Prepare for the #LodanRespawn2024 Existing characters may choose to be displace from/have memories of different timelines, thereby allowing returning members the option to retcon their whole character. These changes are the result of the "Unnatural Fog" plot device that is running between now and the Respawn. The plot is simple: no matter where your character is, that place is shrouded in a thick fog that suspends time, but not thoughts or memories, so even if they're repeating the same day over and over again, they continue to remember, so each time feels like a new day. For those retconning OCs; this is where new versions of themselves have the opportunity to replace the old versions. Official lore and tree updates will be announced asap
Post by Lasair Landevier Lupen on Aug 8, 2016 8:57:35 GMT
Open to Clairee Donya When Lasair had last met with Clairee, she had expressed wanting to be more active in the guild again. It was a fact Lasair hadn’t forgotten, so while he was doing one of his patrols in the forest and happened to find yet another group of Sveden military advancing through the trees, he felt as though there had been enough of the enemy using the Borderland Forest to its advantage. The shadow beasts were starting to feel it too as they began to grow more aggressive, venturing closer to the city and across the borders Lasair had worked so hard to establish. All because of this constant stream of invaders.
Well. There was enough of that now. So he sent a message to Clairee via pigeon that read: “Come when you can for a task”
He didn’t think she would come tonight, but maybe tomorrow or the one after it. No matter when, she should be prepared to be awake most of the night; the bit about a task would allude to that. Lasair had been tempted to ask other members to help as well, such as Sayvahn or Fawna, but in truth less people would be better for the operation he had in mind. And a pair of wings would keep things as swift as possible. And of course, Clairee seemed to be itching for some kind of work. Perhaps a new sort of trial, in a way.
But, none of that could begin until she appeared. So until then, each night would be spent in the library, as his usual desk, reading books and making translations as he needed to.
It had been a few nights since the missive from the pigeon but she had to take her turn watching over father and his recovery. The fire at the soup kitchen had done a lot of damage to his back and while he was on his feet again, any heavy lifting had a habit of tearing open not-yet-healed flesh. Her brothers did all they could during the day to do every job imaginable before Pa could think to do it, but at night it was often her task to keep watch over him.
Tonight however, it was Klaus turn so she had a window of time to herself. She didn't know what task Lasair had waiting for her so she dressed for work. Any kind of work, and arrived on the HQ doorstep wearing overalls and a button up shirt. Men's clothes. Something she loathed being seen in but she knew when to be practical and now seemed like one of those moments where practicality was best.
She walked through the quiet halls until she reached the library and eased the door open just enough to squeeze in.
Post by Lasair Landevier Lupen on Aug 14, 2016 2:22:57 GMT
Lasair was at his usual spot in the library, doing his usual task; working. But at the sound of the door opening, he looked up and smiling, setting down his materials and closing a couple books. Standing up he met Clairee near the door and nodded to her. “I’m glad you could make it.” Pausing, he looked over her dress and lifted his eyebrows in surprise. “Practical, but I have to admit it doesn’t suit you that much. But that’s okay, practicality will help with this task.”
Gesturing for her to follow him back out of the library, he led her back to the front (and apologized for making her turn around so quickly) and stopped at the cabinet containing all the masks of the guild members. Taking out his familiar fox mask, he rubbed a thumb over it and noticed how the paint was really starting to fade and peel off now; perhaps it was time for a new coat. The orange and gold was still a good mix so he lifted the cloak it was attached to and fastened it on, pulling it up and over his signature hair. The half-mask still left his mouth open, which was important for being understood while explaining everything.
“It’s no secret that Svedes have been trying to sneak into Lodan through the forest we call home. Many of them run into shadow beasts, or the forces of CAEsAL. Occasionally I try to deal with them too. But, it’s becoming too much. They aren’t catching the hints; they aren’t stopping. And I have an idea as to why; it’s because they aren’t turning back. They go forward and if they don’t message back, Sveden thinks that means it’s okay to send more. I’ve had enough of the cycle, to be honest.” Pausing, he cracked his knuckles and rolled his neck, looking between Clairee and her mask expectantly. “I think it’s time to send the commander a personal message. Time to show them the real dangers of trespassing through our home. There’s a new squadron traveling through here as we speak. They’ve set up camp for the night so I think that you and I can drop by and share a piece of our minds, hm?” Offering her a smile, he waited to see how she’d react to the whole place. And if she had any questions to ask. His cobalt eyes shined through the mask expectantly.
Clairee felt the tinge of embarrassment as he noted her clothing, but he hadn't said anything she hadn't thought herself so there was no reason to get upset over it. When he doned his mask she pulled back the string of hers and fitted it around her head but she didn't pull the red wooden artifact down over her face just yet, she left it perched on her forehead like a wooden crown. The string tugged at her dark mane of hair, bunching it up a little around the halo of the band. He had a cloak attached to his. She had a curtain of hair to cover hers. She found it funny but she made sure not to laugh as he gave her the briefing.
"So, I take it we're sending them home this time, with a message that their perceived success has been anything but?" She wanted to know if he was asking her to kill, or simply to fight back. She would do whatever he asked, which scared her, because she didn't want to kill anyone, but she trusted him and whatever choice he made. Ultimately, she knew a day would come that the MI did ask her to kill and she'd been fearing it from the start. Knowing Lasair would be the one to chose when that day arrived gave her some comfort and she believed in him as much as she believed in her own family.
Post by Lasair Landevier Lupen on Aug 14, 2016 3:35:24 GMT
His eyes followed her hands as they went to her mask and then to her face, and then they lingered there, smiling at her mask and nodding to her clarification on everything he just explained. “Yes, with a bit of fear mixed in there as well. I want to make sure they get the message and take it seriously. If I can, I want the squadron leader to run home pissing his pants. But then again, I have high hopes.” He chuckled and lifted a hand up to slip behind his hood and scratch the back of his head for a moment.
“Anyway, the camp isn’t too far from here. They’ve been moving closer every day towards the city. They’re stationed to the west from here at the moment. Do you need to take a minute for anything or are you ready?” he asked then.
Most of her skills were magical, not physical and not combative so there were no weapons for her to grab. She just looked him in the eyes and nodded, before pulling down her mask over her face and following him out of the safety and comfort of their new home.
Post by Lasair Landevier Lupen on Aug 14, 2016 9:08:15 GMT
He led the way through the door and into the woods. “You can fly if you want. It’s a straight shot this way. Just make sure you find a place to land before they have the chance to see you.” Giving the offer to her, he waited a moment to see what she would decide before he kept walking. She elected to stay with him on the ground, so off they went.
They ran through the woods quickly, but not at an exhausting pace. They didn’t need to be tired when they got there, after all. They traveled in silence, save for the occasional snapping of a twig or rustling of a bush they ran into. As they moved, a faint orange light appeared in front of them. It was where they were heading and as they got close, it was revealed to be a campfire. Lasair slowed the pace to a walk and made use of the shadows cast by the trees to get closer. Peering from behind a tree, he saw that there was only one man sitting up as a watch. The soldier looked rather bored as he polished his gun, stopping to check for blemishes against the moonlight from time to time.
Motioning for Clairee to come closer, he leaned close to her and whispered as quietly into her ear. It was important that they weren’t heard at this point. “Suggestions for knocking him out, silently?” he asked her, pulling back to glance at the man again while she answered.
She'd enjoyed the walk over, even if her blood was humming with anticipation in her veins. that fight or flight kicking in a little early knowing that they were bringing the fight to the enemy. Once they were close enough to gauge their opponent, Las pulled her behind a tree and whispered in her ear. She bit her bottom lip and peeked around the edge for a moment more. Then she pulled back and motioned with her hands around her throat in a choking sign, then tapped the side of her temple. She could do it, cut off his windpipes with a bit of telekinesis. 5lbs of pressure to the soft flesh of his throat would be more than enough, and he couldn't remove what he couldn't touch... plus he couldn't scream if he couldn't breathe.
Post by Lasair Landevier Lupen on Aug 14, 2016 9:59:52 GMT
Watching her motioned with narrowed eyes, he considered the implication behind her actions. It was risky, but it would be effective. He looked back towards the young soldier again, wondering if he had any idea about what was hiding in the woods. There were monsters, and a building, and people in the building, but most of all there was magic. Lots and lots of magic. And it seemed he was about to get a dose of that magic. Motioning Clairee to come close again, he spoke into her ear again. “Okay, but be careful. Don’t kill. Just knock out.”
He pulled away then and stood back, giving her the space to ready her magic and cast. As she went at it, he watched to see if her aura would flare up during it and if so, what color it would be.
Post by Clairee Donya on Aug 14, 2016 10:13:29 GMT
Her eyes grew wide even before he pulled back from whispering his words. Of course she didn't want to kill anyone. But she nodded mutely in reply and peeked back out. Her fingers dainty on the tree at first, a slight luminosity the color of moonlight began to outline her fingertips, then the rest of her palms to her wrist and so on down her arm and over the rest of her body which was hidden the rest of the way behind the tree with Lasair. Clairee extended her arm then, and in a quick motion snapped her hand into the shape one would make if choking another. The guard was on his feet in an instant, clawing at his own throat but unable to make a sound. He struggled backwards till he tripped over his own campfire log and fell on his rump on the pine needle floor. A few shuffles backwards on his shoulder blades to try and free himself from the grip that he couldn't leave behind and then his eyes rolled back in his head and he fainted.
"One down," Clairee whispered only loud enough for Lasair to hear.
Telekinesis I -cast once
Last Edit: Aug 14, 2016 10:24:50 GMT by Clairee Donya
Post by Lasair Landevier Lupen on Aug 14, 2016 10:35:40 GMT
Was that moonlight coming from her fingers? He was amazed for a few moments, but then snapped his eyes to the young soldier. Stumbling backwards until he hit the ground and eventually passed out. Nodding, Lasair was pleased, but watched a few moments more to make sure the chest of the soldier moved; meant he was still breathing, which was good.
From behind the tree, Lasair moved out slowly, examining the small campground. There were four tents set up. All were identical, which was annoying. It meant they had to guess about who the leader was and were he was staying. Lasair walked across the camp silently, wondering about this himself, as he went over to the soldier and began tying him up, the rope being pulled from a pocket of his cloak. He knew it would be useful for this job. As he worked on this, he waved Clairee forward and then pointed at the nearest tent. He meant for her to check it. If she wanted to knock out the man sleeping within, that would be her choice. They needed to find some way to identify the captain. It didn’t help that this group looked like they were trained for stealth, which meant they would be skilled fighters should they wake up.
Post by Clairee Donya on Aug 14, 2016 10:55:48 GMT
He wanted her to go - in there - she balked. But rather than disobey or worse, let him see her fear, she turned to face the tent and tiptoed toward it's opening. Painfully slowly, Clair began to peel back the flap of the tent and peer inside. She bent her knees and got lower to the ground, trying to make herself smaller as she made the opening bigger. When it was wide enough to stick her arm through, she noticed something on the ground next to a mans boot. Was that a... canteen? She inched her way forward and reached her arm in for the small drinkable container. If there was liquid inside, it could prove useful for her particular elemental gifts. As soon as she raised the prize off the ground, the rope chord to the canteen snagged on the soldiers boot. A boot that he was still wearing. She froze perfectly in place. She even stopped breathing. After a few beats, where nothing happened save for the sound of Lasair tying the rope as tight as he could, Clairee exhaled and took extra care to lift the chord over the toe of the boot before pulling the canteen out. Once done, she dropped the tent flap back closed and unscrewed the cap. A wave of something strong hit her nose and she crinkled it. Wasn't water, but it would do if she needed to cast some cryomancy.
She looked back at Lasair and lifted the canteen with a smile of success, before it fell off her lips and her eyes went up - up - up....
"Las?" she whispered, pointing at the luminous red eyes in the trees behind him. Hadn't they come from that way? No shadow beast then, but now... now was a different story. She didn't move. It didn't move. Yet. what were they going to do?
Post by Lasair Landevier Lupen on Aug 15, 2016 3:06:38 GMT
While tying up the unfortunate soldier, Lasair watched Clairee out of the corner of his eye. She tiptoed into the tent, froze, and then returned with a canteen. He nodded to her and focused back down on his hands, finishing up the knot that bound the man’s ankles together. He shouldn’t be able to move now. The quiet call of his name snapped his attention away however as he looked to Clairee, and then to where she was staring.
A pair of calm red eyes stared back at them, yet the body they belonged to was in the shadows. The eyes felt familiar to the redhead as he stared back at them, walking towards Clairee so he could stand next to her. “It won’t attack unless it thinks it can kill at least one of us,” he whispered to her, blue eyes unmoving from the red. “And it doesn’t scare away easily. Not unless it’s injured or the loser in a fight.” He took a half step forward, somewhat shielding Clairee from the monster. “I’ll watch at it while you look for the commander. Unless you have any better ideas.” The options were limited right now. Not unless he wanted to wake up the Svedes and turn them into a snack while he fled with Clairee. But he didn’t want to do that anymore; that’s why they were out here; to stop someone and send them home.
Clairee's anxiety sat high in her chest, but having Lasair stand close to her, speaking calmly to her as they faced the threat helped to bring her nerves down. "I... have one," she half spoke, half whispered. She licked her lips and handed him the canteen. "hold this," She whispered. Her eyes drifted up to the dewy trees above, full of dampness from the long night and the last rain. Backup, all of it; she thought, for this particular spell she wouldn't need it.... the backup was for the Sveds in case this woke them up and the canteen wasn't enough.
and by this, she intended to cast Cryomancy IV, and encase the devil dog - shadow beast - medusa's lion in a block of ice. Lower level spells required a ready source of her element, but a higher cast such as this was self reliant and pulled its own resources from the world around them. Clairee began glowing with moonlight all over, it poured out of her skin like cracked ice and illuminated the little camp, overpowering the warm red glow of the fire and replacing it with a cool white light. A frosty breeze settled in their little cluster as the temperatures gave a momentary dip toward the dead of winter. The creature narrowed its gaze on her and pawed the ground, ready to spring forward. Before it could - Clair thrust both arms forward, fingers splayed, and the light left her body and rushed forward to gather around the beast. The moment was over, the light receded, and the chill lifted around the camp. The one place it stayed, was surrounding the beast... in its icy prison.
Post by Lasair Landevier Lupen on Aug 15, 2016 4:58:14 GMT
Confused, he glanced at her for the briefest of moments. In that second he saw that she seemed determined to at least try. So, try he would let her then. Taking the canteen, he stepped to the side, turning slightly so that he could see both the monster and the girl in the same range of vision. And then the show seemed to begin as Clairee’s aura flared up. The moonlight filled his vision, almost clouding out the campfire. Almost clouding out the red glow of the monster’s eyes too. The chill enveloped him too for a moment as she built up the magical aura and then, in but a moment, it was released. The monster tried to falter, to change its stance, but it didn’t get the chance. It was trapped within the ice, but Lasair was sure that wouldn’t kill it. Shadow beasts had a tendency to be resilient after all.
Releasing the breath he held, he patted Clairee on the shoulder. “Good thinking. I’m impressed.” With a smile, he turned back towards the camp now. “Now, which one of you is the commander…” he mused, picking one of the three remaining tents and checking it. There had to be some kind of indicator, such as a nicer uniform or better equipment or a decoration of badges or something. Peeling back the flap, he looked inside. No dice with this one.
"All you need is love." -John Lennon
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