Raindrop Valkyrie

Garret The gamble paid off, that was certainly a voice he'd heard and now it was clear enough to be made out. Shouting, in a strange... accent that Garret wasn't quite sure he'd ever heard before. lt had a roughness to it like a bite from a dog with teeth made of razor blades. lt wasn't remotely as pleasent as most peoplein Masquerade tried to sound... unless it was a man from Swords... but what would they be doing here? Regardless, he could now begin to make out some words. "Oi!!! Get off me ye MANGY MUTTS!!! l ain't yer supper ya bastards!" on closer inpection somewhere Garret could see... a Roulette Board? being tore at by two hounds that probably easily had mange. lt... seemed to be the source of the shouting. How this was possible... who the hell knew? Val Val scanned the crowd for one Elias however couldn't see him anywhere in the sea of people. Perhaps a given with the bustle of this dmanable party. She knew her sister was quite the one for lavish over the top affairs but this was quite ridiculous. Her sister, Valentine Priscilla Lemaire, had somehow lost her in the crowd herself, probably chatting up some random person she found attractive enough to speak with for the time being. Nothing would really catch the eyes, well expect for one thing on the opposite side of the room. Most of the servants present at the party were men, trying to not catch any attention of course as per their typical duties. However, Priscilla could make out one servant who was sticking out like a sore thumb. Her eyes were drawn to a woman,dressed as a maid. She had hair, silver and eyes of the same colour. There was an air of beauty to her that was strange coming from a maid. Not that they weren't allowed to be beautiful mind... but that her beauty demanded attention. She began to wonder how the whole room's eyes weren't drawn to this woman. Her very presence demanded her eyes to focus on her, she found it hard to pull away and look at anything else. This woman's own existance was entracing her pulling her inward and drawing her away from reality in some sense. She felt a pull on an invisible string towards her... her body almost beginning to move itself in this woman's direction. lt was at that precise moment, that her sister loudly refocused the attention onto herself. "VAAAAAL! There you are honey.~" Pris had said, taking hold of Val's left arm. She smiled through her eyes, and really all of her face. Pris... was quite an animated person, worse that Val knew she was entirely genunine with her amount of energy. Pris never seemed to be able to wind down to normal human levels,something that could be... quite irritating time to time. lt was probably made worse by the fact that she looked exactly like her and was often confused for Pris. Their parents could not have choose a more confusing pair of names for twin girls... 'l was lookin' all over for you Val. You slipped away from me, dear you gotta be more careful."

An acrid odor permeated the air, hanging every where in the alleyway. lt was hard to pin down what it was or if it was even a single smell. However what was able to be known to Garrett was that whatever it was was certainly unpleasent. lt wasn't odd for some areas in Wands to be less then... stellar. While it wasn't dangerous everywhere like Swords, it had the places one just didn't go. This Alley was starting to very much feel like one of them. lt was filled with all sorts of refuse, garbage from the nearby businesses that was probably at one point intended to be picked up, long since forgetton. The sounds of stray animals ripping through for scraps was noticable and filled the alleyway, only making the decision feel more and more foolhardy. lt was probably too late at this point however though, too late to turn back if the time invested was to matter. The only real option was to forge forward or end up smelling like all the world's garbage for nothing. There was something strange in all this however. Garret could've sworn he heard a voice amoungst all the din of the alleyway. Somewhere underneath all of the rubbish. Had he imagined it? lt felt as if it was a dream, so far away. Perhaps it was only the colourful odors playing tricks on his mind... but it felt like there was some kernal of reality to it. lt nagged and nagged at the mind gnawing on it like a rabid dog with a bone. He'd feel a compulsion, deep deep in his own being... one that told him to search through this alleyway for what he'd heard.

lt was an uneventful night, nothing special about it. The day had gone by painlessly, wistfully, a day like any other. The evening went to bed without much fuss, tucked in by the starry cover of night. Masquerade however never truly slept. The multicoloured light bathed the city in a myraid of dancing colours each as brilliant as the next. They bled through the dark night sky, and all the way to the very edge of the District of Wands. lt was an odd quiet night in the bustling metropolis, something strange. The City tonight, seemed to have finally found some solace, enough to shut it's eyes and rest for the morning. Though they kept running, the scheduled trams were all but empty despite what should've been the rush hour to get home after a day's work. However, the peace now wouldn't last. There was no way that it could. Grey smoke lazily drifts from a window, naught but a ghost against the night sky. A voice is heard, one full of a stiff energy, a presentation of some sort or another currently going on. A gentle flickering of lights, the rapid changes of colours as different imagry flew by. A small TV bathes an otherwise dark room will a small amount of light. A Woman lounges in her chair watching and listening intently. A lit cigar's dull ember whines against the light of the device, trying to be seen. She puts it out in an ashtray nearby, done with the dying ember and wanting instead to focus on what's in front of her. A news report is playing, recapping events of the evening in the city. A woman sits stiff as a mannaquin at a desk. Her face is covered with a mask of a dark purple, in the shape of some sort of bird. Three feathers shoot out from the top of the mask, they bob as she moves and speaks but otherwise they stand still, an immense amount of control that'd take. "...it would seem that the earlier rally this evening was in retaliation towards the now infamous "Wands Water Scandel" the event where a government subsidised pipeline had exploded during it's construction. lt seems that the lron Cross held this rally to set the record stright or so they claim. Let's roll the footage from earlier this evening" The screen cuts to a video showing a collection of figures clad in paramilitary gear. Thousands of them stand around a single man on a raised dias, one that had been swiftly and hastily slapped together. They all are dressed the same, in dark grey camoflouge with masks that look more like military gas masks then anything else. Hardwear that clearly would allow a man to breathe in Swords. The man in the center motions for the crowd to quiet down from the men around him to quiet the din of discontent emunating from around him. "Today, marks the day The lron Cross will no longer be quiet. We'll no longer standby as we so have. Maskers! The Peopleof this fair city! Lend me your ears! Understand that your Magistrate...is a liar, and a crook." he walks, head held high to the center of his raised platform. He looks out ove the crowd of his men, the brothers that fight alongside him. "She has on record said that The lron Cross are responisble for the explosion that happened this past Wednesday. That the government was at no fault for the events that had occurred on that day. lt was aterrorist attack! Of course it was... after all, The lron Cross was there! And that is true. We were there. l will not lie to you people of Masquerade. We were there that day. We were there to protest yet another damned line to dump trash into our home of Swords. But, we were there in good faith. We did not do that which your Magistrate teels you we have. Your Magistrate... she doesn't have the heart to tell you it's that it was their hasty and shoddy work that caused this." He slams his fist into the podem in front of him at this time, the mic whines with feedback in protest at this. "lnstead of questioning them however, you've all decided to damn us. After all, it's the easier option ye? Well, l've got a message for you Masquerade, and for you Miss Magistrate. lf you're so ready to damn the Cross, so ready to cast us your villian in this turgid affair then fine. SO BE lT!!!" The crowd roared alongside him, they all screamed a collective " SO BE lT!!!" A Chorus of a thousand voices yelling those words. He quickly quieted them, his control over the crowd was stunning... terrifying. "When all is said and done, when the flames of rebellion die down it'll be seen. The people will know the ugly truth, that which is hidden in the darkness, that which is hidden away in the smog of industry. They will see the world that has been so choked with smoke for the first time. They shall see the Land of Swords for what it truly. They will see our home brought out into the light. The true villians will then be known, they'll no longer have a place to hide. Not that they ever truly have. After all, nothing can hide from the rays of the sun." The men around him cheered as his speech ended with those words. They chanted the words of the Crossers loud and clear. lron! Blood! Freedom! lron! Blood! Freedom! and like that, the TV flicked off. The Woman sighed heavily... while the people were on their side it had seemed that their move had spurred on the lron Cross. The Cross... might now be the very thing they had feared. "Geoff!" she shouted. A man entered, small of frame. He wore a tweed jacket, and had thick glasses. "lt's Geoffrey, Miss Magistrate. Geoffrey B..." "Shut up... l don't have time for this. Geoff, get the Council together, we've got problems. Big ones."

Feel free to chuck my name on whaaaaatever. Though, Jester and Man at Arms are probalby my more favourite classes. ~~or if you're using any mod classes feel free to chuck me on one of dem too, don't know if ya are doe lol~~

"l've no idear what'cer talkin' about Bea. A Treasure 'Unter is always mighty composed she is she is." Cassidy trying to play off the situation as if that wasn't the case. She knew it was true BUT, that wasn't good storytellin'. "Anyting ya remember was clearly me 'aving a spot of fun wit'cha two lovely ladies. Of course l knew youse weren't dere to throw off. Youse was lucky to even find me in the first place." That was weird... why did they even look in that barrel in the first place? That was certanly a strange thing Cassidy never really questioned before, but now that she was thinking about it... "So... why on earf did'cha ya two even open dat barrel in da first place? Mighty suspect if ya asks me."

Just in case it's missed and for those browisng that aren't in the server for the timebeing Sign-Ups will be closed until the opening period of the RP has concluded. They then may reopen to fill Arcana that are still outstanding. Hopefully those that do want to get in on this little game still will huck sheets at me and not mind coming into the story a bit later~ Thank you~

"Ye ye, bein' on one's own is great, until it gets all borin' like." Cassidy remembered back the the times from before she met the two. She'd been trying to get off her home island at the time. Of course, she didn't have much in the way of money so she had to try and sneak onto a ship. Luckily it'd been the two here that found her and not any of the deckhands. "Rather glad youse looked in that barrel for whateva da reason was. Was wicked cramped in dere ye ye. Not good wicked either." Cassidy suddenly got a rather miffed expression on her face as she seemed to be in thought. "Ye ye, neva doin' a barrel again if l gots ta 'ide for a long time. Maybe a box... or, like... a sheet or someting."

Cassidy flexs her right arm and pumps it once into the sky, "Ye ye! So many adventures we'll 'ave Bea. We'll find it wes will. lf l ain't Cassidy "The Lilac Fox", The bess Treasure 'Unter there ever was! And l am prutty sure l am." Cassidy smiled from ear to ear as she said this, closing both of her eyes and scrunching her nose. A small thumbs up flashing towards Bea, before she was assaulted by yet another full body hug. Though, at least this time for Bea, Cassidy had done so while standing still, rather than bulleting towards her. "Aaaah, tis to be a wonderful tale it is it is. Chock full o' adventure and romance and darin' deeds! A true tale of da ages!" Cassidy sheepishly turned to the other that had been in this conversation for a moment. "And l suppose Aunty Yuel can come too~" with that returning to her giant smile that wrinkled her little nose.

"Heheh... well dat's not da easiest ta talk about." and it really wasn't. She had her reasons, and this was something she wanted. But, she didn't exactly leave cause she had wanted to. "l was too old ta stay at the Orphanage anymore. Miss Ellen couldn't really have an adult around the place that was up to ya know... borrowin' tings. She l 'ad ta leave. ln part...l didn't want ta. Those kids looked up to me, or well... l suppose the story l made up to keep 'em from thinkin' l was doin' anything bad. l didn't want 'em gettin' no idears in their 'eads that it was a smart or rightful plan. l only did it ta 'elp out Miss Ellen, she needed da help. l know there was probably better ways ta 'ave done it but... it was all l could do at da time." she said, looking like she did in part regret having to do what she did, but it was about survival in some dead end town. SO she didn't really regret it. "l'd told da little ones dat we 'ad a mysterious benefactor. l called 'er 'The Lilac Fox'. Twas just me but dey knew no better. She was a mighty treasure 'unter wit a 'eart of gold she was. She'd get sorts of presents for da little ones, toys, food, sweets, ya name it. Well... maybe dey did know. l neva borrowed anyting for myself,just for dem so they 'ad some little 'appiness. l figured iffen l 'ad to leave, l'd find the biggest treasure l could carry, and bring it back one day... doe, ldoubt by da time l do they'd still be the little tykes l 'ad left dere."

Cassidy turned a modest shade of red after that, a magnatude up from before. She tapped the toe of her right boot into the ground a few times and swayed her arms behind her. "l suppose l'm prutty wicked ye." lt was pretty true, Cassidy while she couldn't read was quite intelligent, perhaps showing that literacy wasn't required for it. While she couldn't read signage, she could mkae out what kind of shops places were by the pictures and sneaking quick peeks inside. Food stalls and open air markets were the easiest targets as things were so busy Cassidy could easily slip small things into her pockets. She was also quite the expert when it came to knickin' pockets. She was so good she could even nab people's belts from their trousers without them noticin'. "Readin' and Writin' are quite useful skills l can imagine ye, but a wee bit of craftiness can supplement from time ta time. Dat... and folks tend ta include pictures so it's be easy to know where ta borrow from ye ye. Makes the Treasure 'Unter life easier when people label der goodies for ya wit' nice visual aids. People also tends to have the shinies in der pokkets, and dose are prutty useful for actually buyin' what'cha need. Tings been tougher cause'in l can't l'm sure... but l neva really had need ta."

"Nope, not a lick. We couldn't really afford none of dose readsie wordsies let alone da essentials on any given week. Dey's also real heavylike. Hard ta pokket and run off with, so l couldn't really steal dem eith... oh borrow dem l mean." She said, turning a little red. Not cause she was embarrassed that she couldn't read, but because she didn't steal things. She borrowed them. An important distinction. The younger kids certainly needed what she did. She couldn't call it stealing. lt was too important and too good a deed to have been a crime. "Miss Ellen tried ta teach us kids as much she could wit' what little she 'ad though. But readin' and writin' wasn't exactly the da most possible ting."

Cassidy might not've been the bestest at readin' folk, but she certainly could hear the wind fall out of Bea's sails when the topic of her mother came up. She even quickly changed the subject, so Cassidy knew it probably wasn't the correct move to move it back. She could understand such, though... Cassidy would at least be happier if she even knew her parents at all, no matter how bad they were. She'd at least have someone to be angry at, or direct what she felt towards. Luckily Cassidy's natural high energy didn't need to be faked however, she was capable of summoning it in most situations. "Ooooo, that'd be Wicked Aunty Yuel!" her wild enthusiasm was replaced with some wild puzzlement as she put a stray finger to her chin. She seemed to be deep in thought, something not common of Cassidy. She rarely stopped to think, often just babbling through her thought process. "Doe... l suppose l'd hafta learn 'ow to make out one of dem readsie wordsies then huh? Neva been able to do dat before."

"So wise Aunty Yuel, so wise. You must be right! Surely we'll sees them again if dey 'elped us. AHHHH, that's so cool! l wonder what dey be like. Maybe they are awesome treasure 'unter's like me! OOOOOOOO, what iffen they are like... AHHH!!!" Cassidy left her imagnation run wild for a bit, as she often was want to do. Until she realized what Bea had said. Her mother huh? Cassidy wondered what it was like to have a mom. She never knew her own parents. She must've had them, she existed after all, but she never got to met them. She wondered what they were like... they couldn't have been as awesome as Bea's wizard mom doe. After all, they had left her all alone to fend for herself. Cassidy... wasn't truly angry with them. She didn't even know them after all, they could've had good reasons. Where they left her was... good enough a place, so clearly they did care... but not enough to have kept her. As a result of all this she couldn't help but ask Bea about her Mother. She wnated to know what it felt like... what that bond was. "Oh, your mum was a magicky person too Bea? Wicked~ She musta been real cools like to do somethin' like dat. l wishin' l was better at them readie wordsies, maybe l could do some wicked magic too!"

Cassidy ignored the comment, she knew after all that Bea was safe in her capable arms. There was never any risk she'd tumble off the side. So she set focus on the rest of what she had to say instead. "Oh that big boom of lightinin' and the wind ye ye? Forgot about dat, l do suppose it was interestin', wonder wherein it came from ye? l suppose we all are, didn't seem like anyone 'ere 'ad a lick of Thunder or Wind in 'em. But, whoever dat that really saved our skins doe huh? l wonder who they could be. Maybe a mighty adventurer! Full of mystery!Romance, AHHHHHHH...!!! They're so cool~" she said sorta losing herself in the moment just picturing whoever helped them away from those dasterdly ne-erdowells! "What'cha think Aunty Yuel? You're all like... mysterious and magic-like ye? You'd have ta know. You'se the smartest lady l know."

The peace wouldn't last long for her though. The quiet was about to be broken, Bea... probably used to this traveling with the soon to be culprit. There wasn't any warning for the poor poor dark mage as oft was the case with this little ball of greased lightning. She was quick and somehow deadly silent. As soon as she neared, Cassidy as she pounced onto her target. "BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEA!!!" *WHAM!* she jumped onto the girl who was lost in thought's back, with a giant hug. She made careful like to not knock her overboard at the least, wrapping Bea in her arms helping that considerably. "So...what'cha thinkin' bout? OOOH OH! Somethin' romantic? Like a gallant lad or lass to sweep ya off your feetsies? OH OH Wait! Maybe our next biiiig adventure! Wheres we like steal some shiny whatsitmaboober from a glitterin' temple and gots to run away from a giant rolly polly rock. OOOO OOO, NO WAlT!!!" she'd keep going on for some time if Bea made no effort to stop her.

"l feel like Aunty Yuel and Bea are rubbin' off on me some...OH! and uh... l'll take me some of dose Stabbie Throwies please!" Take a 5% to Magic and Knives pleeeeeeease. and... like l defs goin' Theif cause my PS isrelated to stealing...

Kaede Kaede wasn't really sure as to what to say. She had left the area, and hadn't really known what had happened there, though... she had ideas but nothing that was really attached to anyone she knew. "Tys, there'd not be any names to drop past more than half of the girls on that trip that were present at the time of occurance. My whereabouts were more than well known as l had prior to leaving helped to relocate a girl's shoulder and more or less made myself a known element at that point. The teacher present in the moment had sent myself and Alva, the girl whom l had helped to seek out the nurse. Two others came with us." Kaede stopped talking for a moment. She began racking her mind for details, passing over everything that had happened tht she could remember, taking out the info that had no purpose here and trying to file it around in her mind. Tys had seen her do this many times before, so she knew the pause wasn't because she was done speaking. "l cannot think of any names currently that would fit this criteria. l wasn't present l do not have enough information to know anme that would have import over any others that were present at the scene, at least not that l can remember."

"Well dis is a sticky wicket innit? All for makin' like a tree and leafin' say aye!" Cassie not really waiting for answers, bouncing forth, a ball of greased lightening. Bounce to L18

Move to T11, Attack Fencer 4 with lron Javelin.

Move to T11, Attack Fencer 4 with lron Javelin.

Nastasia Nastasia shot a glance over to the woman that had brought her there. Curious that what was clearly a servant should speak in such a conversation, but she supposed this is just what Envy was like. Besides, she did actually like when servants would speak their mind rather than wait for permission. She'd never admit that publicly though. "Ohoho!~ Quite confident l see. Good good, l like that." however she quickly turned to her important conversation, the ones that had asked for her help... or so she presumed. "l see, so our trump card is an unknown factor but our delivery system is not. That could prove quite the problem, after all what good is an ace in hole if you can never reach the hole?" she mused knowing no answer was to be brought forth that was different from what Faerie has said. After all, they couldn't know what Aries was planning. "l can try to provide firing support, but Archangel's effective range is only medium to short range engagements. l also can't use The Shroud while being carried it'd probably vaporize whatever was attached to Archangel. So, l can't provide full fire support like usual." Nastasia seemed to be finished, before she perked up a second. The clear sign she'd forgot to ask something. "Oh, and Madame Argyle. One more thing... will Lain be present for this battle, or has he asked me to do something in his stead once more?" Nastasia's expression was quite the conundrum after this question. Hard to discern why she was asking, or why this mattered just from looking at her. She didn't seem angry when asking it.

Accepted Characters: Mika Harlow ((Kuro von Einzbern (KosherKitten) )) [Arcana: Judgement] Elias Smith ((King Murdoc)) [Arcana: The Emperor] Garret Fawlty ((Felix~)) [Arcana: Wheel of Fortune] Priscilla Valentine Lemaire ((Twinwolf)) [Arcana: The Stewardess] Gabriel Tennore ((rokubiraijuu)) [Arcana: The Lovers] Siera Wynn ((Swampellow)) [Arcana: Death] Current State of Sign-ups: Closed until further notice. May be reopen a bit down the line after the RP gets through it's opener.

The Arcana, are dying. Long have they ruled this world in secret, past the view of mortals as they weaved the web of fate itself. However, they find themselves with less and less power as the days pass. They are no longer what they used to be, no longer gods. The tapestry of fate calls for their demise, that they of course wish to avoid. One of their number, The World, has already fallen into an eternal slumber form from which they cannot awake. Each fears that the next day shall be their last. The webs of fate speak not of the world if all the Arcana fall to this slumber. Perhaps it shall remain all the same, but more than likely it shall fall to ruin. The unthinkable is the only solution. To ally with humanity, beings just brazen and clever enough to save them. Those that have shown time and time again they’ve the ability to defy fate against all odds. This RP will focus on those humans that so answered the call of The Arcana. Those that would make a contract with them and choose to fight alongside them. Players will have their own character as well as an NPC controlled by me, the GM, within them. This character is their Arcana, one of the gods of this World. Your contract binds you to them and in return they grant your power. The Arcana: (0. The Fool - God of Journeys, Naivete, Discovery, and improvisation * (1. The Magician - God of Potential, Talent, Capability, and Means * (2. The Stewardess - Goddess of Servitude, Humility, Order, and Discipline. ** (3. The Empress - Goddess of Nature, Fertility, Earth, and Art (4. The Emperor - God of Power, Secrets, Persistence, and Sovereignty ** (5. The Hierophant- God of Faith, Community, Tradition, and Teaching (6. The Lovers - God and Goddess of Relationships, Connections, Choices, and Blood (7. The Chariot - God of Drive, Determination, Steadfastness, and Victory (8. Strength - Goddess of Emotions, Conquest, Enlightenment, and Control * (9. The Hermit - The God of inner strength, Guidance, Mysteries, and The Wild (10. Wheel of Fortune - God of Change, Fortune, Wind, and Chaos ** (11. Justice - God of Justice, Law, Punishment, and Thunder * (12. The Hanged Man - God of Sacrifice, Dignity, Selflessness, and Time * (13. Death - Goddess of Self, Awareness, Thought, and Endings ** (14. Temperance - Goddess of Water, Patience, Balance, and Moderation (15. The Devil - God of Darkness, Fear, Voraciousness, and Desire * (16. The Tower - God of Destruction, Liberation, inevitability, and Crisis * (17. The Star - God of Light, Hope, inspiration, and Purpose (18. The Moon - Goddess of Sisterhood, ice, illusion, and Etherealness. * (19. The Sun - God of Brotherhood, Fire, Harmony, and Joy. * (20. Judgment - Goddess of Judgment, Finality, Awakening, and Lightning ** (21. The World - God of Everything. Currently slumbering for all eternity. **: Taken by a Player * : Taken by an NPC World lnfo: Generic World lnformation and a primer on Masquerade, the most important city in all of Meridian. Major Groups: These are groups that would be known to the PCs within reason. They will often come up against them or possibly come to their aid depending on the circumstance. They are the major players in the world and will make appearances throughout. Terminology: Frequently used words either in setting, or in relation to the player characters. Character Design: Rules: Remain Calm. Things will not always go your way. This is okay. No Meta’ing, Powergaming, or any other types of RPG taboos. We shall not go over them in detail here but this doesn’t mean that they are not problematic behavior. This goes without saying, however, a reminder. Be respectful of your fellow players. At times you will face conflict with Your Arcana. Just because they are part of your character doesn’t mean they will always agree with your character actions or just allow you to take actions they don’t approve of right in front of them. They are characters each their own. (A reminder here as well, your Arcana is played by me, the GM.) Keep Suism in check. Mary Sues aren’t truly a binary, off/on kind of deal. They are more fluid a concept. So please use your better discretion. I will let you know if you’re going too far in that direction. Most importantly, let’s have fun ye? Character Sheet: Lexi, our current RP Liasion has generously allowed me to host my game on her Discord so, l'll invite all of you over. Please be on your best behavior ye?: Click Here!!! When you get there, ping me or Lexi and ask for the Masked Role in the Role Request channel.

Did somebody order an obnoxious bard? No? Uh welp... this is awkward then. He's already arrived.

Move to K-14, Attack Aaaarchaaaah whatever...? With lron Knife.