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 Jan 18, 2022 8:12:50 GMT -5
The Solar is a modestly-sided room on the second floor with a bevy of windows and a collection of comfortable furniture. In the center of the room, a small table sits with two chairs on one side, and a bench on the other. On the wall immediately behind the chairs, there is a large fireplace. Behind the bench, there are windows that look out toward the beach, and beyond that, the sea. Further into the room, there is a large comfy seat, excellent for cracking open a book in or taking a mid-afternoon snooze. A bookcase sits near it but is as of yet empty. Further still, on the far wall there is a short loveseat, positioned such that when the sun is at its peak, its light shines through the skylight down squarely onto it — a prime spot for catnaps. |
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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 Jan 18, 2022 9:37:35 GMT -5
[Continued from The Basilica: Naoki’s Office]Having come with Keph from her office in The Basilica, Naoki leads him inside and (after a few words with a page) up to The Solar, where they’ll share dinner. By now the sun is dipping low, suffusing the room with deep orange light. Stepping into the room, Naoki’s mouth forms a small ‘o’ as she sees this for the first time. She designed it so that it would do this, but it’s still quite pretty — not to mention satisfying to see she’s achieved the desired effect. Releasing Keph’s arm, Naoki gestures to the long room. “Make yourself comfortable,” she invites him, “Dinner will be a few minutes yet.” Moving to the table, Naoki ignites the single candle placed in its center by rubbing the wick a bit between two fingers — a touch of magic because she’s not sure where the nearest firestarter is. “Often I would ask what you’d like to eat, but we’ll be eating whatever’s being served. I summoned a chef while you were away, and she does quite well with everything they bring her. Hopefully, it’ll be a bit taster than some of the meals you had out there in the wilderness,” Naoki smirks, remembering some of the things Keph mentioned eating in his tale.
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Keph
Established
Roleplay posts: 46 
Age: 22
Appearance: Sporting odd, eye-catching, snow white hair is the one, the only self-proclaimed ‘Master Adventure’: Keph d’Avon!
With a seemingly pure, unending thirst for exploration and a well of eager energy to match it, this short, athletic young man often finds himself in unnecessarily precarious situations. Even so, with all the trouble he gets himself into, a slight smile is most often seen.
Despite being born a mute, most will find him of oddly many words. His soft face is home to a pair of clear, sky-blue eyes; soulful, expressive orbs that constantly complement his exaggerated and somewhat theatrical expressions.
Registered: Mar 21, 2021 14:10:27 GMT -5
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Post by Keph on Jan 31, 2022 8:22:38 GMT -5
Keph smiled at the sightly gaze of the Solar.
A few particles of dust casually, smoothly swam through the warm beams of light parted by the window panes. Their soothing float and reflected glow giving them the look of stars in a dusky sky.
The white-haired adventurer, at being called a ‘gentleman’, couldn’t help but play along with his usual theatrics. He released the former Empress’ arm and bowed, one hand over his chest, another behind his back. A cheeky chortle escaped him, before he found himself a seat.
With his cloak hung over the chair’s spine and the Sun imparting heat onto the conductive cloth, his eyes began to flutter and then gave into the weight. It’d been months since he’d had a proper bed - the last time having been within a sickbay. The closest thing he’d had since then was that now, lightly padded chair.
A soft snore echoed, before he felt himself drop. He woke instantly, startled. His arms swung wildly, trying to catch himself on a ledge that didn't exist and wasn't needed. He’d only been asleep for a minute, perhaps two, but worried it’d been longer. He nodded intently, failing to feign alertness and interest, before his drowsy mind belatedly picked up on his date’s words. The promise of a gourmet meal eliciting a truthfully interested reaction.
With a half-hearted, backhanded swing, he knocked his cloak onto the floor. There, he thought, now he shan’t fall asleep! His reasoning, however, would likely be lost on his observer.
"Keph will be happy with anything." As long as it's not boar meat. The forests had given him enough boar for a lifetime.
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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 Feb 2, 2022 22:41:42 GMT -5
After closing the door behind them, Naoki looks on with no small amount of amusement as Keph promptly collapses and falls asleep. Goodness knows he’s walked far enough, but has he not even slept since he returned? He wouldn’t have a tent of his own, she supposes.
When he comes to, he’d see Naoki seated at the table, resting her chin in her hand and smiling softly toward him.
“You know what keeps me awake?” Naoki prompts, “Large questions.”
“Here’s one for you:” she says, nodding to him. “You’ve had a look around, and know this world better than most, now. What do you think of it?”
She goes on to answer her own question, “Me, I don’t much care for it. I lost a lot of people and a lot of things. Life is much more difficult here, and I’m being faced with new problems I’ve not had to deal with prior. You didn’t necessarily have as many people or as many things that you cared about in the old world (as far as I know), and as an itinerant adventurer type, there are plenty of new adventures and untread ground in any direction you look. One might assume that Keph would look at this new world more favorably — at least in comparison, if not generally, and perhaps, might even prefer it in some respects.” Shrugging, Naoki gestures airily with her free hand.
“It’s also tried to kill you on several occasions,” she points out, unsure if that’s a pro or a con for him. Does Keph live for the danger and seek it out, or does the danger find him and he’s merely along for the ride? She’s unclear on that point and would hope to gain some insight on his worldview — assuming he doesn’t fall asleep again first.
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Keph
Established
Roleplay posts: 46
Age: 22
Appearance: Sporting odd, eye-catching, snow white hair is the one, the only self-proclaimed ‘Master Adventure’: Keph d’Avon!
With a seemingly pure, unending thirst for exploration and a well of eager energy to match it, this short, athletic young man often finds himself in unnecessarily precarious situations. Even so, with all the trouble he gets himself into, a slight smile is most often seen.
Despite being born a mute, most will find him of oddly many words. His soft face is home to a pair of clear, sky-blue eyes; soulful, expressive orbs that constantly complement his exaggerated and somewhat theatrical expressions.
Registered: Mar 21, 2021 14:10:27 GMT -5
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Post by Keph on Feb 17, 2022 0:55:09 GMT -5
Keph’s head drooped back, the young man groaned. While Keph was by no means unintelligent, he’d always been one to favour simplicity. He wasn’t a great thinker nor a philosopher, even magic which had a tendency to be reserved to the studious, for him, came as an unintended gift. His aptitude for cartography, but a lucky stroke of genius for the science.
Large questions weren’t for him, but much less was disappointing a date.
He stopped his groaning and settled for just tiredly resting his chin upon a fist and showing his least ugly of his various grumpy looks. This didn’t last, which probably hadn’t come as a surprise for Naoki. Keph’s moods were sporadic, they came and went and returned on a whimsy, much like the winds of the deep blue he feared so much.
White locks swayed with his head, sky blue irises poked at the ceiling. He’d been trying not to delve too deep into the bizarre, tangled ball of emotions their current predicament had left in its wake. Despite the land’s tendency for murder, at least when he had been adventuring, his mind had been distracted.
“Even if others had touched a land before Keph, it was still new to him. Even the much walked streets and alleys of Isra had stories to tell, if one took the time to explore them.”
Words spilled from his bottle with little thought.
“He does miss how things used to be. It was bizarre for him to walk such a distance without a village or cottage in his path. It’s also complicated things for him.”
Keph’s eyes darted to the side, he’d told others about his people before, but not his complicated relationship with them.
“He’s from Avon, which doubtlessly must’ve been washed away in the flood. He’s an exile. Even so, he can’t say he didn’t hold hopes to see his home again. The shamans used to speak of the eventual, seventh flood, but he hadn’t expected to see it, in this lifetime.”
Keph chuckled. There was a little tremble in the sound, his eyelids shut just a bit harder than they needed to, holding off a loose tear. Crying in front of a lady? Unbecoming of Keph!
“The Covenant said that, when the seventh flood came, only one keeper would remain. Now it’s Keph’s duty to build a temple and find followers. It won’t be fun.”
Idle fingers tip-tap at the table, eyes refusing to meet Naoki’s whilst he sort out thoughts. A frown communicates his displeasure with his god given obligation - really, it’s difficult to imagine the adventurer being pleased with any obligation.
His smile soon returns, his glance straightens. It’s hard to tell if it’s forced.
“But, he has time. Prophecies never said when!”
He tapped the side of his nose and smiled cheekily. Even the matters of Gods had to play second fiddle to the exile’s fancies.
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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 24, 2023 18:18:01 GMT -5
Having completed her day of work, Lady Naoki eventually returns home to attend to her night’s work. Tonight it won’t just be inventories and architecture -- she’s set to have a guest. Fiona Blythe was a catburglar sort back in Old Isra. A very good one, worthy of being pressed into Naoki’s service. She conducted several operations in service to The Empire, and today she happened to come ashore on some refugee vessel.
Naoki leaves instructions with the page by the door to show Fiona into The Solar when she arrives, before heading there herself.
It’s heartening, she thinks, that some old acquaintances are still floating around out there on rickety boats. Considering the strange time things, it’s almost enough to give her hope that certain others might eventually wash ashore. … Almost, but Naoki isn’t holding her breath.
In the meantime, she’ll wait here for Fiona. Flopping down in the big armchair, Naoki exhales and decides to rest her eyes for a bit.
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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 24, 2023 18:57:26 GMT -5
Fiona underestimated what it was like to be useful again, and even more so what it was like to have a full belly. She'd eaten more than her fill at the town's mess hall, she really couldn't help herself, embarrassingly. To have an actual meal and the option for seconds filled her with so much glee it had been hard to suppress.
She'd more than paid for it with hard work afterwards, so it wasn't exactly a free meal. Using her skills with a blade, she made short work of vegetables, meat, fish, anything that was put before her. It may have had her smelling a bit chef-like, but it gave her a sense of worth she'd been missing. If she didn't have any other work assigned to her, she'd likely be back there the next day.
For the time being, she had somewhere to be. The day had grown late, later than she'd like, and while she had a bunk waiting for her there was something else far more interesting to attend to. Someone else. While she regretted not having time to clean up, or possibly even the facilities to do so, she had a schedule to keep and headed in the direction of Lady Naoki's home.
She walked down the streets, taking in the evening atmosphere. People going home after shifts, some people just starting theirs, people being greeted into newly built homes, and some just out for a night stroll. Civilization. It wasn't all destroyed in the cataclysm, people had actually rebuilt and had started anew somewhat successfully. She never thought she'd see the day.
The woman eventually made it to Naoki's estate and took a moment to admire it. For a brand new island home, it wasn't half bad at all, something she'd likely have purchased as a holiday home if all her plans had come to fruition. They were so close too!
Shaking free that pang of regret and longing for days past, she approached the door. She didn't even have to introduce herself to the page who greeted her, but she expected as much. Not much had changed, Naoki still had the most observant and obedient working under her. She took a moment to shake down her messy dress and gave her face a quick rub with the old rag that hung from the dress's belt, then followed after the page towards the Solar.
There she stood, with her backpack and shabby dress, scuffed and worn shoes, and smelling faintly of beets and freshly filleted fish. While her bangs had come loose, most of her hair was pulled into a tight bun behind her head and even then it still needed a brush. She appearance was a mere shadow of her former self, the glitz and glamour of her last life, the perfectly applied makeup and coiffed hair, the tailored outfits and jewellery, all gone with the floods. Even then, she had a lot more colour in her cheeks after filling her tummy, and a genuine smile on her face. She had life again.
She waited for the page to leave them before speaking.
"Hey boss."
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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 25, 2023 17:05:20 GMT -5
Lady Naoki stirs at the sound of footsteps in the hall and seems more or less awake by the time Fiona steps through the door.
“Miss Blythe.” Nodding by way of greeting, Naoki gestures to the chair opposite her. “Feeling a bit better, I hope.”
Naoki doesn’t rise from her seat. This isn’t an especially formal meeting and she’s a bit tired. The skylights overhead are dark, showing only distant stars, and the din of the town’s working day has faded away.
“You can take your things off and stay here tonight,” Naoki offers, waving at Fiona’s backpack and accouterments. “Probably been carrying those for a while, hm? How long has it been, for you?”
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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 25, 2023 17:52:51 GMT -5
Fiona didn’t hesitate, she slipped the backpack from her back and placed it on the ground against the chair, then sat down with a good, long sigh. She leaned over and lifted her dress a touch to rub at her aching calves, feeling more comfortable without the strangeness that came with aliases and secrecy. Naoki likely knew most of hers, at least the important bits, so it wasn’t worth pretending any more.
“Much better,” she said as she sat back. She closed her eyes for a moment, overcome with relief. She hadn’t realised just how much she ached after a day of actual work. Even if the chair wasn’t particularly comfortable, which it was, it would have still felt like heaven. “I haven’t had a full stomach since… I can’t remember when.” She opened her eyes and gave her former employer a smile. “You’ve got a good bunch in the mess. They know their stuff.”
She reached up and took the pins from her hair and slipped them into her pocket, letting her hair down after a long day. “I’m not going to say no to that,” she said, sitting back in her chair. “I probably would have slept fine in the bunk houses, but here… it might feel more like home, at least for a night.“ Her smile was the most - or possibly only - genuine smile she’d ever given Naoki. “Thank you, Lady Naoki, I do appreciate it.”
When asked about her backpack she reached down and gave it a fond pat. “Since the end,” she answered. “I’d just finished my last job for you when the floods came, then I was washed out to sea, thankfully on some particularly buoyant debris.” She plucked at the buckles and opened the backpack as she spoke, then rummaged around for a little bit. “So… too long…”
She then pulled the scroll she had shown Naoki back when they’d first crossed paths, and threw it flippantly into the waste bin by Naoki’s desk. “Dunham was indeed conspiring against you, by the way. Entirely useless information now, but mission accomplished, I suppose. At least I got this out of him.” She rummaged into her bag again and pulled a small cloth bundle from the bottom which when opened revealed a lovely cut sapphire within. She placed it on Naoki’s desk. “It wasn’t part of the job, but I wasn’t about to leave this lying around. Between that and my armoury issued gear, I had to guard this pack with my life or I’d have been killed for sure.”
The thief looked back down into her pack, the only contents now being her tools and her armour. Her two sheathed blades stuck out in her mind. She let out another sigh and shuddered for a moment, her mind going back to those slow, tedious, torturous months. The pirates, the killing, the subterfuge and backstabbing. “In fact I had to do a lot more than guard my bag to survive out there. Seduced a pirate captain and his first mate to avoid being a prisoner. Caused a mutiny during a raid. Killed a lot of them in the confusion. It was… messy, but I wasn’t about to let them kill other refugees. Not while I still had my weapons.”
Then her eyes looked back to Naoki for a moment as the memories became clearer. She hadn’t thought of that night since she’d joined the refugee boat long after that horrible battle.
“I believe you have a sister, correct? Lady Lanne?”
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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 26, 2023 15:36:32 GMT -5
“Of course.” It has ever been Naoki’s habit to be good to those who have been good to her. Fiona made herself amply useful as an intelligence asset before the flood, and seeing as how she seems eager to make herself useful again now, it only makes sense for Naoki to share what comforts she can.
“Oh.” Naoki doesn’t seem surprised to hear about Dunham, but she hasn’t thought about any of that for a long time, now. “I’ll have to have a word with him if he ever washes up,” she supposes. The sapphire prompts her eyebrows to bump, but gemstones don’t get her going like they used to. Although… Naoki glances at it a second time. Perhaps later.
At the mention of seduction, Naoki chuckles a bit. “Not just the captain — that wouldn’t have sufficed. Both the captain and his mate.” She doesn’t make anything more of it, as it seems like that wasn’t an especially enjoyable experience, but it’s a bit funny to hear. Fiona’s been busy out there on the water.
At the mention of her sister, Naoki properly opens her eyes to look over at Fiona. The question comes as something of a surprise. “... Andrea, yes.”
It isn’t surprising that Fiona would know of her -- her presence wasn’t kept secret, and Fiona was in the business of knowing about things. But as far as Naoki knows, the two never met. The fact that Fiona would bring up the existence of her sister now suggests something is afoot. “Why do you ask?”
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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 26, 2023 17:03:47 GMT -5
Fiona gave a small wave at Naoki's considerations for one Benjamin Dunham. "I wouldn't worry about it," she said. "I'm fairly certain I watched his body float away with the floods. Where he's going, the only conspiring he'll be doing is against the devil."
Then at the mention of the pirates, Fiona couldn't help but smirk just a touch. "Well, he was feisty, she was hot." It was the honest truth, as evil as they were, the pirate leaders were certainly something to look at. "Besides, having both of their ears, among other things, was the only way to ensure my freedom as well as a mutiny. I was either going to have the ship for myself, or have their sides destroy each other before they could harm others. Time dictated we would end up with the latter."
The mirth was certainly pulled from the air when Fiona mentioned a certain Lady Lanne. She shifted and sat upwards as Naoki confirmed her suspicions, and her expression remained rather serious. She did know Andrea in passing, but only in the once or twice Fiona had walked through the imperial palace without involving briefings or sticking to shadows. "We crossed paths, out there on the sea."
She cleared her throat and sat forward, eyes fixed on Naoki. "When the pirates I was involved with took it upon themselves to raid a refugee convoy, I took it upon myself to enact my plan. During the battle, I pitted the pirates against themselves, but it was too late to avoid getting the refugees' escort ship involved. The battle was… terrifying. I fought for the refugees, hoping they would spare me once victory could be assured."
She looked up to the ears atop Naoki's head. They were unmistakable. "One of the refugee escort fighters had your ears and a tail. There was no mistake, Lady Lanne fought to protect those in the smaller ships. She brandished a spear and moved in ways I didn't think she was capable of, she fought well, but…" Fiona took a moment, wondering how best to put it. "She was injured in the fray."
"I managed to save her life and get her off that ship," she continued. "It wasn't easy, but I got her to a smaller boat, one I was assured had a doctor. They told me she'd make it, that they had the triage available and she'd be a priority… I chose to believe them."
She reached out and tapped the desk as she spoke. "I returned to the fight so the civilian boats could escape. It was the last I saw of them. There were only a few of us who survived aboard the escort ship, but we got back on course, hoping to catch up. Once we found the group I arrived with, we had them change course to match our own."
"This place has given me hope that she's still alive out there and on the right course," Fiona said, hope ever present in her tone. "All aboard that convoy are. Call it fate, skill, luck, whichever - they just have to be."
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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 27, 2023 1:18:33 GMT -5
As Fiona launches into her story, Naoki sits up to listen, ears forward. Drama on the placid seas. Meetings between boats in the Mist -- Naoki didn’t even know that could happen. At the mention of her sister Naoki’s hands come together, and at the mention of the injury, Naoki’s mouth nearly disappears as the thinnest of lines.
“Hmmh. … ” Naoki is quiet for a long moment afterward. It’s a bit frustrating, knowing that people she cares about are still, even now, out there in the Mists, and there’s nothing she can do to help. It used to be such that there was naught beyond her influence. It’s a bit of an adjustment.
“Thank you for helping her,” Naoki eventually says. “I appreciate it, and it’s heartening just to know that she’s out there.”
“I’m sure she’ll turn up here soon enough,” Naoki supposes. “None the worse for wear, with plenty of empty bottles to show for her time.” Looking around, Naoki sighs, and seems as though she could do with a bottle to empty. But none are close to hand, so she discards the thought.
“So then, it turns out you have a little heart of gold in there, hm?” A lightly ribbing remark, accompanied by an accusatory finger.
“One assumes that the profession comes with a looser set of morals,” Naoki continues, fixing Fiona with a probing look.“One that doesn’t necessarily involve risking one’s life for strangers. How does a girl like you get wrapped up in the sort of life you led, anyway?”
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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 27, 2023 7:14:57 GMT -5
Fiona let out a small sigh when she was thanked for her actions. It was never easy giving news of loved ones, especially those who were lost in the mists, to those who cared deeply. It was something she never had to do, the only talking to people she needed to do in her line of work was the gentle dulcet tones of pillow talk and that would be of no use there. Still, Noaki reacted better than Fiona had thought. There would be a lot going on in that mind, but Fiona was not privy to it, nor did she really want to be.
She gave a small nod in return. “It felt right to do,” she said in a quiet tone. Usually what felt right to Fiona was swiping gold or jewels that had been left out by silly rich folk, but to do the morally right thing for once felt good. Not as good, but still good. A small smirk tugged at her cheek at the mention of bottles, and if Andrea’s reputation for a good party was true, she’d likely be found on a raft made of them.
Fiona couldn’t help but let out an amused huff. “Hooker with a heart of gold, that old chestnut,” she said, “I’m glad I’m living up to that stereotype. My morals are…” She interlinked her fingers in thought for a moment, then pointed back at Naoki, hands still clasped. “Flexible, let's say. While I enjoy stealing and selling things that aren’t mine, be it baubles or information, I have no interest in, let's say, murder.” She leaned back in her chair. “When I have to kill, I will, but thankfully that has been incredibly rare, and only in self defence. Well.. until recently…”
She cleared her throat and got back to the topic at hand. “Both of my professions tend to come with loose morals, one more obvious than the other. Prostitution has its own set that can be tricky, but they can get a little looser with the right amount of gold at stake. Of course there are some things you couldn’t pay me to do, but… let's just say I’ve surprised myself over the years.” She gave a little wink to punctuate that. When your clientele is the richest in the land, they can usually get what they want.
At the question of her past, she let out a long huff and leaned back in her chair, looking off into the distance. “That’s an interesting question,” she said, looking back over a life of ill repute. “Poverty, I suppose.” She looked back to Naoki. “I was essentially a street urchin for a long while. Swiped a few things to get by, found out I was actually quite good at it, but it wasn’t exactly a career option at that point. Just a means to survival.”
“Then when I started catching eyes at a certain age, I found out I could make money using my hands for something other than picking pockets.” She flexed her hands as she spoke. “That offered a bit more stability. I was able to get into a back alley brothel, not exactly the Violet Star, but it put a roof over my head. I graduated to earning more with my mouth, then quickly after I was able to make a good coin offering full service.” She gave a little shrug and smiled warmly. “It kind of took off from there. I was in quite the demand, but I doubt I need to tell you that.”
“Over time I could afford better outfits, got out of the brothel and into another, more profit was had, my business grew exponentially when I was able to invest in my person.” She gestured to herself. Before the end, she had a very carefully curated look, one that had some fame in certain circles. “I went solo eventually, and that was when I was invited into the mansions and high end apartments of Isra.” She gave a small chuckle, looking back over where she’d gotten. “I should say I never did stop my thievery and sneaking around. Never got caught, but a few extra coins or a watch would go missing here and there, maybe a painting or some tips would get sold in markets unavailable to the layman. Once I had full access to the homes of the rich and famous though, well… That opened a whole new enterprise for me.”
“I took to it like a fish to water.” A grin spread across her face. “I would make a fortune selling myself to these men and women, and in the process I would be able to own their entire homes. I would wait, weeks, months, sometimes even a year or two, then help myself. I remained uncaught.”
Then she smirked, amused for a moment. “At least I thought so, until you told me I’d either need to work for you or live a life behind bars.” She gave another shrug. “I think I chose the right option, hm?” The choice did yield her the capital to start the Violet Star, and kept Isra’s top tier policing services off her back. Money was made for both sides, herself and the crown. Screw everyone else.
“And now I’m here.” She looked around the room again with a small smile. Even if it was nothing like home, it was better than that damned boat. “In desperate need of a bath, a shave, and a haircut. I thought I’d never see the day where I’d need to say that, but I suppose life has its unfortunate turns. Some would say it might be karma catching up with me, but…” She looked back to Naoki. “I’m sure I’d be at the bottom of the ocean if that was true, wearing a pair of concrete boots with ‘loving regards, The Universe’ etched in the sides.”
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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 15, 2023 18:02:16 GMT -5
Listening along, Naoki nods. Poverty is a good reason to do things — goodness knows she knows that. Over the course of however long, Fiona took things to their logical extreme. It’s not an especially complex tale, but it does inspire a certain respect. She’s honed and refined her chosen craft to the utmost
“It’s funny,” Naoki begins, examining the curve of Fiona’s chin in the dim light. “You remind me of myself. In that, had a few things gone differently in my life, I would have gone down much the same path.”
“I was a gofer for a while,” Naoki admits. “Only happenstance and factors beyond my control set me on the path I ended up taking, where I eventually became Empress.” For a moment afterward, Naoki is quiet. Then she hums, amused.
“In any case,” she continues,” “That leads nicely into what you might like to do next. You’ve had the opportunity to see the state of things as they are now. To be blunt: I don’t need anyone doing the job you did in Old Isra. A smaller population and a heavier hand means that there’s essentially not any room to scheme against me. Maybe later on there may be, but not now.”
“What I believe would serve Isra’s needs better,” Naoki continues, leveling a finger and a devilish smirk at Fiona, “Is something that would appeal more to the common man. What would you think about running another cathouse?”
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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 Sept 15, 2023 19:16:48 GMT -5
Fiona smirked and blew a short, amused huff through her nose. "Politics was never my bag, far too many unknowns. The negotiations and subterfuge are very different while you're doing business on your back." She looked to her hands and checked her grubby nails as she spoke. She'd also need a manicure, but that might be a while… She looked back up and continued. "No, the closest I ever cared to get to politicians was to either sleep with them or rob them, present company included." She couldn't help but smirk, there was no real reason to hide her past intentions, before she'd been pressed into service. "Though you got to me before I could ever fulfil the latter." Then she let her eyes linger along Naoki's frame for a moment, her mind cast back to certain memories. "The former, however, that's a life goal I feel can be checked off more than once."
She leaned back and crossed one leg over the other as she listened to Naoki as she continued, her eyes narrowing as more became clear. Why she was there, how the new world worked. Her own suspicions were soon answered, but Naoki's words only brought about even more questions.
Fiona remains quiet for a moment as she considers everything Naoki spoke of. She narrowed her eyes again and gestured to the former Empress. "You're too smart to believe that," she said before placing her hand back down on her knee. "To rely solely on your guards, especially with all the new people coming in. A small settlement is easier to cause trouble in - you'll have eyes and ears to match the heavy hand." Her expression softened as she shrugged. "But maybe not. Until you need a certain set of skills, another pair of eyes and ears in the dark, it's not my business to think of such conspiracies - and nobody else's for that matter."
"As for your offer…" she continued and paused to give it some more thought. Her chair tilted back as she pressed off the ground and three seconds ticked by with the taps of the chair's foot hitting the ground. Then she perked up. "First of all, I would be honoured, if a little surprised that there wasn't one already. It's the oldest profession after all." But then she takes on a more serious demeanour, considering the possibilities. "But I can also see why there hasn't been one."
She let the chair sit on all four feet again. "Nobody seems to exchange coin around here," she says, making it clear. "So I have reason to believe there's no currency system yet. Bartering, perhaps. 'Everybody works, everybody eats' I believe was the slogan. That would mean whoever I have under my employ would be doing so for a meal, correct?"
"Two problems with that," she says before raising a finger. "First, there's a connotation there I doubt anyone is comfortable with. It would be the same with any job on the island, but the nature of the job changes the perspective, I'm sure you understand."
"And second." Two fingers this time. "Money was the barrier to entry in the old world. The Violet Star had high entrance fees and rates so we would only attract the refined crowds. If it's state sponsored whoring, then the lines would be out the door and my girls would likely have to serve anyone and everyone who came along."
She took a small breath and sighed a little as she looked towards the dark windows in the direction of the faint glow of the town's lights. "I would love to open a cat house again. The Violet Star was my pride and joy, and I look forward to just being a madam for the kink, the sex, and the fun instead of being an information broker on top of it all." she looked from the window to Naoki. "If you can get me a list of men and women who would be interested, and a way to both motivate them and keep them from being overworked, then I can make a cathouse work - and very well at that. But until then I fear there's too many cons to make it viable without resorting to something quite unsavoury - which is not an option."
"Though not perfect, perhaps a token system?" She considered, though not entirely sure if it. "Not perfect by any way, but they could be traded and earned, and spent on my men and women. Breast backed currency, if you will." She gave a small dismissive wave. "I don't think it solves the problems presented, but it's something to build on."
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