alderwitch
-
Posts
5,245 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Freedom City Guidebook
Freedom City PBP: A How-To Guide
Gallery
Events
Everything posted by alderwitch
-
Robin gave a sidelong shrug to Phae, a feat that she managed while dangling from the ring. She watched the power demonstration with the sort of appreciative interest for any display of skill, but also without wide-eyed shock. A year in Claremont had braced her for that sort of casual display of power. Still dangling absently, her fingers curled around the ring and her body held tensed to provide balance so she was in control of the position, she kept up her side of the conversation with only minorly labored breathing. "Raina's lost a lot," Robin said simply, "Makes you protective of what you have. Loss is a harsh teacher, 'specially when you're young," Her words were matter of fact and she swung smoothly to the next ring in the series. "Its good to train together, especially with personality clashes. Makes it easier to work with whoever you run across in the future. S'a good idea."
-
Robin swept a glance over the assembled knot of students, "Well, we're not going en masse. That's just overwhelming," she said as if she were leading one of their exercises rather than discussing visiting a friend. Her grey eyed gaze swept over the knot of teenagers, before she called out two of the scouts. "Riley, Huang, you're up. If she is having a bad enough day that its a space thing, you can let us know. It'll bother her less if its you two than the rest of us, an' she'll feel less need to cover up an' its not like either of you minds skipping class. Make sure you mention that you're s'posed to ask if she needs anything sent down with the next group." She nodded her head at Matt, before turning her attention to Cathy, "You up for doing lunch down there today? Matt n' I can take turns in the afternoon." Robin gave a little shrug, "Sometimes what she's struggling with might mean sitting in one of the containment rooms but doesn't mean its gotta be alone."
-
"That's different," Robin replied, hoping for soothing with her tone, pausing to add, "Besides, you don't weigh more'n a feather. I could carry you across campus without breaking a sweat, honest." Recognizing that she was probably not helping Fred's agitation and more concerned with the upset she was causing than the potential of getting flung halfway across the gym, Robin reached out to catch one of the hands that made tiny throttling motions her direction. Trapping Fred's hand between her own calloused ones, she gave the back of it a soothing pat, "It's not going back so much as moving my time between Claremont and the streets from fifty-fifty to full time again. It's really not so bad, Fred." That was a lie and Robin recognized it even as she said it. No one wanted to live on the Fens streets, not even vigilantes. She sighed, "Okay, its no walk in the park but its nothing to stress over. With my abilities and all, its way way better for me than pretty much anyone else living out there. What else am I gonna do, Fred? My folks' killer is still out there somewhere. Hunt him in between shifts at some fast food joint? I could clean houses like my mom did, maybe. That might be flexible enough in the hours I work."
-
"She's not gonna lose it if we sneak up on her," Robin disagreed with Riley, with a roll of her eyes that seemed far too cavalier about wrestling the Alkahest for someone who'd done it on more than one occasion.She flashed a sidelong smile at her boyfriend to take any potential sting from her words as she lightly whacked his shoulder with the back of her hand. There was no force behind it; like most of Robin's movements, she did it with the ease of someone for whom her physicality was utterly natural. "You're right though that if she decides that she's a danger for whatever reason, it'll set her mood off for days. She worries too much. I s'pose everyone's entitled to an off day now and again and if Fred wants privacy, I don't wanna disturb her. Maybe she's working on a pet project and just got distracted?" Robin's tone was doubtful even as she threw it out there.
-
The noise from under the shadows of Phantom's cloak was to dry to properly be considered a laugh, "Of course they did. He's an adorable baby. Everyone is more reluctant to attack when adorable babies are involved." Her tone was sardonic and the folds of her cloak rippled with the restless movement of the woman beneath them as if impatient with the nuances of meeting doppelgangers. She'd likely have been more patient but she respected the Clines too much to act like this was their first rodeo. Phantom fixed the younger Clines of both dimension with her gimlet gaze for a long moment before turning. "I'll just make preparations for our departure then," Phantom intoned like it was more than a thought to zip back across to the other world, turning towards empty space with her hands sketching out arcane sigils that set her fingertips to glowing. If she was going to be here a while, might as well make certain that this dimensions protections were a little less slipshodily handled, tutting softly under her breath.
-
"Thank you," Robin said, politely grateful even though she had clearly thought the bandages were unnecessary. She wasn't the sort to be churlish when a fuss was made over her. "An' sure, 'course we have friends and each other. I'm not planning on dropping off the edge of the planet after graduation but I don't want to be a burden on anyone. You're not just smart - you're super smart. There's loads of scholarships for you to go on and get advanced degrees. I'm sure there's internships in lots of the crazy tech companies around here. My skill set is a bit more limited and having powers, well, it means I can't go to like the police academy. Or most of the military." Robin blew out a sigh, as she added with a bit more reluctance. "And there's still work I need to do in the Fens, I mean, I still haven't found what I'm looking for out there." Another small shrug. "Going to miss Claremont a lot when there's nasty weather next year if I don't start to get used to napping in it now. That's mostly what I've been doing; re-acclimating. "
-
Master Magi and Magical Matters
alderwitch replied to alderwitch's topic in The Lighthouse: Catchphrase!
Thanks! So, moving forward, it sounds like we want to have Eldrich off to NPC retirement. My thought on the transition is to have a small story with the mantle passing with Taylor and her family then do a wider thread that starts with the shift in the metaphysical world (as I think the changing of the guard would be something many potent mystics would be able to tell in one way or another, with how much detail they know left to the player) and then use that as the basis for the social thread that I've been meaning to run for the magical community. -
Master Magi and Magical Matters
alderwitch replied to alderwitch's topic in The Lighthouse: Catchphrase!
I understand the concern but book PCs such as Eldrich and Daedalus require a Ref to come in and play them when they're needed for a thread which limits them to what the Refs are available and heavily restricts the development that can happen. You can't have one of them mentor another PC because of the time demands that would place on someone running the character. This is why I'm in favor of moving those sorts of roles to PC hands so that the demands are lifted from Refs and spread out, so a new PC could pitch the relationship they want with that character and allows for that character to be called in as needed and, if I vanished, the mantle can be moved on to another PC wishing to take it up. -
Robin sighed, the muscle in her arm flexing at the light touch automatically before she repressed the autonomic response. "It'll heal on its own," Robin pointed out even if it might have been fuel to the fire. "I..." she hesitated for a moment, clearly dancing around phrasing things which was not something that Robin normally engaged in. She wasn't inclined to treat Fred's responses with the sort of verbal care that a student more concerned about the Alkahest might have. Finally she huffed out another sigh, this one longer and indicative of surrender. "Just trying to figure out, you know, where I'm going to go." She admitted with clear reluctance. "It doesn't really seem fair to risk making you stressed about graduation too. I mean, you have lots more options - you're brilliant and all - but I know we're in the same boat for family to fall back on." Which was to say none. "And so, you know, seems mean to bring it up at all?"
-
Talya remained quiet, the eye of the storm that she'd set swirling. Mutely, her shoulders sagged under the hands that knew her so well. She rather knew that the touch was as much for her comfort as it was to gauge her moods. Erik had well learned that her serene features did not extend to whether tension tightened her muscles like honed bow strings. She didn't rise to the bait that Ace offered - to wryly poke holes in yet another of his tall tales, or the many deflections that were available to turn the conversation to more pleasant topics. Smoothing things over was well in her wheel house but she was learning; learning to deal with the discomforts that came with exposed emotions. After a pronounced pause, her words were quiet, "That's exactly why I brought it up. Your life is far to exciting - too filled with immortals and portals and gods-with-a-small-g. I know that you'd rather let the world believe that you leap first and look later but you do think about things. You should have the chance to make peace with your choice before it gets made." She stretched her hands out to where Terry chortled with glee as he was flown by Dimitri above his head, her voice studiously neutral and as steady as the delicate hands that touched his blonde curls. Talya might as well have been talking about the weather as outliving some of her own children. "My immortality is almost certainly not hereditary. Terry and Emily shall likely take after you in more than your good looks. It is not such a bad thing to have a mortal life." She turned then towards Min with an apology in her blue eyes, as if she couldn't bear to let those words linger in the air any longer than it took to say them. "Dearest, if past actions meant forfeiting the right to converse about topics, half the people in this room would be mute and have to rely on our good looks to get us through the world."
-
So, I have been kicking around a lot of things lately, trying to figure out what and how I want to do with Phantom and I know I've brought up her assuming the master magi role before and I think I have a finally good idea on how to do that as I think it would really highlight her struggle with guarding the dimensions while acknowledging that she's very much prime based these days. Tied into that, I was wondering. I know I'm located in Bedlam as a guide but I was thinking that it might make more sense and be of more use if my guide 'role' was not in Bedlam but rather focused on dealing with magical and dimensional stuff since I spend way more time answering those sorts of questions for folks and working on guide book stuff that's aimed at that sort of thing. And frankly, I just like the supernatural stuff the best. Anyway! Started this to get some feed back and the goahead for such things?
-
ic From Beneath You It Devours: Atlantis Attacks
alderwitch replied to Brown Dynamite's topic in Lonely Point
"Agreed," Volcanic said, her tone tinged with impatience. The elementalist had been literally seething as people dithered. Patience was not her strong suite before embracing the flames of Pele. As if it were already decided, a flowing gesture turned the sand below her feet red hot before she glided into the air at Aquaria's suggestion. "Let's deal with things before they get more out of hand. Does anyone else need an assist across the water?" -
Robin gave Fred a sidelong grin that she clearly hoped would diffuse some of her roommates temper before she shifted on the bench, "If I was getting hit in the head, I'd have more bruises on my face. See, no concussions, just abrasions." She dutifully turned to let Fred fuss over the scrapes and bruises of her other arm, this one including a nice shallow graze from what was probably a bullet. "I like to get my thoughts in order before bothering people with them, s'all. I really, really didn't mean to make you worry. If you want, we can write an 'if lost, return to...' and put your information on the collar of my shirt?"
-
Volcanic was quiet as the others made their comments and introductions, her eyes glowing like embers, "Just keep your knees flexed," she instructed as a flowing gesture brought up the molten rock beneath their feet once more. From her hands flowed fire and stone as she took up position at the back of the pillar, pausing as Frost gathered the little party to deal with the recently dead before sending them towards the place he directed. Partially, she kept her attention on the group to ensure that no one fell off the unconventional conveyance. They were certainly difficult to miss as they dropped to the entrance of the book store, with Volcanic taking the time to smooth over the pavement into some semblance of smoothness. Heroes, after all, did their best to avoid tearing up the streets when they could.
-
"It's no trouble. I'm not eager to see this realm infested with were-jaguars. Its hell on the local cryptozoology." It wasn't entirely easy to tell if Phantom was being serious or not from her tone, with her face largely in the shadows of her hood. Her glowing gaze flicked over the warehouse and the noises it made. "Though it seems like I'll be finding a home for the ones that were already afflicted if things can't be reversed. Strangely, its far easier for lycanthropic strains to take effect than it ever is to reverse them. Hmmm..." She trailed off as if considering the concerns of rounding up the felines and finding a home for them as she floated transparently in the warehouses gloom.
-
"Fred wasn't at class?" Robin wasn't as quiet on her feet as Huang or Riley; after all, her job was usually to attract attention - or at least soak damage once stealth had failed, so her pocket jingled a little with change as she jogged up the hill towards the small knot of friends that she'd made at Claremont. "She wasn't in the room when I got in this morning, but its not unusual for us to not cross paths don't think she misses class pretty much ever though. Fred takes the school thing seriously." Robin frowned, straightening up a bit to glance around the field with narrowed grey eyes.
-
Angrydurf and I are off to our camping adventure today and will be offline through Sunday. See you folks after the weekend!
-
Volcanic had hung back slightly, letting the magma platform they'd ridden sink slowly back into the earth. As Vita took a step forward, Volcanic stepped back again, giving a fluid gesture to show that she was keeping up some space. Although she smiled, the obsidian plates that made up her form in this altered state didn't quite look the same as human flesh would and as most people registered flame and black rock to be sinister or even demonic, she hoped the friendliness in the crackle of her tone was clear enough, "Still trying to figure that out. Don't get too close unless you don't mind heat n' flame, gotta warn you. I know some'a the fire-callers have fire for show and all but I actually burn and don' wanna burn you, hey?" She turned slightly away, spreading her hands wide more out of habit than necessity as she extended senses through the soil below, "Lot of disturbances going on. Not too surprising though."
-
"Aw, Fred, I'm sorry," Robin apologized, looking contrite as she sat still for any ministrations that might have stung. It wasn't like Robin didn't have a significant pain tolerance; the 'advantage' of spending nights turning herself into the aforementioned pulpy mess. "I didn't even think you'd be worried - not that you don't care, I mean! It just, you know, didn't occur to me that anyone' would be wondering where I was." Which, really, was Robin's problem in a nutshell. Oh, she'd happily worry about her friends but it didn't really cross her mind that they might be worried about her. Robin flexed her hands once or twice against the tape before she began to unwind it as clearly today's exercises were over anyway. "There's nothing to worry about, though. I've just been thinking and I do that best when I'm busy."
-
The trip through Phantom's cloak was blessedly brief, with only the impression of endless black streaked with white lightning in the endless void. As the Clines left her cape, Phantom let the folds settle around her body once more as if there was some comfort in the familiar weight of her cowl. With her face averted to allow what privacy she could, Phantom turned her attention to the flavor of this dimension. "I see why you might have slipped through. The walls here are very thin..." Phantom commented as she reached one black gloved hand up to tease out the strains of magic here. "Blood magic is never good at keeping things out. Or in for that matter." She dropped her hand to one side, hoping that her companions had composed themselves. It was always unsettling to look into what might-have-been and Phantom wasn't unsympathetic. However, she was well used to that particular hazard of dimensional jaunting. "My magic is likely to draw more attention - can you sense your husband?" Phantom hoped this would be quick - not because she was overly worried about trouble. Trouble was part and parcel with what she was, but watching a family working and fighting together... well, it made Taylor realize just how much more lonely her costumed days were now. Unfortunately, retirement wasn't an option for Heshem's Chosen.
-
"Yeah, you know, mentioning that the dead comin' back to life is just another Tuesday... that's not the most reassuring tact, you know?" Leilani's response was bemused, looking more like she was dressed for the beach than crime fighting but the wetsuit-like outfit was the only thing she owned that wouldn't burn even when she gave it her all. She turned to open the window as Frost went to finish pulling on his parka. The room would lose much of its ambient heat while she was gone, no doubt, though Aquaria might get some more mileage out of the warm, dry heat that she'd summoned for Dimitri's comfort as it rose through the castle before dispersing. Stepping onto the window sill without any of the fear she'd once felt at the very long drop, Leilani stepped out into open space high in the sky as she burst into flames from the toes up. Standing on the cloud of flames, her legs braced apart as she reached one hand out towards Dimitri, "Just tell me where we need to go."
-
"Uh oh," Robin commented as she dutifully headed for the bench she was pointed to, but without any actual fear in her voice that many students might have had at pricking Fred's temper. Robin had no desire to toe to toe the Alkahest any time again soon but it was less a lack of healthy concern for her well being and more that she trusted her roommate's temper even if she'd tested it. Robin dropped with boneless grace to the bench that she was pointed to and obediently sat still for any poking and prodding. "What did I do? Did I miss a thing? I might have missed a thing..." She trailed off as if she were searching her generally picture perfect memory for whatever event she might have been absent for.
-
They Live IC Thread
-
Luck was with Fred as Robin was in the gym, working on the uneven bars. She'd clearly been at it for some time as the sort of swinging, flipping and twisting she was doing from one bar to the other wouldn't have made her work up a sweat unless she'd been going at it without break for a while. There were fresh scrapes on her bare arms, likely from whatever she'd gotten up to last night, on top of fading bruises from the past week's rounds in the Fens. Robin had always been driven but this was a different level, even for her. It took a moment to register Fred's arrival but when she did, Robin flipped off of the bars, landing quietly on the mat in a crouch. "Fred? Everything okay?" Robin asked before she'd fully caught her breath.
-
Heyo