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.
Post by julius kingston on Aug 27, 2017 12:46:48 GMT
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if my woman were a fire, oh she'd burn out before i wake[break]
AND BE REPLACED BY PINTS OF WHISKEY, CIGARETTES, AND OUTER SPACE---
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The incident had been all over the papers- a band of unlikely heroes fights off hostile gang and rescues local restaurant from distress.[break][break]
Well. It was the silly thugs' fault for ruining the eve of their friends' birthdays. The squad from Mirrorlight had been out celebrating. They were obviously not going to tolerate noise enough to drown the music- saving the restaurant had been an afterthought. Or not even a thought at all. With the prodigal alchemist Erin and a terrifying sword-capable Cassidy and his own lazy directions from the balcony, the fight had been over before anyone really saw it happen.[break][break]
Apparently, they had done enough good for both sides of Sundial to like them. But Julius did not like the police and liked criminals even less. Which made him wonder why he had joined Leviathan- a coven that, if history books could be trusted, was disgusting beyond all conception and amoral at its core. [break][break] The truth will set you free.[break][break]
His sister had said that once.[break][break]
His bags dragged heavily on the wooden floor of the ship. What a dumb location for a hideout. A single fire would end it. And surely people conducted inspections on these ports. Wasn't it suspicious when this boat had been docked here, presumably forever?[break][break]
Too many questions. He could probably pick the mind of whoever he was supposed to be being toured around by. [break][break] Annnnd spotted. Julius waved a lazy hand. "Ayy. Is this where I can find the shady cult for the ages? Or am I on the wrong ship?"
Post by maddox rothscus ✨ on Aug 27, 2017 13:18:20 GMT
that was you.
wanderlust loops loosely around his ankles; he is restless, by virtue of a character constantly wanting of action, fingers tapping a vague rhythm on the metal railings of the ship as he balances a book in the other hand. a worn title vaguely spells something to do with magic theory -- alchemy, possibly. yesterday had been dedicated to practical, hands-on work, breaking half-hearted knockerbacks and the like. today is tedious. theory is not his forte, and there's a blunt stubbornness to the way he tackles the subject that vaguely resembles repeatedly ramming one's head against the wall in hopes of merciful divine knowledge arriving with enough attempts.
naturally, he gives up after a while, the book falling closed by his side. he looks to the open seas instead, lazily watching rolling waves, wondering how on earth one conducts tours. it isn't as if he had been given a guidebook. what does one do? his mind draws a blank, ever so helpful.
footsteps, and the sound of an object dragged, come from behind. maddox turns, a casual, leisurely gesture that belies the sharpness of his eyes. a brief moment of consideration grants the dark-haired stranger the temporary title of 'that mirrorlight guy'. he returns the wave. "welcome on board the ship of the shady cult for the ages! entrance comes at the cheap price of your soul and a contract signed in blood!"
Post by julius kingston on Aug 27, 2017 13:43:29 GMT
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if my woman were a fire, oh she'd burn out before i wake[break]
AND BE REPLACED BY PINTS OF WHISKEY, CIGARETTES, AND OUTER SPACE---
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Julius drags his shabby possession with him as he steps towards the stranger. Vaguely it registers that the ship is built sturdy- it does not sway except under the occasional rolling tide. In the back of his mind, he wonders how old it is, where it came from. The 'sea' has always been an exciting idea to him, but now that he has seen it, its glory has faded to give way for a dozen other curiosities.[break][break]
His leisurely expression bursts into a wide lipped smile that touches the corners of either cheek and lights up his emerald eyes- warm and twinkling with an unspoken charisma of their own. He snickers lightly at the response and sets the luggage down before reaching out for a firm handshake. "Oh I like you. I'm Julius."[break][break]
He looks at the ship and leans against its railing, a breeze kicking up to mess with his hair. Finally, he can not help but ask. "Okay I can't deal. Do you. Just like. Permanently dock it, or something? Or is our leader actually comatose Blackbeard and we're mining souls and blood to awaken him?" [break][break]
When the stranger begins walking Julius dutifully trails after, the bag now forgotten against the ship's welcoming floor. "I mean, I'll take what I can get honestly. Considering I'm depraved enough to be here, who am I to judge?" he muses to himself, eyeing the walls and hallways. Unthinkingly, his atheneum interface appears beside him, trailing a little map of where he was going. The process is almost subconscious- he has a good memory. His interface is just a visual representation of it.
Post by maddox rothscus ✨ on Sept 2, 2017 6:59:49 GMT
that was you.
he mirrors a smile with his own -- a flash of bared teeth that, had his eyes been any darker, may have looked a threat. but, as it stands, maddox looks nothing more than the warm welcoming party of a certain ostensibly nefarious organisation. "i'm maddox," he offers in return.
"i think that's the best thing i've heard all day." he clasps the other's hand in a solid handshake. "you know, apart from 'hey, we baked extra cupcakes, do you want any?'"
patience reigns in his movements; it's not as if the ship is going to go anywhere ( and it hasn't, for a long time, as far as he knows ) so he is content to let the stranger simply stand for a moment, likely in quiet contemplation. then comes the question, and maddox nods sagely in response, voice rising with mock surprise. he begins to walk, steps slow and steady. "oh, you've found out already--"
eyes narrowing, even the timbre of his voice lowers with mock gravity. "indeed, we slowly build up a worthy sacrifice to our beloved overlord, and when the time is right--" a theatrical wave of the hand, and where a cape would have flapped majestically in the ocean breeze, a leather jacket simply hangs, in a somewhat anticlimactic manner. "we strike."
he pauses, amusement glinting in his eyes. "just kidding, honestly. might have drank a little too much." theatrics complete, he continues walking, the hallways fairly unremarkable for now.
"it's confidential information," he lies easily -- it sounds a lot better than 'i don't know'. a glimmer of mana beside the stranger shimmers into a smooth plane, and he is momentarily distracted from trying to figure out where to bring the stranger next. "oh, dude, that's cool."
Post by julius kingston on Sept 2, 2017 7:50:01 GMT
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if my woman were a fire, oh she'd burn out before i wake[break]
AND BE REPLACED BY PINTS OF WHISKEY, CIGARETTES, AND OUTER SPACE---
[attr="class","paige_post"] Julius's expression is almost lazily confident. "Well I have always been a master of deduction," he says, voice a casual drawl. It quickly fades to silence, however, as he gives the male time to respond. He doesn't want to miss out an anything he might learn, silly attempts or legitimate ones. Information? That's 'Confidential'? Ah, this coven now knew the key to his heart and how to break it. What poetic justice.[break][break]
He blinks at the theatrics and snickers. He can't say it isn't funny, but he's more of laughing at Maddox than anything else. Which is okay. Julius doesn't really mean anything cruel with his laughter alone, but some people tend to take it otherwise. He has a gut feeling Maddox's isn't the kind to take offense, but that gut feeling has occured to him for everyone and often turned out terribly wrong. This continuous error in judgment, however, has never made him more cautious of his tongue- funeral or fundraiser. He grins when Maddox stops to compliment his interface. It's nothing personalize yet- just a screen and a plain one at that. He supposes it'll catch on to his aesthetic sometime or the other. [break][break] "Right?" he asks excitedly. "Arguably the most practical affinity, if studying theoretical magic for three years was as enlightening as it claimed to be." A door swings open and the floor is wide and spacious. In fact, there's almost no furniture at all. The room is wholly empty. [break][break]
"What is this," Julius jokes. "The place where you store your achievements?" [break][break] His footsteps echo in the hollow chamber. His interface lazily flickers out, and he suppresses an annoyed hiss.
Post by maddox rothscus ✨ on Sept 2, 2017 9:05:18 GMT
that was you.
he hears the snickers, and assumes his task of entertaining is successful ( it typically is, one would realise, when he has, essentially, zero shame and a penchant for spontaneity ). there is a light that flickers to life in the stranger's eyes at the mention of the atheneum interface ( and he swears he's seen it before, somewhere, but he can't quite remember ).
and as they continue walking, he realises; it's a phrase pulled from the recesses of his memory, some parts faded and not quite there. he's tried to piece them back together before, jagged edges of childhood recollections, but even now, he is not entirely certain that they fit together quite correctly. alas, such introspection is a matter for another day.
instead, he says, empathetically, "theoretical magic is--" he searches for a word, lips curving upward into a wry smile. "an ordeal."
he turns on a whim, an idea forming in his mind, and pushes open an unmarked door. it slides open as easily as one would expect, hinges working smoothly -- the room is one that is well used, he thinks, though it is nothing like the more popular gyms in town, with their well-kept equipment and safety precautions tacked to the walls. this room ( though maddox is certain the ship holds more similar in purpose to it ), is painfully bare -- cold metal walls and a smooth, merciless floor beneath their feet.
"something of the sort," he says, a laugh bubbling beneath his words. he takes two steps in, spin on his heel, and leans forward in an almost taunting bow. an outstretched arm invites julius to step further into the room. "sparring, actually."
Post by julius kingston on Sept 2, 2017 11:54:43 GMT
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if my woman were a fire, oh she'd burn out before i wake[break]
AND BE REPLACED BY PINTS OF WHISKEY, CIGARETTES, AND OUTER SPACE---
[attr="class","paige_post"] Julius gives Maddox a double wry smile in response. "Especially when your professor's a senile old man that's insane enough to bring a rocking chair to the lecture hall. Not even joking." He sighs dramatically. At least this Maddox seems like good company. He vaguely wonders if he went to the university here. Luna? Lyla? He couldn't place its name.[break][break] Despite his mockery of the room, Julius does immediately know what its used for. It's instinctive. He supposes all covens have one or two of these. And cults aren't too far off the mark in terms of the facility if this one is any indication. Julius realizes he had never joined a coven before. He remembers hearing about one of his friends lament in Sociology about the pointless debate of "Why joining covens at a later age undermines their importance in society" Why learn something, her argument went, when there wasn't any conclusion to it? [break][break] Julius himself does not agree: It's better to discuss something and leave it unsettled then settle something without discussing it. As his footsteps clank through the room, he ponders the argument: Witches joining covens from a young age show loyalty and common values expected of witches including sacrifice, honor, integrity. On the other hand, witches that join after adulthood lack basic principles integral to all societies, integral to reduce crime.... [break][break] "Sure. I wouldn't mind adding more trophies to your count." He gestures at the nothingness, tone taunting and eerily confident. "No familiars, though. Hermione is sleeping." He raises an index finger to his lips. It's a flat out lie: any familiar would wake up for their witch, regardless of activity, unless entirely exhausted. He removes his glasses and lays them to the side, on top of a bundle of swords and axes. "And weapons are for pussies." Another lie: he's bad at swordplay. He never had the opportunity to learn, especially not when people seemed to prize magic so much. [break][break] His mind wanders again as he starts circling, no apparent stance at the ready. He does not consider himself an ideal citizen. His sister, she might have been. "So, Maddox. How long have you been in this shady cult?" he calls over the distance, hands finally appearing to guard and attack. His emerald eyes are sharp and focused, and a slight smile dances at the edges of his lips.
Post by maddox rothscus ✨ on Sept 2, 2017 14:34:48 GMT
that was you.
the comment on the university would have been answered only with a shrug -- there is no personal experience there, having decided to pursue whatever he needed to learn within the confines of library walls or that of his own home. the closest he can think of is aeris' attempts to go through book after book on magical theory ( though his father had quickly found out that practical demonstrations were, while foolhardy and dangerous and more often than not resulted in unnecessary injury, the fastest way to facilitate learning ).
but now, now, there is a semblance of quiet that settles over him, eyes sharp ( grey, cold steel, the edge of a blade ). he is not silent in manners of not speaking: "fair enough," he responds cheerfully, and his voice gains an odd echo in the emptiness of the room. the weapons go untouched, glinting in the shifting shadows; a single light hangs overhead, and though bright enough to illuminate the confines of the room, paint dramatic silhouettes against the walls.
( 'no familiars? really? i'll say--' )
he can feel the familiar protest, thrash silently within his thoughts. "play nice," he tells the familiar silently; moosely snorts, unsatisfied, but settles down nonetheless. there are more things that the familiar says, unintelligible, disgruntled mumbling that gradually fades.
instinctively, he mirrors julius, circling leisurely, settling into an easy stance. fighting without weapons is hardly the cleanest of methods ( and, though healed over, the skin on the back of his knuckles have scarred a different colour ), but compared to the finesse required by weaponry, he's rather glad that julius chooses not to use a weapon.
he almost sprained his wrist last week figuring out how to use a rapier. he would rather not run the risk of that right now.
"couple of years, i think." his voice carries easily despite the distance between them, and technically, this isn't a lie. but the conversation is an afterthought; his eyes remain trained on his opponent's. there is a smile that plays on julius' lips, confident, dangerous, and maddox immediately decides that he likes this guy.
Post by julius kingston on Sept 16, 2017 13:04:02 GMT
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if my woman were a fire, oh she'd burn out before i wake[break]
AND BE REPLACED BY PINTS OF WHISKEY, CIGARETTES, AND OUTER SPACE---
[attr="class","paige_post"] Julius blinked at the lacklustre response. Or rather, at the complete lack of response. He shrugged it off as their conversation continued. The man had already demonstrated the ability to joke and take a joke, and for now that would be enough to keep him in Julius's goodbooks. Not like he really maintained those kinds of lists. Too much effort. [break][break] A 'couple of years'...The answer flies over his head- what registers is that the brunette is focused. And that he should probably be focusing as well. His pride as a smartass that can kick ass seemingly depends on it. [break][break] He lunges and, if it weren't for the distance and Julius's hyper-aware state, the raven haired male is certain he would have been floored by the attack. Thankfully, he has time to think, because the world spins in slow mo. There are a lot of options, a lot of open points he's not sure if he's tested (which one to try first?). Despite the adrenaline (because of it?) his thoughts are pellucid, and flow in every direction. [break][break]He should move, probably. The first option is to stirke faster and harder- and he feels a fist rear backwards. If he can land the opponent squarely...and if not, he'll have to shoulder the hit and move on the defensive. Both thoughts register simultaneously. Julius makes his choice.
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maddox rothscus ✨ | COPYING WHAT LAV SAID: "0-50 juls misses and goes for defensive instead / 50-100 juls decks mads"[break] bnT1ubF0
Post by maddox rothscus ✨ on Sept 19, 2017 2:44:42 GMT
that was you.
there is no impact -- his opponent ducks out of the way, and maddox swings through thin air instead. but he's not mad; he cannot help but feel slightly satisfied at the evasion, considering it confirmation that hey, this guy can probably hold his ground. nevermind that it's mildly unexpected. from what he's heard of julius, there's really not much on an emphasis on him being able to fight, and this is a pleasant surprise.
he finds his balance again mid-step, breathing controlled and practiced. he's glad that he does. out of the corner of his eye, barely more than a blur, he catches the warning flicker of a fist drawing back for a hit. stay sharp. maddox drops. there is a rush of air as the attack glances past.
adrenaline curls in his stomach, and time slows ( control it ). he waits, a fraction of a breath, trying to locate an opening. then he strikes.
julius kingston 0-50 - misses, goes defensive / 50-85 - hits the defense / 85-100 - breaks through defense WyQquqM7
Post by julius kingston on Sept 28, 2017 6:59:53 GMT
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if my woman were a fire, oh she'd burn out before i wake[break]
AND BE REPLACED BY PINTS OF WHISKEY, CIGARETTES, AND OUTER SPACE---
[attr="class","paige_post"] Ah shit. All that revelry with the crew had him out of practice. And during their whole restaurant saving business, he hadn't exactly been doing the active fighting. He hadn't fought someone properly since....hm. He coudn't remember. It wasn't like it was a memory long distant..it was more of he wasn't sure which had come first per se... [break][break] Julius attack misses in turn, and as he swivels back to make sure he isn't punched across the spine, his hands go up reflexively in defense. His opponent attacks regardless of his guard. Brute force. He prefers subtlety, but two can play at that game. [break][break]The punch slams against the bones of his guard. Julius feels his legs dive into the ground as the search for that fabled 'equal and opposite reaction' to counteract the force of the attack. He grunts and smirks. "Come on, my girlfriend hits harder than that." [break][break] Amazingly enough, that wasn't quite an empty taunt. [break][break] Julius hands move quickly to grapple at his opponents- he attempts to throw him to the ground whie tripping him across an outstretched leg. And if he's fast enough, he'll follow that up with a sucker punch.
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maddox rothscus ✨ | side note idk what rolls are help me | 0-25 julius's throw only causes a stumble, attack misses | 25-75 mads falls but manages to block the attack | 75+ mads hits the floor and juls's fist hits mads[break] Lh8cDkRI
Post by maddox rothscus ✨ on Nov 25, 2017 2:58:54 GMT
that was you.
he hits the defence -- a solid one, as far as defences go. from the short period that they’ve been sparring, needless to say, maddox is impressed. it shows, through the faint curl of his lips, and the recognition and respect that lies beneath a thin veneer of tightly wound concentration in his eyes. “your girlfriend is a good fighter, then,” he says without heat, letting the comment slip past. “ever thought of bringing her here?”
had his opponent done anything else, maddox would likely have recoiled for another strike. old habits die hard, but habits of fighting and brawling, drilled into him from a young age die even harder. he is no stranger to this particular dance, not that he can afford to, given circumstances, but every new dance partner brings with them a new challenge, a new twist that he is never really able to foresee. it’s dangerous and reckless and he quite likes it.
as it stands, he feels julius’ grip tighten, and before he can really do anything about it, is shoved violently forward.
but, gods be damned, he hasn’t spent a decade training with a hyper-violent moose with anger issues as a sparring partner to go down in a throw like this. he throws his weight forward as he stumbles, hand pushing against the floor as he does. a breath -- he gathers himself, energy coiled like a spring, like he’s seen his father spar a million times -- and launches himself at his opponent, legs first and aimed low, fully intending to kick julius off his feet.
julius kingston <25: kick misses // 25-75: kick is blocked // >75: kick succeeds, juls falls
Post by julius kingston on Dec 5, 2017 15:25:03 GMT
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if my woman were a fire, oh she'd burn out before i wake[break]
AND BE REPLACED BY PINTS OF WHISKEY, CIGARETTES, AND OUTER SPACE---
[attr="class","paige_post"] Mmm, maybe Julius doesn’t like this Maddox all this much. As lovely as people who know how to take a hit are, they aren’t quite as fun as people who are prickled easily. Well, he supposes that he has the whole of his life in this shady cult to figure out this man’s particular triggers.[break][break] His whole life--- [break][break]”Oh, I’m one step ahead of you.” His opponent, it seems, will not be decked so easily. Well-built, fast. Interesting considering how few mages even relied on physical strength these days. He wasn’t, he supposed, up against a mage in the typical sense. No, this man gave off the impression of a brawler. [break][break] ----his whole life? Jagged, sudden memories shot up at him. This decision. It was rash, stupid, and probably would lead nowhere. What did a revolution in some shitty ass coastal city mean to him, anyway? Flashes of his family, his sister, then Erin’s mocking face. No--- [break][break] The kick lands before Juius can see it. When the pain jolts him, his thoughts freeze for a second as he stumbles backwards and trips. The cold ground’s merciless greeting kickstarts his brain again. ---no, he doesn’t have the leeway for sentiment now. [break][break] “ ‘m Curious,” he mutters, reeling and attempting to stand up. He crouches low for bit, counting on second-guesses to win him time. “What’s your---” He launches himself upwards, aiming an unfairly timed uppercut at the man’s jaw. “--affinity?”
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maddox rothscus ✨ | 0-25 attack misses | 25-75 partial hit | 75+ full on hit[break] Np8uut8W
Post by maddox rothscus ✨ on Dec 9, 2017 14:28:58 GMT
that was you.
luck is on his side for that moment. the scales tip, the kick connects, and his opponent hits the ground. maddox should be content with that, he ought to be, just as he ought to press on for another attack and take advantage of julius’ position.
maddox doesn’t though. the reason lies in the slightest flicker in momentum, a miniscule hint that has him guessing that perhaps, his opponent’s attention has wandered elsewhere in that brief second. where’s the fun in that? his familiar snarls at the lack of aggression; slams his antlers against metaphorical bars. and, as always, maddox ignores him, shoving the moose’s protest back.
it costs him. the scales tip again, just as julius raises a curious question. there’s a flicker of confusion -- why ask? this was not a magical brawl ( but then again, neither were many of the fights he had been in ) -- an answer lingering on the tip of his tongue, “i--”
he receives a hit to the jaw for his effort. he’s been hit a fair deal in his life. this, admittedly, was one of the more solid ones. “damn.” reeling; blinks once, twice, to clear his vision. someone more cautious might have bided their time, waited to recover properly before going for an attack. alas, he has never quite made a habit out of caution.
“purification,” comes the short answer. “why?” without further warning, he lunges, aiming for another takedown.
julius kingston <25: misses completely and goes defensive // 25-75: grappled / struggle? // >75: juls is on the ground again
Post by julius kingston on Dec 29, 2017 5:38:24 GMT
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if my woman were a fire, oh she'd burn out before i wake[break]
AND BE REPLACED BY PINTS OF WHISKEY, CIGARETTES, AND OUTER SPACE---
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The hit, by all counts is a clean one- Julius would know, he's been on both sides of that kind of hit before. And so it's natural for him to use the second to clear his head, to catch a breath. Because by all accounts, his opponent should not have the energy to be moving in any kind of organized fashion for the next few seconds. [break][break] "Purif--"'--uck' The thoughts occur simultaneously as he pays the price of his diverted attention: with all the strength of a moose, the man before him is suddenly only two inches away. And then it connects, and Jul's ass connects with the hard floor and he feels a searing pain flare through every inch of his body. [break][break] "Khe---" Thoughts, words, the rest of the world takes a bit of a pause and then flashes forward- somehow, he's already struggling to get the man off him. But as consciousness resumes, the instinctive fighting becomes more controlled, more dangerous as a smile crawls across his lips. [break][break] "I thought as much. Guess all you need--- gra-- for a knife-- is a bunch of--ch--short sticks--" Athenium never went hand in hand with power. Neither, really, did purification. But for both of them, it seemed, that stereotype was far too annoying not to want to break. [break][break] His hands now free, Julius makes a violent grab for the back of Maddox's head, and jerks his head forward to meet it. The collision is instantaneous, but it take a few seconds for the pain to register. [break][break] In those few seconds, he shoves the heavier male off him, breathes heavily (once, twice)...and then things grow dim.
