Jeanette Parfait
Established
Roleplay posts: 14
Age: 32
Appearance: Jeanette is of medium height and muscular build, with broad shoulders strengthened by many years bearing a heavy pack. Her reddish-brown hair is cut short, hanging down to her neck on the rare occasion that it’s not tied back with a bandanna. Despite her lack of children, she has what people often describe as a kind, almost motherly smile. She seldom wears jewelry beyond a single silver earring and a golden wedding band. Her clothing choices are usually more utilitarian than stylish, although she generally tries to avoid wearing colors that clash atrociously if she can help it.
Personality, Other: In her youth, Jeanette was as volatile as a firecracker. She’d spend her days picking fights and pulling dangerous and often foolhardy stunts, simply to keep herself amused. However, age has tempered her personality somewhat and given her the patience needed to lead scavenging groups. Nowadays, she’s very calm and mellow, slow to anger and quick to forgive. Despite her kind demeanor, however, she can be very strict with her expedition crews about following rules and obeying orders. This strictness has earned her the nickname “Matron Parfait” among scavenging circles, much to her annoyance. Her age never dulled her insatiable curiosity, and she will often go through great and sometimes unwise lengths to satisfy it. She takes much pride in her reputation as a fearless leader, and does her best to maintain it despite it being far from the truth.
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Growing up, Jeanette’s family was never particularly wealthy. Her parents both toiled hard in the mines as alchemists, risking life and limb to blast through stone and reach the precious veins of gold. As they worked long hours and were usually beyond exhausted when they returned home, Jeanette was frequently left in the care of her aunt. The aunt’s neglectful habits and fondness for fairy dust meant that Jeanette was left to her own devices more often than not, allowing her to go out and make mischief for her amusement. When she was 13, one too many run-ins with the authorities led Jeanette’s parents to order her to find employment to keep her out of trouble. She ended up working at the same mine as her parents, picking through spoil heaps and searching for any glimmer of gold that might have been missed and discarded.
One day, while searching through the spoil, an unusual piece of stone caught her eye. She pulled it out and found it to be a broken fragment of a marble tablet, bearing inscriptions that seemed to twist and contort before her very eyes. A trip to a local enchanter revealed that it was part of some kind of ancient artifact. The enchanter wasn’t able to decipher exactly what it was for, but Jeanette was intrigued. She began to search more intently for pre-cataclysmic artifacts, pestering the enchanter for information and history every chance she got. The marble tablet was eventually stolen, but her newfound fascination with pre-cataclysmic artifacts stuck.
As soon as she was 16, she left her home to sign up with the local adventuring guild. Her enthusiasm to learn and innate curiosity about the artifacts endeared her to the guild members, and she rose quickly through their ranks. By the time she was 20, she was running her own crew, taking long journeys out to the ancient ruins and risking life and limb in the abandoned tunnels and ruins to bring back precious relics. It was about that time that she met Thomas Brooks, an officer in the Isran military. The young scavenger and the soldier got off to a rather rocky start, when he arrested her for public intoxication and throwing a boot into a turnip-seller’s face. However, the two soon took a liking to one another, and would end up seeing each other on and off for the next few years. There was something about the man’s mischievous sense of humor and playful attitude that reminded Jeanette of her carefree troublemaking as a child and drew her to him. Some time after they met, Jeanette moved from tomb-hunting and adventuring to work for the Isran Expeditionary Corps. The pair never married, although Thomas promised Jeanette a ring after he came back from the Goraian conflict. However, the young officer never returned, and Jeanette received nothing but a cold letter of condolence in his place. The loss of her love shook Jeanette to her core, and it was several months before she was able to go out and lead another expedition. Ever since that day, she was plagued by nightmares of her deceased husband, especially when under heavy stress.
Registered: Apr 9, 2021 7:21:41 GMT -5
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Post by Jeanette Parfait on Apr 15, 2021 17:51:15 GMT -5
Jeanette stiffened as the man leaned closer, hand closing on the grip of her machete. Still, she leaned in obligingly, listening to what he had to say. His suggestion that he might not be taken seriously set her on edge, and she was ready to take the man's words with a heavy pinch of salt. Was he seeing things after so long alone? He wouldn't be the first marooned castaway she'd met to be seeing things, although two weeks seemed a bit soon for such problems to begin setting in. Perhaps he was simply predisposed to such things.
"Indeed," she said, locking eyes with him. "You'll have to tell us. Out with it, man. We haven't got all day."
Bartholomew's tale of fae in the woods and wicked tricksters elicited a raised eyebrow, but nothing more. Jeanette listened closely, nodding along. Fae were almost always bad news, as even the most benign had a troubling habit of playing wicked pranks on unfortunate travelers. She was glad that she'd managed to get a warning about them ahead of time, as she would have hated to stumble into them unawares. As the man finished his troubled tale, she nodded, giving him a pat on the shoulder.
"Good man," she said, then turned to her crew. "Mister Anders and Mister Mack, please head to the ship and bring back every sack of salt we have aboard. I want a ring around our encampment before the sun sets. Distribute it into pouches for the crew as well. I want every sailor here to be carrying salt and iron at all times. You heard the man, there are fae about. We could be in for some trouble, especially as we venture deeper into the woods. Hop to it, I don't like to be surprised."
Turning back to Bartholomew, she gave the man a warm, almost maternal smile.
"What ever has gotten you so worried?" she asked. "I thought you'd tell me something unbelievable. Didn't your mother teach you to avoid the fae? In any case, you're welcome to stay with us at our camp, so long as you can show us where to find some food. Anyways, that 'great bloody flying beastie' of yours probably won't bother us if we're in a big group like this. Honestly, haven't you ever seen a griffin before?"
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Bartholomew Eads
Established
Roleplay posts: 14
Age: 28
Appearance: Avatar is accurate.
Registered: Apr 9, 2021 14:33:04 GMT -5
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Post by Bartholomew Eads on Apr 19, 2021 20:22:29 GMT -5
The captain uttered orders right after his tale as if she believed the way he'd woven it. He could sparse believe his own eyes when he'd come across such things. Little things with wings as thin as paper and glass-like flying around him. They picked at his clothes and chased him back to the beach. Larger things that loped around through the tall grass with unnatural movements. He'd scant caught a glance at them before running seeing a tanned hide that had frightened him. His honesty seemed to have earned him some regard but he could scant believe that either.
"Well that's a first," the booming voice was much kinder, softer, "Someone believes in those kind of magical tales without wanting to lock you away. Fair chance you're dreaming this."
Bartholomew would swallow his Adams apple bouncing with the movement as it flowed downward. He wasn't parched but his mouth suddenly felt very dry, "Never," he answered using only one word. Holding his breath up until that point it came out quite without it and barely there. He gupled down air next in order to ask her his eyes wide, "Are they real then? Is it real?" He'd back up a step his hands finding his ragged hair his time spent on the island enough to split the ends. He'd grasp the locks and pull but they did not give way. "God help me," he would say to the air with little strength left in the prayer. He'd lost faith a long time ago and now he was but given a sliver of what once was great with her words because if he was to believe in magic he could believe in a God above as well.
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Jeanette Parfait
Established
Roleplay posts: 14
Age: 32
Appearance: Jeanette is of medium height and muscular build, with broad shoulders strengthened by many years bearing a heavy pack. Her reddish-brown hair is cut short, hanging down to her neck on the rare occasion that it’s not tied back with a bandanna. Despite her lack of children, she has what people often describe as a kind, almost motherly smile. She seldom wears jewelry beyond a single silver earring and a golden wedding band. Her clothing choices are usually more utilitarian than stylish, although she generally tries to avoid wearing colors that clash atrociously if she can help it.
Personality, Other: In her youth, Jeanette was as volatile as a firecracker. She’d spend her days picking fights and pulling dangerous and often foolhardy stunts, simply to keep herself amused. However, age has tempered her personality somewhat and given her the patience needed to lead scavenging groups. Nowadays, she’s very calm and mellow, slow to anger and quick to forgive. Despite her kind demeanor, however, she can be very strict with her expedition crews about following rules and obeying orders. This strictness has earned her the nickname “Matron Parfait” among scavenging circles, much to her annoyance. Her age never dulled her insatiable curiosity, and she will often go through great and sometimes unwise lengths to satisfy it. She takes much pride in her reputation as a fearless leader, and does her best to maintain it despite it being far from the truth.
---
Growing up, Jeanette’s family was never particularly wealthy. Her parents both toiled hard in the mines as alchemists, risking life and limb to blast through stone and reach the precious veins of gold. As they worked long hours and were usually beyond exhausted when they returned home, Jeanette was frequently left in the care of her aunt. The aunt’s neglectful habits and fondness for fairy dust meant that Jeanette was left to her own devices more often than not, allowing her to go out and make mischief for her amusement. When she was 13, one too many run-ins with the authorities led Jeanette’s parents to order her to find employment to keep her out of trouble. She ended up working at the same mine as her parents, picking through spoil heaps and searching for any glimmer of gold that might have been missed and discarded.
One day, while searching through the spoil, an unusual piece of stone caught her eye. She pulled it out and found it to be a broken fragment of a marble tablet, bearing inscriptions that seemed to twist and contort before her very eyes. A trip to a local enchanter revealed that it was part of some kind of ancient artifact. The enchanter wasn’t able to decipher exactly what it was for, but Jeanette was intrigued. She began to search more intently for pre-cataclysmic artifacts, pestering the enchanter for information and history every chance she got. The marble tablet was eventually stolen, but her newfound fascination with pre-cataclysmic artifacts stuck.
As soon as she was 16, she left her home to sign up with the local adventuring guild. Her enthusiasm to learn and innate curiosity about the artifacts endeared her to the guild members, and she rose quickly through their ranks. By the time she was 20, she was running her own crew, taking long journeys out to the ancient ruins and risking life and limb in the abandoned tunnels and ruins to bring back precious relics. It was about that time that she met Thomas Brooks, an officer in the Isran military. The young scavenger and the soldier got off to a rather rocky start, when he arrested her for public intoxication and throwing a boot into a turnip-seller’s face. However, the two soon took a liking to one another, and would end up seeing each other on and off for the next few years. There was something about the man’s mischievous sense of humor and playful attitude that reminded Jeanette of her carefree troublemaking as a child and drew her to him. Some time after they met, Jeanette moved from tomb-hunting and adventuring to work for the Isran Expeditionary Corps. The pair never married, although Thomas promised Jeanette a ring after he came back from the Goraian conflict. However, the young officer never returned, and Jeanette received nothing but a cold letter of condolence in his place. The loss of her love shook Jeanette to her core, and it was several months before she was able to go out and lead another expedition. Ever since that day, she was plagued by nightmares of her deceased husband, especially when under heavy stress.
Registered: Apr 9, 2021 7:21:41 GMT -5
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Post by Jeanette Parfait on Apr 19, 2021 20:38:28 GMT -5
Jeanette eyed him pityingly, giving him a look that one might give a small child who'd asked what color the sky was. Did this man know anything? She raised a hand to her men, silencing some of their chuckles and snickers at the man's apparent ignorance. Her mother had always told her to be nice to people dumber than her, after all. She'd said that it made it easier to get them to do things for her later on.
"Don't you worry, Mr. Eads," she said. "You're not mad. They're all real, as real as you or I. My goodness, you really are a long way from home, aren't you? Have you anything made of iron, Mr. Eads? You'll want to keep some on hand at all times. Don't use it on the fey unless they try to attack you, but don't let them put anything in your mouth either. They don't like iron, but if you wave it around they'll see it as a threat. You want to shoo them away, not anger them. As for gryphons...well, I wouldn't worry too much about them. There's a lot of us around, I'm sure my lads could bring one down easily enough."
Clapping him on the shoulder, she began to pull him gently but insistently away from the cave, towards where they'd begun to set up camp on the beach. The "camp" was little more than a collection of crates and boxes, but sailors were already setting up tents and flipping jolly-boats to use as shelters.
"What have you been eating this whole time, anyways?" she asked, pulling Bartholomew towards the fire that her men had set up in the center of the camp. "You don't look like you've been starving to death, at the very least."
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Bartholomew Eads
Established
Roleplay posts: 14
Age: 28
Appearance: Avatar is accurate.
Registered: Apr 9, 2021 14:33:04 GMT -5
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Post by Bartholomew Eads on Apr 20, 2021 19:47:39 GMT -5
Had he been confused on the matter before he was even more so then when her crew was taking the piss out of his reaction to her words. Perhaps he had been mistaken about him being the crazy one. Or perhaps he was imagining that such a crew had arrived in order to make him feel better about himself. The problem was he did not know that iron and salt could scare away fairies, or fae as the woman called them, his mind was not clever enough to think of solutions to a problem even if it was imagined. "But it's clever enough isn't it." A silhouette came out of the shadows his skin almost as dark as from whence he came as he crossed his arms eyeing the captain, "Maybe you should run." A tenseness came to the set of his jaw as Jeanette said he was anything but mad. Whether it was to her words or something else no one else might be able to tell but him. She prattled on and drew on him so he might move. He did so at her insistence but only because he knew not what else to do. Should he have retreated they might have came after him rather quickly. "Fish," he finally answered her finding something he could sink his teeth into, "And some animals, there was a boar once I was able to trap. Wretched thing almost broke the net I was using but it was good meat for some time. There are edible plants as well." The fire called like a beacon the flames flickering and moving. The cave was damp but not as cool as outside as the ground insulated. There was also no wind to cut across his frame and through his clothes. He'd reach out his hands instinctively, "We don't have those things at home," he would finally tell the Captain forgetting her speech about iron already.
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Jeanette Parfait
Established
Roleplay posts: 14
Age: 32
Appearance: Jeanette is of medium height and muscular build, with broad shoulders strengthened by many years bearing a heavy pack. Her reddish-brown hair is cut short, hanging down to her neck on the rare occasion that it’s not tied back with a bandanna. Despite her lack of children, she has what people often describe as a kind, almost motherly smile. She seldom wears jewelry beyond a single silver earring and a golden wedding band. Her clothing choices are usually more utilitarian than stylish, although she generally tries to avoid wearing colors that clash atrociously if she can help it.
Personality, Other: In her youth, Jeanette was as volatile as a firecracker. She’d spend her days picking fights and pulling dangerous and often foolhardy stunts, simply to keep herself amused. However, age has tempered her personality somewhat and given her the patience needed to lead scavenging groups. Nowadays, she’s very calm and mellow, slow to anger and quick to forgive. Despite her kind demeanor, however, she can be very strict with her expedition crews about following rules and obeying orders. This strictness has earned her the nickname “Matron Parfait” among scavenging circles, much to her annoyance. Her age never dulled her insatiable curiosity, and she will often go through great and sometimes unwise lengths to satisfy it. She takes much pride in her reputation as a fearless leader, and does her best to maintain it despite it being far from the truth.
---
Growing up, Jeanette’s family was never particularly wealthy. Her parents both toiled hard in the mines as alchemists, risking life and limb to blast through stone and reach the precious veins of gold. As they worked long hours and were usually beyond exhausted when they returned home, Jeanette was frequently left in the care of her aunt. The aunt’s neglectful habits and fondness for fairy dust meant that Jeanette was left to her own devices more often than not, allowing her to go out and make mischief for her amusement. When she was 13, one too many run-ins with the authorities led Jeanette’s parents to order her to find employment to keep her out of trouble. She ended up working at the same mine as her parents, picking through spoil heaps and searching for any glimmer of gold that might have been missed and discarded.
One day, while searching through the spoil, an unusual piece of stone caught her eye. She pulled it out and found it to be a broken fragment of a marble tablet, bearing inscriptions that seemed to twist and contort before her very eyes. A trip to a local enchanter revealed that it was part of some kind of ancient artifact. The enchanter wasn’t able to decipher exactly what it was for, but Jeanette was intrigued. She began to search more intently for pre-cataclysmic artifacts, pestering the enchanter for information and history every chance she got. The marble tablet was eventually stolen, but her newfound fascination with pre-cataclysmic artifacts stuck.
As soon as she was 16, she left her home to sign up with the local adventuring guild. Her enthusiasm to learn and innate curiosity about the artifacts endeared her to the guild members, and she rose quickly through their ranks. By the time she was 20, she was running her own crew, taking long journeys out to the ancient ruins and risking life and limb in the abandoned tunnels and ruins to bring back precious relics. It was about that time that she met Thomas Brooks, an officer in the Isran military. The young scavenger and the soldier got off to a rather rocky start, when he arrested her for public intoxication and throwing a boot into a turnip-seller’s face. However, the two soon took a liking to one another, and would end up seeing each other on and off for the next few years. There was something about the man’s mischievous sense of humor and playful attitude that reminded Jeanette of her carefree troublemaking as a child and drew her to him. Some time after they met, Jeanette moved from tomb-hunting and adventuring to work for the Isran Expeditionary Corps. The pair never married, although Thomas promised Jeanette a ring after he came back from the Goraian conflict. However, the young officer never returned, and Jeanette received nothing but a cold letter of condolence in his place. The loss of her love shook Jeanette to her core, and it was several months before she was able to go out and lead another expedition. Ever since that day, she was plagued by nightmares of her deceased husband, especially when under heavy stress.
Registered: Apr 9, 2021 7:21:41 GMT -5
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Post by Jeanette Parfait on Apr 22, 2021 16:18:54 GMT -5
"Fish and animals," repeated Jeanette, nodding thoughtfully. That was encouraging, although she was sure that her crew were quite tired of fish by now. Still, anything was better than scraping barnacles off of the hull for stew. Besides, the prospect of four-legged game was encouraging. Already, the men around her were muttering excitedly among one another in anticipation of the upcoming hunt. How long had it been since they'd had any fresh meat? Far too long, to be sure.
"You'll have to show us your techniques, then," she said. "I've never seen someone bring down a boar on their own. I'm impressed. Come now, then. Join us by the fire. You'll have to tell us about this homeland of yours, it sounds awfully dreary. No fae? What, do people just walk around in the woods all day and not get bothered? Sounds like a strange place indeed. I'll bet-"
"Captain!" called a frantic voice from across the camp. "Captain, you'll need to see this!"
Jeanette took off at a run, sprinting across the sand to see what was going on. A few sailors stood at the edge of the woods, gathered together in a sort of ramshackle hunting party. One of them, a pale, narrow-faced man with a scraggly beard, pointed a shaking finger off into the trees. There, in the shadows beneath the dense canopy, were a series of glowing lights. They danced and spun in complex loops, flitting in and out of sight as they circled the trees. Jeanette's jaw tightened at the sight, and she shook her head.
"Where's the party I sent to get the salt?" she demanded. "We need it now. You lot, stay away from the woods but keep an eye on the lights. Don't interact with them, but call for me if they leave the treeline and start approaching the camp. We don't want any trouble."
Turning to Bartholomew, she added:
"You said these things attacked you, yes? Did you do anything to provoke them first, or did they just come out of nowhere?"
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Bartholomew Eads
Established
Roleplay posts: 14
Age: 28
Appearance: Avatar is accurate.
Registered: Apr 9, 2021 14:33:04 GMT -5
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Post by Bartholomew Eads on Apr 22, 2021 20:01:50 GMT -5
Bart had been about to reply when she was interrupted. Her importance to the crew would not be undermined by a weary scraggly man who'd made his home in a cave on the shore. He was an intelligent castaway of that they could be certain but not without his limits as well. Time had taught him how to manage more of the wilderness and an attentive Uncle when he was a boy that used to take him on hunts. He'd developed small traps here and there and had yet to check them that day. Speaking of the traps when Jeanette turned back towards him with accusations that sounded more polite than demanding he would grimace when he would say, "I caught one, not purposefully, but I cannot be certain how long it was trapped." What he did not say was when he finally released the little creature it had been an ordeal that neither would be fond of repeating. It'd bit his hand, the scar clear on the edge of his palm near his pinky, and he'd swung it into a tree. "Oh I remember that one," it laughed at the memory, "I told you not to touch it but your curiosity got the better of you." "It did not," Bart whispered beneath his breath his face flushing at the murmured words.
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Jeanette Parfait
Established
Roleplay posts: 14
Age: 32
Appearance: Jeanette is of medium height and muscular build, with broad shoulders strengthened by many years bearing a heavy pack. Her reddish-brown hair is cut short, hanging down to her neck on the rare occasion that it’s not tied back with a bandanna. Despite her lack of children, she has what people often describe as a kind, almost motherly smile. She seldom wears jewelry beyond a single silver earring and a golden wedding band. Her clothing choices are usually more utilitarian than stylish, although she generally tries to avoid wearing colors that clash atrociously if she can help it.
Personality, Other: In her youth, Jeanette was as volatile as a firecracker. She’d spend her days picking fights and pulling dangerous and often foolhardy stunts, simply to keep herself amused. However, age has tempered her personality somewhat and given her the patience needed to lead scavenging groups. Nowadays, she’s very calm and mellow, slow to anger and quick to forgive. Despite her kind demeanor, however, she can be very strict with her expedition crews about following rules and obeying orders. This strictness has earned her the nickname “Matron Parfait” among scavenging circles, much to her annoyance. Her age never dulled her insatiable curiosity, and she will often go through great and sometimes unwise lengths to satisfy it. She takes much pride in her reputation as a fearless leader, and does her best to maintain it despite it being far from the truth.
---
Growing up, Jeanette’s family was never particularly wealthy. Her parents both toiled hard in the mines as alchemists, risking life and limb to blast through stone and reach the precious veins of gold. As they worked long hours and were usually beyond exhausted when they returned home, Jeanette was frequently left in the care of her aunt. The aunt’s neglectful habits and fondness for fairy dust meant that Jeanette was left to her own devices more often than not, allowing her to go out and make mischief for her amusement. When she was 13, one too many run-ins with the authorities led Jeanette’s parents to order her to find employment to keep her out of trouble. She ended up working at the same mine as her parents, picking through spoil heaps and searching for any glimmer of gold that might have been missed and discarded.
One day, while searching through the spoil, an unusual piece of stone caught her eye. She pulled it out and found it to be a broken fragment of a marble tablet, bearing inscriptions that seemed to twist and contort before her very eyes. A trip to a local enchanter revealed that it was part of some kind of ancient artifact. The enchanter wasn’t able to decipher exactly what it was for, but Jeanette was intrigued. She began to search more intently for pre-cataclysmic artifacts, pestering the enchanter for information and history every chance she got. The marble tablet was eventually stolen, but her newfound fascination with pre-cataclysmic artifacts stuck.
As soon as she was 16, she left her home to sign up with the local adventuring guild. Her enthusiasm to learn and innate curiosity about the artifacts endeared her to the guild members, and she rose quickly through their ranks. By the time she was 20, she was running her own crew, taking long journeys out to the ancient ruins and risking life and limb in the abandoned tunnels and ruins to bring back precious relics. It was about that time that she met Thomas Brooks, an officer in the Isran military. The young scavenger and the soldier got off to a rather rocky start, when he arrested her for public intoxication and throwing a boot into a turnip-seller’s face. However, the two soon took a liking to one another, and would end up seeing each other on and off for the next few years. There was something about the man’s mischievous sense of humor and playful attitude that reminded Jeanette of her carefree troublemaking as a child and drew her to him. Some time after they met, Jeanette moved from tomb-hunting and adventuring to work for the Isran Expeditionary Corps. The pair never married, although Thomas promised Jeanette a ring after he came back from the Goraian conflict. However, the young officer never returned, and Jeanette received nothing but a cold letter of condolence in his place. The loss of her love shook Jeanette to her core, and it was several months before she was able to go out and lead another expedition. Ever since that day, she was plagued by nightmares of her deceased husband, especially when under heavy stress.
Registered: Apr 9, 2021 7:21:41 GMT -5
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Post by Jeanette Parfait on Apr 25, 2021 17:31:58 GMT -5
When Bartholomew mentioned his run-in with the fae, Jeanette froze. She whirled on him, face flushing red as she grabbed the man by the collar with both hands. Many years of hard shipboard labor showed their effect as she yanked him forward, dragging the man towards herself in her rage.
"You...you trapped one of the fae?" she demanded, shaking him roughly. "What are you, stupid? Even a child knows not to upset them, and yet here you are catching them in traps! Let me guess, you didn't do anything to appease them afterwards either? I should throw you to them so that they'll ignore my crew, but they're awfully vindictive and I don't think they'd be satisfied with a sorry sod like you. You may have very well killed us all, you know that? What's wrong with you?"
She shoved him away, disgusted, and turned back to her crew.
"Nobody goes in the forest," she called. "Not to catch food, not to map it out, not to answer the call of nature. We don't set one foot into those woods until we've figured this out. You can all thank this idiot for it."
Turning back to Bartholomew, she fixed him with a glare that would have withered grass and made even the fiercest wild animal cower. Her hand tightened into a fist, but she didn't strike him. Yet.
"You will tell me exactly what happened," she snarled. "Everything. Don't you dare leave out one single detail, all of our lives could depend on it."
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Bartholomew Eads
Established
Roleplay posts: 14
Age: 28
Appearance: Avatar is accurate.
Registered: Apr 9, 2021 14:33:04 GMT -5
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Post by Bartholomew Eads on Apr 27, 2021 11:22:06 GMT -5
Bart made not a single sound when she drew him in, he looked ashamed but perhaps not enough until she made clear exactly what he had done to her, and her crew, frankly he'd had run-ins with them again but they seemed to be more playful than anything else. Perhaps they understood that he'd never seen such a thing before. With her affixing him with such a gaze he would finally find his courage, which had been lost for a moment, "I am afraid Captain that you and I come from worlds where fae are very different things. They were fairy tales in my home, but things children whispered about, I thought myself going crazy here. Perhaps I still am. Perhaps you are a figment of it as well but your touch felt real enough." "A figment of your imagination," it was laughing again lost in the laughter as the man clapped his thighs and leaned forward lost in it. Bart frowned. He would hold his breath for a moment before saying in a calmer voice, "It was settled in with a rabbit in the trap, under a bucket I was using at the time. I lifted it and I did not believe what I was seeing. It looked like a tiny fairy and it was snuggled up with the rabbit. Both were asleep so I set aside the bucket and cleared my throat. It woke and shook its little fist at me. I was so flabbergasted I don't think I moved. It boxed me around my ears before racing off and I lost my dinner."
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Jeanette Parfait
Established
Roleplay posts: 14
Age: 32
Appearance: Jeanette is of medium height and muscular build, with broad shoulders strengthened by many years bearing a heavy pack. Her reddish-brown hair is cut short, hanging down to her neck on the rare occasion that it’s not tied back with a bandanna. Despite her lack of children, she has what people often describe as a kind, almost motherly smile. She seldom wears jewelry beyond a single silver earring and a golden wedding band. Her clothing choices are usually more utilitarian than stylish, although she generally tries to avoid wearing colors that clash atrociously if she can help it.
Personality, Other: In her youth, Jeanette was as volatile as a firecracker. She’d spend her days picking fights and pulling dangerous and often foolhardy stunts, simply to keep herself amused. However, age has tempered her personality somewhat and given her the patience needed to lead scavenging groups. Nowadays, she’s very calm and mellow, slow to anger and quick to forgive. Despite her kind demeanor, however, she can be very strict with her expedition crews about following rules and obeying orders. This strictness has earned her the nickname “Matron Parfait” among scavenging circles, much to her annoyance. Her age never dulled her insatiable curiosity, and she will often go through great and sometimes unwise lengths to satisfy it. She takes much pride in her reputation as a fearless leader, and does her best to maintain it despite it being far from the truth.
---
Growing up, Jeanette’s family was never particularly wealthy. Her parents both toiled hard in the mines as alchemists, risking life and limb to blast through stone and reach the precious veins of gold. As they worked long hours and were usually beyond exhausted when they returned home, Jeanette was frequently left in the care of her aunt. The aunt’s neglectful habits and fondness for fairy dust meant that Jeanette was left to her own devices more often than not, allowing her to go out and make mischief for her amusement. When she was 13, one too many run-ins with the authorities led Jeanette’s parents to order her to find employment to keep her out of trouble. She ended up working at the same mine as her parents, picking through spoil heaps and searching for any glimmer of gold that might have been missed and discarded.
One day, while searching through the spoil, an unusual piece of stone caught her eye. She pulled it out and found it to be a broken fragment of a marble tablet, bearing inscriptions that seemed to twist and contort before her very eyes. A trip to a local enchanter revealed that it was part of some kind of ancient artifact. The enchanter wasn’t able to decipher exactly what it was for, but Jeanette was intrigued. She began to search more intently for pre-cataclysmic artifacts, pestering the enchanter for information and history every chance she got. The marble tablet was eventually stolen, but her newfound fascination with pre-cataclysmic artifacts stuck.
As soon as she was 16, she left her home to sign up with the local adventuring guild. Her enthusiasm to learn and innate curiosity about the artifacts endeared her to the guild members, and she rose quickly through their ranks. By the time she was 20, she was running her own crew, taking long journeys out to the ancient ruins and risking life and limb in the abandoned tunnels and ruins to bring back precious relics. It was about that time that she met Thomas Brooks, an officer in the Isran military. The young scavenger and the soldier got off to a rather rocky start, when he arrested her for public intoxication and throwing a boot into a turnip-seller’s face. However, the two soon took a liking to one another, and would end up seeing each other on and off for the next few years. There was something about the man’s mischievous sense of humor and playful attitude that reminded Jeanette of her carefree troublemaking as a child and drew her to him. Some time after they met, Jeanette moved from tomb-hunting and adventuring to work for the Isran Expeditionary Corps. The pair never married, although Thomas promised Jeanette a ring after he came back from the Goraian conflict. However, the young officer never returned, and Jeanette received nothing but a cold letter of condolence in his place. The loss of her love shook Jeanette to her core, and it was several months before she was able to go out and lead another expedition. Ever since that day, she was plagued by nightmares of her deceased husband, especially when under heavy stress.
Registered: Apr 9, 2021 7:21:41 GMT -5
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Post by Jeanette Parfait on May 3, 2021 14:13:06 GMT -5
Jeanette spat on the ground, clearly disgusted by the man's ignorance. Stepping up to him once more, she prodded a finger into his chest, seemingly unbothered by the fact that he stood at least a full head taller than her.
"Real enough for you?" she demanded. "I can hit you if you're not convinced, but it seems that the creatures have already done that for you. Honestly, what sort of place doesn't have fae? They're everywhere where I'm from. Like insects. Can't walk ten steps into the woods without some of them spying on you. They're typically harmless unless you anger them, which you very clearly have. Don't you know to put salt in your traps so the fae stay away? That's common knowledge in places not populated by idiots."
Groaning, she clutched her hands to her head, trying to silence the whispers in her mind. It wasn't just Thomas anymore. It sounded like dozens of voices, all talking over each other in an incomprehensible gibberish. Was she going mad? No, it was just stress. The stress of having to deal with stupid people. It had to be.
"We'll have to come up with some way to appease them," she said. "I'd suggest your head on a stake, but they don't typically like dirty or smelly things. My mother would always bake a cake whenever the dogs chased a fae, but sugar and eggs are in awfully short supply. You've been here for a while, Mr. Eads. Have you noticed anything that they like?"
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Bartholomew Eads
Established
Roleplay posts: 14
Age: 28
Appearance: Avatar is accurate.
Registered: Apr 9, 2021 14:33:04 GMT -5
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Post by Bartholomew Eads on May 11, 2021 19:48:50 GMT -5
Bart bit his tongue when hers gave him a lashing. He knew giving back as well as he took would only land him in further hot water. She was too riled up to listen to common sense, or to realize that he clearly was not associated with anything she'd said thus far that was magical. How could he be? He came from a land without magic. He'd fallen into the mist when it had cascaded over the water in his rowboat. A result of the backlash of their world onto his. He was still unaware of this fact but it was becoming clearer that he simply was not home anymore and these people, no matter how strange, would be able to associate him with this one where he did not make the common pitfalls that apparently he had made.
Swallowing he kept his stance and did not back up but did look suitably scolded if his expression of regret was anything to go by. He would wait until called upon as she asked him a question. "I found fools gold once and I set it out to take it back to the cave. I caught sight of clear wings after I'd turned back to find it also missing."
Fools gold was worthless, and yet it was shiny enough to be considered something truly worthwhile. His main fault in finding it had been not procuring more of it right away. Occasionally he would go back to the water and collect a bit more laying it out. He supposed now it was the reason they'd not been so hasty to be rid of him since they weren't willing to dive into the water as he had been when he'd bathed hismelf.
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Jeanette Parfait
Established
Roleplay posts: 14
Age: 32
Appearance: Jeanette is of medium height and muscular build, with broad shoulders strengthened by many years bearing a heavy pack. Her reddish-brown hair is cut short, hanging down to her neck on the rare occasion that it’s not tied back with a bandanna. Despite her lack of children, she has what people often describe as a kind, almost motherly smile. She seldom wears jewelry beyond a single silver earring and a golden wedding band. Her clothing choices are usually more utilitarian than stylish, although she generally tries to avoid wearing colors that clash atrociously if she can help it.
Personality, Other: In her youth, Jeanette was as volatile as a firecracker. She’d spend her days picking fights and pulling dangerous and often foolhardy stunts, simply to keep herself amused. However, age has tempered her personality somewhat and given her the patience needed to lead scavenging groups. Nowadays, she’s very calm and mellow, slow to anger and quick to forgive. Despite her kind demeanor, however, she can be very strict with her expedition crews about following rules and obeying orders. This strictness has earned her the nickname “Matron Parfait” among scavenging circles, much to her annoyance. Her age never dulled her insatiable curiosity, and she will often go through great and sometimes unwise lengths to satisfy it. She takes much pride in her reputation as a fearless leader, and does her best to maintain it despite it being far from the truth.
---
Growing up, Jeanette’s family was never particularly wealthy. Her parents both toiled hard in the mines as alchemists, risking life and limb to blast through stone and reach the precious veins of gold. As they worked long hours and were usually beyond exhausted when they returned home, Jeanette was frequently left in the care of her aunt. The aunt’s neglectful habits and fondness for fairy dust meant that Jeanette was left to her own devices more often than not, allowing her to go out and make mischief for her amusement. When she was 13, one too many run-ins with the authorities led Jeanette’s parents to order her to find employment to keep her out of trouble. She ended up working at the same mine as her parents, picking through spoil heaps and searching for any glimmer of gold that might have been missed and discarded.
One day, while searching through the spoil, an unusual piece of stone caught her eye. She pulled it out and found it to be a broken fragment of a marble tablet, bearing inscriptions that seemed to twist and contort before her very eyes. A trip to a local enchanter revealed that it was part of some kind of ancient artifact. The enchanter wasn’t able to decipher exactly what it was for, but Jeanette was intrigued. She began to search more intently for pre-cataclysmic artifacts, pestering the enchanter for information and history every chance she got. The marble tablet was eventually stolen, but her newfound fascination with pre-cataclysmic artifacts stuck.
As soon as she was 16, she left her home to sign up with the local adventuring guild. Her enthusiasm to learn and innate curiosity about the artifacts endeared her to the guild members, and she rose quickly through their ranks. By the time she was 20, she was running her own crew, taking long journeys out to the ancient ruins and risking life and limb in the abandoned tunnels and ruins to bring back precious relics. It was about that time that she met Thomas Brooks, an officer in the Isran military. The young scavenger and the soldier got off to a rather rocky start, when he arrested her for public intoxication and throwing a boot into a turnip-seller’s face. However, the two soon took a liking to one another, and would end up seeing each other on and off for the next few years. There was something about the man’s mischievous sense of humor and playful attitude that reminded Jeanette of her carefree troublemaking as a child and drew her to him. Some time after they met, Jeanette moved from tomb-hunting and adventuring to work for the Isran Expeditionary Corps. The pair never married, although Thomas promised Jeanette a ring after he came back from the Goraian conflict. However, the young officer never returned, and Jeanette received nothing but a cold letter of condolence in his place. The loss of her love shook Jeanette to her core, and it was several months before she was able to go out and lead another expedition. Ever since that day, she was plagued by nightmares of her deceased husband, especially when under heavy stress.
Registered: Apr 9, 2021 7:21:41 GMT -5
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Post by Jeanette Parfait on May 16, 2021 20:35:11 GMT -5
Jeanette almost didn't hear Bartholomew at first, the whispers in her mind suddenly deafening. Their voices rose to a crescendo, screaming that her crew was done for, that they'd all be wiped out by the fae. They took the voices of friends and family from back home, souls who had undoubtedly succumbed to the flood. Why were the whispers getting so much worse lately? She was cursed for sure. That had to be it, it was the only possible explanation. Gritting her teeth, she shook her head violently and the voices faded.
"Fool's gold?" she repeated, refocusing on Bartholomew. "Well, they are known for being fond of shiny things. Yes, that could work. If we could get enough of it, perhaps that could appease them...but we'd need an awful lot. Imprisoning one of them is a pretty serious crime in their eyes, since they value freedom so much. Where is this fool's gold, man? In the river, I'd assume? Do we have to venture into the woods to get it?"
At a wave of her hand, her men gathered up around her, clutching sacks of salt and boxes of nails and other small iron trinkets. They started pouring the salt into small pouches for easy portability and started handing them around. A rather skinny sailor handed one to Bartholomew, squinting at him with beady, rat-like eyes.
"Throw a pinch at 'em if they come for you," he said, "but only if they hit first. No attackin' unless they're trying to get us, understand? If they start stabbing us, throw handfuls. Don't get too salt-happy now, or you'll drop us in even deeper mud than we're in right now. If you somehow manage to piss off the fae even more, I'm pretty sure the capt'n really will bite your head off. She's pretty hungry, you know."
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Bartholomew Eads
Established
Roleplay posts: 14
Age: 28
Appearance: Avatar is accurate.
Registered: Apr 9, 2021 14:33:04 GMT -5
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Post by Bartholomew Eads on May 17, 2021 20:57:11 GMT -5
"Yes," he answered to the river question, and then a subsequent, "Yes," to the fact they'd have to travel through the woods. When he was handed the pouch it was unexpected that he would be seen after in such a manner after he had managed to make the captain almost bite his head off, "Thank you," he would say to the man holding onto the salt like it was a lifeline that would keep him from further trouble. Truly it wouldn't but he'd not been attacked by the Fae as he'd set aside small deposits of the stone when he'd gone to get fresh water. He knew there was greater amounts up the stream but he'd not panned for it though he could see quite a bit simply by reaching through and brushing his hands over the coarse bottom. Waiting rather patiently for them to be prepared, or awkwardly, he was not part of the crew but not quite a stranger because he was going to be a reliable source of information if only for a short bit. He knew what was edible, what was not, and he knew the surrounding area. While it would only take a week for his usefulness to be through he could prove himself valuable in other ways. He was taught to use a sword, knew how to read and write (an odd trait for where he was from), and he had strong hands for someone who was also a scholar of sorts. There was quiet from beside him this time, something watchful in the apparition that haunted him. He could not truly believe the man had nothing to say but it was nice for once to not be overwhelmed by another's voice unlike how the Captain had been.
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Jeanette Parfait
Established
Roleplay posts: 14
Age: 32
Appearance: Jeanette is of medium height and muscular build, with broad shoulders strengthened by many years bearing a heavy pack. Her reddish-brown hair is cut short, hanging down to her neck on the rare occasion that it’s not tied back with a bandanna. Despite her lack of children, she has what people often describe as a kind, almost motherly smile. She seldom wears jewelry beyond a single silver earring and a golden wedding band. Her clothing choices are usually more utilitarian than stylish, although she generally tries to avoid wearing colors that clash atrociously if she can help it.
Personality, Other: In her youth, Jeanette was as volatile as a firecracker. She’d spend her days picking fights and pulling dangerous and often foolhardy stunts, simply to keep herself amused. However, age has tempered her personality somewhat and given her the patience needed to lead scavenging groups. Nowadays, she’s very calm and mellow, slow to anger and quick to forgive. Despite her kind demeanor, however, she can be very strict with her expedition crews about following rules and obeying orders. This strictness has earned her the nickname “Matron Parfait” among scavenging circles, much to her annoyance. Her age never dulled her insatiable curiosity, and she will often go through great and sometimes unwise lengths to satisfy it. She takes much pride in her reputation as a fearless leader, and does her best to maintain it despite it being far from the truth.
---
Growing up, Jeanette’s family was never particularly wealthy. Her parents both toiled hard in the mines as alchemists, risking life and limb to blast through stone and reach the precious veins of gold. As they worked long hours and were usually beyond exhausted when they returned home, Jeanette was frequently left in the care of her aunt. The aunt’s neglectful habits and fondness for fairy dust meant that Jeanette was left to her own devices more often than not, allowing her to go out and make mischief for her amusement. When she was 13, one too many run-ins with the authorities led Jeanette’s parents to order her to find employment to keep her out of trouble. She ended up working at the same mine as her parents, picking through spoil heaps and searching for any glimmer of gold that might have been missed and discarded.
One day, while searching through the spoil, an unusual piece of stone caught her eye. She pulled it out and found it to be a broken fragment of a marble tablet, bearing inscriptions that seemed to twist and contort before her very eyes. A trip to a local enchanter revealed that it was part of some kind of ancient artifact. The enchanter wasn’t able to decipher exactly what it was for, but Jeanette was intrigued. She began to search more intently for pre-cataclysmic artifacts, pestering the enchanter for information and history every chance she got. The marble tablet was eventually stolen, but her newfound fascination with pre-cataclysmic artifacts stuck.
As soon as she was 16, she left her home to sign up with the local adventuring guild. Her enthusiasm to learn and innate curiosity about the artifacts endeared her to the guild members, and she rose quickly through their ranks. By the time she was 20, she was running her own crew, taking long journeys out to the ancient ruins and risking life and limb in the abandoned tunnels and ruins to bring back precious relics. It was about that time that she met Thomas Brooks, an officer in the Isran military. The young scavenger and the soldier got off to a rather rocky start, when he arrested her for public intoxication and throwing a boot into a turnip-seller’s face. However, the two soon took a liking to one another, and would end up seeing each other on and off for the next few years. There was something about the man’s mischievous sense of humor and playful attitude that reminded Jeanette of her carefree troublemaking as a child and drew her to him. Some time after they met, Jeanette moved from tomb-hunting and adventuring to work for the Isran Expeditionary Corps. The pair never married, although Thomas promised Jeanette a ring after he came back from the Goraian conflict. However, the young officer never returned, and Jeanette received nothing but a cold letter of condolence in his place. The loss of her love shook Jeanette to her core, and it was several months before she was able to go out and lead another expedition. Ever since that day, she was plagued by nightmares of her deceased husband, especially when under heavy stress.
Registered: Apr 9, 2021 7:21:41 GMT -5
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Post by Jeanette Parfait on May 23, 2021 19:40:31 GMT -5
"Don't thank me," said the salt-man, passing out more pouches to the other crew-members. "Thank the captain. It's by her grace alone that you've not been tied upside-down to a tree for the fae to have. You're lucky she seems to think you're more useful dead than alive."
Indeed, Jeanette had plans for the man. She watched as the sailors solemnly accepted their meager weapons against the fae, pocketing bags of salt and handfuls of iron nails. If they somehow managed to upset the fae even further, how many more would be lost? She'd already lost so many crewmen on this accursed voyage so far, souls that whispered in her ears and waved from the shadows whenever she let her mind slip. She couldn't think about them, it wasn't the time. She had to focus on the living, to keep the surviving crew alive.
"You," she said, pointing to Bartholomew and jerking her head to the side. "Front of the column. You're leading us to the fool's gold. Don't get us lost. If you see a light in the woods, don't follow it. If you hear a voice, don't answer it. You're like a horse with blinders, you hear me? Like an ant in a trail. You walk to the river, you walk back. Don't look left, don't look right, don't so much as scowl into the woods. If they catch wind that we're in their forest en masse with salt and iron, they'll look for any excuse to take offense. Don't give it to them. Move."
She shoved Bartholomew ahead of her, not-so-gently encouraging him to start walking.
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Bartholomew Eads
Established
Roleplay posts: 14
Age: 28
Appearance: Avatar is accurate.
Registered: Apr 9, 2021 14:33:04 GMT -5
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Post by Bartholomew Eads on Jun 19, 2021 11:25:08 GMT -5
Bartholomew wasn't a coward. He'd never have made it to the river otherwise and when he was pushed to the front of the column he took to his own feet and managed it himself without a scowl. He appeared weary but not upset at the matter. He'd condemned this to the fate that he'd condemned himself as well and he would resolve to at least attempt to solve some of problem even if it meant putting himself in the line of fire. "Going to let them walk you down that short plank. Long walk isn't it Bart?" There was a laughing sound from beside him that seemed to echo around. Bart clenched his teeth a muscle flicking in his cheek at the spoken word beside him. This voice was unignorable. There were no blinders but it also was not a sign of the Fae near him. Nothing outwardly gave him away as he took to his position the bag of salt on his hip and tied there. He'd boiled down the seawater for salt knowing a man needed it in order to survive. He'd found something akin to an orange too so he hoped it would hold of scurvy. "Yes, Captain," he would say his voice not failing him and he would walk directly one foot and then the other. No hesitation, just a knowing that his fate had not been his own since he arrived. Why should that change now.
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