|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Trio Maxwell-Chang Captain
|
 Posted: Thu Mar 16, 2006 8:58 pm
 Stage: Dust Devil
Stats
Strength - 11
Agility - 19
Intelligence - 32
Wisdom - 13
Charisma - 19
Speed - 25
Magic - 17
Spells
Air
Delicate Hands - Invisible hands created by air, used to manipulate objects.
Levitation - Manipulate air around you to lift yourself or others off the ground and fly. Skill depends on Agility+Magic/2.
Shadow Puppet - Condensed air in the general shape of a humanoid or animal that can be used for a variety of tasks like sparring targets or Dinner Theatre actors.
Dramatic Wind - For those casters with the soul of the melodramatic. It creates a convenient bit of wind for posing and/or making a dramatic atmosphere.
Flight - Manipulate air around you to lift yourself and items you're wearing off the ground and fly. Skill depends on Agility+Magic.
Wind Arrow - When caster holds two fingers on either side of lips and blows, the resultant charge of wind acts as an arrow, damaging target.
Wind Shell - Focussed wind that knocks away missiles on all sides. Size of shell dependent on Magic stat.
Music
Lullaby - Music that, when sung or played, puts the listener(s) to sleep.
Cacophony - Loud din that distracts the listener(s) and may cause minor pain.
Faerie Reel - Music that, when sung or played, forces listener(s) to dance until exhaustion.
Call of the Siren - Music that, when sung or played, acts as a lure to those who hear it.
Deafen - Make a single person 'deaf' for up to 12 hours. Can be negated with a healing spell.
Duet - Spell that enables the caster to communicate with one other intelligent being up to 50 miles away, provided all communication is done in song.
Healing Song - Music that, when sung or played, heals the subject of serious wounds.
Ice
Ice Spirit - Summons a weak spirit of ice who can perform minor ice and snow related activities. Warning! Spirit is mischievous...
Snowfall - creates a useful amount of snow in a square foot area half your Charisma. Great for parties and games.
Earth
Earth Spirit - Summons a weak spirit of earth who can perform minor earth and stone related activities. Spirit is wise.
Grow - Make plants and animals grow significantly larger.
Stage: Gust
Stats
Strength - 14
Agility - 21
Intelligence - 16
Wisdom - 16
Charisma - 14
Speed - 24
Magic - 23
Spells
Air
Shadow Puppet - Condensed air in the general shape of a humanoid or animal that can be used for a variety of tasks like sparring targets or Dinner Theatre actors.
Wind Arrow - When caster holds two fingers on either side of lips and blows, the resultant charge of wind acts as an arrow, damaging target.
Wind Shell - Focussed wind that knocks away missiles on all sides. Size of shell dependent on Magic stat.
Music
Calming Tune - Calms the listener down if anxious or worried. Does not work on anger or hatred.
Drum and Fife - Music that, when sung or played, grants an additional 20 points to Strength, Agility, and Speed. (Effect ends 1 hour after song's end)
Duet - Spell that enables the caster to communicate with one other intelligent being up to 50 miles away, provided all communication is done in song.
Don't know what a Chime Spirit is? Visit the Main Shop.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Mar 17, 2006 10:12 am
.x. // .. The Rules .........................//
.o. Do not Godmode
.o. Do not steal any of the art
.o. Do not post without permission
.o. Do have fun
.x. // .. Post Away, Y'all .........................//
.o. none
.x. // .. Timeline .........................//
.o. 17.3.06 :: Journal Started For Rulala
.o. 23.3.06 :: Strange things start happening...
.o. 7.5.06* :: Rulala shows herself!
.o. 20.5.06* :: That woman is.. Rulala?!
.o. 6.6.06 :: A new chime! Maybe bringing it home today wasn't such a good idea...
* - A total BS date that only exists to satisfy timeline needs.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Mar 17, 2006 10:56 am
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2006 12:09 pm
Shop wandering was, Jestari thought, one of the more pleasant ways to spend a Saturday or two. Especially if that shop wandering was done with a relative or friend. After all, where was a good shopping trip without banter? Therefore, Jestari was rather happy with herself that she'd brought her nim with her. Urda was quietly sitting on the strap of Jestari's purse, placed securely between her neck and shoulder, while Cho was happier fluttering next to the woman's head.
"So, which shop should we go to next, do you think?"
"We've been to three.." "I know, Urda, I just wanna go to one more before I unload at home." The pale nimue only sighed.
"What about that one, Jes?" "Eh?" Jestari followed the tiny nim's pointed finger to see... a shop filled with chimes? "It looks really cool, Jestarima'am! Chimes make such interesting sounds."
The woman grinned. She needed some soothing sounds in her home, anyway. "Why not? Let's go!"
:-:
A half an hour later, the three females made their exit one bag heavier for their trouble. Urda, as usual, appeared unchanged and uncaring. Cho, on the otherhand, was more cheerful than usual. They'd made a good buy- a chime she'd chosen herself for it's bright colors and high, delicate sound. They'd even decided where to put it- right outside the window that was in the middle of the living room wall where they could all enjoy it. The nim was very hopeful about how much fun it would be to have the light reflections playing across the room, and would doubtless be the instigator of it's ringing several times
All in all, it was a very good day.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2006 12:21 pm
It was several days before anything strange began happening. And even then it was only small things; an imagined tug on one's clothing that could be explained away as the cloth getting caught on some imperceptible flaw on a table or door, an almost silent tune that faded in and out like bad reception on a cell phone....
All in all, it was hardly noticable, until it began happening regularly. Mind, it was all so very part of the background that it was a month before anyone began to think that things were odd.
After all, it could just be the light behaving strangely around the new chime whenever these strange things happened.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Mar 29, 2006 10:43 am
It was Urda, surprisingly enough, that first began behaving differently around the crystal chime.
Cho, though she'd been the one to urge Jestari to purchase it, spent little time around it unless the wind was blowing. She was an outdoorsy type of nim, and the garden she spent much of her time in wasn't near the chime.
Even so, she did notice that Urda took to staring at the chime with more than her usual bland gaze, but when she asked about it, the paler Nimue ignored her. Even Jestari couldn't get an answer out of her. Reasons aside, Urda's sudden attention caused everyone to pay more attention to the object, even if it was just to glance at it while they were passing the window for one chore or another.
The chime itself sounded rather smug with all the attention whenever it rang. But that was impossible, ne?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 12:19 pm
Do you know what the most attention grabbing thing in the world is?
A scream?
A streaker?
A polka band?
Maybe.
But none of those things were what was running through Jestari's mind at the moment. Because she'd just felt what ... what she thought was a cat rub against her leg. But she didn't have a cat, only Bryan, and he was a dog.
So that caused the question- what had just happened?
...
Wait. Was that... giggling she heard? Blankly, the human looked around before catching her gaze on the wind chime through the currently open window that appeared to be... Being circled by a brightly colored spirit?
What the blazes?
"Hehehe, the look on your face is priceless!" This wasn't happening. A high pitched voice that sounded suspiciously like the tones of the chime itself had just emitted from the spirit. Let's stumble back now in fear and confusion. Yes, there we go. Right on my bottom. "What the-?!"
"You shouldn't be so surprised, you know. I've been here for /ages/."
"A-ages?"
"Yeah, and only that small white person noticed me. I'm so disappointed." A light, mock sigh, and the ..girl? was giggling again. "But now I'm strong enough to make myself known whether you saw me before or not!"
"A...ah."
"I think this will be the start of a beautiful friendship."
"If you say so. ... Say, did you make that.. thing rub against my leg?"
"Yup! The best Shadow Puppet I've ever cast!"
".....Ah."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 12:28 pm
"So it's finally visible."
"She! I'm a she and you know it, little white person."
"I'm just as big as you are."
"Urda, be polite! She's new here!"
"...New, Cho?"
"... You know what I mean."
"Girls, girls, calm down! Please don't start bickering. I have enough of a migrane as it is." Jestari rubbed the bridge of her nose, having collapsed into one of her cushy chairs soon after introducing her Nimue to the chime spirit. Rulala, she called herself.
"You should be laying down, Jestari."
"I know, Urda, but there's too much to do, and-" "Nonsense!"
".. Wha?"
"We can take care of things around here easy for an hour or two! You go to sleep!" "But Rulala, I can't possibly-"
But the spirit was having none of it. Not even waiting for the human woman to get the rest of her sentence out, Rulala sped over to her chime and began dancing around it. Well, dancing as well as a person who was made of wind could dance. Which was surprisingly well. But that's beside the point. The point is, Rulala's dancing and the breeze that had come seemingly out of nowhere combined with her chime to create the most relaxing song Jestari had ever heard. In fact it might even be
a
lulla...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed May 24, 2006 6:30 am
"Hello everyone! Notice anything different about me?" Jestari burst into her home a few days later, causing everyone (even Bryan, who was finally deciding to spend some time at home) to look up at her in surprised.
Rulala responded first.
"Hehe, you chainged your hair! It's perfect!"
"That I did! I felt the need for a minor change, and couldn't resist the cut or the color."
"...Minor change?" Two voices responded at the same time, one more feminine and the other a lower baritone. Urda and Bryan glanced at each other before looking back at Jestari.
"Well, maybe not so minor- but I didn't get a tattoo, so it's okay."
"..Right."
"I think it's a great decision! I couldn't have chosen a better color for you, or my name isn't Rulala! In fact, Bryan could use a change, too. Orange and black is so...." She made a face, and turned to try and persuade the canine .exe, only.... He'd disappeared. "Where did he go?"
"He escaped." Urda raised an eyebrow, the beginnings of a smile playing at the corners of her mouth.
"Oooh! I had the perfect colors picked out, too!"
Jestari only laughed at the little scene, resolving to get Bryan a treat of a meal later in order to dissuade him from avoiding the house again, and thus Rulala.
Buying that chime, she thought, had been a very good idea.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed May 24, 2006 8:12 am
Things had become fairly normal again, one week later. Rulala entertained herself, and thus entertained everyone else. Even Bryan had gotten used to her.
Sorta.
The spirit had been practicing her spellcasting, being not very good and needing it, and everyone had been tolerant... so far. She'd set some feet tapping a little rhythm for a few seconds with her Faerie Reel, lurked some vague Shadow Puppets in corners to see what the reaction was...
You know, Rulala things.
And then the little spirit disappeared, and a woman was there in the living room, smiling at the first person to walk through the doorway, which happened to be Jestari. Who, she found out, could jump quite a ways into the air when surprised. And squeaked surprisingly loudly.
"Who are you?!"
"I'm Rulala of course!" The pink woman did a little twirl, holding her arms to the side like a performer.
"But Rulala is small and red and insubstantial!"
"Oh, that was my Chime Spirit form! I decided that I liked living here so much, I want to live here forever!"
"So... this is what you really look like?"
"Of course!"
"O...oh."
"I can't wait til the others see me!"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jun 07, 2006 8:16 am
"... You have got to be kidding."
"'Fraid not, Bryan."
"She can actually attempt to manhandle me into her horrific ideas of fashion, now. Please tell me this is temporary."
"Oh, don't be such a spoilsport, Bry." Rulala stuck her tongue out at the pessimistic .exe when he and Jestari turned their heads towards her. "I don't try to up your look too often."
"Every few days, Rulala."
"Like I said. Not too often." Bryan only sighed, slumping his shoulders. There was no arguing with Rulala. "Anyway, where are the little white woman and Butterfly?"
"Why do you call them that, anyway? You know their names."
"Because, Bryan, I like to call them that." Rulala sniffed at the canine, who only rolled his eyes.
"I guess I should be thankful you don't have a nickname for me."
"Who says I don't, Stripey?" Smirk.
".... Stripey?"
"It was the best I could come up with on short notice!"
"...."
"...."
"Oh, you two are no fun." Rulala's tongue appeared again. "I'm going to go practice my magic on fun people."
"Urda and Cho?"
".. Maybe~"
Jestari sighed, Bryan rolled his eyes, but they both let Rulala go entertain herself. Cho would probably enjoy being the Chime's guinea pig, and Urda would just be mildly annoyed with it, unless Rulala decided to practice her Shadow Puppetry. On the whole, it was the best solution.
So, Rulala turned and flounced off in search of the small Nimue, an airy pair of fingers tweaking Bryan and Jestari's ears in fairwell. They only sighed, smiling lightly at the irrepressible Rulala (Bryan would deny it though), rubbed their ears, and went back to what they were doing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jun 07, 2006 9:16 am
As predicted, once faced with a more human, if still flamboyant, Rulala, Urda and Cho adapted with little fuss. In fact, Cho was happy about the change- now when the Chime decided that she wanted to help out in the Nimue's garden, she could do some actual work, instead of hover and watch and chime. Urda said nothing, but didn't voice any annoyances either, which was as good as approval with her.
Rulala took to dancing when she was alone, creating an array of patterned lights on the walls around her thanks to her jewelery, much like the patterns her chime still made.
And Jestari began to think. Yes, Rulala seemed happy- nothing she did gave the impression of lonliness- but still. Everyone in the house had someone they were close with except for her. Urda and Cho, despite their opposite personalities, were fast friends, and had even melded their power recently to create three Nimue eggs that were housed in a soft nest on the mantel. She and Bryan.. Well, Bryan had been Jestari's first companion pet since moving here, and they were as close as brother and sister, despite the species difference.
Rulala had made friends with them all, but it wasn't the same.
So, Jestari decided to do something about it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jun 07, 2006 10:30 am
She left the next afternoon with Bryan in tow-He had insisted. The .exe didn't like the idea of being left alone in the house with only Urda and Cho to protect him from Rulala's urge to change his fur color, especially since the two weren't likely to try very hard. She had told Rulala and the Nimue that she was going back to the chime shop she'd gotten Rulala from, but she'd forbidden them from coming. Rulala would become enamored by the bright colors of her own crystal breed of chime, and Jestari thought she'd get a different kind this time.
And Urda and Cho needed to be there in case someone came calling and became overwhelmed by Rulala's whirlwind personality.
:-:
After a half an hour of looking for the elusive chime shop- and ten minutes of Bryan berating Jestari for not bringing Urda, who would know where she was going- they finally reached their destination.
Inside, after being greeted by the shopkeeper, the human and canine strolled around aimlessly. Certainly, the crystal chimes were as beautiful as Jestari remembered, and she knew it'd been a good idea to keep Rulala from coming.
"Jestari."
"Hm?" To date, Bryan was the only one who still called her by her full name, and defined himself as a close friend.
"They seem to have that particular wind chime on a pedistal, so to speak." He indicated the chime in question with a gesture of his head.
Following his direction, Jestari examined the exotic looking thing curiously. Dark , and not extravegantly decorated, and looking to be made of metal... an exact opposite to Rulala's chime, and Rulala herself.
Intrigued, the woman came closer to examine the price tag... and hissed at the amount.
"300k..." She vocalized, in response to Bryan's confused glance.
"That seems excessive."
"But it is completely different than anything else they have here. I guess it's the right price to put on it.."
"Are you going to buy it?" The canine glanced shrewdly at his sisterfriend.
"...." She began fishing for her wallet, thanking all that was there to thank that she'd decided to bring her checkbook.
"Ma'am?" The storekeeper glanced up. "I'd like to buy this chime.."
Blink. "Three hundred thousand gold?"
"Er.. yeah." Sheepish grin.
:-:
Within minutes, Jestari and Bryan were out of the store and on their way home, the expensive chime held in a cloth bag, clinking softly.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jun 07, 2006 4:20 pm
"Are you certain this is the chime you want here, Jes?"
"Of course!" Jestari grinned, glancing over at a skeptical Rulala, who was currently busy eyeing the gloomy chime in Jestari's hands critically.
"But... it's metal."
"What? Don't tell me chimes can be racist." Rulala looked up sharply, eyes wide.
"No! I didn't mean it like that!" She waved her hands in the face of Jestari's 'enlighten me' expression. "I mean, spirits drawn to metal chimes are always so... stiff. They never have any fun at all. Metal chime spirits don't really get along with Crystal spirits like me."
"Really? I hadn't realized that certain spirits are drawn to certain chimes..." Jes frowned at her purchase.
"Then you'll return it?" The spirit recieved a shake of the head in return.
"Can't. They don't do the Exchange thing there."
"Oou..."
Jestari cast a sidelong look at Rulala. "Are you really that upset about it?"
"Ah.... No, I guess not." She paused a moment, then brightened. "After all, if metal spirits are as ramrod straight in their ways as I think, this one might be fun to tease!"
"But- .... Oh, nevermind." At least she wasn't being so negative about it anymore.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2006 11:22 am
After much consideration, it was decided that the new chime would be hung from a hook on the front porch, where anyone visiting, or even passing by, would would see it... if they looked, at least. The chime didn't reflect light very much, having more of a dusted finish than a burnished one like Rulala's had had, if the word could be applied to crytal.
Likewise, the tune it played when the wind danced around it was quiet, relaxing. It's tapered, almost spidery looking hollow chimes danced lazily beneath the domed top almost every day.
It was funny, but after a few days of hanging there, whenever someone who did not regularly visit the house, the chime took on a.... menacing feel, and it's music had a dangerous edge to it's normal calm.
:-:
Now it was getting into Grand Summer, or that was what Rulala called it. Whatever it really was, it had been a few weeks since the schools had let out for summer vacation, and it was getting hot with increasing frequency. So, instead of staying in the house all day like a certain layabout who will not be named, coughUrdacough Rulala took to spending her time out of doors. It was an excellent place to practice, anyway, since there were no fragile things to break besides Cho's garden beyond the front porch and the new chime.
Many times, Rulala simply practiced her musical magiks, dancing energetically to the Faerie Reel that sent neighboring feet a-tapping (still not as strong as it could be. They only danced absently.. not when they were concentrating on it. Darn.) or simply swaying to a Lullaby while Bryan napped nearby.
Often, Jestari came outside to watch Rulala practice, once her indoor chores were done (she paid a neighborhood kid to mow her lawn for her- hurrah for delegating!), or just to sit down with her sketchpad and draw whatever came to her mind.
None of the inhabitants of 12 Nakaburry Road could ever really shake the feeling that they were being watched.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
