Lady Naoki
Dedicated
Roleplay posts: 345
Appearance: Naoki is a curvaceous woman of average height, indeterminate age, and catlike features. Her hair is a dark auburn, often pulled back into a long braid. Her ears are both soft and fluffy, and her tail is never less than perfectly groomed.
Allegiances: New Isra
Place of Residence: Port Argentium
Registered: Mar 16, 2021 22:31:18 GMT -5
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Post by Lady Naoki on Jun 16, 2023 23:18:09 GMT -5
The joke about poisoning didn’t hit. At all. But it did have Naoki question herself for a moment: Did she poison the food? No. Certainly not. So Lady Naoki just sort of... shrugs at Idalia.
“Well, bring your talent, ply your trade. If you cook well, cook. You’re welcome to offer your help to the existing kitchen or we can set you up with something of your own -- come tomorrow, when I have some more time to discuss such things.”
To Cil, “Oh, of course, there’s a place for you,” Naoki waves dismissively. “There’s a place for everyone. It isn’t as though you’re the first pair of cute little fuzzy eclectic artisans to have come my way. I’ve been putting people where they belong for thirty-some years. We’ll meet again tomorrow and get both of you, as well as all these people, settled in before you know it.” She seems quite sure of herself, with confidence informed by experience.
“But… Is everyone here nice…?” Lady Naoki repeats the question and considers it for a moment. Her tail curls into a small question mark and she hums.
“There are several thousand people here,” she says. “And more, like yourself, arriving every day. For all of them to be nice would be statistically unlikely. And, even though I’ve met them all, and can vouch for the nicety of many of them, I can’t necessarily vouch for them all.”
“However, what I can say,” Naoki continues, raising one finger, “Is that many of them are nice, and all in all, these people -- my people, the people of New Isra? They’re a solid lot. We all lost our homes. We all washed up on this miserable isle, and we’re all doing our best to rebuild some semblance of normalcy, together. There is an incredible unity of purpose between each and every honest member of this settlement that I…” She slowly shakes her head. “That I’ve never seen.”
“I’ve led armies into battle, faced down dragons, led my nation through crisis and famine and wars.” Lady Naoki goes on, “Struggle unites people, always. And this struggle, here? Wherein everyone has lost their homes? Their families, belongings, and the very foundations of the lives they once led? This is as much of a struggle as any of us will ever face. And we’re united in the face of it. The people of Port Argentium will persevere. Together. Under my leadership, with everyone doing their part.”
Placing a hand on each of the moths’ shoulders, Lady Naoki looks each of them in the eye with her best inspiring-leader-look.
“And you’ll fit right in. I’m sure.”
With that said clearly enough for the whole boat to hear and with the aforementioned promise of meeting again tomorrow to discuss the details of settling in, Lady Naoki turns, waves to the group, and departs, leaving them to their meal.
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Idalia
Established
Roleplay posts: 24
Age: Adult aged. Idalia is adult aged.
Appearance: When Idalia looks in the mirror she thinks she is pretty. She describes herself as white. Her hair is white, her wings are white, and her skin is white. Her eyes are a gentle pink color, almost the same pink her cheeks get when she's flustered. She uses her clothes to add a splash of color to her pale complexion. In the kitchen, she wears a white apron and a sweater underneath if it is chilly. She often wears colorful flexible pants to easily glide her way through the kitchen. Sometimes she can be seen sporting a long colorful skirty. OH YEA the most important part! Idalia is 10 slugs tall.
Equipment: Idalia usually carries her items in an over-the-shoulder cotton bag. Her items include jars of spices, sharpened knives wrapped in leather, a sharpening stone, and her favorite stuffed charm in the shape of a fluffy ram.
Skills and Abilities: Idalia isn't much of a fighter, but her knowledge of breaking down and hunting makes her capable of being one. She doesn't enjoy confrontation or combat but if someone were to threaten her livelihood then she would have no choice but to cut them down to size. She is a skilled chef with techniques from a wide variety of regions. Her cooking can cure the toughest of colds. There's something about the food she makes that always make people come back for more. It must be all the love she puts into her dishes. She is not just a wiz with savory food, she's also a mastermind when it comes to baking and dessert. How else can you have a satisfying meal if you don't have dessert?
Biography: Idalia grew up in a sheltered family who lived amongst other Arna. Arnas are what her kind is called. Her family had high hopes for her, the name she was given means "behold the sun." Maybe she was supposed to be a beacon to others. She never truly understood her name, but it sounds pretty. She went to school but didn't seem to particularly excel in it. Idalia learned the teachings of the light and how the light guides those behind it. Their noble ancestors have helped those seeking passage to brighter lands. Even now people are chosen to walk the path previous generations have lighting the way to hope. She was chosen as one of the ones that would shed light and teach others of this life. May they also believe in the light. It was during one of these trips to a new town that she discovered her love of cuisine. A street vendor selling the most aromatic food she's ever smelled. She couldn't help but take a nibble. It was just a vegetable on a stick, how good could it be? Her eyes widened. The intense flavor of this squash hit her tastebuds. She could taste the smokey flavors combined with just the right amount of heat. A squeeze of lime topped it all off. A flavor explosion, unlike anything she's ever eaten. From that moment forward, she was inspired to learn the ways of cooking so that she too can elicit that same experience from others. Joy can be found when people's stomachs are full.
Registered: Mar 2, 2023 21:16:32 GMT -5
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Post by Idalia on Jun 17, 2023 0:47:39 GMT -5
"Idalia would love to cook for everyone! Yes! That is what she uh I do best. I want to settle up a cozy place for hungry folk to get their fill. Nothin strengthens morale like a tasty bowl of chow." The Arna is practically beaming.
"There are other fuzzy artisans, maybe other of us have made it here or maybe other fuzzy people. Fuzzy people are my favorite type of people, all the ones I've met have been warm and inviting. They also seem to like my cooking the best." The mentioning of fuzzy beings has Idalia looking for cute Pebbles. Idalia spotted the little guy fixated on the elegantly groomed tail of Naoki. She must use some really nice conditioner even Idalia seems a little entranced. The fleeting feeling dissipates as she scoops the runt into her arms. No more trouble for you. Do not bother the kind lady.
"Wow, you've been doing that for 30 years. That's a long time. You don't look a day past emergence." Emergence for the Arna refers to when one is finally a full adult Arna. The day they emerge from the pupa in all their fuzzy glory. This town doesn't seem that big but it still amazes her that thousands of people already live here. Naoki mentions a place called New Isra. Idalia knew a good bit about history but she's never heard of Old Isra.
"Old Isra? Is that somewhere we know?"
The thought that other places outside of their knowledge could exist is beyond fathom. Maybe the land they're from isn't as big as they though. Idalia watches as Naoki leaves.
"Cil, now that we've had our fill. I can't wait to say hello to everyone. I hope they like us here. We should find somewhere to stay. Would you like to stay together? I know things were cramped in the boat, like a million peas in a pod. I would get it if you would like to stay by yourself." Idalia left the questioning hanging. She understood if Cil wanted some time by himself, but on the inside she had a hope that maybe they could be close by. The support of her friend always pushed her through tough times. The bubbly Arna may seem chipper on the outside, but she couldn't feel more heartbroken than this moment. A literal turning of a new leaf.
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Fiona Blythe
Established
Roleplay posts: 14
Age: 26
Appearance: Fiona is a highly attractive woman, with high cheekbones, a small nose, and a soft complexion. Her long, wavy hair is a dark brown, and her eyes a warm, smouldering green. For most of her life, catching eyes was part of her career, she was her own advertisement, so maintaining her good looks what a priority for a long time.
She's of medium height and a toned build, yet soft and supple where it counts the most. The only thing someone might consider as a blemish is a handful of small beauty moles that break up the gentle sea of clear, pale skin.
Equipment: Fiona didn't manage to bring much with her from Isra, largely only the supplies she had in her backpack and the clothes on her back, leaving behind her fortune and vast wardrobe, much to her annoyance.
What she has is a dress donated to her a few months prior, which was made up of browns and beige, very much not her style, but she made it work with some minor adjustments. While a boring outfit, she wasn't as interested in catching eyes as she had been previously.
What mattered most was what was held in her backpack. Tools of the thieving trade, including a grapple rope, three smoke bombs, a set of throwing knives, along with her twin pair of finely crafted blades assigned to her when she became an agent for the crown. As much as she loved her personal blades, the craftsmanship of her new pair gave her reason to retire them.
As well as the blades is her unique, lightweight armour that obscured her identity as well as it protected her. The armoured plates were painted a matte grey, stopping them from reflecting any lights, and the mails covered by lightweight leather materials.
[https://i.imgur.com/2BggqAd.jpg]
Unfortunately her favourite bow was lost months ago.
Skills and Abilities: Fiona's 'day job' made her a master seductress and an incredible lover, for that was why she was paid so highly. She also had a good sense of business, and could mix one hell of a drink.
After dark however, her skills shifted into something more practical for those who lacked certain morals. She is a master thief, making her a master at stealth, lock picking, and acrobatics, as well as having a keen eye and ear for expensive items and valuable information.
In combat, she's fast and accurate with a pair of daggers, and one hell of a shot with a bow.
Biography: Before the end times, Fiona was known as one of the most exclusive and sought after escorts, with her beauty only matched by her grace. She made a small fortune schmoozing and doing business with the rich and famous amongst the nobility of Isra and beyond. She was always quite the seductress and found great pride in parting the rich from their gold in exchange for her company. Eventually she found enough success in her business that she opened a highly exclusive brothel in Isra’s richest district - The Violet Star.
However there was another side to Fiona that many did not know. While she made her public fortune on her back, she made far more as one of Isra’s master thieves, known only to the powers of the underworld. These people would commission Fiona to break into highly secure places, to steal great artefacts or riches, and to test security of their enterprises, to name only a few of Fiona’s talents.
A combination of her secret and public life also earned her a reputation in the underworld as an effective and often reliable information broker. She and those who worked under her were skilled manipulators, pulling secrets from their clients in the form of pillow talk. Nothing got the rich and powerful talking like laying next to a gorgeous woman in a soft bed, where they felt the safest. When suited up, Fiona got her information first hand, breaking into homes and safes to find secrets and information to be used as blackmail or a leg up over the competition.
However, on one fateful evening, she eventually caught the eye of the Empress and was offered an ultimatum. The Imperial secret service knew of her activities, so she could either be made an example of and be imprisoned for a very long time, or put her skills and business to good use in the name of the Empire. She chose the latter.
It was on a mission for the crown that Fiona narrowly escaped death during the great floods. She found herself climbing from a window after a successful mission when the waves came crashing in. Using her acrobatic skills and her prowess, she managed to get above the waves and eventually onto floating debris, carried by the newly formed tides.
She spent a day adrift, completely befuddled over what to do. The city was gone, or maybe she’d just been carried out too far, but her doom seemed inevitable. Fortunately, her lucky streak wasn’t over yet, and she was soon rescued by a galleon that had turned pirate.
Months passed since the end of the world. She changed her name to Emma Thompson to avoid anyone who may know her, and earned her way out of being a prisoner by seducing the captain and his first mate, which in turn allowed her to prove herself in combat through duelling on the deck. She needed a new plan to escape the savages…
Over the course of the months, she sewed the seeds of discontent among the crew, and on a raiding mission on a small refugee fleet she put her plan into effect. A mutiny sparked during the raid and in the chaos she joined the civilian escort ship’s forces, beating the pirates back. Its here that she crossed paths with one Andrea Lanne, who she knew from her time in Isra. She aided the injured cat woman onto a refugee ship before returning to the battle.
The escort ship broke off to give the rest of the fleet an out, and were eventually victorious, but the ship was heavily damaged and the crew dwindled to a fraction of its full strength. Though distrustful, the captain allowed her passage in payment for her assistance, once she explained what she’d done.
Eventually, deep into the mists, the ship would group up with a small brigantine escort and its own refugee ship. While the crew joined the escort, Fiona slipped into the ranks of refugees as Emma once more. She was finally Mistbourne bound to a whole new life.
Registered: Aug 9, 2023 15:09:52 GMT -5
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Post by Fiona Blythe on Aug 11, 2023 12:41:05 GMT -5
Fiona watched with a flutter in her heart as both boats, the small, slightly crowded refugee ship and its fighter-crewed escort waved their coloured flags in the crows nests on high. Each one had a two man team manning them, one person holding the flags and waving them in patterns and carefully choreographed movements, while the other watched the shoreline through the lenses of a long hand-held telescope, all the while communicating between the two ships. Fiona didn’t know much of seafaring communication, her profession was either done better on land, or done in the captain’s quarters, but she knew the purpose of them. Someone on land was doing the same thing, which gave her some hope.
People. No, better - civilization. Sure, a small group of refugees might be on the island already, but to have a flag station at the mouth of the inlet ahead and ship entry procedures?
She turned and made her way through the growing crowd and headed towards the ship’s bridge, where the helmsman and captain eagerly awaited the signals from above, but she remained out of sight, just under the platform. She couldn’t read the signals, but her curiosity and desire to stay out of the spotlight for now lead her to a perfect eavesdropping location.
“Captain?” the helmsman asked, hands gripped at the wheel and eyes fixed on the inlet ahead, decorated with a couple of… either boulders or huts, she couldn’t quite tell, and the tower waving their flags in return.
The grizzled captain, one she’d only spoken to once when she came aboard, kept his eyes on his trusty communications men high above them, not answering verballs, but he held out a hand, gesturing for the helm to wait. Finally, almost in unison with a whistle from the other ship, he looked to the helm and pointed forward. “We’ve been granted access. All ahead full!”
Fiona finally let her feelings shine through with a wide grin that spread across her soft cheeks. Carefully, she made her way through the crowd once more, putting her thoughts of secrecy aside and deciding she may be witnessing history, even if it was only important to herself.
The boat, now at full sails, coasted along the calm sea, escort right behind them and headed straight towards the gap in the beach ahead. The huts she had seen earlier were indeed boulders, to her slight annoyance, but the tower was just as she anticipated except for one detail - it bore a flag she’d not seen previously, one that forced her to do a double take. She’d seen that flag most of her life, in fact she’d even reluctantly served under it.
“Israns?” she whispered to herself before looking down at the deck. Did that change anything? No… not for the worse at least. A lot of the folk she’d met in her journeys were from the major nations, and most of them were Israns or Libertalians. The latter of which were seaborn folk, so she wouldn’t be surprised if they didn’t have as much drive to settle as Isran survivors would have.
Her attention shifted once more, looking out over the passing forest and beaches that lined the entrance to the… lake? Inland sea? Large body of water regardless, and she couldn’t help but let her eyes dance along the scenery. The forest seemed lush and healthy, dotted with colour from flowers blooming under the warm sun, and the beach itself, while marked by flotsam here and there, seemed like the place she’d love to lay out sometime. Could they have gone through hell to get to paradise?
She looked forward once more as the inlet opened up into the wide open waters again, showing more of the long coastlines, as well as a town! She spotted boats like theirs, smaller crafts for the most part, fishermen probably, and a couple of escort boats to bring them in if all went smoothly. In the docks, which were getting bigger as they grew closer, she even made out two boats far larger than hers, one looking incredibly grand, once again igniting her hopes for civilization and one with two large wheels at its side as well as massive sails. Interesting civilised people, and people she very likely knew how to deal with, having done so her whole life.
She found herself growing giddy for the first time in months. A new life, maybe as Emma, maybe as Fiona, awaited her in a new town. No enemies trying to unmask her, no being forced to deal with politics, publicly or privately. She may not even have to change career.
The refugees waited surprisingly patiently as the ship edged closer to the docks, Fiona amongst them, listening to the oohs and aahs as they got nearer. She saw more flags hanging from larger structures - definitely founded by Israns - and many buildings made from wood and rudimentary bricks. What had she expected? Mud huts? She didn’t want to assume otherwise, not until she’d seen it herself.
Finally, the ship came to a stop and ropes went overboard to the workers below. Fiona peered over the shoulders of those gathered at the railing and saw a bustle of activity. Dockworkers moving boxes and fish pots along the far edge, and closer those working the ropes to secure the refugee boat. The workers piqued her curiosity for a brief moment, as she expected to see humans, but the workers below were a whole lot of different races. Sure, most were humans, but she also spotted more than a few green skinned folk, from goblins running around, using their smaller sizes to climb and move smaller packages amongst the hustle and bustle. Slightly larger goblins barking orders and supporting the much stronger orcs hauling the liens and… was that a troll? At least they all wore some semblance of a uniform as she’d heard certain stories of goblins but never met them before.
It didn’t take too long before the boarding ramps dropped and the crowd of people, carefully organised into lines and lead by the captain and his staff, walked down onto dry land for the first time in months. Some cheered, some jumped for joy, and some cried, but Fiona didn’t make a sound, instead letting her eyes feast on the new world that they had found and the familiarity it offered. She could make it work. A new life with new people.
She figured the captain was handing over the ship’s roster and manifest to the authorities, giving her pause for a moment to think, but she was certain her alias had been recorded. Emma Thompson, one she had only used once or twice in the past, surely wouldn’t betray her.
Unfortunately for her, even with her longer hair and being skinnier from months at sea, her face still stood out like a sore thumb to the keen eye, something she’d often fixed with a hood. In her awestruck state she’d forgotten all about it. Even the best laid plans would have their hiccups…
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Lady Naoki
Dedicated
Roleplay posts: 345
Appearance: Naoki is a curvaceous woman of average height, indeterminate age, and catlike features. Her hair is a dark auburn, often pulled back into a long braid. Her ears are both soft and fluffy, and her tail is never less than perfectly groomed.
Allegiances: New Isra
Place of Residence: Port Argentium
Registered: Mar 16, 2021 22:31:18 GMT -5
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Post by Lady Naoki on Aug 11, 2023 17:55:08 GMT -5
Another day, another ship full of refugees. And just when the supply for houses caught up with demand.
The intake process for arriving vessels has been streamlined significantly since Port Aregentium’s inception. A system of lookouts, guide boats, and flag communication for those ships that recognize it. Work has even begun on a structure to serve new arrivals their first meal, though it’s not quite complete. So these refugees are served bowls of stew right there on the docks.
Page boys, starting at the front of the line and working their way back, chant: “Meat stew! Hungry? Have some stew! It’s good, meat stew! Welcome to Port Argentium! Eat this stew! Take this stew! Welcome!”
The pages don’t really specify what meat the stew contains, and it’s difficult to tell, but they’re spot on about it being good. There’s enough for everyone in the line who wants some, and the line moves forward at a reasonable pace. It’s led from the pier into the collection of warehouses adjacent to the docks, and further into a smallish building that could reasonably be the work area of a harbormaster. Arriving refugees go in one side, one at a time, and emerge a few minutes later from the other side, carrying a bit of paper, and usually escorted by a pageboy to some destination elsewhere in the settlement.
Eventually, it would be Fiona’s turn, and she would be invited inside by the guard standing by the door.
Within, Lady Naoki sits at the harbormaster’s desk. In front of her sits her ledger, the captain’s manifest, and a stack of papers. Behind her, page boys stand in a line, awaiting their next assignment. As Fiona enters, the opposite door is swinging shut, and Naoki is finishing writing something in her ledger.
“Welcome to Port Argentium,” she says, standing to meet this latest arrival. “I am Lady Naoki, leader of this settlement. Your name, please?” She gestures for her guest to seat herself in the chair opposite her.
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Fiona Blythe
Established
Roleplay posts: 14
Age: 26
Appearance: Fiona is a highly attractive woman, with high cheekbones, a small nose, and a soft complexion. Her long, wavy hair is a dark brown, and her eyes a warm, smouldering green. For most of her life, catching eyes was part of her career, she was her own advertisement, so maintaining her good looks what a priority for a long time.
She's of medium height and a toned build, yet soft and supple where it counts the most. The only thing someone might consider as a blemish is a handful of small beauty moles that break up the gentle sea of clear, pale skin.
Equipment: Fiona didn't manage to bring much with her from Isra, largely only the supplies she had in her backpack and the clothes on her back, leaving behind her fortune and vast wardrobe, much to her annoyance.
What she has is a dress donated to her a few months prior, which was made up of browns and beige, very much not her style, but she made it work with some minor adjustments. While a boring outfit, she wasn't as interested in catching eyes as she had been previously.
What mattered most was what was held in her backpack. Tools of the thieving trade, including a grapple rope, three smoke bombs, a set of throwing knives, along with her twin pair of finely crafted blades assigned to her when she became an agent for the crown. As much as she loved her personal blades, the craftsmanship of her new pair gave her reason to retire them.
As well as the blades is her unique, lightweight armour that obscured her identity as well as it protected her. The armoured plates were painted a matte grey, stopping them from reflecting any lights, and the mails covered by lightweight leather materials.
[https://i.imgur.com/2BggqAd.jpg]
Unfortunately her favourite bow was lost months ago.
Skills and Abilities: Fiona's 'day job' made her a master seductress and an incredible lover, for that was why she was paid so highly. She also had a good sense of business, and could mix one hell of a drink.
After dark however, her skills shifted into something more practical for those who lacked certain morals. She is a master thief, making her a master at stealth, lock picking, and acrobatics, as well as having a keen eye and ear for expensive items and valuable information.
In combat, she's fast and accurate with a pair of daggers, and one hell of a shot with a bow.
Biography: Before the end times, Fiona was known as one of the most exclusive and sought after escorts, with her beauty only matched by her grace. She made a small fortune schmoozing and doing business with the rich and famous amongst the nobility of Isra and beyond. She was always quite the seductress and found great pride in parting the rich from their gold in exchange for her company. Eventually she found enough success in her business that she opened a highly exclusive brothel in Isra’s richest district - The Violet Star.
However there was another side to Fiona that many did not know. While she made her public fortune on her back, she made far more as one of Isra’s master thieves, known only to the powers of the underworld. These people would commission Fiona to break into highly secure places, to steal great artefacts or riches, and to test security of their enterprises, to name only a few of Fiona’s talents.
A combination of her secret and public life also earned her a reputation in the underworld as an effective and often reliable information broker. She and those who worked under her were skilled manipulators, pulling secrets from their clients in the form of pillow talk. Nothing got the rich and powerful talking like laying next to a gorgeous woman in a soft bed, where they felt the safest. When suited up, Fiona got her information first hand, breaking into homes and safes to find secrets and information to be used as blackmail or a leg up over the competition.
However, on one fateful evening, she eventually caught the eye of the Empress and was offered an ultimatum. The Imperial secret service knew of her activities, so she could either be made an example of and be imprisoned for a very long time, or put her skills and business to good use in the name of the Empire. She chose the latter.
It was on a mission for the crown that Fiona narrowly escaped death during the great floods. She found herself climbing from a window after a successful mission when the waves came crashing in. Using her acrobatic skills and her prowess, she managed to get above the waves and eventually onto floating debris, carried by the newly formed tides.
She spent a day adrift, completely befuddled over what to do. The city was gone, or maybe she’d just been carried out too far, but her doom seemed inevitable. Fortunately, her lucky streak wasn’t over yet, and she was soon rescued by a galleon that had turned pirate.
Months passed since the end of the world. She changed her name to Emma Thompson to avoid anyone who may know her, and earned her way out of being a prisoner by seducing the captain and his first mate, which in turn allowed her to prove herself in combat through duelling on the deck. She needed a new plan to escape the savages…
Over the course of the months, she sewed the seeds of discontent among the crew, and on a raiding mission on a small refugee fleet she put her plan into effect. A mutiny sparked during the raid and in the chaos she joined the civilian escort ship’s forces, beating the pirates back. Its here that she crossed paths with one Andrea Lanne, who she knew from her time in Isra. She aided the injured cat woman onto a refugee ship before returning to the battle.
The escort ship broke off to give the rest of the fleet an out, and were eventually victorious, but the ship was heavily damaged and the crew dwindled to a fraction of its full strength. Though distrustful, the captain allowed her passage in payment for her assistance, once she explained what she’d done.
Eventually, deep into the mists, the ship would group up with a small brigantine escort and its own refugee ship. While the crew joined the escort, Fiona slipped into the ranks of refugees as Emma once more. She was finally Mistbourne bound to a whole new life.
Registered: Aug 9, 2023 15:09:52 GMT -5
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Post by Fiona Blythe on Aug 11, 2023 18:20:50 GMT -5
Fiona accepted the stew, a touch surprised at the generosity, but then again the settlement seemed to be far more advanced than she had assumed as the boat approached safe harbour. She gave the page a small smile as he scampered away to serve even more of the wonderfully smelling broth.
The hot meal warmed her hand through the bowl and she shifted the contents around for a moment, taking a moment to examine the bits and pieces inside. Meat, some vegetables, standard stuff. The smell though… it caused her hungry stomach to growl violently, demanding to be fed more than what the boat had rationed out. She hungrily stuck into the meal and discovered the page to be right on the money. It didn't taste like old, stale, preserved vegetables or overly salted meat, but instead fresh and full of… well, flavour! Like all the refugees, malnourished from their months at sea, she devoured the bowl of stew, taking pauses not to think about what kind of meat it was, but only to close her eyes and really savour it.
Much to her dismay the pleasure of her first real meal in too long came to an end, the bowl scraped, then licked clean in a fashion far too unladylike for her regular station. At least she managed to suppress her burp. Before she'd really noticed, the bowl was gently taken from her hands by the returning page boys who quickly carried it off to who knows where, right as she was called up next.
'Okay Emma,' she thought to herself, straightening her back and putting her hands on the straps of her backpack. 'Lets see what this is about.' She took a confident step forward into the room…
…then promptly froze as the door shut behind her. Those ears, that tail, even the red sweater. She didn't need to introduce herself, Fiona knew her all too well. Even the smell was the same.
'Fuck.'
She stood stock still for a moment, mind racing with panic as the shock wore off, but then… why? Because it was the bloody Empress of course! On the other hand, who better to keep a secret but the one who hired Fiona to find them, amongst other things? These thoughts swam through her head in the blink of an eye, but they quickly dissipated as the Empress gestured to the seat in front of her.
Fiona had no choice. Her little plan had already been thrown out the window seemingly the second she arrived. Time to go with the flow and hope for the best…
She sat in the chair before Naoki, hands on her knees and peering out from the messy, barely brushed hair that framed her otherwise pretty face, unsure of what might happen next. Test the waters?
"Emma… Emma Thompson."
Liar.
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Cil
New
Roleplay posts: 9
Appearance: Cil is a diminutive Arna with pale skin, feathery grey antennae, grey-white hair that flares at the neck, and fuzzy Moth's wings patterned in red and white. In addition to the simple yet elegant robes that adorn their body, Cil almost always wear a sheepish expression on their face - he always seems as though he has either just awoken from a nap, or is preparing for one. Like most Arna, Cil has a secondary set of arms just below the first.
Equipment: Cil's possessions of note include an iron lantern suspended from a simple wood staff, a slingshot, a traditional Arna loom, and his favorite stuffed charm in the shape of a fluffy ram.
Skills and Abilities: Cil is a skilled artisan, trained in traditional Arna silkweaving. Using Arna-sourced silk, Cil has achieved mastery of his craft, and is known for his talent for producing clothing that perfectly blends comfort and elegance. He is credited as being able to create the softest blankets ever held by mortal hands.
Registered: Mar 3, 2023 4:04:39 GMT -5
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Post by Cil on Aug 13, 2023 12:56:01 GMT -5
Cil stared sheepishly at Naoki as she said her piece. It was strange, the way this woman articulated herself - almost as though she was unfamiliar with the emotions that colored her words. Unfamiliar, or forgotten? Scared of it, even. It was difficult to say. These other species always had the tendency to deny themselves of those passions stirring within.
All the same, it was enough to win Cil over. Naoki's hand felt especially warm on his shoulder, fur still cold and damp from the misty journey. He smiled at her, nodding with appreciation as she turned to leave. "Thank you, Miss. Be, uh, seeing you."
Cil tuned back in to Idalia, tuning in. "Isra... it doesn't sound like anything to me. Do you think its even on our maps?" They furrowed their brow. "I never even thought about there being other lands beyond ours."
To Idalia's other question, Cil didn't even let her finish. His antennae perked up in an exclamatory gesture. "Yes! I mean, uh... No? Yes to the staying together part, no to the, ah... not staying together part. Sorry. I just, um..." Cil rocked his head side to side, his thoughts abstracting. Through their telepathy, this took their form of the dissolution of their communication. The Arna's intent became replaced by a kind of rounded, numb feeling - not unlike standing up after one's leg has fallen asleep. Finally Cil's thoughts ceased meandering, and the shape began to coalesce once again into a pattern that Idalia could recognize as words.
"Its still scary here. And new, and loud, and different. Things aren't as scary when you're here too. So lets stay together. Is that ok?"
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Idalia
Established
Roleplay posts: 24
Age: Adult aged. Idalia is adult aged.
Appearance: When Idalia looks in the mirror she thinks she is pretty. She describes herself as white. Her hair is white, her wings are white, and her skin is white. Her eyes are a gentle pink color, almost the same pink her cheeks get when she's flustered. She uses her clothes to add a splash of color to her pale complexion. In the kitchen, she wears a white apron and a sweater underneath if it is chilly. She often wears colorful flexible pants to easily glide her way through the kitchen. Sometimes she can be seen sporting a long colorful skirty. OH YEA the most important part! Idalia is 10 slugs tall.
Equipment: Idalia usually carries her items in an over-the-shoulder cotton bag. Her items include jars of spices, sharpened knives wrapped in leather, a sharpening stone, and her favorite stuffed charm in the shape of a fluffy ram.
Skills and Abilities: Idalia isn't much of a fighter, but her knowledge of breaking down and hunting makes her capable of being one. She doesn't enjoy confrontation or combat but if someone were to threaten her livelihood then she would have no choice but to cut them down to size. She is a skilled chef with techniques from a wide variety of regions. Her cooking can cure the toughest of colds. There's something about the food she makes that always make people come back for more. It must be all the love she puts into her dishes. She is not just a wiz with savory food, she's also a mastermind when it comes to baking and dessert. How else can you have a satisfying meal if you don't have dessert?
Biography: Idalia grew up in a sheltered family who lived amongst other Arna. Arnas are what her kind is called. Her family had high hopes for her, the name she was given means "behold the sun." Maybe she was supposed to be a beacon to others. She never truly understood her name, but it sounds pretty. She went to school but didn't seem to particularly excel in it. Idalia learned the teachings of the light and how the light guides those behind it. Their noble ancestors have helped those seeking passage to brighter lands. Even now people are chosen to walk the path previous generations have lighting the way to hope. She was chosen as one of the ones that would shed light and teach others of this life. May they also believe in the light. It was during one of these trips to a new town that she discovered her love of cuisine. A street vendor selling the most aromatic food she's ever smelled. She couldn't help but take a nibble. It was just a vegetable on a stick, how good could it be? Her eyes widened. The intense flavor of this squash hit her tastebuds. She could taste the smokey flavors combined with just the right amount of heat. A squeeze of lime topped it all off. A flavor explosion, unlike anything she's ever eaten. From that moment forward, she was inspired to learn the ways of cooking so that she too can elicit that same experience from others. Joy can be found when people's stomachs are full.
Registered: Mar 2, 2023 21:16:32 GMT -5
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Post by Idalia on Aug 17, 2023 12:54:33 GMT -5
Idalia hearing Cil's words will give him a large hug. "Of course! I will be with you for as long as you need me. This new place is scary and it's important to hold onto something familiar. We will be each other's anchors was we brace this new world. I'm happy that we're here together. I will work on getting my restaurant open and make a second floor above for us to live in. That will make finding a home much easier."
Off the two Arna go to star their adventures in Port Argentium. First things first, lets find us a home!!!!!!
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Lady Naoki
Dedicated
Roleplay posts: 345
Appearance: Naoki is a curvaceous woman of average height, indeterminate age, and catlike features. Her hair is a dark auburn, often pulled back into a long braid. Her ears are both soft and fluffy, and her tail is never less than perfectly groomed.
Allegiances: New Isra
Place of Residence: Port Argentium
Registered: Mar 16, 2021 22:31:18 GMT -5
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Post by Lady Naoki on Aug 17, 2023 22:26:24 GMT -5
Fiona accepted the stew, a touch surprised at the generosity, but then again the settlement seemed to be far more advanced than she had assumed as the boat approached safe harbour. She gave the page a small smile as he scampered away to serve even more of the wonderfully smelling broth. The hot meal warmed her hand through the bowl and she shifted the contents around for a moment, taking a moment to examine the bits and pieces inside. Meat, some vegetables, standard stuff. The smell though… it caused her hungry stomach to growl violently, demanding to be fed more than what the boat had rationed out. She hungrily stuck into the meal and discovered the page to be right on the money. It didn't taste like old, stale, preserved vegetables or overly salted meat, but instead fresh and full of… well, flavour! Like all the refugees, malnourished from their months at sea, she devoured the bowl of stew, taking pauses not to think about what kind of meat it was, but only to close her eyes and really savour it. Much to her dismay the pleasure of her first real meal in too long came to an end, the bowl scraped, then licked clean in a fashion far too unladylike for her regular station. At least she managed to suppress her burp. Before she'd really noticed, the bowl was gently taken from her hands by the returning page boys who quickly carried it off to who knows where, right as she was called up next. 'Okay Emma,' she thought to herself, straightening her back and putting her hands on the straps of her backpack. 'Lets see what this is about.' She took a confident step forward into the room… …then promptly froze as the door shut behind her. Those ears, that tail, even the red sweater. She didn't need to introduce herself, Fiona knew her all too well. Even the smell was the same. 'Fuck.' She stood stock still for a moment, mind racing with panic as the shock wore off, but then… why? Because it was the bloody Empress of course! On the other hand, who better to keep a secret but the one who hired Fiona to find them, amongst other things? These thoughts swam through her head in the blink of an eye, but they quickly dissipated as the Empress gestured to the seat in front of her. Fiona had no choice. Her little plan had already been thrown out the window seemingly the second she arrived. Time to go with the flow and hope for the best… She sat in the chair before Naoki, hands on her knees and peering out from the messy, barely brushed hair that framed her otherwise pretty face, unsure of what might happen next. Test the waters? "Emma… Emma Thompson." Liar. “Emma… Thompson, hm?” Lady Naoki regards her latest arrival over the rim of a pair of half-moon spectacles she’s produced from some pocket and perched upon her nose for this very reason. “A pleasure to meet you, Miss Thompson.” But Naoki is smirking. It’s a knowing smirk, and she doesn’t try to hide it. It’s a smirk that says “I know who you are, but I’m not acknowledging as much aloud. I don’t know why you’ve chosen to play a little game like this, but I’ll play along, forcing you to play along in turn. Let’s see how far you can go with this, purely for my amusement.”Naoki’s lips can be very communicative when she’d like them to be. “Ah, and you are right here on the manifest, Miss Thompson.” With her quill, Naoki places a mark on the list given to her by the captain before returning her attention to the woman before her. “Now, I realize you’ve just arrived, and this is quite a lot to take in,” Lady Naoki begins, pressing her fingers together as she addresses her guest. “But the short explanation is that we’ve all washed ashore here — just that me and my crew sooner than yourself. The only infrastructure that exists is that which we’ve built since then, more or less from scratch. It’s difficult living, made possible, in part, by the fact that everyone works.” “From the small children all the way up to the elders, and including myself. Everyone has some job, something they do to help the settlement support itself. Part of my job is allocation, making sure that everyone has a job that suits both themselves and everyone else, in the interest of having everyone fed every day, and gradually building up this little settlement into something respectable.” “So, if you would, please tell me about yourself. I’m asking mostly that I might suggest a job that you would be suited for, but I’m also curious,” she says. “Some of the people I meet have especially interesting stories to share.” Having thusly prompted her guest, Naoki rests her chin in her palm and smirks again, evidently enjoying herself.
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Fiona Blythe
Established
Roleplay posts: 14
Age: 26
Appearance: Fiona is a highly attractive woman, with high cheekbones, a small nose, and a soft complexion. Her long, wavy hair is a dark brown, and her eyes a warm, smouldering green. For most of her life, catching eyes was part of her career, she was her own advertisement, so maintaining her good looks what a priority for a long time.
She's of medium height and a toned build, yet soft and supple where it counts the most. The only thing someone might consider as a blemish is a handful of small beauty moles that break up the gentle sea of clear, pale skin.
Equipment: Fiona didn't manage to bring much with her from Isra, largely only the supplies she had in her backpack and the clothes on her back, leaving behind her fortune and vast wardrobe, much to her annoyance.
What she has is a dress donated to her a few months prior, which was made up of browns and beige, very much not her style, but she made it work with some minor adjustments. While a boring outfit, she wasn't as interested in catching eyes as she had been previously.
What mattered most was what was held in her backpack. Tools of the thieving trade, including a grapple rope, three smoke bombs, a set of throwing knives, along with her twin pair of finely crafted blades assigned to her when she became an agent for the crown. As much as she loved her personal blades, the craftsmanship of her new pair gave her reason to retire them.
As well as the blades is her unique, lightweight armour that obscured her identity as well as it protected her. The armoured plates were painted a matte grey, stopping them from reflecting any lights, and the mails covered by lightweight leather materials.
[https://i.imgur.com/2BggqAd.jpg]
Unfortunately her favourite bow was lost months ago.
Skills and Abilities: Fiona's 'day job' made her a master seductress and an incredible lover, for that was why she was paid so highly. She also had a good sense of business, and could mix one hell of a drink.
After dark however, her skills shifted into something more practical for those who lacked certain morals. She is a master thief, making her a master at stealth, lock picking, and acrobatics, as well as having a keen eye and ear for expensive items and valuable information.
In combat, she's fast and accurate with a pair of daggers, and one hell of a shot with a bow.
Biography: Before the end times, Fiona was known as one of the most exclusive and sought after escorts, with her beauty only matched by her grace. She made a small fortune schmoozing and doing business with the rich and famous amongst the nobility of Isra and beyond. She was always quite the seductress and found great pride in parting the rich from their gold in exchange for her company. Eventually she found enough success in her business that she opened a highly exclusive brothel in Isra’s richest district - The Violet Star.
However there was another side to Fiona that many did not know. While she made her public fortune on her back, she made far more as one of Isra’s master thieves, known only to the powers of the underworld. These people would commission Fiona to break into highly secure places, to steal great artefacts or riches, and to test security of their enterprises, to name only a few of Fiona’s talents.
A combination of her secret and public life also earned her a reputation in the underworld as an effective and often reliable information broker. She and those who worked under her were skilled manipulators, pulling secrets from their clients in the form of pillow talk. Nothing got the rich and powerful talking like laying next to a gorgeous woman in a soft bed, where they felt the safest. When suited up, Fiona got her information first hand, breaking into homes and safes to find secrets and information to be used as blackmail or a leg up over the competition.
However, on one fateful evening, she eventually caught the eye of the Empress and was offered an ultimatum. The Imperial secret service knew of her activities, so she could either be made an example of and be imprisoned for a very long time, or put her skills and business to good use in the name of the Empire. She chose the latter.
It was on a mission for the crown that Fiona narrowly escaped death during the great floods. She found herself climbing from a window after a successful mission when the waves came crashing in. Using her acrobatic skills and her prowess, she managed to get above the waves and eventually onto floating debris, carried by the newly formed tides.
She spent a day adrift, completely befuddled over what to do. The city was gone, or maybe she’d just been carried out too far, but her doom seemed inevitable. Fortunately, her lucky streak wasn’t over yet, and she was soon rescued by a galleon that had turned pirate.
Months passed since the end of the world. She changed her name to Emma Thompson to avoid anyone who may know her, and earned her way out of being a prisoner by seducing the captain and his first mate, which in turn allowed her to prove herself in combat through duelling on the deck. She needed a new plan to escape the savages…
Over the course of the months, she sewed the seeds of discontent among the crew, and on a raiding mission on a small refugee fleet she put her plan into effect. A mutiny sparked during the raid and in the chaos she joined the civilian escort ship’s forces, beating the pirates back. Its here that she crossed paths with one Andrea Lanne, who she knew from her time in Isra. She aided the injured cat woman onto a refugee ship before returning to the battle.
The escort ship broke off to give the rest of the fleet an out, and were eventually victorious, but the ship was heavily damaged and the crew dwindled to a fraction of its full strength. Though distrustful, the captain allowed her passage in payment for her assistance, once she explained what she’d done.
Eventually, deep into the mists, the ship would group up with a small brigantine escort and its own refugee ship. While the crew joined the escort, Fiona slipped into the ranks of refugees as Emma once more. She was finally Mistbourne bound to a whole new life.
Registered: Aug 9, 2023 15:09:52 GMT -5
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Post by Fiona Blythe on Aug 18, 2023 6:52:25 GMT -5
Oh Fiona knew that smirk. That little, smug smirk, and the way Naoki said her assumed name, they cut through her charade like a hot knife through butter, but what had Fiona expected? That she wouldn't be recognised? There was a reason she donned a mask for her work, she has one of those faces that proved hard to miss.
It was beyond clear that Naoki knew exactly who this Emma was, but she hadn't blown her cover, not yet. Fiona looked to the floor for a moment, considering the possibilities, how did she want to play it? The game was on and she'd been caught flat footed by the series of events that brought her to that chair. She finally looked up after a moment with a smirk to match Naoki's. Let's play.
She leaned back in her chair after placing her backpack on the knee she had crossed over the other, looking a lot more like the confident Fiona they both once knew. The only charade would be the one acted for anyone who dared eavesdrop on the pair, but otherwise, she wasn't going to let Naoki be the only one satisfied with the situation.
"The pleasure is mine, Lady Naoki," she started before tucking her overgrown hair behind her ear, exposing most of the right side of her face. "I was at sea with the same people for far too long, it's wonderful to see so many new, fresh, faces. It gives one hope that not all is lost." As she spoke her fingers worked the buckles on her backpack, quickly and quietly.
"I would wager my tale would not be particularly interesting," she continued. "I grew up a long way away from this place, and I've worked since I can remember. Odd jobs, a career change here and there - I spent many years as a prostitute, but eventually I studied as a locksmith amongst other things, and eventually moved into procurement for the exceptionally wealthy and powerful." Nothing particularly untrue there, if bending the legality of otherwise legal trades a little. On that last note she flipped the backpack open and reached inside.
She pulled the top of a scroll up towards the top, just far enough to show the wax seal that had been cut and reattached by her hand, the seal of Benjamin Dunham, a rich merchant from the old times in Isra who was the subject of her last mission right as the world ended.
She slipped it back into her bag, the processing hut not being the place to discuss such things, but that look in her eye said there was more to it than that scroll. The scroll in itself had become entirely useless, but there was something else she needed to speak of, but couldn't there, not while they played their game. It could wait.
"I'm as good with my hands as I am on my back," she continued, the confident smirk reappearing on her cheek. "And I'm exceptional with my hands, whether it be a set of lockpicks to help the wealthy back into their homes when they've lost their keys, or the tools needed to fix their fancy clothes and baubles." Quite the handywoman, and she did make most of her own burglary outfits before becoming state employed. They were largely effective until she caught the eye of the Isran spy master. "Being amongst those with exceptional taste gave me an eye for detail which led me to procurement. If something has value, I'll know how much." And how to get it, which they were both familiar with. Trinkets, money, even information, Fiona wasn't one to let herself, nor her employer, down.
"Perhaps my tale might have a little excitement to some after all…" she pondered as she detached the bag that hung from her backpack and opened it. "But with those I travelled with still waiting outside, I doubt I have time to go through it." Not here. Not now. "But if you truly are interested, perhaps later?"
From the bag she pulled her thief's helmet, a matte grey armoured piece, light and nimble, built to protect both her and her identity, assigned to her from the Isran armouries for her clandestine, illegal, state sponsored deeds. She placed it on the table, facing Naoki. "I am, like all of those in this town it seems, ready to be of value again. Being at sea without boating experience is enough to make one feel… unsure. Useless."
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Lady Naoki
Dedicated
Roleplay posts: 345
Appearance: Naoki is a curvaceous woman of average height, indeterminate age, and catlike features. Her hair is a dark auburn, often pulled back into a long braid. Her ears are both soft and fluffy, and her tail is never less than perfectly groomed.
Allegiances: New Isra
Place of Residence: Port Argentium
Registered: Mar 16, 2021 22:31:18 GMT -5
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Post by Lady Naoki on Aug 19, 2023 16:25:31 GMT -5
Chin in her hand, Naoki listens, ears forward. Her eyebrows bump slightly at the sight of the wax sigil from the bag, curious as to why that would have any bearing on anything at all. Fiona makes it seem as though there’s some significance to it, but whatever it is, Naoki is in no especial rush to know. It can wait a bit longer, she’s sure.
“Wonderful,” is Naoki’s reply. “I can certainly think of at least three good positions I think you would enjoy, just to start with.” Taking an eyeful, Naoki taps a finger to her own lips. Poor Fiona’s sides have gone away, she notices. One more tragedy wrought upon Isra by this accursed Mist.
Returning her attention to her ledger, Naoki creates an entry for Emma Thompson. She’s quiet for a few moments as she writes, quill scraping across the parchment. As an afterthought, she waves for Fiona to put her helmet away. Good that she’s held onto it, but Naoki doesn’t need it on her desk.
“But, beyond that, I’ve actually been missing a locksmith,” Naoki adds, gesturing. “Believe it or not, no one here has that skill, so we’ve been relying on old locks. Not that our metalworking is much to speak of right now, but you may be the foremost authority on the creation of locks. So perhaps a bit down the line, you could have a little locksmithery — if you could be convinced.” With this, Naoki shrugs, sincere in so saying.
“But for the time being…” Naoki hums, considering. Then, settling upon something, she points to Fiona. “ Your stomach has grumbled five times since you sat down. Go to the mess hall, fill yourself up, and then, if you can still move, ask around in there and make yourself busy with a knife. The cookmasters have been lamenting that they don’t have anyone who knows how to use their hands.”
“He will lead you there,” Naoki says, gesturing to the nearest of her pages, “And he’ll tell you of the accommodations we have for the newly arrived. Eventually, you could have your own house, if you’d like, but they take time to construct, and there are a few of you in line here, you understand.”
As she says this, Naoki performs a series of hand motions. First, she gestures to herself. Then, “house”, followed by, “tonight.” As an afterthought, she adds “door,” and a stern look, which quickly cracks into a smile. The pageboy stands ready to escort Fiona.
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Fiona Blythe
Established
Roleplay posts: 14
Age: 26
Appearance: Fiona is a highly attractive woman, with high cheekbones, a small nose, and a soft complexion. Her long, wavy hair is a dark brown, and her eyes a warm, smouldering green. For most of her life, catching eyes was part of her career, she was her own advertisement, so maintaining her good looks what a priority for a long time.
She's of medium height and a toned build, yet soft and supple where it counts the most. The only thing someone might consider as a blemish is a handful of small beauty moles that break up the gentle sea of clear, pale skin.
Equipment: Fiona didn't manage to bring much with her from Isra, largely only the supplies she had in her backpack and the clothes on her back, leaving behind her fortune and vast wardrobe, much to her annoyance.
What she has is a dress donated to her a few months prior, which was made up of browns and beige, very much not her style, but she made it work with some minor adjustments. While a boring outfit, she wasn't as interested in catching eyes as she had been previously.
What mattered most was what was held in her backpack. Tools of the thieving trade, including a grapple rope, three smoke bombs, a set of throwing knives, along with her twin pair of finely crafted blades assigned to her when she became an agent for the crown. As much as she loved her personal blades, the craftsmanship of her new pair gave her reason to retire them.
As well as the blades is her unique, lightweight armour that obscured her identity as well as it protected her. The armoured plates were painted a matte grey, stopping them from reflecting any lights, and the mails covered by lightweight leather materials.
[https://i.imgur.com/2BggqAd.jpg]
Unfortunately her favourite bow was lost months ago.
Skills and Abilities: Fiona's 'day job' made her a master seductress and an incredible lover, for that was why she was paid so highly. She also had a good sense of business, and could mix one hell of a drink.
After dark however, her skills shifted into something more practical for those who lacked certain morals. She is a master thief, making her a master at stealth, lock picking, and acrobatics, as well as having a keen eye and ear for expensive items and valuable information.
In combat, she's fast and accurate with a pair of daggers, and one hell of a shot with a bow.
Biography: Before the end times, Fiona was known as one of the most exclusive and sought after escorts, with her beauty only matched by her grace. She made a small fortune schmoozing and doing business with the rich and famous amongst the nobility of Isra and beyond. She was always quite the seductress and found great pride in parting the rich from their gold in exchange for her company. Eventually she found enough success in her business that she opened a highly exclusive brothel in Isra’s richest district - The Violet Star.
However there was another side to Fiona that many did not know. While she made her public fortune on her back, she made far more as one of Isra’s master thieves, known only to the powers of the underworld. These people would commission Fiona to break into highly secure places, to steal great artefacts or riches, and to test security of their enterprises, to name only a few of Fiona’s talents.
A combination of her secret and public life also earned her a reputation in the underworld as an effective and often reliable information broker. She and those who worked under her were skilled manipulators, pulling secrets from their clients in the form of pillow talk. Nothing got the rich and powerful talking like laying next to a gorgeous woman in a soft bed, where they felt the safest. When suited up, Fiona got her information first hand, breaking into homes and safes to find secrets and information to be used as blackmail or a leg up over the competition.
However, on one fateful evening, she eventually caught the eye of the Empress and was offered an ultimatum. The Imperial secret service knew of her activities, so she could either be made an example of and be imprisoned for a very long time, or put her skills and business to good use in the name of the Empire. She chose the latter.
It was on a mission for the crown that Fiona narrowly escaped death during the great floods. She found herself climbing from a window after a successful mission when the waves came crashing in. Using her acrobatic skills and her prowess, she managed to get above the waves and eventually onto floating debris, carried by the newly formed tides.
She spent a day adrift, completely befuddled over what to do. The city was gone, or maybe she’d just been carried out too far, but her doom seemed inevitable. Fortunately, her lucky streak wasn’t over yet, and she was soon rescued by a galleon that had turned pirate.
Months passed since the end of the world. She changed her name to Emma Thompson to avoid anyone who may know her, and earned her way out of being a prisoner by seducing the captain and his first mate, which in turn allowed her to prove herself in combat through duelling on the deck. She needed a new plan to escape the savages…
Over the course of the months, she sewed the seeds of discontent among the crew, and on a raiding mission on a small refugee fleet she put her plan into effect. A mutiny sparked during the raid and in the chaos she joined the civilian escort ship’s forces, beating the pirates back. Its here that she crossed paths with one Andrea Lanne, who she knew from her time in Isra. She aided the injured cat woman onto a refugee ship before returning to the battle.
The escort ship broke off to give the rest of the fleet an out, and were eventually victorious, but the ship was heavily damaged and the crew dwindled to a fraction of its full strength. Though distrustful, the captain allowed her passage in payment for her assistance, once she explained what she’d done.
Eventually, deep into the mists, the ship would group up with a small brigantine escort and its own refugee ship. While the crew joined the escort, Fiona slipped into the ranks of refugees as Emma once more. She was finally Mistbourne bound to a whole new life.
Registered: Aug 9, 2023 15:09:52 GMT -5
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Post by Fiona Blythe on Aug 20, 2023 13:19:39 GMT -5
Her smirk tugged a little further at Fiona's cheek, the innuendo not lost on her for a moment, she could work with three to start with nicely. She reached up and ran a finger along the upper chest edge of her dress as Naoki's eyes danced along her form, subtly revealing just a touch more of her pale skin for the cat to enjoy in that fleeting moment. It wouldn't have had nearly as potent an effect as it once did when she was in excellent nutrition, but what she had was still enough. Something she’d work to fix as quickly as she could.
The need for a locksmith would have been clear for a fledgling settlement, but it wasn't something Fiona had considered mostly because she was always the one rendering locks obsolete, they weren't to keep people out but instead challenges to overcome, often with a prize just beyond the iron mechanisms. To actually design one? She recalled the feel of a few different locks and considered how they looked in her mind. With the plans forming, combined with a good metal worker, yes, she likely could design and have sets of locks made, ones that could keep many a lesser thief than herself out.
It would also give her plenty of ways to practise and keep her skills sharp without raising suspicion.
She was about to speak, but her hand instinctively went to her stomach as Naoki pointed out the unfortunate sounds that rumbled from it. She wasn't as embarrassed by the sounds as much as she was about being used to them. They had become a constant in her life, one that she hated being reminded of. That smirk flattered for a moment as she felt the hunger tug at her gut, despite the stew she'd wolfed down before.
"I know my way around a kitchen knife," she said, that smirk returning just a touch, but perhaps not as genuine as before. "I'd be happy to help after I have a meal or two. It… it would be the least I could do." That was genuine, the thought of a good meal filled her with that little bit of hope she'd kept a hold of. If it was as good as the stew, she’d be happy to offer her services in the kitchen with a knife to return the favour.
As Naoki continued Fiona listened, curious of course about eventually having her own house, perhaps like the ones she'd seen in the distance beyond the docks, but her eyes looked to the cat's hands. She knew precisely what she meant, even if she was a little disappointed about having to use the door. She hadn't climbed through a window in months. Still, she nodded and gave a quick, subtle wink as she stood. She'd be there.
"Thank you, Lady Naoki," she said, standing before the desk with a small smile on her face. "It was a pleasure to meet you… until next time."
That was all that was needed. She turned for the page boy, and before long she was off for a good meal and some honest work for once. As she walked away, she couldn't help but think that things might just turn out okay for her. It was a new land, but she'd found a familiar face in the chaos and had the potential to make a living again. All thoughts came to an end as her stomach growled angrily at her once more - the stew wasn't enough, but thankfully the mess hall beckoned.
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Lady Naoki
Dedicated
Roleplay posts: 345
Appearance: Naoki is a curvaceous woman of average height, indeterminate age, and catlike features. Her hair is a dark auburn, often pulled back into a long braid. Her ears are both soft and fluffy, and her tail is never less than perfectly groomed.
Allegiances: New Isra
Place of Residence: Port Argentium
Registered: Mar 16, 2021 22:31:18 GMT -5
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Post by Lady Naoki on Sept 10, 2023 22:05:56 GMT -5
The peplum of Lady Naoki’s blouse whips furiously in the wind as she stands on the docks this blustery afternoon, overseeing the launch of New Isra’s first naval vessel. A large merchant vessel constructed in the distant and now-flooded Luhua, what was once the New Sun Cargo has been taken from the beach where Honoka Yuzu and her crew landed it by Naoki’s men. It has since been lightly repaired, refurbished, and re-christened as the New Sun’s Reach, the first vessel to leave Port Argentium’s brand-new dry dock. A team of sailors, selected from Port Argentium’s population, are already aboard, ready to sail the vessel on this crucial mission. “I believe it’s ready.” Turning to Grandma, Naoki gestures to the ship, and seems pleased with it. A fresh coat of stain, a new sail, and a crisp new — albeit slightly oversized flag make the vessel look pretty good. Hopefully, it’s also seaworthy, but Naoki won’t be the one to find that out. “I managed to scrape together the cargo you requested, and it’s already aboard. You have everything else you need?”
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Grandma
Dedicated
Roleplay posts: 144
Age: Appears to be in her 80's
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Appearance: An elderly woman with a wiry frame who most notably possesses unnatural height, standing at well over seven feet tall even when hunched over her cane. Her hair is grayish-white and normally done up in a bun and her eyes are also gray in color. Her skin is very pale and has an almost grayish hue to it. Her nails are long, black, and sharpened at the tip.
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Equipment: She wears a deep purple robe that has sleeves that extend far beyond her hands. Her hands are covered with fine gloves of black silk and she wears one ring on each, one having a purple stone set in it and the other a piece of onyx. Carrying an ornate cane of orellium, Grandma can use it to increase her magical channeling as well as assist in deflecting others' spells with it. The cane itself is black and covered in numerous ornate, but tiny runes. The cap on the cane is a purplish-colored gem. On her wrist is a silver bracelet with a ruby in it that Grandma uses for communication with others who own similar bracelets.
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Skills and Abilities: Skilled at knitting!
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Biography: While the details of Grandma's past are shrouded in mystery, since first meeting Naoki she has served essentially one role, that of advisor. While her titles have varied as Naoki moved up the social ladder of Isra, her continued support, and assistance she offered to Naoki have never wavered.
Even following the destruction of Isra, Grandma continues to follow and offer guidance to Lady Naoki as they attempt to rebuild from the wreckage.
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Allegiances: Naoki
Place of Residence: Port Argentium
Registered: Mar 16, 2021 19:51:53 GMT -5
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Post by Grandma on Sept 11, 2023 1:57:25 GMT -5
Adjusting her wide-brimmed black hat, Grandma surveyed the newly refurbished vessel with a raised eyebrow. While it certainly wasn’t a flagship, for the purposes of this voyage, it would do just fine. The gryphon might be a bit cramped, but she could always take it on a few flights to help prevent the poor beast from going stir-crazy.
“I think it’ll be very suitable for our journey, functional but nothing too flashy. I wouldn’t want to go intimidating our neighbors by showing up in a warship.” Letting out a dry chuckle, Grandma leaned on her cane with a sigh. “Much appreciated, I know under current circumstances some of what I wanted might have been hard to come by. With any luck, I’ll be able to trade for things we’re in short supply of and your scraping together of supplies will pay off handsomely.”
Pointing her cane towards a large crate the sailors were hauling aboard, Grandma nodded. “Yes, other than the provisions you supplied I had a few personal supplies brought that should help cover us if we run into any… Unforeseen circumstances.” There was a certain dark glint in Grandma’s eye as she watched the sailors haul her crate aboard.
One thing that didn’t sit well with Grandma, was how unprotected Naoki would be with her gone. Given Alden had taken off for gods know-what reason, the list of people she trusted to protect Naoki from a major threat had greatly dwindled. And not only was Grandma leaving, but Skarlet was coming with her. While not an official guard of Naoki, Skarlet was still another loyal combat-capable individual who wouldn’t be present for the duration of their voyage.
“You already know this Naoki, but be careful. The sudden departure of Alden leaves me a bit uneasy when it comes to your safety. Still, this trip isn’t something I feel comfortable putting off any longer. After all, not being familiar with our neighbors poses a different kind of security threat.” Glancing over at Skarlet, Grandma offered her a slight smile. “Well, if you’ve double-checked all your luggage is in order, we best not dally here. Once you’ve said your goodbyes to Naoki I’d like to get moving as soon as we can. The faster we leave the faster we can get back.”
Deciding to give Skarlet and Naoki some privacy to say their farewells, Grandma boarded the ship, her black cloak billowing out behind her before she disappeared into the captain's quarters.
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Skarlet
Committed
Roleplay posts: 53
Age: Her exact age is ambiguous but she has lived atleast a couple human lifetimes by now.
Appearance: Skarlet has Pale skin, red eyes and sharp teeth when she needs them. Her hair is dark brown but she has a streak of red in the front. Her wardrobe is always designed to cover up as much of her body as she can to shield herself from the sun.
Skills and Abilities: Night Vision
Enhanced Senses
Dream Walker
Vampirism
Flash Freezing technique
Biological Manipulation
Biography: Lady Skarlet is a Vampire and adopted daughter of Lady Naoki, though she's not exactly the same Skarlet that she knew from back then. This Skarlet came from an alternate future where something terrible had happened to Lady Naoki, and Skarlet became leader of her own nation for a while, years passed since and Skarlet has had a couple more families, she waged war against Men and Demons, She's loved and lost.
Naoki should be able to tell that even though Skarlet looks as young as ever, her eyes have changed and hint that she has probably lived through a couple lifetimes since last they saw each other.
Allegiances: Lady Naoki
Place of Residence: Naoki's Estate
Registered: Mar 21, 2021 14:38:24 GMT -5
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Post by Skarlet on Sept 11, 2023 9:56:52 GMT -5
Skarlet was standing behind Grandma and Naoki observing the men loading the ship up. She was a little worried to go on this trip, but this was an opportunity to find people to recruit. Skarlet had only been forming her special unit for a short time and most of the men were still being trained at the barracks, on this trip she was bringing with her no more than 5 soldiers that she deemed were elite enough. Skarlet's squad went ahead onto the ship while she spoke to Naoki.
"It's about time to go..." Skarlet moves over to give Naoki a hug and clutches her tight. "I'm sorry to leave now, but I have begun the preparations for those defenses to be built, hopefully there will be considerable improvements when I come back."
Skarlet breaks away from the hug and straightens her outfit made of mostly blackout material. She gestures off in the distance behind them, "Mother, while I was patrolling I met that short creature over there, the Kobold. His name is Doobie du Shoobie and he's a wizard of some kind and I remember hearing about him before back in the day, he's been living nearby and I've asked him to help out while I'm away. When we get to the Twin Cities I'm going to seek out his son and try to bring him back. Apparently he's been training with Ralf Valgard."
She looks over at Doobie who is also watching them while smoking his pipe and he waves. Skarlet does not respond and instead returns her attention to Lady Naoki to say her last goodbyes before it's time to board the New Sun's Reach. "Goodbye dear Naoki, Grandma and I will return as soon as we can."
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Lady Naoki
Dedicated
Roleplay posts: 345
Appearance: Naoki is a curvaceous woman of average height, indeterminate age, and catlike features. Her hair is a dark auburn, often pulled back into a long braid. Her ears are both soft and fluffy, and her tail is never less than perfectly groomed.
Allegiances: New Isra
Place of Residence: Port Argentium
Registered: Mar 16, 2021 22:31:18 GMT -5
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Post by Lady Naoki on Sept 11, 2023 12:57:59 GMT -5
Listening to Grandma, Naoki nods. She’s a touch concerned as well. Overworked and without a full set of functionaries, Naoki is now under-protected, as well. She’ll be working on that issue some herself while Grandma is away.
Nodding her farewell to Grandma, Naoki then turns to listen to Skarlet. “Ah, yes. I’ve met Doobie. Good to know he’ll be around — best of luck finding his son.”
“Safe voyage,” Naoki calls after them both. With them both gone, it’ll be about as quiet as it was before, but she’ll have fewer allies to call upon. It's slightly troubling, but Naoki will make due.
Leaning up against a post, Naoki pulls out her glasses and begins to consult her ledger, planning to stay until the vessel departs.
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