Stupid Birds
Zariah Launceleyn
the Merciless
Grand Sorceress of the Arcane Academy

Age: 33 | Height: 5'7" | Race: Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Halo
Level: 7 - Strg: 10 - Dext: 23 - Endr: 27 - Luck: 10 - Int:
Played by: Grant Offline
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Posts: 1,101 | Total: 5,479
MP: 0
#1
ZARIAH
I know I am a fierce Queen
The longer Zariah spent in Halo, the more it felt like home. The people here were strong, hardworking, and talented. Not all possessed magic but those without had redeeming qualities. This ability to survive in this place was a testament to their skill. More importantly there was order. It was glorious.

That said, she was still a figure of mystery for most in Snowcloak – though in a way she appreciated. The woman who had mysteriously appeared deep within the Fangs, somehow managing not to freeze to death despite her unseasonable clothing (or complete nakedness depending on the telling). Lo and behold, someone their Warden knew – family even – and in less than 24 hours the second most politically powerful person in the Citadel. Was she human or an Eirachi in disguise? As much as she loved the comparison to a being of power, she was aware she needed to foster some level of trust amongst the people. Such a bother.

And so, as she made her way through the streets of the small town, the fine Ursur coat she wore becoming as signature as her fur-lined heeled boots, hazel eyes scanned for any little irritation she could resolve. And soon enough, there it was. A little crowd of Ningos, trying to poach some produce from a vendor. Such foodstuffs were difficult to come by and therefore precious. With a flick of her wrist, lightning shot forth, striking the Ningos and killing them instantly, each one falling with a satisfying thud into the snow.

Before the citizen could respond though, Zariah was closing the linchpin on the seedlings of trust she was planting. ”You should keep those for your family or sell. Serves them right for bothering you.” she said quietly, before continuing on her way.
And they know it too


Age: 29 | Height: 5'6" | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Halo
Level: 1 - Strg: 8 - Dext: 10 - Endr: 10 - Luck: 17 - Int:
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#2
Ingrid

It was a fairly normal day in Snowcloak. Weather forecast: snowing 'til noon with a 340% chance of snow this evening. This time of year, the snow came in fun flavors such as beer, memory foam and malamute piss! (Beer was her personal favorite.) The last thing Ingrid was expecting on such a pleasant deepfreeze day was a mc'fuckin bolt of lightning out of nowhere. Her heart skipped a beat. There had been no storm warning.

She turned on a dime only to see that it had come from a woman's hand. A sigh of relief escaped Ingrid's lips and condensed on the frigid air.

We get it. You're a Launceleyn.

Ingrid rolled her eyes.

Your reputation precedes you, lightning bitch. Did you know there are a thousand ways to do that which don't involve leaving the guy with half-charred, half-raw meat and several patches of unusable feathers?

Ingrid's scarlet eyes swept over the newly-crowned archmage. Zariah's game was blatantly obvious, but she was effective none the less. Ingrid could almost like her if she hadn't decided to do a simple kindness in the most flashy way known to man. Ingrid had met gods with smaller egos. She took one last look at the woman before ducking through a small door into the nearest building.

PR
Zariah Launceleyn
the Merciless
Grand Sorceress of the Arcane Academy

Age: 33 | Height: 5'7" | Race: Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Halo
Level: 7 - Strg: 10 - Dext: 23 - Endr: 27 - Luck: 10 - Int:
Played by: Grant Offline
Change author:
Posts: 1,101 | Total: 5,479
MP: 0
#3
ZARIAH
I know I am a fierce Queen
Zariah hadn't noticed the girl, nor would she have agreed with her assessment of the Ningo birds she had slayed. They were no more sullied than they would have been by an arrow. She was a master of lightning after all, and she was not so sloppy as to let her actions intended for good will bring anything less. But alas, these were all words spoken in internal monologue and would likely never make it out into the open.

But there was only so much walking around in the cold that the Archmage wished to deal with if it could be avoided, and so she ducked into the nearby tavern that Ingrid had retreated into. She quietly took a seat in the corner, and without having to order, a nice full goblet of warmed, spiced wine was placed in front of her. Oh yes, while those in Halo might still distrust her intentions to a point, she still wielded power over them and that was respected enough. Besides. She tipped very well for good service. Quietly, she sat, sipping her wine, hazel eyes gazing out at the room before her, perfectly situated to see everything without anyone being allowed to come upon her from behind.
And they know it too


Age: 29 | Height: 5'6" | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Halo
Level: 1 - Strg: 8 - Dext: 10 - Endr: 10 - Luck: 17 - Int:
Played by: Sky Offline
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Posts: 89 | Total: 131
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#4
Ingrid
Ingrid cast her eyes sideways to find that Zariah had entered the bar after her. Of course she had. Just Ingrid's luck. She watched the woman sit down in the corner and be served.

Well, drinking alcohol is a point for you, Ingrid thought. It struck her that no matter how much she might recoil at Zariah, the mage was at least trying. That was sure as hell one better than anyone could say for her deadbeat brother. If there had to be a Launceleyn in charge, it might as well be one that could actually get shit done around here. Grabbing her beer in one hand, Ingrid crossed the room and pulled up a chair across the table from Zariah.

"Zariah Launceleyn, I take it?" It wasn't really a question.

"If you want to curry favor, electrocuting ningos will only get you so far. A portal to a half-decent climate has just been slapped down within walking distance of The Citadel. I wouldn't be surprised if the population of Halo is cut in half by the end of the week," she remarked, taking another sip from her mug. "We in Halo may pride ourselves on being tougher than a frozen pile of ursur shit, but do you have any idea how hard it is to get a newborn to survive here? Dead babies are a strong motivator. If you can give us a life where our children live to six and our parents to sixty, I think you'll find yourself with a devoted following."

PR
Zariah Launceleyn
the Merciless
Grand Sorceress of the Arcane Academy

Age: 33 | Height: 5'7" | Race: Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Halo
Level: 7 - Strg: 10 - Dext: 23 - Endr: 27 - Luck: 10 - Int:
Played by: Grant Offline
Change author:
Posts: 1,101 | Total: 5,479
MP: 0
#5
ZARIAH
I know I am a fierce Queen
Zariah's expression didn't change as the young woman approached. She merely watched with her eerie doll-like gaze as she sat, announcing rather than asking her name. "Indeed, I am. And who might you be?" Zariah asked, her low velvety tone holding an underlying sultry sound.

She remained quiet as the woman spoke, the slight purse of her lips and arch of her brow the only change in her expression. Zariah held the glass to her lips, pondering her words, taking a purposefully slow sip as she did so. "I ruled over the land beyond the portal, the Hollowed Grounds. Weather aside, it's nothing more than a bunch of whiney, out of touch children complaining about the unfairness of their lot. I'd expect those who've known true hardship such as your kin and ken to tire of it quickly." she said.

"As for life expectancy, I've plans to correct that. We will train healers, gifted with magic, who can alleviate the worst diseases and wounds. Creationists who can imbue and develop items that can keep the worst things Halo has to offer at bay. And Elementalists, who can bend the tundra to our will as needed." she said, setting the glass down in front of her. "Making sure people thrive and growin strength is what I do. It is what the Warden has trusted me with for a reason."
And they know it too


Age: 29 | Height: 5'6" | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Halo
Level: 1 - Strg: 8 - Dext: 10 - Endr: 10 - Luck: 17 - Int:
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#6
For a fraction of a second after Zariah said she ruled the Hollowed Grounds, Ingrid looked like she might flip the table over.

So she was trapped.

Once Ingrid regained control over her face, she looked at Zariah with new respect. Ingrid respected the former leader of the Hollowed Grounds not for having ruled there, but for having survived there.

People said all kinds of shit about the monstrous creatures sealed away by the Gods (usually to scare children into obedience), so Ingrid was doubly surprised when Zariah described her fellow prisoners as "whiny." Out-of-touch made sense though, all things considered.

Next, Ingrid bit her tongue while Zariah listed her proposed changes. They were quite magic dependent, but Ingrid wasn't going to fault a Launceleyn for that. She decided she liked the former ruler's odds, hailing another waiter over.

"More wine for the Archmage," she declared, earning herself a clap on the shoulder from the waiter as she shelled out payment. Clearly, the two saw a lot of each other.

"My name's Ingrid."
PR
Zariah Launceleyn
the Merciless
Grand Sorceress of the Arcane Academy

Age: 33 | Height: 5'7" | Race: Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Halo
Level: 7 - Strg: 10 - Dext: 23 - Endr: 27 - Luck: 10 - Int:
Played by: Grant Offline
Change author:
Posts: 1,101 | Total: 5,479
MP: 0
#7
ZARIAH
I know I am a fierce Queen
Zariah waited in silence for the young woman to decide what she thought of her. She swirled her wine absentmindedly, holding her gaze with steady ease. Unlike others who might buckle under the weight of scrutiny, especially those as slow to trust as the people of Halo, the Archmage didn’t so much as flinch. Though she was an Outlander by birth, Zariah reflected the frigid indifference of the Tundra surrounding the Citadel, and she had the strength to back it up like the frozen wasteland to boot.

Though it seemed to have won the woman over somewhat, as she ordered her another glass of wine. A hint of a smirk curved her lips as she finished her current glass of warm mulled wine. ”Thank you, Ingrid. It is a pleasure to make the acquaintance of one so invested in the flourishing of their people.” she said in her velvety smooth tone.
And they know it too


Age: 29 | Height: 5'6" | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Halo
Level: 1 - Strg: 8 - Dext: 10 - Endr: 10 - Luck: 17 - Int:
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Posts: 89 | Total: 131
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#8
Ingrid took a long sip of her beer. Of course she was "invested in the flourishing of her people."

Does she meet many people who generally don't care whether their neighbors live or die? Ingrid wondered, now starting to believe that the New Gods had turned the people in the Hollowed Grounds into a race of sociopaths.

"Welcome to Halo. I think my attitude is pretty common here," she replied.

"We don't really get news from other lands, it being cold enough to freeze your damn blood and all. I don't suppose you've got any good stories about the place you come from?" Ingrid asked. Not a lot happened in The Citadel, and she was working on her fourth beer. Perhaps Zariah had a story to tell that Ingrid hadn't heard before. (The regaling saga of how somebody froze their ass off, as in literally got frostbite on their butt, was only really funny the first time.)
PR
Zariah Launceleyn
the Merciless
Grand Sorceress of the Arcane Academy

Age: 33 | Height: 5'7" | Race: Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Halo
Level: 7 - Strg: 10 - Dext: 23 - Endr: 27 - Luck: 10 - Int:
Played by: Grant Offline
Change author:
Posts: 1,101 | Total: 5,479
MP: 0
#9
ZARIAH
I know I am a fierce Queen
”To care for one’s people and to care for one’s own are two different things, my dear. I would take the compliment, were I you.” Zariah said with a low chuckle, sipping her wine. Sure, to care about the security of one’s family was one thing, most people had that. But to care about those beyond that? Strangers? Well, Halo’s people might work together better than most but to go so far as to say the distrustful lot cared about the whole beyond their ability to provide for their immediate families might’ve been a stretch.

Good stories? ”Well, I suppose that depends on what you’d like to hear.” she said softly, nails filed to points thrumming against her goblet. ”LongNight in the Hollowed Grounds is particularly terrifying, what with the monsters roaming about.”
And they know it too


Age: 29 | Height: 5'6" | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Halo
Level: 1 - Strg: 8 - Dext: 10 - Endr: 10 - Luck: 17 - Int:
Played by: Sky Offline
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Posts: 89 | Total: 131
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#10
Ingrid gave an amused chortle. Did the people of Halo care for each other? In their own way, she thought so. A stranger freezing in the street here could expect to be given a coat and then promptly overcharged for it. Still, better than an icy death.

Sure, they're cold and mean and really, really smelly, but they're good people, she decided. Zariah would learn they cared, one way or another.

"LongNight in the Hollowed Grounds is particularly terrifying, what with the monsters roaming about.”

Monsters from the famed Godless lands? Fucking awesome. Skepticism tempered by alcohol, Ingrid replied with a grin on her face.

"LongNight monsters? You're not saying there's something more terrifying than the creatures of the tundra?" she asked. She expected a full description of the tentacled, thorny, toothy, shit-your-pants type monsters that had to exist in a land that lacked Rae's guidance.
PR
Zariah Launceleyn
the Merciless
Grand Sorceress of the Arcane Academy

Age: 33 | Height: 5'7" | Race: Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Halo
Level: 7 - Strg: 10 - Dext: 23 - Endr: 27 - Luck: 10 - Int:
Played by: Grant Offline
Change author:
Posts: 1,101 | Total: 5,479
MP: 0
#11
ZARIAH
I know I am a fierce Queen
Zariah smirked, sipping her wine at the disbelief in Ingrid's tone. "At least the creatures of the Tundra can be fought. They can be seen. They are what they are and guise themselves no more than any creature might." she said softly, swirling her wine languidly. Hazel eyes flickered away, staring into the roaring fireplace of the tavern, the glow reflecting slightly. "During the week of LongNight in the Hollowed Grounds, the people bar their doors and windows. They pad out their floors with snowmoss - not for warmth but to dull the sound of their steps. The smallest of candles and fires are kept to hide their presences, and few dare speak above a whisper." she explained, setting the scene. The idea of keeping one's fires as low as possible, especially in the dead of Deepfrost, would leave any from Halo aghast. To let a fire go out was criminal here, and yet the people of the Hollowed Grounds were so fearful of what lay outside they dared to tempt that fate.

"The monsters guise themselves, crying out in voices perfectly human, occasionally sounding like your loved ones and friends. They shriek in fear, banging on doors, begging to be let in for safety. But if you do..." she trailed off for a moment, before snapping her fingers loudly. "Dead. Instantly. Not a trace of you left, save perhaps pools of blood if you're so lucky. Of course, sometimes the cries are of real people. So you must ask yourself: is it worth opening the door to see if it is a person, knowing it could just as easily be death incarnate awaiting you in the dark?" she said, sipping her wine, shrugging as though not discussing something so dark. "It is a traumatizing time for the people, one that fills them with dread upon the first snowfall and lasts near to the end of Flowerbirth."
And they know it too


Age: 29 | Height: 5'6" | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Halo
Level: 1 - Strg: 8 - Dext: 10 - Endr: 10 - Luck: 17 - Int:
Played by: Sky Offline
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Posts: 89 | Total: 131
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#12
Ingrid felt a shudder run down her spine. They purposely shrank their fires? Now that was fucking horrifying to hear. Then, Zariah got to the next part of her story, which quite frankly left Ingrid with a shit-ton of uncomfortable questions. She squirmed in her seat. Would she open the door for somebody she knew? How about for a lost child?
Good thing I'm never fucking going there in DeepFrost to find out. I'd rather eat ice giant toenails, she thought. It dawned on her that with the opening of the portal, it was possible that the monsters could come through as well.

"So they're instant death, they look like ya mom, and can't be fuckin' fought?" she asked, crossing her arms. "You win. That's scary as hell. You don't think those monsters can use portals, do you? I don't know about the rest of SnowCloak, but I'd rather go down at the hands of a monster than put out my fires and freeze to death like a mouse perishing in its own goddamn mouse-hole."
PR
Zariah Launceleyn
the Merciless
Grand Sorceress of the Arcane Academy

Age: 33 | Height: 5'7" | Race: Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Halo
Level: 7 - Strg: 10 - Dext: 23 - Endr: 27 - Luck: 10 - Int:
Played by: Grant Offline
Change author:
Posts: 1,101 | Total: 5,479
MP: 0
#13
ZARIAH
I know I am a fierce Queen
Zariah nodded in confirmation of her first question. Yes she had the idea right when it came to the LongNight monsters. But if they could use the portals? "Only time will tell that, but I wouldn't be concerned. The people of Halo are far superior to those of the Grounds. They will not be so easy to break down from fear." she said, finishing the last of her glass of mulled wine.

"Thank you for chatting me, Ingrid. But unfortunately I do have other duties to attend to." she said with a smile, standing and donning her Ursur coat. "I do hope you will reach out should any questions about me arise. You'd be quite the ambassador for your kinsmen." she added, before heading back out into the cold, heels clicking against the hard floor.

{FINISH}
And they know it too


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