Fantasy The Other Side - Accepting Characters!

[TaperedNightjar]

(This is a re-make of an rp I had on Gaiaonline.)

The Other Side
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• Thread Owner/Captain ● WinterHound
• Moderator ● tityanya
• Members ● N/A
• Themes ● Survival, slice-of-life, resistance, tyranny. Fantasy with very basic technological advances (Indoor plumbing, firearms, oil lamps/oil).

The Kingdom of Mirim is prosperous land. It has fields of wheat, a port for docking fishing and trading ships, art shops, bakeries, cafes, and farms-a-plenty for raising cattle and other animals. Mirim is a powerful kingdom that prides itself on its success in the trading industry. A majority of the kingdom’s population is made up of humans. Among the humans is a smaller population of "Otherfolk." The Otherfolk are beings who are non-human such as vampires. werewolves, shape-shifters etc. The relationship between the Humans of Mirim and the Otherfolk has been rather touch-and-go for as long as anyone can remember. Humans and "Others" tend to have biased views of one-another, while others get-along just fine.

Sadly, during the past year a large group of Otherfolk caused an uproar in Mirim and decided to try and overthrow the throne. Although they were powerful beings the Othwerfolk were outnumbered by humans, as well as non-humans who were against the uprising. Many of the offenders were killed on site, others were hanged, and a few still remain imprisoned within the castle's dungeon. The current ruler, King Jero, has lost what little trust he had in the Otherfolk. His predecessors had allowed the non-humans to live in the Kingdom, but Jero had always held prejudice against them. For Jero, this was the final straw. Six months ago he decreed that all Otherfolk be removed from Mirim. Those who did not go willingly would be forced out, imprisoned, or executed.

Since this new law was put in place a majority of Mirim's Otherfolk population were purged from the Kingdom. Many were forced into "The North," a location no human could ever venture into and survive. The North is split from Mirim by a vast canyon filled with dangerous beasts and acidic waters. Life is hard in the North and it is no place decent Otherfolk wish to be. For over a century Otherfolk have been traveling from the North and into Mirim in search of a better life. Sadly, if they wish to live better these days they must proceed beyond Mirim and venture into other kingdoms. This kind of traveling is not possible for everyone and many simply decide to settle in Mirim. Such a canyon prevents most Otherfolk from entering Mirim, and guards are placed around the entire perimeter on the Mirim side. Few Otherfolk try to cross the canyon without guidance. Most die if they try. Regardless, many Otherfolk do make it to Mirim. How they get to the kingdom on their own is a mystery. It is best that Otherfolk trust few and remain secretive towards everyone they meet. Even with the new law in place many continue to settle in Mirim and live in disguise.

If one wants to survive in Mirim one must do their best to appear human. Many Otherfolk use potions and charms to change their appearances. Some also forge legal documents to appear as though they are immigrants from neighboring kingdoms. However, the King's men are constantly trying to search for these "monsters." Many humans employed by the king are known as "Gifted Humans." These humans possess unusual abilities such as telepathy, telekinesis, invisibility, etc. Even though they are not ordinary humans, their abilities do not cause them to be labeled as Otherfolk.

Over the past month King Jero has intensified his search for Otherfolk. Any human assisting them risks being tried for treason if caught.

What will come of the Otherfolk?

Title Inspiration: The Other Side, Sirenia.
All new characters must have an application and profile PM’d to tityanya and myself. Do not post profiles in the character thread until they have been approved! Please look at the character thread for more information on this process.

 

[TaperedNightjar]

Roles​

Otherfolk (Full)
Vyrik, Shikari, Sol, Veronica, Shepherd, Nevan, Eiyuu, Junpei, Heidi, Bug.

• Otheroflk are the beings who have been outlawed from Mirim. Some were born there, later to be banished to the Shadowed North. Others have immigrated to the kingdom, either from neighboring lands or from the North itself. Mirim may be ruled by a tyrant of a king, but regardless, it is still safer than some of the other lands. Mirim offers plenty of food, a steady economy, and a chance at making a comfortable living wage. As a result, it is still appealing to many, regardless of the laws. If one can hide successfully among the humans, why bother risking it all to go elsewhere?

• Who classifies as an Otherfolk? This question comes up quite often. Some examples of Otherfolk are vampires, werefolk, shifters, merfolk, selkies, dragons, centaurs, nymphs, and ghosts. Basically, anyone who isn’t a human can be classified as an Otherfolk.

• Our preferences as Mods for Otherfolk (Please read): We ask that everyone read everything about this roleplay very carefully. Please do your best to submit characters that fit our vibe/aesthetic. It's fine to pull inspiration from various real-life cultures but please keep in mind the theme. Think more gothic horror and less anime.

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The humans (Open)
Altan, Eudora.

• The Humans of Mirim are your basic everyday humans. They cannot shift or fly. They cannot breathe underwater. This, however, does not mean their roles are unimportant to the kingdom. While they may not be as remarkable as their Gifted counterparts, humans make up a vast majority of the kingdom’s population. They keep the economy flowing. Some popular occupations for the humans of Mirim are dock work, fishing, cooking, baking, servant work, art, city patrol, guard work, farming, trading (with other kingdoms), dressmaker, and cobbler.

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The Gifted Humans (Open)
Marshall, Yinson, William.

• The Gifted Humans make up the second-largest portion of Mirim’s population. Gifted Humans are those who are predominantly human, but may carry an ability (or few) that set them apart from regular humans. They are generally born from parents who both have gifted abilities. However, they may occasionally have only one gifted parent. The rarest, are the ones who do not have gifted parents at all. This does happen on occasion but is incredibly rare.

• Some Gifted Humans are employed as sentries around the canyon/Divide while others may perform business inspections, home raids, and the likes. Some examples of "gifts" may include but are not limited to; invisibility, teleportation, control of various elements, floating, breathing underwater, super-strength, and more.

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Special Roles

• Prince and Princess of Mirim: (Full, Emory and Inara) These characters can be any age between 19-30. Given the stance that the King has over the Otherfolk, he has likely tried to raise his children with similar views. However, whether or not they comply could be a completely different story. King Jero likely forces his opinions and beliefs on his son the most. The royal family are all humans, and some (or even all) can be gifted.​

• Prince or Princess of Eastwind: (Full, Oksana) The Prince/Princess (Player's choice) of Eastwind was sent to Mirim by their father (King Elliot) to be a guest at the castle and gather as much information on Mirim's current politics as possible. They are there under the guise of meeting the Prince/Princess of Mirim for potential marriage. They can be any age between 19-30. They can be Human or Gifted Human.

• Guard of Eastwind: (OPEN) A personal guard of the Prince/Princess of Eastwind has been sent along for protection. They can be Human, Gifted Human, or Otherfolk. If they are Otherfolk they will still need to hide their identity in order to not cause a conflict.

• Guard of Korillo: (Full, Hector) King Briar has sent one of his best guards with the Prince/Princess of Eastwind as a way of helping his best allies. This character can be Human, Gifted Human, or Otherfolk. If they are Otherfolk they will benefit from keeping it a secret whilst in Mirim.

• Captain of Security (COS): (Full, Taavi) This person is in charge of security personnel and the Gifted Humans who work for the King. They are also in charge of interrogations, trials, exiles, and executions. It is their job to make sure that security in Mirim remains tight and is done properly.

Character Quick View

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[TaperedNightjar]

Rules​

• Please do not keep your partner/partners waiting longer than two weeks for a reply. If you find yourself waiting longer than that, feel free to move your character.
• Post your character's name, location, and who they are with in each post.
• Please ask me before posting any chaos that would interrupt a large group of characters or destroy a large portion of the kingdom. For example, you can say your character robbed someone. That's fine. But if your character is going to set an entire neighborhood on fire, please ask first.
• Please no real-life photos of people for your characters.
• Do not God mod or meta-game. Do not take control of someone else's character. If your characters are fighting, plot it out with one another. No one likes getting auto-hit when they were not asked prior permission.
• Post in third person.
• At least one paragraph per post is nice, but not required! Some posts may naturally be short, and others longer. Please just don’t make one-liners a habit.
• Character applications are just little summaries of your character idea. These are so that I can look over the basic idea for your character before you put in the effort of filling out an entire profile for them. Profiles can be filled out after I receive an application. Requiring an application isn't meant to be intimidating. Like I said before, it's just so that I can see your character idea first and let you know if it will work with this setting/rp.
• Once your profile is accepted you can start posting (pending the actual start of this rp).
• Please do not leave without saying anything, and if I reach out to you, please do not ignore me. I won't be offended if you tell me that you are no longer interested in roleplaying with us. Any abandoned characters will likely be exiled from Mirim or removed in some other fashion.
• All characters should be period appropriate! Make sure they fit the setting of the RP. For example, a Roman soldier wouldn't make sense in this RP.

 

[TaperedNightjar]

Setting

● Date: December 15th, Sunday.
● General time: Player's choice.
● Weather: Overcast, frigid, snowing hard (but not a blizzard/storm)
● Season: Winter.

News and Updates
● 08/22/2022: Thread created.

 

[TaperedNightjar]

~Reserved~​

 

[TaperedNightjar]

~Reserved~​

 

[TaperedNightjar]

~Reserved~​

 

[TaperedNightjar]

Shikari Khavan​

• Location: The deepest depths of Garwood Forest, where only a select few dare to venture.
• With: Dead guard in the snow, Vyrik and another guard in the treetops.
• Wearing: [x]
• General status: Injured.

The frigid night air stung his lungs as he inhaled sharply. Catching his breath was a challenge after the wind had been knocked out of him. Never before had the young hawkling been in such a cold climate. This was something he and his companion had been warned of, and yet no verbal warning could have truly prepared Shikari for just how intense the cold truly was. The only barrier between his feet and the icy snow was a thin pair of hand-stitched leather boots. Shikari paid no mind to the wet snow that was biting his feet. The pain on his face was too distracting to allow it.

Blood colored the snow beneath him as he held his cheek with one hand and braced himself against the closest tree with the other. The sky had grown dark an hour ago and the temperature had dropped considerably. Shikari’s companion had briefly vanished from sight. Laying in the snow about forty feet in front of the Hawkling was a human clad in the robes and armor of Mirim’s military. The pair had seen many guards on their way into and through the forest. They had made it quite far before anyone noticed them. In fact, it wasn’t even a guard who had caught wind of Shikari, but a pack of dogs. The beasts were nowhere to be seen now. They had targeted him and done their job to subdue the shy and quiet Otherfolk, as well as place a sizable wound on his face. However, as soon as his companion had shown himself and given them a good toss against a cluster of trees they had raced off with their tails tucked between their legs, leaving their humans to fend for themselves.

That had not gone well for the humans. One was lying dead in the snow in front of Shikari. He had been the lucky one, his death was quick. The other? Well, Shikari couldn’t see him because he’d been dragged up into a tree.

“Come on now,” he thought to himself as his golden eyes watched the treetops.

Shikari could not see Vyrik and he would not be able to no matter how hard he tried. Unlike his companion he was unable to see in the dark and the moon was not providing enough light in this particularly thick part of Garwood Forest. In addition, Vyrik was donning a body of black feathers because he had gone beast mode on the humans.

Shikari took in another sharp breath as he tried to breathe through the searing pain on his face. He moved his hand and looked at it closely. So much blood. He could only guess that he was wearing it all down the front of himself. The boy let out a huff and then peered back up toward the treetops.

 

[Genii]

Shepherd​

Location: A safe distance away from the edge of Garwood, sat beneath a tree.
With: Connie and ten sheep (hopefully, it’s hard to tell in the snow ).
General status: Cold toes, tired, creeped out.
____________________________


“… and that’s why we don’t go into the forest.” A quiet (slightly nervous) voice spoke into the night, accompanied by the soft crackle and pop of a burning fire.

Not too far away from the edge of Garwood, a hooded figure sat huddled up beneath a tree, illuminated by a small campfire. They kept a constant vigil on the sinister silhouette of the distant looming forest, afraid to look away - especially after the blood curdling screams they’d heard a moment ago.

“… just a deer… they scream sometimes, right?” The figure quizzed their companions - a few sleeping snow covered sheep that encircled the camp. They made no sound as they snuggled up to one another, blissfully unaware of any dangers.

The stranger appeared to be a young man - a human possibly, it was difficult to tell because he was swaddled in the terracotta cloak he wore. Just his blue eyes and rosy cheeks were on show, until something black and white wriggled up to block the view.

A Collie dog popped it’s head out from the opening of the hood, joining its owner as they continued to observe the woods.

“I don’t think we’ll get much sleep tonight, Con...” The worried stranger sighed out a foggy breath and nuzzled his cold nose into the dog’s warm fur. All he received in response was a concerned canine whimper.

 

[viloxii]

(Please bear with me, I’m 2 years out of practice lol)

Oksana

Location: The Castle
General Status: Quietly Being Emotional, Getting To Exposed to the Cold

Oksana took a deep breath, bracing herself as she stepped out on to the balcony. Snow. She thought to herself as she drew her hand out of the fur blanket she was cocooned in. Snow was something she hadn’t had the pleasure of touching before. In the past, Oksana had never been given leave from where she resided. This came with some social barriers and missed opportunity. However that period of time made simple moments like these such a delight.

Oksana looked down at the courtyard beneath her. The paths and shrubbery were blanketed in a light coat of snow. Mirim. It’s beautiful. She thought, coming closer to the edge of the balcony. Despite what her father, King Eliot, had warned her of, Oksana had experienced quite the amount of hospitality when she arrived in Mirim.

All of the guards, maids, lords, ladies, and those in between had greeted Oksana with hospitality. Even the King had showed her an alarming amount of kindness compared to his reputation. But there was a coldness here, far colder than the snow falling upon her cheeks. It was one that was still hidden from her.

Although Oksana found a penchant in this new place, she felt torn. She missed home, but not the way people treated her there. Surprisingly, amidst her fathers warnings, she felt more comfortable in Mirim than she did at home. Oksana was filled with sorrow from the weight of her mission while being there.

Quietly, she sat down. She took her fingers and drew tight circles in the surrounding snow. There was something calming about it. It helped with the pressure her father had placed on her in the days prior to her arrival in Mirim. King Eliot was kind to her, but far too overbearing. Oksana didn’t blame him though. She was one of the only things he had left in this world.

Oksanas eyes began to droop. She could see as the flakes of snow laced her eyelashes and melted away. The strength in her finger began to weaken, and she stopped drawing. It became appealing to her to sleep in the snow as she did in the rain once before many years ago.
It’s not that cold. Just a little nap. She told herself. There was a brazier near by and she could feel the heat on her cheeks.

Focusing on the dancing of the flames amongst its coals, she drifted to sleep.

 

[animegirl20]

Aurora
Location: Castle - In bedroom
General Status: Asleep

Spoiler: Currently wearing

Aurora stood at the window in her night gown watching the snow fall. She had been fast asleep but she had awaken when she noticed how cold it was. The fire place, in her room, had went out and it was freezing. So she had the guard outside her door light it and it was soon starting to warm again. She smiled, to herself as she stared out at the snow. It looked like pure silvery white blanket. "Isn't it pretty Artemis?" She asked her white cat. Artemis meowed in response. "Yeah....." Suddenly Aurora sneezed. She rubbed her nose and sniffed. "Uh oh haha either I'm catching a cold or someone is talking about me." She then picked up Artemis. "Come on we should go back to bed." She placed Artemis on his special cat bed then climbed into hers. She laid there trying to relax but she couldn't seem to fall asleep. So she pulled out her favorite book, It Happened at Twilight, it was a romantic, fantasy, and adventure novel. She started reading and soon enough her eyes grew heavy and she fell asleep with her book laying on her chest.

 

[tityanya]

Emory Visconti​

I am here: Castle
With: Oksana
Wearing: outfit​

It was snowing outside. Heavy, but nowhere near the blizzards of last year. Emory glanced out the window of his bedroom, watching as the snowflakes fell to the ground somewhere far below. God, he wished he were anywhere else. Inside reminded him too much of Alicia, in this moment. She had hated winter, hated the snow. Everywhere he looked inside the castle, he could see memories of her, bundled up and trying everything she could to make believe that spring was coming soon. He tried drinking some whiskey, hoping that would release him from the phantoms, but that wasn't working. With a slightly wobbly shot up, Emory left his chambers, heading down hallways and staircases. He was familiar with the whole castle, of course, but wanted somewhere...a little less familiar. He ended up somewhere in the guest wing, flinging open a door to an unused room, and heading towards the balcony. Snow had fallen onto it, and he felt a sense of satisfaction at the crunch underneath his feet. He wasn’t exactly dressed for the weather–only a light jacket and no gloves. But he wanted to feel the sting of the cold against his skin.

The balcony overlooked the palace gardens. There were memories of Alicia there too, of course, but they weren’t quite as overbearing, especially when it was hard to see the details through the snow. The castle was too stuffy, too many people worrying and fretting and running about. Out here on the balcony, he was at least alone with his thoughts. Or at least, so he thought. As he leaned on the railing, he sensed something. He glanced towards the next balcony, unsure what exactly what it was he was picking up. And then he noticed. He had almost missed her, a light layer of snow covering her form where she laid.

Emory’s heart began to race. Who was that? “Hey!” he shouted, leaning precariously over the balcony. Oh God. It was Princess Oksana. Why was she outside? He could already imagine his father's furious face: The Princess of a neighboring country froze to death on her balcony? “Princess Oksana! Wake up!” Emory shouted, but she didn't seem to respond. He looked at the distance between his balcony and hers. There was a sizeable distance, but he had jumped from balcony to balcony as a child. He should be able to make the jump. It would be a waste of time to run around to her door, and who knew if it was unlocked or not? In the time it took him to break it down, she could have already succumbed to the cold. Emory threw one leg over the railing, and then another, and braced himself, staring at the next balcony. This...was a dumb idea, the rational part of his brain was saying. Unfortunately, that part had been drowned in whiskey and adrenaline.

Emory leaped to the next balcony, scrabbling for purchase on the slippery surface. You know, when he was a child escaping on the balconies, it also hadn't been snowing. One of his feet slipped, but he managed to hold on with his upper body, and threw himself over the railing. "Princess Oksana!" Emory shouted again. There were embers still in the brazier, and the balcony wasn't as cold as he feared, but Princess Oksana was lying in the snow. Emory threw his thin jacket on top of her and picked her up. He hoped it was warm enough that she could benefit from it.

He was a bit unsteady on his feet, wobbly from the whiskey. “God damn it,” he muttered to himself as he stumbled a little, trying to keep a strong grip on the princess. She was breathing, at the very least. But how long had she been outside for? Did she have hypothermia? This was too much for Emory to process at the moment. At the very least, he had to get her inside, into the warmth. Then he could call for a doctor, Lykeios or someone else, and they could look after her.

.

 

[viloxii]

tityanya

Oksana

Oksana's thick black eyelashes broke free from the small pieces of ice holding her eyelids shut. The strong smell of whiskey permeated her nostrils, making it easier for her to wake up. How strange... She thought. She had heard that people could get a cold from the winter's jaws but had never known the danger of it causing a malady like the one she had just been relieved of. As Oksana came to her senses, she noticed that someone had come to her aide.

Her vision steadying Oksana, noticed that it was Prince Emory. Swiftly, she had become dizzy once more. It was quite intimidating to be in the presence of someone who was fabled to be stone cold. Let alone, a man like that helping her. Dazed in confusion, she scooted back towards the wall of the balcony, lightly pushing the jacket down her shoulders and wrapping it around herself tighter. "I am sorry, I did not mean to worry you." She apologized, staring at the snow beneath her.

Oksana attempted to push herself up but lacked the strength due to the cold. How embarrassing... She thought to herself studying the YEARS of terror that struck across Emory's face. Quickly, Oksana felt as if she had failed her mission already. The first step was to gain respect amongst the important royals, Emory included, and perhaps most of all. Her fire red hair hung in front of her crystal blue eyes as she slumped, discouraged.

Guilt overcame her as she saw the unrest within Emory. She knew what she had done, and her first encounter with him at that. Oksana felt awful causing Emory any type of discomfort, let alone one similar to that he had experienced in the past. She was at a loss for words to bring him any type of solace or assurance that everything was going to be okay.

 

[tityanya]

Emory Visconti​

I am here: Castle
With: Oksana
Wearing: outfit
​

To Emory's immense relief, Oksana started waking up as soon as he reached her. Her eyes fluttered before opening, breaking away a crust of ice. How long had she been out here? As her gaze settled on Emory, he saw a look of shock, and she scooted far back, away from him. He couldn't help but laugh. He jumped across a balcony to save her, and she runs away from him. That would happen to him. She did wrap the jacket tightly around her, though, and apologized. Emory didn't respond, just staring at her. Why was she so...intimidated by him? He couldn't think of anything in particular he had done. But, well, he was King Jero's son. That kind of reputation was hard to shake, especially with people who didn't know him. All she would know was the rumors, and well, he hadn't exactly been in the best state of mind to prove them untrue.

Princess Oksana tried to stand up, but had no strength, sliding to the ground again. Emory rushed toward her side, kneeling on the floor next to her as she slumped, dejected. There was such a mix of emotions playing out on her face--embarrassment, and was that...guilt? Ah, she felt guilty that he had to rescue her, didn't she? "It's alright," he finally said, standing up and moving towards the door out to the balcony, opening it. "Let's get you inside and warmed up." he headed back to the princess, holding his arms out to help her up. If he needed to, he would carry her inside.



viloxii

 

[viloxii]

OKSANA

“Thank you.” Oksana let out weakly holding lightly onto Emory’s arm. One foot in front of the other, she let him lead her back into her room. “I really didn’t mean to worry you. Or anyone.” She couldn’t help but apologize again due to the overwhelming guilt. She turned to look at Emory seeing that he was on a rescue mission.

The warmth of the fire in the room relaxed her and slowly her body felt less stiff. “I’ve never seen snow.” She told Emory, with a little laugh trying to break the awkwardness. “Thank you again.” Oksana repeated herself. She had to admit, she was a little scared on that balcony.

Emory leading her, she sat down on a chair by the fire, wrapping the jacket around her shoulders tightly, shivering.

Oksana had made tea earlier and it was still a little warm, resting on an accent table next to her. She reached over and took the cup in her hand, taking a sip

 

[tityanya]

viloxii

Emory Visconti​

I am here: Castle
With: Oksana
Wearing: outfit
​

Princess Oksana reached for Emory’s arm, her hands shaking as she thanked him. “You’re welcome, Princess Oksana. I am just glad you’re okay,” he said, trying his best not to wobble as he supported her weight. If he went down, they both went down. “Just promise you’ll hold yourself in higher regard next time. Staying outside in a snowstorm…” he stopped abruptly, cursing in his head. That was a bit harsh. And rich, coming from him, who also went outside not dressed properly for the snow, and jumped across balconies.

Her room, at the very least, was warm. The fire was still lit, giving it a cozy feeling.

I’ve never seen the snow. She laughed nervously, trying to break the awkward tension between the two of them. “You’ve never seen snow? Does it not snow in Eastwind?” he asked. Their capitol city was farther north than Mirim’s, wasn’t it? He had heard that King Elliot was quiet overprotective of his daughter, especially after her illness as a young girl, but never letting her see the snow was…next level. “My words earlier were a bit harsh, then. I apologize,” he said, helping her down gently into her chair.

Emory had been trained to deal with hypothermia in his knight training, but the memories at the moment floated away from him. What were they supposed to do? He could remember you didn’t want to warm a person up too quickly, as that could hurt them. So no plunking her down in a warm bath.

As she grabbed at her lukewarm tea, Emory headed over to the bed and pulled the duvet straight off, nearly stumbling backwards as he did so. Ah, this was so embarrassing. This was his first time actually interacting with Princess Oksana, and he wasn’t sober doing it. At the very least, he thought, they both had done embarrassing things. He stumbled back over to her, not very elegantly, but gently putting the blanket on top of her. “You’ll need to wrap yourself up, cover the head. Getting dry clothes would help too, but uuh…”

It was at that moment that Emory realized that he was alone with a lady in her private chambers. His face turned bright tomato red. “I’d, uh, have to find a maid to help you with that. Would you like me to do that? Should I call a doctor?” Emory was feeling more and more awkward the longer he was alone with Princes Oksana. It wasn’t proper, and the rumors that would swirl if he was caught? He was genuinely contemplating jumping across the balcony again, just so he wouldn’t be seen leaving her room.

 

[viloxii]

OKSANA

Oksana got herself comfortable in the chair. The snow upon her had melted and her clothes were now wet. “It snows in Eastwind. I’m just never allowed out. Um… are you okay?” She asked as Emory stumbled over his words.

Of course she was going to have a maid assist her, but that could wait. Oksana pressed her lips to her tea cup sipping its contents. Peering into the bottom of the cup, her strength began to return.

Oksana pressed her feet into the floor, pushing herself up. “Here I have something for you.” She chimed, shuffling past him and over to her desk. Oksanas hands were still shaking but she managed to pull open the desk drawer, revealing a dried yellow primrose.

“This is for you. These grow in the winter in Eastwind.” She explained, pulling the dried flower out carefully with her fingertips.

She strode back over to Emory, holding out the flower at a modest distance.

 

[Gazimon X]

Marshall Lykeios
Edge of Garwood | Shep, a dog & some sheep | Weary & irritable​

It was a cold, quiet evening. The water had boiled. The tea had steeped, and amber-red swirls had blossomed in a fine china pot; the homely scent of spices harvested from across the plains had wafted into the chill air. He’d finally settled down, his spine sinking blissfully into the plush leather.

And then some cussed dickens had to ruin it all.

“BRREEEEEEEE!” Went the inane high-pitched screech of the alarm that nearly shook all the tea out of his teacup when he flinched. His eyes watered as he set the cup down, teeth enamel grinding as he swatted at the damp and warm spot between his thighs.

Harmonic telegraph was it? More like demonic telepath clearly intent on making his life as inconvenient as possible. Still, Marshall somehow found the strength to spring up from his seat, pull on his riding coat and rush out to the stables.

A good half hour later, the doctor was but an exhausted rider on an equally exhausted horse that puffed clouds of mist like a steam furnace; froth clinging to its lips as it huffed in that hoarsely horsely manner, as if it were about to collapse dead where it stood.

He had a winter rider’s cloak around his shoulders, but the tack and saddle were clearly that of the Mirim military, and what could be seen of his attire were finely woven clothes in deep rich dyes. The rider had drawn up towards the only sapient figure he saw, reins tightening harshly to keep the anxious beast under his cruel control.

“You, shepherd! Have you seen anything unusual here? Heard anything?” Marshall called out as he looked down upon the humbler figure. His demeanour irritable, tone almost contemptuous.

 

[Genii]

Shepherd​

Location: Camp at the edge of Garwood.
General status: Startled & nervous.
____________________________

Despite his previous statement, Shepherd had drifted off to sleep. The warmth from the fire, and being snuggled up to his furry companion made it difficult not to.

The sound of thumping hooves and Connie wriggling to get out from under his cloak woke the boy up. “What is it Con?” He warily whispered to the alert dog. It wasn’t long before his question was answered, as the lone rider pulled up before them.

Shepherd instantly recognised the military insignia and quickly got to his feet, bashing the snow off his frozen backside and gloves. He looked a little bewildered as the man began questioning him, perhaps still half asleep or shocked by the stranger’s tone.

“Er… y-yes, Sir. In the woods, Sir.” He politely answered, gesturing in the direction he’d heard the noises earlier. “… but I wouldn’t go in there if I were you. There’s wolves and monsters… and… and I heard screams, Sir. Awful screams.”

The black and white Border Collie whined softly, her ears pressed down flat against her head.

 

[tityanya]

OKSANA

Emory Visconti​

I am here: Castle
With: Oksana
Wearing: outfit
​

Princess Oksana seemed to be doing better. The color was returning to her face, and she settled down snugly in her chair. In response to his bewilderment about it not snowing in Eastwind, she replied that it did, but she wasn’t allowed out. “Overprotection does nothing to help the adult,” Emory muttered to himself. If she had been allowed outside, she would have known of the dangers of the snow, and not fallen asleep in it.

But she also seemed to notice his red face, asking if he was okay. “A bit out of breath. I had to do a feat of acrobatics to get to you,” he half lied. He wasn’t going to admit that he was uncomfortable being alone in a room with her–he had enough sense, at least, to know that that would only make her uncomfortable as well.

Princess Oksana finished her tea, and Emory watched her awkwardly, twiddling his thumbs. When would be a polite time to excuse himself? He would have to ask her to check the hallway and make sure that it was empty, first. He hadn’t even bothered noticing if there were servants around while he was roaming. He might have seen a few maids scurrying through the halls? He genuinely didn’t know. Once she was done, she stood up, saying she had something for him.

Emory moved out of the way as she shuffled through the room, heading towards her desk. Her hands were shaky, and Emory bit down the urge to tell her that he could get it himself. She had already been babied her entire life, she didn’t need him babying her some more. She pulled a dried yellow flower out of the drawer, telling Emory that their type grew in winter in Eastwind.

Emory took it gingerly, trying incredibly hard not to crush it between his fingers. He was acutely aware of how he wasn’t in 100% control of his extremities, and laid it on his open palm as he examined it. It was…a yellow flower. Alicia would have known exactly what kind, and what the meaning behind it was. But he absolutely did not. “Thank you, Princess Oksana,” Emory said. He patted his body to feel for the book in his jacket pocket, before realizing that he had given his jacket to the princess.

“Princess Oksana, in my jacket pocket there is a book, would you mind handing it to me?” Emory asked, still carefully balancing the flower in his open palm. The book was a simple black clothbound book that Emory had been reading. It was about a man searching for his daughter and wife, who had been abducted by a secret society that were using his daughter to push forward their idea of a utopic future.

 

[TaperedNightjar]

Shikari Khavan​

• Location: The deepest depths of Garwood Forest, where only a select few dare to venture.
• With: Dead guard in the snow, Vyrik and another guard in the treetops > Alone.
• Wearing: [x]
• General status: Injured.

Shikari’s face twisted a bit when he heard an audible crunch from the canopy above him. The Hawkling adjusted his footing and crouched further behind the leafless birch tree he was hidden behind. Vyrik had lost his mind momentarily. Normally the Moowing beast would only make its appearance when it had a child or mate to protect. Shikari was no child, but his Moonwing friend was terribly ill and not faring well at all. Shikari had been worried about him for some time. Months. Vyrik had been struggling back in their village, but things had grown far worse upon the duo’s departure.

“Just hang onto your mind, V.”

Aroooooooooooo rooooooooooo.

The sound of another pack of dogs caused Shikari to practically jump out of his skin. The bird stood straight and stared off into the depths of the forest in anticipation as he waited to see from which direction the vile beasts would be coming from. There was no doubt in his mind that their strong noses had picked up the stench of fresh blood and that their ears had heard the earlier screams.

Click click click clack clack clack.

The familiar sound of the Moonwing caught his attention.

Click click click clack clack clack.

Vyrik didn’t have to tell him twice. He knew what the Moonwing was ordering. Shikari tugged the folds of his cloak close and took off through the snow once more. Leaving his friend’s side caused him anxiety, but this was a normal protocol for the two of them who had been taught survival skills since they could walk.

The snow stung his feet through his boots as he made his way through the knee-deep blanket of white. After a good thirty feet he stopped long enough to wrap his scarf around his face and tie it tight so that he would not leave a trail of blood behind in the snow. He could still easily be tracked, but flying was not an option. If he brought his wings out they would just freeze stiff and turning into a bird was also not an option because no birds of his size resided in Mirim and it would make him a target.

Shikari knew what to do and quickly scaled up the nearest tree. Once he was midway up the tree he began hopping across the canopy to the best of his ability. His fingers stung each time he braced himself against a trunk or caught a branch in his hands.

“Curse this climate.”

 

[TaperedNightjar]

Vyrik Tal’Ho​

• Location: The deepest depths of Garwood Forest, where only a select few dare to venture.
• With: Dead guards > Alone.
• Wearing: [x]
• General status: Injured, ill, malnourished, generally unwell.

The small one had departed and as soon as he was out of sight the beast released the dead guard from it’s beak and let the body fall to the ground. There was barely a sound as the body hit the deep snow beneath the tree. The amber eyes of the Moonwing looked half glazed-over. It could still see a vast distance in front of itself, but the look in its eyes showed exhaustion and a general lack of health.

Arrrrroooooooooo.

The sound of hounds was getting closer and the Moonwing knew that it had to leave. It leaped onto the closest tree and then continued onward, but in the opposite direction of its friend. It continued its race across the trees for some time until it eventually slowed. Each leap took more and more energy and effort, but it had to keep going. Just one more leap, and then another. Talons grasped onto the next branch weakly, then sank into the bark as it felt itself losing its grip. The bird plummeted to the ground like a sack of bricks, only cushioned by the thick blanket of snow beneath it. Bleeding and exhausted it laid their in the freezing snow with its eyes barely open. It would rest here for just a moment, and then continue onward once it felt its energy returning.

 

[viloxii]

OKSANA

​

Oksana tried to make out the words that Emory muttered but couldn’t. She slightly tilted her head as she noticed him twiddling his thumbs. It was quite clear that he may be uncomfortable.

Oksana bit the inside of her mouth nervously. She didn’t want to make Emory even an ounce of uncomfortable.

Emory thanked her. “Of course.” She responded sweetly.

Emory asked for the book in his jacket pocket and Oksana began searching around for the pocket that held it. Eventually, she found the book, handing it to him, and letting the jacket fall to her waist.

​

 

[tityanya]

.

𝖁𝖊𝖗𝖔𝖓𝖎𝖈𝖆 𝕽𝖔𝖘𝖓𝖔𝖎𝖗𝖊​

I am here: The forest
With: Vyrik
Form: Dark​

Veronica hated King Jero. She hated him with the most burning, fiery passion. She had been mostly neutral towards him until six months ago, when his men burned down her home and kidnapped her husband. She hadn't seen him since, but she could feel that he was still alive. Had he been sent to the north? Was he languishing in the palace dungeons? Veronica knew that no matter what, he would be trying to get back to her. But, where would he even begin to look? Their entire life had been destroyed. Veronica's jewels, her clothing, her paintings. There was a lot to hate King Jero for.

After her manor had burnt down, some friends had taken her in. But they, too, had been captured by King Jero's men. And so the circle went. Everywhere Veronica went, King JEro's crusade went as well. It was becoming incredibly dangerous inside the city walls. It seemed ever corner she turned, there were king's men ready to catch her. As a consequence, it had been several days since she had last been able to feed. When last she looked in the mirror, she looked like a woman in her early thirties, rather than her usual twenty-three. A vain creature, Veronica hated it. She had smashed the mirror in retaliation, but she knew that wouldn't help.

Veronica had gotten advance warning that that night, there would be a raid on otherfolk estates. After the initial chaos, Otherfolk were starting to come together to take care of each other. It wasn't Veronica's fault that some rogue group had tried to overthrow the monarchy! In fact, Veronica and her husband had done what they could to stop the group. Her husband valued stability above all else, and destabilizing the government bred...chaos. But yet, here she was, hiding deep in the Garwood forest, trying not to be thrown out of the country she had lived her entire life. How was this fair?

Her breath created crystals in the air in the snow. The cold didn't bother her too much, being undead. It mostly just made her feel a little stiffer than usual. Last year, around this time, she had been inside her warm, cozy living room, surrounded by her closest friends. And now they were all gone. The fire that hatred lit in her heart was enough to keep her moving. Some of them were never coming back.

Veronica heard the baying of dogs in the distance. Her eyes widened, her mouth opening in a snarl as she spun trying to pinpoint the noise. How were there even hounds out here? There was no way! They were way deeper in the Garwood than was safe for an ordinary human. She had seen the things, ancient things, that inhabited the forest. Some didn't see her as a living thing, and left her be. Others...well, if she had been human, she would have been crushed long ago. She began running in the opposite direction of the sound of the hounds, a mere black blue among the snow. Above her, she could hear something moving in the trees. Something...large.

Veronica slowed down, curiosity getting the best of her. As far as she could tell, the hounds weren't after her, per se. In the tops of the trees she could make out a figure clambering from tree to tree. Its dark color made it hard to make out, even for Veronica's eyes that were designed for the darkness. It seemed like some...four legged bird? Veronica's mouth opened in a crimson O, fascinated. But as she watched, the strange creature lost its grip. Veronica winced as it hit the floor, a solid THUD that sent snow flying everywhere. Veronica was by its side in an instant.

Up close, she could make out much better details. Strange yellow spots on the wings, marring the otherwise entirely black creature. Wicked claws that looked like they could gut Veronica easily. Golden eyes that were glazed over. She could smell the blood that came off it, a smell that despite herself, made her salivate. She was able to ignore it when there was no blood around, but she was just so...thirsty. Starving. But she wouldn't debase herself by drinking from some...random creature in the snow.

She approached the creature, wary of the sound of hounds catching up in the distance. "Are they after you? A shame for you to be captured by these ignorant humans, beautiful as you are," Veronica said, not even aware if the creature could understand her. But an animal should understand tone, and hers was sympathetic. Would she be able to save this beautiful bird? It was so massive, and would slow her down. Maybe she could fight off the hounds and their master? That seemed like something she was more capable of. And it would get her some fresh blood. She licked her lips at the thought. Yes, she would stay here with this creature and keep the dogs away from it until their human master came. It was a win-win situation: the bird would hopefully live, and she would get something to eat.

≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎

((ooc: ))
((Outfit))​

 

[TaperedNightjar]

Vyrik Tal’Ho​

• Location: The deepest depths of Garwood Forest, where only a select few dare to venture.
• With: Mysterious woman (Veronica).
• Wearing: A tan cloak, thin leather boots, several long scarves.
• General status: Injured, ill, malnourished, generally unwell.

When the mysterious woman approached the bird it did not bother to even lift its head. That required too much energy and the beast was doing its best to regain what little energy it could. The words she spoke did not click in its mind but it could tell that she did not mean any harm.

Click.

A single, soft click escaped from its throat. The sound was simple, but also gentle.

They baying of the military’s hounds did not cease. While the bird did not leave any tracks behind, blood had certainly dripped from its body as it traveled. It would not be possible for the Moonwing to stay where it had fallen. After a moment of thinking quietly to itself an attempt at rising to its sore legs were made. The bird rose halfway, but when it came time to straighten its legs it simply did not have the strength and immediately collapsed back into the snow.

There was a look of defeat, and also helplessness as it tried again, and then failed. A third attempt was made immediately after, but it was clear that the Moonwing would not be going anywhere on its own.

It was a thin animal, clearly lacking nourishment. Scars and small patches of missing feathers dotted its body. There was blood everywhere, and not just that of the guards. One more sad attempt at getting up was made, and again it failed. As soon as the creature hit the snow it’s body transformed.

There was no longer enough energy to sustain such a large form. The beast left behind a man. Even though he had many layers on, the fabrics and designs of his clothing were meant for warmer climates. He now lay face-first in the snow, unmoving. His hair was black and untamed with feathers, beads, and threads woven into it. His skin was tan and dotted with scars, some fresh and others a decade old.