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 Posted: Sun Jan 26, 2014 7:30 pm
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Username: Paper Satellite
Name: Tessa Lozi, though she prefers Lozi.
Age: 25
Gender: Female
Race/Nationality/Species: Dalcarian/Tavastian/Werewolf
Orientation: Heterosexual
Personality: Beneath her quiet exterior, Tessa holds deep convictions and gravitates towards morality, not for power or glory. She is connected to the underdog, having faced tragedy during the civil war, and has fantasized her fair share of poetic justices. Though she may have simple minded ambitions, she is suspicious, and selective of her true friends. She is not easily led by the nose. Earlier in her life, she was intimate and fluent in conversation, but now she hardly speaks at all. She endures the discomfort of company as if it is a knee pressing between her shoulder blades.
Rank: Tessa’s rank is cast in shadow and mystery, as one without the right connections would call her an underground criminal, while some with the right web might chance upon rumors of her being a runaway noble woman.
Occupation: Information broker and gun-for-hire
Education: Tessa has high level street smarts and an eloquent education in social manners, the sciences, the arts, etc.
Factions: Rebels
Religion/Philosophy: She’s not shy of her belief in The One. But what faith can’t do for her, which is a lot, she has the strength to overpower
Political Ideals: She invests herself in political gossip, and supports the chancellor so far.
Biography: Tessa was once the offspring to the Lizellon family, which were a branch a well-bred clan of nobles, wide enough to include both loyalists and anarchists in the tree. It is said “once”, as the Lizellons’ title was sold recently to merchants and absorbed into a different branch. Besides, she ran from them long before the new parliament.
As a girl no older than 16 she fell deeply in love with a wealthy but lowborn, dark-skinned, second generation Lishundan northerner, George Lozi and eloped. He was several years older, but they married just the same and disappeared together. It was senseless but genuine love they had. George taught her all kinds of things. Things a foolish young noble girl would never have learned otherwise. How to hunt. Street smarts. How to drive. How to fight.
She grew tense when the monarchy fell, but she was no longer a noble. She was one of the simple populace, and she was to have a son, Den, with her beloved George. But not all was well. House Black were paying people a visit. George may have been a Lishundan, but he was loyal to Dalcaria, and he was dismayed when brother turned against brother. He became desperate to move his family to safety, unbeknownst to Tessa, but House Black found George first, just as Den, a half blood was born.
They had one chance. George had skills and the will to provide for his family that would let him do anything, and Tessa possessed the same will. House Black turned them into desperate underground information brokers, clawing for information as politics grew tenser and rebel groups began to thicken, giving them more people to turn in, in return for safety for themselves and their newborn son.
However, Tessa grew reckless. In chasing information, she was confronted and bitten by her target, a young werewolf smuggling herself and others out of Tavastian border. The change was hard, for someone in her twenties. George made sure to keep her hidden, and prayed that she would survive the curse, but there was no explaining her absence to House Black. He confronted his targeted rebel groups and pleaded with them to smuggle out his turning wife and half-blood son. They agreed reluctantly with the pleas of a desperate man.
When Tessa awoke and was explained to the strangers that had taken her, she realized the consequences that had befallen her husband. And where was her son? Well, she still doesn’t know. They were separated during the escape.
She survived the change, but was wary of her transformation. Instead she used her skills as a gun-woman to support the rebellion, and her skills as an information broker to focus on finding her son. She struck a large chord in the rebellion’s strategy’s, and became an infamous conspirator, meanwhile managing to bury her werewolf situation with few transformations and fewer friends.
How did you end up at the Palace: She came seeking information about why and how the New Chancellor wrote a personal letter to her and made sure it was received.
Skills: Driving, forgery, espionage, marksmanship, survival techniques, psychology, domestication
Transportation: Automobile
Home: As she’s sure she still has enemies, she doesn’t keep a strict base, but a tour pattern.
Likes: Children, automobiles, walking, nature, freedom
Dislikes: Transforming, being watched, too many questions, gun fire
Weapons: MP 44, Throwing knives, and Bergmann
Clothing/Armor: Tessa is comfortable in the high elegant fashions of noblewoman, and will wear it as often as she can get away with it.
Powers: As a side effect of her wild and uncontrollable strength as a relatively newly changed werewolf, she has a high healing rate. She has inhuman strength and endurance, over sensitive instincts, an affinity for training animals on a dime.
Picture: Tessa Lozi, Wolf form
Theme Song: Dog Days are Over--Florence and the Machine
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Posted: Sat Feb 01, 2014 9:14 pm
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JamesIt was a beautiful day..... Of course, it was hard to truly appreciate such a day when you're locked away in a dim room, particularly if there is some sort of unsavory business to take care of. Today was a day where much business like that had to be taken care of, and James was not enjoying it in the slightest. James had already heard it all from the men standing around him. There were rebels growing in a few cities, demanding that the people be given the right to vote in the leader of the nation, or going even further and saying there should be no leader. The Parliament was doing everything it could to push James out of his position. A foreign power was picking away at the Southern Isles, trying to commit genocide without actually saying it. And then of course the problem only James and a few other knew about. The demons. James stared at the map on the table for a while, and the men around him stared at him, waiting for him to find an answer. No matter how hard James tried though, an answer simply wouldn't come from this map. He stood silent until he heard the doors open behind him, and a group of people made there way in. 'Grand.' James thought to himself. He sometimes did that, talked to himself in his head. Helped him to concentrate sometimes. Also helped him to calm himself in stressful moments. 'Now there are people in this room who probably want to kill me too for all I know..... I seriously hope I didn't make a mistake with this.' Finally, James raised his hand to the men around him and waved them out. Once they were out of the room, James turned around to discuss business, which brings us to now. "Do you believe in demons?" James asked with a sly smile. He waited for replies before adding another point. "Actually, that's more of a rhetorical question, isn't it? I suspect many of you have probably already seen demons by this point, so let me ask you another question. Have you ever heard of Vampyres? That's with a 'Y', not an 'I' mind you. Anyone heard of them?" He sat quietly, the sly and sarcastic smile on his face as he waited for their responses. |
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Posted: Sat Feb 01, 2014 9:15 pm
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Posted: Sat Feb 01, 2014 11:45 pm
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The smell of the packed city was like livestock, waste and gasoline mixed with coal smoke. Tessa Lozi grimaced as she stepped out of the front seat of her car and rubbed her nose against her sleeve. It stunk worse with the flowery perfume she'd been using to hide the musky scent of sweaty-dog. Her head spun a little, but she hid it well as she closed the door to her sleek black automobile. Sleep would have helped. If she'd been able to sleep during the night, even with this strange call from the world's most powerful man, the new Grand Chancellor, on her mind, she'd be in better shape by scores than she was now. But the moon was fuller, and she had spent her evening restlessly stirring around the rooms in the inn, sweating, shivering, and all together cursing at it.
Worse, the golden stallions on the bridge to the palace's back entrance made her want to take a bite out of some panicked animal. Her jaw ached and her mouth watered, though she'd splurged on bacon and sausages with her breakfast that morning. She felt empty and all a shiver, but Tessa was good at hiding such things. The sheen of sweat on her brow was powdered away, and the tension of her muscles looked only formally stiff under her elegant forest-green gown and high cream collar. All of her strawberry blond curls were pinned close to the back of her head into an intricate yet simple braided swirl. She was a dead ringer for someone of high birth, suited to mingling in the palace, which wasn't as backwards as it seemed even if one took Tessa's occupation into account.
Clutching the signed letter of Grand Chancellor James Tiberius Byron Bond in her hand, she strode across the bridge, the heels of her boots clicking with as much superior tact as her highly perched chin. She briskly made her way towards the back doors, though before she could enter on her own, a royal guard approached her. She frowned petulantly at him.
"Welcome to the palace, Miss. May I assist you?"
"I'm here to meet the Grand Chancellor."
A dubious look crossed the guard's face. Tessa didn't blame him; it was the most presumptuous statement she had ever made, she was sure. But she held her letter out between her fingers as if she expected that to solve every damn problem in the world, her face a mask of confident irritation.
The guard took the paper from her, scanned it, and nodded. "Yes Ma'am. Just keep this with you and make your way to the meeting."
Tessa's mask cracked as she took it back, surprised and visibly taken aback. She sputtered a quick "thank you" to the guard and walked through the doors, into the palace. Showing several guards her invitation, she was promptly directed to a large dim room with several other characters. She eyed each of them speculatively out of the corner of her eyes. The variety was shocking. They ranged from rigidly held soldiers to loosely composed civilians, even a scruffy individual in chains, and even a tall Lishundan creature was present, towering and taking up the room with his fierce fiery tiger coat.
Her mind pried at their appearances, trying to dig up some recognition, but the circumstance was altogether to odd, and she was weary from a rough moonlit night. This meeting could not have come at a worse time. She folded her arms and allied herself with the wall of the room. Why was she here? What could the Grand Chancellor possibly know about an information broker aiding the rebels, and what could he possibly ask from her.
At the front of the waiting room, a set of heavy double doors yawned open. A guard stood at attention to the right of the door.
"The Grand Chancellor will see you now," he said.
Tessa glanced around the room, confused.
"All of you."
Tessa hesitated, eyeing the room once more. No weakness. No openings, she thought. Tessa lifted her chin and strode into the next room as if she owned it and veered to the side.
The Grand Chancellor was...well, she had expected he'd be taller. Older. But even with his back to them, she could judge that he was young and smooth, near to her age, with dark chocolate hair. A variety of stiff, stoic faced men stood around a table, eyeing him and the new arrivals. The Chancellor waved them out of the room and turned to the new arrivals, wearing a slick smile.
"Do you believe in demons?" he asked.
"Demons, er, your majesty?" Tessa tilted her head to the side. It was an odd way to start things.
"Actually, that's more of a rhetorical question, isn't it? I suspect many of you have probably already seen demons by this point, so let me ask you another question. Have you ever heard of Vampyres? That's with a 'Y', not an 'I' mind you. Anyone heard of them?"
Vampyres? Demons? And next, werewolves? What is this about!? Tessa's lips thinned into a polite, and icy smile. The Chancellor's was boyish and sarcastic, but she knew one didn't claim the title and power to rule a kingdom by playing games and tracking down obscure information brokers and The One knows who else only to talk nonsense. She stayed silent this time and tried to discern the atmosphere. |
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Posted: Sun Feb 02, 2014 12:18 am
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Vashani Saani, The Wildly Tamed Guardian
Vashani sighed as he was escorted somewhere. He was supposed to be picking up some documents for his "Master", Juliet. Now he was to be led to the Grand Chancellor. Perhaps it was all about the inner squabbles of the Capulet and Montague family. There were no out right brawls but many a time there had been duels that harmed one or the other, sometimes mortally wounding an opponent. He had done it to many people. In fact there was a reason why Juliet was considered one of the safest people in the empire. With a combination of the house guard and himself, it would be hard to penetrate into the Capulet's household through brute force. Perhaps he would be getting a few stern words because of his brutality in the honorary dueling department.
However what surprised him as he realized that more and more were gathering is that people from all walks of life were coming here. Perhaps they were all honorary fighters like himself and a tournament was to be held? That would be interesting, though there weren't many of them. Then they were ushered in. Talk of daemon. Interesting, he had faced demon like sword fighters, but no actual daemon. Then one man, face shrouded in darkness, cloth and scars spoke up. A Witch Hunter for the Church? That is how he presented himself with his weapons in hand, a scowl on his face. This was no ordinary human, he had been marked by something, scarred for life by some horrible beast. Vashani could smell it. "Vashani has never heard of these things. Perhaps Vashani could gain explanation to such creatures? Vashani is curious."
Dante Kullorin, The Scowling Witch Hunter
Dante knew what was coming, there was no reason for the grande entrance. He muttered to himself and to those who could hear him, which wouldn't be many humans at least. His voice was like an ol western protagonist. "So it's come down to this eh? Best get a couple of good shots in for old time sake..." Many were gathered, few knew why they were there. Dante knew, the time was near anyways, the prophecy's he heard foretold of this, the whispers in the deepest of hell's were there as well. When they were told to enter the chambers he pulled out both of his pistols, though he made sure that they were pointed at the ground. Always a habit of his that wherever he stalked his prey it was with guns out. His sword was of course on him, but since he was mostly a ranged combatant, it stayed in its sheath for now.
"It doesn't matter whether or not we believe in them, they are already here in our realm, along with other creatures of the night." Dante shook his head. "I haven't heard of it Chancellor. But I must ask why all of the rest of them other than my fellow brothers and sisters, were summoned here. Most of these people don't even know what people do to get into contact with the daemons of the Ethereal Realm." He holstered the two guns and pushed back his hat to reveal his "adjustments" to becoming a witch hunter. Half a head wrapped in cloth with symbolic runes of both magical and religious properties He also shrugged off half of his clothing to show an arm as black as coal wrapped daintily in the same cloth, much of it was ragged and torn, burnt marks on the edges of physical material, the runes pulsed with a glow of blue however, showing they were still strong. "Dante Kullorin, Witch Hunter... Though I'm already sure you know of me seeing as how I was asked to come here on the subject of daemon. As for Vampyres. No I haven't heard of it but the shadows whisper of dark things coming to pass, and soon. I can hear them, see them, and feel them... I cannot smell them however so I cannot point you in the right direction for that."
((OOC: I too have a short post, sorry, it is very late at night here)) |
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Posted: Sun Feb 02, 2014 1:59 am
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This city was very different from the small town he was accustomed to; the people seemed to scurry about frantically as if being late would be the end of them. he understood he would receive strange looks from the way he was portrayed while wearing his cloak as he remembered it outsiders were frowned upon in some aspects as they attacked them while they had the civil war going on. but still he couldn’t help but smile some would say his upbeat attitude was strange or an act and in some aspects it was and then again everything about him was strange the way he talked the way he walked his clothing everything about him screamed outsider, however he is just excited really, something that doesn’t happen very often. he stopped for a moment here and there to ask for directions to the palace walking thru a market place he was enjoying the seemingly endless new sights and smells but something stopped him looking down in front of him was a small boy with short brown hair and big brown eyes, that seemed to stare at him in petrified fear, he sighed and knelt down to the small child clearly the illusion of the cloak did not work on him only those with a natural talent with magic or could use it very well could see thru the magic of his cloak. Kneeling down he reached into a satchel that seemed to be strapped tight flush to his side pulling out a few coins and giving it to the child rubbing his hair.
"One day child you will be a great warrior"
he swiftly stood smiled at the child and continued on his walk the children of this place never ceased to amaze him, soon he could see the palace as well as more guards that eyed him suspiciously once he stood in front of the gates guard came up to him.
"Sir Do you have business here?"
He watched the guard tighten his grip around his weapon the other guards doing the same, he looked at them for a moment tilting his head one way and then the other,
"Yes, well I think so, I was called here"
The guards looked at each other then nodded at him to continue but he didn’t move he simply looked at them and smiled.
"This is going to sound strange to you but could you shackle me, for I am a foreigner and I wouldn’t want any of your people trying to attack me thinking im an assassin of some sort"
a half truth he knew he would be seen as crazy if he told them what he really was, but they nodded and put irons on his wrist as well as some chains and escorted him to where the others were, they had already been let in so he simply shuffled around the side of the group towards the front. the smell of old demon blood quickly enveloped him, a smell no amount of washing or purifying could get rid of but it wasn’t strong enough to be smelt by most, the smells of technology and gas also filled his nose, as well as magic dark and light. he stood now off to the side but in the front of them seemingly mesmerized by the inside of this room his head on a swivel as he looked at it and the others wondering if they could see thru his cloak like the child. And then the mention of demons snapped his head back to the chancellor with a look of seriousness in his eyes.
"Demons, er, your majesty?"
Hearing from a young lady in towards the middle she looked of wealth in some ways but she had something everyone else here had as well magic flowing from them they weren’t even trying to hide it, if he wasn’t constantly hiding his he was sure they would be able to see through his disguise by now. He stood for a moment pondering the chancellor’s last question and the reactions of the others thinking of a quick fix not thinking about repercussions he spoke up his voice having a slight Russian-like accent to it.
"I have heard of them and am not surprised that the others have not or know very little about them, how did you come across that name? And James, the others here do not seem to believe you if you would like I can show them something that would change their minds"
The smile on his face came back as he looked at James,his silver eyes shown thru his dark and silver hair, he has no understanding of why humans use such meaningless titles and prefers not to use them.
"I’m sorry did I forget to introduce myself it’s not a common thing for us to do back home, umm my name is" he paused for a moment seeming to think about it, "my name is crimson and I am a demon expert" while he talked he moved his hand as if trying to talk with them but the only thing it did was make the chains rattle as he waited for a response.
((i hope this is okay)) |
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Posted: Sun Feb 02, 2014 2:06 pm
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Lieutenant Colonel Robert Lowsley and his aide Captain Morris
Lieutenant Colonel Lowsley and Captain Morris stood off the the edge of the waiting room, Morris reading a newspaper he'd picked up on the way to the place, Lowsley standing there at attention, staring at the guards in the room. He didn't like any of them, nor them he, more emphasis on them not liking him. From what he gathered from Captain Morris, he wasn't well-liked by anyone in the military after the wars in the Southern Islands. A fifty percent mortality rate tended to do that to one's reputation, especially coupled with his family background. He didn't blame them. Plenty of people had already voiced their opinions on him to him directly, and others had sent dozens of viciously-worded letters to the local post office addressed to him. He was a man well disliked, and he didn't care a bit. That was the bit that bothered him, that he simply didn't care. When the guards announced that the Grand Chancellor would see the group, he simply fell into line and walked in, Captain Morris at his side with the gist of what he'd been reading tucked under his arm. He like to tear bits out and compile them.
"Still a war on in tha Southern Isles it seems, yah think they'd deploy us back?"
Morris's Scottish sounding accent whispered across to Morris, further muffled by his gas mask. Without even looking over at him, Lowsley replied in his drab monotone voice.
"I don't think they'd deploy us anywhere again dear Captain... Well, perhaps you."
And with that the group had made it's way into the room, and the Grand Chancellor has begun his meeting. When the subject came to demons, both Lowsley and Morris chimed in with a yes, nearly simultaneously. But when the Chancellor moved to Vampyres, Lowsley could have laughed, if he'd been capable of doing so.
"Vampyres? Really Grand Chancellor, have you assembled this lot as your Committee on the Subject of Old Wive's Tales? Vampyres and their lot have hardly been heard of, much less seen, for a rather long time."
Looking over to the Witch Hunter, Lowsley shook his head, and scoffed.
"Don't tell me the Church still believes in the existence of such things. Or do you have a whole Order devoted to scouring children's books for things to protect us from as well?"
Captain Morris, still at the Lieutenant Colonel's side, tried to shrink down in his bones, cringing slightly as Lowsley went on.
"Ahhhhh.... The One have mercy, here we go again."
Pendleton Moore, Ex-executioner of the wicked
Pendleton stood off in the back of the group, taking in the rest of the group during the waiting period in the main hall of the palace. His weapons had been taken when he was arrested, and hadn't been given back, for obvious reasons. Hands shackled in front of him, he'd observed the group the Chancellor had brought together, pleased to see two current representative of the Church there. At least they hadn't stopped training new Hunters since his departure. He got a mixed feeling about the one in the heavy robes, like he was in some sort of gray area, and a definitive bad feeling about the two military figures also off to the side, recognizing the Lieutenant Colonel from some articles he'd read a while back.When the group was escorted into the Chancellor's presence, he understood why he was still shackled, if there was any a time to try and kill the Head of the Country, when his guards weren't around would be a great time to do so. But the Chancellor fell into that gray area, so there was nothing to worry about, yet. But when that presumably arrogant Colonel began his tirade, Pendleton spoke up.
"But do you know WHY those things are condemned to the realm of children's folly and fairy tales? Because the good agents of The One have already killed em' all! Back in my day I learned how to kill a variety of things you folk would now call nonsense and myths,because you never know when the darkness of the Earth would like to throw something you're not expecting back into the mix, like a DEMON DISGUISING HIMSELF AS A MAN, fer example."
With that, Pendleton flung himself at the cloaked 'Demon Expert' identified as Crimson, struggling to wrap the links of his handcuffs around his neck. |
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Posted: Sun Feb 02, 2014 3:40 pm
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He listened to the others speak clearly officers and then a demon hunter spoke up and looked at him, watching him carefully as he flung himself at him Crimson simply stood there looking at him, when the man hit him he did not move just stared at him, the chains he would have used to wrap around his neck he would find to simply rest and tighten on his shoulders making the area were the chain was to become blurry. He seemed to flex his arms and broke his shackles freeing him as if they were just there for a false sense of security. with a strong hand he gripped the hunters shoulder touching the chains with his right in a few moments the chains seemed to melt away and brake, when they did and nothing was holding them together beside his grip he seemed to just push the man away but with enough strength to push him into the military lads.
He stood up straight and dusted himself off looking back over to the others adjusting his cloak which the blur was starting to spread making a rough outline of the 8 and a half foot demon.
"I’m sorry for that but you were trying to strangle my waist, James I will only interrupt you just for now to make sure the others here know what we are up against, as well I will not attack you but I will defend myself, as well I am trying my hardest not to let my demonic nature get the better of me and eat that hunter in front of you"
He smiled at Pendleton as he stepped back away from the group seeming to pull a few straps and letting the cloak slide to the floor, at first he was a simple dark blur that slowly took shape. his skin color came in first variations of blue, black, green, and purple were spread across his body, strong muscle’s flexed under thick armor like scales black claws extended to form fingers of sorts as well as longer falcon like talons from his feet. Slowly the head of the demon took shape two big black eyes with yellow slits thru them making a cross that expanded to adjust to the light in the room a bone like structure protruded out and up both sides of his head, on those horns four more blood red eyes peeled open and scanned around the room independent from each other giving him almost no blind spot, as the rest of him came into view the most distinguishable aspect about him stretched out two wings with a leathery membrane folded out to a 35 foot wing span then tucked tightly back onto him giving him the look of a cape. He stood there for a moment letting them see him and make their judgments and smiled at them revealing teeth like that of a shark, the only thing he wore was a satchel strapped tightly to his side, he spoke the words not fit for his mouth but kept the slightly Russian accent.
“yes I am a demon, no I am not going to kill you, what you are does not make you who you are, I came here 5 years ago trying to find an artifact of grate power, but my men betrayed me and tried to kill me marked me as a traitor and left me there to die but your villagers in the mountains found me and saved me. I don’t know the significance of the one for the rest of you but they said they wouldn’t have been there if it wasn’t for the one” he looked about them pointing to the brand on his right shoulder at the mention of being a traitor, a upside down star with an x through it, “during your civil war I protected those villagers, when you were all hunting house black a young women tried to escape with her guards thru the mountains two children stumbled upon them and they killed those children for fear of someone finding them, well I found them picked them off one at a time watched them scatter saved the women for last, when I found her I tore her limb from limb, moral of the story don’t mess with a demon” he seemed to recall something after a short while and dug his hand into a pocket of his satchel pulling out roughly 25 demon hunter identification tags and tossed them to the man that flung himself at him earlier, “I found them and buried them but In the chaos of my betrayal I am unsure if I killed any of them” he stood there waiting for a reply but his stance suggested he was relaxed. |
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Posted: Sun Feb 02, 2014 4:49 pm
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The Wolf Of Whitehaven
The second Aydan McKay entered the city, it was like a slap to the face.The smell of people, live stock, perfumes and food stuff hit her senses like a brick.She swayed slightly on the back of the black stallion Percheron, the beast shifting with unease at the noises about it.She patted the side of the horses neck lightly and clicked her tongue, setting the animal in motion, fallowing the signs to the palace, ignoring the looks and comments on her armor.She was obviously a foreigner, they way she looked around her as she moved through the streets was like a child in a magic shop.
Reaching the palace, she jumped off the back of the horse in one fluid motion and handed the reigns over to a waiting guard before showing her letter to him.The poor man looked bored out of his mind as he waved her off and lead the beast to the stable.What was curious about Aydan as she moved, was the way she carried herself.While there was a confidence about her as she moved up the steps and through the main door, there was something that screamed a barely controlled power.It demanded attention even from those who were far above her own station.
She showed the letter again to another guard and was given a raised brow before being lead to the room where a group of others.She gave a half nod it thanks and moved to stand away from the others, a look of slight disgust crossing her face at the sicking scent of floral perfume that did nothing to hide what was beneath as she glanced at a woman a few years old than herself.She took in the appearances of the others, mildly curious at the appearance of the tiger man, having heard of his people but never before seeing one in person.
She stood against the nearby wall with her arms crossed, looking bored as she turned her attention to the Grand Chancellor, tensing slightly at his mention of Vampyers, barely holding back snarl.Her eyes narrowed slightly "Enough to know they're sadistic bastards that like playing with their food." Her voice held a brogue, thick and honeyed, similar to Moore's but with more feminine quality to it. She glanced to the cloaked man, Crimson, able to see through his illusion easily enough with her own gift. |
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Posted: Sun Feb 02, 2014 8:26 pm
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Keeping silent like she did, Tessa paid keen attention to the opinions of the others to the Grand Chancellor's strange opening. She had hoped to glean some idea of why she was here out of their responses. Maybe it was some sort of code word. But if so, why was she ignorant to its meaning?
Her eyes snapped to the Lishundan as he addressed the Chancellor, taking great interest. He was tall and thicker than a man, and covered from head to toe in a tiger coat. His grammar was terrible, but she disregarded it. He spoke of himself by name: Vashani. It held an impressive weight which she couldn't describe, foreign and beautiful, like Lozi. But he didn't seem to know a thing.
Her brows knit together, but when the next man spoke, his drawl carried promising words. "I haven't heard of it Chancellor. But I must ask why all of the rest of them other than my fellow brothers and sisters, were summoned here. Most of these people don't even know what people do to get into contact with the daemons of the Ethereal Realm."
Tessa leaned slightly towards him, her face impassive. He holstered his guns (Tessa blinked and wondered what kind of audacity or reputation he possessed to carry unconcealed weapons this far into the palace), pushed back his hat and slid arm out of his sleeve to show them the luminescent blue calligraphy wrapped around his skin. She could recognize some of the symbols as belonging to The One, but others she did not, and the type of magic that this signified baffled her. "Dante Kullorin, Witch Hunter..."
Most civillians knew by now that the Chancellor had the support of The One's temples, but Tessa hungered to question Dante about it. Later, she thought.
Then the foreigner whose origins she could not specify. She narrowed her eyes at him. Now that she looked directly at him, something seemed...off. She glanced from side to side, and back at him. Her usually sharp vision felt dull against him, in contrast to their surroundings. What's more he was shackled. A quick survey had already demonstrated that he was not the only one in irons, but he was not dressed as the other ones were. He looked nothing like a ragged jailbird, and he was confident. That much was obvious by how he called the Chancellor by name. "My name is crimson and I am a demon expert."
They're talking as if demons are... Tessa shook her head.
One of the masked men in uniforms scoffed about the ridiculous subject. His associate bowed over himself in discomfort as plain as day. "Don't tell me the Church still believes in the existence of such things. Or do you have a whole Order devoted to scouring children's books for things to protect us from as well?"
"Yes, excuse me, what---" Tessa began.
She was cut off when the oldest of the group, confined in chains and raggedy apparel, flung himself at the foreigner. She gaped in shock, but the foreigner handled himself without a flinch. He grabbed the chains pressed against his throat. They simply melted in his hands. She hardly noticed that his shackles were broken until he'd pushed the old man away and into the two soldiers. Tessa's hair stood on end, and her sweat mixed with her sweet perfume, making her nauseous as well as nervous.
His cloak fell, and his shadowy form grew into an eight-foot...She wasn't sure how to describe him. His skin---or scales rather, were iridescent: blue, black, green, and purple. His claws hung like talons, and he had huge yellow eyes, slit like a reptile's, plus several beady red orbs along his protruding horns. He had leathery wings folded like a cape behind him, and when he...er...smiled, she could see his jaw lined with canines like a shark.
“Yes I am a demon, no I am not going to kill you," he said.
Tessa stepped back and relaxed her hand over the hidden pocket in the fabric of her dress that led to leg holster, and fingered the tip of a knife's hilt hidden in the lace of her sleeve. She felt foolish for arming herself with nothing more than a handful of hidden throwing knives, but she hadn't known it would be so easy to meet the Chancellor. She had expected body searches. She had expected that if the guard was conducted professionally, then they would confiscate some, if not all, of her knives.
"What you are does not make you who you are," the demon cautioned, telling them of how he'd been betrayed 5 years ago, before the civil war had reached its climax. Tessa did not move. She watched the other's out of her eye, waiting for a cue. He continued his story. She couldn't imagine a real demon, nor believe that it would protect a village of humans. The story of the children, however, made her wince. 5 years ago. It couldn't have been Den. He would be five now, not even born then, but just the thoughtful jump in her mind to her son, dead before she knew him made her bare her teeth for a moment.
Tessa caught a whiff then of...something wild. A scent of an animal, but one which made her cautious instead of hungry. As if there had been no disturbing interlude between the Chancellor's question and the demonic transformation in their midst, a woman in armour spoke up in a thick honeyed accent. "Enough to know they're sadistic bastards that like playing with their food." Her eyes were pointed like blades at the creature in their midst.
Her composure nearly broke, but her will held stiffly until she calmed her instincts. Tessa smiled. It was like a sharp blade, with thin lips and no teeth. She casually slipped her throwing knife from her sleeve and spun it in her fingers, merely exercising her fingers. "I've never seen a demon before, but seeing is believing. I wonder why the chancellor would call a demon here..." She trailed off. She gazed around the room, looking in turn at the pair of soldiers, the old man, the Lishundan, the witch hunter, and the wild armored beauty with the odd scent. "Why would he call any of us here," she murmured.
(( sweatdrop Ugh, I hope my posts aren't too long guys.)) |
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Posted: Sun Feb 02, 2014 9:40 pm
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(OOC: @ Kami: No worries, I found it was an okay length, better than mine. xd )
(OOC: @ Hunter: Fine by me so far, I've got no complaints!)
(OOC: @ Paper: No worries, long is good! Just as long as no one is falling behind. sweatdrop )
(OOC: @ Paper and everyone: Just because Paper noted this, I figured I should address it. James' hair is actually supposed to be black, even in the pic it should be, but the artist was doing something with the lighting I guess, so I figured I should mention that. Also, James is more of average height, close to 6 feet, but not any taller. Another thing, although he looks young, he still carries with him (physically I mean) a little bit of age, partly from the stress of running a whole country. But he'd look like what the average 28 year old should. No need to edit anything though Paper, it was my mistake not to be more descriptive, but I hope this clears things up a little. sweatdrop )
Jack
'I'm dead, I'm dead, I'm dead, I'm dead.'
These were the words going through Black Jack's mind right now. He had been arrested, whisked off to some place with a bag on his head, and then upon having the bag removed, he found out he was at the Imperial Palace. He still had his chains on, and he desperately hoped that was a sign that he wasn't going to die.... Yet.
He was led through the halls of the magnificent place, looking around with an emotionless face to mask his fear, but also the awe he felt for the place. It was somewhat smaller than he expected, but still a huge place, and the furnishings screamed of good taste. But what else can you really expect from the previous home of a nation's monarchy?
Jack finally reached a door that it looked like he was supposed to be going through, and there were other people around him. Most of them didn't have chains or anything, but that didn't do much to comfort Jack, especially seeing as at least one of the other people there had a gas mask on. Not exactly emotionally comforting attire. Jack noticed that there were two ladies as well, one a pretty noble looking lady, and the other a strong, independent, and kind of hot looking lady. He kept his smile inside, but tried to wipe the thoughts of them from his mind.
'Don't bother Jack, they're too good for you and you know it.... Best to stick to women you're used to, these two are almost guaranteed to turn away from your 'charms'.'
He kept his thoughts as just that, thoughts. Last thing he needed was a lady sticking a shiv in his side. Finally the guards began to let them into the room, and when Jack heard who was going to be seeing them, he nearly died. He may as well be seeing the captain of the guard, the head of the army, or every executioner to walk on Dalcarian soil. He felt dead.
Once they were all in the room, Jack stared at the man standing over the table. 'The Grand Chancellor himself eh? Always thought he'd look... Well, tougher? I'm sure he could kill a man in a blink, but he looks like he could still be in university for all it's worth.' He thought to himself.
Jack kept his eyes moving back and forth between people as they made their comments on the situation, but things started to escalate quick. The old man who had also been in chains tried to attack a foreign looking fellow in chains, and then the foreign looking fellow turned into a demon.
'Perfect Jack. You just get yourself into all the right situations, don't you?' He thought to himself, annoyed with his situation, and what he thought was his own stupidity for ending up here.
Jack turned his attention back to the Grand Chancellor, to see what exactly was going to happen now.
James
James clenched his sword as he started to get agitated by how people were starting to get more and more upset. The old man attempting to attack the demon didn't help. James slid the blade out just enough that it was visible to everyone in the room that James had the sword. What he was holding back from doing was showing them how well he could use it.
"I understand you're all a little confused, agitated, and perhaps angry, but I'd like to ask you all to calm down. I may be a politician, but I got this position because I killed people, and I was very good at it." James said with more sarcasm, but this time it had a strong bite to it. James circled the table and pulled out a dossier, throwing it on the table in front of everyone and nodding to it.
"Crimson is indeed a demon, but for the past 3 years that I have been watching him, I have almost no recorded incidents of him being dangerous. That said Mr. Moore, please try to restrain yourself." James cleared his throat and went back to the front of the table again. "It's also worth noting that not all demons are evil, some are very good in fact. Demons are typically 'born' to be evil, but rarely there are demons who get a choice in the matter. Crimson happens to be one." James turned his attention to Crimson now. "Also, I understand you may not see much use for my title, so I'll forgive you not using it. I just hope you understand where I stand in relation to the power structure of this country."
James looked around to everyone else, preparing to answer their questions. "Alright, so the general consensus is that no one here has heard of, believes in, or knows much about Vampyres, am I right?" He looked around, trying to gather what he could from the group.
Jack bit his lip slightly for a moment. 'I'm going to hate myself for this later, aren't I?' He thought to himself before clearing his throat.
"Um, actually your Excellency, that's not entirely true." Jack looked around, a little unsure about talking so plainly with everyone around.
"Well uh... When I was a boy, growing up in Dereham, I heard the sailors talk a lot, tell a lot of stories ya see. Anyways, I heard a few of em talking about 'Vampyres', so I suppose I could pass on this knowledge to everyone else." Jack cleared his throat again before talking.
"Vampyres are a lot different than the Vampires and Vampire Lords we have here in Dalcaria. Here, Vampire Lords get their power from being born with it, drinking the blood of a Vampire Lord, being made into one by another Vampire Lord, or using some sort of strange magic to do it. But Vampyres? The only way they are made is by someone going to the underworld and doing things no one else seems to know. I think they go to an island a few hundred or more kilometers North of Dalcaria. It's a frigid place, big enough to be it's own country, but it's barren. They say one of the few consistent door ways to the underworld is there. Anyways, I guess it involves some pretty hellish rituals to become one of those things, but I've been told they have power and command over even demons. But that's just a sailors tale, I can't say I believe it much myself." Jack went quiet again.
James smiled from Jack's story. "Well Jack, you really got lucky with that info I'd say. You're right about everything except for one point. It's not just a sailors tale, it's one hundred percent true." James smiled slyly as his eyes thinned a little. "And as for control of demons? Oh yes, very true as well. Probably why I brought up demons first even." James looked around the room again, surverying people, guaging their reactions and their thoughts. He spoke again to address both Vashani and Dante however.
"Well Vashani, demons are creatures from another realm, a sort of 'hell' if you will. They are typically evil, but not always. However, most demons typically swear loyalty to a demon prince. Unfortunately, there has been a lot of... upheaval in the netherworlds..." James looked back at Crimson for a moment. "Crimson, your tribe was somewhat independant from what I have gathered, correct? Some of this information may be new to you, so that's why I bring it up." James looked back at everyone else. "Right now, something is gaining control in the under world, and it isn't man, nor Vampyre, nor demon. It is far, far worse. But, this is a talk for another day, and it's something I think I will have to deal with myself. You all however are here because of demons, Vampyres, and some men, all of which are very evil."
James paused again, once more to guage everyone's reactions, but also to allow a moment for people to comment and question him.
Jack was even more uncomfortable now, and started talking to himself in his head again. 'I'm dead, I'm dead, I'm dead, I'm dead, I'm dead, I'm dead...'
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Posted: Sun Feb 02, 2014 10:05 pm
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Posted: Mon Feb 03, 2014 9:39 am
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Posted: Mon Feb 03, 2014 2:03 pm
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The Wolf Of Whitehaven
Aydan slid her gaze to the demon again,a mild curiosity in her book, but nothing more.She had no wish to start a conflict inside the confines of stone walls.The tiger man, the one who identified himself as Vashoni was in the same book at the moment.The witch hunter and the old man had her on edge however.
She stayed leaned against the wall, arms folded, looking utterly bored as she slide her gaze to the other woman, her eyes narrowing in a silent warning when she pulled out a blade.She knew whoever the woman was, she was new to the curse, otherwise the scent of musk wouldn't be so heavy and she wouldn't be panicking over nothing.She earned a tad more interest than Vashoni and Crimson, if only for the fact she was a wild card in this mess.
"I believe the Chancellor has called us because he needs work done.And given the mention of certain creatures, it isn't work his soldiers would do." She stretched slightly, small popping noises sounding as her joints cracked, it was somewhat sickening.The others had yet to gain a passing glance, besides the one they'd gotten when she'd arrived.The two soldiers smelled of coal and it burned her nose.The old man seemed far to unstable for her liking, and the witch hunter, she wasn't sure what to make of him just yet.
Two newcomers caught her attention, a man in chains that had fear rolling off him in waves that actually made her crack a smile, the expression a bit shocking given the circumstances and it made her look more her age.And a man dressed as a woman.That made her raise a brow slightly, but no more than that as she listened to the chained man give his tale on Vampyres.She held back a grimace her thoughts not all that pleasant How do I get stuck in these situations? |
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Posted: Mon Feb 03, 2014 2:56 pm
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James
James smiled slightly at the comments of everyone who seemed curious to know what exactly he had invited them here for. He turned his attention to Aydan and Kimi first before looking back to everyone else. Of course, he thought he might like to hear a little of what Jack had to say first, sensing some fear from him.
Jack
"Beggin your pardon your Excellency, but I probably am pretty visibly afraid right now. I know I've done bad in my life, but I really don't want to die the way you may be planning for me to die, or at least I assume that is why you brought me hear. Otherwise, it would be very calming for me to know the people in this room aren't here to tear me limb from limb."
James smirked at Jack's comment. "No Jack, you're not going to die, no one here is. Well, no one here is supposed to at least. I've invited everyone here for a very specific reason, a job as some of you may have guessed, and I have a variety of reasons for inviting you all." James looked Jack dead in the eye now. "You Jack owe a significant debt to your country. You helped a little in the Civil War, on the streets here in Durelieus, and I appreciate that, but you owe this country once again." James looked to the rest of the room now. "I have my reasons and my methods for the rest of you as well. Do you want to know that first, or should I spare you a little more talk of cloak and dagger and get straiht to business?" James cocked his sly smile again.
(OOC: Sorry it's so short folks, but I'll be losing an hour here from now on, so that means I need to start coming earlier. I'm none to pleased to be honest, as I am supposed to be finishing school here, but such is life. I'll try and be here early tomorrow though and post as much as I can. See you then!) |
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