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.
For once, Valencia wasn't in a hurry to return home.
There were some errands that she had to run while the day was young but eventually when the excuses dwindled down, she found that she simply didn't want to go back. Her back rested against the wall of a building as she watched people pass her by on their way to wherever they may have had in mind. Morning slipped into afternoon which eventually gave way to night. She could've gone on a patrol somewhere in the city or had dinner at the Sun Cafe. An endless amount of possibilities but none seemed to be all that pleasing when she thought about it.
Are you feeling restless?
That could've been it. Ever since her suspicions of Cain's presence in the city was confirmed, it felt as if her life had been thrown out of balance. She hadn't forgotten that there was something she wanted to live up to and her brother was standing in the way of it. She'd been relieved to know that he was alive and hopefully well but there was also the issue of past occurrences which would always loom over their heads until it could be resolved. She took it a step at a time, wanting to make sure that whatever she stepped foot in wouldn't be something that she'd regret.
So where was this unsettling feeling coming from.
Maybe you should speak to someone about it.
Valencia wanted to tell Arion that she was talking to him about it. However, she knew that he would've told her to seek out another person. But feelings were an awkward topic and it seemed a lot easier to just bury them and contemplate at another point in time. Eventually her position against the wall was becoming uncomfortable and she pushed away, walking into the crowd without a place to go in mind.
Her thoughts wrapped her up and clouded her vision leaving her unfocused when she almost bumped into someone.
Post by Ambrose Bellamy on May 18, 2017 17:17:27 GMT
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[attr="class","jarbeliever"]
[attr="class","jarbelieverpic"]
[attr="class","jarbelieverlyr"]I was broken from a young age
[attr="class","jarbelievert"]
Though his affinity, enchantment, can be passed off as useless, Ambrose is determined to learn as much about it as he can - and the spells he can use. In a fight, he needs every weapon he has at his disposal, and though he's used enchantment before, it's still his rustiest tool in the shed. His plan to polish it includes hours upon hours of practice and thorough studying of the books in the library.[break][break] He's borrowed a more advanced tome with a leather-bound cover, threaded binding, and crinkled, worn pages. He can tell it's not been used recently - there's a musty smell to it which he doesn't quite like, but will tolerate for the knowledge inscribed within its pages.[break][break] Never one to waste time, he's grabbed himself a quick drink from the Sun Cafe and is reading the book as he walks, flipping the pages periodically. Ambrose learned to read at an age later than many of the more educated students, but he learned quickly and his love of information pushed him to read many a script or novella. His memory is quite good, thus allowing him to retain many a factoid after some casual reading. It's not perfect like those with photographic memory, but it comes close. Years of practice memorizing every detail about a target, about his enemies, and about his friends has gone a long way in helping him.[break][break] Too late, he sees a figure coming up to him. On instinct, he dodges, taking a sidestep out of the way. His eyes immediately tighten on his book, a reflex from holding a weapon in hand and preparing to parry. Their shoulders lightly bump against each other, but it more like they brush by each other than stumble. He immediately assesses the woman before him - crimson locks, scarlet eyes, an attitude of confidence and seriousness. But she doesn't look like she's attacking him, and she doesn't look like a threat. There's an unfocused glint in her eye, and Ambrose tucks that information away - it's most likely the reason she wasn't watching where she was going. [break][break] He paints a smile on his face and a look of concern. "No no, it's no problem," he reassures, a small rumble of laughter building in his throat. "I wasn't looking where I was going. Are you all right?" he asks.
Valencia wasn't exactly pleased with the idea of knocking into another person in a busy street. There were some individuals who liked to make a mess of things by causing a scene. And she couldn't say that she was in the mood to confront someone or be persuaded to appease them with a half-assed apology. Laughter roused her from the stupor that she'd been in as she raised her head to look the other person in the eyes. A quick apology followed and if she'd been any other woman, his eyes would've mesmerized her and his smile would've been inviting.
However, she wasn't any other woman and her skepticism rose as customary for a Godfrey woman. She allowed her eyes to roam as she took in his physique and the way that his hand seemed tensed around the spine of the book in his grasp. From the looks of it, the amount of tension in his fingers was reminiscent of the tension in her own hand as she clutched the strap of her purse. Arion muttered to her about the way that he moved but dismissed it believing it to be a natural reaction to a collision with another person.
Nonetheless, skepticism took hold of Valencia. And if this man did turn out to be a "nice guy", there were no exceptions.
"I'm not," she answered. "But thank you for your concern."
She looked to the book that he was reading and her brow furrowed. It looked familiar. Something that she'd seen in her youth and later years when she wanted a good read. In fact, it looked so similar that...
Valencia opened her purse and reached in to pull out a tome of her own. There were quite a few copies and her great grandfather secured one of them for his own study, passing it down among the Godfrey family until it found its way to her own study.
Post by Ambrose Bellamy on May 19, 2017 2:40:33 GMT
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[attr="class","jarbeliever"]
[attr="class","jarbelieverpic"]
[attr="class","jarbelieverlyr"]I was broken from a young age
[attr="class","jarbelievert"]
Ambrose can hear Alastor's deep rumble of laughter. And he knows the deer is laughing for good reason - for once, Ambrose is slightly baffled. His smile falters oh so slightly, but he recovers quickly, taking her sudden admission of not being all right in stride. [break][break] His smile is slightly dimmed, his brow furrowing in concern. "Is something wrong?" he asks. He notes the tension in her figure - her hand is tight around the strap of her purse, almost as if she was making a move to shrug it off her shoulder and whack him with it. A brow quirks with amusement at the thought.[break][break] When she pulls out a tome that matches his exactly, his eyes light up with delight at the shared interest. "I am indeed," he says truthfully. "I assume you are, too?"[break][break] He straightens when he comes up with a good idea, his smile widening and inviting. "If you're not busy, perhaps I can get you for a drink? To make up for your trouble - an apology of sorts," he says, hoping to persuade her. Belatedly, he adds, "I'm Ambrose," as he extends his hand out in greeting.
There is a childlike innocence which comes with a shared interest between strangers. And in some ways, Valencia can feel that innocence when she looks at him. The smile on his face and the glint of interest in his eyes only served to alleviate the slight weight on her chest. Even if it wasn't completely gone, a distraction wouldn't be unwarranted and in fact would be welcomed if only by a slight measure. As her mother would've said; the company of an attractive young man could do wonders for the mood. Valencia could've only suspected that is why she had an express interest in keeping her father around in their youth.
Pushing the thought aside, Valencia opened her purse and tucked the tome inside of it. Arion warned her not to make any sudden movements because the man in front of her could've been dangerous. However, she chided the horse wit giving him a taste of his own medicine. He wanted her to talk to someone else and even if it wasn't about the issue that plagued her in the beginning, she was talking.
After all if push came to shove and this stranger became a danger, she could handle herself.
"Valencia," she replied.
She held out her hand to hold his and gave a firm shake. Her gaze fell from his eyes to their clasped hands and slowly she withdrew her hand from his grasp.
"A drink would be nice," she said.
Valencia brushed a lock of hair behind her ear with a soft chuckle. His interest in her mood was something that was endearing if not a little strange. But then again, she was skeptical of almost anyone who crossed her path.
"Thank you for your concern Ambrose, but I'm not like an open book."
With that, she started making the trek to the nearest cafe and gave a fleeting glance to the man behind her as if beckoning for him to follow.
Post by Ambrose Bellamy on May 19, 2017 17:17:38 GMT
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[attr="class","jarbeliever"]
[attr="class","jarbelieverpic"]
[attr="class","jarbelieverlyr"]I was broken from a young age
[attr="class","jarbelievert"]
"It's nice to meet you, Valencia," he says, noting her firm grip within his own. Their hands part, though the warmth of hers in his still remains. His smile widens as she accepts his invitation.[break][break] "Great!" he exclaims. Ambrose knows he's going to take this chance to possibly pick her brain over enchantment, and, if possible, perhaps a few other things - like why she wanted to hit him with her purse and what's on her mind that's causing her to be so secretive. After all, it's not like he's asked what was wrong - he'd only asked if something was wrong. Two very similar questions, but he'd been very particular about his phrasing.[break][break] Every word is a potential weapon. He's learned to use them skillfully.[break][break] To her statement about not being an open book, all he does is quirk an eyebrow. Again with the secrets. He understands everyone has their own - heck he's got enough to fill a book by now - but there's that air of mystère that piques his interest. Of course, he needs to be careful how he treads about this: he can't be too pushy, or else he's prying too much into her affairs. But he can't let it lie for too long, either, or else it'll become suspicious.[break][break] Though at this point, all he's honestly after is another acquaintance, another possible source of information, another contact, and someone who he might be able to befriend over enchantment. Though he won't deny that he's taken note of her red purse, which looks quite fancy, and has two G's on the clasp. It looks like a designer bag, if anything, and that means money.[break][break] He'll play it off as complete interest in enchantment. And he is genuinely curious on the subject. But, as his saying goes, 'find two reasons to do anything'.[break][break] Valencia goes on ahead, giving him a glance as if to ask if he's following. Frankly, he's slightly confused since she's taking the lead, but he quickly catches up, assuming they're heading to the Sun Cafe, which is the nearest cafe to their current location.[break][break] He already visited today, but he doesn't mind splurging a little extra for another - their drinks are delicious, and this time, he's taking a lady with him.[break][break] The trip is short, and he sprinkles the free time in-between with short, trivial questions, the majority of which are yes-no questions, but trivial nonetheless. They're not prying ones, and they're mainly focused on the book - 'have you finished reading it?' or a question about a particular paragraph. Just enough to keep their conversation flowing, but not enough to be annoying or prying. [break][break] Finally, at the cafe, Ambrose holds open the door for her, as befits a courteous gentleman, and the waiter gestures vaguely to an open table. Ambrose takes his seat, not bothering to open the menu - he always orders his default mocha with whipped cream on top.[break][break] He waits patiently for Valencia to order before he poses his question, "So, Miss Valencia, are you an enchanter?"
[attr="class","jarbelievertag"]@valencia || dude idek at this point also lemme know if i gotta fix things
Arion has never been talked so much as he's done in the time between her meeting with Ambrose and their walk to the Sun Cafe. He was baffled, absolutely baffled, on how such a small meeting could've graduated into what Valencia would've denied as a date. Yes, he wanted her to talk to someone else about her problems but to go on an outing with someone that she just met was ludicrous. And perhaps in the back of her mind, Valencia was simply doing this to prove to her familiar that some of his suggestions were horrible if taken literally. But she couldn't lie when she thought about her interest in the man who shared a common interest with her.
The trip was short and there was conversation along the way. Little questions that could've been deemed as small chit chat instead of idle probing. And each was answered with a short remark or a little smile as she took pleasure in having someone else by her side. Most of the questions pertained to the book and Valencia was happy to share what knowledge she had about the words that it contained. In truth, the conversation made her wonder why she had become so interested in enchantment in the first place. But once the inquiry was brought to mind, she was reminded of the feelings that led her on this path in the first place.
Her mind became a swarm of thoughts and words, theories that would never hold any ground, and speculations with no place to go. It'd become so consuming that she hadn't noticed they'd reached the cafe until she heard the gentle chime of a bell. Ambrose held the door open for her and the gesture was simple and commonly done, but chivalrous all the same. A little smile threatened to form and she gave a curt nod of acknowledgment along with a quiet thanks before brushing past him.
Once inside, Valencia was swept up into the cafe's familiar and cozy atmosphere. The establishment had a way of making a person feel right at home with its abundance of persons who never failed to keep the talk going. While she interested herself with taking in the surroundings, Ambrose took the initiative to find a table for them to sit. Arion huffed and remained quiet as she followed him only to take a seat across from him and remove the tome from inside of her purse.
She ran her fingers against the title embossed in a golden text across the tome's cover. It entranced her as a child but only served to raise questions as an adult. Questions that seemed to be in abundance between the two of them as one was posed to her from her companion.
"I'm not," she answered. "However, I do find enchanters to be interesting and I wanted to know more about them."
Post by Ambrose Bellamy on May 19, 2017 20:38:35 GMT
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[attr="class","jarbeliever"]
[attr="class","jarbelieverpic"]
[attr="class","jarbelieverlyr"]I was broken from a young age
[attr="class","jarbelievert"]
Ambrose watches as she trails her fingers over the gold-embossed text. His own tome rests in front of him, open to where he'd discreetly slipped in a bookmark as they'd walked to the cafe.[break][break] He's noticed that Valencia's livret seems older than his, more worn and scuffed at the edges, but still in very good shape. His own is borrowed, and though there are some marks to it, it seems a little newer than hers. Briefly, he wonders if she'd borrowed her book from the library or whether it was a family heirloom or something.[break][break] His eyebrow quirks when she notes that she finds enchanters to be interesting. He's intrigued as to why a non-enchanter would be so occupied with enchantment. For just simple interest, she does seem to take her studying of it quite seriously. That speaks to her character, and Ambrose files the tidbit away into the mental dossier he has now created for her.[break][break] At her question, he smiles. "I am indeed, Miss Valencia. Does this mean you're interested in me?" he says, an eyebrow raised teasingly. He pauses for a moment as their orders arrive, allowing the waitress to put down their drinks, and he quickly tells her to put both of their drinks on his tab. [break][break] He mixes in the whipped cream and takes a sip of his drink - it's delicious - before he fiddles with the bookmark placed in his book. "So what's gotten you interested in enchantment specifically? The versatility? The wide-spread use? Simplicity?"
[attr="class","jarbelievertag"]@valencia || god help me
"If I weren't interested in you then this conversation would be over," she admitted. "And I assume the same from you."
She looked up to meet his gaze as her eyebrow quirks.
"You don't seem like the kind of man who likes to waste his time, Mister Ambrose."
Valencia's analysis of her companion was cut short as their drinks arrived. Looking to the waitress, she gave a curt nod and a soft thanks before trading the hardened texture of the tome for a warm cup. Her trips to the Sun Cafe were always for the same thing but the staff knew which she'd like depending on the time of day. In the morning, it was a nice cup of chai tea but in the evening, she preferred something that was a bit more childish.
Hot chocolate, in fact.
It was a simple pleasure that she wouldn't allow age to take away from her. And one that she indulged in when her dietary regimen allowed. After she took a sip and the warm liquid made her feel cozier on the inside than the out, she remembered the company across from her. She set down her cup, always mindful to make as little noise as possible and folded her hands in her lap.
"Simplicity?" she repeated.
Valencia shook her head and tapped the tome lightly.
"There is absolutely nothing simple about an enchanter, in fact, I believe they're extraordinary. I want to know what an enchanter is capable of at each stage in their development. Their strengths, their weaknesses, what makes them tick."
She looked up to meet his eyes as she reached out for her cup.
"And you?"
One could study their own affinity without arousing suspicion but the tome that they'd acquired was one for advanced study. Mostly and usually sought out by those who wanted a deeper understanding of the affinity's workings. With that in mind, she could only wonder, what was it that he sought to know more about.
Post by Ambrose Bellamy on May 22, 2017 21:30:55 GMT
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[attr="class","jarbeliever"]
[attr="class","jarbelieverpic"]
[attr="class","jarbelieverlyr"]I was broken from a young age
[attr="class","jarbelievert"]
His grin quirks upwards at Valencia's response, one that could be taken to mean she was taken by his interest in enchanting or she found some portion of Ambrose to be, at the very least, endearing. Answers like that frustrated Ambrose the most, but they also entertained him. Difficult to read - and he did love his challenges. His smile is confirmation that he is indeed taken by Valencia's answer. He is interested.[break][break] And her observation of him is spot on. His smile widens. "No, indeed, I'm not," he agrees. He is not a man who wastes time, nor is he one that will do anything solely for the sake of that thing. Dual reasoning - that's one thing he's kept dear over the years. Almost like multitasking, but not.[break][break] And her reply! It's one that shows both conviction and respect for enchantment - so often, he's heard that enchantment is for those taking the easy way out. That it's one of the simplest magics. Perhaps at first it seems easy. But after experience, Ambrose has to agree with the few that are intimate with enchantment - easy to learn, hard to master.[break][break] Alastor makes a low noise. She's quite a catch, the buck says, his voice a low baritone. Ambrose agrees.[break][break] "It almost sounds as if you're about to war against an enchanter," he says, the tease obvious in his voice. "However, I am glad you hold different opinions than many others. I agree that enchantment is by no means simple." He gestures to the tome before them. "Which brings us back to the book."[break][break] He pauses to take a sip of his latte before he continues. "Enchantment, being a difficult magic to master, is a skill I'd like to polish. But you," he says, his gaze fixed on Valencia's face. "You're not an enchanter. And thus my curiosity is piqued."[break][break] He flips the page of his book, eyes trailing along the letters for only a moment before he lifts his gaze once more. "Despite that, you seem quite knowledgeable. And that tome looks as if it's been well-studied. Are there still things you'd like to inquire about? Perhaps I can help."[break][break] Alastor grumbles something about him talking too much and potentially scaring away the girl, but Ambrose pushes the deer's mutterings away, giving Alastor a light 'shut up' in return. Mentally, of course.[break][break] And now to see Miss Valencia's reaction. He's truly curious as to what leads a non-enchanter to study the magic to such an extent as an advanced text as this. Perhaps there's more to her curiosity than just simple intrigue.
[attr="class","jarbelievertag"]@valencia || idek im sorry
Well, that was one way to put her endless curiosity of the affinity into perspective. But even Valencia wasn't sure on why she wanted to study them in such depth. At least there wasn't a simple answer which she could derive that would take away from the depth of her interest. Cain came to mind when she thought of enchanters and she could only wonder how his abilities would grow as he became older. How would he change and grow to exceed the expectations of their family but also become an asset or a hindrance in battles soon to come.
Arion urged her to return to the conversation with as she lifted her gaze. The little smile on her face was shielded by her cup as she took another sip. At least her perceptions of him were spot on and he wasn't as daft as most women would hope a man with a pretty face would be. Nonetheless, the answer to his question would be one that she'd have to word carefully. As it stood, she knew too little of him to share things so intimate and personal.
However, it wouldn't be often that she'd have someone so close and endearing to answer her questions. Pushing away her inhibitions and opening her tome on the table in front of them, she flipped through the pages until coming to worn pieces of parchment. Some of the papers had handwriting which could've belonged to a child but as she flipped through the pages, the handwriting changed becoming cursive strokes. Carefully done with a practiced hand.
"There are various applications for enchanting, such as placing curses or 'blessings' on objects, and persons," she said. "I'm curious over whether an enchanter would have the ability to subject another person to their will by inflicting their own consciousness over an object."
She took another sip of her drink before continuing.
"Similar to how a spellsinger could sway someone to their side by using their voice," she said with a bitterness to her words. "Could an enchanter do the same but on a smaller scale?"
Post by Ambrose Bellamy on May 29, 2017 22:30:16 GMT
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[attr="class","jarbeliever"]
[attr="class","jarbelieverpic"]
[attr="class","jarbelieverlyr"]I was broken from a young age
[attr="class","jarbelievert"]
Ambrose watches as Valencia lifts her mug to her lips, her crimson locks swaying slightly. He listens carefully to her response, noting how she seems slightly cautious about just what she's saying while he takes in her explanation. Her answer is plausible enough, and it poses an interesting question indeed. His lip curls upward in amusement as he leans back.[break][break] "A curious question indeed," he muses with delight. Valencia has quite the head on her shoulders, to think of applying enchanting in such a form. He's pondered a similar idea himself, but has never quite gotten an answer. However, he has his reply, and after some careful thinking, he states it. "I must admit that I have two answers for you."[break][break] He leans forward again, taking a sip of his coffee before meeting Valencia's gaze. "From the definition of enchanters being people with the ability to control or otherwise restrict the flow of mana, one would assume that as such, they could control not just the flow of the mana in objects, but of living things." He pauses, watching her face to see her reaction. "Though I've not yet come across a documentation of such an effort, I believe it to be completely possible." He smiles once more and lifts his cup to his lips. [break][break] "Now as to my second answer. Charms can indeed sway one to one's will, even without using magic." His smile widens and he lets out a chuckle. "I would like to think that my charms helped persuade you to come and have a drink with me." He smiles around his glass as he takes another sip of his coffee. Oh, how he did love this conversation.
[attr="class","jarbelievertag"]@valencia || im so sorry
It was in that moment that Valencia wondered what exactly led her to having a drink with Ambrose. She was dazed and in a state where her own mind couldn't be accounted for. Against her own way of thinking and controlling her own instability, she sought the presence of another person and it just so happened to be someone she'd never met before. He hadn't piqued her interest until she'd seen the book and he opened his mouth to engage her in a conversation that would change the way she saw things. So she had to ask herself, did charm having anything to do with why they were sitting together?
Had Ambrose unconsciously used a form of enchantment to bring her to this very place in time?
She took another sip of her tea and then looked up to meet his eyes. Everything he said seemed too perfect. Her mother always told her never to look a gift horse in its mouth but her skepticism was far too strong for that. But she had to admit, even if this moment was a prelude to something terrible, she wouldn't have traded it for anything in the world at this moment.
Her reaction to his initial statement of the definition of enchanters was quiet contemplation. Perhaps a bit of bitterness also arose but she did her best to keep it at bay. Having ones will robbed from them would be frightening to say the least.
Valencia wouldn't dare think of what may have happened if she was left on her own trapped in thought to where even Arion couldn't reach her.
"You would like to think so," she repeated with a soft hum. "I'm not sure whether you are a man of impeccable confidence or a humble soul not aware of his own worth."
She set her cup down and looked to him.
"I believe there is a third answer that you may have missed," Valencia said. "Curiosity."
