[ @visualspice !]

Oh, how her servants and advisers had fussed!

Qiana's pregnancy wasn't even showing, and yet her handmaidens were acting like she was nine months pregnant already! Like she ought to spend her days bedridden, like she might trip going down stairs on her own and oh, the horror if she stooped to pick something up on her own or lift anything that might be heavier than a plate! Qiana found such doting obnoxious before; she had come from Featherfall, after all, and she had been raised to be strong and independent like the other women in her family. She had participated in the gryphons hunts from a young age and even knew how to skin and gut an animal unaided.

She was a lady, yes, and the queen, but she was far from helpless and frail! And while it was irksome before, she had been able to endure it with poise and grace.

Nowadays, she felt like she could bite off their heads.

Between that and the stress of her job (did the fools not realize they were only stressing her out more?), enough was bloody enough! Qiana needed to get out in the fresh air and vent in a healthy way, away from all the fussing and responsibility. One day wouldn't hurt anyone.

And so she dressed in her simple hunting garb, a simple, sturdy dress with boots beneath, her hair tightly braided and pinned up and out of the way. She gathered a few of her most loyal guards, men and women she'd brought with her from Featherfall, and with them she set out on horseback to hunt...well, something. Maybe a deer for the kitchens. Wouldn't the cooks have a fit when they realized she was the one to slay it?

Her hunt took her near the swamps. There weren't many large forests around Arca, but where there were trees, they were most plentiful by the water. And where there was water, there were animals. She had been tracking a deer for some time, a young buck, and one of her companions reported fresh droppings which meant they were close.

Which was both exciting and unfortunate. Qiana had been enjoying her time out here, free and on horseback, and was hoping it would have lasted longer--

Her thoughts cut off. There was a rustle in the bushes, and then a large shape, shrouded in shadow. It moved again, and Qiana nocked an arrow and took aim.

It was a short hunt, but...there would always be others.

She took aim, and let the arrow fly.

Trigger warnings for rape/torture

---

Dragons were amazing beasts, and even after all these years, Khaiya was in awe of them. Their power; their grace; their majesty. They could decimate entire villages if they wanted to, entire cities, even, and in the past she had heard it was true they did. And perhaps some rogue beasts still did today. They were timeless and ancient and wise, creatures of muscles and magic that few could kill--and that those that tried and failed rarely survived.

And yet all it took was one large tear to their wing, the only part of them that wasn't covered in armor-like scales, to bring them to their knees.

Or rather, crashing to the ground.

Khaiya didn't know what did it; she didn't see it happen. She was distracted that morning and fatigued from a poor night's sleep, and so she'd let herself close her eyes just to relieve them of their tired burning as she leaned forward in the saddle, the gentle rise and fall of Jasper beneath her rhythmically soothing, the rush of air around her muted by the helmet she wore. It was a lovely day, sunny and calm, and she wasn't even officially on duty today. She just needed to get out and do something, and a quick flight seemed perfect for that. Stretch Jasper's wings, cure her anxiousness...

Of course, that was exactly when it happened.

Jasper let out piercing roar full of pain and anger and his body jerked, his wings working harder to support his massive weight, and Khaiya's eyes snapped open as ever muscle went taut just in an effort to hold on and stay seated. She was strapped in for safety's sake, but she was in no hurry to test just how well those straps worked!

"Jasper! What is it?" she telepathed at him, her heart hammering away in her chest. They were losing altitude, his wings unable to keep him airborne no matter how he strained, his claws pawing at the air as though that would help keep them afloat.

"My left wing," he telepathed back, and that was when Khaiya twisted in her seat to look--and saw the gaping hole that was flinging blood with every beat. "It's...unstrap yourself, Khaiya."

"What?! Are you crazy?"

"We're going to fall," Jasper continued, and she could hear his breath coming out in bursts as he struggled to keep control, and she watched in horror as he aimed them toward a large patch of forest along the mountainside. "I can try to make this gentle, but if we crash...you need to be free. You'll have a better chance if you're thrown than if I crush you when we--dammit!"

His wing buckled then, giving out from under him, and they plummeted Her stomach dropped and though she'd practiced dives with Jasper before, she thought this time she might truly vomit, right into her damned helmet, because this was not a controlled dive like those. This was a rolling, chaotic fall as the world spun around them into a blur of color, the sheer force of gravity whipping Khaiya around like a ragdoll.

And then, abruptly, Khaiya was no longer staring up at the sky but instead the trees below as Jasper rolled, the trees that were growing closer by the second.

"The strap, Khaiya!" Jasper growled, and Khaiya grabbed at it with shaking hands that didn't want to obey her commands--and yanked it free. And then she was staring at the sky again as she struggled free of the stirrups--and let go.

It was the last thing she remembered before she hit the trees.



The sky was dark when Khaiya woke up, and she was surrounded by trees.

She was also incredibly sore. Everything ached, and she knew as she laid there that she was pretty lucky to be alive. That without her armor, without her helmet, she would surely be dead. That she'd probably be dead if she hadn't let go, because there was a chance Jasper would land belly up--and a chance he'd land on his back with her beneath him and--

...Shit. Jasper.

"Jasper!" she yelled, scrambling to her hands and knees and wincing as her bruised and cut body protested. She gasped, pain shooting through her side--she'd probably broken a rib or two--and clamped a hand to the spot as she sucked in air. Shit. Shit.

There was no answer.

"Jasper!" she tried again, this time sending it out along their link, but again there was only silence.

Silence, except for the eerie sounds of the woods around her, and the distant howl of a wolf.

Either he was out of range or...

No. She did not want to think of the other possibility. She'd know if that were the case...wouldn't she?

Reaching up, Khaiya took off her helmet and mopped her sweaty brow with a gloved hand. Okay. She just had to think smart about this. Stay calm and logical.

It couldn't be that difficult to find a dragon.

__________________QUICK STATS
Name
Khaiya Stone
Age
24
Gender
Female
Species
Human
Ethnicity
Adelan
Height
5'7"
Occupation
Former slave, current dragon-knight!
Residence
Adela

__________________IN-DEPTH STUFF

Physical Description
Khaiya has thick and slightly curly dark red hair, which she wears cropped short, for there is nothing more annoying that soaring through the air with hair whipping your face! Her skin is a deep bronze in color, and her eyes are a piercing green with thick, dark lashes.

She has a strong build with little body fat, with hard, lean muscle in her arms and legs and defined abs. She has a large bust that she often binds when she's on duty.

On duty, she tends to wear the same sorts of clothes the other soldiers wear, sturdy breeches, plain tunic, vambraces and gloves, and light but hardy leather armor that protects her legs and arms, especially her thighs. After all, her dragon has rough scales and that chafes like hell!

When off duty, she tends to dress rather femininely, in dresses and the like.

Personality
Like her dragon, Khaiya is the sort of person whose looks and personality don't really seem to match! When she's all in her armor and on dragon-back, she looks like one badass mofo. And she is.

But she's also quiet. Very quiet. She's not the sort of person to strike up a conversation with a stranger on her own, though she'll happily continue that conversation once it's begun! Truthfully, she's always felt a bit out of place and awkward among the other riders, for her life experiences have been so...different. She doesn't feel like she can relate to many of them. Her quietness does have the benefit of making her come across as intimidating, as shyness can be interpreted by some as aloofness, but that's far from the truth!

When someone manages to crack her shell, though, they'll find that Khaiya is a rather kind person, the sort that doesn't have much of a bad bone in her. She's strong-willed and driven, has a warm sense of humor, and has a long fuse when it comes to her temper. When angry, she's less prone to exploding and more prone to abusing the silent treatment (because she doesn't want to say something she'd regret and she needs time and space to cool down! Of course, the silent treatment isn't a very kind of healthy way to deal with things and it punishes the other person more than anything) and guilt (like, "I'm not mad, I'm just disappointed.").

She is a slave to duty and to her job, and can work herself to exhaustion if she's not careful. She's also very "by the book"--she plays by the rules, is a stickler for them, and gets really anxious when she sees other people breaking rules (or encouraging her to!). Her deepest fear is failing at her job--and getting sent back to Essyrn. It's completely irrational, but it's always in the back of her mind, and to this day she still has a lot of anxiety and triggers around her childhood as a slave, and can be a perfectionist. She is never satisfied with herself, and is deep down very insecure.

When she's off duty, Khaiya can feel a bit antsy and restless. So she tends to pour her energy into other time-consuming tasks, because she doesn't really know how to just...relax.

She rather likes pretty things, and prefers to wear dresses when she can. Being in armor and pants is all well and good, but it gets hot, and she finds dresses more comfortable and attractive on her. If she had it her way, she'd much rather live a calm, peaceful life somewhere and raise a family, for soldiering wasn't her ideal choice! But it's better than what she had, and to this day she sometimes finds the freedom a little scary, because what if she goes too far with it? What if there's a catch she doesn't see?

Magic/Abilities
Slight telepathic abilities, which she uses to communicate with, and bond to, her dragon, Jasper.

Was trained in sword-fighting and hand-to-hand combat, and can kick serious ass that way. Usually she doesn't have to, because she's usually with her dragon, and people tend to not want to mess with a giant beast of scales and teeth and claws and spines.

Relationships
Jasper - her dragon! Jasper is predominantly red in color with swirling veins of green and black in his scales. He's a huge thing with two sets of long, straight red horns and more bony, spiny protrusions sweeping down his back, which doesn't make him the most comfortable beast to ride. His saddle and harness had to be very specially designed for him, and was made to fit between two of those dangerous spines, just above his wings and behind the base of his neck. He's built like a brick house, all muscle and bulk, with a long, thick tail that ends in a club-like knob--and which is also covered in deadly spines.

Despite his prickly (literally) appearance, he's a jovial beast that doesn't seem to be aware of his own size half the time, and who is very demanding of affection and attention and chin scratches. With his deep, booming, growly voice, however, he sounds rather like some demonic aberration and can come off as terrifying even when he's trying to be sweet. He is young yet wise and incredibly patient, and finds humans to be a curiosity that's always in too much of a hurry. For Jasper is a rather slow, lumbering beast on land--but in the air, he's lightning-quick.

Has an older sister, Kuvira.

History
Khaiya was born in Essyrn, to two Adelan slaves. She has an older half-sister named Kuvira, and they were born and raised into slavery, separated from their parents young when her mother's affair was discovered. Kuvira, too, was sold, even though she may have really been their master's legitimate child, but he was angry and didn't want to take the chance that she wasn't.

Kuvira and Khaiya managed to stay together for several years, sold as a pair and raised over the years in a large household. Khaiya's life was comfortable, but hard. Once she was old enough to work, she worked, keeping the house clean and caring for their master's many other children. However, when Kuvira was 11 and she was 7, they were sold again when there were just too many mouths to feed--

And this time, they were split up.

Khaiya changed masters only twice more, winding up first with a cruel family. It wasn't the husband and wives that were the real issue, but rather their legitimate children, who were rather mean and bratty to she and the other slaves. She wound up being their scapegoat for all sorts of things, blamed for all their bad behavior when they broke a rule--or even when they sabotaged her work. When one of their children broke a vase playing too rowdy in the home, it was Khaiya who got the switch. It was during this time that she grew withdrawn and quiet and just tried to busy herself with her work and survive the day, but even then she was a target of their bullying. To her, it felt like no matter what she did, she got punished for it.

And eventually, when she was 13, she was sold again (for because of those children's sabotaging, they made it seem like she was terrible at her job!). This time, however, it would be the best thing that ever happened to her.

She was sold to a rich Serenian merchant who's bored young daughter needed a friend and attendant, a girl her age. Khaiya traveled with them back toward Serendipity, and it was during their trip, while they were passing through Adela, that they passed a small group of dragon-riders delivering new fledglings from the Thunderblacks. One of the fledglings squirmed free of its handler's arms and took flight--and landed right on Khaiya's head, much to the girl's screaming horror!

But it was also in that moment that the dragon, who would later grow up to be Jasper, chose her, like it was something she was born to do. And he did choose her, because he didn't let go of her and hissed and bit at anyone who tried to pry him off of her until it was clear she was going with them!

And from that moment on, Khaiya went on to live under the dragon knights' wings, growing up alongside Jasper. It was hard work, and she never wanted to be a soldier--but it was also fulfilling.

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[ @Draconian !]

Just leave it to Siobhan to pull this off.

Just leave it to Siobhan to finish a risky mission, dispatch a villainous mage, get through it all without a single hitch, without a single scratch, without a single misplaced hair, and return home, tired and dirty but heroic--only to fall and land on a nail while doing routine repairs around the barracks.

That was Siobhan's life, and that was exactly what happened to her that day, after rough weeks spent out on the field doing death-defying missions with high stakes! Oh no, she couldn't take a sword to the arm or something and come back with an impressive scar she earned. Nope. It couldn't have happened when she was surrounded by bandits and held at sword-point. Nah. It had to be when she was hanging from the roof to repair the gutter, which decided to break under her weight.

Gritting her teeth, her hand held to her side, Siobhan limped her way toward the physician's home a helpful lady had pointed out to her. Luckily it wasn't too far away. Very lucky. Because she had a rusty nail embedded in her hip and it hurt like Ansgar's wrath! Of course, anyone looking at her would just note that she was walking funny. Her hand covered up the protrusion, because she was afraid of it bumping anything and also because...it just looked bad.

Just the quick glimpse she'd gotten of it made her want to vomit, but she heard you shouldn't remove something that had been stabbed into you!

Stepping up to the door, she knocked on it several times. "Um, hellooo? Hi, hello, anyone there? I've got a..." She lifted her hand briefly to look, and paled all the more. "...A problem."

Scarab needed a fresh new diversion.

She hadn't been really sure what, for the market seemed rather dull today (at least, dull to her current mood, but that was also bound to change at a moment's notice), but something drew her out of the market proper and to the slave sector. May as well browse and see what they were offering today, for while there were no things of interest today, people were always fairly exciting. After all, no two were quite alike.

With a flick of her hand, her servants carried her there by palanquin, and let her down when she so requested. She wrinkled her nose as she glanced about at the slaves on sale, for this place always smelled rather repulsive, and she couldn't help but wonder why the slavers didn't think to bathe their people before they put them for sale. Wouldn't they sell better if they were clean and presentable? No matter. She watched where she stepped as she walked down the rows, a pensive finger to her lips as she eyed one slave head to toe before moving onto the next, tongue clicking.

So far, nothing. Nothing that really stood out. She wasn't interested in the ones that looked like they'd had the souls sucked out of them; she was looking for personality, someone different, someone that stood out among the--

A shock of white caught her eye, and she glanced across the way to where a white-haired man stood. Pale skin, tall, and an athletic build amplified by the fact that he wore nothing but a loin cloth. And his face, his features...

He was quite stunning, and his skin was fair, but not pinkish like so many of the other foreign pigs. Intrigued, she stepped closer, trailed by her servants, and tilted her head curiously as she gazed up at him.

"You there," she said, smiling as she examined him up and down. "How are you called?"

Liam didn't know who he'd pissed off, but it must have been someone nasty.

Because he'd gotten assigned this mission with none other than Tyne, the most useless Mordecai in the history of ever.

Sighing, Liam leaned against the barracks wall, right outside it, as he waited for the guy to meet him. Already he was late, whereas Liam had been early, as usual, because he wasn't a slacker who didn't take his job seriously. Not that they had a real time crunch here; the mission was pretty straightforward and simple. They were simply to head to Clearview and take care of some mage the townsfolk had rounded up, some lady they'd caught practicing witchcraft. Unfortunate situation, really, yet lucky for the woman.

Most villages didn't even bother to call a Mordecai; they took care of it themselves.

But if there was one, there might be more, and the people needed the reassurance of a Mordecai's presence before it turned into an all out witch hunt and those, Liam thought, could be nasty and bloody.

Minutes rolled by. Liam tapped his foot, got bored with sharpening his hunting blade, and finally fed up. With a sigh, he sheathed his knife, pushed off the wall, and headed inside.

"Tyne!" he barked. "You ready yet?"

Cosplay pics of things I cosplay! I just got back from Comic Con and am rounding up pics people took of me. xD So I figured I'd share pics of the silly thing I do.

On Saturday, I was Meenah from Homestuck. :B

I'm the one on the right with the trident.

Starting tomorrow, I'm gonna be pretty busy through the 15th! It's my vacation, I have a friend coming from out of state, and there'll be cosplay shenanigans and a convention (Comic-Con next week!) and such! So I dunno how often I'll be on. But I'll probably be on at some point! 8D

And of course there will be cosplay/convention pictures later! *__*

(Current topic of debate with myself: with less than a week before the con, do I hate myself enough to attempt constructing a trident y/n?)

Raxta lounged in the net she was currently trapped in, which swung slowly from the canopy above. Or rather, it looked like she was lounging, but in truth, she'd only worn herself out from her frantic struggles, and now lacked the energy to do much more than just swing there and...

Accept her fate, she supposed.

She had tried to escape, but when the net had swept her off her feet and up into the trees, she had dropped her knife, and though she had claws and teeth, the fibers of the net were too tough to bite through, too thick for her claws to cut. She'd tried clawing at them, she'd tried biting, she'd tried screaming in frustration and thrashing for all she was worth, but it was no use, and it was made all the worse by the sight of her dagger laying on the ground below, hopelessly out of reach.

Like it was taunting her with freedom she couldn't attain.

Eventually, she wore herself out, which she knew was probably good. The humidity was getting to her, sweat slicking her skin, and struggling would only make her lose more water. Dehydration was her number one danger right now--second only to the obvious question of who laid the trap?

And what would they do when they found her in it?

With a sigh, Raxta shifted in the netting and tried to get comfortable, but it was scratchy and bit into her skin in the worst of ways. Her tail slipped through the netting and twitched anxiously as she waited, arms crossed over her chest as she stared up into the trees, currently in human form and clothed in little more than a loin cloth and chest wrap.

At this point, she wasn't worried about being found; she wanted the culprit to show up. If it was an accident, so be it, but if they were hostile?

Well, they would see what happened when one messed with jaguar-kin.

They would learn then and there that she was a hunter, and that they, truly, were the hunted.

__________________QUICK STATS
Name
Aderyn Klaussa
Age
22
Gender
Female
Species
Cursed human/swan maiden
Ethnicity
Adelan
Height
5'6"
Occupation
Dancer
Residence
Selevea, Serendipity

__________________IN-DEPTH STUFF

Physical Description
Aderyn has warm copper skin and long, wavy black hair that falls to her waist--and that has many soft black feathers growing naturally in it. She tends to wear it loose and wild when she's not dancing. Her eyes are large, almond-shaped, and hazel in color, leaning more toward green with gold around the pupil. She has a heart-shaped face and full lips with dimples when she smiles. She has slender build, athletic and powerful and flexible, with very little body fat. She carries herself gracefully.

She tends to dress in white, usually flowing dresses, though she normally goes barefoot except when performing.

Personality
Rather naive, for she doesn't have much experience with the world outside the theater, and she is brainwashed to view the sorceress and her staff as her savior. After all, she bought her from the slave block and gave her a new lease on life--helped her fulfill her dream, even! The brainwashing is quite literal--she is under a powerful spell (just like the other Swans) and does not remember her past, only that she was saved.

She trusts people a bit too openly, assuming the best of people naturally and taking them at their word. She tries to be a good person, too, to the best of her ability. She's rather bubbly and optimistic, with a tendency to babble excitedly about topics she's passionate about, and she has the uncanny ability to strike up a conversation with pretty much anyone. She's ambitious and hard-working and exuberant, with a seemingly endless amount of energy that her friends sometimes find exhausting. She's also a little immature, easily embarrassed by "adult talk".

She genuinely does enjoy performing, for it's where she truly feels alive, and it's a wonderful feeling to have so many people watching her and applauding her. She's a dreamer and often wonders about the world outside the theater, and loves hearing stories from the other members of her troupe.

Low self worth. She believes her only real value is her talent and her looks, something that has been subtly reinforced by her captor. Doesn't have much of a temper, because she has been taught to repress (and definitely never ever express!) negative emotions, so she tends to shutdown and go quiet before expressing anything "unsightly".

Magic/Abilities
Aderyn's ability is a passive one; by day, she lives as a black swan from sunup to sunset, and by night, she takes human form again. It is a curse inflicted upon her, rather than an ability she can control. However, while in human form, she does have the ability to "let out" her wings. In her case, her wings spread out from her arms, rather than growing separately from her back.

Another part of her curse is that she can not speak of her curse.

She's a skilled dancer and trains religiously. She's by no means the best, but she's good at what she does, too.

Relationships
Hasn't seen her family since she was 11! Doesn't remember them, either, due to her curse.

Mistress Evangeline - the sorceress that imprisoned and cursed her. Aderyn views her as a maternal figure, almost, and highly respects her! She fears disappointing her, and would do anything to make her happy and proud.

Other than that, she is friends with the other performers in her theater group!

History
Aderyn was born into a noble family. Her life was good with little drama, and she always loved dancing and had a deep interest in it. She was a natural, though her parents discouraged her from it since they didn't think anything beyond ballroom was very...proper for a girl of her station. She was encouraged to pursue more ladylike interests. After all, she was betrothed to marry into an even wealthier noble house when she came of age, and while that excited her, she wondered why she couldn't do both!

She wished she could be a dancer like she'd seen in the theaters, and she practiced in secret.

And one day, she got her wish.

She was stolen away when she was 11 by an assassin and taken to Serendipity. As it turned out, another rival noble house also had a daughter that had almost been picked for the betrothal, and they were pretty damned butthurt that she'd gotten passed up in favor of Aderyn. So, the girl's father hired a killer to remove Aderyn from the picture and ensure she had an "accident". Rather than kill the girl, though (who was far younger than he'd expected!), he instead passed the responsibility off. He sold her to a slaver on their way to Serendipity and washed his hands of the issue.

In Serendipity, Aderyn was discovered by a sorceress who ran a theater, who often visited the slave block scouting for folks (male and female alike) that looked promising.  After all, having actors and dancers she didn't have to pay a wage made for a very profitable theater business! Aderyn was juuust young enough to train (just on the cusp of being too old) and had the right body type and a little experience, so she bought her--

And thus Aderyn became part of a strange theater troupe.

Like all the other members of the troupe, Aderyn was placed under a powerful curse the woman used to keep her people under control and obedient. By day, they take the form of swans and live in the lake behind the theater. By night, they transform back to human form. They tend to spend their nights either performing or training and get very little time to themselves--generally only a couple days a week, for even the sorceress and her lackeys know it's important not to overwork them to injury. In addition to performing for the theater, they have also been known to be sold for a night to customers who pay an especially fat fee.

Thus, Aderyn got her wish, to be a dancer. But at an awful cost. For though she can fly, she can't really leave--all of them are afraid to try, for they are watched by the sorceress's workers, and also fear that even if they fly away, they could be hunted. And where would they go?

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__________________QUICK STATS
Name
Jirou Asami
Age
24
Gender
Male
Species
Human
Ethnicity
Thanati
Height
5'8"
Occupation
Tattooist/body piercer/flesh sculptor/assassin
Residence
Suna, Thanatos

__________________IN-DEPTH STUFF

Physical Description
Jirou has dark bronze skin and blond hair streaked with white that reaches down to mid-back when it's down--though he normally wears a portion of it pulled back into a loose ponytail, allowing his bangs to hang down and frame his face. He often dyes his hair with bright plant pigments, like pinks and greens and oranges. His eyes are a pale violet in color, and he has a dusting of freckles over his nose. He grows a little facial hair, but not enough to do anything with, so he typically just shaves it off since it only makes him look scruffy.

Jirou had a ton of tattoos! Tattoos cover his arms and back and hands, and even trace over his chest and up his neck. Most depict native tropical plants and wildlife, with several depictions of demons and spirits, as well as some of his favorite sayings written in Thanati script. He also has a lot of piercings--a pierced navel, a small white bone through his septum, eyebrow piercings in his right eyebrow, and one through his tongue.

He dresses casually, usually in colorful sarongs while going shirtless. Often adorns his hair with a colorful headscarf.

Personality
Lackadaisical and chill! Jirou is a friendly, goofy dude who genuinely likes people and loves art. Art is his passion, and putting art on peoples' bodies is awesome! Skin is the ultimate canvas!

He likes to see beauty in all things, and really just likes people. He generally has a good thing to say about most people, and often casually flirts with people without even meaning to--flirty is just sort of his natural setting, which can sometimes lead to awkward situations.

However, there is a darker side to him. When working his other job, he can be quite ruthless and vicious in a detached way--for he takes no pleasure from it, and he tries really hard not to think about it and to keep his emotions out of it. He really wants to just run, but is afraid that if he did, he'd be tracked down and dragged back--or killed himself.

He tries to stay cheerful and tries to just...not think about it, and justify the hell out of it to himself.

Magic/Abilities
He's a skilled artist, and a great tattoo artist who is well known enough to make a comfortable living doing what he does! He also does body piercing, and has the ability to flesh sculpt, and thus runs a very profitable business!

His ability to flesh sculpt can also be applied to himself--and he uses that ability when on one of his other jobs. He changes the shape and structure of his face, sometimes even his build, and covers his tattoos with makeup. He's not much of a fighter, but you don't have to be good at fighting to murder someone--you just have to be good at being sneaky and slipping them poison.

Relationships
Parents are still alive! As are all his siblings! He's single because...well...his [i[other[/i] profession doesn't really make for a stable relationship! He doesn't have a great relationship with his family. Like at all. |: They're all scum to him.

History
Truth be told, Jirou's family is one that goes far back--they run a drug ring and are a big provider in Thanatos, and notoriously ruthless. Jirou never wanted to be a part of the business, but because of his skill, his ability to change how he looked, he was sort of manipulated and pressured and threatened into it as he was viewed as a valuable asset. And since he's seen what his family can do to other people, WELP! He didn't trust that they wouldn't do that to him. Besides, the people he goes after, they're bad people, right?

The primary targets are competitors, or anyone who would try to shut them down--or poke around where they shouldn't be poking.

Really, all he wanted to do was be a goddamned artist. |: And he is, when he's not doing his family's dirty work.

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AHEM! xD

So, basically, this is sort of a shout out thread to see if anyone is interested in plotting some lesbian romance! Since it's not really something I've really gotten to play but have been itching for something fierce. 8D

Mind you, I don't expect insta-love or anything! I still like to let it unfold organically without forcing things. But I don't mind plotting it, either, and then seeing where the cards fall! No pressure!

Without further adieu! Here are some ladies who are either lesbians or pansexual who could potentially be great for these sorts of plots! It's by no means an exhaustive list since...basically all my women are either pansexual or lesbians. xD These are just a few that could use some threads!

Beatrid
She's a Mordecai who kiiiiind of turned traitor accidentally sorta. >_> She went with her morals and made a choice to help a mage (Gherrick!) escape rather than see him condemned to death when he really hadn't done anything to deserve death, because she found him to be a pretty darned decent guy. Of course, doing so made her a traitor, so she's had to flee. And she's pretty upset about that, because she liked her job and still carries tons of prejudice toward mages. I'd looove to throw her at other mage characters and see what happens because she still really, really is uncomfortable around them and being forced to face her prejudices is always fun! Or maybe have a run in with another Mordecai out to hold her accountable.

She tends to have a soft spot for prim and girly ladies with backbones.

Siobhan
A Knight of the White Lily! She's a sweet gal, if rather silly--which is partly genuine, partly an act because she knows how to work the system. xD She can be a bit ditzy, but she's trying to be a good person and make a difference! She's very religious. She's another good character for encounters with mages or other Mordecai/Lilies! 8D

Noor
Adventurous grave-robber archaeologist! Noor's an adventurous workaholic that's not at all squeamish. |:  She loves anthropology as well, even as she...y'know...desecrates explores the tombs of various cultures and steals gathers items from various sites for study. >_> I think she's gonna wind up with some nasty curse here soon.

Niamh
A follower of a fanatical sun worshiping religion, Niamh views the world in blacks and whites with a few confusing grays thrown in to make her life difficult. |: She views those who don't follow her faith as ignorant heathens and will definitely try to proselytize. You know, to help save their soul! She's pretty cocky and self-righteous and thinks her way is the right way! Because it is! She's also mildly traumatized from some past events. |: She's the sort of character I love tossing at characters she can clash wonderfully with and have stupid arguments and get into some situation where they're forced to suck it up and work together despite it--and maybe realize in the process that the other person isn't so bad. xD

Qiana
THE QUEEN OF SERENDIPITY YO! But really, she has a husband for the sake of appearances, and she's pregnant with his child because royal duty to produce and heir and all, and she does love him...but it's like a brother and best friend. Which makes things really weird for the both of them. |: Like, the process of getting pregnant was just AWKWARD AND WEIRD for them both. She's really a lesbian and has a mistress, and I'd totally love it if someone wanted to play said mistress. 8D

Especially since Qiana's mistress is sorta the scandalous secret everyone knows about. xD

Eta
She trains and breeds kaadir in Essyrn! 8D She comes off as really gruff and serious, but it's really because she's a socially awkward dweeb at heart and doesn't know how to people. |: She's a little defensive because she's used to people hassling her for being a woman in a "man's profession", and she's totally the sort of person that acts tough as nails but has a soft, squishy inside. |: I haven't played her enough yet, but she's probably the kind of person that can get in a yelling match and come across as all tough and RAWR and then go cry in secret because the person was mean. >_>

Liadan
>_> So I kinda think it'd be totally adorable if she fell for another noblelady? Or even a commoner/soldier/criminal/whatever! She's a hopeless romantic and her parents are looking for an arranged marriage match for her, which she's excited about because...well, she's naive and has great expectations that her future husband will be totally dreaaamy~! Buuut what if she falls for a cute lady instead? 8D DRAMAZ!

Raxta
She's a jaguar shifter! She's kind of on the surly side, but that's just because she's shy and awkward and used to living a solitary lifestyle. She's not a mean person, though--at least not intentionally! And she is secretly pretty lonely even if she puts on a "I don't need anyone!" sort of front. Very blunt!

Kuan
My Thanati Warrior! 8D She's generally the tough, stoic, stiff upper lip sort of person, but she's got some baggage. Spoiler alert, she's barren in a society that stresses the miracle of life and childbirth, and she lost her husband over the issue and feels a lot of shame. She hasn't really had a chance to explore her orientation and realize she generally doesn't care about gender, though she has some inklings--and represses them, because she's part of the Temple and that could be dangerous. |:

So, this was a new one for Owl!

Owl normally dealt with people. Criminals and the like. During the day, living her usual noblewoman life, she liked to keep an ear open to pick up any rumors or gossip about fresh criminal activity--and then check it out at night. But the day before, she'd picked up something different, talk about a strange, hulking beast that prowled the woods and preyed on children, snatching them up in its jaws and gobbling them up.

It sounded like a tale mothers told their children, but the guards she'd overheard chatting about it even seemed a bit nervous. Werewolf, one had said. A job for the Order of the Moon, another had said, and definitely not something a normal person wanted to mess with. They were horribly hard to kill. An older guard standing watch with the younger two had laughed at them for being all spooked, but he'd also admitted to hearing the rumors, too, and that while they were no doubt exaggerated as rumors were (where were all the bereaved mothers?), there was probably some truth to it.

Probably just some mangy mutt that had eaten someone's pet and been turned into a cautionary tale.

It was still worth investigating, though, and since it was a slow night with no fresh news of illicit activities, Owl took to the woods.

It was probably a stupid, stupid idea, going to the woods alone. Varian could be there with his horror show. Or Smed with his gang. Alone she was vulnerable--but wasn't she always? Varian had proven before that he could visit her mind, even in a room full of people, and Smed? Gods. She couldn't go her entire life hiding and living in fear.

She told herself that as she slipped out the city gates and to the thin woods beyond to do her own investigating. She had to be brave. She had to train herself to be bold and fearless again, because the world was full of horrors, and all she could do was make herself stronger. Face her fears head on and learn how to deal with them, not stay in her room cowering. In the end, she could only rely on herself, right?

And this was as good of a test as any of how much she'd learned.

Crouching down by a patch of recently disturbed earth, Owl checked for prints--and thought she could just barely make out a large paw print. Maybe it was her imagination--she was still learning how to track--but...hmm...

She tilted her head, studying it a bit longer, and then continued onward in the direction it was facing, moving silently as she could, her training with the Shadow Wolves coming to play now.

It was probably just a big wolf, she told herself.

"You missed on purpose!" Katxiel accused with a laugh as the heavy rubber ball deflected off the stone hoop and went rolling across the court. "That was totally on purpose! I've seen you make that shot a hundred times!"

Xiu jogged across the court and picked the ball back up. "You've also seen me miss a hundred times, I'm sure," he said, and tossed the ball her way. She caught it with a grunt as it thumped against her chest, and she saw the way he tensed as though afraid he'd thrown it too hard. "Sorry."

She waved away his concern. "Don't be," she said, and took aim for the hoop. "I'm not made of glass, you know! I actually like it when you try against me. It's not much fun when I always win." She tossed the ball, and missed by a wide margin. It didn't even hit the stone, and once again went rolling across the court.

Xiu retrieved it again. "Good shot!"

"I didn't even hit the rim!" Katxiel laughed and playfully bopped the side of his head. "I'm not going to get better if everyone keeps telling me I'm doing great when I'm not! Come on, tell me what I'm doing wrong."

Xiu gave her a look, eyebrows raised, and Katxiel had a feeling she knew what he was thinking. No one really liked to tell her what she was doing wrong, or that she was doing wrong at all. Not to say no one ever corrected her, but they tended to be very gentle about it as opposed to blunt. No one ever outright just told her she sucked at something.

He hedged, then cleared his throat. "Well, er...for starters, it might help if you throw the ball overhand, not underhand. You can guide it better that way. Not to say your way isn't good."

"What? Really?"

"Yeah, like this, see? You throw with this hand, and guide with the other." And he demonstrated, making the shot perfectly.

Katxiel stared. Not only had he just proven her point, that he was going easy on her, but she'd been throwing underhanded for years and no one had pointed that out. She caught the ball again when he tossed it to her.

"Give it a try," he suggested.

Katxiel did, her arms straining from the new position, for the ball was several pounds and she had to use different muscles. But when she threw the ball this time, she at least hit the stone, right by the opening of the hoop.

She rubbed her skinny arms after. "Oof, that'll take some getting used to! But that is way better. Now stop missing shots and let's do this for real, okay? Let's start over!"

For they weren't playing the ballgame for real, but were just shooting hoops, playing a simple game where each successful shot brought them from one side of the hoop to the other, step by step, each step representing the name of one of their gods. Whoever successfully completed the pantheon first, won the game.

And as usual, Xiu got about halfway through before he began to miss his shots, claiming his arms were getting tired. Katxiel suspected he was just trying to let her catch up, for she'd only made two shots thus far.

"Xiuuuu!" she sighed in exasperation as she readied her next shot. "Don't do that! It makes me try harder when you're beating me, you know! You're going to make me lazy!" And she tossed the ball--and hit the rim harder than intended.

It bounced, ricocheting off the stone, and would have struck Xiu's head if he hadn't ducked. Instead, it flew past him, off the court, and went rolling into the jungle.

She exchanged a look with her friend, and when he started to go after it, she stopped him. "I did it, I'll get it," she said with a wave of her hand as she jogged off the court. "Be right back!"

Famous last words, really. For the ball had gone farther than she'd thought, and she could see the mark it had left in the damp soil where it had gone rolling down a hill toward a mess of thick bushes lining the local stream. Katxiel picked her way down, and started to dig through the bushes--until she caught sight of it, floating downstream.

Well, she hadn't really wanted to get wet, but oh well! Bracing against the cooler water, she stepped into the stream and began to splash toward the ball, trying to catch up to it as the stream carried it swiftly.

Run out of a village again.

Durga growled in annoyance, kicking a rock as she trudged on over to a fallen, rotting tree and sat on the broad trunk, which creaked beneath her. She could breathe again, finally, now that the village was miles behind her with no signs of pursuers, but gods! Humans. She hated them!

With a huff, she slung her pack off her shoulder and to the ground. It was a lie, of course. She didn't hate anyone, but she was sure as hell frustrated that they all seemed to hate her. She had more luck some places than others, and she supposed it shouldn't have come as a surprise that the stupid, backwater, mountain pass town would be full of stupid, backwater, ignorant people.

Pushing back her sleeve, she glowered down at the wrapped gash on her forearm. It was a deep wound; the woman that had slashed her had caught her unprepared while she'd warded off the other angry townsfolk. Blood had soaked the makeshift bandage, but the bloodstain hadn't spread any further, so hopefully that meant it was done bleeding. With a sigh, she started to unwrap it so she could wash and tend it properly, instead of the hurried job she'd done while...well...

Fleeing.

__________________QUICK STATS
Name
Katxiel
Age
20
Gender
Female
Species
Human
Ethnicity
Kishahni
Height
5'5"
Occupation
Priestess
Residence
The tiny kingdom of Citalli, deep in the Kishahn Jungle

__________________IN-DEPTH STUFF

Physical Description
Warm brown skin and dark brown hair that reaches her hips, generally worn with a section tied back and away from her face and held in place with a colorful, feathered hairpiece. Katxiel's eyes are a bright blue-green, bluer around the edges and green around the pupil. She has sectoral heterochromia in her left eye, with a splash of red staining the iris, looking much like a blood splatter in water. It is that stain that marks her as a tribute.

She has a slim, athletic build that's more lean and lanky than voluptuous. She likes to wear an assortment of jewellery, including dangling earrings and anklets. She typically dresses in creams, blues, golds, and reds, and prefers light dresses that tie around her neck and end above her knees, usually finished off with a decorative sash.

Personality
Optimistic, light-hearted, and a bit spoiled, Katxiel has lived a life of privilege and luxury though she hasn't really let it go to her head. She views the world through a mostly "glass half full" perspective, and she can spin most situations in a positive light. She's a bit on the naive side, having grown up in the temple, protected with all her needs provided for--but she's also not stupid, and has a rather sharp mind.

She quite enjoys her life in the temple, getting pampered and treated as a living goddess, but can sometimes grow a bit frustrated by how overprotective everyone is! Sometimes, she just wants to enjoy a game of hoopball without someone freaking out that she got smacked in the head. She loves keeping active, though she's not very good at sports--primarily because few people actually want to play against her, since they view her as the avatar of their goddess! And those that will humor her always go way, way easy on her and (she suspects) let her win.

That said, she is rather brainwashed. She knows she's fated to die on her 21st birthday, and she's made peace with that--or so she says. She truly believes it's a great honor as well as necessary, and she truly believes that great rewards await her in the afterlife should she fulfill her sacred duty.

Magic/Abilities
Katxiel has power over storms and vegetation, though her gift is such that she cannot create what isn't already there. She can't magic plants out of fertile ground if there aren't already seeds there, and she can't make it rain if there aren't any rain clouds. She can, however, make plants grow faster and stronger, and she can make a small shower turn into a gale.

She has a natural affinity for sensing storms days before they approach, and she can also sense where seeds are even if she can't see them, as well as sense disease in crops even if she can't see any visible signs.

Relationships
She doesn't know her parents. She was taken from them at a young age, and as the "avatar" of their goddess, she was required to divest herself of familial ties. Her parents, in truth, do visit her at the temple, however. They just never identify themselves as her parents.

Other than that, her friends are mostly other people within the temple.

History
Katxiel was either born very lucky, or very unlucky, depending on your point of view.

She was born with the mark of Ixtacotl, her peoples' goddess of war, fertility, storms, and harvest, that mark being sectoral heterochromia--a splotch of bright red in the otherwise blue-green iris of her left eye. This mark symbolizes the wound that slayed Ixtacotl's mortal form according to her peoples' faith, for she was said to have died when a spear pierced her eye.

Marked from birth, Katxiel was likewise marked to die, the "blood" in her eye, and the magical gifts that manifested as she grew older, marking her as Ixtacotl's avatar. For it is the belief of her people that every generation, Ixtacotl's avatar will be born, and that the sacrifice of the avatar symbolizes Ixtacotl's own death. It is said that the goddess walked the earth in mortal form for 21 years, bringing her blessings to the earth, before she was slain by her brother--but there was victory even in death as her rich blood soaked and fertilized the earth and her flesh nourished it, and her breath and tears became the clouds and rain, bringing about an era of peace and plenty.

Taken from her parents from birth, Katxiel was raised in the temple and treated like a goddess on earth--and, in fact, people often come to the temple to pay their respects to her and ask her blessing as though she truly is the goddess made flesh. Since childhood, she has reigned over the small kingdom of Citalli as its patron "goddess", using her gifts to bless the land and bring bountiful harvests. It is the will of her people and her religion that she should be honored as a goddess and bless the land with her gifts in life, before her blood soaks the earth and brings about a new era of peace and prosperity.

Peace and prosperity that is sorely needed, as her people face war with another small nation and the soil of their land is leeched of nutrients.

Her 21st birthday is less than a year away now, but Katxiel tries not to think about it, and tries not to look at the altar she will die on. Instead, she tries to think very positively about the matter, and live life to her fullest while she can, and make herself as useful as possible.

__________________THREAD TRACKER
Current Threads

Complete Threads

So I'm goin' to Disneylaaaand! WHOO!

I'm leaving early the 13th and I'll be back late on the 14th! But I probably won't manage any posts from now until the 17th. Maybe a bit tomorrow if all works out. 8D Work's kickin' my booty!

But when I'm back, it will be a tsunami of posts. |:

Indeed! Some Serenian Provinces have opened up for claiming!

Be sure to read the guidelines for running a Province before you make your claim! If you have any questions, don't be afraid to ask!

To claim your Province, just fill out the following form and post it to the Province you are claiming. 8D

Provinces open to claim: Whitesands, Summervale, Moonspear, and Jadenshine.

[center][b][size=24pt]Claiming![/size][/b][/center]
[b]House Name:[/b]
[b]Profile Link:[/b] [url=link to your High Lord/Lady!]High Lord/Lady Name Here[/url]

EDIT! 8D
There is now one Province left to claim: Fallial!

Because all the other ones were snatched up so fast, we're going to do this a bit differently. xD Anyone interested in claiming it, post to this topic saying so! I will use an automatic generator to randomly select the lucky person. 8D

You have until 10pm PST on the 14th to sign up! 8D