New Isra
Committed
Roleplay posts: 71
Biography: This account represents the NPCs and locations associated with New Isra!
Allegiances: Isra
Registered: Mar 16, 2021 22:30:20 GMT -5
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Post by New Isra on Nov 15, 2021 1:20:27 GMT -5
The Forum is a place of public business. Fulfilling much the same role as Old Isra’s Central Plaza, it is a place for public meetings, socializing, and transacting. The flame of the original bonfire lit on that very first night still burns, now girded by stone pillars in the center of the plaza, with a small roof to guard it against the worst of the rains. At night, the fire is stoked to cast shadows all about the square and light the way for those who would walk the city after dusk.
Plans call for the whole of The Forum to eventually be done up with fine stone flooring and covered walkways, but much of those plans have yet to be realized. The Forum is also intended to eventually become a place where merchants might set up stalls and hawk wares, but there aren’t very many of those yet.
Still, there are plenty of benches near and far from the fire, prime for socializing and relaxing.
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László Vander Ark
New
Roleplay posts: 5
Age: 24
Appearance: Messy dark hair frames his angular face, poking around his pointed ears that are always decorated with various pieces of jewellery. His crooked nose would pass largely unnoticed as his intense gold eyes would be his most noticeable facial feature, along with the scar twisting across one side of his face. His lips are often curled into a small, wry smirk, and, when they part, his just-so-slightly abnormally pointed teeth are revealed. His hands are callused and rough, the mark of a man who knows work. His skin is littered with various scars and tattoos that poke out of loose, often forest-colored garments. His overall build is lithe, allowing for fast movements and stealth.
Skills and Abilities:
- Agility/evasion/speed
- Comfortable with improvising and lying
- Stealth
- Has learned to fight/move well in the dark
- Quick to pick up on visual/auditory details
- Whittling/carving
- Good plant/animal knowledge, helps with foraging/hunting or medical care
- Music: plays various types of flutes (a pan flute and a flute carved from bone)
Biography:
László, also known as Laci (pronounced lah-tsee) or Laz, is the oldest of the Vander Ark triplets, a trio of mercenaries. His siblings are Kaspar (Ants) and Hollis. They grew up in a small, run-down city that the government largely ignored, considering it a waste of resources and time to try to fix it. As a consequence, crime ran rampant, the inhabitants getting tangled in increasingly shady actions, whether they wanted to or not. Poverty and hunger were the powers that be in the city, and the need to survive drove people to carry out desperate, immoral actions. It was not a friendly place for kids to grow up, and on top of that, the triplets’ parents didn’t much care for them. They were only acknowledged when their labor could be used or when their parents needed an outlet for their anger. This created bitter, anxious, hurt children.
Their lives were altered when a stranger going by the name of Kingfisher spoke to them on the streets one day, offering the children some food and spare change. The kids grew to care for him and visit him, looking up to him as a role model. He was kinder than their parents and he treated them like people, engaging them and giving them the attention they craved. Before long, the trio was spending more time with him than they were at home, and eventually, Kingfisher helped them to escape from their parents. They lived with him in hopes of a better life. He took them under his wing, teaching them skills that would help them survive in this cruel city, raising them to be the perfect assistants. As time went on, his facade of kindness started to slip. The children were nothing more than servants to him, a tool to aid him in his work or to help gain money. He taught them what they needed to know, but his methods were harsh and unyielding. The trio knew nothing other than this life, so they did not think to question it or protest, just accept it and grow stronger, even if they broke in the process.
When the Vander Arks were teenagers, Kingfisher’s manipulation reached a new height. He forced them to kill their parents, convincing them that it was their own idea and what they had wanted all along. While they had hurt people before and broke many a law, this was too far. The magnitude of what they had done hit them and they panicked, trying to leave Kingfisher and alert the authorities. He threatens their lives and tells them that no one will believe them and that they’re powerless to do anything, because no one would even care. He points out that they’re the ones who killed their parents, reminding them that they could go to jail or be executed for that. They remain trapped under his authority for several more years, secretly scheming to get away from him. They use their questionable skillsets to find work as mercenaries, eventually earning enough money to get out of the city and escape.
An event happens that causes the triplets to split off from each other [tbd later]. They have no contact for years until they see each other by chance, when they all try to kill Kingfisher. After this, they start reconnecting, learning to work together and to love each other after all these years. A year later, their world is destroyed, and they escape into The Mist, left with nothing except one another.
Registered: Nov 20, 2021 16:05:12 GMT -5
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Post by László Vander Ark on Nov 24, 2021 14:46:49 GMT -5
László had yelled something over his shoulder to his brothers about how he was off to explore and look for things to be used for food or shelter, and he promptly ran off, boots squelching in the wet sand as he made his way to land. He breathed a sigh of relief as he felt solid ground beneath his feet, glad to be out of that damned boat. The sea was not his thing, not in the slightest. The trees up ahead, however? That was where he was most at home.
With Ajax circling overhead, flapping out of sight from time to time and then returning, László made his way further inland, eyes darting from side to side as he went, noting his surroundings and the direction he had come from. He soon came across what looked like a settlement and began approaching with caution. Depending on what type of people inhabited it, he could find himself being chased off and injured or being welcomed. This was the first sign of life he had seen since the floods, but that didn’t mean that he should throw himself naively into the arms of whoever lived here.
There was a fire up ahead, presumably lit by the inhabitants of this area. Benches surrounded it and people of various sorts milled about. None of them seemed too bothered by his presence, so he drew closer to the fire, sitting down on one of the benches nearest to it. The lower half of his legs were soaked through from wading to the shore, but it bothered him little. So far, this place seemed promising—not that he had much of a sense for it yet. He reminded himself not to let his guard down, regardless of how glad he was to be in a proper settlement again instead of a boat with nothing in sight but endless water and fog.
He leaned back, arms draped over the top of the bench lazily, head cocked to the side at a slight angle. As he had learned from a young age, confidence was key. If you acted like you were supposed to be there, people tended not to question you. And if they did? Well, he had plenty of experience with getting out of sticky situations… Ajax landed on the back of the bench, not far from László’s hand. He wiggled his fingers at the crow, which was met with a caw. “Well, Ajax, what d’ya think of this place?” he murmured to his companion.
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Anastasia
New
Roleplay posts: 6
Age: 23
Appearance: 5'6 / 167 cm. White-blonde hair, green eyes, pale skin. Freckles. Mostly average frame, has muscles from lifting.
Equipment: - a dagger
- three throwing knives
- glass bottles and corks, one filled with water
- various herbs and spices in a bag
Skills and Abilities: - poison crafting
- fishing/hunting
- knife fighting and throwing
- medicine
- good at talking
Biography: Anastasia Parker was born into a splintered family. Her father was involved with people who her mother deemed 'not the best', and she sought to keep Ana away from these people. However, Ana dearly loved her father and often accompanied him on his seafaring adventures.
Anastasia's father taught her the fine art of crafting poisons and calculating doses. Ana was always drawn to the technical aspects of the craft - how much of one thing went where, how to use the poison, what made it most effective - but paid apt attention to her father's lessons. She learned how to hunt by land and by sea, and her father also taught her to protect herself from his acquaintances, who thought of her as 'just another girl' before they realised she was his daughter.
Anastasia grew distant from her mother and her half-brother, Constantine, who was born when she was fourteen. When living with them, she experimented with poisons to the point of nearly killing her brother - which she felt no remorse about and merely shrugged off when asked what had happened. She had been curious, and that was all. No harm had been done. William could learn to deal with a little vomit. She never poisoned anyone to the point of death, but sometimes, if she didn't like someone, she would slip one of her fine crafts into someone's food or drink and smile to herself as it took effect.
As she got older, her father's 'colleagues' became a bit more rowdy with her, and she began to avoid them. She even poisoned them when she felt like it, and when her father found out, he disallowed her from coming to sea with him for months on end. By the time her 'grounding' was over, she had a simmering irritation for most of the people on the ship, sometimes including her own father.
By the time she was twenty-two, she was expected to care for her now-ailing mother and spend more time on land... and that simply wouldn't do. Rather than doing the expected, she took a job at the local apothecary and worked up enough money to buy a small boat and supplies, and as soon as she could, she set off.
She fully intended to live a solitary life at sea, but when the mists came, it seemed that would not be the case. After days of sailing in the midst of damp fog, she finally made landfall in the Mistborne Isles, and she supposed that, perhaps, it might be a good idea to rest... For now.
Registered: Nov 19, 2021 23:19:06 GMT -5
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The Forum
Nov 24, 2021 17:55:45 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by Anastasia on Nov 24, 2021 17:55:45 GMT -5
Anastasia had landed easily enough. She supposed her years on the ocean with her father likely helped with this, but truth be told, she did want to take the credit for herself.
She stared at the small boat that she had just embarked from in disbelief. It looked far smaller now that she was no longer confined to it, and the room had been lessened by the things inside.
Anastasia debated taking her few belongings with her, but understanding she did not have the strength to do so, she picked up a quill and inkwell and got to work. The letter - hardly a letter and more of a note - was short and sweet: ‘Mess with this and you WILL be sorry.’
Anastasia smirked to herself and gently shook some of the ink off her quill before setting the belongings on a crate - of salt, if she remembered correctly - and heading away from her boat.
This place was unfamiliar. Anastasia had gone many places by boat, and while she was usually good with new places, this one unnerved her. It was as if the mists surrounding her on the ocean would never touch her here - why? Was it the climate? Magic? Something else?
The thoughts of magic ruined her mood a bit, but she decided not to be bothered. If this island wasn’t obscured by the mist, she likely wasn’t alone - hence why she wrote the ‘letter’ - and she was determined to find other people on this… Was it only one island?
She had a lot of questions and no one in her vicinity to ask. So… Walk it was.
By the time she saw what looked almost like civilisation, her feet ached. She hadn’t walked properly in months, only walking around the deck of her small boat to make sure she still had muscles. That clearly hadn’t been enough; her usually exemplary stamina had been depleted long ago, and as she walked towards the settlement, she was gasping for a taste of the salty, humid air.
She finally approached, sweating in the chilly air, and she gracefully - although probably not gently - set herself down on a bench. She was seated next to a newcomer with a bird near him. He had interesting eyes, Anastasia decided, but she wasn’t entirely certain if their molten gold colour meant anything important.
She scanned her surroundings - the warm fire crackled, but at the moment, Anastasia wanted away from it, wanted to breathe in the salty air from the ocean rather than be assaulted by the fire’s heat - and sighed. There were people, yes, which was good - it meant the land was inhabitable - and the benches meant people had been living here for some time. She was new. An outsider.
She would have stayed quiet, but after a while of sitting, her curiosity overcame her instinct to stay quiet - unknown - and she glanced at the person next to her, the one with the golden eyes.
‘Er, hello,’ she said quietly, making sure no one but her neighbour would hear her. She opted for something that didn’t make her sound vulnerable as she added, ‘You’ve got a lovely bird there. What’s its name?’
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László Vander Ark
New
Roleplay posts: 5
Age: 24
Appearance: Messy dark hair frames his angular face, poking around his pointed ears that are always decorated with various pieces of jewellery. His crooked nose would pass largely unnoticed as his intense gold eyes would be his most noticeable facial feature, along with the scar twisting across one side of his face. His lips are often curled into a small, wry smirk, and, when they part, his just-so-slightly abnormally pointed teeth are revealed. His hands are callused and rough, the mark of a man who knows work. His skin is littered with various scars and tattoos that poke out of loose, often forest-colored garments. His overall build is lithe, allowing for fast movements and stealth.
Skills and Abilities:
- Agility/evasion/speed
- Comfortable with improvising and lying
- Stealth
- Has learned to fight/move well in the dark
- Quick to pick up on visual/auditory details
- Whittling/carving
- Good plant/animal knowledge, helps with foraging/hunting or medical care
- Music: plays various types of flutes (a pan flute and a flute carved from bone)
Biography:
László, also known as Laci (pronounced lah-tsee) or Laz, is the oldest of the Vander Ark triplets, a trio of mercenaries. His siblings are Kaspar (Ants) and Hollis. They grew up in a small, run-down city that the government largely ignored, considering it a waste of resources and time to try to fix it. As a consequence, crime ran rampant, the inhabitants getting tangled in increasingly shady actions, whether they wanted to or not. Poverty and hunger were the powers that be in the city, and the need to survive drove people to carry out desperate, immoral actions. It was not a friendly place for kids to grow up, and on top of that, the triplets’ parents didn’t much care for them. They were only acknowledged when their labor could be used or when their parents needed an outlet for their anger. This created bitter, anxious, hurt children.
Their lives were altered when a stranger going by the name of Kingfisher spoke to them on the streets one day, offering the children some food and spare change. The kids grew to care for him and visit him, looking up to him as a role model. He was kinder than their parents and he treated them like people, engaging them and giving them the attention they craved. Before long, the trio was spending more time with him than they were at home, and eventually, Kingfisher helped them to escape from their parents. They lived with him in hopes of a better life. He took them under his wing, teaching them skills that would help them survive in this cruel city, raising them to be the perfect assistants. As time went on, his facade of kindness started to slip. The children were nothing more than servants to him, a tool to aid him in his work or to help gain money. He taught them what they needed to know, but his methods were harsh and unyielding. The trio knew nothing other than this life, so they did not think to question it or protest, just accept it and grow stronger, even if they broke in the process.
When the Vander Arks were teenagers, Kingfisher’s manipulation reached a new height. He forced them to kill their parents, convincing them that it was their own idea and what they had wanted all along. While they had hurt people before and broke many a law, this was too far. The magnitude of what they had done hit them and they panicked, trying to leave Kingfisher and alert the authorities. He threatens their lives and tells them that no one will believe them and that they’re powerless to do anything, because no one would even care. He points out that they’re the ones who killed their parents, reminding them that they could go to jail or be executed for that. They remain trapped under his authority for several more years, secretly scheming to get away from him. They use their questionable skillsets to find work as mercenaries, eventually earning enough money to get out of the city and escape.
An event happens that causes the triplets to split off from each other [tbd later]. They have no contact for years until they see each other by chance, when they all try to kill Kingfisher. After this, they start reconnecting, learning to work together and to love each other after all these years. A year later, their world is destroyed, and they escape into The Mist, left with nothing except one another.
Registered: Nov 20, 2021 16:05:12 GMT -5
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The Forum
Nov 24, 2021 22:22:15 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by László Vander Ark on Nov 24, 2021 22:22:15 GMT -5
László looked up when he heard footsteps approaching, intense eyes locking on the young woman who joined him on the bench. She looked strong—her defined muscles indicated that she was the type of person who could handle a large load. Judging by the way she spoke and carried herself—the way she looked around the place like he did, taking in new sights rather than basking in familiarity—indicated that she was likely also new to this area. She didn’t seem to be a threat, as she had sat next to him and now struck up friendly conversation. However, while she might not be aggressive, she seemed capable. It never hurt to have an ally, and she could potentially be a decent one, László mused.
“Oh, this fella here? Name’s Ajax, and yes, he is lovely, much like yourself.” He grinned cheekily, swiftly moving on. “Are you new here as well? I just arrived with my brothers, this is the first land we’ve seen in months,” he drawled, taking his time with his words. He was in no hurry, after all. He gazed at the flickering fire for a moment and then watched Ajax flap away to peck at some nearby undergrowth. He hummed and turned back to the stranger beside him, leaning towards her slightly, eyes warm and alight. “Care to tell me your name so that we might be properly acquainted?” he asked teasingly. “For the record, I’m László.”
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Anastasia
New
Roleplay posts: 6
Age: 23
Appearance: 5'6 / 167 cm. White-blonde hair, green eyes, pale skin. Freckles. Mostly average frame, has muscles from lifting.
Equipment: - a dagger
- three throwing knives
- glass bottles and corks, one filled with water
- various herbs and spices in a bag
Skills and Abilities: - poison crafting
- fishing/hunting
- knife fighting and throwing
- medicine
- good at talking
Biography: Anastasia Parker was born into a splintered family. Her father was involved with people who her mother deemed 'not the best', and she sought to keep Ana away from these people. However, Ana dearly loved her father and often accompanied him on his seafaring adventures.
Anastasia's father taught her the fine art of crafting poisons and calculating doses. Ana was always drawn to the technical aspects of the craft - how much of one thing went where, how to use the poison, what made it most effective - but paid apt attention to her father's lessons. She learned how to hunt by land and by sea, and her father also taught her to protect herself from his acquaintances, who thought of her as 'just another girl' before they realised she was his daughter.
Anastasia grew distant from her mother and her half-brother, Constantine, who was born when she was fourteen. When living with them, she experimented with poisons to the point of nearly killing her brother - which she felt no remorse about and merely shrugged off when asked what had happened. She had been curious, and that was all. No harm had been done. William could learn to deal with a little vomit. She never poisoned anyone to the point of death, but sometimes, if she didn't like someone, she would slip one of her fine crafts into someone's food or drink and smile to herself as it took effect.
As she got older, her father's 'colleagues' became a bit more rowdy with her, and she began to avoid them. She even poisoned them when she felt like it, and when her father found out, he disallowed her from coming to sea with him for months on end. By the time her 'grounding' was over, she had a simmering irritation for most of the people on the ship, sometimes including her own father.
By the time she was twenty-two, she was expected to care for her now-ailing mother and spend more time on land... and that simply wouldn't do. Rather than doing the expected, she took a job at the local apothecary and worked up enough money to buy a small boat and supplies, and as soon as she could, she set off.
She fully intended to live a solitary life at sea, but when the mists came, it seemed that would not be the case. After days of sailing in the midst of damp fog, she finally made landfall in the Mistborne Isles, and she supposed that, perhaps, it might be a good idea to rest... For now.
Registered: Nov 19, 2021 23:19:06 GMT -5
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The Forum
Nov 24, 2021 22:43:18 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by Anastasia on Nov 24, 2021 22:43:18 GMT -5
Anastasia watched the man next to her as he looked at her. He didn’t seem threatening - she knew threats when she saw them. He reminded her of Constantine, just a bit, but he didn’t seem as weak as her little brother. The scar across his face already gave him the distinction of someone who had felt pain and had lived through it.
Ajax. It sounded like a strong name, similarly to the bird’s… owner? Companion? Something along those lines.
Anastasia’s neutral expression changed into one of bashful amusement as the man talked. He was new here? She didn’t entirely believe that, but he didn’t seem as if he was entirely attuned to the land…
She nodded and smiled at him, tilting her head to show she was listening. After a moment, she responded, still keeping her voice low.
‘Ajax is a good name. It fits him - assuming it’s a him.’ Anastasia chuckled quietly. ‘I’m new, too. Not entirely used to the land yet. No brothers with me.’ Should she mention Constantine? ‘Did they hold you back?’
The stranger seemed to light up after glancing at his bird. Maybe this was what it was like to be so connected to something, that even looking at it could make you feel alive. Not just as if you were surviving, but as if you were living. That was what made all the difference.
‘A name, eh?’ Anastasia felt her grin widening. László, he had said. She committed it to memory as she leaned towards him, holding out her hand - did people shake hands wherever he was from? ‘I’m Anastasia. It’s a pleasure to meet you, László.’
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Faces in the Mist
Committed
Roleplay posts: 50
Appearance: The mist swirls and whirls, whispering its secrets to whoever may listen.
Registered: Mar 19, 2021 19:13:05 GMT -5
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Post by Faces in the Mist on Nov 24, 2021 23:29:37 GMT -5
The surest sign of civilization, according to one wandering scholar, was commerce. Transactions of goods and services were (according to the self-proclaimed expert) the cornerstone of any society, differentiating the population from the roving bands of barbarians and savages that filled less civilized areas. By that measure, culture was well and truly alive in Port Argentium. Hunters, fishermen, and craftsmen traded freshly caught animals for any number of goods, the most prized of which were the dwindling supplies brought to the island aboard the survivors' ships. Merchants called and shouted from behind makeshift stalls, hawking everything from washed-up bottles to strange, greyish tubers.
The conversation between the two newcomers would be interrupted by a sudden cry, rising up over the general roar of the marketplace like an alarm bell. A young, golden-haired woman hurdled through the crowd, casting a nervous glance behind her. She clutched her hand to her chest, where a bright red stain spread across the front of her otherwise plain grey dress. Passing the two new arrivals, she paused, pointing back into the crowd with a bleeding hand.
"Please," she whispered, voice faint and trembling. "Please, you have to help me. He's going to kill me!"
Oddly enough, her face didn't show any of the usual signs of fear. One well-versed in the medical arts might have deemed her to be in shock, although there was always the possibility that she just wasn't a very expressive person.
A moment later, an aging man burst through the crowd as well, a short sword clutched in his hand. The tip of the blade was stained with blood, as was the faded uniform that he wore. Although it bore the same Isran crest that flew on the flags above the settlement, it didn't look quite like the ones worn by the guards that patrolled the town. Seeing the woman, he leveled the blade at her, panting for breath.
"Stop...her," he gasped, his gray hair wet with sweat. "Stop that woman! She's not real, you understand? She's not human! She looks like one, but she's not!"
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László Vander Ark
New
Roleplay posts: 5
Age: 24
Appearance: Messy dark hair frames his angular face, poking around his pointed ears that are always decorated with various pieces of jewellery. His crooked nose would pass largely unnoticed as his intense gold eyes would be his most noticeable facial feature, along with the scar twisting across one side of his face. His lips are often curled into a small, wry smirk, and, when they part, his just-so-slightly abnormally pointed teeth are revealed. His hands are callused and rough, the mark of a man who knows work. His skin is littered with various scars and tattoos that poke out of loose, often forest-colored garments. His overall build is lithe, allowing for fast movements and stealth.
Skills and Abilities:
- Agility/evasion/speed
- Comfortable with improvising and lying
- Stealth
- Has learned to fight/move well in the dark
- Quick to pick up on visual/auditory details
- Whittling/carving
- Good plant/animal knowledge, helps with foraging/hunting or medical care
- Music: plays various types of flutes (a pan flute and a flute carved from bone)
Biography:
László, also known as Laci (pronounced lah-tsee) or Laz, is the oldest of the Vander Ark triplets, a trio of mercenaries. His siblings are Kaspar (Ants) and Hollis. They grew up in a small, run-down city that the government largely ignored, considering it a waste of resources and time to try to fix it. As a consequence, crime ran rampant, the inhabitants getting tangled in increasingly shady actions, whether they wanted to or not. Poverty and hunger were the powers that be in the city, and the need to survive drove people to carry out desperate, immoral actions. It was not a friendly place for kids to grow up, and on top of that, the triplets’ parents didn’t much care for them. They were only acknowledged when their labor could be used or when their parents needed an outlet for their anger. This created bitter, anxious, hurt children.
Their lives were altered when a stranger going by the name of Kingfisher spoke to them on the streets one day, offering the children some food and spare change. The kids grew to care for him and visit him, looking up to him as a role model. He was kinder than their parents and he treated them like people, engaging them and giving them the attention they craved. Before long, the trio was spending more time with him than they were at home, and eventually, Kingfisher helped them to escape from their parents. They lived with him in hopes of a better life. He took them under his wing, teaching them skills that would help them survive in this cruel city, raising them to be the perfect assistants. As time went on, his facade of kindness started to slip. The children were nothing more than servants to him, a tool to aid him in his work or to help gain money. He taught them what they needed to know, but his methods were harsh and unyielding. The trio knew nothing other than this life, so they did not think to question it or protest, just accept it and grow stronger, even if they broke in the process.
When the Vander Arks were teenagers, Kingfisher’s manipulation reached a new height. He forced them to kill their parents, convincing them that it was their own idea and what they had wanted all along. While they had hurt people before and broke many a law, this was too far. The magnitude of what they had done hit them and they panicked, trying to leave Kingfisher and alert the authorities. He threatens their lives and tells them that no one will believe them and that they’re powerless to do anything, because no one would even care. He points out that they’re the ones who killed their parents, reminding them that they could go to jail or be executed for that. They remain trapped under his authority for several more years, secretly scheming to get away from him. They use their questionable skillsets to find work as mercenaries, eventually earning enough money to get out of the city and escape.
An event happens that causes the triplets to split off from each other [tbd later]. They have no contact for years until they see each other by chance, when they all try to kill Kingfisher. After this, they start reconnecting, learning to work together and to love each other after all these years. A year later, their world is destroyed, and they escape into The Mist, left with nothing except one another.
Registered: Nov 20, 2021 16:05:12 GMT -5
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The Forum
Nov 25, 2021 12:00:52 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by László Vander Ark on Nov 25, 2021 12:00:52 GMT -5
The conversation was light. After the long journey, he supposed any interaction would be welcome. “They didn’t hold me back, no. As for you—no brothers with you? Do you have brothers elsewhere?” Anastasia, she said her name was. He shook her hand firmly and was about to respond when a cry rang through the marketplace, causing him to leap up. The conversation with Anastasia was set aside for the time being, something he was certain she would understand.
His focus was now on the golden-haired woman who was bleeding. He placed a hand on her arm, looking into her eyes. “Hey, hey, can you tell me what’s going on? Why’s he after you?” László was not the type of person who would regularly be described as caring, but this early on in arriving at a settlement, decisions mattered more than ever. A good impression wouldn’t hurt, and if you helped someone, they were generally inclined to help you back. With no shelter and limited equipment and food supplies, he certainly wouldn’t mind a little help once things settled slightly. Besides, he couldn’t just ignore this woman when she was bleeding and begging for help.
“Let me take a look at your wounds,” he insisted, moving to examine the source of the blood. He was interrupted by the arrival of a man, presumably the “he” she had mentioned. László would attempt to pull the woman into an embrace with the dual purpose of protecting her and holding her in place. “Explain,” he ordered, words directed at both the man and the injured woman. “What do you mean she’s not human? What did she do to make you pursue her? Why should I believe you?” His gold eyes would briefly dart to Anastasia, checking for what she was doing.
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Anastasia
New
Roleplay posts: 6
Age: 23
Appearance: 5'6 / 167 cm. White-blonde hair, green eyes, pale skin. Freckles. Mostly average frame, has muscles from lifting.
Equipment: - a dagger
- three throwing knives
- glass bottles and corks, one filled with water
- various herbs and spices in a bag
Skills and Abilities: - poison crafting
- fishing/hunting
- knife fighting and throwing
- medicine
- good at talking
Biography: Anastasia Parker was born into a splintered family. Her father was involved with people who her mother deemed 'not the best', and she sought to keep Ana away from these people. However, Ana dearly loved her father and often accompanied him on his seafaring adventures.
Anastasia's father taught her the fine art of crafting poisons and calculating doses. Ana was always drawn to the technical aspects of the craft - how much of one thing went where, how to use the poison, what made it most effective - but paid apt attention to her father's lessons. She learned how to hunt by land and by sea, and her father also taught her to protect herself from his acquaintances, who thought of her as 'just another girl' before they realised she was his daughter.
Anastasia grew distant from her mother and her half-brother, Constantine, who was born when she was fourteen. When living with them, she experimented with poisons to the point of nearly killing her brother - which she felt no remorse about and merely shrugged off when asked what had happened. She had been curious, and that was all. No harm had been done. William could learn to deal with a little vomit. She never poisoned anyone to the point of death, but sometimes, if she didn't like someone, she would slip one of her fine crafts into someone's food or drink and smile to herself as it took effect.
As she got older, her father's 'colleagues' became a bit more rowdy with her, and she began to avoid them. She even poisoned them when she felt like it, and when her father found out, he disallowed her from coming to sea with him for months on end. By the time her 'grounding' was over, she had a simmering irritation for most of the people on the ship, sometimes including her own father.
By the time she was twenty-two, she was expected to care for her now-ailing mother and spend more time on land... and that simply wouldn't do. Rather than doing the expected, she took a job at the local apothecary and worked up enough money to buy a small boat and supplies, and as soon as she could, she set off.
She fully intended to live a solitary life at sea, but when the mists came, it seemed that would not be the case. After days of sailing in the midst of damp fog, she finally made landfall in the Mistborne Isles, and she supposed that, perhaps, it might be a good idea to rest... For now.
Registered: Nov 19, 2021 23:19:06 GMT -5
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The Forum
Nov 25, 2021 12:12:51 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by Anastasia on Nov 25, 2021 12:12:51 GMT -5
‘Well, I’m glad they didn’t hold you back. They must be capable.’ Anastasia chuckled. ‘Yes, I’ve got a brother. He’s very young and probably wouldn’t have made it. I’m not quite sure where he is now.’ She shrugged.
László was easy to make conversation with, but it seemed their simple talk would be cut short when a woman ran into the forum, blood staining her dress. She cried something about a man that was… Going to kill her?
Anastasia’s brow furrowed as László spoke. He likely knew what to do, but… ‘Come here,’ Anastasia said softly. She could inspect the wound and assess what was best as long as she could see it. At the very least, she could use what she had in her satchel to ease the woman’s pain or bring her out of shock - she didn’t seem scared, and that was very weird for someone whose life was in danger.
Almost as soon as she had spoken, an older man burst into the area. She assumed this was the man the woman was running from, and for a moment, her heart clenched. No one had ever tried to kill her, but she had run from her fair share of people. It didn’t matter if the woman was human or not - she was a person who was injured, presumably by the old man.
‘Leave her be, for now,’ Anastasia said to the man. ‘Can both of you explain, like he suggested?’
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Faces in the Mist
Committed
Roleplay posts: 50
Appearance: The mist swirls and whirls, whispering its secrets to whoever may listen.
Registered: Mar 19, 2021 19:13:05 GMT -5
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Post by Faces in the Mist on Nov 25, 2021 22:05:01 GMT -5
The old man gasped for air, bent double with his hands on his knees. It was clear that he hadn't had to go through such vigorous physical exertion in a while, and it took a moment before he could begin speaking. When he finally caught his breath, he spoke quickly and quietly in a low, frightened whisper as he pointed a shaking finger at the woman. His eyes were wide with horror and excitement, with a definite hint of madness in them. All around, onlookers began to point and whisper at the spectacle. It wasn't every day that such drama unfolded right in the middle of town, after all.
"She's not real," said the old man again, shaking his head. "She's a fake. Look at her. Do you think she looks like a person? She's not. I would know. She's not real because she can't be here. I killed her, understand? Years ago, decades ago. I killed her with my own hands. I never forget a face, not like that."
"I have no idea what he's talking about," sniffed the woman indignantly, clutching her hand back to her chest. "I've never seen him before. He's a crazy old man, that's all. Nothing more than a madman."
She still didn't seem much more than annoyed at the attack, casting a spiteful look at her attacker. When Anastasia asked to see her hand, she hesitated, seeming reluctant to let the stranger look at her wound. The old man continued, spittle flying from his mouth as he spoke.
"I was an Isran Legionary," he said, his back straightening unconsciously as he recalled his old role. "A captain. Not some pencil-pusher either, I was on the front lines. The Colonial Pacification Corps. We kept the colonies safe for Isran citizens so that the Empress' will could reach every corner of the world. When the local savages rose up against the crown, who protected our people? Who guarded the towns and outposts so remote that you could go months without hearing news from the capital? The CPC, that's who. We were heroes, you understand?"
The old man paused in his ranting and looked around, realizing that he'd gone off track. Grumbling, he continued, still not taking his eyes off the golden-haired woman.
"A village was harboring rebels," he said, maddened eyes glazing over with memory. "We burned it to the ground. Every building, every field, every tree tall enough to hide behind. That was the way we did things. The way the empire did things. I remember one of the villagers tried to throw a rock at me from atop a cliff. When we climbed up to the top, I threw her off myself. She cursed me on the way down, swore that she'd seek her vengeance someday. Well, here she is, and I'm ready for her. Let me finish what I started."
"You're insane," said the woman, shaking her head. "You're old and senile. I've never met you before. What's this about a cliff? I've never lived in a village. You've got the wrong person."
"I don't!" insisted the old legionary, shaking his sword. "How could I forget a face like that? Look, I'll prove it to you! I'll prove it to all of you. I see you don't believe me, but I'm telling the truth. She's got a birthmark on her back, just by her left shoulderblade. We searched the bodies afterwards, I remember seeing it. Look and you'll see that I've not gone mad!"
"I'm not undressing out here in front of everyone," said the woman, sneering back at him. "I don't have to show you anything. Go away! Make him go away!"
All around, the onlookers tittered, unsure as to what to do. A few stepped towards the old man, but a couple of wild swipes of his sword sent them scurrying back to the safety of the crowd.
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László Vander Ark
New
Roleplay posts: 5
Age: 24
Appearance: Messy dark hair frames his angular face, poking around his pointed ears that are always decorated with various pieces of jewellery. His crooked nose would pass largely unnoticed as his intense gold eyes would be his most noticeable facial feature, along with the scar twisting across one side of his face. His lips are often curled into a small, wry smirk, and, when they part, his just-so-slightly abnormally pointed teeth are revealed. His hands are callused and rough, the mark of a man who knows work. His skin is littered with various scars and tattoos that poke out of loose, often forest-colored garments. His overall build is lithe, allowing for fast movements and stealth.
Skills and Abilities:
- Agility/evasion/speed
- Comfortable with improvising and lying
- Stealth
- Has learned to fight/move well in the dark
- Quick to pick up on visual/auditory details
- Whittling/carving
- Good plant/animal knowledge, helps with foraging/hunting or medical care
- Music: plays various types of flutes (a pan flute and a flute carved from bone)
Biography:
László, also known as Laci (pronounced lah-tsee) or Laz, is the oldest of the Vander Ark triplets, a trio of mercenaries. His siblings are Kaspar (Ants) and Hollis. They grew up in a small, run-down city that the government largely ignored, considering it a waste of resources and time to try to fix it. As a consequence, crime ran rampant, the inhabitants getting tangled in increasingly shady actions, whether they wanted to or not. Poverty and hunger were the powers that be in the city, and the need to survive drove people to carry out desperate, immoral actions. It was not a friendly place for kids to grow up, and on top of that, the triplets’ parents didn’t much care for them. They were only acknowledged when their labor could be used or when their parents needed an outlet for their anger. This created bitter, anxious, hurt children.
Their lives were altered when a stranger going by the name of Kingfisher spoke to them on the streets one day, offering the children some food and spare change. The kids grew to care for him and visit him, looking up to him as a role model. He was kinder than their parents and he treated them like people, engaging them and giving them the attention they craved. Before long, the trio was spending more time with him than they were at home, and eventually, Kingfisher helped them to escape from their parents. They lived with him in hopes of a better life. He took them under his wing, teaching them skills that would help them survive in this cruel city, raising them to be the perfect assistants. As time went on, his facade of kindness started to slip. The children were nothing more than servants to him, a tool to aid him in his work or to help gain money. He taught them what they needed to know, but his methods were harsh and unyielding. The trio knew nothing other than this life, so they did not think to question it or protest, just accept it and grow stronger, even if they broke in the process.
When the Vander Arks were teenagers, Kingfisher’s manipulation reached a new height. He forced them to kill their parents, convincing them that it was their own idea and what they had wanted all along. While they had hurt people before and broke many a law, this was too far. The magnitude of what they had done hit them and they panicked, trying to leave Kingfisher and alert the authorities. He threatens their lives and tells them that no one will believe them and that they’re powerless to do anything, because no one would even care. He points out that they’re the ones who killed their parents, reminding them that they could go to jail or be executed for that. They remain trapped under his authority for several more years, secretly scheming to get away from him. They use their questionable skillsets to find work as mercenaries, eventually earning enough money to get out of the city and escape.
An event happens that causes the triplets to split off from each other [tbd later]. They have no contact for years until they see each other by chance, when they all try to kill Kingfisher. After this, they start reconnecting, learning to work together and to love each other after all these years. A year later, their world is destroyed, and they escape into The Mist, left with nothing except one another.
Registered: Nov 20, 2021 16:05:12 GMT -5
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The Forum
Nov 26, 2021 10:12:13 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by László Vander Ark on Nov 26, 2021 10:12:13 GMT -5
László listened to both sides of the argument, still uncertain of who to believe. “Why do you have to kill her again? What danger does she pose—can’t you just let her live?” he asked the man, glancing at the woman. Who cares if it was unnatural for her to be here? Weirder things had probably happened. Besides, László was bristling at the man’s comments about colonial expansion and “protecting the people” from the “savages”. Obviously, if some empire was trying to take over a village, the people who had lived there would try to defend themselves. That was expected, was it not?
“Do either of you know anyone who can vouch for you? Did you come here with anyone or do you know anyone in this town?” he asked, expecting a proper answer. These were pretty serious allegations that the man was making, running into the center of town and trying to murder a woman. László wasn’t about to ask the woman to undress in front of everyone, but he would consider asking her to undress in front of maybe one person—such as Anastasia—privately so that only her back could be seen, but that was something he only believed they should resort to if neither of them had anyone to back them up. Until then, he would do his best to not let either of them touch one another or leave.
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Anastasia
New
Roleplay posts: 6
Age: 23
Appearance: 5'6 / 167 cm. White-blonde hair, green eyes, pale skin. Freckles. Mostly average frame, has muscles from lifting.
Equipment: - a dagger
- three throwing knives
- glass bottles and corks, one filled with water
- various herbs and spices in a bag
Skills and Abilities: - poison crafting
- fishing/hunting
- knife fighting and throwing
- medicine
- good at talking
Biography: Anastasia Parker was born into a splintered family. Her father was involved with people who her mother deemed 'not the best', and she sought to keep Ana away from these people. However, Ana dearly loved her father and often accompanied him on his seafaring adventures.
Anastasia's father taught her the fine art of crafting poisons and calculating doses. Ana was always drawn to the technical aspects of the craft - how much of one thing went where, how to use the poison, what made it most effective - but paid apt attention to her father's lessons. She learned how to hunt by land and by sea, and her father also taught her to protect herself from his acquaintances, who thought of her as 'just another girl' before they realised she was his daughter.
Anastasia grew distant from her mother and her half-brother, Constantine, who was born when she was fourteen. When living with them, she experimented with poisons to the point of nearly killing her brother - which she felt no remorse about and merely shrugged off when asked what had happened. She had been curious, and that was all. No harm had been done. William could learn to deal with a little vomit. She never poisoned anyone to the point of death, but sometimes, if she didn't like someone, she would slip one of her fine crafts into someone's food or drink and smile to herself as it took effect.
As she got older, her father's 'colleagues' became a bit more rowdy with her, and she began to avoid them. She even poisoned them when she felt like it, and when her father found out, he disallowed her from coming to sea with him for months on end. By the time her 'grounding' was over, she had a simmering irritation for most of the people on the ship, sometimes including her own father.
By the time she was twenty-two, she was expected to care for her now-ailing mother and spend more time on land... and that simply wouldn't do. Rather than doing the expected, she took a job at the local apothecary and worked up enough money to buy a small boat and supplies, and as soon as she could, she set off.
She fully intended to live a solitary life at sea, but when the mists came, it seemed that would not be the case. After days of sailing in the midst of damp fog, she finally made landfall in the Mistborne Isles, and she supposed that, perhaps, it might be a good idea to rest... For now.
Registered: Nov 19, 2021 23:19:06 GMT -5
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The Forum
Nov 26, 2021 16:51:11 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by Anastasia on Nov 26, 2021 16:51:11 GMT -5
Anastasia listened to the man give his spiel - a long explanation, really. Often, people who have long speeches were, at least in her experience, fabricating something. Perhaps he wasn’t hiding anything substantial, but this certainly felt… off.
She decided she didn’t quite like the man, especially with his calling locals ‘savages’ - what did that make foreigners? Monsters? - and whatnot. Still, she would try to remain open.
László’s idea of asking them for their backup was a good one. If they didn’t have any, though, Anastasia reckoned she could very well ask the woman if she’d be willing to undress in private, if only so Anastasia could see if there was a birthmark on her back.
‘You’re right.’ She smiled at the woman, keeping her voice soft in an attempt to seem non-threatening. ‘You don’t have to show us anything. But, like he said, it would be a good idea for you to have backup. First, though… Would you like anything to help with your wound? It looks painful.’
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Faces in the Mist
Committed
Roleplay posts: 50
Appearance: The mist swirls and whirls, whispering its secrets to whoever may listen.
Registered: Mar 19, 2021 19:13:05 GMT -5
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Post by Faces in the Mist on Nov 26, 2021 23:32:26 GMT -5
The old legionary's glare snapped over towards Laszlo as he questioned him, burning into him with a fury that only many decades of bitterness could produce. There was definitely an air of mania about him, something not all quite there...but who could really call themselves entirely sane? Shaking his head, the man gave a derisive snort at Laszlo's questions.
"Don't you know anything about curses, boy?" he demanded, shaking his fist in Laszlo's direction. "Didn't your mother teach you anything? Young folk these days, they don't know a thing. Ignorant of the world and its ways, I tell you. Well, let me explain things plainly. She cursed me, and now she's returned to kill me. I've got to get her first, or I've not long for this world. That's the way curses work, I tell you! Besides, look at her. When you get to my age and see enough people, you can tell. Some things look like people, but aren't. She's one of them. I'm a real human being, everyone knows that. I'm respectable, just ask anyone! People know me. Isn't that right, seaweed-man?"
"Aye, sir," shouted a seaweed-seller, his arms full of his stinking, salt-encrusted wares. "Old Mr. Taggerty here comes and haggles every morning. It's quite a bother, usually I just give him a few strips of the brown kelp to make him go away."
"Like I said," said the old man, nodding. "A respected member of society."
"I just...arrived," said the woman, giving an indignant sniff. "Besides, why are you interrogating me like I've done something wrong? I'm the victim here, isn't that clear? He's obviously quite mad. Lock him away!"
Aside from her unusually calm demeanor, the young woman certainly looked like a person. Perhaps the only mildly unusual thing about her was the fact that her eyes seemed to dart back and forth a little faster than usual, but that could certainly just be due to nerves. When Anastasia offered to tend to her hand, she glared and stepped away, still clutching her hand to her chest.
"No thank you," she said, shaking her head. "I'll be fine, it's not a very bad cut. I don't like to be touched. Please just make him go away so that I can go about my day."
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Anastasia
New
Roleplay posts: 6
Age: 23
Appearance: 5'6 / 167 cm. White-blonde hair, green eyes, pale skin. Freckles. Mostly average frame, has muscles from lifting.
Equipment: - a dagger
- three throwing knives
- glass bottles and corks, one filled with water
- various herbs and spices in a bag
Skills and Abilities: - poison crafting
- fishing/hunting
- knife fighting and throwing
- medicine
- good at talking
Biography: Anastasia Parker was born into a splintered family. Her father was involved with people who her mother deemed 'not the best', and she sought to keep Ana away from these people. However, Ana dearly loved her father and often accompanied him on his seafaring adventures.
Anastasia's father taught her the fine art of crafting poisons and calculating doses. Ana was always drawn to the technical aspects of the craft - how much of one thing went where, how to use the poison, what made it most effective - but paid apt attention to her father's lessons. She learned how to hunt by land and by sea, and her father also taught her to protect herself from his acquaintances, who thought of her as 'just another girl' before they realised she was his daughter.
Anastasia grew distant from her mother and her half-brother, Constantine, who was born when she was fourteen. When living with them, she experimented with poisons to the point of nearly killing her brother - which she felt no remorse about and merely shrugged off when asked what had happened. She had been curious, and that was all. No harm had been done. William could learn to deal with a little vomit. She never poisoned anyone to the point of death, but sometimes, if she didn't like someone, she would slip one of her fine crafts into someone's food or drink and smile to herself as it took effect.
As she got older, her father's 'colleagues' became a bit more rowdy with her, and she began to avoid them. She even poisoned them when she felt like it, and when her father found out, he disallowed her from coming to sea with him for months on end. By the time her 'grounding' was over, she had a simmering irritation for most of the people on the ship, sometimes including her own father.
By the time she was twenty-two, she was expected to care for her now-ailing mother and spend more time on land... and that simply wouldn't do. Rather than doing the expected, she took a job at the local apothecary and worked up enough money to buy a small boat and supplies, and as soon as she could, she set off.
She fully intended to live a solitary life at sea, but when the mists came, it seemed that would not be the case. After days of sailing in the midst of damp fog, she finally made landfall in the Mistborne Isles, and she supposed that, perhaps, it might be a good idea to rest... For now.
Registered: Nov 19, 2021 23:19:06 GMT -5
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Post by Anastasia on Dec 8, 2021 21:36:03 GMT -5
Despite her having talked with the woman, Anastasia still considered herself a better listener - she tried to pay attention to what both the woman and the man were saying. Curses, he had said, both piquing Anastasia's interest and nearly cementing her view of the man until he went on. She despised magic and did not want to hear about it, and if he was a practitioner of it who was trying to hurt a woman with it - no, curse a woman with it - then she would stand against him.
Hearing that the woman had cursed the man, however... That changed things.
She glanced up at the woman, who did not like to be touched - it was understandable, really, so why did Anastasia think something was missing? - and frowned. 'Even if you are the victim here, well, victims generally have their defence. I'd like to know your side of the story so I can weigh our options and make an educated guess regarding who is telling the truth.'
She would not lean closer to the woman, but she would instead lower her voice and attempt to hide her lips from Taggerty. 'The man over there, the one who was chasing you? The townspeople are willing to advocate for him. Would they do the same for you? I might, if you tell me your side of the story.'
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Faces in the Mist
Committed
Roleplay posts: 50
Appearance: The mist swirls and whirls, whispering its secrets to whoever may listen.
Registered: Mar 19, 2021 19:13:05 GMT -5
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Post by Faces in the Mist on Jan 14, 2022 16:14:43 GMT -5
The woman glowered at Anastasia, clearly displeased with being questioned. All around, the townsfolk murmured and tittered amongst themselves. Anastasia would be able to catch snippets of their conversations as they debated the situation, clearly highly engrossed in what was going on. Was Taggardy telling the truth? He was a crazy old man, but he was a war hero. Who was the strange woman, anyways? When Anastasia lowered her voice, the woman leaned in instinctively, dropping her voice to a sharp, snappish whisper.
"Of course not," she hissed, glancing back at the whispering crowd. "How could I know anyone here? I just arrived. I came to the market to see if I could trade one of my rings for some eel moss, and that crazy old man just attacked me out of nowhere. How are you even questioning me? Can't you see that he's insane? What kind of person watches someone get attacked with a sword and immediately starts interrogating the victim? Which one of us is bleeding here? I'm obviously telling the truth!"
Meanwhile, Taggardy suddenly found himself surrounded by townsfolk. They began showering him with questions, their topics ranging from his time in the Colonial Pacification Corps to the strange woman. He ignored most of them, fending them off with a shake of the fist here and a string of curses foul enough to curdle milk there. The grouchy old man, it seemed, was not especially interested in being interrogated either.
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Ito
Established
Roleplay posts: 41
Age: 23
Appearance: Ito has a thin but wiry physique and unkempt dark hair that matches the color of his rather fluffy tail and large ears.
His skin is an even darkish tan save for the scarring on his neck, wrists, and ankles that one could guess was caused by shackles. There are also several white markings on his face and nose. Eye color is a vibrant yellow.
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Equipment: Ito’s clothing consists of rather baggy long sleeve shirts and pants of varying shades of dark brown and gray. He usually wears a rather large but thin scarf of sorts over this, secured by a silver brooch fashioned as a leaf. Depending on the trip, he carries either just a single or numerous bags with him. Each is primarily filled with various survival gear, water, rations, etc. However, some contain items less vital to survival such as paper, ink.
He also carries a long metallic chain, one end having a collar large enough to go around someone's neck and the other end large enough to go around a wrist or ankle. Numerous tiny runes are inscribed on both ends of the chain.
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Biography: The 4th child of Naoki, Ito was one of the many heirs to the Isran Empire. As one of Naoki's more rebellious offspring, Ito was often seen outside The Citadel grounds — much to the chagrin of his tutors.
As part of his training, Ito went to face Isra's enemies in war. To help him hone his gift to its full potential, a handpicked irregular unit was formed around him. Acting as one of Isra's premier strike teams, Ito's team imposed the Empress's will across the realm.
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Allegiances: To his unit
Place of Residence: Port Argentium
Registered: Jan 5, 2022 9:33:54 GMT -5
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Post by Ito on Feb 14, 2022 2:54:59 GMT -5
Ito strolled down the street at a leisurely pace, his tail swishing to and fro at random. It’d been only a couple of days since he’d arrived in Port Argentium and the first of those had been taken up in speaking to Naoki and well… Sleeping. Given the condition he’d arrived in, he’d spent a good several days passed out in his room. Fortunately thanks to both plenty of sleep and Laute’s absolutely marvelous cooking, he was feeling a bit more like his old self.
Thus, he had taken it upon himself to go out and explore the town. If he was going to call this place his home, he needed to learn more about it. What types of people inhabited it, which alleyways to duck down if he needed to make a quick exit, and where to go when he was looking for some entertainment! With these goals in mind, it hadn’t taken Ito long to make his way out to The Forum. From what he’d heard about it, it was the defacto place to socialize.
And truth be told, Ito could use some new friends. Given the fate of his previous ones… Well, he tried not to dwell on it too much but it was hard not to when he was alone. Hence why he needed to make some new ones. Even some acquaintances would do. Reaching up to scratch at one ear, Ito glanced around the plaza. Who here looked like they’d be interesting enough to strike up a conversation with…
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