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.
[attr="class","nabody"]The Helios Knights gardens were pretty much open to the public. While not exactly being a veteran, Julie could still recognize a couple of faces filling these spaces by the plants and greenery, although only upon a few of them could she confidently claim partnership. That is, belonging to the same coven. For the most part, as a new member, even if she managed to recognize people, she couldn't accurately tell whether they were simple townsfolk coming by for a visit, or members of the coven. How much time they had spent there or how often they came also failed as an indication in the matter, seeing how guests wasn't much of a rarity around.
She herself, could be considered such by several. A shame.
It was a sunny day. Basking in the sunlight wasn't exactly one of Julie's favorite pastime, and she didn't pay much mind to 'an opportunity' like this. She knew there were more days like these to come, and the reason seemed silly to her. No, the reason the blond decided to take her time loitering around the gardens, sitting alone and watching the folk, was as shallow. Admittedly, she enjoyed the gardens and the scenery it provided. She couldn't take all of it in, but she could very much appreciate it, along with the gentle, pleasant flowery aroma that tickled at her nostrils through the breeze.
Perfect for a meal. She was there, by the main hall; face turned to the masses outside. Meekly sitting, refined as ever, indulging herself to her prepacked meal. A humble piece of meat, coated with brown gravy laying over a surface of white rice. It must have gotten a little cold by this point, she'd assumed, though was surprised to find the temperature rather pleasing. Not perfectly ideal, but satisfactory indeed.
[attr="class","natag"]000 ● Vera Lindt ● notes: :3
The Hall was hardly Vera's preferred choice for a dining location—or a luncheon location, rather, in this case. It was just what there was. The brunette witch could either go back home or to the Sun Café for lunch, successfully missing the posting of the mission she had been waiting for, or she could endure another half hour without lunch, claim the mission before anyone else got to it, and return home with a pleased smile and an expectant tummy. Her dear friend Percy's happiness was depending on this, too.
How she knew of the mission being posted at that exact hour was unimportant (read: she bribed someone with the first batch of her family's chocolaterie's newest flavor.) The answer was clear long before she felt her familiar rumble in protest and she decided to take out the blueberry muffins she had conveniently prepare the night before. One of them was handed to the agouti.
Yes, she and Fondue were ready for lunch. They just needed someplace to eat it.
A quick look outside the Helios Knights' Hall's beautiful stained windows lures her mind, and seconds later her body, towards the warm sunlight. From there, she sees a blonde girl sitting primly, enjoying her own lunch. It was cute, seeing someone enjoy their own packed lunch. There wasn't much objection from Fondue when she decided to approach. Or, rather, she decided to up and sit next to her.
"Nice day out here, isn't it?" she smiles as she greets the girl. Upon closer inspection, she realizes she's never before seen the blonde witch. It isn't a problem, of course. Everyone was welcome to tour around the gardens. But it did mean an introduction was due. "What do you have for lunch? It smells good," she comments. Her green orbs are, perhaps a tad rudely, scanning the contents of her lunch.
"I'm Vera, by the way," she adds as her small bag of holding is opened, and out comes another muffin. "Are you new here?"
[attr="class","nabody"]---"Nice day out here, isn't it?"
Juliet wasn't overly aware of her immediate surroundings at this point in time. She had indulged herself to her humble lunchbox, assuming none would pay much mind to her existence; just as she only lingered outside to watch the folk, rather than take proper interest. In the midst of a juicy bite, the blond's head turned quickly to face whoever it was that called out to her. Well, she assumed it was her... There isn't anyone else around, right? Taking a short moment to look past the stranger and then to her other side, Julie affirmed that indeed, none other than her could be the target of this girl.
Brown sauce dripped down from the corner of her lip as she chewed. Paying little mind to how it appeared, Juliet herself was familiar with this phenomenon. The meat exerted juices with each bite, filling her mouth with the mixture of taste that is the cooked meat and the gravy, slightly absorbed and coating the piece. It would be her personal quirk that she allowed a part of it to slowly cascade down her mouth's edge. She was quick to wipe it off with her thumb and proceed to lightly lick it off, though faint marking of it still remained there.
"It is good." She confirmed; feeling rather delighted at the stranger's opinion, though not moved enough to show it. "It is quite simple. Just beef with rice and a sauce." She explained, refraining from giving any specific details. For some reason. "I came up with the recipe for the sauce myself. Rather, I believe I discovered it..." Julie continued to admit, stoic eyes briefly moving away from her company as her fingers slowly tilted the fork here and there, fidgeting with it some.
When Vera took out another muffin from her bag, that was when Julie noticed the rodent accompanying her. A tamed animal remaining out in the open with no concern. ...Ah. It's a familiar; she thought to herself.
Returning to look the other in the eyes, Juliet stuck her fork into the rice, picking up much less than she had intended. "Yes." She replied; "I have recently joined this coven. ...That, is your familiar, right?"
[attr="class","natag"]000 ● Vera Lindt ● notes: jfc that note really made me laugh like w h y
There is a moment of confusion when the blonde witch confirms the tastiness of her food with an expression that seems to scream otherwise. It leaves Vera wondering which is the lie; or, in her familiar's words, Where is the lie? Vera trusted her own judgment when it came to food, however; and the smell of that sauce had really caught her attention. "A sauce of your own making? How interesting." Vera is lifting her eyebrows and leaning over in genuine curiosity.
She notices the tiny, barely perceptible telltale mark of rich gravy at the corner of the girl's lips. The brunette figures it's not terribly embarrassing, but decides to take out a handkerchief from her breast pocket to offer, just in case, as she asks, "May I have a taste?"
The first impression Vera got when she talked about this sauce was that she wasn't partial to sharing it. She assumes it must be similar to a family secret, in which case Vera did understand the desire not to share its recipe. The exact recipe for Lindt chocolates, too, was a well-guarded secret. Just a taste wouldn't hurt, though, would it? After selling it with such secretive words, it was only fair that she share such a marvel with the hungry and thirsty.
She also notices the new Knight hasn't offered her own name, and a gentle tilt of her head follows. No matter, I can just ask for it, she thinks, although there's something not quite normal about this little slip. Perhaps she'd just been too distracted trying to answer Vera's questions, or perhaps she just didn't want to share her own name. But why? They were both, at the end of the day; they would be learning each other's names eventually.
Vera turns to where the blonde girl is pointing by reflex rather than to actually confirm her suspicions. "Yes, that's Fondue," she confirms, smiling at the golden-eyed agouti. "Please forgive his table manners. He has none. He's also already grown fat from eating all the time. Merlin, I really do spoil him too much." Although his witch is complaining, it is said in a light, teasing way that seems to trigger no reaction from the rodent beyond a soft screech.
"This is such good news, though!" She's turning back to the blonde witch, excitement pouring out of her body. "It's been so long since I've met any new girls my age here. You must promise to take a mission with me sometime soon. Oh, what's your affinity? And your element?" she asks in quick succession, barely giving the witch and her lunch growing cold any time to breathe. "What's your name?"
[attr="class","nabody"]For some odd reason, this girl took a certain interest in Julie's lunch. It made her wonder if Vera just happened to be hungry and saw someone with a meal outside, deciding to drop in. People do that, right? Join others in meals, that is. If so, that would make this pastime to the first time in a while Juliet found herself accompanying someone and sharing her food-- No, actually... There was one time before. But the circumstances were so different, it could hardly be counted as such.
Though Julie admittedly took an interest in the familiar (or more like, attempted to strike proper conversation by asking about something that caught her eye), she found herself ultimately listening in to what Vera had to say. Quite the unusual introduction, in contrast to what she tended to reveal. "Fondue." She repeated, as if to memorize the name for whatever reason. Sticking her fork into a piece of meat, she cut it off from the rest of the slab's remains, and proceeded to cut another one-- leaving the previous on the side. Though she had wanted to ask more, that was sufficient detail in on itself. "I see." Good talk.
Finishing her modest bite from her food, swallowing down and setting the fork once again to pitch a part of her white rice, now halfway through into finishing her lunchbox. This girl was... Curious, to say the least. The successive questions given posed more confusion to Juliet than anything else. Was there really much significance to a person's affinity and element? What would she do with this information? Did the coven hold something beyond, specifically for people of specific properties, that she was not aware of yet? Different questions rose in the straight-faced blond's head as she ran through them all, trying to make sense of this small talk.
"... ...Juliet." She finally introduced, heeding no importance to the rest of the questions after all. "My name is Juliet Tepache." A full answer, given as a practical statement.
Although she did the courtesy to introduce herself, she had no obligation to promise a mission to partake in with Vera. However, fact of the matter is, if she was to improve and make a big name for herself, something of the like was in order. "I understand." She claimed, looking to her company once more; "We will be taking a mission together some time soon then."
[attr="class","natag"]398 ● Vera Lindt ● notes: nouuu you are
The girl has nothing to say to Vera regarding sharing her lunch, which the brunette comes to assume means denial. That's cool; she wasn't all that used to it, but it wasn't like it never happened. It happened more often as she grew older. Vera would just have to swallow down her curiosity and gradually win the blonde over with her natural charisma. A piece of cake. Probably. Pun intended. She was determined to, at one point, actually get a taste of this sauce of hers. For now, though, she decides it's not worth pushing.
She nods when Juliet repeats her familiar's name. "Yes, that's my boy," she confirms. Vera is beginning to catch the meaning of words unsaid. The blonde really wasn't a girl of many words, was she? Or many expressions, either, she notes. It's hard to tell whether the reason is that she's simply not interested in the brunette, or if expressionless faces are her default expression. Honestly, Vera's never met someone like this, and it's actually surprisingly intriguing.
Vera fills in the silence with her endless chatter. A skill she's quite proficient at, by now.
"You can call him Due, too, if you want. It's shorter, easier. That's what I usually call him, in fact. A nickname for a nickname, isn't it funny?"
When she notices the slab of meat Juliet's left on the side of her plate, though, Vera has to double take and school her features into not beaming before it's completely certain that she is, in fact, sharing her food. She doesn't want Juliet to feel bad, even guilty, after seeing Vera's beaming smile, if she wasn't. "Is that one for me?" she asks, rather tactlessly. In her defense, when it came down to food, little tact could be exercised by just about anyone.
When Juliet agrees to take a mission with her, while simultaneously failing to answer all but one of her questions, she wonders if Juliet isn't just as proficient at selective hearing as Vera is at filling in silence. Only one way to find out. "That's a promise, then. We're taking a mission together. Do you have any preferences for missions? Anything you're not comfortable doing? Oh, but you just said you're new, so probably not. Have you taken a look at the mission board yet?"
Vera pauses for a moment, letting her flurry of questions sink first, before adding, "You ought to tell me your affinities, so that we can find a mission tailored to them," she insists. There wasn't much variety in the kind of missions fledglings could take, to be fair, but they could at least try. "It'll be fun."
[attr="class","nabody"]The longer it remained exposed, the faster it would get colder. Today wasn't particularly windy or cold, yet it was probably better if the meal's temperature would be preserved as it is; as it was already enough that packed, it already lost some of its heat. A smaller piece was quicker to get colder, too, especially when all of its sides were practically open. As such, Juliet's priorities shifted. Her next bite would have to wait. Sticking her fork into the extra piece she only cut earlier, the girl wiped some white rice off her lunchbox and raised the plastic handle, up to Vera's mouth. "It is, for you." She confirmed, eyes opened slightly wider. While her expression on its own hid a lot, the blond actually wanted the other to try it, so long as it's pleasant. "It's the best this way." Yep, properly sharing. At last.
Not waiting for the stranger's opinions on the dish (or rather, convincing herself not to worry about it much), she acknowledged the reasoning behind that barrage of questions. But even so, it was a little troublesome having to pick through the lines and answering all of those at once. It was, maybe, just something in Vera's character? If the two were to embark on a mission together, this would have to be something Julie will need to get used to, before learning to work with it. If the need arises, that is. Or maybe, it's her that wasn't speaking enough? --Seeing how she was asked so much, it would probably be safe to assume she wanted answers.
"I understand. That all is quite important." She agreed, holding at her chin for a moment, head lowered; before her face rose once more, looking off to the crowds in-front. Now... How to go about this? "I am apparently born into the Summoning affinity, though I am not educated enough to put it to much use. I am better off using Earth element. And..." --A slight pause,-- "I am not too sure what type of missions to stay away from. But if it was anything... Well I, wouldn't want to do anything painful." She finally noted, having finally contributed a considerable chunk to the conversation.
Her tone ever reserved and calm, nearly unchanging through her monologue; only by the end of it did she show a sign of slight uneasiness. Granted, she didn't like getting hurt. Though, the 'painful' she was meaning likely had a different meaning to the public's outlook.
Turning her head to the brunette, Julie leaned slightly closer. Locking eyes again, before finally stating -- "...You talk a lot." Very clear statement. "I'm not that used to it." She did manage to get a lot out of Juliet though, and that was rather nice. It felt like pleasant conversation. Like, she had connected, if just slightly. That thought made her feel warmer inside.
"Thank you." At last, her expression changed. Head slightly tilted to the side, her lips curved up only a bit. A genuine smile.
"...What do you think? Of the meat."
[attr="class","natag"]505 ● Vera Lindt ● notes: uGUUU
Vera can't contain the happiness that Juliet sharing her lunch inevitably brings to her face, and her heart, and her entire being. She's quite literally beaming. "It is, for you," the blonde had said, lifting the slab towards her mouth. Vera happily opens it for her, and takes her bite. It's honestly a little embarrassing, to be getting spoon-fed like this, but the brunette considers it worth both the wait and the embarrassment. This, she learns as she begins to much.
She moans at the combined pleasure of the slab's texture and the flavor of its corresponding sauce. "This is so good!" Vera exclaims, but Juliet's already onto answering the questions she was previously asked. Hm. She figures they can finish settling on the details of her future mission together quickly, and then go back to how delicious her lunch was.
Vera laughs. Juliet's speech is a little odd, if she were to be honest. She spoke in such a serious, somewhat languid tone that Vera wasn't sure if she was joking or not, when she mentions the bit about not doing anything painful. "No worries, I don't like pain all that much myself," she jokes back. "We'll get something easy, to get you started—You did say you were new, didn't you?" Yes, one of the easy, laid-back missions that Percy refused to take with her would do.
"Oh! I'm a fire-element alchemist, myself, by the way! Well, an enchantress, if we want to go with innate affinities, but let's just keep to alchemy for now," she adds. It wouldn't be fair for Juliet to expose all of her information without sharing her own in turn, after all. "Summoning's such a cool affinity, though! Wow, to think I'd make friends with a summoner." Vera's well on her way to talk about some other tangent when Juliet decides to lean closer and shut her up with a comment on her talkativeness.
The brunette's head tilts, almost mirroring the blonde's, ever so slightly. She's not at all sure what Juliet's thanking her for, just after saying she talked too much, but there's a tiny smile on her face and she supposes that's all good.
"Oh, Merlin, yes, back to the meat! It's really good! Actually, it was a bit cold, but still soft enough for me to imagine how it must've tasted at its prime. And that sauce you were talking about, I can definitely confirm it's one to be proud of. Let me guess. Did you use sweet soy sauce for it?"
