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♫ ~ ¿Quién teje sus planes en sombras de fuego?
Es Ayla—sí, Ayla—la dueña del juego.
De los patios reales al polvo del mar,
Su red va creciendo, su luz va a quemar. ~ ♫

♫ ~ Ah-ah-ahhh, su danza destruye. ~ ♫

♫ ~ Con lengua de plata y mirada feroz,
Con filo en palabras y un fuego atroz
Desde las tormentas hasta el claro sol,
Es Ayla quien manda, con un alma de rol. ~ ♫

♫ ~ Ah-ah-ahhh, Ayla guía el destino.
Ah-ah-ahhh, su poder es divino. ~ ♫

♫ ~ El mundo es su juego, las piezas a sus pies,
Y Ayla renace cuando amanezca otra vez. ~ ♫

♫ ~ ¡Era Ayla—TODO EL TIEMPO! ~ ♫

Most Recent Posts

In O R I F L A M M E → 3 yrs ago Forum: Casual Roleplay
Interacting: Caelum @RezonanceV.
Event: Defense of Relouse | Location: Cap Redame, Parrence.
Collab: Caelum @RezonanceV
““Are you called Asier?”” Caelum paused. ““My name is Caelum of Oraphe, this is Mathieos and Dieudonne of Vitroux, we wish to support the expeditionary force.”

Asier smiles brightly as he greets the Paladin and his companion, “Welcome to this patch of green paradise, where the sea is blue, and the sand is yellow. Glad you both could join, Asier Arslan as per service.”. He offers to take the pair by the hand to give a firm shake.

Caelum stretched out his hand, “May Oraphe keep you.” He matched the strength of the Tourrare’s handshake and met his eyes as a sign of trust, “ It is our pleasure to join, it sounded as if you had a plan back at camp, is this true?” Caelum released his grip and stepped back to maintain a respectful distance.

“Plan is to harass the Eskandr as they come to the bend ahead”, Asier points to the direction, following the edge. “We Tourrare are skirmishers, instead of waiting for the enemy to come to us, we come to them. They come to our defences battered and bruised, the logic of the Steppes.” He does move his hand side-to-side, “We are not at the Steppes, so this would be clumsy, but a similar principle being applied in my mind. We may need to improvise a lot.”

Caelum thought about the pre-emptive mentality of his new ally. He had never encountered the Steppes people of Parrence. A missed opportunity that Caelum was now happy to discover in front of him, “Then we should conceal our men behind the fields at the point of the Cape and take our positions at the south ridge to spot the enemy and give the signal when a few ships pass between the two lands, we should position some casters in the tower of the church as well to give us a greater distance on the first volley.” Caelum looked toward Cap Redame and back at the bold Tourrare, “After you.” Caelum politely passed his hand toward the Cap as he mounted his horse to follow Asier to the tip of where all the action would begin.

Asier agreed with the outlay of the plan, “Conventional ambush should work well. If we can slow down their force, we can give the defenders much needed time for preparations.” He tugs his second horse along with him, riding towards the tip, “Now for us to have a good look at what is waiting for us from the great Hrothgar the Chartreuse.” He gives the signal to the men to move into their positions, halting those accompanying as he scouts ahead with Caelum.

The sound of hooves and strong boots pounded the earth of Cap Redame as each soul settled into their role as apart of the first defense for Relouse. Caelum and Asier both trekked to the cliff’s edge south of the monastery where the fierce waves of Parrence smashed against dark stones. Eskandrs were great sailors, but even in these conditions would wrestle their skills. The two kept watch as the ocean breeze wafted by, “Is that fog?” Caelum looked into the distance but could not tell what was separating the horizon and the water, “Asier, the horizon, it looks strange, can you see anything?”

Asier looks out towards the waves as the white mist travels towards them, the lead ships moving as if they were sailing on clouds. “It looks as if they were sailing on the clouds themselves.”, he smiles brightly as he indicates the line, “ We should have a better view up here as they approach. It appears they are trying to obscure their numbers, but they forget we have the high ground.” He indicates with his hand that the Eskandr have been spotted and for preparations to be made. “Have you found yourself in battle with the Eskandr before, Paladin of Oraphe? A first raid faced myself, more tasked with dealing with the northern raiders. More savage and less disciplined up north. With the Eskandr, rumours are that they work together in herds centred around the captain of each ship being the bull.”. He defers to Caelum for his experience of facing the Eskanders.

Caelum listened to Asier as he pointed out the Eskandr vessels that began to emerge from no fog, but a mist. Asier directed the two to higher ground to get a better read on how many Eskandr were actually going to be engaging the shores, while traversing to this higher ground, Asier asked Caelum about his experience with Eskandr which triggered his most recent memory. A whisper escaped his lips as he saw, “Oleric.” Caelum raised his eyes, “Yes, I have met the Eskandr before…they certainly work together in herds centered around their most adept fighters but something has changed in their tactics…I was at Vitroux, and they did more than just act like a herd, they were organized like a great army.” Caelum paused, “I feared we would make the same mistake here, underestimating how much Eskandr are learning about us, but I have been surprised by how many see the vision Arcel and his beloved put forward, I pray we will be enough.” Caelum paused a second time to re-direct his attention to Eskandr tactics, “At Vitroux, they outnumbered us, kept us focused on one half of the battle while hitting us in the rear, they nipped at our ankles and poisoned our confidence like a viper hiding in tall grass, do not expect sheep following wolves, expect all of them to be wolves, and expect that these wolves are hungry, fierce, and worst of all, cunning without any honor to hold them back.” Parrence had already underestimated them at Vitroux, the same could not happen at Relouse or wherever the next fight took place, something was different about these Eskandr from the raiders Parrence had come to know…

Asier rubs upon his chin as he considers Caelum’s words. “Asked why the Eskandr would bother landing here if they knew our forces would meet them, and not simply sail past to an alternative spot whilst they had speed on their side.” He shrugs his shoulders as if to question ‘who knows’. “It would make sense for them to land at multiple points, an enemy weakened at its rear.” ponders upon the map, trying to recall if there were any other beach-heads available to land, though only recalling cliff faces all the way around. ”There is an Avician expression I heard once, it translates something like ‘if we can't find a way, we will make one’. If one was being inventive, only option would be trying to repurpose the river Bridal Veil Falls to the North for their sea-chariots.”

Caelum answered Asier, “Who is to say what we meet today is the entire Eskandr force? And, who is to know whether what we face today does not have a plan that will drop these cliffs into molehills to better land and maneuver their men?” Caelum did not have an actual answer to Asier, only more questions, because after his last experience, he would prefer to never be surprised again by the Eskandrs. Caelum would think of everything that could be possible and assume that the Eskandr are too. Caelum turned to Asier and dropped his hand on his shoulder to look him in the eyes as their horses touched side by side, “Asier, I do not think we fight savages like we once did, be prepared to fight something very different, more disciplined than the mindless herds you snatched the life from in the Steppes.” The two kept moving upward to higher ground, and as words of “prepare” left Caelum’s mouth, nothing could have prepared them for what they were about to see smothering the very water before them.

Asier lets out a long whistle as the boats come upon the horizon before them, as far as the eye can see. “That is a lot of sea-Chariots… no wonder you southerners had so much trouble.” He doesn’t even attempt to count the ships on his fingers as he looks towards Caelum. ”We should try to find a way to close the choke point, it should reduce the flow of the ships to the shore.” He points towards the gap between Ile Contrefort and Cap Redame. “The wreckage should work well to fulfil our needs, if not, will need something sturdier.”

It was definitely an idea, Caelum thought, but would it be enough. Probably not, the force steering their way was the largest Caelum had ever set eyes on. The estimated force was lower than what was out at sea right now, the same thing happened in Vitroux. Caelum warned Asier, “The wreckage will not be enough and neither will our ambush, we need to get everyone into defensive positions before we start taking volleys from the sea, and focus our assault on the lead boats, if we can get those lead boats to slow down or veer off course, maybe we can slow the rest down, but there are too many, we will not be able to hold here for long.”

Asier nods in understanding, “Then let's not make the same mistake, we hit them hard, slow them down, buy the time we need.” He moves to rides back towards the soldiers as he gives out the instructions before riding back next to Caelum, “Instructions are shared amongst the men.” The boats are approaching quicker, an endless swarm of armoured locusts ready to ravage the fields of Parrence. The pair move to take up their respective positions. “Willing to offer a prayer? We might be in dire need of good fortune.”

Caelum nodded to Asier’s request, bowing his head forward raising his voice for others to hear the comfort of Pentad’s words, “May the flashing of our swords be wet with the corrupted blood of those who seek to harm the children of Pentad, may our shields deflect the claws of monsters who wish to cut the throat of Pentad’s mothers, may our armor flex as the gnashing of demons bite down on us, their slayers, may our boots find roots where our enemies find shifting earth and no where to stand steadfast against our strength, may Pentad protect us and his sword be bathed in the blood of foul beasts and used to draw a line between our land and their deaths…Amen.” Caelum raised his head and then his hand to order the first volley as the ships reached good striking distance from the cliffs of the monastery, “If Echeran is who they seek, let us show them the way!”

The opening valley was in true celebratory style. Rocks, arrows, and various power infused attacks are rained down upon the Eskandr. Ship after ship explodes, erupts, the splinters shower the surrounding ships. There was something visceral in watching how a burning bounder crashes into the top of a longship, the way it crunches bone, chargrills flesh, causes men to scatter like ants. The boat starts to bend in two, sinking underneath the boulder in the middle as the ends tip up and sink under the surface.

There is no pleasure taken in the ending of one's life, and there is little appetite in the glorification of it. “Only the dead have seen the end of war.”. The shot from his own bow hammered into the side of a longship, with the force-enhanced thud causing a grave wound to the bilge as the Eskandr rushed to try to stop the rising waters before removing their armour to swim in the waters. Only Dami can judge these souls now.

Despite the might of the Parrench expeditionary force, the attack fell short. The Eskandr were more than prepared as the gaps in their offensive were filled almost seamlessly. Whilst the Parrence attack might have been stronger than they predicted, it seems they had their own plans, the counter attack was beyond expectations. The ferocity of the bombardment was intense, It appeared that this was the Eskandr intention all along, to reduce the Cape to rubble, perhaps even turn it into a second beach-head. Wave after wave comes against them, the church exploding as the chunks of stone, laid down for centuries, scatter like pebbles caught within the wind. As the catapults engulf in flame, he rides alongside Caelum. “King Arcel needs to know what has happened. Do what you can, lead these men the best you can.”. With a giddy-up of his two horses, he rode to the King’s camp, as the fastest rider, only he could pass on the message before it was too late.

King Hrothgar is coming with the Greatest Heathen Army Sipenta has ever seen. Fate has cast its dice, and King Arcel will have to defend the world, and the Gods of the Pentad themselves as we know it.

In The Hourglass Order → 3 yrs ago Forum: Casual Roleplay
Jocasta @Force and Fury, Yalen @pantothenic, Ysilla @Pirouette, Zarina @YummyYummy, Kaspar @Wolfieh, various NPCs.
Event: Hugo's task | Location: Torragonese High Desert.



Part: Prior to Meeting Point | Collab: Kaspar @Wolfieh

Part: Rest at the Ruins | Collab: Yalen @pantothenic

Part: Journey back to Refuge | Collab: Zarina @YummyYummy

Next: It is time to meet Amanda...
In The Hourglass Order → 3 yrs ago Forum: Casual Roleplay
Woah. Collab.


Ended up being one of those very impromptu things which expanded and went out of control wildly within the moment. It started on myself asking if anyone wanted to do a late night collab (my post), then the plan was to do a little bit of something for breakfast (2nd post). I know it doesn't help with me being excited about this being my first RP and eager to write.

I know you are not active on the Discord, but there is a plan the next arc which you might have found more appealing. It was to break things into smaller groups, and many ways, a lot more manageable for others like yourself who don't have as much opportunity to write (compared to myself), also more opportunity for slice of life stuff and character development. It might work for you a lot better for you OOC-wise.
I know there are character issues, but if you are still interested in the setting, you could possibly swap to a new student who you have a better feel for.
In The Hourglass Order → 3 yrs ago Forum: Casual Roleplay
Jocasta @Force and Fury, Yalen @pantothenic, Ysilla @Pirouette, Zarina @YummyYummy, Kaspar @Wolfieh, various NPCs.
Event: Hugo's task | Location: Tethered Refuge, Torragonese High Desert.



Ayla used the opportunity to rest that night, taking a long bath to refresh the pores of her skin. They were afforded basic soaps and oils, seemingly made at the refuge as it served primarily as a self-sustaining community with little support from the outside. She always found the water relaxes her, allowing her mind to wander freely and unoccupied.

With the tales upon the sands before they got here she did hope for communal rooms, the place was not exactly the safe sanctuary it likes to masquerade as. Her thoughts dwelled on Jocasta a lot and the experiences she shared. Further thoughts on Marceline, Laella, and the others at the refuge. Those sweet innocent faces, the cries of help held behind their eyes. She shivered as she sank under the water. Looking over the surface as she watches the bubbles pop. There is a visceral feeling burning inside of her, one that wouldn’t easily be resolved by platitudes. She sighed, as she struggled to even comprehend what she wanted to do. She plunged her head under the water as she started to count. The sinking feeling takes away the heat and intensity as she feels her heart rate and blood pressure begin to decrease, slowly becoming back up for air. She resolves to do something in these moments, even if it is not much, she was going to check in on her friend.

Adorned in the simple garments of the refuge as her own being laundered, she made her way down the corridor. It was already quite late, and the wrinkled skin on her hands and feet signified perhaps she spent a little too long in that bath of hers. She made her way to what would appear to be Jocasta’s door as she knocked upon it, “Jocasta, it is Ayla, are you awake?”. She was met with silence. She puts her ear against the door for signs of life and gently tries the handle. The door was locked. “Sorry… you must be sound asleep…”. She backs away from the door as she moves down the corridor and sighs. Hoping you rest well tonight, she thought.

Collab: Zarina @YummyYummy

”Haven’t heard a peep from her room.” Zarina called out with a somewhat hushed tone, sitting on a wooden chair she had pulled from her room at the nearest corner that gave a good vantage point. She had recently bathed with clean clothes courtesy of their hosts. Nothing too fancy, but comfortable for a solitary evening, ”Can’t sleep?” she asked, arms crossed under her chest and leg over the other, ”Thought I’d keep an eye out, see if they’re making the rounds here or not. Aaaand I’ve got nothing better to do.” she sighs and then asks with a smirk, ”Hungry?”

Ayla tilted her head as she looked to see Zaz already roaming, “Too much of your coffee?” she quipped with a smile. “There may be something edible around, perhaps something juicy and refreshing for the palette”. She approaches the Virangish girl offering a hand to assist her down from her perch, a needless gesture, but offered out of politeness.

Zarina waves her hand in a dismissive manner, “‘Tis what they say.” she is quick to accept the hand and heave herself off her lazy position, ”So you heard about some Naranjas too? From the kids?” when she stood, her left arm was raised and then made to bend back, making her hand reach as far back as it could until she prompted a crack, ”Dunno if it was, y’know, the fruit or some game. But Something juicy sounds …” she purses her lips, clearly salivating over something, “Good enough.” she turns her head to the nearest corridor, “Adventure time?” her eyes peered to the side, barely glancing at the little lion. Zarina was smirking and her tone no longer as considerate for those sleeping. Finally something to do!

“Naranjas sound good, Laella says there is a tree in the courtyard.”, as she walks along with the taller girl, the disparity between them is very noticeable, even though they were the same age. She was somewhat distracted as they approached the residence quarters, steel grates outside the different passageways for drainage, as wooden foot bridges lay alongside the wall which is used to allow passage across. She wondered if anyone had ever been trapped in their rooms by accident, “Hope they don’t need to leave in event of fire…” though her thoughts are somewhat muted as the building appears made of stone. ”Or, you know, a giant Wyrm crashes in and makes the roof fall.” Zarina chuckles while keeping up with a slow pace. No hurry. The next set of residences appear to have access lifts to traverse the different floors. “Accessibility is a priority here, Maura used to struggle rolling through the streets of Varrahasta”. They continue walking as she notices a little light on in the distance, a lantern appears to be active, “Appears we are not the only ones awake.”

Zarina was a bit more discreet in her observations, unless it was to add a remark to what Ayla had said. The lack of her placebo was maybe weighing on her already. She perked up at the mention of other folks being awake, ”Hmm? Night shift staff, I guess?” she tilts her head and confers a curious squint toward her noble partner, ”Maybe they have Naranjas.” she winks at Ayla, her stride unaffected by the potential encounter they may experience. They got closer and closer, until faint sounds could be heard. Mere, unintelligible murmurs from where Zarina was standing, but it did prompt her to raise her eyebrows while turning her head to Ayla to make her big fat, curiosity driven grin very evident, ”Can you hear them?” she whispers.

Tilting her head as she cups her ear, it shouldn’t be a difficult task to tease the sound towards them, though compensating for receiving rather than projecting like she normally did. She draws upon the gift to enhance the vibrations through the air, maintaining their volume, pitch and frequency as it is directed towards the pair of them. “Multiple inside, Attempting to increase the volume for us… sounds like they are roasting something, perhaps it is a kitchen?”, turning to look towards Zaz.

Sniff, sniff. Zarina blinks, furrows her eyebrows and then steps a little closer to find any sort of opening she could use to get a look, ”Roasting alright.” she could barely make out a caretaker through the crack of the door, although the body wasn’t as easy to assess, ”They’re burning stuff. Or rather …” with her lips pursed she backed her head from the opening and looked over at Ayla, ”They say anything else?” she leans in to get into Ayla’s range, given she didn’t want the sound to actually disperse or anything.

Concentrates on the voices talking, “They are discussing the caretakers sent to meet us. How they could not recover Caretaker Esparza, the one which was eaten by the wyrm. They say he had a heart attack before the Wyrm appeared”, did pause as she mused for a moment, “Or the shock of his discovery could have brought it on…”.

”Uh-huh.” Zarine peeks back into the room. The mention of a dead person connected the few remaining dots in her head. Then the slab being pushed near the furnace came close enough to the small fissure that she could see the body, ”Can confirm, not a kitchen. At least I hope not.” she clicks her tongue before closing the door just enough to not actually see anything anymore, and then took a few steps away, ”Rangers having a heart attack, though?” she raises an eyebrow, ”Yeah. Happens all the time. We breed them fragile in the North.” the obvious peculiarity was ushered in via sarcasm, although it definitely did not amuse her, ”No Naranjas here, I’m afraid, little Lion.”

Waves her hands away as if contaminated, ceasing her eavesdropping abruptly as realisation dawns upon her, wiping her hands upon her outfit. “Remind me to steer away from a spit roast hog for a while”, she takes Zaz’s hand, tugging her back upon her expedition through the halls of the refuge as they make their way eventually to the seating area surrounding a large gnarled orange tree, easily over a hundred years of age, drooping over the pool. The location is clear in its frequent use as it is surrounded by benches and chairs with a picket fence doing little to prevent those more adventurous embarking into the tree branches. The bark is adorned with what at a glance appeared to be runes, but on closer inspection are initials and small pictures, some are contained within hearts. “A lovers retreat perhaps, a good location for a performance”.

Naranjas, finally. Zarina, being at least a head taller than Ayla, had no issue reaching out to nab an orange from a more accessible branch, ”Heads up.” she tosses the juicy goodness over to the lion and then seizes a snack for herself. The night sky and flickering torches further back made it possible to admire the scenery. A deep pool and a fruit-bearing tree. An old one with many carvings dating likely many generations. She opts to take a seat over a thicker root so she could pass her hand over the markings, ”Condemned little lovelies, finding love and happiness even when they know they’re gonna die far too soon.” she chuckles, her hands now busy with the peeling of her delicacy, ”Cute.” she then turns her head toward Ayla, ”Wanna sing a little tune, to commemorate those with so little time to share their love?” she seizes a piece from the orange and eats it, ”Although I’m sure they never once took it for granted. Guess it’s something.”

Looks up to the woman in the tree, perhaps a little oversized compared to the children who most likely made use of their branches, but fortunate enough to reach the higher fruits kept out of their reach. “Sometimes life is scary and dark. That is why we must find the light”. She contemplates the request as she peels and samples the rich piece of fruit. Though she isn’t a songstress and her flutia was back in her room, she relies on the instruments the Pentad have given her as she starts to whistle up into the night sky a serene melody.

Whistling was fine too, it soothed Zarina’s restless mind and allowed her to focus her attention. She carefully peeled bits of the orange with her painted, miraculously still unbroken nails. After about half was eaten, she kept the fruit in one hand while the other had its digits passed over the carvings on the bark, “Sheesh, look at this.” the Virangish girl was passing her index over the clover-shaped carving near the back of the trunk. The name ‘Amanda’ was carved on it, and the date indicated a time before either girls were even born, “Twenty year old, or close.” she turned her head toward Ayla, “Kind of feels weird, knowing that person’s probably dead. And we’re touching a thing that keeps their memory. Sort of.”

Starts to come to a rest as the exhaustion of the day is quickly catching up with vengeance as she leans back. “They say no one is ever truly dead as long as their memory is still alive”, she gazes up towards the various names, some she didn’t recognise like Consuela which was done with care, though appeared to be one with Marceline’s name within it. “Marceline’s name is there, we could always ask her.”. She stretches out as she makes herself comfortable, seeming to decide to sleep in the open. “So sleepy…”.

Zarina raised a brow at Ayla’s hopeful observation, but this time abstained from raining on the little lion’s positive outlook, “It is?” she squinted in search of the familiar name among the many runes that decorated the tree, “Ah, yeah.” she traced the symbol, noticing its rougher state compared to many others, “Three years ago. Huh.” a more posed mind allowed her to recall a potential issue, but the sleepy little lion ended up getting Zaz’s attention, “Hmm? Finally coming down?” she scoots, legs close together and her hand tapping over her lap, “Have a break, kitty kat. I’ll just … Finish my naranja.”

Ayla uses the opportunity to snooze, curled up on the side as she leans her head upon the comfortable lap. The day has been long, tough and busy, a far cry from what her life has been like in Varrahasta. I hope everyday is not this exhausting, she thought.

As the lion sleeps tonight, Zarina began to hum the same tune Ayla had been whistling, letting her often neglected pair of lungs shine for once– and it wasn’t half bad. Careful strokes to the cub’s mane came about when she finished her orange, and a good quarter of an hour was dedicated to just enjoying the fresh air, the clear night skies and the aroma of the orange tree. When it came time to retreat, Zarina carried the little noble, keeping her head rested over her shoulder with both arms holding Ayla bridal-style.

Zarina took her time, and then gently posed the talented musician onto her bed, tucked in and safe. A final glance was given to the little lion, prompting a subtle but genuine smile from the taller lass, before she retreated back to her improvised post to keep an eye on the rooms of the squad. She wasn’t completely sleepless, with the occasional micro-sleep here and there as she distracted herself with little carvings of her own on the stone wall by her, amounting to about an hour of very, very unhealthy sleep.


In the morning, they were treated to a hearty breakfast, breaking bread with classmates and hosts alike. The late night activities continued to take their toll as she still felt exhausted, it was reported that it took the caretakers considerable effort to wake her for the morning. She used her concealer to hide the drained look, appearing to be as refreshed as always in appearance at least. She was pleased to see Jocasta, after being worried about her the night before. “Hope you managed to sleep well,” said Ayla, offering her a warm smile. In response, Jocasta yawned and stretched languidly. “Eshiran, you have n-no idea how well, friend. Like death itself, hehe.” She smiled fondly back. “You too, I hope?”. She offers a wide smile back, it was nice to see such a genuinely fond look upon the girl's face. “Apparently sleeping till the hours of Oraff is frowned upon heavily here”.

It seemed the refuge didn’t have its house in order as there was an evident space at the table. Perhaps he gets to sleep till Oraff, she thought. The space was met with frequent furtive looks and glances from the warden and his staff, it was someone clearly of some import. As the plan was laid out before them, she yawned a little in both tiredness and boredom as the session seemed to be dragging on. In truth, it seemed there was little of substance as it seemed to boil down to ‘it is somewhere over there’.

She allows those who wish to ask any questions to go ahead, though if there is an opportune moment, she would suggest that Marceline takes them on a tour to help them wake up to prepare for the mission ahead.



In O R I F L A M M E → 3 yrs ago Forum: Casual Roleplay
Interacting: King Arcel @Force and Fury, Arnaud @YummyYummy, Nameless NPC.
Opportunity: Parrench-aligned Players.
Event: Defense of Relouse | Location: Relouse Encampment, Parrence.

Parades, banners, and soldiers marching. Tents springing up everywhere outside of Relouse. The colourful display which would rival a carnival is now before him as he rides towards the meeting point. He swiftly rides upon Espirito, with Arpegiar and Peonia following close behind with his luggage in tow, galloping quickly through the field. The fields were different to the more arid steppes, with the seas of corn, wheat, and food a plenty adorning the fertile plains. It is no surprise to him that those within the heartlands can afford to live in such huge towns and cities. Tensions have always been simmering between the Tourrare and the rest of the four tribes, a reputation for being late to the party, from the initial creation of the nation, surrendering to the Avincian Empire, and converting to the Pentad. They are seen as backwards folk, sticking mostly to their plains in a pastoral lifestyle, the arid lands home to their herds of cattle, horses, and goats, living each moment in comparative simplicity. However, these simple folk do have a strength which is their strong sense of communal justice, to attack one Tourrare is to attack all Tourrare, something that foreign oppressors fail to understand when their tyrannical actions are met with an overwhelming local response. It is this strength that keeps the Northeastern borders secure, their meat filling Parrench bellies, and their horses keeping the knights charging strong on the battlefields.

Asier passes many men and women of Parrence as he transverses along the outer tents. Whilst not many women fought in battle, they served a great use in cooking, making camp, and keeping the supplies running. It also encouraged the men, knowing they would have to stand up proud for their womenfolk behind the lines, whilst those without may find solace in those interested in providing them with their last meal. He politely declines various generous offers to become a real ‘Man of Arcel’, a term that was starting to spread on the tongues of folk. The King in his wisdom has decreed to expand the nobility by ennobling those who have proven merit and valour in their duties. This has greatly expanded the officer classes within the armies in preparation for this upcoming war with the Eskandr, one which was probably far sooner than any had foreseen. Whilst this is a great honour to any who have been chosen, it had resulted in some mockery from both the existing nobility and peasant classes as wild rumours spread that Arcel has even taken after a late Avincian Emperor and appointed his prized stallion Coursevent as head of the Grande Armée. Asier merely shakes his head as he slows down to a trod as he begins to find the directions to where he was supposed to be.

“Oi, get ya horsies out of ‘ere”, a pudgy Parrench watchman seems to be making his big stand at the entrance as he makes his way to the nobles’ area. “Ya dirty horsemen should know better by now, ya stables are over there”. Whilst Asier is used to such treatment as a Tourrare, however he is surprised at how vigilant this one appears to be around his presence. “My presence is required…”, as he speaks, he was cut sharp again “Your presence is in those stables over there, under orders of Ser Pair-Pee-Nyaw”. It seems that was met by a timely chortle from the encampment as a bunch of knights around a smirking blond looked on. The watchman was getting more flustered with the laughter, getting more handsy as he started to try to shove the horse to the direction of the stables. Asier sighed as he dismounted, his travelling clothes did not do much for his image of nobility, as he guided the horses to the stable.

Collab: Arnaud @YummyYummy

Heavy footsteps reverberated throughout the small portion of the camp Asier found himself in. Familiar steps, too. None had quite a stride like this one, and nothing could ever stop it. The same man that talked down to Asier became noticeably quiet when he took notice of the hulking piece of metal, wielding a massive axe over his shoulder and a featureless helm that hid his entire head, making his way to the stables. There was no intention of sneaking up to the Lion Knight, quite the contrary, he wanted to be noticed! ”T’jours aussi mal élevé, vieux chat.” a thick accent accompanied this otherwise correct Parrench, one that none would recognize if the hadn’t ventured far north, ”J’dois t’apprendre les bonnes MANIÈRES!” raising his hand opposite of the one on his axe’s pole, he’d aim to descend it down upon Asier’s shoulder once close enough. This would break his arm if it actually hit, but both men knew how this would go down.

Asier grinned widely at the sound of the voice, as he seemed to duck his shoulder at the last moment, the use of the thunder gift making it look more effortless than it should have been as he slips out of the way seemingly for the display, “Merci, great one… but this camp cannot suffer too much after it has just been built. The foundations have shook, the womenfolk frightened, and the chickens have escaped the coop”. He takes an opportunity to circle around to gaze up into the featureless helmet of the goliath, showing that massive grin, “Manners maketh man… are we going to stand around all day, or are we going to fight?” The lion bares his claws as he tugs three throwing knives between his fingers.

The missed smack left quite the blast of air pressure in its wake. A light show of the Force magic Aheri could use with little to no effort. The wooden planks below were bent and dust accumulated in the air around them, ”HAH!” Arnaud was amused, ”I would say none is more mindful of manners than Ser Arnaud Maobe.” a few more titters came from his helmet that he’d then remove with both his hands, ”Although since you’re offering,” a bearded, long haired man with old, pale tattoos on his face emerged from this unveiling, although he lacked the piercings he once kept proudly on his features, ”I’d love nothing more than to clash again with the Southern Lion.” he smiled a toothy grin, although he didn’t have many teeth to begin with, ”It has been too long, Asier- No, Ser Arsling.” and with titles respected, he’d hold his axe once more and bang the pommel to the ground, causing some light and harmless seismic activity, ”His Majesty the King awaits you, Lion of Tourrare.”

Asier grabs hold of Aheri’s hand and pulls in him, as much as anyone could,“Vieux taureau hargneux”, gripping tight as he embraces him, the other hand smacking upon his back. “Too long, my brother. For now our fight must be put to rest till we have taken care of these Eskandr folk. Hope you won’t be dying on me, or will have to come and drag you out of the afterlife.”, he returns the five finger salute to signify receipt of the king’s commands. “Pardon, now must dress pretty for the King”.

For such a burly man to be taken into a brotherly embrace, one had to have courage. To have it reciprocated with a tap of his own on Asier’s back was tempting fate. The now jovial Arnaud returned the feelings abundantly, ”I am unkillable.” he boldly claims, ”Not even you could kill me.” he then takes a step back and sets the helmet back on, ”Let us meet the King with haste. The more dangerous-looking men around, the safer the boys in the brass feel.”


Now dressed in his blues, Asier made his way in time for the speech, nodding towards his fellow knights as he passed them. Some of these warriors have fierce reputations which rival or exceed his own, not backing out of using the opportunity to look out for these individuals for greetings on the way to their seat. He had a big interest in meeting Ser De Solenne, another ‘Man of Arcel’, not wanting to waste an opportunity to encounter him, though the reputation of the Paladin of Oraphe proceeds him too. He would go amiss with his daughter who insisted on him meeting Dame De la Saumure and take an opportunity to greet her, Maëlle latched onto those tales with fervour and passion, whilst he would prefer her to take after Lady Chalamet. He eventually settled into his seat for the prayers.


After a dutiful sign of the pentad after the prayers, he followed the others summoned to meet King Arcel at the gathered war council as he listened to the plans to battle the Eskandr at the beaches. It was a solid plan where lessons were learnt at Sarnia, a distastor, where the Parrench held themselves in the garrison as the Zuyr raiders were allowed to secure themselves a camp on the beach. As he examined the map, there was an opportunity which seemed not to have been exploited. “Lord King, if we quickly lead a small expeditionary force to the Cape here”, finger indicating Cape Redame, “We have a good opportunity to provide them a warm Parrench welcome before they reach our shores”. Asier stands up, indicating with his hands some urgency, “Pardon, now must prepare. Those willing, join on your horses shortly as we make great haste.” The Lion gives the five finger salute towards the King before parting, changing into his battlegear then riding out with two of his horses.



In O R I F L A M M E → 3 yrs ago Forum: Casual Roleplay


In O R I F L A M M E → 3 yrs ago Forum: Casual Roleplay
Ser Percy - NPC Character Sheet

In O R I F L A M M E → 3 yrs ago Forum: Casual Roleplay
Lion Knight - Character Sheet


In The Hourglass Order → 3 yrs ago Forum: Casual Roleplay
Jocasta @Force and Fury, Yalen @pantothenic, Ysilla @Pirouette, Zarina @YummyYummy, Kaspar @Wolfieh
Event: Hugo's task | Location: Tethered Refuge, Torragonese High Desert.




Felt her heart drop a moment when the refuge started ringing its bells and causing a commotion. She didn’t factor the actions of the others into this, and when the creature bore upon them, she wished this oversight didn’t cost them so dearly. She remembered playing wargames on the table top with her brother Jorge, usually at this moment, he would start mocking her as she routed her troops at the last moment in order to spare their lives unsuccessfully. He used to chide her for her response, finding the battles too easy, “Stay on target”, he used to say, “In these moments, you do and or die. You are committed to the outcome”. Whilst the caretakers managed to survive the Wyrm, she was not the sacrifice she was wanting to make, definitely not for them. She knew there was nothing she could do, if she panicked, if she fled, it would ruin everything, the only way for this plan to work was to commit. She closed her eyes, clenching her body, holding it tight.

Ayla started to hear shouting and screams, oh no, they have failed, they are dying around her… "Did you see that!?" she heard Jocasta, "Ayla, you're a genius!". She opened her eyes as she saw the Sand Wyrm heading off after the thumper. Almost passed out after the relief, “Too much excitement…”. She takes a moment to get herself ready, hopefully supported out of her situation.

Zarina noticed the little musician had exerted herself quite a bit, as did quite a few others. The congratulatory celebration, prompted by Jocasta, brought the tall Virangish girl to confer special attention to the orchestrator of the initiative they had just taken. Without much warning, she swooped in to duck and nab the little lion on her shoulders to lift her up, "There she is!" she called out joyously, clearly not as tired as the others, "The lady of the hour. Let those little legs rest." She then turned her head toward Yalen, "I can also give piggy-backs." she winked. Ayla tried her best to mask her own exhaustion but was thankful that Zaz’s typical boisterousness provided the cover she needed.

As they approached the refuge, she could hear the concerns of the treatment here that were raised. “They will be very welcoming”, she said to Jocasta for reassurance, or my father would be having stern words, she thought.

As they came upon the gates, the children were excited to greet them. She was reminded of the streets of Varrahasta when… she pauses for a moment as she reaches into her handbag, bringing out a handful of Mangomichas, sweets which are pieces of dry mango coated lightly in chilli powder to preserve them. She held out her hands, offering the tethered children the delicious treats as they flocked around her, before dispersing to greet the others in the group.

Ayla smiles widely as she looks up towards the girl that came to meet her, who looked rather similar to her, but taller. She takes her hand, nodding as she allows her to speak in her excitement. “You said a lot, but Ayla wanted to hear your name”, she chides her in a playful manner, “Most important thing is to make sure everyone knows who you are”. She continues her pleasant small talk with the girl before they are interrupted with the arrival and pistol shot of the warden.

Ayla speaks up after the warden as he starts instructing the children to leave them alone and head off to their beds, “Thank you all for your warm welcome, we are pleased to be greeted by such hospitality as you welcome us into your home. We have important work here in the morning and you have earned yourselves a good rest. I am sure the Warden will allow us time from your duties to assist us if you make haste to your rooms.” She could imagine the face behind her as she watches the little ones scurry off to their bedrooms for a good night rest. When they are gone, she simply turns around with a light smile, “The taste of carrot is sweeter than the stick”. After the rundown of the evening plans, including opportunity for bath and bed, she followed the lead of their guide, Marcelina. From the girls interactions, she has already taking a liking to her.



In The Hourglass Order → 3 yrs ago Forum: Casual Roleplay
Jocasta @Force and Fury, Yalen @pantothenic, Ysilla @Pirouette, Zarina @YummyYummy, Kaspar @Wolfieh
Event: Hugo's task | Location: Torragonese Desert.




With the Halassa situation taken care of, she had a moment to simply lean backwards upon the sand and take a breath of air. Whoosh! The adrenaline was pumping non-stop, it was worse than the excitement she felt at even her most pressuring of performances, nothing could have prepared for that kind of experience. She tries to recollect her memories of these past moments, just trying to work out for herself what has happened between her time in the Paradigms study to now. What she could really do now was go for a nice long sleep, in a great big comfy bed, lots of pillows… instead, she is laying down upon the cold open desert. She tries to figure out why the Paradigm would send them on a class trip like this and not even provide them with basic supplies or necessities, where are the waterskins? Just thinking about water made her very thirsty, especially as the sand has dried out the balm upon her lips, she has no idea of what she looks like, but she probably looks like a bedraggled sand creature. She lets out a great big grunt of exhaustion, as she forces herself back upon her feet, brushing herself down as much as she can in an environment like this.

Ayla frowns as Zaz continues to stare in her direction expectantly, she knows how the Virangi got impatient. She thought that she did good to direct the Halassa away from Jocasta and herself, clever use of her abilities, but the forthright dancer already found criticism in her actions, referring to her as a ‘Baboon’ and in the next breath a ‘Kitty Cat’. “¿Usar una espada? - Use a sword?”, she hears her speak in native Torragonese. The question reminded her of an old phrase she remembered by her old Avincian professor, “Calamus gladio fortior”, deciding at that moment to put her own spin on things, “Tibia gladio fortior- The Flute is mightier than the Sword'". She knew there would be some disagreement from this, deciding that heating the jug would placate her for now, besides, a hot coffee wouldn’t go amiss around now as she starts to feel that coolness seeping into her bones, gracefully accepting the drink. Meanwhile, watching Ysilla working herself back under that cloak and huddling up underneath it only placed emphasis on the current affairs. A nice, warm, hot bed… already dreaming of warmer times.

Already being next to Jocasta, it made sense to follow her lead. Instinctively, she was going to start pushing upon the rollerchair like she did with her friend Maura back in Varrahasta with the pair always seeming to be found by themselves together due to their frailty. This caught her by surprise as it started to move upon her own and seeing Jocasta journey upon the sand. She could find aspects of Maura in Jocasta, the way she is always so polite and considerate of others. She also noticed some of the more self-humiliation aspects too, how Maura used to belittle herself in front of others in order not to evoke negative feelings, recalling how others used to prey on her more frail appearance when they felt threatened by her as they reminded her that she was a ‘cripple’, as if this meant she was undeserving, some implying she is punished by the gods. She could sense the pride in Jocasta, the way she is not reliant on others, a fierce independence underneath that humble presenting exterior. This made her question her own role in the past, did Maura allow Ayla to support her… for Ayla’s benefit? That is a troubling question, and she felt guilty. Perhaps she can try to be a better person, starting with the girl in front of her.

"Ayla", she turns to see Yalen addressing her abruptly, tiling her head in curiosity as she looks towards the boy. "I'm sorry about earlier. I should have finished the beast quicker, but I was afraid to resort to arcane magic again. Causing harm to others is... not easy for me.". She found this question to be unexpected, taking a moment to think and consider her words as the blond boy tried his best to match the pace as they moved behind Jocasta. She did not even know how to approach a question like this,due to this being her first time she experienced real combat. “We have a saying for Halassa in Torraganese, ‘Lento pero seguro’, Slow but safe. These… Aberrations defy their base nature.”. She had no real words for the boy's hesitation when it came to using his gift to end life, as this is not a path she has crossed yet, having relied on others like him to do this on her behalf, “Death did not linger” She noticed how he grew silent, seemingly to ponder upon her words.

As the social butterfly, she reached out to the others. She looked towards Kaspar as he was hanging back from the others, noticing the glances from his direction. She smiles back towards him, “Shame there wasn’t an opportunity to study them more closely”, she makes reference to the boy's sketchbook he carries around with him, “When the circumstance is right, you should find the opportunity”. She gave a warm smile as he was gently disturbed from his thoughts, responding, “Perhaps I will. Their shells had quite intriguing patterns on them, I may try to sketch them from memory. Surely you might find a subject in them, too?”. Kaspar’s attention quickly disappeared to that of the long legged Virangish girl when she spoke. Perhaps that she was more his type, she mused.

Ayla found herself silent with only Ysilla with company. She was reminded of another expression when she was being disciplined in her Avincian class, “Wise men speak when they have something to say, fools speak because they have to say something”. As she gazed up towards the other Virangish girl, she could only consider her to be the wisest of them all. She tries to imagine the thoughts going through the woman’s head, Ysilla mentally picking out the right woods to recreate the Halassa. She directs her words towards her, “We have the Snakewood in Torragon, its pattern would be ideal for the puppet”. She noticed the smile appearing upon those features, that damned smile, Ysilla seemingly taking notice of her words, “Snakewood has a beautiful distinctive pattern, strong in body, when carved could create a good defensive puppet”. Whilst she received no reply, she knew her words were heard, recalling the numerous times Ysilla could quote her to the breath.

As others continue to be paired up for their conversations, she pulls out her flute. She recalls some of the melody that Jocasta was humming as she tries to create it, putting on her own Torragonese flair to the music. Though the coldness did bite at her fingers, missing the odd key as she shivers a little through the playing, doing her best to entertain her companions through their walk beneath the clear starry night. She saw how Jocasta’s little face glowed up as she smiled towards her, "O-oh! That's my song!" she chirped. "How I wish I could play the flauta as I do the harpsichord". She was sure the girl wasn’t oblivious to her errors or improvisation, especially as the song was unfamiliar to her, attempting to improvise. She cannot help but glance upon Ysilla’s cloak, wishing she was as fortunate as the chill permananted the air. She turns towards Jocasta. “Been attempting to follow the harmony of your humming, is this a tune of your homeland?” she asks with curiosity, as she continues to play again with a more faithful rendition. There was a very evident shift in tone as girls responded in return "I think it is,". Jocasta shrugged slightly, taking a moment to wait as the wind passed them, "Though I don't... don't really know," she finished belatedly. "It was from... my childhood but...I don't remember it. They er-erase you when you arrive at a Refuge. They say it's so you won't miss the family that left you there”. It seemed that around this moment, there appeared to be a warmth, sensing Jocasta using her gift, as she began to feel it wrap around her. She looks towards the girl, a little surprised, but very kindly, a blush appearing upon her cheeks as it seemed Jocasta was accepting of her company and friendship.

Ayla had listened to Jocasta with her heart as she spoke, allowing the girl to speak freely of her vulnerability around the trauma she experienced. Part of her feels warm, the way this girl feels secure enough to share, and this makes her feel close. She placed a hand upon Jocasta’s shoulder, a reassuring touch, the presence of another who cares, listening, and is wanting to share an understanding and listening ear. “Sounds like it must have taken a lot of courage”. She wondered if Jocasta really knew what she feels herself at times, wearing multiple masks from being vulnerable, being strong, being petty, being generous, competing diametric opposites which she could only imagine how exhausting this must be. Even in these moments,where the girl is vulnerable herself, she also reaches out with her magic to comfort Ayla in return. It seems Jocasta wanted somewhere to belong, a place to call home. "I-I didn't exactly have much choice. Th-the first couple years at San S-Sofia were... were even nice. That's the side they'll show us when we get there". She could tell Jocasta wasn’t used to being touched, feeling as the girl visibly jumped as her fingers laid gently upon her, removing them after a light cherishing moment. “We're a t-team, though, and we have a m-mission.So I don't want you w-worrying about me. I don't need protection”.

Ayla couldn’t stop smiling as the girl was opening out, like a Halassa climbing out of her shell, and being brave. It is okay, you are with friends now she thought. She considers her words, drawing back to rely on her own family's words in a moment like this. “Lions protect the lion pride. Supporting each other. They are fierce, proud, and strong, No one has ever heard of a weak lion”. She leans over to provide a thank-you peck upon the girl's cheek, “Thank you. Glad you’re part of my lion pride”.



The bitter sweet moments spent together seemed to disappear as quickly as they appeared, as they came upon the others seeming to come and greet them... except they weren’t. She could make out the muffled cries in Torragonese, as she felt a shiver run straight through her body like a frosty lightning bolt, "Arena Malvada! - Evil Sand". It is not many moments she made the sign of the Pentad, but this is one of them. There are many old Torragonese myths and even a bizarre ancient religion around a creature known to her as Shal-Desierto - Thing of the Desert.

"Sand Wyrm!" she heard Jocasta scream, "East of here! It's... it's coming up fast!". She could feel the vibrations in the soft sand, but it wasn’t heading towards them, it was heading towards the refuge, they wouldn’t make it. “Jocasta, stop! You won’t make it… !", she pauses for a moment, watching the others hesitantly, “Wait! You’ll die, trust me…”, as she tries to recollect her thoughts as she thinks about the old myths and legends, desperately searching for something she could use, feeling like a lost cause. Ayla ends up getting distracted in memories of a children's game she played when she was younger, Dança-Alsahra.

Dança-Alsahra was a relatively simple game where one kid, usually Maura, played as Shai-Desierto, whilst the others danced around. Maura would give out a big roar, and turn around as the others danced around wildly. Upon hearing the roar, everyone had to immediately stop. Often it was the kids falling over or not stopping that were ‘caught and eaten’, then Maura would turn back around again, as the survivors danced around again. The goal was to be the last dancer standing, or get through the rounds as exhaustion grew as the dancers were being ‘chased’. Like a spark of inspiration, it hit her, excitedly shouting to the others in Torragonese, “Dança-Alsahra, Dança-Alsahra!”.

Ayla didn’t have time to explain to the others, time is clearly something they do not have, as Shai-Desierto was roaring. They needed dancers, or at least a great big blundering one to give out vibrations. How to communicate this with the others, all she had was… sound. Sound! She rummages through her handbag as she pulls it out, the tool of their survival, the tool of their freedom, the solution to their problems… a tuning fork.

With her tactician's mind, she creates the plan in her mind, and directs orders. “Binding Magic. Kaspar, Ysilla, need this bigger, at least 100 times bigger. Right now. Use everything.” She holds out the tuning fork, allowing them to have a glimpse of its very simple design to recreate, expanding upon the plan as they start. “We need a thumper, a blundering dancer, a distraction. Shai-Desierto likes vibrations, heat, and magic. Give it to him.” As the shape is starting to form, “Yalen, this has to be red hot.”, then returning to look towards Zaz and Jocaster. “Once formed, use all your kinetic energy to send it as far as you can towards those Halassa corpses.” As the instructions appear to be received and made clear, she finishes up with the most important step of all. “Stop absolutely everything, not even a breath.”

There was a step in the plan not shared, but it wasn’t necessary, it was her role. There was a particular reason she picked this tool, and as a musician and a sonic mage, it was only natural. Ayla drew in deeply, the raging sands provided all the kinetic energy she could ever need. Picking the precise moment, she cast her own spell, humming the sounding word "Ruído!" a loud clap of her hands with the final syllable, the concentration of mana and sound causes the giant tuning fork to reverberate, vibrate wildly, as it is cast across the sands.

The thumper is now loose, free waltz through the night as Shai-Desierto hungers. She made one last hand-gesture, commanding each and everyone of them to stop completely, not even a breath, not even a step, and not even a spell. Silence has now fallen upon the class. Hopefully not for the last.




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