__________________QUICK STATS
Name Jian Kai Rin
Age 24
Gender Male
Species Shijie-Ren
Ethnicity Huoho
Height 5'6
Occupation City guardsman, captain's rank
Residence Xialing barracks

__________________IN-DEPTH STUFF

Physical Description Ren is physically the balance of a fighter and a dancer. He is muscular and lean, but demonstrably strong and balanced. His eyes are a brilliant orange color and he enhances them with red and black eyeliner and face makeup, often choosing to mimic a tiger's stripes at his temple, cheeks, neck, and chest. Despite the fearsome look he chooses, he is quick to smile. Ren keeps his glossy black hair as short as fashionable conventions allow and wears it pulled back in a bun.

When he is off duty, he prefers wearing clothes that are darker shades of red and orange with black accents. He will paint his nails and hooves red and enhance his black antlers with red painted designs as well when dressing fancy. His preferred meditation beads are black and he wears a necklace, a bracelet of beads on each wrist, and a rope of beads over his sash.

On duty, Ren will forego all of his self-decorations. His armor is a family heirloom. The gold washed plates are embossed with tigers, clouds, and sunbursts; its shoulder guards are enameled red and gold and depict tiger's faces, teeth bared. The helmet likewise depicts a stylized tiger's face and is gold washed with a red plume at the top. The helmet has built in cutaways to accommodate his antlers.

Personality Ren is a fancy, fancy peacock of a boy. He likes to dress up, preens, and enjoys being the center of attention. His parents have spoiled and pampered him due to a favorable divination of his fawn-spots, and he knows he's everyone's favorite. He's quick to joke and tries to make a situation smooth. If he's slighted or insulted, his anger is triggered. When angry, he can range anywhere from sarcastic and smarmy to verbally abusive and physically aggressive. He regrets getting angry at people and is highly apologetic afterwards. He DOES work on his anger and flaws when people point them out, and it's difficult for him since he was the golden child.

Magic/Abilities
No known magical ability

Relationships
The Five Friends:
Sunset's Sanctum: Familial armor inherited from his father's father
Perfect Fury: A onehanded short sword with gold pommel and hilt guard, red tassel on the pommel, black leather wrapped hilt, and black sheathe. Inherited from his mother's father.
Summer Storm: A long, flexible spear. Made for him by his father.
Justice and Mercy: A matched set of Deerhorn knives. The hilts are wrapped in black leather. Inherited from his mother.
Tiger's Fang: A short dagger with a forearm sheathe, made to be concealed. A gift from his brother.

Mother: Jian Su Yung
Father: Jian Haoyu
Older brother: Jian Quon Tao

History
Rin was born to an affluent family. His mother is a skilled martial artist and his father is a retired general who commanded the city defenses. They had a son and were intent on raising him to follow in his father's footsteps, but were dismayed by a poor fortune being delivered about Quon Tao...well, it wasn't so much a bad fortune as one that they didn't see glory in. Rather than becoming a brilliant commander, Quon Tao was prophesied to become a master alchemist and gardener.

The cloud of disappointment would shade Quon Tao's life forever onward. His parents tried to love him, but their second son would receive the lion's share of their affection, training, and family gifts.

Kai Rin was born as the seasons changed to summer. He was a strong infant, fussy and opinionated from the beginning. The fortune teller saw in him leadership, military might, and the seat of the Lord General. This was the child his parents had hoped for and dreamed of, and so they spoiled him with trinket, toy soldiers, armor fitted to his child's frame, wooden replica weapons, and training. His days were filled with weapons training, unarmed training, unarmed combat, strategy training, and meditation training. Rin immersed himself in this deeply, enjoying the praise and attention he received for doing well. He never understood why his brother was sad; instead he would share everything he learned with his Tao, smothering his older brother with affection whenever Tao would play soldiers with him.

Rin adored his brother and would always encourage his horticultural work. Rin saw beauty and majesty in his brother's sketches and garden work so much that he often would send home cuttings of plants for his brother to plant in the family garden. Tao helped Rin master meditation and taught him the art of dancing. Rin argued with his parents that the benefit of dance was balance, strength, and agility, so both he and Tao received tutelage in different dance forms thereafter.

Rin followed Huohu-ren society conventions and joined the military. Where Tao struggled through his compulsory service, Rin was the exemplary recruit. He was compassionate on his fellow recruits during training and would tutor them in techniques he had mastered in childhood. His early assignments included traveling the roads of Huohu, protecting travelers, going into the jungle on maneuvers, and maintenance of the military facilities. He did these tasks cheerfully and found himself quickly promoted. He was placed in charge of squads of his fellows, given supply line problems to work through, and was trained in logistics and supply. Eventually, his promotions led to an appointment to captain of the city guard for Xialing. He is in charge of maintaining part of the garrison, training new recruits who join his unit, and coordinating the guard shifts. He is very proud of his position and eagerly works for the good of the city and takes pride in knowing and being known by the city's people.

Recently, Quon Tao has gone missing. Kai Rin doesn't know exactly when his brother disappeared because his parents did not alert him...or seemingly notice when their shy son left...but Rin can't dismiss his concerns that something is wrong. This concern is beginning to distract him and shorten his temper, so his father has counseled him to forget Tao's disappearance. Most of the family thinks that Tao deserted the family, so talking about or investigating the disappearance has been heavily restricted.

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Two nights ago, the Mirabel had put to port in Zantaric. Since then, two children had died terrible deaths. Simon had few hot button issues, but when the brats of a sea port became prey for nasty things, he took action. The first night of investigation had yielded some information...he'd known the ship that the perpetrator had come from and that the man had an easy smile. The second night that a dock brat had been murdered, her friends were able to pinpoint more information: red hair, missing front teeth, and three earrings in his left ear.

Now, Simon gripped the throat of a man from the Mirabel.The three hoop earrings in his right ear trembled as the man fought against the vice grip that was crushing his throat. No sound came out of the gap toothed mouth; Simon had widened that gap with several punches before coming in for the kill. The red hair was several shades more garnet for the blood that was pouring from the sailor's split scalp.

"I don't care who you are...or were as its gonna be in a few minutes. I just want to watch you flop as the life leaves ya..." the zombie growled in satisfaction, adding fear and desperation to the struggles of his prey. The ghoul was kneeling on the man's chest, holding him down in one of Zantaric's many cluttered alleyways. A trio of the wide eyed and scrawny dock brats stood watch for him, but they were terrible at their job because they kept looking back to watch the murder.

Simon heard rushing footsteps, adult sized by the sound of them, and decided to end the tableau a bit faster. He drew his dagger and sunk it into the man's ribcage, then again, and again, and once more. The flurry of jabs began to eagerly seep, feeding the wood of the boardwalk with one more life.

The thief turned assassin stood, dagger at the ready, and watched the kids scatter. Ungrateful brats he thought with a grin, seeing himself in their selfish choice to run.

Something had drawn him here...some force had compelled him to travel from the coastal pickings and his mentorship, from the land becoming his stable home, from the ripe and easy pickings of the ancient ruins and temples...

Something dark was calling in the woods, and he had to answer it.

Simon picketed his horse Fairwind in a sheltered grove in the evergreen woods and proceeded on foot after the subtle siren song. The feeling made his back itch and the hair on the back of his neck stand up...something was calling, and he needed to find out what...or who.

The grey clad rogue picked his way stealthily through the shadows, hunting, aware that he could be being hunted. The feeling led him to a path in the woods, but he stayed parallel to it, preferring to remain in the undergrowth rather than expose himself to whatever it was that made him want to approach. As he got closer, he slowed, knives drawn, and teeth on edge. There was someone on the trail...

Kaede of the Grove.

The spirit reminded itself that it had a name now. Life beyond the grove was something different, something beyond the wind, beyond the rain, beyond the seasons. The Grove family had praised their spirit's curiosity and provided it with a name, a pendant made from its own tree, and their blessings to leave and explore. But how would the spirit travel?

It had stepped from the maple tree that given it birth as humanoid, but definitely dryad. It experimented with its shape, feeling most comfortable with the dryad form, a deer shape, and a human shape. For weeks, Kaede wandered the woods as a spirit-stag, fleeing from hunters and testing his ability to explore. His few interactions with humans had been filled with mutual awe and shy curiosity, but no interactions. If the spirit was going to get to know more about the humans, it would need to go into the groves-no, city-where the humans lived.

So, shoeless, dressed in the finest green silk dress, the spirit stepped out of the woods in her human shape. Long hair floated on errant breezes, and it pleased Kaede because it was the color of her fall foliage and the wind still combed it like her leaves. Each step down the road and towards the approaching city brought her closer and closer to satisfying her curiosity.

The woman drew odd looks. She was sturdy in build, strong and feminine. Her piercing eyes were initially brown to look at, but they gave such an impression of tree bark that there were hints of grey in them as well. She did not greet others until she'd been greeted, and she seemed to be drinking in every farm as if it were the first time she'd seen such things.

But those bare feet...they were incongruous with the studious looks, the serious expression, and the fine dress...the only people who seemed to understand it were those who maintained the shrines to the local spirits. They didn't stop the odd woman from approaching the forest spirit's shrine and collecting the money gathered there. They did not scold her when she took an offered apple and began to eat it, and they did not expect from her any sort of restitution when she rested in the shade of the shrine.

__________________QUICK STATS
Name Kaede of the Grove family
Age 132 years old
Gender Genderless, female presenting
Species Sugar Maple Tree Spirit
Ethnicity Adelan
Height
Dryad: 7' tall
Humanoid form: 5' 4"
Deer form 5' at shoulder with antlers reaching up to 6.5' tall
Occupation Family Guardian Spirit, Grove Spirit
Residence Draconi Forest, the Grove household, and a shrine in Ketra

__________________IN-DEPTH STUFF

Physical Description
Dryad form: The tall, genderless tree spirit has eight long, clever fingers on each hand that resemble twigs. Its skin is barklike in texture, grey, and resembles the sugar maple that it calls home. Its body is study, but gives the impression of roundness. Its facial features balance human and elven and are androgynous, though very delicately do. The impression could be of a young teen male or a young adult woman. The spirit's head it capped with a tiara of small branches that bear leaves in the spring, summer, and autumn. It wears its hair in a long braid down to the middle of its back. Its hair appears to be coarse and green, changing shades with the seasons. In the spring, it is a bright, light green. It is dark and glossy green during the summer. During the fall, streaks of orange and yellow dart through the braid, and in the winter, all of the dryad's hair turns a greyish brown with streaks of silver.

Humanoid form: Kaede presents as a human female when in a humanoid form. Her skin is tanned and marked with freckles. Her eyes are a deep, solemn brown, and her hair is long, red, and curly. She dresses very formally, wearing elegant robes and dresses. She magically keeps them clean and often carries an air of dignified curiosity. Her hair is often pinned back or braided and Kaede will frequently braid twigs purposefully into her hair.

Deer form: The pony-sized stag has a mix of cervid species blended into one clearly otherworldly form. The deer has a white tailed deer's delicate facial structure, but an elk's antlers and mantle of shaggy fur around its neck and withers. Its hooves are splayed like a moose and its rump is rounded like a caribou. Unlike actual deer, the spirit stag has a long, lionlike tail that ends in a tuft of fur that changes color with the seasons. The antlers of the stag curve back and up in an elk-like crescent and are wound with a flowering vine that mimics the seasons. In the spring, the ivy drips with strongly sweet scented flowers. In the summer, they are bristling with dark, glossy green leaves. In the fall, the leaves turn a flaming orange color. In the winter, the leaves dry and shed, leaving curling black-brown vines around the antlers. Streaks of color in the deer's fur mimic the colors on the vine and seasonal change: pink, green, orange, and black.

In every form she takes, Kaede wears a hand carved maple leaf pendant on a braided leather cord as a necklace. This pendant is carved from her home tree and acts as an anchor for her, letting her travel outside of her grove. Should she lose it, she will be instantly transported back to her grove and unable to leave the family's land.

Personality Kaede is very stoic and patient. She has seen many seasons come and go since her tree started forming. She is new to being something other than a rooted tree and is interested in seeing the world she only once heard described by the wind, birds, and Grove family.

Magic/Abilities
Limited Blessings: Kaede is a benevolent spirit who can grant small blessings to people she deems worthy. She can't bring a miraculous harvest, but she can make a garden healthy. She can't make someone fabulously wealthy, but they may have a bit of extra luck after meeting her. Her blessings aren't life changing, but rather life enriching.

Lifespeak: Beyond Beastspeak, Kaede can also communicate with plants

Shape changing: Kaede has three main forms that she can take, but she's also able to shapeshift as necessary. Each form has the distinctive seasonal color streaks that her deer form has.

Relationships
Tomalkin Grove ----
Faera Grove       |------------The entire Grove family gives her patronage
Sienna Grove      |
Garamin Grove -----

History
Kaede 'woke up' about fifty years ago, but was aware of all of the previous years from her seedling sprouting to that moment. Her awareness was a gift from worship. The Grove family of farmers had been coming to the grove of maple trees in the Draconi woods since they settled in the area. They would harvest sap each spring and fall from the trees, collect dead wood, and leave an offering of baked goods, the blood from a hunted animal, and a taste of maple syrup from the previous year's harvest. This dedication and worship at the largest tree, Kaede's tree, resulted in the growth and development of the tree spirit. She awoke and presented herself to Markus Grove, grandfather of the current family head. The relationship between the spirit and the family grew stronger as they continued worshipping her and bringing her offerings. In return, she strengthened the trees in the grove to give an abundant supply of sap for their syrup refining, drew in healthy animals for the hunt, and would protect the younger members of the family if they wandered into the forest alone. The headship of the family passed from Markus to Timon, from Timon to Tomalkin, and would soon pass from Tomalkin to his son Garamin. The family has indicated that they want Kaede to be happy as well, so when she expressed a desire to travel with them to Ketra and see more of their world, they have happily agreed. Tomalkin crafted her maple leaf pendant, giving the family's blessing for the spirit to wander the world so long as she would return in the fall and spring for the traditional harvest.

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__________________QUICK STATS
Name James Poldo Peabody
Age 37
Gender Male
Species Half elf, half human
Ethnicity Serenian
Height 5'10
OccupationResearch mage with a focus on theriomancy (animal based magic)
Residence Cerenis in Serendipity

__________________IN-DEPTH STUFF

Physical Description James takes more after his father, Alistair Peabody, with dark hair, tanned skin, and rugged features. His blue eyes sparkle with an unnatural youth and his ears come to a delicate point due to his mother's wood elf heritage. He is solidly built but moves with an elven grace.

Personality James is jovial and kind with a natural curiosity. He dislikes the idea of slavery, of people being forced into certain societal roles, and injustice. He especially dislikes racism and classism and speaks out against such injustices. Much of his research and work focus centers around the ethics of such questions as they apply to animal rights.

Magic/Abilities James is a talented researcher who utilizes crystal work, potions, and quasi-druidic magics in his work with animals. He has a natural affinity for working with animals to the point of animal empathy. An animal he has bonded with can understand his desires and wants from him and he can likewise understand their needs and desires. James has recently learned to shift into animal shapes but can only hold them for an hour at this time.

Relationships Serana Foxglove: Herbalist, love fling?
Luna Peabody: Feline familiar, friend
Diego Franks: Bookseller, friend, partner in crime, sometimes rival for Serana
Zyilla Ardhave: Mother, druid of the Stag Moon Circle
Alistair Peabody: Father, Adventurer, missing in Adela on a quest to see wild dragons

History
James was born from a Spring fling between the wood elf druid Zyilla and the human adventurer who impressed her with his ability to earn the trust of the animals within her forest. They stayed together for several years after James was born and remain in amicable contact with each other, but Zyilla did most of the work raising James. When he came of age at sixteen, he expressed a desire to travel with his father among humanity rather than stay in the woods among the elves. His parents agreed and James began traveling. Among humanity, he found slavery, pain, and disregard for the basic dignity due to every intelligent being. The young half elf resolved to do something about the injustice he saw and, again, his parents supported his decision. He went to university to learn more about his magic abilities and became well known for his skills as a researcher. After his graduation, he settled into a cottage in Cerenis where he continued his work. His main goals were to spread awareness about injustice, to create a spell to give animals the intelligence and free will to determine their own fates and work life, and to work on mitigating the suffering of humans around him.

He has a complicated view of Connlaoth. He admires their industry and capability to innovate just as much as he hates their disgust of magic users. He is a part of an underground group that seeks to protect families with mage children and to get them stable lives elsewhere should they want to flee. He also advocates for the ending of slavery due to the cruelty that many slaves experience. He is aware that he's an idealist and that his solutions would create their own problems, but still pushes because someone needs to say something if any change is going to be made.

His advocacy has earned him enemies within the church and within the slave trade. Recently, a group of mercenaries attacked his home and kidnapped him, attempting to gain more information on the organization he works for. James believed that his cat, Luna, was killed in the attack. After being subdued by the mercenaries, he was taken to Connlaoth for interrogation by the church, but managed to escape their clutches. He has traveled to Thanatos to track down his friend Diego who was likewise attacked and sold into slavery.

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James was still missing. It had been many moons since Luna had last seen her human friend and she had been tempted by many to give up hope, but she was going to find out what happened to him. Even if she could not find HIM, she'd learn of his last moments. The facts, as the cat knew them, were that a one James Peabody had been abducted from their home. His kidnapping party had at least one demon with them. James had wounded them, but they had not immediately harmed him. Whether he was still unarmed, it was hard to say. Serenity had no traces that she could find, so the intrepid cat had hitched a ride northward.

Connlaoth was hostile towards mages and magic, so she had not used her communication collar to talk to people. Instead, she positioned herself to be a wandering mouser, gracing the stoop of a local bakery. Gossip from early morning shoppers helped her piece together news about the local neighborhood, but she had not heard anything as of yet about any mages or people disappearing. Perhaps it was time to move on and find another listening post.

Luna considered the necessity of moving as she lounged on the shop's front step. The sunshine on her dark brindled flanks felt good; the mice attracted by the stored grains had provided her with many reliable meals and the grateful baker had provided her with her due adorations. Still, he wasn't James. She needed a way to track her man down. While her nose and intellect were good, cats simply weren't made for the kind of hunt she needed to do. And at this point, months past, even a dog would likely have a hard time tracking for her.

The thought of a dog helping her on her quest made her smile. What a ridiculous thought! Still, she wasn't opposed to the idea. Dogs had their merits, even if they weren't cats. They were loyal, somewhat intelligent, decent enough hunters, and while not as elegant as a cat, they weren't as awkwardly gangly as two-legger species, either.

She stretched out, arcing her back and exposing her tummy to the sun. She really should get a move on if she was going to keep looking for James, but...maybe just one more minute in the sunshine...

It was nice to be a goddess.

Angoril stretched out comfortable atop her pile of treasures, sending a bronze cup skittering down the flanks of the pile of coins, gems, and other trinkets. One of the shaman's acolytes ran after the wayward piece of the Lady of Turbid Waters' treasures and reverently returned it to the pile. The black dragoness regarded him with a half slitted eye and she slowly huffed an approval. The trembling goblin returned to his post at the front of her temple, keenly aware that his Lady would show mercy or contempt just as freely and that he was blessed to not be eaten.

Outside of the stone temple, under the dragon's watchful gaze, her tribe constructed a new hovel of mud and sticks and stones. Families were growing and her tribe now numbered eighty families. There were many mouths to feed, and the hunting was getting more difficult. This concerned the dragon, but less for altruistic reasons and more for her own comfort. It had been many moons since she had had to go out and roust any orcs or rival goblin tribes. No basilisk had threatened the borders of her forest kingdom, and she had not gotten to taste the lifeblood of a creature that she herself had hunted...that felt wrong somehow. She was the avatar of the goddess of death! She would be failing her tribe if she did not exercise her divine aspect. She kneaded her claws into the treasure pile and addressed her honor guard.

"Tonight I shall go into the waters and hunt. The tribe has done well and is a fine testimony to the power of their Lady. Tell the hunters that tonight is a night of celebration. Tomorrow, we will have a death ceremony to celebrate the life I consume tonight."

They saluted dutifully as she leveraged herself up. The sun had started its journey towards the horizon, so she walked herself from house to house in the village, greeting her supplicants and blessing them. By the time she reached the swampy edge of the river that ran through her territory, the sky was turning a bloody orange. She slithered into the water and headed out for her night's hunt.

The smell of saltwater and the chatter of seagulls was all the lullaby former thief turned treasure hunter Simon Dabrowski needed. The pub he had chosen to rest in had been named something different the last time he'd been in Cerenis; The Wicked Wyvern? The Naughty Nymph? Something along those lines. It was The Gilded Lily now and it had changed owners, theme, and direction...the pub had been a sailor's haunt those many years ago and had a very...manly...choice in its lack of decor. Fights had been common, whoring had been the norm, and respectable people hadn't set foot inside for fear of catching something that a healer couldn't fix.

The Lily was a different breed of establishment altogether. There were still card games and drinking, but the cards were dealt by well dressed dealers, the music was played by musicians in fine uniforms, and diners enjoyed choice cuts of meat and gourmet dishes served by waitstaff in similar uniforms to the waiters. Everything was touched with garnet red or brilliant gold accents. The bar top was polished cherry wood with gilded accents. The alcohol bottles weren't dusty.

And the patrons were not ashen from road dust, armed with daggers, masked, or cloaked like some brigand or highwayman from a bard's midsummer tale. Well, one was. The crowd stared at Simon and he stared back. For a long moment, silence pervaded the space between songs, then the band struck up again and the tension melted. The zombie treasure hunter slid to the card tables and found an empty chair. It took two garnets and a small sapphire slid to the dealer in order to get dealt in, but the pot would be worth it if Simon could work the table and bilk some of the fat cats from their gold.

Angoril's tribe of goblins, the People of Turbid Waters, thrived under her patronage. They were a large tribe, fat and strong. Their village was well fortified, boasting of a stacked rock wall, pens for goats and pigs, a temple for their goddess-who-lived-among-them, and a healthy spiritual life. Their main form of worship was to find travelers and bring them to the Lady, then watch with glee as she played with and devoured them. It was significant, representing how the tribe would destroy and devour their enemies under her guidance.

A raiding party roved through the forest, gibbering in glee as they ran and chased prey. The hunters collected small prey for the people of the tribe, then turned their attention to a tribute. Last week, the hunters had driven in a bear and were honored, but the hunters group that had brought in a basilisk once were given great honors by the shamans, getting a year off of building duties and were to be given the finest cuts at all the tribal ceremonies. The only thing more valuable than a basilisk to the lady was a human. She enjoyed their fight and their screams as she played with them. They were, preferably, to have a weapon. If they had magic, all the better. Skeld was armed with the knockout gas and Gortch had his hammer, named Sleepy-bye, to knock out their tribute. The other eight goblins had their blades and arrows to engage prey. They would find something. They always did.

The rumors of an abandoned treasure hall of an ancient dwarves lord had served as adventure bait for Simon. Despite his city upbringing and preferences, he'd found himself spending more and more time out of doors. This wasn't a bad thing. The lack of crowds...of people in general...meant he could act a bit more unnaturally, even if he didn't go unmasked. As an example, he was able to hike and climb the rugged terrain without needing to pause to catch a breath. The colder air gave him no pause, and he did not tire. His reward for this was being up at the carved doors of the hall when the sun crested the horizon. For all his heart was not beating anymore, the sight stirred something in him and brought a thrill of delight. Life, even his unlife, was good today.

There was only one wrinkle: someone had arrived at the ruins first. A small tent was pitched in the flat, windless lee of the cliff face.  Simon doubted he could open the stone doors of the ruins and slip by without waking the individual inside the tent, but he wasn't going to abandon the prospect, either. Diplomacy was his best bet, then. The lanky thief-turned adventurer took a sprawling seat on a rock and watched the sun rise, waiting for whomever was asleep to wake up. If they didn't want to work together,  Simon figured he could give them the slip and find his share of treasure before they could figure out how to stop him.

Two months ago he was on the run during a jail break. Now, he was in Connlaoth. Connlaoth was not where Simon would have chosen to do his work, but the alchemist he was working for had specified dragon bones from a pearl black dragon. The magic, they'd said, was in their bones. Personally, Simon thought that a dragon was a dragon. There was no need to cross the border, risk being caught by a Mordecai, and taken fully into death by the magic hating people of Connlaoth. But his employer insisted. So, north he had gone into Zhared'dur's barrow to bring back a sack of bones. The map he had been provided was clear enough. Two miles west of a small hamlet, there was a waterfall. Under the waterfall was a cave system that can up to the dragon's lair and final resting place. Being gifted-or cursed- with the ability to not need to breathe, Simon was perfectly suited to go in and out without any discomfort or fear of drowning.

This wasn't the first fetch quest he had been sent on; Hama wanted this that and the other thing for her collection, promising that each rare and unique reagent would bring Simon one step closer to the land of the living. He'd have to keep working for her after that for another three years. This was fine. She's accepted his odd state, outfitted him with dark leather boots and gloves, sturdy canvas pants and shirt, leather armor, an ash grey cloak, and a wooden mask to conceal himself as he did her work. She'd funded his equipment purchases as well, not blinking as he'd insisted on a brace of daggers, an adventurer's basic kit, and thieves tools. Hama'd merely tallied it up and paid the bill, then sent him to an abandoned witches hut for a rare lichen. He'd found some other, more valuable things there, too, like spellbooks and potions, so he sold those on the side. He'd become rich with such side work, but Hama's list came before his own.

That's how he had gotten here, at the edge of a sheer chasm not listed on the map. Simon had no rope or ladder sufficient to cross. Instead, he'd need to climb. Too bad for him he had no tools.

"Great. A trip to town and to the blacksmith. Just what I need." he grumbled. Especially in Connlaoth. Ah well. Nothing to be done for it. He'd already discovered a hidden cache of jewels, so finding was no issue. It was just...even a glimpse of his pale, greenish skin would send the town into a panic. He didn't want that for them or himself. He'd have to bribe the blacksmith to be quick. Even farrier's nails would do, if he had them made already, Simon bargained with his goddess, Lady Luck.

Back through the cave, out of the water tunnel, and back ashore he went. His gelding Fairwind was as nonplussed and unbothered as usual, earning a pat and scratch for his even temper.

"Alright, boy. Let's go. I'll get you an apple or something for your patience," he promised the beast. The morning sun and calm breeze dried his gear during the leisurely ride into town.

Together they rode into the village, grey horse and grey cloaked stranger. They earned plenty of stares. Rather, Simon did for the mask he wore. It was spelled simply, not allowing anyone to see past the narrow eye and mouth slits to the monster underneath. Simon rode Fairwind to the inn and stable and paid the boy there for the horse's care.

"I should be back around sundown," he promised, noting that there were several other  horses stabled. They were big and had the air of military training around their strong flanks and withers. Crap. Military horses? They were fine bred enough. Maybe it would be better to hide in the woods for the night until the knights moved on. And waste another day in Connlaoth? No thanks, Simon decided. He turned on his heel and walked out to the mud street. A small chapel to the local god drew him in. He didn't worship their deity, but it always paid to be polite. The priest eyed him suspiciously, especially when he didn't remove his cloak or mask.

"This is a house of god, man! Have you no respect?" the priest challenged in anger.
"Forgive me, honorable one...I was cursed some time ago and it is less of an offense for me to be concealed than to genuflect as your patron deserves," Simon replied, flashing the handful of amethysts, rubies, and sapphires he was depositing in the offering box. Mollified, the priest blessed him and bid him a good day. Simon nodded and returned the benediction.

Next was to the smith. He received similar treatment: suspicion followed by gratitude at his generosity. He had money to burn and a good reputation was valuable, he decided. He went to the market next, more to waste time than to purchase anything. A knot of men and women caught his eye: armor and swords. Dangerous. Simon moved away from them to an older woman selling pies. She was distracted by a customer and the situation was being taken advantage of by a small boy intent on thieving. Simon put his hand on the kid's shoulder.

"Hey now. That isn't yours, boy. With fingers as clever as that, you could earn your pies rather than steal them. And trust me, I know...earned tastes better." he lectured, knowing that the whelp was him ten years ago. Thieving had built his life and ruined it. Now he used the skills, but against the dead instead of the living. The kid squirmed away from him and tried to run, but the pie lady stopped him.

"'ere now, that's three times this week you've stolen, Bradderick! The Watch'll be on you!"

Simon drew in a small breath at the threat. He remembered the beatings he had gotten when he was caught and it drove him to compassion.

"Miss, please be merciful to him. Does this cover your losses?" he offered her a gold coin, which she took quickly. He turned to the boy and was about to say something further when a buzzing, droning feeling in his head started up, then overwhelmed him. With a groan, he dropped to a knee. Hunger like he had never felt started gnawing at him. The zombie wasn't hungry...it was starving. With a guttural, monstrous groan, it pushed itself back up and stumbled to the pie seller, snatching at her to try and rend her flesh. Teeth gnash and snapped under the mask ineffectively.

Simon's jail break had not gone unnoticed. The work prison he was leaving in his trail was clanging with alarms, bells, and torchlight as the guards sought to bring back Warden Monmouth's prized experiment.

Number eight...you will always belong to me

The necromancer's whisper lingered, oily and thick in the zombie-man's ear. Well, not so much a zombie. He wasn't a mindless flesh-eater, after all. Just a thief. A felon, a reprobate runaway escaped convict.

Shit, Simon thought. He was near a town, but who would take in such an obvious piece of necromancy trash like himself? Nope, he'd have to hide and figure it out on his own.

Nearly too late, he saw a torch ahead of him on the road. Simon dove off the side of the path into a bush, trying to hide his unnatural features.

What are your favorite kinds of plots and relationships to play? I like grimdark, quirky, or plot driven storylines

What are your least favorite kinds of plots and relationships to play? fluffy romances aren't for me.

What are your favorite character types to play? odd characters with a quirk.

Are you a planner or a pantser? Do you prefer to pre-plan and stick to a script when posting, or do you prefer to surprise and be surprised? I can go either way.

How do you feel about group threads? awesome.

How often can you reply to any given thread? How long should a partner wait before nudging you for a post? I can reply quickly. If it's been over a week, give me a nudge.

What is the longest you're willing to wait for a reply to a thread? I'm willing to wait as long as necessary.

How do you feel about instant messenger RP? it's fun.

Ho do you feel about post volleying/rapidfire RP?
I like it.

What's your preferred posting style? Long posts? Short posts? Anything and everything? quality posts of a medium to long length are ideal but I'll take what I can get.

Any RP styles/habits that you love? third person and observant are great. Give me sensory details to work off of

Any RP styles/habits that you avoid? fluffy romance or filler posts aren't fun.



What are you limits regarding powerplay/godmoding? I want to be talked with before any power play happens.

What are your limits in regards to romantic situations?
I don't like romance stuff generally but I prefer relationships to happen organically.

What are your limits with regards to graphic content such as sex, violence, drug use, sexual assault, etc?
R rated is my limit for most stuff (except that Saw level serial killer I wrote once upon a time)

What are your limits in regards to pregnancy within plots?
You do you.

What about healing?
If it's someone else's character I don't mind. If it's mine, talk to me first.

What about characters being transformed against their will? talk with me if it's my character.

Anything else?
Nope.

Henlo

Well, this was not normal. Not normal at all, the cat thought to herself. James' home was not supposed to be open and empty like this. And the smells! Ugh! Something smelled sulphur and deadly and gross, worse than the skunk she's run into when she was just out of kittenhood. No, the overturned shelves, the broken table, and the scorching in James' work space told the cat that something bad had happened while she was out hunting.

"MURROW?" she called out, just to hear James scold her for not using her collar. Silence. She meowed again, louder. Hmph. Where was he? The cat lashed her tail and headed upstairs to his bedroom, then paused. There was blood in the hallway. It wasn't James' blood, by the smell of it, but it didn't belong in their home. Cautiously, she explored every room, not finding her person. Nobody. Huh. Did he leave her? Luna took herself outside to the garden and sat on the wall, thinking. James needed her to find him. Where was she to start? Well, the other people-nests...houses, she corrected herself, might have a clue to where her person went.

"Hello? I need help, please! she called out telepathically, looking around with her amber eyes. She spotted someone and called out to them.

"Excuse me, come here to the very pretty kitty. I need help."