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 Posted: Sat Oct 12, 2013 9:34 am
This thread is for the official ORP set in the capital of Arkenvale. Any character whether currently a Summoner or not, may play here.
Official Prompt
During the full moon of October it is tradition in Canis, but especially in the capital city, to hold a celebration. The full moon represents the last, good, harvest of the year and marks the beginnings of the change in seasons. Yet, more than that, lies the ancient, if somewhat overlooked, belief that the full moon also represents the influx of magic into the world of days long past.
At the center of the city, in a huge, open space where official business is often held, many inhabitants of the city have gathered for the Moon Festival.
A great many of them wear masks shaped like stars that glitter in the firelight, or that blend in with the shifting shadows. Some even have masks that look like fierce wolf-dogs in relation to the legends of the Hounds.
Music plays, and wine and food are served by the generosity of the crown. Men and women dance in great swirls of color, dresses, masks and ties all blurring together into a cacophony of light and sound. Their is an exuberance and joy in the air, and a sort of haunting and chilling beauty to the scene, overall, and even an underlying sense of gluttony and darkness.
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Your characters may have been invited to the party by friends, but there is no formal invitation. Partiers come and go as they please and the company, like the rest of the city, is as rich and poor and varied as the rest of it.
After awhile, a hush falls over the crowd and the music shifts. The beat of the drums comes slower and heavier, and the flutes play a haunting melody that shivers across the wind like a cool breeze. In the midst of it all, a young girl can be seen. Two attendants quickly place the props, a blood red moon and huge bowl -- a replica cauldron. The music becomes thicker and heavier, and she begins to dance. Her movements are graceful and fluid and relaxed, but soon they become hurried and stiff and heavy, jerking about as if by the pull of the drums themselves. Men and women dressed all in black cavort about her, making violent motions with their bodies.
A single, loud, crash shatters the night and, suddenly, smoke obscures her as nothing more than a shadow in a film of white, and the flute picks up again as it clears, more heart wrenchingly beautiful than before. The shadow-beings are gone. Then, there, the form of a wolf (a prop, only), all white, standing near the cauldron. She goes to it and wraps her arms around it, and the lights dim as shutters are closed, the music fading.
The story of the first Summons.
The woman rises and bows to claps and, even, a few cheers.
At different times throughout the ORP the mysterious dancer may appear to interact with a character. If she does, you will have the chance to earn some extra RP points to use for Meta Prizes.
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Posted: Sat Oct 12, 2013 9:35 am
Rules to Engaging the Dancer
- The dancer is an NPC who will sometimes appear during the festival to interact with characters.
- The FIRST person to respond to this prompt will get anywhere from 1 to 3 response posts in turn.
- After that she will move on to someone else, and the next person after that to respond first will be able to interact with her and so on until she leaves the scene.
- You may still post as if your character is trying to get close, but she will ignore everyone except the first poster until the next 'round'.
- On the other hand, you do not HAVE to interact with her if you do not wish.
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Posted: Sat Oct 12, 2013 10:06 am
One more just in case.
You guys can start playing c:
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Posted: Fri Oct 18, 2013 8:37 pm
A chill breeze swept through the alleyway that was sheltering a middle-aged woman and an overly-large canine from the prying eyes of other festival attendees. The woman watched as a young dancer captivated her audience with the tale of the first Summons. Cecelia grinned and laughed lightly, if only that young girl, and the rest of the festival goers, knew that the story was so much more than a myth. She placed a calloused hand upon the shoulder of the canine beside her. In turn he gently nudged her with his nose. It is time Cecelia. We cannot hide in the shadows forever.
The words were not spoken aloud but Cecelia heard them in her mind just as clear as if they had been. She glanced over at her canine companion. Twenty years of hiding in the shadows, lurking beneath the city streets, all of it had lead up to this. Kephrux had noticed a shift in the energy of the world, Cecelia had noticed the same, though she was less sensitive to it than her hound. It is time for the Summoners and Hounds to return, we must not remain hidden any longer.
The masculine voice was tender and reassuring. Kephrux knew Cecelia's fears. She did not want any attention paid to them at all, much less the negative attention she feared would be aimed at them once people realized exactly what they were. The time of Summoners and Hounds was long since gone, very few still believed in the tales. The majority believed them to be nothing more than myths. This would not be a problem, if only humans were not so terrible with change. In her thirty-two years of life Cecelia had experienced many changes, and observed many others as an outsider looking in, after all this time she came to the same conclusion over and over again. Change frightened most people and when humans are frightened they tend to react negatively towards whatever is the source of their fear.
Knowing that she and Kephrux were definitely not a common occurrence in the current day led Cecelia to fear the moment they would expose themselves. However, it was time. Pulling her black leather coat tighter around herself and slipping her mask, which resembled Kephrux's face, into place, Cecelia took a deep breath and stepped out of the shadows into the light. "Alright Kephrux, no more hiding, let us show the world that the hounds have come again." the woman's voice was quiet, audible only to her companion as he walked beside her, step for step, head held high. Let them look, let them see. He held no fear within him of the humans or their reactions. Instead he felt only concern. Something was brewing, he could feel it in the air, he wasn't sure what would happen. He knew only that the Summoners needed to prepare.
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Posted: Sat Oct 19, 2013 9:48 pm
If Cecelia hopes for a grand appearance, she will, unfortunately, be disappointed. She does get quite a few odd looks as she steps into the light, though it's hard to tell what some of the others are thinking behind their masks. For those that have foregone them, or lost them in the festivities, the expressions are a mix between surprised and shocked, to, in some cases, a touch of disdain. It's not the awe-inspired, startled, frenzied reaction one might expect upon seeing a Hell Hound of legend. Rather, it's the sort of reaction one might expect should someone bring a large, unwelcome, dog amidst a sacred festival, concealed only by the fact that the Moon Festival is open to all revelers, regardless of station or... odd companions.
To them, Kephrux is that dog. A simple creature, if large, that garners no more attention than a flick of a gaze before the party-goers move on.
One woman does gasp -- perhaps the most enlivened response -- but it's one of a different sort of fear as she turns to her companion, "Jared, look! I've never seen a dog so large -- can we dance somewhere else?" And they, too, move off into the swirl of people and fantasmic costumes.
It's baffling, no doubt, and there doesn't seem to be any real explanation for it. Somehow, people just are not seeing what is right in front of them. What could be the meaning of this?
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Posted: Sat Oct 19, 2013 10:05 pm
Brienne stands before the swirl of music, color, and scents -- perfume mixed with a multitude of different foods-- and watches the people dancing, and laughing, breaking apart again after the performance.
She thinks how the dance had actually been rather accurate, and wonders at the sources behind that particular account. After all, being a legend, the tale of the summoning has had many twists woven into it's telling. Except, Brienne is aware, now, that it's no myth -- the legend is real. But the only one who seems to have realized what her companion really is is her brother. She attributes this to the fact of their close bond, and that there was no other explanation for how in the world Brienne could possibly have found a puppy, in the dark, in the midst of a fading autumn night.
Anyone else, though, simply looked at Ithiliel as if she were an ordinary animal. It had frustrated her, at first, not to be taken seriously. Her own parents had tutted at her, if lightly, saying that she was too old to be making up such fairy tales. Even the gift of her sight had seemed to have no real effect on them and, in the end, she had given up trying to make them see. It wasn't that important. What is important is that, now, she and Ithiliel have one another.
Perhaps whatever strange magic had led her to the underground tunnels extended further than she'd realized. Ithiliel had told her that magic was natural to the land, and to people, but that they had chosen to forget it over the long period of time between the great war with the demons, and the Long Peace, where mankind and their companions had lived for centuries without threat until, finally, they had all died out, one by one, until none were left of the Summoners but a legend.
Humans can be blind, ignorant, creatures, Brienne. Even those who have been blessed with sight.
Brienne smiles a little at the words, and looks at the majestic being at her side.
"....Perhaps you're right. At some point, though, don't you think they'll have to see? How can they ignore something so obvious?" Frustration creeps into her voice, and she closes her eyes, letting the magic end that had enabled her to see. It's always taxing to use it, but she had wanted to see the party, if only for a moment. She sags a little, and leans against the warmth of her friend.
Mnnn.... perhaps they are not ready to see. Give it time, little one.
Time.... she wonders about that. The tolling of the bells has faded, tonight, and Brienne shivers a little. Something is happening in the world. Something is in the works -- she can feel it, as can Ithiliel, but neither of them can be sure what it means. For now, she's content to sit in the shadows of the courtyard, unobserved by those around her.
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Posted: Sat Oct 19, 2013 11:04 pm
A great sigh of relief escapes Cecelia as the people around her seem to pay her, and Kephrux, very little attention. A few seem surprised while others seem to be slightly uncomfortable in her presence. Outwardly she remains calm, stoic, a silent and confident figure moving through the crowds, on the inside she struggles to settle on one emotion. She is elated, the reactions are much better than she had thought they would be, however, the blatant ignorance of the humans at the festival worried her. None of them seemed to realize just what was in front of them. Ignorance was often a downfall and the woman feared what would happen if the rest of Canis was as blind as the festival attendees appeared to be.
Suddenly Kephrux lifts his head, ears swiveling about and nose sniffing the air. He tilts his head to the side curiously and peers into the shadows ahead. We are not alone. He knew that Cecelia would not be able to see the other woman and her hound, not from here. Come. I want to greet them. He set off towards Brienne and Ithiliel with a determined stride and left Cecelia standing, confused over what he meant, amongst the rest of the crowd.
As Kephrux's words sunk in Cecelia raised a brow in confusion. Not alone? What did he mean? Of course not, there were hundreds of other people here. It was a festival after all. Greet them? Greet who? She almost didn't notice him wandering off without her. In fact, had a woman not tapped her shoulder and pointed at his back she probably would've continued to stand, confused, in the center of the courtyard and try to puzzle out his meaning. "Hmm? Oh! Thank you! she stammered to the woman and then hurried after her canine companion. "Kephrux! Wait up!" she called as she struggled to run in the heels she had chosen for the festival.
Kephrux didn't stop until he was standing just outside of the shadows where the other summoner and her companion were lurking. They didn't seem to have noticed him yet and he let out a quiet bark to garner their attention. He looked over his shoulder as Cecelia caught up, the clicking of her heels adding to the noise that would announce their presence.
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Posted: Wed Oct 23, 2013 12:09 am
Avlur stood from the back of the crowd as he watched the story being told about the mythic hounds that had once aided to the survival of the people in Canis. He had remember reading this very same story in one of his ancestors books that his family had kept for reasons that were never really told to him. Once the story was finish the crowed began to murmur about the tale, while children began pretending to be summoners them selfs. He began to walk away from the crowed, thinking about the story that was just told. Remembering how he had read it over and over again back in his home village.
"Avlur, don't you ever get sick of hearing the same old story over and over again?" a voice had said to Avlur. The voice was very deep and soothing to a degree. This voice of course was not heard in the physical world but in the mental. It had come from a beast that he had read about before in a book. A voice that was only heard by what people today call a summoner can hear.
"Hello to you to Assan, and no. For some strange reason every time I hear this story it just seems different every time." Avlur had mentally said to the beast. He continued to walk as he kept the mental conversation going with his beast, who had agreed with Avlur to stay just close enough so the connection was clear but far enough to stay out of sight of normal people.
"Why are we here Avlur? All you have done is walk around a watch people. Shouldn't you at least try to ask some questions bout the hounds" Assan said in a serious tone as he followed his summoner from afar.
"Relax Assan. Just like me there has to be other summoners here. We will stay in the background till we find one to talk to or trouble comes. The plan is to find a summoner and without them knowing I am also a summoner. We don't know much about why you guys are back, let alone what kinda of people to trust. Give it a little bit more time." Avlur said to Assan in a calm tone as he began to walk around looking.
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Posted: Wed Oct 23, 2013 7:52 pm
There's too much general noise between the music, people dancing, and talking, and laughing for Brienne to focus on any one thing. Instead, she simply let's it wash around her as she leans back in the wood chair she has claimed as her own, a hand resting on Ithiliel's neck, gently petting. It's not until Kephrux utters his soft bark that she realizes they're not alone, and she sends a silent question Ithiliel's way.
The hound, for her part, had noticed Kephrux before he'd made his verbal announcement. Unlike her partner, she is not blind, and has always had a keen mind for what goes on about her. Still, she is just as surprised to see one of her own as Brienne is to learn of it, and as the girl scrambles to her feet, Ithiliel simply watches the other with a quiet gaze as his chosen summoner approaches them from afar.
Unlike Brienne, she notes, this woman is no child and she wonders about this strange, chance encounter.
"Hello?" Brienne's voice is soft, but confident, as she calls out, and Ithiliel joins her mind once more, nudging her mentally to face the right direction. For now, though, Brienne is content not to see. She has, after all, spent most of her life blind. Then, after a moment, she smiles faintly,
"My friend tells me we are not alone. How strange it is.... meeting someone like this!" and her tone is a rush of excitement at the last words. Her heart throbs in her chest and she feels breathless, suddenly. Not alone! There were others like her, at least one other that she knows of. Ithiliel stands next to her, then, and Brienne's hand rises to the thick, luxurious fur of her throat and tangles there.
Tell them I send my greetings. She could greet the male hound mentally, but thinks it would be rude to exclude the human. Brienne does as she asks.
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Posted: Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:50 pm
Avlur walked over to a food stand that had been set up to sell treats only found in the capitol to all the travelers. He looked at all the very neatly decorated treats that were being offered to sell. It smelt just as good as it looked. He quickly dug his hands into his pockets to see if he had any money at all.
Avlur closed his eyes and began speaking to Assan who was still hidden from afar. "Assan. Is the money with you? I'm kinda getting hungry over here." Avlur spoke the mental words to Assan very casually as he checked his messenger bag for money as well.
"What money? If you don't remember it was Vairdic who told us to come to the capitol for this celebration. What for? We don't know yet but still. Seeing as he didn't give us any money that probably means it was not to come here and eat Avlur" Assan replied in a normal friendly tone.
Avlur listened to his hound about the money situation while still digging around in his messenger bag for something to at least trade. As he kept looking around his book had fallen out of it. He quickly bent down to pic up the book only to raise his head to see two large dogs with two other people standing be them. He saw that there lips were moving and at first thought it might have been just some rare exotic dog for people in the capitol. At least until he saw a look on one of the dogs. It was almost the same look Assan makes when he talked him.
"Assan! I think I might have found more hounds. I can't tell for sure yet though". Avlur thought in a quick thought.
"Really! Should I try getting closer?" Assan asked getting ready to move in.
"Stop! No! We don't know who they are let alone if we can trust them. Let me just walk up to them and ask if I can pet there dogs. Maybe ask some questons like where they go them. Just stay hidden." Avlur said as he began to walk towards the large dogs and their masters. Still holding the book in his hand entitled Canis Mythological history.
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Posted: Thu Oct 24, 2013 7:43 pm
Cecelia held her breath as Kephrux drew attention to them. She hadn't met another summoner before and this meeting was putting her on edge. It had been a long time since she had really interacted with other people. Cautiously she watched the other pair and noted body language. The girl didn't seem to notice them until Kephrux barked and that bothered Cecelia. How had she not noticed them approaching when she had been looking in their direction? It took her a few minutes of observing to realize that the girl was blind. Cecelia frowned, how terrible it must be for her. Unable to see the world around her.
When the girl spoke Cecelia smiled and then offered up a friendly reply. "Hello, it is quite a surprise to find another pair like ourselves. It is nice to meet you dear. My name is Cecelia, and my companion here, is Kephrux. How are you enjoying the festival?"
Cecelia figured it would be best to start out with casual conversation, after all, she didn't want to give too much away. She didn't know anything about this girl, or her hound, or their motives. When the girl spoke a greeting on behalf of her hound Cecelia lowered her head in respect to the beast.
Kephrux for his part, reminded quiet, observing the interaction. However, when he felt eyes on him he turned to seek out their owner and he growled quietly to alert Cecelia to the man who was approaching. He wasn't close enough to hear the conversation yet but it was obvious he was headed for them.
Cecelia turned to look as well and then looked back at the girl she had started up a conversation with. "Looks like we are gaining some more company, and he doesn't appear to be like us."
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Posted: Thu Oct 24, 2013 11:03 pm
Avlur continued a steady pace towards the two women, as one of them looked passed the other to see him coming. He was hoping that he didn't look so suspicious, often times when he tried to act nonchalant it just made him stick out even more. Non the less he kept his eyes locked on the women and there dogs. Thoughts and questions began raising in his head. "What kinda dog is that? Where did you get them? How long ago did you get them?" He kept going over in his head. Truly trying to figure out a way as to not give away that he in fact knew what these creatures were.
"They so know your a summoner." Assan spoke to Avlur through their mental connection they had going. Assan began to move around a bit more, staying in the present spot he was began making the beast very uncomfortable. Standing in the park that was directly located behind where Avlur was first standing behind some shrubbery he began to pace back and forth.
"No they dont. Just so long as I don't give anything away and don't ask to many questions we should be able to obtain the correct information we need". Avlur spoke back to the beast hoping his face did not give a tell when he mentally spoke to his partner. "All we need to do is make sure that these women are in fact summoners, after which we can get out of town and return home." He said sticking to his plan.
"Why do we need to know if there summoners? It's already proven that there are more summoners out there. Look at Vairdic, he's one and sense your one as well that means the hounds have to be back right?" Assan said trying to fully understand why his human counter part was so bent on trying to figure out these ladies story.
"I know but still, all he has to go off of is his books. Half of which we don't know is fact or fiction. By talking to more summoners and finding more we can add more pieces to the puzzle on why you guys are back. Now please quite down I'm about to make contact." Avlur said to his hound very quickly so once he reach the others he did not skip a beat. "Why hello there ladies" He said with a smile. "What lovely dogs you have! May I pet them? You know I actually come from a small village in the Eldrig Forest and he have never seen animals quite this big!" Avlur exclaimed with a smile.
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Posted: Wed Oct 30, 2013 3:19 am
"Cecilia, and Kephrux, it's a pleasure to meet you," Brienne is still smiling as she speaks, the sharp, electric, edge of her excitement fading to something more bearable. "This is Ithiliel, and I am Brienne." The hound in question lowers her head, faintly, though now enough to properly be considered a bow so much as an acknowledgment.
"We're enjoying the festival quite well. Especially the music, though I think Ithil is enjoying the treats most of all, and you?" she laughs, softly, and Ithil sniffs at the comment and looks the other way -- just in time to spot Avlur coming toward them. She stiffens a bit, and Brienne notes the tension suddenly cording her neck where her hand rests. Ever wary of strangers, the hound's vibrant yellow eyes fix on the young man without wavering. The gaze isn't hostile, but neither is it entirely welcoming - especially at the idea of being 'pet'.
I'm not a dog, she growls into Brienne's head, the same moment that her hackles rise and she emits a low, warning, growl.
"..Oh, I don't think petting her would be a very good idea. Ithil is not overly fond of strangers, I'm afraid." Her tone is pleasant as she turns toward the newcomer, but there's a definite tone of finality to the words.
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Posted: Wed Oct 30, 2013 7:10 pm
Avlur quickly lowered his hand as soon as the hound began to growl. The last thing he needed was the absence of his right hand. He took a second and examined both the creatures trying to find any thing unfamiliar with them.
"Sorry about that, didn't mean to make the pooch angry at me. The name is Avlur and like I said a few minutes ago I'm not really from around here. So when I saw these amazing creatures I just had to know where to get one!" Avlur said trying to fish for some information about these hounds. "You see I live so very far away and walking here was such a drag. Maybe I could get one of these here dogs and ride him back! Sounds like a great idea I know" He spoke as if he were a tourist visiting a new land.
He took a step back from the two and there hounds waiting for a response. He would hope one of them slip some info up about the dogs, if not he was afraid he might have found yet another dead end. Assan was still by the bushes and tree trying to move around with out the leafs shaking.
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Posted: Wed Oct 30, 2013 7:45 pm
Tory figured it was time to go for a little adventure she had been invited to a party. She wasnt; sure she wanted to go but Lasrial was pushing her to go. She sighed at the hound but didn't argue. There was no point she would lose in the end. She was standing outside of the doors to the place the part was to be held in. Her dress swirled around her and she stared up scared to enter. No longer sure she wanted adventure and something new. But Lasrial pressed against her leg and looked up.
"Come on Tory you know you want to dance. It will be fun and who knows maybe one of us will find a nice guy to spend time with." The hound thought at her.
She laughed and bowed her head thinking back. "Alright Lasrial I get it. And you had better not tease me about any guys in there. I might end up turning redder than a flame."
Lasrial just laughed but bowed her head back. The hound looked dressed up with the flowers that were always by her ear. They smelled good and Tory placed her hand on Lasrial's back letting the feel of the fur calm her racing heart. Stepping into the place she gasped at how lovely everything looked. It seemed to be a place of magic and wonder. The music playing as the dancer moved in time with the sounds. She stood there staring for a few moments.
As she focused on all the beauty in the room she began to walk. Swaying in time to the music. She loved to twirl and dance but was too shy to do that with so many people around. But her body still responded to the sound of the music. Her hips swayed as she walked. Her hair was for once down to let the red curls frame her face. Her bright blue gray eyes scanned the crowds. Her freckles could be seen and she continued to walk around. She lost track of time and where she was though she noticed how some people moved away from her and Lasrial seeing how big the hound was. But they stared at the hound seeing the beauty of the creature.
She paid them no mind. But she should have been paying more attention to where she was going. As she moved her feet into a perfect twirl her foot caught on something and spun her out of control.
Lasrial thought at her. "Tory watch out." The hound moved but the movement and warning weren't fast enough.
Tory fell against a guy. She looked up and caught herself on him. She blushed and yet didn't have the balance to let go and stand on her own two feet. Lasrial is right next to her and looks over at the guy. Lasrial stayed very close to Tory worried for her friend's safety but then smirked.
"Are you ok Tory? He is cute but couldn't you have thought of a better way to talk to him. I mean falling for a guy is one thing but you fell into him."
Tory blushed even more and thought at the hound. "Knock it off Lasrial. That isn't funny or helping."
She wished she could just melt into the floor. But Lasrial was right he was cute and so much taller than she was. "I'm sorry mister I wasn't looking where I was going." She stammered and watched him. She looked over at the other two there. The girls had hounds and she blushed even more. She was such a klutz.
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