+- Court of the Fallen (https://cotf-rpg.com)
+-- Forum: Out of Character (https://cotf-rpg.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=26)
+--- Forum: Important (https://cotf-rpg.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=27)
+---- Forum: Archives (https://cotf-rpg.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=38)
+---- Thread: [SE] Thou shalt not steal (/showthread.php?tid=12369)
Pages:
1
2
Thou shalt not steal - Nova - 01-07-2026
[say]"Oh! You're that Marcus!"[/say]
She doesn't connect the dots until the lodge is looming in the distance, recalling a man - Noah (she only remembers his name because it's almost as cool as hers) - that she helped make a shrine for her mom here. He'd mentioned a son and daughter, although she hadn't expected to meet that same son while on Colt's ranch in King's End, and she definitely hadn't anticipated following him back to Halo to discuss guild matters, but when he'd expressed an interest, Nova couldn't stop telling him more about it. From the Kael brothers who lead the guild to the fun requests she gets to do; she rambles the entire way from King's End, occasionally asking him questions about his own works.
Now, as everything clicks into place, she spins to look at him closer - much closer.
Her body leans forward, squinting to find the similarities between the men. The expression scrunches her freckles in a twisting galaxy of stars. She ignores the piece of blue hair that falls down, humming thoughtfully for a looooong moment before snapping straight with a shrug of her shoulders. [say]"Nope. I don't see it."[/say]
RE: Thou shalt not steal - Marcus - 01-13-2026
Marcus huffed a quiet laugh at her scrutiny, the sound warm and a little embarrassed as he pushed open the heavy doors of the lodge. Heat spilled out to meet them, a welcome contrast to Halo’s bite, which was such a stark contrast to the grueling heat they had faced in King's End.
[say]“Guess that settles it.”[/say] he said, amused. [say]“People say I take after him. Mostly in the shoulders, I think.”[/say] His mother's dark hair covered him, ruffled now and unsettled from their time on their drive and travels via skyship back to Halo. Several-days-old scruff speckled his face, and his bangs hung low near his cerulean eyes -- which he had, in fact, inherited from his father.
Inside, the lodge smelled faintly of smoke and cedar. Marcus moved without really thinking, shrugging out of his coat, hanging it, then reaching for another hook. [say]“You can put yours there. It gets warmer by the hearth.”[/say] The words came easily, practiced, like muscle memory inherited rather than learned. He could hear people shuffling around the halls, and he knew that meant that Noah had brought in a group to go out on a hunt.
He headed for the small kitchen nook, already filling the kettle. [say]“Tea?”[/say] he asked over his shoulder. [say]“I’ve got juniper berry, something floral from Torchline I can never remember the name of. And,”[/say] A pause as he opened a cupboard, brows pulling togehter in brief concentration. [say]“for snacks I have dried meat, flatbread, honeyed nuts...[/say] He trailed off, holding hte cupboard open as he turned his chin to fully look at her over his shoulder.
RE: Thou shalt not steal - Noah - 01-13-2026
Noah moved through the lodge with the efficiency of long habit, boots thudding softly against the wooden floor as the wind howled beyond the walls. The main living space was warm with fire and voices; Marcus and Nova stood near the open kitchen, mid-conversation. He offered them a brief nod and smiled to Nova, [say]"It's good to see you again. Glad you've met my son."[/say] Before his focus returned to the task at hand.
At the far wall, he opened the tall cabinet that held the tools of his trade. Wood creaked. The scent of oiled metal and leather rose. He reached in, drawing out his bow, checking the string with practiced fingers before slinging the quiver over his shoulder. A wide belt followed, heavy with a hatchet and several small knives, their hilts worn smooth by use. He fastened it around his waist, the weight settling familiar and reassuring against his hips. [say]"I'll be back in a few days. If not by the end of the week, tell Deimos."[/say] He said, now a constant word of parting on his lips since the death of Cordelia.
Urged on quickly by the other hunters that gathered at the door, when he turned away, the cabinet door did not quite close. It lingered ajar, just enough for a sliver of light to catch on something within—an ornate spear, pale and radiant.
Sun Spear | An ornate lightweight but sturdy spear that constantly glistens as if caught in a beam of sunlight. Shoots an arc of fire of up to 15ft.
Type: Light | Style: Offensive | Level: Basic | Cost: Action
RE: Thou shalt not steal - Nova - 01-14-2026
Nova tilted her head, her eyes focused intently on the expanse of his shoulders where the fabric spread rather than the threshold they stepped through. Her voice was light, blunt with unfiltered thoughts as she poked his shoulder. [say]"That's a weird thing to say."[/say]
Only the shift in the air finally pulled her attention from scrutinizing whatever odd similarities people may identify. She embraced the feeling of warmth that wasn't stifling. She didn't need magic or ice cream to combat the environment, letting the chill shift to a gentle heat that settled over her skin without drawing sweat or tension across her body.
Having only seen the lodge from the outside, Nova had to pause in her buzzing absorption of the interior to remove the thin jacket she'd bothered to wear. The bright pink sat like a pop of color at a funeral, a blinding statement amongst the brown and black fabrics hung there.
She spun to follow Marcus into the kitchen, skipping and skimming her fingers along the trinkets they pass. Most appeared to be hunting related, a pair of antlers, fangs, tusks, and pelts, all bringing forth images of outfits and accessories that would look so cool. But his voice kept her from dawdling - and the mention of snacks.
Bouncing on her toes, she peeked over his shoulder at the options, eyes bright blue and hungry for the sweet choice. [say]"Oh! Honeyed nuts!"[/say] She was about to reach for them when a deep voice distracted her, Noah's face appearing in her field of vision. [say]"Hi Noah!"[/say] Her hand moved to a wave so quickly that her hair billowed around her glittering smile.
He seemed distracted, moving to prep himself for what she assumed to be hunt (this was a hunting lodge after all). Weapons and tools moved in and out of a cabinet full of equipment. Nova saw a few interesting pieces but didn't distract him, pulling down the nuts and popping a few in her mouth as she observed with no amount of veiled interest. Making herself at home, the petite hybrid hopped on the counter, swinging her feet and humming to herself.
Before she knew it, Noah was moving to leave, strapped with more weapons than she's ever worn. Mouth full of nuts, she gave him a wave that was just as excited as her last one, a few sparkles falling from her fingertips when she yelled, [say]"Have fun!"[/say] But her eyes lingered on the cabinet, thoughts of her sister sparking forth at the glint of gold.
Nova turned to Marcus, a grin on her face as she kicked out her glittery boots. [say]"Wanna make fun stuff?"[/say] Maybe if she gave him some tips, they could solidify his place in the guild.
RE: Thou shalt not steal - Marcus - 01-15-2026
Marcus didn't go on even though his joke was missed. Maybe Nova was playing at something, too, for in his mind and for nearly everyone he'd met his entire life, he was clearly identifiable as an Olson. Regardless, the young hybrid handed over the snacks and started to prepare tea. He waved to his father and agreed to tell Deimos if he didn't return, a rhythm he no longer had to think about.
Even though she didn't quite ask for it, he poured the tea and set a mug within her reach, then slid the bowl of honeyed nuts closer as well. Something in him settled at the way she made herself at home, sliding up on the counter. She was easy to be around. Around them the lodge felt lived-in, with wood and smoke, the distant murmur of hunters moving through the halls, and out the front door to follow the echo of his father’s presence. Marcus didn't pay mich attention to the way the spear glittered in the cabinet, too used to it being there.
Her words about making “fun stuff” piqued his interest, and he hesitated about taking his first sip of tea. [say]"What kind of fun stuff?"[/say] He knew that she had crafting magic because of her work on the shrine for Safrin, but he didn't know the extent of it.
RE: Thou shalt not steal - Nova - 01-15-2026
Although she wasn't one for tea, she accepted the drink, lifting the mug to try a sip. It was sweet, but not nearly sweet enough, and after the swelting Longheat, she wasn't in love with the hot temperature. Holding the mug out, she tilted her head, a small pout forming as she considered the beverage. With a scrunch of her nose and a nod of her head, Nova created a handful of white grains above the mug, the sugar falling like snowflakes into the liquid where her water magic swirled and dissolved the sweetener. The steam faded, a light chill settling into the tea along with a few small ice cubes.
Curious, Nova took another sip, a smile breaking across her face. Delighted with her sweet modifications, she hummed and wiggled in her place on the counter, feet swinging as she addressed Marcus's question. [say]"Well... I was thinking about making a cute bag that can hold lots of stuff."[/say] Perhaps even big enough to hold a sparkly weapon.
Grinning up at him, she added, [say]"But I can make you something too!"[/say] A tilt of her head set her curls shifting, an excited gleam in her blue eyes. [say]"Maybe a new mug that keeps your drink warm? Or a flask that keeps it cold? Or the softest blanket you've ever felt! Or a pair of sunglasses that keep you from getting sunburnt!"[/say] Another giggle brightens the air as she leaned forward. [say]"That's the great thing about the guild! The possibilities are endless!"[/say]
RE: Thou shalt not steal - Marcus - 01-26-2026
The way the daughter of Safrin used her magic made a jealous flare inside of Marcus, but he pushed it down. He didn't want that to be the reason he joined the guild. No, he wasn't asking about it to gain power or strength or an advantage over others. But it was still hard to look at someone his own age who had much more advanced magic than he did and not feel the way he did.
After setting his mug down without taking a drink, Marcus rested his forearms on the counter, leaning closer without quite realizing it, his cerulean eyes bright with an excitement he rarely let surface. Something in his chest loosened, then flared, a warmth that had nothing to do with the hearth or the tea. Something besides jealousy. Maybe excitement? Hope? Anticipation?
He finally picked his mug back up, and took a sip.
He had grown up in a place where worth was measured in endurance: how long you could last in the cold, how steady your aim was, how much weight you could carry across ice and snow. Halo taught survival. It taught vigilance. Not things that Marcus didn't value, but this was about reaching outward instead of bracing inward. To be part of that felt like stepping into a current that ran far beyond Halo’s borders, far beyond his own name and lineage. Something larger than hunting seasons and patrol rotations.
A quiet, awed smile curved his mouth as he looked at Nova, at the easy sparkle of her magic and her boundless imagining. [say]"I can't wait,"[/say] he breathed.
RE: Thou shalt not steal - Nova - 01-26-2026
She nodded her head emphatically, curls bouncing around her face like a curtain of colorful confetti. Halfway through a sip, Nova set aside her mug on the counter, barely swallowing the tea as she was straightening, arms flinging out with excitement. [say]"Watch this!"[/say]
Grinning like a kid with a new toy, she stuck her tongue out between her lips, a mental image beginning to take form in her mind. Her fingers twisted, threads of light giving form to the magic singing through her blood. She rotated a hand, guiding the various elements into place with a bright shimmering of light as they coiled together, the incorporeal power solidifying in a soft white pulse. It glittered and gleamed in the light of the house, the silvery fabric catching the light in a thousand microscopic crystals. A long, single strap hung from the pouch purse, the bag already looking mostly full despite having just been made.
Nova lifted it in her hands to show Marcus, a proud, beaming smile on her face. [say]"Now I can put all sorts of stuff in it! Like this!"[/say] She bounced off the counter, snagging the bag of honeyed nuts to slip into the opening. It vanished into the black depths, the purse looking no more burdened than it did before. [say]"And this!"[/say] Spinning, she moved to the other end of the kitchen to grab a large pot. The cinch strap opened wide to accommodate the pot, which again vanished into the depths of the dark interior. Giggling, she lifted the bag for Marcus to see, again having unchanged from the previous item.
[say]"And even this!!"[/say] Finally, she spun to the cabinet left slightly ajar, pulling out the golden spear that sat within. It was long enough to be impressive, making it all the more astounding when it was swallowed by the small, glittery bag without any hint of difficulty.
She clapped her hands together, her laughter chiming through the space when she hopped back to Marcus's side. Showing off the light and unassuming accessory, she gave a spin, hands flaring with the pink tassels of her jacket. When she came to a stop, she leaned forward towards the man, her eyes glittering like a miniature galaxy staring straight into his soul. [say]"See?! Isn't it cool?! You try!"[/say] Nova offered forth the opening of the bag, nodding insistently for him to put something inside, to discover how fun it was.
Nova has created:
Glittery Bag of Holding | A glittery crossbody bag that can hold an infinite number of items, so long as they fit within the bag's 3ft x 3ft opening. The bag always feels nearly weightless, but always looks about 75% full.
Type: Grey | Style: Other | Level: Basic | Cost: (None)
And stolen:
Sun Spear | An ornate lightweight but sturdy spear that constantly glistens as if caught in a beam of sunlight. Shoots an arc of fire of up to 15ft.
Type: Light | Style: Offensive | Level: Basic | Cost: Action
RE: Thou shalt not steal - Marcus - 01-28-2026
For a heartbeat, Marcus could only stare. The light, the way it wove itself into shape at her command, the soft pulse as the fabric of the world seemed to agree to be something else. Jealousy tried to rise again, sharp and instinctive against his spine, but it was drowned beneath something brighter and louder -- awe. Pure, unguarded wonder.
His eyes followed every movement of her hands, every shimmer of starlit thread as the bag came into being. Grounding himself by placing his hands on the counter and pressing them down until he could feel the texture of the butcher block through his callouses when she began dropping things into it, his brows lifted higher and higher. A breathy, almost incredulous laugh slipped from him at the sight of the honeyed nuts, then the pot, vanishing into nothing. When the spear disappeared, his shoulders actually tensed, a reflex born of a lifetime of respecting weapons and their weight, their presence. The fact that something so solid, so dangerous, could be swallowed by something so small felt impossible.
And yet.
When she offered the opening to him, urging him to try, Marcus hesitated only a second before his curiosity won. [say]"Okay,"[/say] Clearing his throat and looking around, he reached for the nearest thing first, which was his his mug. It vanished without resistance. He let out a soft, startled huff of laughter, then, emboldened, reached for the kettle next, easing its bulk toward the bag. Gone.
His pulse picked up. He glanced around the kitchen, then the lodge beyond, eyes catching on a thick, fur-lined cloak hanging on a hook near the hearth. He crossed the room, lifted it, and brought it back. The fabric disappeared just as easily, the bag no heavier for it. Bright cerulean eyes looked back at Nova then, his expression open, alight, something boyish and reverent breaking through. [say]"What do I need to do to be able to do that?"[/say]
RE: Thou shalt not steal - Nova - 01-28-2026
Similar to his dad, Nova got an acceptable level of awe and appreciation from the man, his amazed smile and airy laughter making her pride shine a little brighter, her bounces reaching just a little higher. She watched with unrestrained excitement as he dropped in his mug, not even bothering to wonder if the contents would spill on the other items within. Her own giggles bubbled forth, stretching the opening a bit to accommodate the kettle that was swallowed by the darkness.
As the hefty cloak vanished close behind, her cheeks spread wide, too invested in looking into the gaping portal of a bag to hear Marcus at first. She hummed, turning her gaze to him with her hands still propped on the bag, processing his question. Blinking a moment, she finally clarified with an absent-minded tone. [say]"This?"[/say]
Blonde and blue curls shifted around her face as she tilted her head, a girlish giggle accenting a flourish of sparkles around her bouncing form. [say]"Get more magic!"[/say] It sounded simple enough really, just be better, but she was kind enough to elaborate, [say]"It didn't start working until I could use all the elements."[/say] She released the bag to hang at her side, lifting her hands so that fire, water, air, and specks of earth coiled through the space between them like a swirling galaxy waiting to form. [say]"Then I could start making stuff."[/say] The magic merged, melding into a small wooden bird that sat proudly in her hands.
Peeking up at him, Nova gave Marcus a playful grin, knowing what was coming next. [say]"Then, all of a sudden, I felt like I could put magic in things."[/say] She didn't infuse the carving like she would a magical item, but she manipulated the elements, the wings of the bird unfurling as it pushed off from her palms to take flight. Her eyes followed it for a moment as it glided around the room, its wooden wings somehow looking like feathers rippling in the absent breeze; but hunger started to eat at her stomach, a low growl bringing a pout to her lips. She hopped on the counter, letting the magic continue to carry the bird as she reached into the bag and pulled the honeyed nuts back out. [say]"But it's really tiring, so I can only do it every once in a while."[/say] Shrugging her shoulders, her careless smile returned as she popped a few nuts in her mouth.
RE: Thou shalt not steal - Marcus - 01-29-2026
It seemed so simple, yet from his experiencee felt just as far away.
Her magic danced, bending elements without strain (at least in the outward appearance of it, as she cleared up afterward), coaxing them into form. [say]"Well,"[/say] He sucked in a breath, [say]"I can't bend or manipulate any of the elements. So far I’m more subtle in what I can do.”[/say] Did he mean small? [say]“I can heal small wounds, mostly. And I can mend.”[/say] He tapped the counter lightly. [say]“I can fix broken things. Biggest I've been able to fix is a mirror."[/say]
His magic wasn’t flashy; it didn’t twist the world into glittering shapes or make objects vanish into impossibility. Instead, it worked quietly, steadily—mending, soothing, restoring. Small, subtle acts that rarely drew attention, but carried weight nonetheless, offering relief to people and stability to the things they depended on. [say]“I can soothe someone’s emotions, too. Calm them down, help them breathe through fear or anger."[/say] He let his eyes follow the bird as it flitted across the open room of the lodge.
[say]"I'd love to be able to do more. Evie Ignatius has been helping me train my magic basically since it surfaced, but I haven't gotten any stronger, per say. Just had more abilities come to the top."[/say] Fascinated by the effortless way she moved between wonder and focus, he moved around the counter without thinking, so that he slid into the stool next to where she perched on the coutner rather than look at her from across it. He really only noticed what he had done when he turned his cerulean gaze from the bird and back to her, and realized how close he was now. Marcus felt a surge of admiration that had nothing to do with envy.
[say]"It's uh, nice to have met someone like me."[/say] Someone that wasn't Deimos -- not that the Warden wasn't good, or even a true friend, but he was so much Marcus' elder and superior it felt harder to connect to him. Nova, being so close to his age, felt easier.
RE: Thou shalt not steal - Nova - 01-29-2026
Nova continued to munch on the nuts, kicking her legs out in a slow, alternating rhythm as she listened to Marcus. Her head tilted again, picking up on the many differences he listed. There wasn't quite jealousy growing in her chest - her magics were really awesome - but she did wonder what it would be like to heal people, bright thoughts swirling in her mind as she let out a soft hum. [say]"Mm. I can't do those things."[/say] Not sounding especially put off by it, she shrugged her shoulders and popped another handful of nuts in her mouth.
However, the last magic Marcus mentioned really snagged at her curiosity, eyes brightening as she leaned more towards him. [say]"Soothing emotions? Does it only work on anger or fear? What about happiness or excitement? How does it work? Do you know what they're feeling? Do you just look at them and they calm down?"[/say] Pausing in her barrage of questions, Nova lifted her chin in the manner of a powerful and wizened teacher. [say]"I don't believe in 'practice,'"[/say] her face wrinkled at the disgusting word that sounded a lot like 'work,' [say]"but I've heard it can help."[/say] Then she hummed and gave another bouncing shrug of her shoulders, feeling quite proud of herself for the recommendation.
Turning her head to where Marcus now sat, Nova cocked her head to the side, surveying him like she might find the ways in which they're alike. It wasn't scrutiny, but the quiet assessment of a child comparing a wolf to a Pomeranian. [say]"Are we that similar?"[/say] She didn't think anyone could be like her - not even her awesome siblings - and it felt odd to say that they were the same when they'd just established all the ways their magics differed. Not quite connecting in her brain, she wondered where the idea might have come from.
RE: Thou shalt not steal - Marcus - 01-29-2026
Marcus stayed where he was, close enough that her sparkling energy seemed to hum in the space between them. He didn’t retreat from her barrage of questions; instead, he turned his body slightly toward her on the stool.
[say]”No, it’s not all emotions.”[/say] It worked on the heavy things like fear, anger, grief, or panic, the emotions that twisted tight and made it hard to breathe. He couldn’t amplify joy or still excitement for those were bright fires that didn’t need smoothing. What he could do was take the edge off the storms, help them settle enough that a person could think again. And even then, it didn’t last. It was a moment of quiet, not a permanent fix, and the stronger the feeling, the more effort it took to hold that calm in place. [say]”I first discovered I could use it after my mom died. I was trying to comfort my twin sister and I just willed her to feel at least a little better. It worked, for a short time.”[/say] The easing magic wasn’t something he could cast from a distance or with a thought alone. It lived in contact, in skin against skin, in the grounding reality of being there with someone. [say]”Its not a telepathic ability, I don’t think. So far I have to be touching the person. I used it on the cattle drive, to settle one of the hands who had been spooked by some snakes in our camp.”[/say]
Then, as her question about similarity settled between them, he looked back up, meeting her bright blue eyes. He cleared his throat some, heat rising to his ears and cheeks and filling them with color. [say]“When I said it was nice to meet someone like me, I didn’t mean our magic works the same way. Yours is incredible.”[/say] He breathed out, still in awe and amazement at what she could do. [say]”Mine’s different.”[/say] A faint huff of a smile. [say]“What I meant is that we’re both both.”[/say] He shifted on the stool, shoulders rolling a little. [say]”We’re hybrids. Not just magic-users, but shapeshifters too. We don’t fit neatly in one box.”[/say]
His eyes softened. [say]“So I guess what I meant was… it’s nice to sit across from someone who understands what it’s like to carry both.”[/say]
RE: Thou shalt not steal - Nova - 01-29-2026
Deflated slightly by the clarification that it's not telepathy or all emotions, Nova let the some of her interest fade. It was still pretty cool, but not something she envied. But her interest quickly shifted, spine straightening as she perked up. [say]"Oh! Your sister's a twin?! I'm a triplet!"[/say] Her eyes glowed bright, pride and excitement making them swirl like a vortex, eager to hear more and compare their experiences (not that anyone could come close to how amazing her siblings were).
Preening at the praise for her expensive natural affinity for awesome magics, Nova threw Marcus a shimmering smile, one that echoed of giggles and easy joy. Not bothering to notice the blush or what thoughts might have elicited it, she considered his words and found that they made more sense now that he'd explained them. They might not be the same, but their hybrid nature was something not many other people shared.
Humming, she finally nodded her head. [say]"I guess that is pretty cool."[/say] Suddenly much more invested, her voice lilted excitedly. [say]"What shifts do you have?"[/say]