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fire_moon_77 Vice Captain
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 Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2013 8:53 am
image made by: noahbradley
original image {x}
Terra Solo
. . . . . . .
Terra Solo is Jord’s current capital and home to the royalty. It is located on the coast and because of it’s location, most trade for the nation comes through here.
It is also the largest city in Jord and is complete with a large market in the middle which is frequented by visitors and residents alike.
. . . . . . .
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Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2013 7:36 pm
The periodic scratching of quill and shuffling of parchment within Orson's office was brought to an end with a faint crackling noise as Orson interlocked his fingers and stretched his hands outward. At last, the paperwork was complete for the day. The morning light still flooded his desk as it poured in from the window, but at a glance, the sun was riding high. The chair slid quietly backward on the hardwood floor as Orson stood up for a quiet stretch before collecting his papers in one hand, setting them in an accordion folder, and then quietly pacing around the sunny side of the desk to reach his office door.
The outside of the office replied with a chilly draft and little more than silence. It would be a moment of pacing with a brief set of turns to the main foyer before the sounds of chatter would reach Orson's ears. All manner of aristocrats, attendants, diplomats, lords, philosophers, politicians crowded the main hall of the castle circling here and there about the room. Only about half the faces were common to him, but only one needed to be located. Rather than disrupt what appeared to be a long standing conversation over laborer's rights, Orson simply ducked in, handed the noteworthy face the folder, gave a nod of greeting to the group of six, then bowed out to the main carpet path. Giving a brief wave or nod to those who weren't too locked in conversation to notice the prince on an exit path, Orson briefly reflected on his youth. The work desk and the school desk aren't very different at all. Being able to depart from either one is equally as relieving. This relief came out as a relaxed sigh, as Orson stepped forth from the castle doorway to the garden beyond. The spring breeze filled his lungs to replace that of the stale castle air.
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Posted: Wed Apr 03, 2013 7:59 pm
“‘He invites future injuries who rewards past ones.’” Carr sighed, sitting at the edge of the table.
Louvell ignored him, rubbing the coarse cloth between his fingers. The fire-resistant cuffs were dull and dusty. It had been almost two years now. It didn’t fit anymore. The shoulders gaped, and the breast hung mostly open. He was still strong and lithe, but the day-to-day push up and walks were nothing compared to the daily exercise of a Lieutenant under Vatra command. He didn’t dare put it on again. The last time was enough. He’d thought of leaving it at Eldur, but some sort of painful nostalgia was embedded in him. Louvell had disappeared after several weeks of his disappointing reassignment. A year and a half later, he had only written his mother a handful of times. There, he was family. Respected. Friend. Here he was an ignorant apprentice and sloppy gambler.
He heard the soft shuffling of paws and knew Carr was gone. He should burn the uniform. A proper funeral for a time that had disappeared. Louvell stood, pacing towards the fireplace. The fire already burning wouldn’t be enough. He’d probably spend most of his energy on turning it to cinders. Then again, it wasn’t as if he would need that sort of power again.
Louvell sighed, sinking down next to the hearth. He felt the pockets, finding a photo of his unit in Eldur. He started to flick the glossy picture into the flames, but his fingers stayed tight around the photo. Louvell leaned back, dark hair brushing against the stone mantle. He reached over, fingers grasping at the table in front of him. He plucked a piece of paper and a pen from it. He scribbled:
“I’m living in Terra Solo under the residence of Carr Helmont.
.Louvell F. Keady”
He sighed.
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Posted: Sun Apr 07, 2013 2:19 pm
{{Note: The events in this post are occurring in Eldur, but they are posted in Terra Solo for simplicity's sake.}}
Fen was going about her business, wandering purposelessly down the street. She didn't feel like she had anything better to do, although there would be plenty of those who disagreed with her. Before she could get far, though, she overheard high-pitched screech from above, barely close enough even for her ears. She recognized it as the call of a falcon, and she would have wagered her bow against a broken arrow that she knew which falcon it was. She held out her arm as a perch, earning a brief but affectionate greeting as soon as the bird landed. He ruffled his feathers and presented her with a letter gripped in his claw. Fen never got mail, so it was certainly a pleasant change from the dead things he usually brought her as gifts. Opening and scanning the note, she turned around and walked slowly back toward her home.
The message was short and borderline cryptic, but it said enough to seem bittersweet to the criminally poetic Fen. After scrabbling around in a few different rooms, she found a pen and a piece of paper and wrote a reply, her sentences a little clumsy from her excitement but still comprehensible.
Terra Solo? Why? Are you okay? Should I tell anyone? I thought you were dead! Who’s Carr Helmont? I suppose I could find out on my own, but I think people prefer telling me things. I’m still living in Eldur, same as always. Got a few promotions, so now I'm a First Lieutenant. But enough about me. Why didn’t you tell me you were leaving? You didn’t tell anyone, as far as I know. I’ve missed you. There isn’t anyone else here half smart enough to match me. Nothing really interesting has been happening lately. I’m not even on the battlefield right now. Obviously. If I was, I wouldn’t be writing this.
I know I don’t have much to tell you, but you’d better write back. If you don’t, I’ll find you. Somehow.
Faolán Callahan
She picked up the paper and examined it, deeming it satisfactory. At least the paper was unscorched, though she’d been known to accidentally burn documents less important than this. She folded the letter, sealed and addressed it, and handed it to the falcon, who had followed her inside. He knew what to do.
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Posted: Sun Apr 07, 2013 2:58 pm
(mhmm)
Louvell scratched his chin, sizing up the amount of mail in their box. He picked through the commissions and small packages to Carr. He paused on one, double checking the envelope and definitive Vatra markings. It had been a few months since he had heard from his mother, had he forgotten a birthday?
He balanced the rest of the papers in one hand, tucking the packages under his arm. Tearing open the envelope he held it out in front of him, walking back up the street to their lab. It was almost time to open shop. A few people were already beginning to mill about in the dim morning light.
Louvell's eyebrows knit together, forgetting that he had sent a brief message back home. Who knew he was in Terra Solo? First Lieutenant? He skipped around in the letter for a clue, finally landing on the name at the bottom. "Callahan?" His footsteps slowed. They had trained together at the Academy, but he hadn't heard from her since his accident. He read the letter twice, and then thrice. After a few minutes, he looked up and sighed. He had passed his house. Tucking the letter back into its envelope, he turned around and went back a block to their unkempt shop. The windows were cluttered with papers and used bowls and flasks.
"Did you pick up groceries while you were out?" Carr asked, sweeping his tail over his paws as Louvell walked through the door.
He propped the door open, turning the closed sign over. "No, I just got a little lost."
"You've been living here for almost two years now," Carr chuckled. "Distracted?"
Louvell ducked behind the counter, dropping Carr's mail on the counter. "I have business to take care of before we start for the day." He walked into the back, pulling a stationary kit from a drawer and wetting his pen.
"I thought as much," Carr mused.
Callahan:
No one should care, at this point. The letter you received was on an impulse. Terra Solo is pleasant, to say the least. Carr Helmont is my--
friend? boss? mentor?
--friend. I am working for him for the time being. After the battle I tried to find work in Eldur, but I couldn't seem to find my calling there. I'm still not sure if Terra Solo is appropriate for me.
Finally a First Lieutenant? I remember burning your hair and stealing your books at the academy. The Vatra must be getting soft. Congratulations. And the rest of our class?
Louvell Keady
He seemed almost reluctant to ask about the rest of their friends. Some of them were surely in worse condition than he was. Others were probably husbands or Generals. He didn't go beyond "the battle." It was clear that he had gotten injured, but he wouldn't mention it if you asked him.
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Posted: Sun Apr 07, 2013 7:54 pm
 Fen had almost forgotten the dashed-out letter she'd sent to Terra Solo, in the time it took to recieve a reply. In hindsight, what she remembered writing had probably been kind of silly. She didn't care, of course--in point of fact, she had a reputation of strangeness to keep up. And Louvell would have remembered her as something of a... free spirit at the Academy.
The reply arrived in a few days, once again the only letter she received. Lucky she didn't ever get packages; she didn't think that one bird would ever be able to handle that. This time, she actually thought about what she was writing, rather than just scribbling down whatever came to mind. Her handwriting was neater, albeit not as formal as the embellished script she used for official documents and signatures.
Pleasant? Good to hear it. Not sure I can say the same for my lovely hometown, though. Not that I don't like it here, but "pleasant" isn't exactly the word. "Exotic" fits better. You already know that, of course.
I never would have pegged you for the type who have trouble finding their calling. Times change, I suppose. What's your work like now? That is, if you don't mind my asking.
She paused, licking the end of her pen, and chuckled at the next sentence. Her hair hadn't caught fire more than once or twice. Maybe a few times.
What makes you think the Vatra's gone soft? Maybe I've just improved. Ever consider that?
Besides, I may not be great at all the stuff they were trying to teach us, but I'm still the best shot the army'll ever find. And at least I'm humble.
I guess I haven't been keeping track of the rest of the class. Once we all got out into the real world, staying in touch just sort of lost priority. I'm sure some of them are still just rank-and-file soldiers; I know I met a few people at the academy I didn't think would amount to anything. And there was that one guy--whatshisname--Williams I think, or maybe Wilson--well, anyway, at least one of the others got pretty high on the totem pole, I think he's a major general now. Kind of makes me wish I'd kept in touch. Could have called in a few favors.
She couldn't really think of anything else to say, but that wasn't really a good place to end a letter, so Fen added in a brief "I have to go" and signed her name with a flourish.
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Posted: Sun Apr 14, 2013 2:22 pm
(D: I'm sorry I usually get emails when this stuff updates and I didn't. So much for promising to be active.)
"Louvell... Louvell....Louvell..." Carr called, jumping up onto the bed. Louvell was buried under several blankets, one bare leg sticking out over the side of the bed. "Louvell, get up," Carr sighed, sitting on top of the lump under the blankets. "I need you to unlock the shop."
Louvell snorted, sitting straight up in bed and effectively rolling Carr off the bed as he started awake. After a moment he blinked and fell back into bed, grumbling something rude and rolling over. Carr's ears flicked back and he stood up on his hind legs, sinking his claws into the man's foot. "I also need you to get the mail."
Louvell yelped, jerking his leg away from the cat and throwing a pillow at him. "I'm up! I'm up!"
Terra Solo is no Eldur. The trading markets are ridiculous. If you ever need anything strange or illegal, let me know. You should see some of the Fiendish and Sirens in the bay.
I've moved into Alchemy. It's a whack-job profession, if you ask me. Some of the potions are useful, but most of it could be done without magic. It's mostly beauty potions and lucky sailing charms. I haven't managed to turn lead to gold, ha-ha. Carr is a good man, he didn't need to offer me the job. It's nothing strenuous, just a lot of writing and botany. It would help if I was an Earth. I'm more of a potion-boiler and a kettle-heater. Nothing stimulating. I haven't met many other Fire Elementals. I thought I could give fighting lessons, but this is the wrong place to do it. I won't be moving any time soon, Carr keeps me fed. Got any part-time jobs between training? I'd bet you were a housewife with twin girls by now, eh? Did you and Marty ever confess your undying love for each other?
He chuckled. Louvell leaned back, thinking about how much easier it had been as a mischievous teen with a powerful father to pull him out of trouble. He'd always been pulling pigtails and flaunting shiny new badges and weapons his father had earned. It was much easier to win over girls with someone else's money.
You? Improved? Don't forget to tie your shoes.
True. Your bow will keep you alive as long as you keep your distance. Don't get yourself cut into little bits on the front lines.
Wilemon? I wouldn't have thought he could do that. He was more of a brute-force sort of guy. Maybe. I'll write my sister and see if she can get it out of my father. It pays to have friends in high places. Apparently Carr trained under some guy named Nicholas... Flynnl? Flimmil? Flannel? I'm no alchemist, but he sounds like a pretty good one. I guess it doesn't matter how powerful you are if no one knows who you are. Carr adores him. He's always going on and on about his work. I guess it's the same in every profession. Speak of the devil, I have to light the kettle. Dear Maki, I'm a regular grunt now.
Louvell
(Some guy came into my workplace this week and his name was Louvell. I was having a mini-heart-attack. He was an old man. Oh well.)
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Posted: Wed Apr 17, 2013 8:24 pm
As wonderful a sight the castle garden was, thick with well trimmed green of grass, tree, and bush, the streams of colored flowers across many beds, and needlessly ornate cobble walkways, the artificial sights of controlled life in the garden were less dynamic than the absolutely astounding sight of the city and seaside. Orson shrugged a bit as he bordered the hedge maze. It wasn't for dislike of the garden, he enjoyed it plenty as he grew up, but as a common site it fell flat even as seasons changed, arrangements of flowers changed, and leaves changed color, in one way or another Orson had seen all of it again and again. Thinking back, he couldn't count the years on both hands anymore by the time he first got to see the city. Even the occasional parade was an overdecorated line from street to street, blocking out the city and standing higher than the beach.
His first fond memories of overlooking the town were just like this. The edge of the grand earthen staircase to the castle grounds were the best view of the city and the sky. The worn stone steps were a stiff, give-less bench, but an insignificant expense to see the sights.
Ahh. I wonder if Da ever stopped to drink in the sky? Pay the small penance to just stop and see living art?
Orson's eyes darted to the corner of his mind as a thought emerged.
He just might. It isn't as though I see him more than eight hours in total on a short day. It's not as though he's a soulless machine.
Laughing in his head seemed to only create a slight arc of a smile on his face. The City was as bright and colorful as ever in the spring, especially the market district. At least Orson was pretty confident that strip where the activity was thickest and the short shanty structures were street shops and convenience stores. The people out there were faint enough to resemble moving veins of dull color between the stone and lumber masses. As he used to when he was ten years younger, Orson rested his elbows on his knees and his chin on the back of his hands, content to scan the city from corner to corner as the distant citizens traveled the streets.
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Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 3:41 pm
((Sorry Phaeton I would reply but Louvell/Carr are in a roleplay already, and Danny lives in Kainat.))
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Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 10:33 pm
StrickenWondrously ((Sorry Phaeton I would reply but Louvell/Carr are in a roleplay already, and Danny lives in Kainat.)) I don't mind. I'm just far behind quota and hard pressed to come up with a reason for my character to actually do anything.
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Posted: Sat Apr 20, 2013 7:00 pm
(Yeah It's been pretty slow around here lately. Everyone is in that final push to be done with school or work. If you have a character somewhere else and want to PM me about it I'd love to get something active.))
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