@Razor-D-Belphe @Whim

It was shaping up to be a beautiful morning. The sun hadn't quite peered over the horizon yet, but the edges of the sky were beginning to turn pink. The sounds of both the Hivan ocean and the jungle melded together, and a thin morning mist permeated the air.

Adrian Ajurrem stood on the beach, a little over a mile from the Port of Jin'ta. Behind him was what appeared to be the start of a trail leading into jungle. In the distance a few houses could be seen, but apart from that there was no sign of any other humans. The young man tapped his foot on the ground expectantly, checking the time on his wrist-mounted sundial. "Where are they? I said to be here before sunrise..."

He was, of course, here for a reason- the Silver Dreamcatcher. Wyrdwood's alchemical stock of dreampearls was running dangerously low, and rumours of the near-mythical spider's whereabouts pointed to a particular swath of Kunata's jungle known as "Agrawal's Undergrowth". Said area was notorious for being full of dangerous flora and fauna, and those who entered rarely left alive. Adrian had hired a couple of adventurers to help, but if they didn't show...

The sun began to to rise, and the young man was beginning to get antsy...

"And then, Grand Master Mordecai Mercer was all like 'Never suffer an evildoer to live', and she stabbed the bad guy right through the chest!"

Fonzo Von Lohengramm sighed. It was early Ansgar's Day morning, and church still had yet to start. Dressed in his white acolyte robes, the boy handed leaflets to the slow trickle of people entering the building. Most took the flyers without so much as a "good morning", which was always disheartening.

"What about you? Did you hear any good hero stories lately?"

Fonzo looked across the the small entrance hall at the other acolyte- a young White Lily by the name of Adharah- and shook his head. "Sorry, I really haven't!" The boy shifted his weight slightly, crossing his arms. "Besides, even if I did you wouldn't like them. You only wanna hear about girl heroes."

Adhara put her hands on her hips, scowling. "Well duh! That's cause girls are braver than boys!"

"Nuh-uh!" Fonzo said as he handed out another two leaflets. "What about Ansgar? He was a hero and he was so brave he became God!"

The girl stamped her foot on the ground. "No fair! He doesn't count!"

"Yeah-huh he does!" the boy replied immediately, giving away his last paper. "He's gotta count, he was the best!" Walking towards the back of the room to get a second stack of leaflets, he looked back at the younger child. "Like, he was so brave that he- OOF"

Having not looked where he was going, Fonzo walked right into a priest with an urn of water in his hand. The water splashed onto his robes as he stumbled, seeming to harmlessly roll off instead of soaking through. "Ah! Sorry Father Perry, It won't happen again!"

So! My bug catcher Adrian is hunting for a legendary spider- the Silver Dreamcatcher. The ethereal webs spun by this spider ensnare the nightmares of nearby creatures, which the dreamcatcher then solidifies and eats. Naturally these solidified dreams are highly valued as spell components and potion reagents, and can fetch a small fortune when sold to the right buyer.

Only problem is, the Silver Dreamcatcher lives deep in the jungles of Thanatos. Adrian isn't very tough, and he's worried that without help he won't be able to make the trip! Since his expedition is being funded by Wyrdwood, he's more than willing to pay any mercenary willing to help out.

Basically, I'm looking for 2-3 other characters to go on an island adventure. Let me know if you're interested!

"And you're sure of what you saw?"

Molly Starklein trudged up the steep forest path, sword slung over her shoulder. Behind her was another ranger- an older man named Enoch. Leading them up the trail was a very shaken looking man with a ponytail. "Y-yes, I'm sure." he said, glancing back at them worriedly. "I- I can't explain it. You just need to see."

Molly rolled her eyes. They'd been called here to investigate a body, but had recieved no additional information besides that. This man clearly wasn't going to be of help until they reached whatever he'd found- and they'd already been hiking for nearly an hour! If this was all a big nothing...

She shuddered- there was something off about Wyrm Mountain. The sky was clear, but the air around them was could and dry. The trees were devoid of birdsong, and the ranger hadn't seen any of the squirrels and rabbits you'd expect to find in such a forested area. Molly could feel an odd prickle on the back of her neck, too- as if something unseen was watching them. "Myyla's underwear..." she muttered grumpily. "Are we almost there yet? This place gives me the creeps."

_________________QUICK STATS
Name: Rosemary Whitechalk (nee Kermeilde)
Age: 43
Gender: Female
Species: Human
Ethnicity: Verdan
Height: 5'8"
Weight: 134 lbs.
Occupation: Noblewoman, Mother
Residence: Whitechalk Manor, Altas Verde
Favorite Food: Baked Ziti
Alignment: Lawful Evil


_______________IN-DEPTH STUFF

Physical Description:
Rosemary Whitechalk is a tall, hawkish woman in her early fourties. Her face is thin and pointed, and any signs of aging are covered up by her colorful and often glittery makup. The woman's eyes are an unsettling yellow hue, and her straight blonde hair is kept short and neat.

Rosemary covets extravagant clothing and jewelry, and typically wears enough diamonds to bankrupt a lesser nobleman. Most noticable are her eight pyramid style rings- she wears one on each finger, which causes them to resemble sparkly brass knuckles.

Ironically, Rosemary's spirit stone is white sapphire. She wears her piece in a delicate gold broach shaped like a flower.

Personality:
Histrionic to a fault, Rosemary wears her emotions on sleeve. The woman is prone to violent mood swings, and her temper is infamously volitile. She's painfully aware of these flaws, however, and tries her hardest to work past them. It's a struggle for her, but she's all too aware of the consequences such behavior could have on her children.

While she loves her family dearly, Rosemary often says things she doesn't really mean when she's upset- "I hate you" and "I wish you were never born" being the most common. She always feels guilty afterwards, and tries to make up for her words with expensive gifts.

Relationships:
Rosemary is madly in love with her husband Coriander, and is near-obsessed with helping him achieve his goals. (PM me if you're interested in playing this character!)

Rosemary has three children- Basil, Juniper, and Sage. They are her pride and joy, and everything she does, she does for them.

Rosemary has cut ties with the Kermeilde family, and hasn't spoken to her parents and two brothers in years. She does keep tabs on them, however- she takes pleasure in laughing at any misfortune that befalls them.

Magic/Abilities:
Rosemary has the ability to make plants grow flawless, fully faceted diamonds. The size and cut of the diamonds grown depends on the size and shape of the seeds/fruit of the plant in question. For example, thistle will produce 0.5-1mm melee stones, whereas a pumpkin vine will grow a pumpkin sized diamond. She gets annoyed that she's unable to grow princess cut stones- there are no square fruit.

History:
Born to impoverished farmers in Viden's Barony, Rosemary Kermeilde grew up knowing nothing of luxury. Every day was a struggle to put food on the table, and the young girl became accustomed to going to bed hungry at night- her parents felt her older brothers needed what little food they had more than she did. It was no secret that her parents considered her a mistake, and the verbal abuse she faced brought her close to self-harm on many occasions. To say this made Rosemary bitter is an understatement, and she grew to resent her family for how they treated her.

She was sixteen when Coriander came into her life. Only a few years older than Rosemary herself, the young man saw something in her that nobody else ever had- potential. Taking the girl under his wing, Coriander showed her how to control the power that had been laying dormant within her- pulling Rosemary out of poverty in the process.

When her family learned of Rosemary's newfound wealth, their attitude towards her changed. Suddenly the Kermeilde's favorite child, they begged her to share her fortune with them, practically grovelling at her feet. Thoroughly disgusted, Rosemary abandoned her family to their squalor, never once looking back

Rosemary has since married Coriander and has bore him three children, and uses her power to fund her new family's endeavors.

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_________QUICK STATS
Name: Fiorina (was called "Peridot" when she was very little)
Age: 31
Gender: Female
Species: Kulshedra
Ethnicity: Green?
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 179 lbs.
Occupation: Slave
Residence: Whitechalk Manor, Altas Verde
Favorite Food: Whatever she's given
Alignment: Lawful Neutral


________IN-DEPTH STUFF

Physical Description:
Fiorina isn't pretty anymore. The young Kulshedra's skin is covered in horrific burn scars, and scales that used to be a stunning shade of green are now cracked and blackened. Her right eye is incapable of opening all the way, and a portion of her nose has been eaten away. She still has a few brightly colored patches on her chin and one of her ears, and the gem on her neck was somehow left unscarred.

Fiorina dresses in drab servant's clothing, and wears her hair in a tight ponytail that reaches just past her shoulders.

Personality:
Contrary to her rather frightening appearance, Fiorina is a timid, soft spoken girl. She tries to smile a bit too hard, and can come off as "being fake" because of it.

Fiorina has a near-crippling case of pyrophobia, a fear caused by surviving a forest fire as a child. The feeling of the flames eating away at her skin, her cries for help stifled by the smoke filling her lungs, the screams of her tribe as the fire consumed them- all of it has been burned into her memory like a hot brand, and even a lit candle is enough to trigger a minor panic attack.

Relationships:
Juniper Whitechalk is Fiorina's owner. Juniper doesn't make her to do a whole lot, though- just generic "handmaid" work. She does thinks it's "funny" to order Fiorina to light candles, however. Needless to say, Fiorina doesn't like her all too much.

Due to her fear of fire and (mostly) human upbringing, Fiorina has trouble forming connections with other Kulshedra. Every conversation she's ever had with one has been awkward, and by this point she's taken to avoiding other members of her species entirely.

Magic/Abilities:
None that she's aware of yet.

History:
She was too young to remember how the fire started- only that it did. The young kulshedra was near death when the squad of rangers sent to handle the fire discovered her, and her recovery was nothing short of miraculous. With nobody else from her tribe surviving and the orphanages unwilling to take her, the young child ended up being sold into slavery. Rechristened "Fiorina" by her new owners, the girl was made to work in the jade mines at Viden's Barony

After decades of excruciating labor, Fiorina was purchased by Juniper Whitechalk. It's not much better- Juniper isn't exactly known for being kind- but hey, at least she's doesn't have to carry heavy rocks around anymore, right?

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__QUICK STATS
Name: Khronen Vysorak
Age: 418
Gender: Female
Species: Starstrider Elf/Human
Ethnicity: House Horizon
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 159 lbs.
Occupation: Will do odd jobs for money
Residence: Flits from place to place
Favorite Food: Whatever her current obsession's favorite happens to be
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral


__IN-DEPTH STUFF

Physical Description:
Khronen Vysorak could be pretty, if she actually put effort into her appearence. Her skin is an ashy grey color, and her facial features are pointed and delicate. Her eyes- while vibrant in color- are blank, and her sclera are visible above her irises. Her black hair is tangled and often unwashed. Her height is reduced somewhat by her noticable slouch, and she has a habit of cracking her neck every few minutes.

Khronen owns three identical pink sweaters with heart designs on them, She never goes a day without wearing one of them, and all of them are ratty and worn as a result. They also smell bad- she rarely washes her own clothes.

Khronen's family has interbred with humans for some fourty-odd generations. Because of this, her ability to recognize the soul vibrations of other people has diminished to the point where being able to hear them at all is enough to convince her that person is her Resonance- at least for a while, anyway.

Personality:
Single-minded and obsessive, Khronen is determined to find her resonance by any means necessary.

She doesn't really know what to look for though! Due to her inability to distiguish soul vibrations, Khronen has been left at a major disadvantage compared to other Starstriders. Centuries of fruitless searching and endless disappointment have begun to take a toll on the woman's mental state, and it's clear just by looking at her that she's beginning to go off the deep end.

When it comes to actual romance, Khronen comes off as way more creepy and desperate than she likely intends. If she thinks you're "the one", then she's probably going to stalk you, break into your house to leave you gifts, drive away your friends so she'll be the only one you talk to, and murder your pets if she thinks you love them more than you love her. Have fun trying to get rid of her!

Relationships:
Khronen's family is alive and well, but she's cut ties with them due to ideological differences.

Khronen has had tons of "soulmates", but they always end up leaving her :(

Magic/Abilities:
Khronen has telekenesis! It's pretty weak though- she can't move anything larger than an apple, and can't pick up anything farther than 10 ft. away from her.

History:
Having meekly accepted that they're fated for destruction, the members of the Vysorak bloodline have long since given up hunting for their resonances. Most have given into hedonism, and for generations the family has produced nothing but Horizons. To say other Starstriders dislike them is an understatement, and they're typically shunned by others because of their behavior.

Khronen, however, is trying to change that. Her desire to find her soulmate was initially born out of youthful rebellion, but was further cemented by affirmation from Starstriders outside her bloodline. Eventually growing to resent her family for perpetuating what she views to as an inherantly self-destructive ideology, Khronen has vowed to find her resonance no matter what...

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__QUICK STATS
Name: Apirka Lierre
Age: 36
Gender: Female
Species: Human
Ethnicity: Verdan
Height: 5'4"
Weight: 194 lbs.
Occupation: Priestess of Myyla
Residence: Town of Seren, Altas Verde
Favorite Food: Croque monsieur
Alignment: Lawful Good


__IN-DEPTH STUFF

Physical Description:
Apirka Lierre is a short, portly woman with coppery skin. Her long black hair reaches her mid-back, and her violet eyes are warm and inviting. The woman dresses in green robes, and wears talismans and amulets that jingle when she walks.

Apirka's spirit stone is labradorite! Her rose cut piece is set in a yellow gold basket pendant.

Personality:
A compassionate, community-focused woman, Apirka has completely dedicated herself to Seren and it's townsfolk. She can come off as a nosy busybody at times- and in a lot of ways she is- but that's only so she can "nurture a prosperous and peaceful community". At least, that's her excuse...

Apirka has a bad habit of babying people- even if you're only a few months younger than her, she'll act like there's a ten year age gap. She also calls herself "old" a lot, even though she's only in her thirties.

As Seren's priestess of Myyla, Apirka works diligently to live up to the virtues valued by her goddess. She considers it her responsibility to help those deemed "weak" by others, and goes out of her way to help them live up to their full potential.

Relationships:
Apirka is generally well-liked by the rest of Seren, and is seen as a pillar of the town's community. There are people who get fed up with her over-authoritative behavior, however- most noticably the town beggar, who seems to hate her with a passion.

Magic/Abilities:
Apirka has no magic of her own! She can, however, commune with her goddess Myyla, and is familiar with many rites used to invoke her favor. Most notable of these is the Rite of Reflection- the ritual used to determine a Verdan's spirit stone.

History:
Born into a stone cutting family, Apirka Lierre has lived in Seren her entire life. She absolutely loves her hometown, and wouldn't leave it for the world.

As a teenager, Apirka had a religious experience while on a family trip to the cyathil mine on Wyrm Mountain. While she's never been able to explain exactly what she saw, whatever happened convinced the girl to become a disciple of Myyla.

It's been nearly twenty years since then, and Apirka's faith has only grown stronger...

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Whenever Adharah Braunschweig was allowed to leave the church unsupervised, there was usually some kind of list involved. This time was no different- the young knight had been sent to buy supplies the church ladies needed for that week's children's program.

Reajh's market district was very busy this morning, and the bustling crowds gathered around the stalls made it very difficult for Adharah to find what she was looking for. Every time she got close to one, somebody seemed to push her to the side. "Urgh! This is no way to treat a hero!" the girl thought angrily. "You guys wouldn't treat Grand Master Mordecai Mercer like this I bet!"


A muffled cry snapped the girl out of her thoughts. "What?" she said out loud, looking for the source of the voice. Wandering away from the marketplace, Adharah rested her hand on her sword.

"Shut yer gob an' pay up!" said a voice from a nearby alley. Eyes wide, Adharah peered around the corner to see somebody being held at gunpoint by a rugged looking man in a leather jacket. "Or would y'rather I just blow yer brains out? Would save me a lot of frustration..."

"I have to do something!" Adharah thought, a look of steely determination on her face. "What would Sir Mittermeyer do?"

"Stop right there, villain!" The girl stepped into the alley, sunlight reflecting brightly off of her armor. She drew her sword and pointed it at the mugger, putting on her most confident smile. "I suggest you run, lest I decide to give you a taste of my Blade of Justice!"

The muggers head whipped around, and he pointed his gun at the girl. Adharah remained steadfast, staring at him defiantly. "Crud, what if he's not scared? Then what do I do?"

________QUICK STATS
Name: Sigilwig Von Merkatz
Age: 24
Gender: Female
Species: Human
Ethnicity: Connlaothian
Height: 5'8"
Weight: 139 lbs.
Occupation: Seamstress, Flagmaker
Residence: Town of Southpine, Northwatch
Favorite Food: Ham Salad
Alignment: Lawful Good


______IN-DEPTH STUFF

Physical Description:
Sigilwig Von Merkatz... isn't pretty, let's put it that way. The woman has an almost comical looking overbite, and when her mouth is closed her top row of teeth pokes over her lower lip. Her green eyes have dark bags underneath them, and her curly brown hair is always impossibly tangled. Her skin is splotchy and unhealthy looking, as if she has some kind of rash.

Sigilwig sounds like she has a stuffy nose when she talks- which is because she usually does. The list of things she's allergic to could go on for several pages, so I won't list them all here.

Personality:
Awkward and uncomfortable, Sigilwig isn't what many would call "good company". The woman has a tendency to rush all of her social interactions, and is incredibly resistant to being approached- both figuratively and literally. She always stands approximately eight feet away from whoever she's talking to, and will actually step back if you try to move closer.

Those who do manage to rope Sigilwig into a conversation will find that she seemingly has no sense of self-worth, and will willingly take the blame for anything that goes wrong when she's around. The woman apologizes so much that "I'm sorry" has practically become a verbal tick. Oddly enough, she never asks for forgiveness- whether she assumes she wouldn't receive it, or feels she doesn't deserve it, is unknown.

Sigiwig is fervently patriotic, and firmly believes that Serendipity is the greatest nation on earth. She has a particular fondness for Mageknights, and could go on for hours about just how cool she thinks they are. Sigilwig loves magic in general, really- she just keeps a really safe distance when she watches it being cast.

Sigilwig loves receiving letters, and vastly prefers them to face-to-face conversation.

Relationships:
The town of Southpine is keeping an eye on Sigilwig. The townsfolk don't necessarily mind her living there so long as she behaves, but they aren't exactly fond of her either. Children sometimes throw rocks at her =/

Sigilwig's parents are alive, and they keep in touch through mail.

Magic/Abilities:
Sigilwig is an Adhara! Her field extends seven feet from her body. She's also a fairly talented seamstress, and has a surprisingly good grasp on Serenian politics.

History:
Growing up in a patriotic, pro-magic household, all Sigilwig ever wanted in life was to learn magic. Her parents, both mages from Connlaoth, had barely managed to escape their old country with their lives. Understandably, the idea that Serendipity was a land of freedom and acceptance was drilled into the young girl's head from an early age.

Desiring to be a mage like her parents, Sigilwig spent the majority of her youth trying to learn magic. The girl had a dream- she was going to join the Serenian Mageknights and protect the country that had given her family it's second chance. She never had any luck- but this only drove Sigilwig to try harder.

She was fourteen when her Adharism developed. It started out small- first spells wouldn't work on her, then they wouldn't work around her, and soon she couldn't even go near anything magical without it immediately turning off. Sigilwig was distraught- how could she have been born as one of the monsters that had oppressed her parents? In her own desire to keep Serendipity safe, Sigilwig made the decision to isolate herself from the rest of society. It was her obligation as a Serenian citizen to do so- her ability made her a menace to society, intentional or not.

Ten years have passed since then. These days Sigilwig barely leaves her small cottage in the woods- only venturing out once a week to buy fabric and groceries. She's managed to make a small living for herself making Serenian flags she sells wholesale to other shops- her way of supporting the country she loves, small as it may be.

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The first day of the semester was always a busy one at Wyrdwood. Returning students reunited with the friends they didn't get to see over the break, sharing stories of their adventures at home. Excited first-years roamed the halls after unpacking, exploring the castle they'd call home for the next eight years. A few upperclassmen cast flashy spells on the school grounds, wowing the small crowd of new students and their parents who'd shown up to watch. The was a general feeling of optimism in the air, as if just being at the school made anything possible.

Naturally, Arthur Clearwater hated all of it. He never wanted to attend this school in the first place! He had hoped his poor performance last semester would convince his father to pull him out of Wyrdwood altogether, and yet here he was- back for his second year. It just wasn't fair!

The Verdan boy wandered the busy hallways, looking for somewhere, anywhere, he could go to escape the noise. Normally Arthur would go to the library when he wanted peace and quiet (which was always), but today it was packed with new students renting their first spellbooks. The courtyard had been similarly crowded, and it looked like the boy was running out of options. The only quiet place left was...

Now moving a bit quicker (though still barely lifting his feet off the ground), Arthur tightened the buckle on his pillow hat. He hastily turned down a side corridor...

...And proceeded to walk right into somebody.

"And you're sure we're going the right way?"

"Of couse I'm sure! Have I ever steered you wrong?"

"...Yes."

Ignatius Pratt walked the streets of Hylop, Carolina the goldfinch perched on his head. The two had to pass through Ravensway on their way back to Zantaric, and had stopped in the town in order to get food. It had only taken a few minutes for them to get hopelessly lost.

"Really, I think we've passed this building, like, twice..."

"Oh, relax, relax. Look, we're-"


A loud noise from a back alley caused Ignatius to jump. Carolina flew off his head, circling the boy before soaring into the alleyway. "That noise sounded fun! Let's go see what made it!"

The boy ran after her, crying out in protest. "Come on! You'll just get us more lost!"

"Perfect! They're in view."

Sarah Whitechalk sat in a tree on the outskirts of Zantaric. She was practicing her assassination skills today, and she had been following her "target" for the better part of the day. She didn't know the person she was following- she'd chosen them at random. Sarah held her binoculars up to her eyes. "They're alone. Nobody else in sight. Awesome."

Finally, it happened- her target craned their neck to look at something, allowing Sarah a perfect view of their carotid artery. She grinned. "Yes! This is the part where I'd kill them! I win!"

Sarah, of course, didn't actually kill her target- she had no reason to. She liked knowing that she could have killed them though, and that's what mattered. Satisfied, she began to climb out of the tree...

...And with a loud *SNAP*, the branch she'd been sitting on broke off of the tree. Sarah yelped as she plummeted to the ground, landing with a dull thud. In a daze, she looked up to see her target staring at her. Sarah went pale- the binoculars in her hands made it fairly obvious that she'd been watching somebody, and since they were the only other person around...

"Shit! It's, uh, not what it looks like!"

Juniper had only been a few hours from home when the messenger beetle had delivered the letter. At first the girl had assumed it would be something minor, like a progress report on her Auntie's projects, or a note letting her know she'd forgotten her toothbrush again. It was for this reason that she didn't actually read the letter until the next day.

When she did, it would only take four words to make it the worst day of Juniper's life.


Juniper stormed through the door of Whitechalk Manor, slamming it behind her. Her wooden clogs clacked loudly against the jade floor, alerting everyone within earshot that the noblewoman had finally arrived. Servants quickly moved out of the girl's way as she passed- Juniper had a tendency to walk through people when she was upset, which was never a pretty sight.

Finally, she arrived at the family dining room. Her parents and older sibling were absent, seemingly having chosen not to wait for her. Juniper looked around the room frantically, one foot tapping on the ground impatiently. "Come on, come on!" she muttered under her breath. "Were all of you kidnapped?"

To say that Seren was beautiful during the winter months was an understatement. The pine forest the town was built around provided a sort of barrier against the snow- while the treetops had amassed a couple inches, the ground had only gotten a few centimeters at most. Icicles were beginning to form on the rooftops, giving the gargoyles who lived on them frosty-looking beards. The town was bustling despite the cold weather- the Solstice Festival was only two weeks away.

To Vincent Negroponte, however, winter just meant that it was cold. The young beggar sat on his knees, snow melting through his pants and socks. His entire body shivered, eyes that couldn't see staring blankly into the distance. He could hear the crunching of footsteps moving past him without a second thought- by this point, the townsfolk were well aware that the boy refused any help offered to him. "Good." the boy thought, his hand moving to clutch his necklace. "Who needs- no!"

Vincent's hand had only grasped open air- his moonstone pendant had vanished! Frantically the boy began to feel around for his missing spirit stone, hands finding nothing but snow and dirt. "No no no!" he cried softly, tears beginning to well up in "Where is is it? I can't loose that!"

@Whim @quaggan @Yeti @PlatonicLuv @Aeytrious @Viscount Rhi-Rhi @GoblinFae @nephero @Magyar @Paladienne @Shining Edge  @emeraldknight @Marjorie

Hey guys! The company I work for is sending me on another trip to Ohio to learn some "new" jewelry-making techniques. I already went to something like this for stone setting last year, except this time they'll be teaching me things I already know how to do! Of course, this means posts will be really slow from me this week. I might be able to squeeze in a few here and there, but until I get back on Saturday I probably won't have the time.

Just wanted to give you all a heads up!

It was a beautiful summer day in Cerenis. The port-town's streets were bustling with activity, and the air was filled with the sound of people enjoying themselves. The scent of the ocean mingled with the smell of fresh seafood. Seagulls wandered about as if they owned the place, squawking at each other and squabbling over unattended food.

Naturally, Emilia hated all of it.

It was much too bright for her liking. The sounds of humans having fun made her angry- it was if they were mocking her. The smell of fish made her nauseous, and those damn birds wouldn't shut up. Pulling her hood over her head in an attempt to keep the sun out of her eyes, Emilia briefly gazed into a shop window- and that's when she saw it.


It was a small figurine, made entirely of seashells. It wasn't exactly pretty- if anything, it was outright tacky- but something about it spoke to the former warlord. "Oh!" she exclaimed softly. "How quaint!" Walking into the shop, Emilia picked up the souvenir and showed it to the clerk. "You'll be giving me this."

The clerk gave her an odd look. "... No, you'll be paying for that."

Emilia rolled her eyes. "Suuuuure. And how much, dare I ask, will you charge me for it?"

"Twenty glints."

Emilia laughed- a snide, condescending noise. "Make it zero glints, and you have a deal. I'm not paying."

The shopkeeper stared blankly at her. "Get out of my shop."

Emilia smiled sweetly. "Gladly!" The woman would turn to leave, taking the tacky figurine with her....

The rain made it impossible to see. Thunder roared overhead, and lighting illuminated the night sky. Wallace Hope trudged along the dirt road, wishing he had never woken up that morning. It was bad enough that the village elder had given him an ultimatum to leave Yellowleaf after discovering the kind of mage was was, but the awful weather made it ten times worse. The young Necromancer's robes weren't designed to keep him dry, and even with his hood up he'd become thoroughly soaked. The rain had caused Wallace's long black hair to become plastered to his face, and he kept having to push it out of his eyes. "Well, it's not too bad." the young man thought optimistically. "It could be snowing! Now that would really suck."


Wallace stopped dead in his tracks- the loud noise hadn't been thunder that time. Gripping his stave tightly, Wallace ran in the the direction the noise had come from. His feet sloshed noisily through puddles of rainwater, and his wool socks were beginning to itch.

Finally, Wallace found the cause of the noise- a carriage had crashed into a ditch on the side of the road. The horse and coachman were laying in a bloody heap. The carriage itself was in splinters, seemingly having collapsed on top of itself. Wallace looked eyes widened. "Oh... Oh no..."

"H-help? Frederick?" a muffled voice called out from beneath the wreckage. "Anybody? I cant get out!"

Heart racing, Wallace sprang into action. Sliding down into the ditch, the young man tried to lift the rubble by himself- only to find it was far too heavy for him alone. He pointed his stave at the coachman, mentally ordering the corpse to lend a hand. The body rose, eyes glowing, and slowly lurched forward. Together, Wallace and the zombie were able to push the wreckage aside. The Necromancer looked down at the woman who'd been trapped, his face obscured by the shadow of his hood. "Ma'am, are you alright?"

The woman looked at Wallace, then at the corpse of the coachman. "F-Frederick?" she said, eyes wide. "What... what have you done to my husband?"

Wallace took a step back. "Um... well you see..." he began awkwardly. "That isn't really your husband, he's already-"

A bolt of lightning flew from the woman's hand, string Wallace in the chest. The young necromancer flew backwards into the mud, a cry of pain escaping his throat. "You monster!" The woman cried, standing up and facing the man. "You did this, didn't you!" Her hands crackled with energy as she approached Wallace, eyes glistening with hatred. "You've just made the biggest mistake of your life!"

Panicking, Wallace raised his arms in front of his face. "No, please!" he cried, releasing his control of the coachman. "You don't understand! I don''t want to hurt you! Please!"

The woman didn't listen, and raised her arm to cast a spell

_______________QUICK STATS
Name: Adrian Ajurrum
Age: 22
Gender: Male
Species: Human
Ethnicity: Serenian
Height: 5' 8"
Weight: 144 lbs.
Occupation: Magizoologist/Insect Seeker for Wyrdwood's Reliquary
Residence: Has a room at Wyrdwood, but often travels
Favorite Food: Crickets
Alignment: Lawful neutral (probably)


________________IN-DEPTH STUFF

Physical Description:
Adrian Ajurrum is pale young man with jet black hair. His face is youthful, and his eyes are a vivid purple. He usually wears shades of green- they help him keep camoflaged when he's on the job.

Adrian carries a large wooden staff with a bug jar attached to the top, and is never seen without his trusty butterfly net.

Personality:
Bright-eyed and adventurous, Adrian is so excited to have gotten this job! Tiny creatures fascinate him- insects, arachnids, pixies, and anything else he can catch and keep in a bug jar.

While Adrian seems charming in passing, people who spend more than a few hours with him tend to find him a bit unsettling. There's something off with him- he rarely stops smiling, and "mildly concerned" is as far as his negative emotions ever seem to go. Also, his treatment of creatures such as fairies and pixies seems downright unethical at times- just because you give them airholes doesn't make putting a sentient being in a bottle okay.

Relationships:
Adrian is a Seeker- a low-ranking member of Wyrdwood's Reliquary. It's his job to find rare, often magical insects for study and alchemical work.

Magic/Abilities:
Adrian can create pheromones! It's kinda gross, but if he picks his nose while using his power, he can imbue his snot with the pheromones of any animal/plant he's ever ingested a part of. Wiping his booger on something will cause the pheromones to attach to it, allowing Adrian to create lures, fake territorial markings, and other useful things.

Spoiler

Yes, he can create human pheromones. No he's not a cannibal- he just had a nail biting habit as a child. Why does everbody jump to that conclusion?

[close]

History:
Adrian had a pretty normal childhood, free of any major incidents. He grew up in Ravensway, and spent the majority of his time outside catching insects for his collection. He attended Wyrdwood when he was old enough, where he majored in magizoology. After graduation he got a job at the school, where his position as Seeker allows him to acquire funding that'd normally be unavailable to somebody his age.

____________________THREAD TRACKER
Current Threads:

Complete Threads:

Dawn was when the jungle was at it's noisiest. As the oppressive light of the sun rose above the horizon, thousands of birds began to sing in hopes of finding their match. The chirping of the night insects began to slow, taking a backseat to the chorus of birdcalls. Occasionally the rumbling of a larger animal could be heard over the rest, as if telling the jungle to quiet down. It was to no avail- there was no such thing as "sleeping in" when you lived in Kishahn.

Tsijiari sat atop the emergent layer, watching the dreaded sun make it's way into the sky. The golden-haired child stared defiantly at his foe. "You look-see me?" he yelled, a scowl etched onto his face. "Your light harm-fouls me none! Flee ever-quick to the other side of the sky!"

The sun said nothing in reply, which Tsijiari took to mean he'd intimidated it. Climbing down gracefully from the treetop into the understory, the boy began to search for his breakfast. After a few minutes he had two mangos in his satchel- one for now, and one for later. As he closed his bag and slung it over his shoulder, Tsijiari noticed something that nearly caused his heart to stop...

Tsijiari's compass had stopped spinning.

The boy was soon dashing through the jungle, compass held in front of him. "It has finally happened!" he thought, a determined grin on his face. "I have finally sought-found a crystal!" The boy looked down at his compass again, double checking that he was going the right way...

And promptly collided face-first into someone.