Brea Kalai
New
Roleplay posts: 8
Age: Indeterminate
Physical Description: Most Oneri stand between 4 and 5 feet, and look to be made entirely out of plant matter. They are softly bioluminescent under dim light conditions, and are largely androgynous. They are usually human-shaped (more or less), but some can take the form of walking trees, animals, etc. They are usually a variety of green, with brightly coloured hair, eyes, and extremeties, although this, too, is widely variable.
Clothes and Equipment: Variable, see Abilities.
Player's online availability : evenings, GMT
Registered: Mar 12, 2019 8:36:45 GMT -8
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Post by Brea Kalai on Mar 17, 2019 7:40:44 GMT -8
Brea awoke, face-up in the wet, acrid soil of the swamp with a gasp. I am free. I made it. She gasps, and the air tastes of methane, rather than the cloying sweet-sour of the Well of Dreams. Natural. Real. She looked down at herself and started. The lightly tanned skin she remembered (or was that just a dream...?) had given way to skin that looked made of plants, some inconceivable blend of fern and branch. She looked down at herself, and found... more. And nothing between the legs, which appeared as broad leaves wrapped in a form suggestive of humans, but clearly something other. She reached up and felt her hair, tugging a piece, for it no longer could be said to be strands, in front of her face. It was bright pink, shot through with pale green and white, like the huge leaves of an orchid. Pretty, if a bit weird. The Nightmare Jungle has made me like it. Am I free? Maybe this is part of the dream...
She stood up, with peat and muck sliding off of her form, and she made her way towards a track through the bog, on land that seemed slightly more stable. Her eyes, are wide and wary as she walks, although she is grateful for something of the natural camouflage granted by her new appearance. Would her homeland accept her back? How many others like her were there? She remembered... in the Well... there were thousands. Was she the first to escape?
The guards up ahead would no doubt stop her..
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The Isran Empire
Dedicated
Roleplay posts: 105 
Registered: May 23, 2017 16:46:10 GMT -8
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Post by The Isran Empire on Mar 17, 2019 12:02:54 GMT -8
Private Jonsie Murdoch, Isran border guard second class, grumbled and kicked at the mud. It hadn't been his fault, not really. How was he supposed to know that the girl had been his commanding officer's daughter? He'd been wearing his uniform when he'd met her at the bar, wasn't that something she could have mentioned? Why had her father chosen that day, of all days, to come home early? Worst of all, why couldn't she have mentioned that her window was jammed and wouldn't open before he needed to flee? He sighed. The whole fiasco really wasn't his fault at all, and yet here he was. Reassigned to some stinking swamp in the middle of nowhere. She hadn't even been that pretty anyways. Had her father's nose.
The ring of the lookout's bell announced a new arrival and shook him from his self-pitying reverie. Someone was coming. Someone short and green and apparently wearing plants for clothes. He frowned, confused. He'd known that people out here were strange, but this was more than he'd expected. Was she ill? Why was she wearing plants? Was the woman a trap? A decoy? Every guard knew a guy who knew a guy whose cousin had been on watch when an exceptionally unsettling clown had approached the gate, distracting the guards until a swarm of bandits appeared and overran the outpost. Perhaps this was something similar...or maybe it was just how swamp people dressed. Regardless, he gripped the haft of his halberd tightly, glancing around into the woods.
"Halt!" he cried, as the strange, greenish woman approached. "State your name and business!"
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Brea Kalai
New
Roleplay posts: 8
Age: Indeterminate
Physical Description: Most Oneri stand between 4 and 5 feet, and look to be made entirely out of plant matter. They are softly bioluminescent under dim light conditions, and are largely androgynous. They are usually human-shaped (more or less), but some can take the form of walking trees, animals, etc. They are usually a variety of green, with brightly coloured hair, eyes, and extremeties, although this, too, is widely variable.
Clothes and Equipment: Variable, see Abilities.
Player's online availability : evenings, GMT
Registered: Mar 12, 2019 8:36:45 GMT -8
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Post by Brea Kalai on Mar 17, 2019 13:39:40 GMT -8
Brea startled at the gruff tone of the guard, actually jumping back a bit and curling in on herself slightly, as if expecting a blow. The whole motion takes no more than a second, but it's the kind of motion that speaks of a long life of expecting physical abuse when voices get loud. She straightens out again, and swallows, taking a couple of timid steps forward, her neck tilted upwards. She suddenly became aware of the fact that, androgynous plant-person or no, she wasn't actually wearing any clothes. She blushed, and then wondered if, in fact, she could blush, or if it was a merely mental thing now.
From the outside, all of this looked like her standing there like a dolt for about three seconds.
"Uhm, hello. My name is..." and then she hesitated, probably again looking like she didn't know her own name. Names had power. A name in your mind gave him power. He would find her.... She tried to speak, to give him some other name, and found that the falsehood stuck in her throat. Finally, after much stammering, "Ah, my name is... Kalai. I'm new here.. I think. I don't really quite know where I am. Who are you?"
The smile she gave was a beaming one that seemed genuine, almost childlike. She shifted a bit, resisting the urge to cover her would-be-nakedness with her arms, and struggling to decide whether or not she should care. In the end, she settled for crossing her arms over her chest, which was flat as a, well, a leaf.
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The Isran Empire
Dedicated
Roleplay posts: 105
Registered: May 23, 2017 16:46:10 GMT -8
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Post by The Isran Empire on Mar 17, 2019 14:24:30 GMT -8
As the strange, green woman approached, it became apparent to Private Murdoch that she wasn't wearing plants at all. As far as he could tell, she was plants and didn't appear to be wearing anything. That was very strange indeed, almost as strange as her startled flinching. Perhaps the term "swamp person" was even more true for this newcomer than the usual grubby peasants who lived around here. He wasn't quite sure what to make of her, but was more than a little suspicious. What if she was one of those tree nymphs he'd heard stories about, the ones who lured travelers off paths until they were dashed against the rocks? That didn't seem right, perhaps he was getting them confused with something else...in any case, this woman couldn't possibly be of much harm as long as he made sure to stay on the road. She did seem awfully nervous, though. Was she hiding something?
"Kalai," he repeated. "Well, I'm Private Jonsie Murdoch, Border Guard Second Class. You're at the border of the Isran Empire, near the Draconic Forest. How is it that you don't know where you are? Where did you come from?"
She seemed awfully suspicious, he thought. When she crossed her arms over her chest, he thought that perhaps he should glance away, out of respect for her apparent modesty. However, he reasoned that he would be remiss in his duties as a guard to take his eyes off a suspicious individual approaching the gate. Besides, she was mostly plants anyways.
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Brea Kalai
New
Roleplay posts: 8
Age: Indeterminate
Physical Description: Most Oneri stand between 4 and 5 feet, and look to be made entirely out of plant matter. They are softly bioluminescent under dim light conditions, and are largely androgynous. They are usually human-shaped (more or less), but some can take the form of walking trees, animals, etc. They are usually a variety of green, with brightly coloured hair, eyes, and extremeties, although this, too, is widely variable.
Clothes and Equipment: Variable, see Abilities.
Player's online availability : evenings, GMT
Registered: Mar 12, 2019 8:36:45 GMT -8
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Post by Brea Kalai on Mar 19, 2019 6:28:45 GMT -8
Brea shifted on her feet, almost swaying slightly. She looked up at him with large eyes, devoid of guile. "That's a very long name...." She listens to his explanation, then tilts her head, thinking about how to answer his question. "Ah, well, I woke up in the mud about twenty minutes' walk that way-" she says, pointing off. "Before that, I was dreaming.... Before that... I was human. A little girl, only two." She furrows the wooded ridges that roughly correspond to eyebrows, giving her a petulant look. "It's easiest to say that I was kidnapped. The world has changed since then."
She smiles again, "But you've been very kind. It is good to know that kindness, at least, has not changed. Thank you Private Jonsie Murdoch, Border Guard Second Class." She stands, shuffling her feet a bit. In the dappled shade of the deep forest, the guard may begin to see a faint, soft, pale pink bioluminescence that ran through her skin like veins. She looked lost in thought, or perhaps just a bit daft.
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The Isran Empire
Dedicated
Roleplay posts: 105
Registered: May 23, 2017 16:46:10 GMT -8
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Post by The Isran Empire on Mar 19, 2019 9:45:00 GMT -8
Private Murdoch squinted at the woman, not at all satisfied with her answer. It all seemed very suspicious. Was she making this up as she went along? If so, one would think she'd choose a more believable lie. Perhaps she'd just eaten the wrong mushrooms...or maybe the right mushrooms, depending on who one asked. Still, even people high on mushrooms occasionally had some lucid thoughts in between the glowing snakes made of spider-flavored candy. The bit about the kidnapping was troubling. What if she'd been kidnapped by bandits, drugged, and sent out to act as a distraction before the bandits raided the outpost? A disturbing possibility for sure. The woman seemed harmless enough on her own, but the possibility of a horde of marauding bandits worried Private Murdoch. Maybe she knew something, perhaps a clue about the impending attack that he was increasingly certain of.
"Er...Kalai, was it? Come on through here. I'd like to ask you a few questions before we let you through. Right this way please, ma'am."
Signalling for another guard to take his place in front of the gate, he led Brea to a small bunkhouse off to the side of the road. Considering her size and non-threatening demeanor, he didn't think it was necessary to shackle her just yet. Once inside, he gestured for her to take a seat on a rather hard, wooden chair in front of a desk. Sitting behind the desk, he considered the woman for a moment before speaking.
"So...before we begin, would you like some water, or tea? I'm afraid the tea we have here tastes mostly of mud and moss, but at least it's hot. Anyways...tell me more about this kidnapping."
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Brea Kalai
New
Roleplay posts: 8
Age: Indeterminate
Physical Description: Most Oneri stand between 4 and 5 feet, and look to be made entirely out of plant matter. They are softly bioluminescent under dim light conditions, and are largely androgynous. They are usually human-shaped (more or less), but some can take the form of walking trees, animals, etc. They are usually a variety of green, with brightly coloured hair, eyes, and extremeties, although this, too, is widely variable.
Clothes and Equipment: Variable, see Abilities.
Player's online availability : evenings, GMT
Registered: Mar 12, 2019 8:36:45 GMT -8
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Post by Brea Kalai on Mar 19, 2019 10:37:58 GMT -8
Brea followed the guard placidly, her eyes drinking in everything around her as her head turns this way and that. At the gesture, she nods once, "Some water would be very refreshing, thank you very much Private Jonsie M- ... I am sorry, I have forgotten the rest of it." She sits on the chair, her back birch-straight as she watches him. When he asks his second question, her breath catches in her throat.
"It is... not something that I would like to recall. Am I in trouble? I remember being a young human girl, human, like yourself, a very long time ago. My home was a village called Darabeth, on a small island called Syrneth...." Her eyes give a thousand-yard stare as she recollects, "Something happened. I was only little, you see, maybe three? Four? I remember playing in a small grove near the village. There was something in the grasses, just out of sight. I went after it - as children do, I suppose. And from there, I went into.. another place. A jungle, like this one, but far less charming. It was dark and oppressive, far more so than this, which is quite pleasant and airy my comparison. In it, there is... a mind. A mind...." she stops, not realizing that her breath had quickened to the point of struggling to talk. She shakes her head, mutely, slowing her respiration.
"I am sorry, it is very difficult to talk about. I escaped, through a dream of a dragon made of starlight, and a phoenix made of dream-thread. They showed me the world burning, and sand passed in countable ages while I ran from the Nightmare. Then, I was free of the Hedge, and in the mud. Back there. I fear that the Jungle Dragon will find me again. He will be angry when he finds that I have escaped. There were thousands like me, so perhaps it will be awhile. Will you protect me?"
The question was given without manipulation, but with the simple recognition of a solider.
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The Isran Empire
Dedicated
Roleplay posts: 105
Registered: May 23, 2017 16:46:10 GMT -8
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Post by The Isran Empire on Mar 19, 2019 11:28:25 GMT -8
Picking up a jug of lukewarm water, Private Murdoch filled a dented tin mug and handed it to Brea as he listened to her convoluted tale. He didn't understand much of what she was talking about, but it all seemed to upset her quite a bit. He hadn't heard of the village or the island at all, but there were many things that he hadn't heard of. Perhaps she was from far away. She mentioned that she was a human before, though...was that possible? What had happened to her, to turn her into this? It must have been terribly traumatic, if she was this upset over it...
Then she mentioned the starlight dragon and dream-thread phoenix, and he decided that she was probably high on mushrooms after all. Still, she really did seem very upset, and he reached over the table to pat her on the shoulder, trying to comfort her. However, her final words made him pause.
Will you protect me? It was a simple enough question, but it echoed in his mind. The woman, admittedly confused and probably seeing colors beyond what the human eye was supposed to see, had asked him to protect her. It was like the beginning of the tales he'd heard as a child, the start of something that he'd never dreamed of. Ordinarily he would have said something vague and noncommittal about the Isran Guard protecting everybody and waved the mushroom enthusiast down the road. That was his job, after all. Today though, looking into the green-skinned woman's eyes, he couldn't bring himself to refuse.
"O-of course," he said, voice shaking. "Of course I'll protect you. And Private Murdoch is fine...or just Jonsie. Call me Jonsie."
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Brea Kalai
New
Roleplay posts: 8
Age: Indeterminate
Physical Description: Most Oneri stand between 4 and 5 feet, and look to be made entirely out of plant matter. They are softly bioluminescent under dim light conditions, and are largely androgynous. They are usually human-shaped (more or less), but some can take the form of walking trees, animals, etc. They are usually a variety of green, with brightly coloured hair, eyes, and extremeties, although this, too, is widely variable.
Clothes and Equipment: Variable, see Abilities.
Player's online availability : evenings, GMT
Registered: Mar 12, 2019 8:36:45 GMT -8
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Post by Brea Kalai on Mar 19, 2019 13:53:55 GMT -8
Her face broke into a smile, like the opening of a sunflower tracking warmth and light across the sky. "Oh, thank you!" she exclaims with glee. "I've always dreamed of having my very own champion, and you look the part in your brave uniform." Her face settles back into its usual dreamy, somewhat vacant expression before she adds, "I think what I am called is an Oneri. I protect dreams, but the problem with the waking world is that it's not really your willpower that determines things, and I'm quite - well, a willowy thing," she explains, lifting up a twiggy arm.
"You see, dreams are products of hopes, and fears, and willpower," she goes on, speaking faster now, like an idiot savant who can finally get to talk about his one area of interest. "And while I was... there... in the Nightmare, we - the other humans, I mean, uhm, Oneri - the others like me. You see, we could all dream together. It was like drinking from an endless well of dreamscapes and sometimes we could juuust reach out and touch the dreams of humans, I mean, really, we were sort of looking for a way out, but also human dreams are so very endlessly lovely and wonderful and even though they're full of terror sometimes, they really don't have to be and I-"
She cuts off suddenly.
"Oh. Uh. Sorry. Do you - What do you dream of?"
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Jonsie Murdoch
New
Roleplay posts: 4
Physical Description: Private Murdoch stands a little below average height, although he wears a taller helmet to disguise this fact. He has a youthful face, although often covered by a stubble that never seems to want to grow into a proper beard.
Registered: Mar 19, 2019 14:00:54 GMT -8
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Post by Jonsie Murdoch on Mar 19, 2019 14:43:08 GMT -8
Jonsie's face reddened at the woman's words, and he sat up a little straighter in his seat. A champion, him? A brave uniform? This was like something out of a theater play...at least, he thought it was. He'd never managed to scrounge up enough money to buy a ticket back when he lived in the city, and now that he was out here...well, there wasn't much in the way of a theater aside from his bunkmate Norbert's creepy hand puppets. Jonsie wasn't sure why the strange, reclusive man had the puppets or what he did with them, and he was certainly sure that he didn't want to know. The man had been out here longer than any of the other guards, and spoke to the puppets more than people.
Having never been the philosophical sort, Jonsie couldn't really grasp exactly what Brea was talking about when she went on about being inside dreams and nightmares. It really did sound like she was talking about the strange visions brought about from eating those odd greenish mushrooms that grew in the woods, but she spoke with such conviction that he almost wondered if she was telling the truth. Still, it was only when she stopped abruptly that he realized that he'd been hanging onto her every word. Her question caught him off-guard, and he hesitated for a moment before responding.
"Me? Why do you ask? Uh...well, I don't really remember my dreams very often...mostly mundane things, I guess. I'm, uh, not really quite sure..."
This was a lie, and Jonsie had always been a terrible liar. Every night he would dream of flying through the air, of going on grand adventures and rescuing beautiful women from monstrous beasts and hidden lairs. He dreamed of standing at the helm of a ship as he sailed across uncharted seas, and of diving deep beneath the ocean's depths to find sunken treasure chests. Of course, all these things seemed childish and silly under the harsh light of day, and he couldn't bring himself to talk about them with anyone, much less this strange woman that he'd just met. Especially not if he was to be her champion.
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Brea Kalai
New
Roleplay posts: 8
Age: Indeterminate
Physical Description: Most Oneri stand between 4 and 5 feet, and look to be made entirely out of plant matter. They are softly bioluminescent under dim light conditions, and are largely androgynous. They are usually human-shaped (more or less), but some can take the form of walking trees, animals, etc. They are usually a variety of green, with brightly coloured hair, eyes, and extremeties, although this, too, is widely variable.
Clothes and Equipment: Variable, see Abilities.
Player's online availability : evenings, GMT
Registered: Mar 12, 2019 8:36:45 GMT -8
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Post by Brea Kalai on Mar 19, 2019 15:38:20 GMT -8
Brea drank her water in one long, continual swallow. She was sorely tempted by a strange urge to simply pour it on top of herself, but she remember just enough about human society from half-remember dreams and clues to guess that that would be unwise. So, she drank.
She watches with her sun-drinking eyes as he speaks, and then smiles, as if guessing there's something below his words. "Well, I... uhm..." again she tries to say something false, and the words stick in her throat. "Dreams are very interesting, that's all. They let us live all sorts of lives - and they're great fun to travel through. You can learn to remember your dreams, you know." She sets her cup down on the desk nearby, and lays her hands primly in her lap, her earlier modestly now entirely vanished - perhaps as a side effect of growing somewhat more comfortable in her willow-bark and fern-leaf skin.
"What do we do now? You said you had questions for me... The world has changed very much since I left it, and I was only young then. Can you tell me about... the..." the thinks for a moment, remembering, "Isran Empire? That's where you said we are - right? On the edge of it? I only know the world from dreams, it will be so exciting to hear what it is really like. May I have a bit more water, please? I am-" she waves a hand over herself, "quite thirsty."
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Jonsie Murdoch
New
Roleplay posts: 4
Physical Description: Private Murdoch stands a little below average height, although he wears a taller helmet to disguise this fact. He has a youthful face, although often covered by a stubble that never seems to want to grow into a proper beard.
Registered: Mar 19, 2019 14:00:54 GMT -8
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Post by Jonsie Murdoch on Mar 19, 2019 16:59:13 GMT -8
In truth, Jonsie had entirely forgotten what it was that he'd wanted to ask. Brea's talk of dreams and strange ramblings, not to mention her calling him her champion, had distracted him completely from whatever it was that he had brought her in to ask her about. It didn't matter, though. Clearly she was harmless, just confused. When she asked for more water, he almost fell over himself getting the jug of water and refilling her mug. It seemed that she really was made of plants. Now that he'd gotten over the initial shock of her appearance, she did seem rather pretty for a plant.
"Er," he stuttered, "I-isran Empire. That's right. We're just at the edge of it right now. Sort of an out-of-the-way part of the empire, really. We're in the Land Tiller's Expanse, which is a mere section of the empire...it's really quite large, you know. The empire, that is. If you only know of the world from your dreams, I'm afraid that reality is often very disappointing. Still, there's not much to be done about that...anyways, the empire is ruled by the Empress, who lives in the city of Isra. It's quite far from here. I used to live there, but, uh, things happened and I got sent to live out here. It's a very long story, really."
He sighed, shaking his head. It had seemed so tragic at first, and he'd hated being forced to come out here...but perhaps it had been more of a blessing in disguise. If he hadn't come out here, he would have never met her.
"Tell me, Miss Kalai...where are you going? If you don't know where you're coming from, do you have a place in mind to go? It can be awfully dangerous out there, especially if you don't know the area. If you'd like...you could stay here until tomorrow, and then I'll be off my shift and free to go with you to wherever you're going...or you could carry on and go now. The choice is yours. I...wouldn't mind if you stayed, but if that's an inconvenience, I understand."
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Brea Kalai
New
Roleplay posts: 8
Age: Indeterminate
Physical Description: Most Oneri stand between 4 and 5 feet, and look to be made entirely out of plant matter. They are softly bioluminescent under dim light conditions, and are largely androgynous. They are usually human-shaped (more or less), but some can take the form of walking trees, animals, etc. They are usually a variety of green, with brightly coloured hair, eyes, and extremeties, although this, too, is widely variable.
Clothes and Equipment: Variable, see Abilities.
Player's online availability : evenings, GMT
Registered: Mar 12, 2019 8:36:45 GMT -8
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Post by Brea Kalai on Mar 20, 2019 1:52:58 GMT -8
Brea listened thoughtfully to what he had to say, nodding gently at what felt like the right points. She sipped her second mug of water more slowly. "So that must mean that it is very powerful, too, to be so large.... The city of Isra... I would like very much to see it one day, but I think I should rest. I am not even sure if I can sleep anymore these days...."
She drinks more of her water. He seemed very kind and willing to help, which was good. She could feel the first tendrils of the Nightmare reaching out - it hadn't yet felt that she was missing, which was good. How does one count your slaves when they are beyond counting... She almost wanted to reach back in, to offer some comfort to those still trapped, maybe act as a guide, a way out... But no, that would be far too dangerous. She shakes her head slightly, running a hand over a broad petal of hair.
"You're right - this place could be dangerous. It is so very kind of you to offer. Are you sure that it's allowed? I don't have anywhere that I'm going, I don't think my homeland exists anymore, and if it does, then I don't know if they will have me again. It is a bit sad to be the only one of my kind...Unless you've seen others like me this way before?" she adds, her voice rising with hope.
"Where should I sleep? Outside, I suppose? I mean, I am a plant... but a bed does sound nice, too..." She furrows her brow, genuinely confused herself, nevermind what poor Jonsie must be thinking.
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Jonsie Murdoch
New
Roleplay posts: 4
Physical Description: Private Murdoch stands a little below average height, although he wears a taller helmet to disguise this fact. He has a youthful face, although often covered by a stubble that never seems to want to grow into a proper beard.
Registered: Mar 19, 2019 14:00:54 GMT -8
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Post by Jonsie Murdoch on Mar 20, 2019 12:22:22 GMT -8
Jonsie watched as she brushed her hair back, wondering what exactly it was that a plant-person needed. Plenty of water, for sure...but would she need to eat, or just walk about in the sun? He'd have to ask later, but right now wasn't the time. Already, he was imagining traveling with her, like a knight and a fair maiden of the stories he'd heard as a child. Maybe someday someone would write a story about him, about them. Wouldn't that be something? Of course, they'd have to do something story-worthy first...but at least this was a start.
"I'm afraid I've never seen anyone else like you," he said. "I'm sure there's others out there somewhere, but you're the first that I've met passing through this border checkpoint. As for where you should sleep...well, we've got some empty beds here in the bunkhouse. If you'd like to sleep outside for whatever reason, you can, but we certainly won't make you. I'm sure it's fine, I doubt anyone will complain."
How long had it been since there'd been a woman in this bunkhouse? Weeks? Months? It had to be a very long time, unless he counted Norbert's puppets. He didn't think it would be an issue, though. Norbert kept to himself, and the other guards were mostly gentlemen. Besides, it wasn't like on a ship, where a woman would mean bad luck.
"So...if you're staying here tonight, is there anything you need? I'll be eating dinner at around sunset, if you'd care to join me for that. Otherwise, you're free to do as you please. We can leave tomorrow morning, once the sun comes up."
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Brea Kalai
New
Roleplay posts: 8
Age: Indeterminate
Physical Description: Most Oneri stand between 4 and 5 feet, and look to be made entirely out of plant matter. They are softly bioluminescent under dim light conditions, and are largely androgynous. They are usually human-shaped (more or less), but some can take the form of walking trees, animals, etc. They are usually a variety of green, with brightly coloured hair, eyes, and extremeties, although this, too, is widely variable.
Clothes and Equipment: Variable, see Abilities.
Player's online availability : evenings, GMT
Registered: Mar 12, 2019 8:36:45 GMT -8
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Post by Brea Kalai on Mar 21, 2019 9:49:57 GMT -8
Brea's face fell a bit when he said that she was the first he had seen. Maybe there were others, but they were simply far away... Or she was the only one... but that wasn't yet a possibility that she was willing to consider, so she pushed the thought out of her mind, and smiled up at Jonsie, standing and stretching a bit.
"Dinner sounds lovely, thank you. I think I might walk around for a bit before then, while the sun is still in the sky. If... if I'm free to go?" She gave a bit of a curtsey and left the guardhouse after his reply and explored the region nearby, making sure always to keep the small guardpost within sight, lest she lose her way. It whole plant-thing was going to take some getting used to. She turned her attention inward, wondering if she was hungry, and if that felt any different from how she remembered it feeling as a young girl. She let her mind wander to the other Oneri, still trapped under the oppression of that horrid, dark mind, the Jungle One, pressing down on their souls like a vice, shaped perfectly to inflict the most torment... She had not known names - they had not had names, except for titles, or those they had pulled from dreams when they could reach through the Hypnogoge, just enough to peer in on a dream, like listening to a conversation muffled through a wall. She had remembered dreams of all that humans were capable of inflicting on one another.
War, rape, murder, theft, arson - all these images flashed before her mind as she walked amid the dappled shadows of the swamp. But, others too, with them. A newborn child. A first kiss. The finishing touches on a painting. The movement in a dance. The smell of fresh bread (which she was now very eager to try). It was nothing like a read childhood, but it would have to do. Light and shadow. Good and bad. Humanity seemed to be as dappled as the forest. Jonsie seemed kind, more like light than shadow. But he had said also that reality was disappointing... She looked down at herself, not realizing that she had stopped moving, having come to rest underneath a huge willow tree whose branches curved gently and nearly touched the ground again, flitting across the long grass like the caress of a lover.
She shook her head fiercely and exhaled sharply. None of that. She collected her thoughts and ordered them again in her mind, slotting them away like books on a shelf, then glanced at the sun, to see that it was just beginning to kiss the horizon. She ran back to the guardhouse, the leaves that made up her "skin" yellowing a bit at the edges at her exertion. Ah, like humans getting red. At least she didn't sweat anymore - a small thing to be thankful for.
She poked her head inside of one building, only to find that it was a shower, and stood, frozen for a moment, before realizing that that wasn't okay, and then bolting, her face-petals turning a dark green and shedding a spray of pollen. Then she found the right building, and the smell of bread, just as she remembered from her dream, and clapped excitedly, looking for Jonsie. They all looked quite alike in their uniforms.... She peered, oblivious to the eyes that were likely on her, standing in the doorway.
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Jonsie Murdoch
New
Roleplay posts: 4
Physical Description: Private Murdoch stands a little below average height, although he wears a taller helmet to disguise this fact. He has a youthful face, although often covered by a stubble that never seems to want to grow into a proper beard.
Registered: Mar 19, 2019 14:00:54 GMT -8
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Post by Jonsie Murdoch on Mar 21, 2019 11:20:32 GMT -8
The remainder of Jonsie's shift hadn't seemed nearly as long and dreary as it usually did. Looking forward to seeing Ms. Kalai again and daydreaming about leaving to explore with her made the time go by quickly, and before he knew it it was time for dinner. He was so distracted that he wandered into the dining room still holding his halberd, leading to some ribbing from the other guards about "being so lovesick he didn't know which way his socks went". Jonsie didn't quite get that saying, but he understood the gist of it, and adamantly protested that he wasn't lovesick at all.
All eyes were on Brea when she stepped through the door, none more excited than Jonsie. He crossed the room hurriedly, grinning at her.
"There you are," he said. "I was worried that you'd left, or gotten lost or something. Everyone, this is Miss Kalai, she'll be our...guest, I guess. Just for the night, that's all."
The rest of the guards snickered and elbowed each other, except for one in a dark hood who stood in the corner and scowled. He pulled his hand out of his pocket, revealing a felt hand puppet in the shape of a storybook princess. Raising the puppet to his lips, he began to whisper inaudibly to it, but the rest of the guards paid him no mind. Jonsie gestured for Brea to follow him to the kitchen, pointedly ignoring the snickers of his coworkers.
"I'm afraid we haven't got a lot of variety when it comes to food out here," he said. "Dinner tonight is turnip soup and bread. Er...I hope that's ok? We haven't got much else, I'm afraid. No wine or ale anything like that. The outpost isn't issued very much, and we usually run out within a week or two of the supply wagon coming by."
Once Brea had gotten the food of her choice, Jonsie led her outside, out of the dining room. He didn't want to face the ridicule and snide remarks of the other guards, and the prospect of having a meal alone with her appealed to him. There was a small table outside the outpost, usually used for signing cargo manifests, that offered a perfect view of the setting sun. Gesturing for Brea to have a seat, Jonsie put down his turnip soup and sat down opposite her.
"So, Miss Kalai," he said after an awkward pause. "Where shall we go? The city is a very long way away, and I haven't got a horse...but I'm sure there's something worth seeing here. Is there anything in particular that you'd like to see, something that you'd like to look for?"
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