this is Salem, a land filled with magic and maladies. It is a place where witches and their elemental familiars gather, a home to legend and
lore that predates time itself. Yet of all the wicked and wonderful stories the past can tell us of, the most magical are the ones yet to happen.
This is Salem - this is the start of your very own journey. Welcome to starfall
Starfall is an animaga witch roleplay set in mostly modern times. Members play as witches in a world plagued by monsters, where the only safe spots are walled cities. Starfall strives to be a character-driven roleplay with expansive lore and a highly interactive plotline. We want to allow members to
create and look back on a magical journey, and mold the site and its plot as their characters grow.
There is a childish tone to Percy's eager expectancy of the cupcakes she's promised him that makes Vera smile. He's being incredibly endearing. It needs to stop. She cocks her head, an idea sprouting in her mind like those fireworks she so loved. "Why not help me choose the ingredients for your cupcake, then?" she suggests, already wondering what kind of delicacy she could make for Percy. "Ah! Only if you behave, though."
Teasing and compliments over, it's time for their conversation to turn a bit more serious. Vera looks back at her companion with worry in her eyes when he starts lagging behind. She can definitely understand Percy's point of view, but at the same time she acknowledges his parents must have preferred a more domestic life. Perhaps they didn't even like their witching careers all that much. She wants to say so, wants to put the possibility up on the table, but at the same time she's got the knowledge that her own parents did not give up their careers for her, or any of her brothers. Trying to argue against him would be both hypocritical and cruel.
She chooses not to mention her own situation. Instead, she turns on her heels, walks up to him, and wraps her arms around him in what she hopes will be a soothing hug. "Oh, Percy," she whispers sadly. The position is a bit awkward, what with their height differences, but she wants to offer him at least this amount of physical comfort. She wants to let him know that it's okay to feel the way he does and his feelings are completely valid, even if she doesn't quite agree with them. "I wish I could give you an answer that will satisfy you."
The witch pulls back after a few more seconds. "I'm sure you'll become a great illusionist, maybe as famous as Valerus Blaze, one day," she declares, no hesitation in her voice. From what little she does know of him from their evening's long talk, Vera is certain he has the qualities to accomplish what he desires.
On the other hand... "Why are you putting so much value on a concept as flimsy as a rank, though?" she asks, softly, carefully. She doesn't want to question his insecurities, but she really believes there was more to life than titles. Way more. If only she could make him see that, perhaps he wouldn't feel the way he did now? "Power," she continues, "Power isn't only measured by rank, not really. Magic grows as we make use of it, but also as our bonds with those we love grows stronger. Your parents had that. They have such a strong bond with you; even I can see that."
Vera turns her face ahead, though her eyes are still lingering on Percy. "And, in the end, isn't what we do with our magic the most important part of all? The extent to which we help others?" It was the very reason she joined the Helios Knight: she wanted to help people. She wanted to make the world a better place, step by step, stone by stone.
Post by percival grayreme on May 19, 2017 16:29:54 GMT
[attr="class","Morning"]
[attr="class","mff"]
[attr="class","scarlett"]Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.
[attr="class","windyscarlett"]
"I promise I'll behave, Miss Lindt. I'd do anything for cupcakes." He puts his palms together as if he was praying, to prove his point in cliche. As they continues to walk, Percy can't help but to stare at the redhead beside him. How did she even get past through the mindless chatter back then? How did she understand his simple points coated in a whirlwind of words? They're alike, in that way, for Vera is chatty as well. They could talk forever, perhaps only stopping when they'd run out of topics, or, as what would happen later, when it is time for them to part ways.
He's saddened by the fact, but it's not the only reason for his temperament now. He had just spoken his dreams, goals, aspirations, frustrations to Vera. He feels incredibly vulnerable and exposed he attempts to shy away from the redhead. Vera does not let him, though.
Percy does not hug Vera back. I'd be impolite, at the very least. But he does smoothed her hair and pats her head. While she is embracing him Percy would say, "Don't worry. It's not your obligation to answer all those questions and satisfy all those insecurities of mine. The fact that you listened is enough. Thank you, Vera."
She pulls away, and he feels okay again. The encouragement is uplifting. "Now you're pulling a clairvoyant," he chides, gaining back his lax mood. Negativity seems to have left his mind, and so he's now able to answer Vera's questions with a rational, logical thinking. He lets her finish all her questions and gives himself a full minute before opening his mouth.
"I do know that," he says. "But in this world, you are a nobody unless you actually is up in the hierarchy. You know that, too, I'm sure. We have covens, and nobody pays real attention to us unless we're actually novices. I don't want to pass living in limbo, Vera. I want to be recognized. I want my name to be known throughout Salem." Percy imagines himself, maybe in the near future, being looked upon, being admired, being powerful. He savors such imagery, and promises himself he will make it happen.
"You said it. Power isn't only measured by ranks. Still, ranks are part of it. I do agree with you, though. I love my family. I would do anything for them. But a fledgling can't do much, eh? Even now they're stronger than me. In my state right now I can't do anything. They'll end up protecting me, instead."
Now it is Percy's turn to look at Vera. The woman is crystal clear with her point, but Percy does not quite agree with her on that. "You're a kind soul, Vera. That much I know. But one cannot protect others if he's weak. Rank determines strength. In order to protect your loved ones, you must be strong."
"Don't get me wrong," he clears his throat. "I do want the ranks because I want to be recognized. Everything else will follow. I'll be able to protect my loved ones. I'll be able to help others. I'll be able to stand on ground against monsters and defend Salem. Isn't that great, Vera?"
From afar, he sees the glow of several stores. The duo must be near, and while Percy has a rough idea of where Vera is headed, he refuses to mention it. Instead, he casually nudges the woman, smiling while pointing to the general direction of the stores. "I'm still game for the cupcake."
Vera Lindt , 581 words, s'all good! you're doing a great job juno/vera, pls make percy doubt himself
A thoughtful hum follows, making her seem as though she was seriously weighting the pros and cons of spoiling him with cupcakes. "Anything, you say?" she asks, and she briefly considers what kind of outrageous things she could convince him to do, like the dare from a truth and dare game gone terribly wrong, but before she can even consider anything, laughter bubbles up. She can't keep the act up for long, not when he looks so eager to be given pastries.
"Yes, I can work with that," she says at last.
Percy doesn't return her hug, but she notices that he's not calling her Miss Lindt anymore, but Vera, plain Vera, and that's enough to warm her heart and make her smile. A bright, genuine smile that, in turn, makes her wonder if she was the one being comforted when she was meaning to comfort the brunette.
"Oh, stop it," she says, breathing out a half-laugh that's no less entertained by his joke than she is worried about her newfound friend. "It's the least I could do," she answers simply. Vera's not satisfied, not really, but it's a good start.
She lets Percy continue explaining his motivations. Honestly, she can kind of understand, now that she knows his history with his parents, why he was so adamant and passionate about rising in his coven's ranks. She can't say it's unjustified, but she sure as hell doesn't think it appropriate for someone so young to be weighted down by all these self-imposed responsibilities either.
"A fledgling can do a lot, Percy. You'd be surprised by how often we forget how far small kindnesses can take us. Helping an old lady cross the street, brightening up a stranger's mood with a polite hi or a meaningful thank you or even a freshly baked cupcake, telling your family how important they are to you, listening to a friend in need..." At this last part, she smiles while searching his eyes. "Aren't these small things what truly bring happiness to our lives?"
When he mentions protecting Salem from monsters and all those creatures that almost feel like myth, from how distant tales of them are, Vera can't help but find in this Percy a small bit of the other Percy she knows. It's quite touching, to learn of his ideals, and it's also quite worrisome. If Percival Graymere is anything like Perseus Fonseca, they were both in for a lot of trouble.
"Magical strength is important, too. I'm not saying your priorities aren't. They aren't the only way to help—or to protect—though." By now, Vera's voice has gone an octave lower. She's looking ahead, determination shaping her expression better than a sculptor could. "Don't let your goals stop you from being that hero today, from allowing yourself happiness, or from bringing a smile to your parents' faces."
Percy points at the many storefronts, each one brought to life by an assortment of magical lights. Vera's surprised by how fast they made it there, or perhaps by how fast time seemed to go by while they were deep in conversation. "Of course you'd be, you glutton," she teases. The two haven't known each other long enough to warrant such liberties, but then again their first meeting hadn't exactly gone in the kind of pace normal meetings went. Besides, judging by how often he thinks about those cupcakes she's promised him, Vera finds it a fitting joke.
"Now, then, what kind of cupcake did you want?" she asks, leading Percy towards the store farthest to the right: a small, modest yet homely establishment. "Red velvet, chocolate, classy vanilla?" she ponders. She wants to give him something that resembles her impression of him, something worthy of an illusionist, with a flashy topping but a gentle filling. Her mind is already starting to visualize it, but the most important part, the kind of flavor she'd be striving for, was missing.
Percy grins. "Anything," he says, looking mischievous. Vera laughs and Percy drops the act, but not his sincerity. Little did he know, this would only be one of the many times he would have to rethink his principles. This is a new thing for Percy, and he is unsure what to think of it. He sees Vera's point, he will not disregard that, but he can't exactly think like her at this point.
As Vera further speaks Percy remembers fledgling missions he had taken prior to this moment. Those were menial and small tasks almost everyone can do. He remembers finding an illusioned coin with Tony, and how happy the mother is when they returned it to her. Vera is right, a fledgling may not do much, but they are contributing to the bigger picture.
He knows it. He knows it's the right thing to do, but...
"Yeah, you're right," Percy concedes with a sigh and a smile. You can't argue with a fact, after all, even if you don't like it. "I'll keep that in mind."
At this point he sees the difference between Percival Grayreme and Vera Lindt. He is goal-oriented, while Vera is somewhat detail-focused. Percy sees too far ahead his current surroundings are blurred by the light ahead, while Vera is the complete opposite. That only makes their friendship more dynamic than anything else.
Percy snickers at that. "Hero for today," he repeats, more of an inside joke. Leviathan, heroes for the day. Impossible. Suddenly, he wonders what coven Vera belongs to. Maybe it's one of the light ones, the Knights or the Jester's. Percy conceals the mismatch of words and principles with a flair of drama. "What a bold thing to say! You as well. Let's try our best for the day and be the good people we are. Maybe one day we could go on a mission together! And a picnic after!"
It will be fun, Percy realizes. Maybe this is what Vera is seeing--the small adventures, the little details that he otherwise would have missed in pursuit of his goals.
A few more blocks and the duo would be reaching their destination. That means a few more blocks time to think about what kind of cupcake he would like to get. Just thinking about it gets him excited. He veers to the right following Vera, stepping ahead of her to open the door. As he does, he speaks of the flavor he wants. "Can I get a cookies and cream one? A cookie on top perhaps?" He's hopelessly helpless in the kitchen, especially on baking, but hey, he does his best. "It's up to you! Surprise me with what you've got."
They enter the establishment, and he stays at the entrance for a while, letting the doors close behind him with a gentle thud. There are rows and rows and columns and columns of ingredients, and there is a huge counter with ready-made pastries, ranging from cupcakes to bread to pies. He does not know where to go. He is sure to but he makes it to the counter.
"The toppings are just so... flashy," Percy marvels, looking at the display. "But I would prefer less frosting. If only cupcake toppings can be made with just toppings and not frosting..."
Whoops. Let me know if anything needs changed! 
