aalin-pace-blog

[aalin-pace-blog]

dvikonrvse‌:

He’d stopped by his room on the way to the library, having remembered a book Fei left him a long time ago—around when she first brought him back to this mansion with her—that might come in handy for the task ahead. And perhaps he should feel guilt for making the decision he has, and part of him does wonder if he’s made the correct choice, but he cannot focus on two distressing matters at the same time. Not at the moment at least.

So, for now, he puts the matter of ‘the World’s Disappearance’ out of mind, and turns his full attention to the matter of the power glitch.This latter issue is something tangible and feasible for them to find an explanation for. Fei, with all her wisdom and centuries of experience, can take care of herself, at least for a little longer. He has to believe that.

Lost in thought as is his wont, he doesn’t hear the approaching footsteps, only the sound of a soft voice questioning from a short distance behind.

“Honestly? I’ve been better,” he turns to offer a small smile, ever unwilling to trouble someone else with his concerns. “But I don’t think anyone’s doing that great with how events are panning out…and you? What’s on your mind?”

Aalin returned Ziyu’s smile, hoping neither one was too tinged in sadness. The world as they knew it, no pun intended, was thrown off its axis in more ways than one. It was an impossible ask. No one was at their best, but Aalin appreciated Ziyu’s serenity, all things considered. “It was silly to ask, honestly. What a day for Fei to disappear, huh?” The attempt at levity fell flat. Humor was never Aalin’s strong suit, and to be honest, she couldn’t find it in herself to make a joke out of her friend and mentor’s disappearance anyway.

“I set up the cameras to ping me if they find any trace of her, and I have an algorithm searching for any sign of her across the globe, but for now all I can really do is wait for the computer to do it’s thing and find something.” She shrugged, her eyes falling to her feet. “I’ve never felt so useless, you know?” She was doing all she could, and meanwhile some of their companions were already beginning to campaign for Fei’s replacement. There had to be something she could do there, but until she centered herself, she would be no use to anyone.

She nodded at the book in Ziyu’s hands, jumping at the opportunity to change the conversation. “What’s that?”

[aalin-pace-blog]

Hello out there to all you wonderful people! Our first event kicked off with a fantastic start, all thanks to the beautiful deck of cards we have writing with us. We are so, so excited to see you all in action. We’d love to complete the set, so if you or someone you know is interested in The Lovers, The Chariot, or Justice, be sure to get those apps in! You can also send us questions at any time! Now, without further ado, we thought we would offer our players an ask meme to toss around for character development and/or plain and simple fun! This is not at all a required part of the game, and you are free not to do it if you prefer! Just reblog this post if you’re interested. Go forth, Councilors, and explore!

The Fool: If you could start over completely, would you? What would you do differently? The Magician: Do you generally believe what you see, or does it take more than appearances to impress you? The High Priestess: Do you know your inner self, or is your subconscious a mystery? The Empress: Do you feel connected to the world around you? The Emperor: Do you trust authority? The Hierophant: Have you ever broken away from a rule or tradition which held deep importance in your life? The Lovers: If you could be anyone else for a day, who would you choose and why? The Chariot: Are you able to be bold, or do you struggle with asserting yourself? Strength: What never fails to energize you in life? The Hermit: Do you believe in fate? The Wheel Of Fortune: How do you handle change? Justice: Do you regret any major decisions in your life, or can you say with honesty that you are proud of what you have done? The Hanged Man: Are you able to consider situations with an open mind, or do you find yourself sticking to what you know? Death: Are you able to put the past behind you, or does it linger? Temperance: Do you have any rituals you never fail to practice, personal or spiritual? The Devil: Is music or art an important part of your life? The Tower: Talk about a person who has changed your life in a way you will never forget. The Star: Is there anyone you idolize, perhaps to a fault? The Moon: Do you bury your emotions, or do you try to understand why you feel the way you do? The Sun: Share your most joyful memory. Judgement: Do you see the big picture, or are you detail-oriented? The World: Share the hardest accomplishment you ever worked for, and how it felt to finally achieve it.

[aalin-pace-blog]

beer-me-strcngth‌:

It was unsettling how quickly the Council had devolved into infighting and pettiness, only the loss of their magic bringing them back together. It wasn’t a Council meeting without some drama, but this was excessive even for them. The selfishness caught her off guard, though it probably shouldn’t have. Bree had done her best to try and refocus people’s attention and bring some semblance of calm to the group, but it hadn’t worked out that well. 

For nearly half her life Feiyan had been there, guiding her, teaching her, pushing her… it hurt to have her gone with no explanation. There was a knot of dread forming in Bree’s stomach that she couldn’t ignore but refused to acknowledge. Getting out of the room the second the meeting broke up seemed like the best choice. But she didn’t want to be alone. She wasn’t entirely sure what made her follow Aalin, they weren’t the closest members of the Council, but if anyone could understand at that moment it felt like it’d be her. 

“Actually…I was hoping I could help you,” Bree said with a crooked half smile. She pulled up a chair and sat cross-legged in it, making herself comfortable and making it clear she wasn’t leaving yet. “I’m not great at all this but I can google like a motherfucker.” 

Hesitating slightly, she let her shoulders hunch and added, “And…yeah, a break from the chaos might be nice. It got a bit wild in there. And usually I’m into that, but not today. So, put me to work. How can I help? Do you want to talk or is that distracting? I can make a playlist of mood music to help you focus. Or get snacks? Can you like….hack into security cameras or something and do some crazy CSI facial recognition and find Fei that way?”

Usually, Aalin liked to work alone. She reveled in the solitude, in the quiet tapping of the keyboard, in the soft glow of the screen, and the absence of conversation. She nearly asked Bree to leave her alone, to let her do her work in peace, but something tugged at the back of her mind. Today wasn’t like every other day. The chaos that Aalin usually had such a good hold over, smoothing into harmony, it was thrown completely to the wind. 

And she didn’t want to be alone. 

The woman smiled, leaning back in her chair. Bree wasn’t great with computers, and she wasn’t sure how much googling would really help, but she didn’t want her fellow Councilor to feel useless. Aalin knew how awful that felt and refused to force the feeling on others. “I think I’ve got googling handled for now, but keep an eye out for any pertinent news stories.” She let out a hum of contemplation. “Talking is fine, I actually get a lot done with some background noise.” 

Sliding over to a small table, Aalin set up one of the laptops she wouldn’t be using, creating a space for Bree to make playlists, furiously google, or all around just distract herself from the chaos that had formed around them. “Here, you’re all set up.” Aalin looked up at the large monitor that took up most of the space in the room, a massive set up that would put most crime scene television shows to shame. “Unfortunately, the crazy CSI stuff is mostly fiction. But I do have some tricks up my sleeve,” she grinned, hoping the expression was convincing. It was her job to keep everyone grounded, and it seemed like the council would need it now more than ever. 

“There are some scans I can do, but it’s not quite as advanced as science fiction and television writing would have you believe. But keep an eye on that screen there, be my second set of eyes? In case I miss something?”

Fuzzy Connection || Aalin & Bree

[aalin-pace-blog]

lcnaestclle‌:

The cigarette sat tucked between porcelain teeth, unlit and truth be told, she wasn’t certain she had the intention of lighting it now, at the very least. Simply knowing it was there as she watched the wind sift through the trees beyond the flexing glass window left her all but completely deft to the oncoming company. Neither one she asked for nor desired much of. It struck nostalgic, for every time Fei had found her dwelling in the ventricles of the lair. Usually in the dead of night, the stark differences in such a parallel almost unsettling.  How are you holding up? As if the answer would have been different from any other given day. Casting a wry glance across the top of her shoulder, Jack stepped out of the way to allow Aalin through if that should so be what she wanted. Though, the lingering ounce of silence told her that the other was looking for some type of answer. As if it might solidify one inside her own mind, give her reason to sort through her own thoughts and decide if holding up were ever quite so simply. “Still here, aren’t I?” It’d been nothing short of tactical when she’d first arrived, and it’d never changed. The prickly outer shell she wore a direct consequence of never really knowing concern from those around her.  “I don’t feel any better about this than you do,” Oh, but that wasn’t entirely the truth. Guilt lay in the open arms of lost time. If Fei were truly gone, Jack had done far more damage in pushing away when she could have found reason within the folds of the woman’s dreams – did the world dream? Certainly, she’d never know now. “Why bother asking? We’re all feeling about as okay with this as each other, unspoken, of course, because why would a civil discussion about it be even a slight possibility.” Hypocrisy burnt her tongue like acid, but she couldn’t dredge up an apology if she tried.

A soft smile wound across Aalin’s face and she crossed her arms. Sarcasm was understandable given the circumstances, and Jack had never been the most open, soft or caring one of her peers. Certainly not the most forthcoming. Aalin tried not to hold it against her. “It was a silly question, I guess.” They were all thrown into chaos together, each of them catapulted off their axis in their own way in the wake of Fei’s disappearance. There were so many questions, so many problems at hand now that she was gone, and even more in the aftermath of the power flicker. 

Absently, Aalin wondered if it had anything to do with her own powers, then corrected herself. She couldn’t be that powerful, and she had felt her own abilities disappear as well. 

“A civil discussion is what we of all people should be able to accomplish,” she mused, surprised at the bitterness that seeped into her words. It wasn’t like her. Then again, nothing today was like it should be. “I guess I was just actually curious how you were doing.” Aalin shrugged. It wasn’t lost on her how futile it seemed. But sometimes just knowing someone saw you, that someone cared if you were still hanging in there, it could mean the world.

“Where do you think she went?” The words were barely a whisper, as if saying them too loudly would make it all true.  

[aalin-pace-blog]

Fuzzy Connection || Aalin & Bree

Location: Tech Lab Time: 4/30 Tagging: @beer-me-strcngth

The power vacuum in the Council was something Aalin hadn’t expected. It was something she was sure Faiyan had anticipated - the woman seemed to know everything there was to know. But she was gone. And that should be their number one priority, not finding someone to replace her.

For one brief moment, their powers had flickered away, leaving silence and fear in their wake. As if the universe was balancing itself. Aalin shook her head and left the room, left her peers to argue over what course of action to take. It wasn’t her prerogative to join in that discussion. No, she would be of much more use at her familiar computer, looking for their lost member.

Aalin retreated to the sanctuary of her lab, completely unaware of the tagalong following her. As with most moments when Aalin was lost in thought, completely focused on the task at hand, she entirely ignored the presence of anyone else around her. It wasn’t until she was fully settled and her fingers were already furiously attacking her keyboard that she heard the soft sigh.

“Sorry, can I help you?” She asked blandly, barely turning her head to register her companion. It was Bree, not one of her peers who ordinarily hung out in the tech lab. Aalin arched an eyebrow. “Or did you just need a break from the chaos as well?”

[aalin-pace-blog]

Her head was reeling and uncomfortably silent. Aalin couldn’t remember a time when she hadn’t felt her fellow Councilors’ powers bombarding against her mind, and while she had welcomed the silence for a moment, she admitted it was worrisome. Even her tech lab wasn’t a safe space anymore, what with Bree hanging around and demanding to assist her. Aalin needed a moment to let her mind work, to balance herself.

This wasn’t right. Feiyan’s disappearance was bad enough, throwing their entire Council into disarray and imbalance, but now that magic seemed to have vanish as well? Even for just a moment, it wasn’t to go ignored. Aalin could feel her heart trying to beat out of her chest, struggling to make its way out of her throat. Panic attacks weren’t unfamiliar to the woman, but it had been so long since she’d had one, a real one, that she nearly forgot what it felt like.

She needed a walk.

Drift through the hallways of The Lair, Aalin wasn’t paying attention to where her her feet were taking her until she noticed a body blocking her path. Without her abilities, it was difficult to discern who it was or their mental state. Not that it really mattered. Her words would be the same, regardless.

“How are you holding up?”

[aalin-pace-blog]

Aalin Pace: A Moodboard

[aalin-pace-blog]

i. basics

Card: 14. Temperance

Character Name: Aalin Pace

Faceclaim: Morena Baccarin

Age: 38

Gender & Pronouns: Female, she/her

Outside Occupation: UX Designer

ii. character interview

If you could be in charge, would you be? What would you do?

“I’ve been in charge before. I’ve led teams of disparate people, I’ve tried to hold their hands and maneuver them through trials and tribulations, I’ve succeeded and I’ve failed. While there is great satisfaction in a job well done along with the knowledge that you were instrumental in getting there, there are so many drawbacks. The blame, if given, rests squarely on your shoulders. Tempers flare and you’re the one they attack. At times it’s like herding cats. Cats that are on fire and refuse to be put out.”

Her answer seemed to please The World. There was a nagging feeling that Aalin had once known this person, but she couldn’t remember the specifics. It was quite infuriating, if she was being honest. A puzzle she would never be able to solve, not if what The World had told her was true. She would be limited to the stacks of journals held within these walls. Second hand information. It wasn’t the way Aalin liked to learn, but she supposed it would suffice. For now.

Aalin shook her short crop of hair over her shoulder. “Over the years, I’ve learned I like to lead from the sidelines, if at all. My skills are more useful than my leadership, I think. People forget you’re there if you’re not the one standing in the middle of the room shouting your opinion and marching orders, leaving much more room to soak up information. You learn something about the people on your team when they think you’re not listening, more than they’d ever tell you to your face. Not to mention the amount of time I have for my own education. Leading can be so tiresome and time consuming.” She let out an exasperated sigh, remembering all too well how exhausting the launch of Google News was, despite its success.

It was the most Aalin had spoken uninterrupted in years. She liked how The World let her say her peace, even though it felt like every word was being analyzed for some greater purpose. Aalin was used to that, though she was more used to being the one doing the analyzing. A quizzical look blossomed across her face, genuine curiosity in her words. “How does anyone get anything done when they’re in charge?”

What is your favorite part of your power?

When I first came to “The Lair”, I found only a few fellow Councilors, the beginnings of my new family. Immediately, I felt their abilities slamming into my brain and could no longer deny The World and her claims of magic and the Arcana Council. As soon as I felt their powers, however, they were gone. No...not gone...suppressed. Hiding beneath the surface, bubbling under a fog. Had I done that?

The World called it “Power dampening”, but some of my peers called it something far more crass. It wasn’t my fault I couldn’t control it yet, but I have to admit it was calming not to have everyone waving their abilities around all willy nilly. The Empress was the only one I really trusted, until a new member came in soon after me. They seemed more grounded than the rest, more willing to keep the balance the world so desperately needs.

No wonder they call me Temperance.

I never noticed before I came here, how much the anxiety inducing meetings got to me back in the “real” world. The men swinging their egos around, mousy women taking anything they threw at them, and the ones who wanted to argue any point with any person who would listen. It was chaos and I just shut it out and went to work. No wonder no one ever noticed me. Even here with all the large personalities, it was a wonder The Lovers even saw me unless I was taking away their abilities.

Read us a journal entry from your first life.

Journaling has always brought me peace. I would have kept one even if The World had not asked us to, though to be honest, it would have contained many different entries, I’m sure. I know some of the others detest the assignment or feel it’s beneath them, but I agree with The World’s idea to keep our lives recorded, and from our own perspectives. How interesting it could be to reread these tomes after centuries away from that point in our lives.

I still find myself coming to terms with my newfound abilities. Magic has and always will be a force of balance, but I find myself off-kitler as I adjust. The Ancients warned us of this, but you never really know a feeling until you’ve felt it. Every time I walk into a room, I feel the others’ abilities as if they were tangible entities I could reach out and hold, and I feel myself softening them until they’re almost indistinguishable. More practice is needed, to be sure. At times the others’ abilities are too overwhelming, even when they’re not being used. I can still feel them, hanging in the air around me. I can tell some of my new companions despise my power. They tend to forget I’m there, until they can no longer wield their powers.

Perhaps that is why I was chosen. To keep the balance.

I’ve never faltered when it comes to balance. I find myself dancing on the precipice of light and dark, “good” and “evil”, chaos and serenity, never tipping one way or the other. My companions seem to have a harder time staying on one side or the other, when they should be toeing the line between. But that is not their strength, and I understand that.

If only they did. If only they learned to lean on their fellow Councillors for their strengths. Perhaps with time we shall grow and harmonize the way the Ancients want us to. I’m optimistic, but I feel the other Councilors’ gifts and can sense how dangerous they would be if used for selfish purposes, if used without the rest of us to balance.

iii. background

Balance. Life and death. A new soul comes screaming into the world as another peacefully fades out of it. This is how Aalin entered this iteration of her life, with the truest sense of harmony and symmetry. On the clear night in December, as a fresh snow was falling over the hospital grounds in Ashland, Oregon, Aalin Pace came kicking and screaming into being, replacing the soul of her mother. The doctors had known it would be a difficult birth, but Nooma demanded to go through with the pregnancy. Aalin was to be her little miracle, even if it killed her. And that she was, even if Nooma wouldn’t be around to see it.

In childhood, Aalin was a calm and obedient child. She was bright, but never tried to outshine anyone. ‘Easy going’ and ‘kind’ were the two go-to words used most often to describe the child who never seemed to have any squabbles. In fact, most people felt so much more at ease around her that whatever argument they were having seemed to falter.

Ever the mediator and with a scholastic reputation, Aalin was picked constantly for group projects, sometimes even when she’d rather work alone. The value of having the smartest girl in class in your group was not lost on her classmates, but more times than not, she was quickly forgotten as the rest of her peers vied for the coveted title of “project leader”. Aalin would simply roll her eyes and put her nose back in her books, all too aware that the “leader” really was more of a figurehead than a contributing member of the group. The rest of her team may wish to fail, but she would not.

It wasn’t until she entered the graduate design program at UC Stanford that Aalin really understood what it was that was missing in her life. She never truly felt like she belonged, never felt like she was seen or appreciated for the talents she possessed. Most of the time she didn’t mind playing second fiddle to the more rambunctious people around her, but sometimes it would be nice to be noticed. Her classmates stampeded over her despite their lack of natural ability, and though Aalin was one of the most easy going people you could ever meet, she wasn’t about to flunk out of school because she didn’t have a backbone. Her mother hadn’t given her life so that she could have one to let it be squandered.

So Aalin but her nose to the grindstone and worked. She worked in the background while her roommates went to keggers, she worked when her best friends dragged her out to bars only to forget she was there 15 minutes after getting there. She worked harder than she ever had, and she gained the attention of more than a few tech companies that were springing up all over Silicon Valley. While her peers were fighting cutthroat campaigns to get job offers from any worthy company, Aalin focused simply on doing a good job. She even helped some of her classmates study, but when push came to shove, it wasn’t her peers who got the holy grail offer.

Google, a new company in Palo Alto, California, wanted her. As it turned out, Aalin picked the best possible study buddies, a pair of PhD students who wanted to branch off and create a new tech research company. They were blown away by her academic achievements and her enduring personality and offered her not an internship but a fully staffed position at their new office. Aalin still wasn’t sure she found her niche, but every day that she walked into the conference room for a morning round up, she felt a genuine smile pop up on her face. Still usually the quiet girl in the back, Aalin listened and soaked up every tidbit of information she could get. The company’s code of conduct “Don’t Be Evil” truly resonated with the young woman and she couldn’t imagine herself in a better place.

That is, until a being calling themself The World entered her life.

It was 2004 and Google had just released their IPO, effectively becoming the future force to be reckoned with, all thanks to Aalin. It was a write up in Time that got The World’s attention, they explained to a very confused Aalin. The existence of magic, of past lives and revoked immortality sent her reeling. However there was a bit that hung in her mind, unwilling to be explained away by logic. The World had called her Temperance and explained that she was the embodiment of balance and compromise. She saw into Aalin’s soul and spoke things no one had ever bothered to ask about or try to see. It was as if she had been truly seen for the first time in her life – in this life – and Aalin wasn’t ready to let that feeling go.

[aalin-pace-blog]

  “ You always suggest moderation and balance, coupled with a   lot of patience. ”

Upright: Compromise, Patience, Understanding Reversed: Extreme, Imbalance, Excess Astrology: Sagittarius ♐︎ Element: Fire 🜂 Power: Power Dampening

Faceclaim Suggestions: Sonequa Martin-Green, Mehcad Brooks, Morena Boccarin, Conrad Ricamora Name: UTP Gender: UTP Age Range: 35-39 Years with Council: 15 Council Role: Tech Expert

FIRST - A gentle hum meets the air, borne from Temperance’s throat. They murmured their meandering song as they went about their morning ritual: while the sun crested over the distant jade hills, they poured clear, pure water from a glass flute into a terra cotta urn half-full already with water. A few people, mostly shepherds and farmers, passed by. Some nodded to Temperance. Others greeted them with a kindly blessing. They smiled at each, though their attention was on their task. The empty flute was placed on the grass beside them. They pulled their robe up, the blue and brown fabric sliding over their knees, and then they dipped one foot into the river ahead. They tilted the urn, letting its water wash over their grounded foot and then into the river, to flow around their ankle and away with the tide. Their daily offering—of themself into the greater whole, of their magic into the world’s spiritual balance—was complete.

FROM THE WORLD’S JOURNAL - Temperance was never someone to worry about, from the beginning. They were more concerned with keeping in tune with the spiritual sense of the world than anything else. I suppose that’s why their defection came as a surprise. I wonder who it took to poison the waters of their mind. Regardless, I’m always glad when I find their newest form. They are good for keeping everyone grounded, and for helping me when I become overwhelmed. I don’t know if I would trust them as much if they hungered for recognition more, but I have been lucky so far. This Temperance is no different from those I trusted in the past, and has a knack for the latest and fastest in the modern world, which I am always embarrassed to say confuse me somewhat. Not that they have ever minded my slowness in that regard. If I was going to burden anyone else on the Council with my worries, I think it would be them. Still, I think I must wait, out of consideration for their well being as well as my own need to know more before I act…

NOW - All your life, you’ve played second fiddle to those around you. It’s not because you aren’t the best at what you do—quite the contrary, as anyone who’s ever watched the magic you can work with a keyboard in front of you can attest. No, you just prefer to let your actions speak for themselves. You tend to attract lots of rambunctious people, but you don’t mind. In fact, sometimes you work best when you can focus in and tune out all the noise going on around you. All of this makes people, particularly the Council, think you are especially easygoing, and it’s true you’ve got plenty of patience to spare, but sometimes you wonder… How much do people know the real you? Who’s paying attention to everything you soak up when they think you’re too buried in your work to listen? If they saw who you are when they aren’t around, would they recognize you? Never be fooled by the river’s glassy surface; the current underneath might be powerful enough to wash you away.

Connections

THE LOVERS - They were your first friend on the Council, but now they seem to have lost interest in you. You suppose it was only a matter of time, since their attention span is only so long and their desires only extend so far outside their self. It’s a little irksome, but nothing you haven’t dealt with before. It won’t affect your Council business, at any rate. They’re still part of the team, and you don’t have any problem being professional. Would it be nice if they came back every so often at least to catch up on things? Sure, of course, but the likelihood of that is slim. At least if the friendship was over that would be that, you could live, but they just act so awkward around you sometimes…

JUSTICE - You’re pretty sure they think you are an easy ally, someone whose vote in their favor can be counted on because you’re pensive and not one for attention. You might have agreed with them if it wasn’t painfully obvious how highly they think of themself. A little ego is all fine and good, nothing wrong with confidence, but they underestimate you. They underestimate most of the Council. It rubs you the wrong way. If they’re really so set on turning themself into a leader for everyone else to rely on, shouldn’t they believe a little bit more in everyone? But whatever, it’s not your business if they want to act a fool.

THE SUN - Maybe it’s part of their natural friendliness, but they’ve never forgotten you’re in a room just because you’re quieter than most, and you didn’t realize how much you’d appreciate that. Even better, they don’t need your full attention to be happy, which means you get plenty done with them around and enjoy their company to boot. It’s hard not to be taken in by someone who thinks you’re special. You couldn’t help but tune into their moods and their intricacies, and now you’re pretty good at spotting their less than bright moments. It’s the least you can do to offer your steady comfort, since they’re so generous with their good spirits and compliments.