscious. While she has learned how to conduct herself in polite society, she doesn’t feel as if she belongs there. Oh, it is a much more comfortable position compared to her humble beginnings, but she can’t help those pesky twinges of dissonance whenever her memory lingers on the past to compare it with the present. Though she presents a confident façade, the societal hierarchy makes her deeply uncomfortable – she is so much half-this, half-that, it’s almost as if she is in some separate category of her own.

M I S C E L L A N E O U S

Color code: #875f9a

The Hourglass Order

Linah

Linah Aranda

Link to the Artist

“Whenever you’re down, life likes to kick you, just in case you didn’t get the message. So just keep that in mind, that it can always get worse – somehow. Whenever it gets better or whoever is offering to pick you up? Won’t be for free.”

16 | Female | Torragonese | Commoner | 6.8

P E R S O N A L I T Y

❖ [Driven]
❖ [Observant]
❖ [Crafty]
❖ [Pragmatic]
❖ [Hardened]

Linah burns with the desire to prove herself as capable, important, and worthy of respect. She’s always believed in herself, regardless of criticisms and secret doubts. Though experience has confirmed her belief, she yet yearns for recognition – not empty praise, but something more tangible. She is both realistic and sensible enough to realize that she will likely never be free of making uneasy quid-pro-quo alliances; no one ever is. She does however wish to stand on equal ground to others, at the very least. For that, she will do what she can, even if it via exploitation and manipulation. From what she’s seen so far, it’s not as if there’s a way to advance without opportunistic cooperation with those beneficial to her goals or ruthless preying upon those who cannot cover for their weaknesses.

C H A R A C T E R A P P E A R A N C E

Linah stands at 5’4, and is lithe and vary, if still somewhat thin and gangly due to a recent growth spurt. She has a warm, light brown complexion that gets darker during the summer. Her eyes are hazel, and her hair a deep walnut. She used to wear it short, but had to grow it out as that is supposedly more befitting of a ‘lady’. After years of taking proper care of it, it is thick, lushy, and wavy, not at all resembling the mess it’d been in her youth. She has been told that it is deeply unfortunate that a scar mars her face, but she truly does not care. Lin has learned a variety of gaits; confident ‘I belong here’, shuffling ‘Don’t pay me any mind’, slow ‘I’ve no care in the world’ among them. She is not naturally expressive, and does well at regulating her emotions, but enjoys putting on expressions that fit the current situation. As far as clothing is concerned, she now tends toward the kind of attire that a lower or middling merchant could afford. Though, she will sometimes adopt what others may term ‘rags’ if it suits her purposes. As long as it’s practical and not too showy, she doesn’t care much for the style, colour, or cut of her clothing.

L A N G U A G E S

Torragonese – mother tongue.
Avincian – upper intermediate, though with a noticeable accent.
Revidian – elementary, learning.

T H E G I F T

Linah has a natural knack for (primarily) the Arcane and (secondarily) the Kinetic schools of magic; she discovered the talent on her own and nurtured it to a limited extent. Because she initially learned on her own, she is an adept Freecaster, and generally forgoes instruments or focus points. Even now, after having studied under another mage, she prefers subtle spells that aid her or disrupt the enemy. In the Arcane school, she is most practiced at blinding an opponent, precisely regulating heat or light to get exactly the intended effect, casting invisibility, and using illusions. As for Kinetic magic, she prioritizes self-empowerment and manipulating sounds so as to confuse opponents. She employs telekinesis when necessary, but isn’t particularly creative with it. While familiar with the very basics of other schools, she has so far taken to certain spells within the Chemical school (Gazes of: Sloth, Terror, Agony, and Deception, Blessings of: Joy, Vigor, and Expulsion), and not much besides.

B A C K G R O U N D

Born to commoners down on their luck, Lin was one of the many inhabitants of the slums on the border of a large city. Her parents were both manual laborers hired for cheap, and hadn’t quite planned for a child either. Still, they took care of her as best they could. However, Lin’s mother died while she was young, and she has precious few memories of her. Her father grew despondent, but persisted for her sake. Still, he did dip into alcohol more than he’d before, and the older Linah grew, the more she had to fend both for herself and her father. She did what she could and what she had to; begging, stealing, working a ‘job’ as a courier for some seedy folk who were just fine hiring a slum kid, and the like. It was after a failed risky robbery that she spontaneously manifested magic out of a desperation to escape. After that, she dedicated whatever free time she had, even sacrificing some sleep for it, to practice. She discovered she could take heat from another to use it herself, and often did. Whenever she needed a boost to her running speed, or needed to reach just a bit farther to jump onto the roof, she could do that too.

She isn’t sure when, how, or due to whom, but her magic capabilities were discovered. Of course, she had no idea that was the case until she’d been snatched. After an uncomfortable journey, she was brought before a certain person by the name of Na’ir Yazath. He offered her great things in exchange for her loyalty. Reluctantly, she agreed – on the condition that her father be brought to the estate as well. A few days later, while still settling in, she was informed her father had been found dead. Disbelieving, she ran off one off to confirm the truth for herself. Her former home (a dilapidated shack shared by several people) had no trace of her father left. Asking around, she was told that after she disappeared, her father had committed suicide. Whether that was true, or whether Yazath’s men had done the deed themselves, it was clear where the blame lay. However, she returned to Na’ir regardless, and accepted his offer. The following several years, she was taught, tutored, and trained in many subjects, magical and mundane. He even attempted to apprentice her to a well-paid Black Rezaindian, though that soon proved to be futile, as Linah resisted being made into a tool for murder, of all things. In the end, it was decided she’d attend Ersand’Enise. Lin doesn’t mind, but is very wary as to whatever may come after she finishes schooling.

M O T I V A T I O N

As someone who started near the bottom of the social ladder, Linah’s always had to struggle simply to survive. Rather than become satisfied with merely getting by, however, she has become covetous of power – precisely because she herself has so often lacked it. While it is true that she has gained many comforts that she’d only been able to dream about in her childhood, they’ve all come with a price attached; the kind of price that may very well take her years and decades to repay. Yet, Lin doesn’t want to spend her whole life beholden to someone else. She strives to be free; free of those who would use her without (equivalent) recompense, free of unwelcome obligations, and free of being hobbled by desperation.

I N V E N T O R Y

• A short sword, sheathed at her left hip.
• A knife, sheathed at her back.
• A shiv hidden within a boot.
• A pouch with a small sum of coins, resting in an inner shirt pocket.
• A decoy pouch with a smaller sum of coins (plus a few stray bits and bobs that make a similar jingle, to make it seem a tad more substantial), tied to her belt.
• A fine leather travelling satchel, which she usually stores under lock and key (or otherwise hides) whenever she is staying somewhere.
• A few sets of clothing, some finer and intended for ‘better’ company, and some worn and second-handed for when she’d rather pass as a commoner.
• A piece of flint tied to a gray string around her neck (weak enough to tear if someone attempts to strangle her).
• An assortment of hair ties; those not used for her hair are often wrapped around her wrists or ankles.
• A hooded travelling cloak which can double as a bedding and blanket.
• A seal of the Yazath family engraved with her name, which she has been granted by her patron, and which she is most paranoid about losing.

S T R E N G T H S & S K I L L S

❖ Slum Kid. A life in poverty meant doing whatever one could to live to the next day. As many children did, Lin turned to thieving. She isn’t one to grow rusty in what is useful, so her aptitude remains. She can walk quietly, blend into the crowds, act unassumingly, choose appropriate locations and targets for her crimes, snatch purses with no one the wiser, and most importantly, run and hide quickly when necessary.
❖ Code of Honour. She will keep to her agreements, and won’t break her promises. She knows fully well what awaits traitors after all. Those who deal with her do have to be aware of what she is promising, however, so as not to get swindled due to ambiguous wording.
❖ Light-footed. She is agile, flexible, and quick to react, her natural athleticism shaped by need during her childhood and diligently honed during her adolescence. Her past on her streets has made her frightfully skilled at navigating urban terrain.
❖ Dirty fighting. A remnant from the occasional physical quarrel between fellow slum-dwellers. Though she’d been tutored later on in proper sword fighting, her style of dueling (if it could be called that) is considered uncouth, and she prefers knives and short swords besides.
❖ Merchant’s Patronage. Though Lin isn’t exactly fond of her patron, and certainly not obsequious toward him, she appreciates the doors his influence opened. Any and all knowledge that those born into this life take for granted, she is pleased and proud to have acquired.

W E A K N E S S E S & F L A W S

❖ Mistrustful. She is always questioning the motives of others, especially as to how they might pertain to her. Her heart is closed to others; this makes it difficult to form genuine friendships.
❖ Underhanded. Though she does have a particular (mainly self-serving) manner of fairness, it is a very finicky one. She is willing to trick, steal, lie, cheat, and more if it gets her what she wants – and while she’s now more subtle about it, that kind of thing (if discovered!) may quickly tarnish one’s reputation.
❖ Underdog. Used to getting used, she is very susceptible to being taken advantage of by those with more power than her, even if she detests it. Those unscrupulous enough to wield their influence while disregarding their principles can cow her into submission easily enough – as long as they convince her that she has no viable avenues of opposition, that is.
❖ Self-destructive. Linah truly does value her own life and safety; however, she is willing to gamble with both if she judges the benefits worthwhile enough to take the risks. She is also highly suspicious of kindness, and doesn’t believe there is such a thing as ‘no strings attached’. She is perfectly willing to be as unpleasant as necessary to deter people she views as soft-hearted fools.
❖ Class Conscious. While she has learned how to conduct herself in polite society, she doesn’t feel as if she belongs there. Oh, it is a much more comfortable position compared to her humble beginnings, but she can’t help those pesky twinges of dissonance whenever her memory lingers on the past to compare it with the present. Though she presents a confident façade, the societal hierarchy makes her deeply uncomfortable – she is so much half-this, half-that, it’s almost as if she is in some separate category of her own.

M I S C E L L A N E O U S

Anything not covered above goes here. You can leave this blank if you like.

Qualia: Mission Sub Rosa

Kiran Agnarsson

At precisely 10 o’clock in the evening, the Clocktower’s bell rang for the first time today. Kiran startled, especially as it brought with it a change in the world. Electricity surged through the building, and the Starsteel Formulization forced close all the windows and doors in the apartments. The window in their dorm shut with a loud bang just as the last clang petered out. The silence afterwards ringed with phantom echoes of noise.

Kiran blinked several times quickly, then shook his head bemusedly as he sat himself into one of the couches. So…A defense mechanism against Technologist, which would incidentally also inhibit Egoists’ regeneration. Of course, if all one desired was to escape, it would be simple enough to disrupt the electrical current enabling the Starsteel Formulization. But that would surely be noticed – and what other defenses were there in place? The mists to obscure visibility…The Starsteel Formulization…What else was there?

Could this be an opportunity to unravel Sukoro Jinga’s work? Kiran glanced at the wiring powering the SF. It was complex, almost absurdly – yet compellingly – so. However, he did not believe it was one he could solve within the night. Was this a project he could do little by little, over multiple nights? Well, he supposed he could attempt that. There were also several other things he wished to test, however.

Kiran was minutely disrupted from his train of thought by Shou’s comment. “Hm? Oh, yes. It seems you might have been right…” he trailed off, not clarifying his statement. If his mind wasn’t elsewhere, he might have paid more attention to Shou’s discomfort – as it was, Kiran noticed rather absentmindedly, but pretty much disregarded it. “Ah, not to worry, I will not be going outside,” he agreed placidly. Unsaid was he wouldn’t be doing it yet.

As Zheng went about his business in the kitchen and the bathroom, Kiran briefly entered his bedroom. There were a few boxes there, full of material or other less sensitive projects that he’d had delivered. Finally, he gently put the suitcase onto his bed, under the covers. It’d be fine now. There was just Shou there, and Kiran figured he could trust the other youth. Besides, the other student wasn’t a Technologist, so there was that as well.

Instead, he opened up the cardboard boxes, rifling through to pick some random Formalized objects. It was time to test how closely he could bring them to an object affected by the Starsteel Formulization before they began being affected as well, how quickly suppression of formulization worked, and exactly how much more difficult it would be to formulize something suppressed by Starsteel. When those experiments were accomplished to his satisfaction, he’d also take some notes on the Starsteel Formulization. Kiran didn’t think the latter would be easy or necessarily useful, but it might help discern if any patterns he noticed tonight could be useful tomorrow.

***

The next morning, Kiran was awoken by some sort of an announcement being relayed over gramophones all across Bermuda. Kiran rubbed sleep from his eyes, and stood up…from the couch? Seemed like he’d never quite made it to his bed the previous night. Around him, stray pieces of paper were scattered (some crumpled up) and various items in various states of functionality – clear evidence of his experiment. “Hmm,” he muttered, and set to cleaning up.

He had an hour till whatever spectacle they’d been invited to, and he’d make use of it. If there was no sight of Shou till that point, Kiran would knock on the doors of his bedroom after showering and changing clothes. If his roommate was still in the vicinity, perhaps they could make their way towards the library together.

Interactions: @Zombehs

Symphony of Espers

Collab: Su Fang and Jacqueline Leroux

_{Interactions between @BrokenPromise and @SilverPaw}

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Shortly after the precinct recovery operation, the area immediately got better. It would be weeks before the police building had been fully restored, but it was at least back in operation. More than that, espers of all walks of life were now on the scene to start cleaning up the area. It would be a long time before the crime was back to tolerable levels, and the concentration of mana in the area would always draw in more monsters. But at least for now, the situation was bearable.

Even government espers needed cover identities to more easily blend into their surroundings. They had been provided with accommodations that they could afford and maintain. Su was given a small suburban home not thirty minutes from Gemini HQ. And by golly, she was going to drive there in style.

Su’s ride of choice was the most stereotypical vehicle a soccer mom could possibly own. A minivan with a weird beige paint color. It was well maintained, but if you stood closer than ten feet it wasn’t hard to spot the paint peeling. There were no less than four bumper stickers declaring how proud the van owner was of their child, and the inside reflected this as well. The back seat was loaded with crayons and coloring books, as well as a tote filled with toys. It probably needed a cleaning, but that was just evidence that Su used this to cart around her child.

Su was humming to herself as she rode towards her new home. But she wasn’t alone. Sitting beside her was Jacqueline, who Su had made arrangements to hang with this evening.

“My house nice!” She said as they approached their destination. “Loaded fridge, good neighborhood, good school nearby, nice!”

Jacqueline had never thought that she’d ever be willingly being driven around in a family van, of all things. But after that last mission, she and Su had got to chatting; Jacqueline had asked her about the hostage thing, may or may not have politely complimented her guts, and the rest was history. Now, she was in the front seat, slightly bored. Not because of Su’s company or anything, but rather because the ride was clunky, slow, and unfashionable, and Su’s driving mind-numbingly comfortable. All in all, it was like being on a bus, or something. Definitely not her style. Still, she was grateful that at least no kid was in the van with them. That’d be the true nightmare scenario.

Su’s words got her mind in higher gear as it were, and Jacqueline turned towards her with a lazy “Hmm?” Then, she directed her gaze out of the window once more, though this time she actually looked where they were going. The house was about what one would expect. A home meant for a family, with that cozy vibe apparent from afar. “Yeah, it’s nice,” she agreed, though unlike Su, she wasn’t at all enthused about it.

“Better than my place,” she admitted neutrally. What she didn’t say was that she wouldn’t trade it for anything. She’d moved to an apartment in Pax recently, and it’d been somewhat of an upgrade compared to where she’d been previously. Actually, her time before they’d arranged this day to meet up had been nearly all spent getting her stuff relocated and set up. It’d been exhausting, but worth it in the end. She was now closer to her work and had a bit more room, though the neighbourhood wasn’t that much better. Not that Jacqueline cared much for such things. As long as she could live in it, it was fine. Admittedly, her flat was already accumulating clutter, but since she was on her own, it didn’t matter.

“Oh, yeah, you gotta cook for yourself and, uh,” she pointed at the backseat. Honestly, Jacqueline was not entirely sure whether Su had one kid or two. It hadn’t been an important detail to remember; all she knew was that her coworker was a mother. “I often get takeout, but then again, I can afford to be lazy like that,” she admitted with a shrug. She could make something decent if she put her mind to it, but she didn’t enjoy it at all. Even if what she got ready-made wasn’t always as ‘healthy’ as it might have been, she burned off enough calories due to her workout routine anyway, so she wasn’t worried about it.

“Mika is work.” Su confessed, nodding along with everything her coworker had said. “I esper or I mom, all the time, no breaks.” The corner of her lips curled into a smile. “This life not for everyone, but my life is my life.” When she pulled into the driveway, she parked the car and turned to look at Jacqueline. “But cook? I cook good!” she giggled. “I cook real good!” With a snort, Su scowled. “Mika too picky though. She spoiled. How orphan girl be spoiled?” The question must have been rhetorical, as she turned the van off without really waiting for a response. She swung open her door before flashing Jacqueline a warm smile. “Let’s look inside!”

If Jacqueline felt kinship to Su for one thing, it was the ‘this is my life’ comment. Being an esper or a Gemini agent alone wasn’t for everyone, so she could relate. But otherwise, she just wasn’t into the family thing. So the idea of directing so much energy, time, money, and who knows what else for the sake of another person was rather foreign for her. There was a reason she preferred casual hookups rather than committed relationships, after all. “I’m looking forward to some of your food then,” Jacqueline said jokingly, laughing briefly. At Su’s mock complaint about Mika being spoiled, she shrugged. “Hey, who knows, kids are weird, right?” she also answered rhetorically as they exited the car. Upon Su’s invitation, Jacqueline followed inside.

As nice as the house looked on the outside, it looked exactly like the homes on either side of it. Which in turn looked like the homes on either side of that. Regardless of how off putting that might have been to some, Su’s joy was visible with every step. She practically skipped to the door and swung it open. “Come in!”

The single story house opened up to a muck room where everyone’s shoes were kept. There were enough shoes for an entire family, maybe two. There were boxes here and there, which let Jacqueline know that she too was still moving in. The muck room opened up into the kitchen, which had a storage closet or pantry. Hard to tell without personally looking. There was a large archway that led into a living room, or maybe it was a dining room. Hard to tell with all the boxes. The kitchen was fully loaded, complete with a stove, some doodles affixed to the fridge, and a stainless steel table, but everything else was boxed up.

Upon entering, Jacqueline dutifully removed her shoes, and searched for a pair of slippers her size. Doing so wasn’t foreign to her at all, despite having lived in America for a while. She herself also didn’t walk around her flat in her shoes as a rule, a part of her European uprising she’d kept. She then unzipped her leather jacket and hung it up on one of the hooks. Afterwards, she went after Su further inside, curiously looking all around the place. “Moving’s a hassle, huh? I still have some boxes here and there, too, though I had less to unpack than you,” she commented.

“It hard, yes. Not much time for it.” She eyed a pile of boxes. “But I put mover in charge of putting away things.” She sighed. “Mika! You playing game again?” She guided Jacqueline deeper into her home while she called for her daughter.

It wasn’t until they moved towards a particularly large cardboard box that they started to hear a scrambling sound. The box tipped over and fell onto its side. The flaps shot open as something darted out and took hold of Su’s ankle. But her reaction to the hostile action was to laugh. What had reached out and grabbed her was her daughter.

Jacqueline would be forgiven for thinking Mika was a child based on her drawings. But Mika appeared to be half way through her teenage years. She rolled her head back so that she could look at her mother. "Hi, mommy!"

“Mika, that fun, but no surprise greetings when guest here!” She extended a hand to help Mika to her feet before turning to the mentioned guest. “Mika, this Jacqueline. She someone from work.” For obvious reasons, Su chose to say as little about her job as possible. Even to her own family.

"Hi Jack-O-Line!" Mika extended her hand with a stupid grin.

When there was some movement from a cardboard box, Jacqueline’s first thought was A pet? but she realized almost immediately after that it was the kid. Who it turned out was actually a teenager, though she wasn’t good enough at judging ages to tell how old or young Mika was. “I don’t mind,” she informed Su, when the mother mildly scolded the daughter. The daughter in question didn’t seem to be deterred by the scolding either, and as soon as Jacqueline was introduced to her, rushed closer, beaming happily.

Still, Jacqueline couldn’t help but grimace somewhat at the horrible mangling of her name. “Just…call me Jay, ok?” she asked lightly, though she was still internally pained by Mika’s pronunciation. She didn’t blame the kid for getting it wrong, but it did sound awful. That’s why she offered the nickname that some of her American buddies from her time in college came up with. Then, she crouched a bit awkwardly, and extended her own hand, shaking politely.

Mika continued to beam as Jacqueline shook her hand. "I get to call you by your nickname already?" This seemed to make her even more pleased. "My name is too short, so I don’t have one. But you are very pretty, and you have soft hands."

“Yeah, you get to,” Jacqueline smiled wryly. “Hmm, sometimes simple names are the best,” she commented. At the compliment, she raised a bemused eyebrow, but said “Thank you,” with the slighted drawl.

Su was wearing one of those smiles that practically screamed “I’m feeling second hand embarrassment right now.” With a chuckle, she moved to Mika’s side and grabbed her shoulder. Mika released Jacqueline’s hand. “Mika quite charming, no? But you do schoolwork?”

She hopped over to a box and picked up some notebooks and textbooks that were related to her curriculum. "Yup!"

“Trash taken out?”

"Yup!"

“Then you put away boxes, or you play games, Mika?”

The teenager looked sheepish for a moment, twiddling her thumbs while her mother’s mood seemed to sour before her eyes. But then she gave one of the boxes a poke, and it rocked back and forth. "They’re empty! I made myself a box fort." She pointed back into the kitchen. "Except for the big ones in there. They were too heavy."

Su turned to look at Jacqueline. “See? I tell you she spoiled!” She waved Mika on. “Dinner ready?”

"Uh, I think it’ll be ready soon!" Mika ran into the kitchen and pulled some hot mats out of a drawer near the sink.

With a chuckle, Su turned to look at Jacqueline again “I make dinner in morning so it ready now. Hope you hungry.” Her eyes went back onto Mika, who was opening up the oven. “Maybe not my place to ask, but you close to family?”

Jacqueline observed the byplay between mother and daughter without further input. She had no idea if Mika was actually as spoiled as Su claimed; all the kid seemed to be was childish, to be honest. That, or playful and active. A bit abrupt, too. Once Mika departed, Jacqueline said, “She’s an interesting one, that’s for sure.” Her tone was neutral, but her expression conveyed that she didn’t really know what to make of the teenager. She didn’t dislike her yet, which was as good as it’d probably get.

At Su’s explanation about dinner, she nodded. “Makes sense.” When Su had initially asked Mika about dinner, Jacqueline had admittedly thought that maybe the daughter cooked as well, and was a bit wary at what would be on offer. So, finding out that the dinner would be from Su after all, who was a self-proclaimed good cook, was a relief. “And I am hungry,” she replied, directing a brief wolfish grin at her coworker.

At the question about her family, Jacqueline hummed inquisitively, tilting her head to the side in mild surprise as she considered how to answer. “Well, I don’t mind you asking, though I have no idea why you’d like to know,” she confessed. “But…hm. Well, we mostly each have our own lives to be honest, so I’m not really that close to my parents. I call or message them here and there, and try to visit them every year or so. They’re glad to know I’m doing well at my job, though talking about work without revealing any confidential information can be awkward. They know it’s government related, so they understand I can’t tell them much. That’s pretty much it.” It wasn’t, but Jacqueline didn’t see the point about bringing up further details.

“Many people find my question strange.” Su confessed. “In China, family very important.” She sighed. “Marriage, also. They want me to marry wealthy man. They warn me if I get older, baby will be retarded.” With a giggle she added. “I not tell them about Mika. I do miss them though. We not talk much now, everyone back in China. Not see them for a long time.”

“Oh, I see,” Jacqueline nodded in acceptance. She did snort as Su mentioned how her parents expected her to marry. “No need to go along with that tradition since you’re here,” she commented. When she revealed keeping her adoption a secret, Jacqueline chuckled. “Ha! What they don’t know won’t hurt ‘em.” She merely hummed to the rest of it, but thought Su’s relationship seemed complicated - wanting to be close to yet not really being understood by her parents.

Everyone’s attention was drawn to a thumping sound as Mika lowered the corningware dish onto the table. Silverware and plates had been set out for the three of them. They just needed to seat themselves.

Mika peeled back the tin foil covering the corningware dish. A ball of hot steam rose into the air, revealing dinner. It was a bed of yellow rice covered in sliced bell peppers, mushrooms, and large shrimp. Going by the smell, there was a fair bit of garlic mixed in there too.

“Rice and shrimp casserole. Not much, but it nice recipe to make during week.” She took a seat at the table alongside Mika.

As the food was readied, Jacqueline took a free seat, and when her turn to do so came, also ladled some of the food on her plate. “No need to be modest, this looks great,” she said honestly, a pleased and eager gleam in her eyes as she got a portion for herself. While the food was still cooling down, she was careful when she ate, but as the temperature lowered, she finished the rest fairly swiftly. Though she did restrain herself just enough not to get food stuck in her throat. She once again slowed for the last few bites, as she was full, and just enjoying the remaining meal. “Ahhh, homemade food is the best,” she sighed, pleased.

---

Every once in a while Mika would ask Jacqueline a question about her job that she would have to deflect. Sometimes Su would ask specifics about how Jacqueline’s move was going. But mostly everyone just ate. Su did know how to cook as it turned out.

“Ready to go?” Su walked to the front door with Jacqueline. “I drive you back home!”

Mika ran over to Jacqueline and gave her a hug. "Thanks for coming over!"

Jacqueline barely grunted as Mika barreled into her, since she’d thankfully seen her coming soon enough. It was still basically like being tackled, just without the intent to be felled. She laughed, but returned the hug, though she was bewildered as hell as to why or how the teenager had apparently grown so quickly attached to her. Well, maybe she was just a touchy-feely person. In either case, it didn’t bother her.

Su raised her finger to interject, but stopped herself. Perhaps she could sense that Jacqueline wasn’t bothered by her daughter’s antics. “Okay Mika, we go now! I be back soon!”

"She doesn’t have to go, right?" Mika looked Su dead in the eye as she said this. She hadn’t released Jacqueline yet. "You guys really enjoyed your date, right?"

At that insinuation, Jacqueline spluttered, then laughed, and eventually shook her head in the negative. She let Su explain the situation, though.

“Ah…” Su ran her hand through her hair. “Not really a date.”

"Of course it was!" Mika said very as-a-matter-of-factly. "You picked her up in your car, drove her here, talked, had something to eat, and now you’re dropping her off!"

“...Yes?” Su confessed. Her cheeks were starting to change color. “Not always date when that happen.”

"But it was this time!" Mika looked at Jacqueline now. Her eyes were bubbling over with joy. Sparking with the hopes and dreams of youth that most teenagers lose well before their teen years. Maybe it was their close proximity, but Jacqueline couldn’t remember the last time she saw eyes filled with so much hope and life. "Are you going to be my second mommy?"

“Nah, not a romantic date,” Jacqueline shook her head, feeling strangely fond now that she’d gotten over being taken aback. “Su’s just a friend and a coworker,” she shrugged lightly. She really didn’t expect that last question though, and cough-laughed in such a way that made her surprise clear. “Mika…don’t take this the wrong way, but I am not a family person. Or even a romantic one, really.” Somewhat helplessly, she patted Mika’s head gently, as if in consolation, then extracted from the hug carefully.

Mika kept her arms wrapped around Jacqueline, but as she stepped backwards, Mika slid further down her legs until her arms were wrapped around her ankles. "It’s not nice to lie." She hadn’t stopped looking at her since they hugged.

“Mika.”

"Fiiiiiiiine." She let go of Jacqueline and sat with her back against the wall. "See you next time!"

Su placed a hand on her head before sighing. “Only if you behave.” She stepped past her adoptive daughter and let Jacqueline step past her. Mika watched her new acquaintance through the opening in the door before Su pulled it closed.

Symphony of Espers

Jacqueline Leroux

“Life's full of surprises sometimes, huh?” was all Jacqueline said when Rottweiler interpreted her actions as motivated by pity. Honestly, she was just tired. That, and, well, she honestly would rather not risk Breacher’s death if it wasn’t necessary. Would it weight on her conscience if she’d decided to attack Rottweiler and he managed to snuff out Su before she disabled him? Some, yeah.

But there were also some other factors involved, such as: it may earn her a reputation for leaving her co-workers to die when she could have done something about it; the boss might look on her unfavorably if she thought Jacqueline had ‘let’ Breacher get killed; if she was going to get in trouble for something regardless, she’d rather it be throwing a bone to Rottweiler than bungling a hostage situation by getting the hostage killed via her actions.

So, when the boss complained about there being a hostage, Jacqueline immediately replied, “Yeah, neither did we, but it happened.” The implied ‘so you deal with it’ might not have been expressed, but could be heard clearly nonetheless. When Su claimed it was all fine, Jacqueline looked at her dubiously. She wasn’t convinced but if Breacher said she was alright risking this, then she’d go along with the attack after all.

However, Veronica changed her mind in the end. Somehow. For someone whose first words were basically ‘we don’t negotiate’ it sure was a quick change of tune, so Jacqueline was a bit mystified. Maybe it was a bluff to get Rottweiler to go peacefully? That seemed the most likely option to her; she might have done the same in the Doctor’s position. Make false promises to deescalate, save your employee, and get a chance to deal with both prisoners however you wanted later on. Win-win.

“Yup, done,” she casually affirmed as she accepted Rottweiler’s handgun.

Afterwards, Jacqueline helped Breacher herd the prisoners in their cells, and make final checks in the basement and first floor, which they’d been responsible for. There was a lot of bodies and injured all around, but the Gemini agents and hirees had come up on top. All was as it should be…for now.

Qualia: Mission Sub Rosa

Kiran Agnarsson

After his discussion with Shou and Lucretia, Kiran headed outside for a bit. He didn’t mind dancing, but nor was he especially fond of it, and seeing how he wasn’t missing physical activity nor was he interested in partying just then – he was, in fact, somewhat drained by all the conversing he did with all those people – Kiran headed outside for some fresh air.

He sat on the stairs leading to the Hall, canting his head up as he closed his eyes for a brief moment. It had finally cooled down now that it was evening, yet it was still so very warm. He’d likely have to set up some sort of coolers wherever he was stationed for the sake of his sanity. Maybe he could gradually get used to the temperatures here, but being exposed to the high degrees of the day may very well be too much of a shock to his body if he wasn’t careful about it.

When the crashing of the waves entered his awareness, Kiran glanced towards the sea – he didn’t see it from where he was, but could easily imagine it. Shou’d agreed to help with his project, so that was taken care of, more or less. The specifics would have to be planned later on, from when the other boy wanted to meet, how much time and energy he had to dedicate to another’s passion, how much knowledge Kiran would divulge to him…

He hadn’t forgotten the side project he, Kalil, and Valeriya had briefly discussed either. He wondered if they all would still feel eager to try their hand at brewing (and profiteering off of) alcohol. Though they had an initial interest, Kiran knew that it could wane over time. Perhaps Kalil would not remember at all; Kiran recalled how obviously inebriated he’d spotted the merchant boy at some point.

His comfortable lounging and various ponderings were brought to an end by the arrival of the trams. Kiran entered, and found himself as secluded a corner seat as he could. During the ride, he leaned against the glass, staring outside as they were driven from building to building, the students leaving in groups to wherever they were assigned. Kiran did the same when they stopped at his assigned apartment, eyeing the building appreciatively. It was somewhat familiar, and its style was definitely to his liking. This was somewhere he could feel at ease.

Entering revealed the first floor to be a tavern, rather than one of those fancy reception rooms, and Kiran raised his brows as a pleased smile stretched his face. Maybe the drinks offered at the party hadn’t been all that’d be allowed to them after all. Though Kiran was sure that if they wanted to find a niche for their own products, they could.

The next thing he saw was Shou Zheng, which was equally unexpected, as well as serendipitous. Kiran walked straight to him, calling, “Hey, Zheng,” as he did so. “Seems we were put in the same building,” he commented as he pulled a bar stool next to him and sat down. “Do you already know who you’re rooming with?” he asked curiously. “I didn’t think I’d see you so soon again, to be honest, but it’s a pleasant surprise for sure.”

Interactions: @Zombehs

Kingmakers - The Throne Alone (GoT/ASOIF-like) (Noble Politics)

I might have a character I could apply for this. I'll have to take the time to rework some things and at least put together some nation info (I'll likely go for the short summary option, but still).

UNDERYNTH: The Light Below

Although don't expect the Mana Sensor to really work that well in the Underynth (since its probably not calibrated to the Underynth's ambient magic)

@ClocktowerEchos

Yeah, I didn't expect it to work well or at all, so that's fine.

Do you guys want me to include some major factions (namely the main antagonists) and important places you're likely to visit at some point in the lore? Do you want only like a name and general information or know nothing about any of the factions at all?

@ClocktowerEchos

Hm, I think it's fine if we either start with none or general info, and you can fill it out later on when the characters find out about it.

UNDERYNTH: The Light Below

Zenith

Z E N I T H

Link to the Artist

Name: Zenith

Age: 24

Description: Essentially, Zenith is a harpy. She is mostly human shaped, with large wings sprouting from her back and a feathered tail from her hind. She has feathers on select parts of her body, scaled forearms, hands, shins, and feet. Her skin is light brown, while her feathers and scales are dark grey to black. While her feet are entirely bird shaped, her hands are like a human’s, except with small sharp claws instead of nails. That makes running or holding things (without damaging them) a tad challenging, but not impossible. She came to the Undernyth wearing a black corset, cotton underwear, a mint green button-down shirt with some lace, a black leather jacket lined with wool, an aviator helmet with goggles, navy blue knee-high trousers, and a worn brown leather satchel.

Origin: Guidance Flier & Aerial Object Investigator (Scout)

Background: Zenith hails from an ocean world, where most of the landmass was in the form of floating chunks – those habitated termed Sky Islands, the rest considered as either debris or unstable – and a smattering of regular islands. It was a world of magic and dangerous natural phenomena; moving sea whirlpools which could swallow pieces of land, mana pathways in the air which were constantly in flux (and shifted even the positioning of Sky Islands as a result), and Wild Storms, tempests of violently discharging magic. Yet, it was not as if chaos reigned; there was an order to it all, and life was able to develop and persist despite the perilous environment. Among the skies there were winged humanoids, in the seas, a variety of merfolk, and humans both above and below. Besides these, who were sentient, there were also plenty of animals and beasts. All life was magical in some way, and in possession of passive abilities that ensured their survival. Those sentient and certain magical beasts also developed their own ways of manipulating mana actively. In the past few decades, magi tech has become not only viable, but the ‘hottest’ and fastest advancing field. Among others, it has or was in the process of revolutionizing energy development, production, agriculture, transportation, warfare, and more.

Zenith remembers the gist of what her old world and her personal life were like, but a lot of details are missing. She knows she was part of a large family, but can’t recollect her birth name or the name and faces of her parents, siblings, other relatives, or friends. She went through compulsory education, though her time there is all hazy. She recalls flying, the thrill of it, the feeling of wind ruffling through her feathers, which are some of her fondest memories. That despite the fact that one of her siblings was taken by a Wild Storm when they attempted a challenging flying course on a dare. That traumatic event was what led her to join the Advance Flying Corps, a company that, among other matters, worked on recording the positioning and patterns of shifting of all sky-bound objects. Zenith remembers they did that with the purpose of installing Stabilizers – technology that would either prevent all but the most minute movement of aerial objects or enforce them on a stable, predictable movement route. She thinks she was also in training for eventually becoming a navigator, because her reconnaissance work would eventually run out, but isn’t entirely certain if that was truly the case or not. The last thing she remembers before finding herself in the Undernyth, she was on what was supposed to be a regular, low-danger mission for the Corps.

Outlook: As a being of the skies, Zenith loved her home world, and misses it terribly. She would describe it as vast, open, and freeing. Undernyth on the other hand is so much darker, confining, drab, and incomprehensible in the worst of ways. If there was a way for her to go back home, she’d do just about anything for it. However, for now, she sees her time here as an adventure, determined to make the best out of the situation that she can. All the while, she is firmly ignoring that everyone she meets insists this is a permanent residence for anyone brought here.

Personality: Zenith is curious, fun-loving, and daring. On her origin world, she enjoyed travelling, and discovering new locations was one of her favourite pastimes. Since being relocated, however, she has realized that one of the best things about exploration was the return upon home. Now, that she had no home to return to, that does detract from the appeal of being in another world. Even though Zenith prefers to be positive about things, that does not mean she is without her burdens. She’s the type to hide her pains and insecurities, usually, and will share them only with the closest friends and family. Despite being quite affable, it does take time for her to build that deep connection and true trust. Given that she doesn’t appreciate being unloaded on by those who aren’t close to her either, she may seem nonchalant to the issues of others. Of course, she’s fine with some casual venting, but anything other than that, Zenith doesn’t want to deal with for just anyone’s sake.

Though she can easily be mistaken for reckless given her willingness to face dangers, that is not true. Since her sibling’s death – a loss which she still feels keenly, despite not knowing the person who died beyond vague impressions – she has become much more risk-aware. She is practical, and prepares as much as makes sense given the situation. Zenith doesn’t mind retreating if that’s a viable option, but has a bit of a protective streak. So, if anyone else would face potential death by her escape, especially if they’re children or others who could not possibly be expected to defend themselves, Zenith is liable to attempt to protect them or at least help them escape. She is resolved to do good, though is somewhat flexible in her methods. She prefers cooperation when possible, but is not averse to conflict or even violence if it does occur.

Greatest Dream: If returning truly isn’t an option, then Zenith would want to make her life in the Undernyth as palatable as possible. Her goal is (or will be) finding a spacious location, where she could pretend that she isn’t underground, with an established civilization she could fit in. Basically, she’s looking for a second home, familiarity being a key quality she’s seeking. It won’t replace her origin world, but it’s a second best she could settle for.

Greatest Fear: It’s not so much being stuck where everything and everyone is an unknown that scares her, but rather that she could lose her sanity or who she is – and despite the gaps in her memory, Zenith believes that hasn’t changed – due to it. She doesn’t want the Undernyth to get to her, and is terrified it’ll alter her in ways she wouldn’t choose for herself.

Misc: Her personal effects (kept in the satchel) include: a bottle of ink stored in resistance-enhanced glass, quill with a metal nib and engraved wooden handle, two rolls of paper (one partially filled with field notes, the other empty), a grooved key-shaped item (Zenith’s ID, though she’s no way of discerning the information on it), a small pouch of mana crystals (the currency of her origin world), and a handheld sensor/recorder for mana flow.

Zenith has both passive and active magical abilities, all of which pertain to flight. The passive abilities use internal mana, and are instinctive. They work in sync with her physical capabilities to enable (relatively safe) flight. The active abilities use external mana, must be trained for, and require some focus. Zenith can manipulate air, however, the more chaotic/powerful the mana in the environment, the less control she has over it. Of course, if there is no mana in the environment, she cannot use her active ability at all.