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.
it is decadence in its entirety, elih thinks, at the entrance of the mansion. affluence coats even the specks of dust -- is the door handle gilded? he's almost afraid to touch it. -- and the main door seals the noise inside. even outside, elih's heartbeat echoes the rapid rat-a-tat-tat of fingers drumming against his sleeve. there is no love lost between him and parties ( social situations nauseating in their intensity ), neither is he particularly fond of children, nor any semblance of performance. given any choice, this is possibly one of the last few tasks he would like to be assigned.
but he is a fledgling, and thus rests the curse of the inexperienced, burdened with tasks no one else would rather do. or so he assumes it to be; he is offered nothing more than an encouraging smile and a hefty pat on the back. elih is not particularly slight of figure ( albeit on the slender side, though that arises more from inactivity than the leanness of some athletes ), but it feels terribly akin to being shoved off the side of a ship. it feels like it, to elih, regardless of intention.
he spares a glance at the two other illusionists who had taken the offer, then promptly returns to inspecting his feet as though they had gained some unexpectedly novel characteristic in the span of two seconds that he had not been looking at them. they appear far more at ease at the prospect than him ( an observation echoed by the voice of his familiar, who appears to be enjoying his misery more than he likes ). "guess we're all here for the show, so," he begins, hating how his voice sounds, lifting a hand to gesture at the main door, "shall we?"
Tony was bouncing with restless energy as he stood in line with two other witches. Neither of them were in Silvertongue, but he didn't mind working with those from other covens. Besides, he was a lot more distracted by the nice, shiny things the manor had to offer. Instead of interacting with the others, he looked around the room openly, eyes wide and mouth agape.
He'd been to plenty of large, luxurious homes before - often without the owner's knowledge - but he never got tired of admiring the classy architectual designs, or the elegantly carved furnitures. Each one seemed to have a distinct personality, a unique aura that set them apart from one another.
The urge to forget about his mission and explore the place was strong. His hands twitched as he eyed some of the pretty, easily taken, valuables proudly on display. As he looked at each one, he calculated the profits he could gain, and the risks he would need to take to acquire them successfully. Only Loki's presence kept him still. If he moved even an inch from his spot, the polecat was going to bite him. Tony was intimately familiar with Loki's threats, and knew when to not play with fire.
One of the witches with him suddenly spoke up, suggesting that they head on to the show. In response, Tony grinned as he cracked his knuckles and stretched out his fingers, tiny sparks flying out from his fingertips.
"Let's do this! We'll give those kids a show they'll never forget."
Post by percival grayreme on Apr 27, 2017 15:39:07 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"]
One fact about Percy: he is not friends with the stage. Some might say he has everything a performer must have. He's extroverted, at most. His words are flowery, creative, curtsy. His gestures are gentlemanly, strong but not demanding, albeit a little leaning to the immature side. He does not lack in the physical department, either. His slightly tan skin, perfectly tousled brown hair, lean and muscular physique prove exactly that. But nope, there is exactly one trait that he lacks, and that is simply, sticking with the rules.
Percy feels suffocated on stage. He feels like he can't do anything he wants to, and he is right. Because that is the stage. It is not that he hates the stage. He can appreciate a good play or a good movie, but he does not like being a part of it.
So why is he here, exactly, inside the huge mansion that is the requester's house, ready to give a little magical show to little kids using his affinity?
Simply because it involves children. Percy adores children. They believe everything showed to them, and has little to no regard even if it is an illusion or not. Percy enjoys making others happy, and children are no exception. When the last person arrives, Percy knew it is time for the mission to start. Percy noticed the guy is a tad nervous, so he offers him a friendly, assuring tap in the back. He looks at the other guy with the polecat, silently wanting support to ease the nervousness of their companion.
"Yes, we shall! Don't worry about it too much, buddy. They're children, and they'll adore us." The Leviathan is sure of his words as he opens the door for the whole gang. "Especially with all the tricks and illusion we have on the table."
"I'm Percy, by the way, Percival Grayreme. Nice working with y'all!"
they each carry around them rather different airs, he notes distantly. the blond one has green eyes that dart around impatiently, raw energy palpable. the other, with darker hair, has a sort of calm enthusiasm that elih can appreciate. the pat on the shoulder is accepted with a ghost of a grateful smile, the barest curve of his lips that goes almost unnoticeable. elih forces himself to step forward before his mind has the opportunity to kick in, nodding politely in thanks to percival as he opens the door.
"i'm elih," he offers by way of introduction, voice bearing a certain calibre that tends towards reservation instead of unfriendliness. yet again there is amiability in the attempt of a smile that follows a second too late, one fraught with apprehension. children are painfully honest, merciless in their commentary. he supposes it is nicer to be told forthrightly for his fallings, rather than have it whispered behind his back.
a butler meets them midway, extending an arm to guide them towards what is likely the room to be used for their performance. here, white and gold are overwhelmed by rainbows, brilliant in their childish enthusiasm. elih wonders if a runescripter had been given charge for the ceiling: it glimmers like a fire opal, spectral colours dancing with whimsical joy. and situated in the centre of the room, a slightly elevated podium, generous in its size, likely for the use of the illusionists.
around the podium sits the children, cross-legged on the carpeted ground, eyes wide with wonder at the trio that has just entered the room. a kid pauses through a mouthful of cake to stare unabashedly at them, and without taking their eyes off the illusionists, shovels another oversized mouthful of cake into their mouth. ( in another universe, elih would laugh. current universe elih is almost too overwhelmed by the sheer amount of eyes staring at them. )
the spell is broken as the birthday girl -- identifiable by a magnificent party hat balanced atop blond curls -- stands up, points to them, and gives a squeal of delight. 'they're here!' at once, a cheer goes up among the children.
Of course all of the children will adore them. Him specifically, if the other two fell short in their performance. Tony was the oldest sibling among five, and had no problems getting their attention and keeping them distracted for a few hours. His twenty-four years of experience in babysitting should be more than enough to breeze through this mission.
After the other two introduced themselves, Tony grinned and waved a hand in the air to gain their attention. "Hey, hey, don't forget me! I haven't introduced myself." Crossing his arms and widening his stance, he lifted his chin up as he loudly cleared his throat.
"I am Anthony Skies, illusionist extraordinaire of the great and infamous coven, Silvertongue!"
The butler arrived in the middle of his introduction, and Tony nearly missed the group's departure as he listened to imaginary cheers and gasps of awe. Whether the other two actually paid attention and made any sort of comments were lost of him.
At this point, Loki let out a large yawn. "You better follow after the butler or you'll never get the chance to show off."
"Oh, OH! Coming~" Tony followed the rest of the group out into a colorfully decorated room, and the child in him gaped with jaw open as he kept his head tilted upwards. Then his gaze lowered to stare at the podium; their grand stage.
With all of the children looking at them and starting to shout out their excitement, Tony grinned as he stepped forward and allowed his clothes to flash brightly and slowly change color. Each shade of the rainbow seemed to flow downwards like water, transforming the cloth with every step he took towards the center.
"Greetings, ladies and gentlemen. And welcome, to the most dazzling show you will feast your eyes upon!"
He threw his arms to either side of him, just as the end of his pants and shoes finished transforming, then bowed with an extravagant flourish.
Post by percival grayreme on May 9, 2017 15:28:50 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"]
Percy nods at the guy, whose name he'll later learn as Elih. He notes he's still nervous, and there is nothing Percy can do to ease that. More talking would only add to the burden of emotions Elih is carrying. Instead, the Leviathan retreats from the trio and let him do the lead. He figures it would boost his confidence somehow.
The other guy however... Percy knows him. Brown hair, glasses, and that stance and pose... all those features are familiar to Percy. He knows him, and only now does he remember. The same way he remembers only after he had said a second introduction, that he had repeated himself. Even though the mission is months ago, embarrassment still floods Percy.
"Oh, it's Tony," Percy says upon the man's introduction. He wishes Tony would not hear it, but nonetheless he says his commentary. "We're seeing each other again, huh. Remember the good ol times I was so preoccupied I introduced myself twice? Yeah, I'd like to forget that, too."
There is little time for conversations, however. Percy follows them, and the destination is something amazing on its own. Percy marvels at the gradient of colors illuminating the stage. This way, all of the children's eyes would focus on them. It's quite a pressure, but Percy is excited, nonetheless. This is the first time he'll be handling kids. Look at how cute they are, doing the cute kid business. Percy falls in love with them instantly.
He nudges Elih, subtly, and whispers, "can you start the first trick? They don't know what to expect, so any trick will be fine."
Percy bows when Tony does. With an excited but somewhat authoritative tone, Percy says, "But, safety first!" He holds a blank flashcard in hand. He makes sure the children would see it blank first before he warps its mana. On it would flash numbers one, two, and so on, simultaneous with the rules he's going to say. "We won't want any sort of injury here, so cooperate with us! Don't be upset if you are not picked as volunteer, you'll get your chance eventually."
The children start pointing to the card, already in argument about the ever changing numbers. But they all chorus a 'yes!' and melt Percy's heart. "Now, for our first trick! Let's hear it from Master Elih!"
A round of applause ensues, all eyes now trained to Elih.
[attr="class","econtent"]A BOMBASTIC INTRODUCTION is a technique seldom seen, and one elih would never personally employ. yet, here it is, and a minute quirk of his brow would betray the surprise of such. percy's reaction sheds additional insight to just who he is dealing with. he offers an additional nod of acknowledge, silent and content to allow the other two to converse undisturbed.[break][break]
but all too soon, the attention of the children are upon them, and his heart flutters anxiously. he shrinks back in an almost imperceptible motion,all too glad to let someone else take center stage. elih isn't quite panicked enough to not take a cue when given -- sweeps into a low, formal bow -- then there's a brief nudge, and he's, somehow, letting percy coax him into performing the first trick. for a brief moment, he gapes at the other witch, a protest forming and dying rapidly in his throat. there's applause, renewed, expectant faces turned towards him, and he summons up a wan smile. ( perhaps the persona of a dark and mysterious illusionist will be an easier choice for him to maintain, instead of a nervous wreck. )[break][break]
"look up!" elih steps forward in a swift, fluid motion; those two words are uttered just as he sweeps his arm upward, fingers splayed in an arc towards the ceiling. ice shards curve towards the ceiling, each refracting the lights of the room in a dazzling display. just as they coast the top, they shatter into fine dust -- white flecks drifts down, an indoor imitation of a crisp snowy day. his eyes drift to his companions as the children give delighted squeals, stepping back to extend an invitation for another to perform yet another trick.
Post by percival grayreme on Jul 9, 2017 5:41:53 GMT
[attr="class","ig"]
[attr="class","ninety"]
[attr="class","joker"]
[attr="class","game"]
elih kartal den agrees with lowkey npcing tony! up to you now!
[attr="class","kikan"]
“
Kids, Percy muses fondly. They are all smiles and laughs and pure joy, it's definitely getting to Percy. He has his biggest smile, fondly watching the children clap and grab the falling snowflakes.
But Percy is not here just to be merry. He has work to do, and so he pulls Tony aside, stepping back to discuss the plans. Elih's show doesn't last for long, but he has given them enough time. Tony builds up anticipation and shifts the crowd's attention to him, calling for volunteers. Instantly hands are raised, teeny tiny requests erupt, and some children might have started pushing and crying. Percy is overwhelmed with the garnered attention, but it looks like Tony has everything under control. Just like what he said, he has a way with kids, to which Percy is immensely thankful for.
When Percy and Seraph are called to the stage, there are five participants lined up, all looking at Percy and the swan expectantly. Percy does not disappoint. With a mighty and dramatic "lo and behold!" the Leviathan conjures five giant bubbles, floating in midair. The audience squealed, some even attempting to touch them. The bubbles, one by one, and with a pop, encased the participating children and lifted them up to the air.
Percy watches in the background, satisfied. He let the bubbles float for about a minute or three. He sees Tony approach Elih, and he wonders what the next trick would be. They should do a collaboration, and must think of a proper climax and a tear-jerking ending for this little birthday party.
Well, he is exaggerating most of the time, though. But yeah, it must be something along those lines.
[attr="class","enotes"]percival grayreme / im terrible at keeping up djsfhkdhf
[attr="class","econtent"]QUIET SATISFACTION settles in the faintest smiles as the children laugh, and for a moment, the smile threatens to break into a chuckle. instead, it is pulled back, just as elih bids a graceful retreat, taking a few steps backwards to leave centre stage to tony and percy. to his side, hamster makes an appearance, the grey coyote winding around his legs expectantly. elih barely recieves a warning before his familiar darts off into the crowd, tongue lolling in a canine smile, amiably brushing against delighted children all too eager to greet a new friend. between the bubbles and the coyote's impromptu meet-and-greet, there is some time for a discussion.[break][break]
he is pulled into a discussion ( almost reluctantly on his part, generally predisposed to such, but open to the idea given the circumstances ), to which he listens more than he contributes. after some delay, however, he does speak, painfully conscious of how loud he has to be to remain audible over the children in the background. "right, a collaboration-- uh, what if," he begins quietly, hesitantly beckoning percy over to listen to the plan. there is precious little time left before the children seek their next act. he pauses, considers his words, and tries again. "could, um, you two raise pillars -- water elements, right? -- or something of that like? there's some empty spaces behind them where you won't soak everything." he points them out, circular spaces currently empty. [break][break]
"i could create a reflection using the water surface, i think," he trails off lamely, voice reduced once again, wringing his hands. he looks a little helpless. "i'm open to suggestions." but then it is his turn once more, the rotation having swung around and hamster -- the beautiful, blessed familiar that he is -- is more than willing to take elih's position to buy them a little more time.[break][break]
the familiar does not speak, but instead flicks his tail and forms a few ice shards. a circus trick follows: the coyote stands on his hind legs, and, daintily, with more precision than one would expect, balances the ice shards on his snout as he weaves through the crowd once more. an ice shard here, another there; little ice-crystals are deposited into the hands and laps of the intrigued children, who yelp at the cold at first, and then exclaim when the shards glitter brilliantly before they slowly melt into tiny, minuscule puddles in their palms.
Two to three minutes would pass quickly, so the trio has to hurry. "Pillars, right," Percy agrees. He looks at the spaces Elih pointed out, and sure enough, the Jester has made good use of the interior of the room. Percy's gaze stray away from the circles, up to the walls and to the ceiling. The ceiling glows red, a complete contrast to the complementary elements of the trio. Aside from the party decorations, the walls glow white. An idea begins forming in his mind.
"We can do that. We can make it look like a fountain." Percy casts a sideways glance at Tony and sure enough, the brunette agrees. "A reflection would be a good idea, it would look like the whole room is submerged in water. Let's get to it!"
The short meeting soon is over, and so does the show of the coyote. Percy hangs out a bit more on the back to give Elih a thumbs up. Tony goes on ahead, entertaining the questions of the children. The words blur and slur with the sheer amount of tiny voices speaking, but Tony doesn't seem to have any trouble at all. "I think we should put an illusion of the underwater on the walls. Just for the flare of it," Percy says. He waves at Elih as he steps to the front. "We'll give you a glance at the back when everything's ready!"
And so the duo, with their respective familiars beside them, do a small dramatic show, with loud voices and captivating tone. They move in sync, maybe because of the fact that both of them had spent quite a time together. Their act effectively quiets the children and makes them sit down gazing in awe, radiating with anticipation.
With a final flare, Percy and Tony raises their arms and each conjures a pillar or water. The room is soon drowned with--not water--but the cheers and shouts of children. Some even attempts to touch the water. If they should, they wouldn't feel any pressure, and it will feel just like a running faucet, but upwards.
[attr="class","econtent"]HIS HEART IS hammering in his chest, a runaway rhythm that does not even given the slightest hint of slowing, even as his fellow illusionists step away to resume their segment and hamster scampers back up to wind reassuringly around his legs. for the moment, he does not trust his voice enough to speak, and nods silently instead. gratitude rests somewhere on the tip of his tongue, unspoken, but it eases the tightness in his chest somewhat.[break][break]
those two, on the other hand, work in tandem, in a way that elih can scarcely comprehend -- they are fireworks in their own right, star-bright radiance in human frames, and there is assurance and confidence in every arc of their arm and word. he cannot help but be captivated by the performance, eyes shining like the crowd before them.[break][break]
when percival turns, he is ready.[break][break]
he looks at the walls, smooth blank canvases, and concentrates; a moment later and they are replaced by mirrors stretching ad infinitum. a clever trick of mirrors and angles, then soon the pillars of water have turned to reflective columns and -- blink! -- they are underwater.[break][break]
the walls have disappeared, replaced by an endless stretch ultramarine ocean. a touch for additional effect: there are dolphins, suddenly, sleek grey torpedoes with bright cetacean grins, and the children squeal with glee, bathed in the soft blue of the reflections.[break][break]
used: scroll of vanity.
Last Edit: Sept 1, 2017 11:36:29 GMT by elih kartal
Percy's mouth drops at the sheer beauty of the illusion. As he holds the pillar and kept it running, he stares at the endless expanse of the underwater. Percy is with the children, mouths gaped open, eyes wide and shining. One child attempts to get hold of the dolphin, but comes upon cold glass. Percy holds his breath. Their act has been found to be nothing but an illusion, Percy honestly thinks the children would be disappointed. But they did not--apparently, it only makes them appreciate the act.
This climax is unlike of the other climaxes. The children sits on the carpeted floor, watching the pillar and the walls like they are watching a simple movie. Eyes follow the flitting dolphin, the restless seahorse, the huge school of fish, the manta ray that covers an entire portion of the mirror. If, a while ago, the excitement of the children can't be contained, now it's quite the opposite. Now it is peaceful, yet satisfying.
For a while the three illusionists hold the act, letting the children walk around and discover how the walls are glass, how the pillars of water are nothing but a friendly upward-flowing faucet. Slowly the tranquility is replaced by strings of questions from the little ones. Percy and Tony stops and reduces the pillar into thin air as children begins to question them.
Percy lets Tony handle that one. He goes at the back and, sure enough, glomps Elih. He lets out a string of incoherent paragraphs, the things to be understood is few to none. "Man that is a superb illusion! You blew our mind off, even I would think it's real if only I didn't know better!"
Elih deserves more recognition, that much Percy knows. Maybe this type of appreciation is enough for him. He need not to be exposed into the crowd again. But a little child, a girl with a pink dress with a large bow on her the back of her waist, strays off from the crowd and straight up pulls on Elih's sleeves.
She hands him something, then smiles cheekily and quickly leaves.
"You sure captivated their hearts," Percy notes, smiling as he follows the girl blend in with the crowd once more.
[attr="class","econtent"]THE STRAIN IS worth it, he thinks, as the room is transformed. for a moment, he is terrified as inquisitive fingers brush against the glass ( his mind panics, screeches to a halt and laments that the illusion has been seen through ) but the moment passes, and the children awed into excited hushed whispers, like warm summer breezes through aspen leaves.[break][break]
he holds the illusion in place as far as he can, determined not to falter; the illusion finally flickers as the pillars dissipate, the underwater illusion dissolving gradually and excited chatter fills the air. his hands are shaking at this point, he notes absently, but there is a thrill running down his spine ( an alien feeling ) that says, maybe, maybe this isn't so bad.[break][break]
there is scarcely any warning before percy is there, arms thrown around his shoulders in a friendly hug; elih stifles a yelp, startled, as the praises flow forth. he can scarcely believe them -- the notion of him being good at anything has the tips of his ears reddening, hidden under his hair. "i had--" he manages instead, a little breathlessly, and gestures vaguely to percy and tony. gratitude underscores every word, earnest and genuine. "--you guys. i don't think i could have done it without your help."[break][break]
he does not merely refer to the technical aspects: creating an illusion of such a scale out of scratch would have been a feat beyond him, but the pillars had offered an additional point of reference, a whole other dimension added. elih is more than grateful for the fact that they had given him a chance and not dismissed him by virtue of timidity ( wouldn't be the first time ).[break][break]
there is a tug on his sleeves and he pauses, looking down to see shining eyes and a sunny grin. he scarcely has time to react before something is shoved into his hands; he grabs it instinctively before it drops, stutters out a hasty "uh, thank you!" before the child vanishes into the crowd.[break][break]
he opens his hands, curiously examining the paper-wrapped package he had been handed, its top neatly secured with a neat pink ribbon. tugging it open slightly reveals the contents: a few home-baked cookies, it seems, the top one appearing partially crushed but no less delicious. [break][break]
"you sure captivated their hearts," says percy, and elih looks up once more. for once, there's a hint of a smile on his lips, barely perceptible, but there nonetheless. [break][break]
"i guess," he responds, almost sheepishly. the cookies are proffered towards percy, and tony, once the latter joins them. "team effort, though. do you want some?"
Elih's voice is genuine, honest, humble. He stutters a string of words, and yes, it is clear how different they are. Percy is the kind of person who can talk two hours straight, only needing a nod and words of acknowledgement for him to continue rolling the ball. Elih would certainly get tired of his antiques, if he ever get to befriend the guy.
He is used to being distanced upon, his talkative nature certainly has the tendency to push people away as much as it attracts a few. "Hey, it's a group effort," Percy says, dropping his arm. "To be honest I didn't think entertaining children would be this fun. Well, I might have a been part of the crowd, I was entertained as well."
The joy, oh boy.
Percy does not think twice. He excitedly fishes out two cookies and eats one. The other he would give to Tony, who is still busy with the children. "We should totally go in a mission again together!" Percy says brightly.
Just as he finishes the last bit of cookie, the parents of the birthday celebrant enters the room. The children crowds them, and apparently, the little ones have to leave for other party-matters, as Percy likes to put it. He gestures to Elih as they need to go up front. The couple turns the crowd's attention back to the trio of illusionists.
The parents have smiles of encouragement, of gratitude, of respect. The children has smiles awe and joy. Their eyes sparkle, their cute voices chirp.
The trio bows. The curtain falls over them, ending the spectacle, but never the fun.
