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","azotar"][googlefont="Iceland:400"]i refuse to being just a footnote in your history
[attr="class","salvatore"]The slums was a battlefield. Everyday was a struggle for survival, and everyday, people lost their lives to either the frailty of the human body, or simply another resident looking to live off of the misfortune of others. Robberies and muggings were common, and everyone within knew that it was a dog's world. Kill or be killed. Eat or be eaten. Cain had lived through six years of the hell, and he wasn't new to its demands. In fact, if anything, it had only served to harden him. Being neglected in a grand home while everything was still provided for you wasn't entirely a hard life, but here, in the slums, where it took six years of clawing, snatching and stepping over others, Cain had grown to be more independent than ever. And he had done it on his own, unlike these small-time gangs that were beginning to pop out in the streets. Numbers were a good compensation for lack of strength. It was a foolish mindset, breeding incompetence and lack of desire to improve one's self, but alas, most of the slum's residents were residents for a reason. They grew up in the streets, but they certainly lacked the street smarts.
Cain sighed in frustration, golden eyes staring down the trio that had opted to block his way home. They were clad in dusty overcoats, with even dirtier undershirts and pants. One had a golfer hat on, his beard as scruffy and unkempt as the rest of his appearance. Another had a toothpick between his lips, with a shaved head and a dark stubble. The last one lacked an overcoat and was donning, instead, a jacket, much like Cain's own, save the darkening white fur around the collar. They were either as tall or taller than Cain was, and definitely larger. It certainly did not look good for the red-head. Did he ever think that? No. What was going through his mind then was just how annoying and time-wasting this ordeal was going to be. He raised his chin slightly, peering over their heads. His apartment building was already in view. Couldn't they have waited a few more minutes before deciding to gank somebody?
"That's a nice jacket you have there, bucko," the bald man called out with a sinister grin, and Cain could not help but flash him a cocked eyebrow. Bucko? What the hell were these cliche thug wanna-bes? "Bet it'll look better--"
"--On me," Cain interrupted in, before releasing a sigh, tilting his head slightly with a disappointed pout. "That was what you were going to say, weren't you?" he inquired, and from the annoyed reaction the man gave, Cain knew that he had hit home. Men like these, it was so easy to tick them off. Being a smartass was one of such methods, and Cain was naturally already one. "Y-" "You..." Cain once more interrupted him, allowing his facial expression to display mock annoyance, with squinted eyes and pursed lips.
"Yeah, guys like you are so fucking predictable, thinking your numbers and size could easily overpower any lone individual in these streets," Cain started, not giving them the chance to throw any more overused threats and cliche lines his way. He pulled his hands out of the pockets of his jacket, and reached for his inner chest pocket. Pocking its contents, he glanced down to see Hailey looking up at him with her beady eyes. "Hey, Hailey. Can you fly back for a moment? We have a bit of trouble," he softly told the hummingbird, who nodded her small head and buzzed out from the pocket, perching on a nearby trashbin, her worried eyes glancing towards her master's direction.
"Now, are we going to continue this argument of useless threats and warnings, or are we going to get down to it?" he continued, then, ushering them forward with a curl of his fingers.
Minutes later, Hailey finally left her perch, and landed upon Cain's chest, the red-head slumped against the wall at the side of the alleyway. His face was bruised, bleeding off his lip and one of his eye was swollen. The skin on his knuckles were torn open, leaving reddened patches in their wake, and his white shirt had streaks of red, the origin of said stains not really belonging to him. Surrounding him were a trio of bodies, all unconscious and lying on the ground, silent and still. Cain groaned, a right hand coming up to place a finger upon Hailey's head. "C-Cain, are you okay?"
The red-head simply grinned, showing a set of blood-stained teeth. "Never better, little hummingbird," Cain replied, and was about to get up when he heard the footsteps of another enter the alleyway. His smile curled in the opposite direction, as he turned his head to address the newcomer. Great, who was it now?
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Post by hugo zimmerman on May 22, 2017 15:32:49 GMT
TAGGED
@cain
Hugo knew a little too much about everything. Adversity had been his teacher as well, and he, too, had gone from a rich household to living from day to day, sometimes downtown and somtimes in the hovel. Anywhere he could survive. Those years, that life, had taught him a lot more than anything his family or firends could tell him, they had taught him more than his teacher could instruct.
So when he turned the corner to see a heap of four bodies, he really couldn't find himself more surprised than a casual blink. A wary pair of blue eyes went from the still conscious man to the bodies on the floor. Ah, would you look at that, Helix snickered from the corners of his mind. That's a fight I'm sad we missed.
Hugo's mildly surprised eyes turned briefly sad for a few moments before he laughed awkwardly and put a hand in the back of his hair. "What a strange thing to walk in on," he murmured conversationally, completely undisturbed. Alas, the bodies were in the way of him progressing any further, and he felt that, given the glare, the man seemed to be tossing his way, things were bound to escalate.
Are you going to do something about this? Helix asked, as always. He always, always persistently asked the same question, even when there wasn't any situation that needed to be dealt with. A persistent voice in his mind that continuously asked him to redefine the line. "Did you do this all yourself?" he mused, wondering how many people could actually win when they were outnumbered.
[attr="class","azotar"][googlefont="Iceland:400"]i am not your rolling wheels, i am the highway
[attr="class","salvatore"]A man, that much Cain could tell from the silhouette. The red-head gritted his teeth, planting both hands on the ground to hoist himself up and off the wall. His buttock remained planted to the ground, though, and despite his vulnerable looking position, the young man maintained the look of ferocity on his face, as if a trapped animal ready to bite at anything that came too close. The moon light was the only illumination he was provided with, but it was enough for Cain to take in more details of the new arrival. Sandy blonde hair, tied in a messy ponytail, with a thin stubble on his chin. He could not define what color his eyes were, for his focus had found itself instead on the eyepatch he had over his left socket. He was staring at the scene before him, displaying a mixture of emotions that ended in what sounded like amusement. Cain blinked, the demeanor that the man displayed sending a clear message to the young man.
He wasn't here for trouble.
Though Cain allowed himself to relax, he nonetheless remained on guard, golden eyes fixated on the male, looking out for any signs of hostile intent. Rudely, Cain spat to the side, disregarding the man's sentence. Of course, he hadn't spat at his direction. The opposite, in fact. Then, shakily, the Godfrey pushed himself back up on his feet, taking a worrisome amount of seconds to succeed. His arms hung limp off his shoulders, and it was a struggle to maintain a focused visage on the other male with one of his eyes swollen. "Did you do this all yourself?"
The question came, and Cain allowed himself to rightfully address the man this time as he straightened his posture, though the limpness of his arms remained. He stretched his chin towards his shoulder, glancing at the scene behind him, knowing that it was what he referred to. Regaining the eye contact the two strangers had established, Cain slowly nodded his head. It wasn't that impressive a feat. In a place like Sundial City, most residents were focused on their magical capabilities and more often than not, forgetting to hone their own physical prowess. Cain had been taught to focus on both as a child, a teaching from the Godfrey he hesitantly adopted simply because it was an effective ideal.
Because of that, Cain often had an easy time beating down thugs like this, who had forgotten what it was like being in a brawl with their focus becoming solely on books and scrolls.
"What about it?" he muttered, his voice still strained from exhaustion and pain.
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Post by hugo zimmerman on May 22, 2017 16:27:55 GMT
TAGGED
@cain
Hugo watched, nearly wincing as the man attempted to stand up on his own. If he hadn't spent his time in the hovel, he might have offered a hand to the man. Unfortunately, he knew how games of pride and prejudice worked, and it was all too easy to do nothing. His soft blue eyes said nothing, revealed nothing. They looked sad, but his mouth was a thin line-- far from sympathetic or patronizing.
Calm.
Despite the man declaring he'd knocked three goons off their feet, the blond seemed rather unfearful. After seeing the redhead stand up like he'd collapse at any moment, Hugo's wary eyes had turned casual, contemplative. They were fixated on the bodies of the goons, undoubtedly reliving scenes they didn't want to be shown.
When the male spoke up again, Hugo chuckled and waves his hand. "Oh, don't worry about me." He let his posture relax and smile grow. It was a talent to be strong, but also one to remain unassuming. "You shouldn't be so paranoid, you know."
Helix yawned, and Hugo pursed his lips. "You look like you could use some help, kid."In more ways than one. He left the rest of the offer unsaid, wondering how the redhead would react to help. These types weren't really the kind to react positively, considering he was as much of a stranger as the three bodies on the floor.
[attr="class","azotar"][googlefont="Iceland:400"]i am not your rolling wheels, i am the highway
[attr="class","salvatore"]Through the entire brief moment of conversation they had, all Cain could think of was how much he wished this man wasn't as opportunistic as the men behind him were. They had thought Cain to be easy prey due to their superior numbers, and he had proven them wrong. If this man, however, thought that Cain would be the same easy prey due to his injuries and exhaustion, Cain wasn't sure if he could repeat the same achievement. Behind closed lips, he gritted his teeth, trying to keep himself as aware and awake as possible. The smallest movements could indicate an intent to attack, and Cain wasn't going to allow himself to miss out on it. It could prove the difference between walking out of here alive or de--
Cain blinked, as the man chuckled, waving his hand dismissively. Don't worry about him? He stepped back, taken aback yet finding his body relaxing almost entirely from his words. Did he already believe him? Of course not, but his body wanted to. If he hadn't caught himself, he would have fallen already. "Huh," Cain simply replied to his following comment. Paranoid? "You can never be too careful in the Hovel," he continued, lowering his head slightly. His knees were starting to wobble, but it ceased almost immediately as he once more caught himself. No sign of weakness now, Cain.
"Like hell I d--"
He never really got to finish what he was saying as he was hit with a sudden dizzy spell, and he fell backwards. Hands snapped back and slapped against the brick wall, cushioning what hard impact he would have had suffered to his back had he not reacted. He grunted upon connecting with the wall, though, and quickly slid his left foot back to prop against the bottom of the wall to hold himself up against it. Well, that was embarrassing.
He clicked his tongue, looking up at Hugo for a brief moment, before dropping his head. "... A bit, yeah," he admitted, though he sounded a lot more reluctant than his words expressed. Of course he'd be reluctant. Sometimes, Cain was still too arrogant for his own good, one of the negative traits he inherited from his father.
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Post by hugo zimmerman on May 25, 2017 12:51:51 GMT
TAGGED
@cain
Hugo was reminded of all that had passed in those few years he'd spent tumbling across Sundial, from the city centre to downtown to the hovel. The man's position was one he'd seen many times before, like that of a cornered rat. Except the rat was probably strong enough to throw down with a cat, and it was cornered 24/7.
He sighed.
"Trusting everyone will wind up with you dead, but trusting no one will kill you just as quick." It was time to speak in a language that hopefully the man in front of his would understand. Though Hugo didn't dare assume his words would fall on anything but deaf ears. Regardless, one shot would at least serve to ease his conscience.
Hugo watches his knees wobble, and he couldn't honestly help the amused smile that crawled up his face as the man regained composure, half-way rejected his offer, and then fell backwards.
The blond made no move to help the cornered creature, instead of watching quietly (after stuffing out the remnants of the rogue smile).
"Unfortunately for you, I'm not some wandering medic." He chuckled again before walking up to the man and lifting a hand as though he was about to extend it. Instead, he raised it up is a swift motion, and the air beneath Cain stirred and blew upwards, probably lifting the male a foot or so into the air. He then raised an arm out, offering to help him walk except making it practically effortless for Cain. Although the redhead would likely be incredibly vulnerable in that state. "And I stopped giving out piggy back rides a while ago." A little bit of embarrassment never hurt anyone (and contrary to popular belief, it did less damage to those what cared so much). "But I do know quite a few people here. And they should be happy to help you."
But that would mean he would be leading the man into a place with even more strangers and even more threats. Helix snickered in the corners of Hugo's mind. What do you think you're doing, adopting a dog? He's not going to suddenly start seeing a halo above your head you know. And why do you care so much, anyway? You're exerting mana for no reason.
[attr="class","azotar"][googlefont="Iceland:400"]i am not your rolling wheels, i am the highway
[attr="class","salvatore"]Cain was proud, but he was no idiot. Pride could only get you so far in the slums. More often than not, what one needed here was street smart. Street smart of the refined caliber, knowing when to fight and knowing when to run. It also involved knowing who one could trust or depend on, even if only to certain extents. Cain hadn't been born here, but he had been here long enough to know how to do just that. He knew of others that were sharper than him in that sense, but Cain wanted to believe his was experienced enough to at least help him stay alive in these hostile streets. And from what he had seen thus far, it did not seem like this man wanted to do him any harm.
Not yet, at least.
Nothing ever came for free here in the Hovel.
"Tch," Cain simply clicked his tongue in reply to his medic comment. That was way too much to hope for, wasn't it? He doubted he'd have that much of a luck. Besides, even if he was, Cain would not have had any way to repay him other than favors. And he wondered about that as well, what the man could possibly ask of Cain to do in return for whatever aid he'd provide. Before anything else could be said, though, the man suddenly raised an arm. And Cain felt his feet leave the ground. His eyes widened, fear overtaking him briefly as he swung his arms wildly, trying to maintain his balance. The movement only made his torso scream in pain, stemming from what he presumed was a broken rib or two. He gritted his teeth, releasing a hiss, bringing his arms in close to stop himself from flailing and using his knees instead to 'ground' himself as he brought them up slightly.
The arm was raised forward in gesture of aid, but someone had misunderstood it as a sign of attack, as if the preparatory movement to cast a finishing spell to the witch who had his movement impaired not only by injuries but the man's magic as well. Hailey swooped in from where she was perched earlier, finally overcoming her fear with her natural concern for her host, as she positioned herself between the two witches. "S-Stop!" The hummingbird telepathically screamed, though the threatening attempt she carried in her words was betrayed by her 3-inch body. "Don't hurt him!" And just like that, she erupted into a ball of flame, her feathers seemingly coming alive as it flickered and danced like flame.
"Hailey," Cain called out, begrudgingly, and the hummingbird turned around to look at him. The red-head shook his head, and his familiar hesitated for a brief moment, before the flames died back down to become feathers. She turned back towards Hugo, timidly trying to stare the larger being down, before retreating to perch on Cain's shoulder. She was obviously shaking in fear, the familiar never one to do well with strangers, but she seemed ever ready to come to the aid of her host. "I'm fine," he replied finally, dismissing Hugo's offer for help, and he tried to walk. Weirdly enough, he could, and it felt so weird, as if he was walking on air.
Certainly not something one experienced every day.
"Happy to help me, hm?" he started, before scoffing, still maintaining the hard-headed demeanor he had greeted him with. "You mean with a little bit of cash, don't you?"
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Post by hugo zimmerman on May 30, 2017 14:12:57 GMT
TAGGED
@cain
When a hummingbird suddenly appeared, Hugo should have been less surprised- but the fact that it was on fire caught his eye and his back leg shifted back as though he was prepared to fight. Years of learning to rely on instinct had worn down both the men, or so it seemed. Hugo couldn't formulate a response to the creature in time -mentally wondering if perhaps Helix was right and he ought to give up- before the red head called the bird off.
Hugo watched the bird flutter to Cain's shoulder and for a brief moment he was given a sudden nostalgia for Darling, Eleanor's familiar. A wave of memories crashed through him, although he wasn't sure why now of all times. It wasn't like he hadn't seen dozens upon dozens of avian familiars in his time with or without Ele. Maybe it was the protectiveness that this Hailey had shown for her witch. In that moment, he was completed distracted by the bird, almost eerily taken away from the scene.
"What, I'm not good enough for you?" asked a voice, and Hugo turned to find Helix sauntering towards the duo, blue-white eyes alight with a kind of violent mischievousness. The sort of aura that could not be trusted, the mad aura that inflicted madness wherever it went. In other words, the exact opposite of the witch it was supposed to be a manifestation of.
Hugo stepped back and sighed, putting his hands lazily in his pockets before addressing his own familiar. "Oh, I'd trade you for a hummingbird any day."
Helix chortled, though it was more of saliva-filled snarl and a snort, before changing his focus from Hugo to the stranger. "Oh, shut up, damsel. How annoying can you get. Have you even said thanks yet? What were you planning on doing if help hadn't arrived, hm? Bleeding out"?
"The only one that's annoying here is you," Hugo said, for once displaying actual irritation as his pressing his fingers into his forehead in an attempt to ease his mood. The lion huffed at that, barring its teeth briefly before walking on ahead, tail swishing lazily in the heat of the summer. "And, to be fair, I don't know what they'll charge you. I should be able to rack a discount on your behalf, but...."
[attr="class","azotar"][googlefont="Iceland:400"]i am not your rolling wheels, i am the highway
[attr="class","salvatore"]"What the hell?" Cain frowned, eyes widening in shock at the arrival of the lioness. She had walked out from the hidden corner she had been in, and it surprised Cain, to say the least. He had seen his share of familiars, but this one was certainly one of the more frightening ones. Hell, with Cain's vulnerable state, he knew that this familiar could just pounce and feast on him at any time, as long as the man gave the order. He felt Hailey shake on his shoulder, even going as far as hopping off it and retreating to the inner chest pocket of his jacket, where she always hid in public. It was times like this that Cain wondered if he had been short-changed in terms of familiars, having such a small and seemingly harmless hummingbird, but at the end of the day, he wouldn't trade Hailey for anyone else. She had been there since day 1, and many times, it was her warmth that had kept him alive through the cold nights. He owed her, and he'd protect her just as she would protect him.
The lioness then turned her attention to him, berating him for his attitude. Cain could only scowl as he stared back at the creature. As intimidating as the predator was, Cain wasn't about to just let himself be talked to like that, even if the being in question was someone that could maul and tear his throat out from his neck with a single bite. "If that was really enough to kill me, do you think I'd still be alive in the slums right now?" he snarled, and would have said more, had Hugo not cut his own familiar off in the end. Finally, the conversation was left again to the two of them, and he continued to surprise the red-head with his charitable attitude.
It was an unusual sight, reminding him of Loraina, who had given him a place to stay and access to clean water, even after she threw ten minutes' worth of insults at him prior to doing so. He had bullied her as a kid, and had pretty much ruined her childhood with the nickname he had given her, yet she was mature enough to forgive him. At least, enough to give him a chance out of the slums. A chance he wouldn't take, though, for it felt like a cheat. He wanted to get out via his own effort. Call it pride, but that was all he had left, really, and all he could use as an evaluation of his self-worth.
"You're a rare find here in the slums. Where the hell did you come from?" Cain asked, evidently believing his words this time round. It was too good to be true, but then again, so had many things that had happened to his life in recent days. Might as well add another one to the list, hm?
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The slums was a battlefield. Everyday was a struggle for survival, and everyday, people lost their lives to either the frailty of the human body, or simply another resident looking to live off of the misfortune of others. Robberies and muggings were common, and everyone within knew that it was a dog's world. Kill or be killed. Eat or be eaten. Cain had lived through six years of the hell, and he wasn't new to its demands. In fact, if anything, it had only served to harden him. Being neglected in a grand home while everything was still provided for you wasn't entirely a hard life, but here, in the slums, where it took six years of clawing, snatching and stepping over others, Cain had grown to be more independent than ever. And he had done it on his own, unlike these small-time gangs that were beginning to pop out in the streets. Numbers were a good compensation for lack of strength. It was a foolish mindset, breeding incompetence and lack of desire to improve one's self, but alas, most of the slum's residents were residents for a reason. They grew up in the streets, but they certainly lacked the street smarts.
