ladyshadowland-blog

[ladyshadowland-blog]

Not Long Gone || Kamil & Maerwen

@a-nobilis

As quiet trudging sounded at the front of her office, Maerwen nudged her glasses further up her nose and glanced up from her reports, then blinked.

She hadn’t expected to see that hat again, actually.

She pursed her lips and examined Kamil from afar, flicking her gaze over his frame, seeing if he was still as...as well as he was when he left. It hadn’t been very long ago, but still, there had to have been a reason he was gone so quickly.

It might’ve been kinder to ask if he was well or to say that she’d missed him or to even greet him at all, but she felt suddenly flustered from the silence that stretched out between them, and the words that came out weren’t the ones that she otherwise would chosen. “I suppose you want your job back.”

[ladyshadowland-blog]

idreamofaquamarine‌:

It was always hard to wake herself back up, even if she had known she was in a bad spot before she passed out. This was no exception. Karina’s body twitched as she tried to will herself back to consciousness, but despite her effort, her body refused to cooperate.

That is, until there was a loud thump on the ground next to her.

Her heart pounded in alarm and she sat up with a loud gasp, her green eyes wide in surprise as she frantically started looking for the source of the sound. To her surprise, she found a very unamused looking elf looking down at her and she felt her cheeks flush in embarrassment. 

It wasn’t the first look of disapproval she had received and it definitely wasn’t about to be her last.

“Uh… Good afternoon?” she stifled a yawn behind her hand and stretched, rather weakly trying to pull herself up. “I’m sorry, I didn’t get in your way, did I? (Usually I make it home before I pass out… At least I didn’t fall on the side walk this time…)”

Maerwen didn’t quite catch the mumbles at the end of the sentence. No, she was too convinced that this woman likely had...nowhere else to go.

Was this a plight in the islands? Homelessness? An unwitting twinge rang in her chest, and it took her a moment to sort it out. Concern? Compassion? Guilt? Here she had a house she practically didn’t even live in anymore.

“You were on the bench and thus not in my path,” she said slowly - like it was a test and she wasn’t sure why the woman had even started it. Humans were utterly perplexing creatures.

She cleared her throat. “You’re all right? It’s odd to sleep on public property, from what I know of humans.”

Summer Sunshine - Open

[ladyshadowland-blog]

caveglave‌:

Today was supposed to be an ordinary day. He had brought his minotaur and orc to help him gather materials. Of course he carried somethings as well, he didn’t want his monsters to carry extra. It was all going well, until his orc Archy opted to harassing his minotaur. The result was said minotaur getting enraged starting to charge at the orc.

Everything was a mess and it’s not like he could stop them. They were too angry to listen to reason. IN TIMES LIKE THESE I WISH I KNEW MAGIC! Honestly he started yelling for people who were around to take cover. It was the only thing he could do. He didn’t want to injure his monsters.

“Horrible. This is horrible, what am I supposed to do?”

A momentary stroll to gather a few goods for the clothes she was working on turned into an inexplicable feat of danger the second that someone began yelling to...to take cover? Maerwen blinked, turning her head to see what was coming, then ducked suddenly when a rock, of all things, flew right over her head.

Further investigation showed that two monsters - an orc and a minotaur - appeared to be fighting, and she tightened her jaw. Did people not know how to control their creatures nowadays?

She waved her hand as she spat out a quick, elvish pact, and when Luna appeared overhead, already twice the size of any monster, Maerwen waved vaguely, and the summon spirit plucked both creatures off the ground, holding them around the waist separately and sternly frowning at them.

Maerwen looked around. “Who is responsible for these creatures?” she asked in a clipped tone, her elvish accent creeping in even further in her irritation.

Monster mayhem

[ladyshadowland-blog]

idreamofaquamarine‌:

There was something so appealing about the summer sunshine. As Karina headed out to get groceries on her day off, she couldn’t help but stop and stare up at the blinding orb in the sky. It was so warm and was making her so drowsy.

Glancing around, the silver haired girl spotted a park bench and plunked herself onto it. It was so hard to do anything when her energy felt so drained, and she stared in accusation up at the sun for a while before she felt herself starting to teeter over.

(At least I found a bench….)

Her body was already covered in scars from her many episodes of narcolepsy, so it was always nice when she could find somewhere to sit, if she was starting to worry about the fatigue overcoming her. This seemed to be that case, as she fought for a few moments with her leaden eyelids. Finally, she gave in and let her emerald eyes fall closed.

“I just need… Another minute…”

She mumbled to herself before she slid over on the park bench, blackness completely overtaking her as she drifted into a fitful sleep.

No human was ever quite as normal as they were supposed to be in her previous studies, Maerwen was coming to realize. Humans, for example, were supposed to sleep in beds, or perhaps on comfortable sofas if they elected to have an afternoon nap, and always indoors.

Not...on...public...benches...

Feeling inordinately frustrated, Maerwen stared down at the woman on the bench, her lips in a thin line. This was impolite. This was foolish. Anything could happen to-

Maybe she doesn’t have anywhere else to go.

...momentarily mollified, Maerwen took a deep breath and thought about how to wake the woman to see if she was all right. Verbally made the most sense, yet Maerwen elected to loudly drop one of her bags of groceries with a percussive thump instead.

Summer Sunshine - Open

[ladyshadowland-blog]

Activity Check 9/1 - PASSED

BEGINNING TOTAL: 110,011G

EXPENSES: -2,000G (commuter’s pass)

INCOME:

+5,000G (boss, owner, and worker at CuteTea Maid Cafe + menu)

+4,000G (boss, owner, and worker at Fantastic Flowers + menu)

+1,000G (maid at DSC Manor)

+1,000G (owner of KitTea)

+1,500G (UPI degree)

GRAND TOTAL: 121,511G

[ladyshadowland-blog]

Moonlight Deluge || OPEN

At times, it was required for Maerwen to retreat and reflect on circumstances. Her life, it seemed, had come to an utter standstill. She had no drive to move forward. Nowhere to go. There was nothing that required Maerwen to exist - she was replaceable in every way, and it began to put a rash of coldness on her soul.

Rare, really, that Maerwen flitted away to really think about who she was and what she was doing - but it was time.

She found herself in a lake in the middle of Fugue Forest beneath the moonlight, where she stripped down to her rarely seen bathing suit - modest enough, if there was no one around to look - and slipped into the water, where she began to tread. She tipped her head back, studied the stars overhead, and...pondered.

[ladyshadowland-blog]

stardewemily‌:

Emily was visibly surprised when a real spirit was suddenly conjured in front of her, her eyes widening considerably as she studied it. She had heard there were people out there who could summon spirits, but she had never met one before herself. “Fascinating! That’s quite the gift you have! Does the spirit have a name or anything? And do you have to make a pact with them or something? I’ve never met a summoner before!” 

Seeing that the spirit was clearly friendly, at least to Maerwen, had her in absolute awe. As far as she knew, her healing was as good as she was going to get in terms of magic, so it was quite a treat to see someone else’s abilities - and so close up. 

“Oh, well I think the sea foam green colour is lovely on you, too!” she replied, a friendly smile on her face now. It was nice to know that she could make friends, even when she met them in a way that wasn’t the most favorable. “Thank you! I haven’t known many elves either, I have to admit. I hope this doesn’t sound rude, forgive me if it does, but did you grow up around here? I’m not sure where your people originated from, but I’ve always been curious to find out!”

Ah. Well. The question regarding her race was an awkward one, but for once, she sensed no maliciousness in the woman’s tone. She stared at her for a long moment in quiet, then looked back at Flo, taking everything one at a time.

“This is Flo. They are a smaller summon spirit who may be jointly summoned by any of those who have learned how at the University of the Pelago Islands. There are three others that are very similar, though I’m unsure if they’re related. You may only summon them in their dominant element’s domain, and, since we are near the sea...” She trailed off. That spoke for itself.

Her lips went thin for a moment, and then she cleared her throat and began again. “As for my race - the dark elves...” Her clarification made it clear, she hoped that there was a distinct difference between a dark elf and an elf. “...we had a small village on the mainland, nestled in a quiet arid area nearby a forest. Not the Elvish Kingdom, you understand.” That was a completely separate continent, and, as far as she knew, one that her dark elf people had been exiled from centuries ago.

Hippie on the Beach - Open

[ladyshadowland-blog]

iamnottuxedomask‌:

Flattery. Of course they’d be weak to flattery. All the gods, loving their creations only when they satisfied their egotistical desires. Like children, with an unchecked force behind a single mood swing or decision. He knew the flattery game well. An entire twenty or so years of his life was dedicated to the flattery of his former master. And unfortunately…he wasn’t about to put flattery in the equation for whatever plan lied ahead.

If Matai had to kiss ass to a god again, he’d stab himself in the heart and think of a better plan once he woke up in a fresher body.

However, soon a smirk appeared on his face.

“Oh? You wish to please me, Lightning?” Matai spoke, a teasing chime to his voice.

Mmph. The desire to please him turned into sheer humiliation in less than a second from the tone on his voice. He still thought her a child, then. A plaything. Something to bat around like a cat.

No wonder it was so easy for her to feel the rush of wanting to have an upper hand on him so frequently. Anything to snatch the words right out of his mouth and...and...

She exhaled slowly, scowling at the wood beneath their feet, feeling as if he could read the sudden change on her like a book. When she felt a bit...more in control, she looked up at him again, her jaw still just tight enough to ease a faint edge into her words - something far from submissive. “Displeasing you has become a bit lonelier than I prefer as of late,” she simply said.

How To Kill A God || Matai & Maerwen

[ladyshadowland-blog]

jake-out-the-humans‌:

[ ⚔ ] — He simply nods to her statement, tightening his grip on the hammer and adjusting her in his arms a bit before moving forward and out of the cavern. There didn’t seem to be anything else she needed, and if there was, then… well. Those would have to wait for a return visit. He only had so many hands. “Jake.” The half-elf responds, a bit uncomfortable with how close to his ear she was. It couldn’t really be helped, what with the situation they were in, but if it wasn’t Meg, he wasn’t used to having his personal space invaded like this. 

And even then, he still felt a bit awkward with her at times. “Now it’s your turn. What should I be calling you?”

Jake. Such a simple name.

Half-elf, she reminded herself, and hummed shortly in acknowledgment. With the fanciful names - rarely any less than three syllables, except for those with the most common blood such as herself - that her village had, somehow this only seemed to reinforce his humanity aspect that much more.

“Maerwen.” Would he know what it meant, she wondered. Did he have any knowledge of Elvish? Or did he simply speak the common tongue? Best not to tell him and assume that he didn’t know - she might only insult him.

“How...how far from the doctor are we, do you think? I do not intend to trouble you for long.”

Stab of Fear || Jake & Maerwen

[ladyshadowland-blog]

stardewemily‌:

Noticing the way the elven woman started glancing around her, Emily found herself at a bit of a loss. It definitely didn’t seem like they were talking about the same thing anymore, and her head tilted ever so slightly to the side as she tried to figure things out.

“Are you meaning… You can see spirits? Or perhaps auras?” Emily’s eyebrows rose in surprise as excitement filled her body. She had read all about people who could see auras and spirits and that just sounded far too fascinating to Emily. “I always wished I was gifted in that sort of way, but all I can do is heal people.”

Perhaps the two of them could be friends after all? Emily was relieved, although she chuckled nervously when asked about her hair. Self-consciously, she raised a hand and ruffled her short blue hair as she responded to the question posed to her:

“Me? No, I’m afraid not. I’m naturally blonde, but it’s just so… Ordinary, you know? What about you? Your hair is so beautiful! I love that colour of green. It suits you so perfectly!”

Was this woman one who would use Maerwen’s spirits against her? Would she attempt to seize their power for herself? Important questions to consider.

Ones that Maerwen did not, in fact, fully think about before she looked to the side, as if it was an imposition, and sighed - and then summoned Flo into the air beside her. “Here is one of them.” Better the small water spirit than a hulking death god taking up the entire sky above them - and far less frightening.

Maerwen held out a hand, and Flo nuzzled it, leaving sea water dripping from her fingers as they turned their eyes to study Emily curiously.

“I was born with this hair. My race often finds themselves with hair of various pastels. Perfectly normal.” She flicked her gaze over Emily’s locks once more. “Yours nearly match the sea. There’s a richness to it that you wouldn’t find in my race. It’s...” A pause. “...lovely, actually.”

Hippie on the Beach - Open

[ladyshadowland-blog]

Activity Check 8/18 - PASSED

-hiatus pass-

[ladyshadowland-blog]

Camping Trip 2018 (tents, woefully incomplete)

@caveglave @runawayfarmhand

[ladyshadowland-blog]

Camping Trip 2018 (expedition, complete)

@comradekuruna @teeniewitchie @jake-out-the-humans

[ladyshadowland-blog]

Activity Check 7/21 - PASSED

-hiatus-

[ladyshadowland-blog]

stardewemily:

Emily was clearly taken aback by the response she got from the elven woman in front of her, her cheeks heating at the criticism that was being directed at her. She certainly hadn’t meant to bother anyone! But she couldn’t argue either because she knew she had been completely off in her own world. 

“I-I’m sorry! I was just practicing a wellness exercise—” she felt her throat grow dry. She felt just like a little girl, being scolded by a parent or a teacher. How embarrassing! “I suppose it might be better to do that with my eyes open, though, you’re right….” 

Not wanting the other person to have a bad opinion of her, she was quick to try and smooth things over - even if doing so might have been futile in this occasion. 

“I really am sorry if I bothered you. Wellness and meditation just do so much to lift my spirits, you know? I’m Emily, by the way. I don’t think we’ve met before.” 

Lifting her...spirits?

That certainly drew Maerwen’s attention. She eyed the other woman with obvious interest, her hazel eyes wide, and then looked around to see if she was surrounded by other summon spirits. Maerwen’s own pacts were quiet right now - none of them accompanied her to the event - but...

“I suppose that spirits often require elevation,” she said slowly. “But I’ve noticed mine seem to...control that themselves, without any assistance from me.”

Perhaps she’d been doing something wrong all along.

“Maerwen. Emily is a common name, I believe, but your appearance is...uncommon. Your hair. Were you born with that?” First white hair on Mist, and now this.

Hippie on the Beach - Open

[ladyshadowland-blog]

stardewemily:

As soon as Emily arrived at the beach on Ledua, she could feel the good vibrations flowing through her body. Really, she loved the island she lived on! The smile on her face was vibrant as she found a free spot on the beach and set down her back pack.

Removing her sun dress so that she could finally be free to roam around in the bikini she’d worn underneath, she took in the site around her. There were so many people here already, so many new faces! It was exciting and she could hardly wait to start mingling. Hopefully some of her friends and co-workers would be around. Maybe she could grab a drink with them or an ice cream cone. 

But first, she felt like she owed it to the ocean to pay her a visit. She had always been a person who loved to be near the water, and it looked particular glorious on such a day. Kicking off her sandals, she padded through the sand went to dip her toes into the cool summer water. It felt cold, but wonderful in the heat. 

For a few brief moments, she closed her eyes and mindfully listened to the sounds around her, then let herself just… Feel. The sun. The ocean. The cool breeze. 

It was easy to feel calm in such a moment and she exhaled deeply before she opened her eyes, only to find herself rather close to someone she hadn’t seen before. Were they staring at her? She felt a little embarrassed and laughed nervously as she raised a hand in greeting. 

“Uh, hey there! Sorry, I hope I didn’t get in the way, or…?”

Humans were an oddity the likes of which Maerwen did not understand. Few of them seemed to have a strong perception of what was around them, and Maerwen, after wandering away from her enlightening conversation with Jake discovered this in person.

A woman with hair that made Maerwen stare without so much as blinking wandered so close to her that she nearly bumped into her. She was set on the water, apparently, where Maerwen stood just deep enough to wet her ankles, and rather than immediately pull back, Maerwen stood stock still.

She deserved to take up space, she told herself. She would not be shrugged aside just because a human was too occupied to notice someone other than themself.

A few seconds later, the woman looked at her, and Maerwen simply lifted an eyebrow. “You certainly seemed unaware of anyone other than yourself,” she noted stiffly. “Maybe you keep your eyes open in addition to your ears, hmm?”

Hippie on the Beach - Open

[ladyshadowland-blog]

iamnottuxedomask:

“You’re incorrect,” Matai snapped back, glaring down at her with a cold gaze, “Nothing here is expendable aside from those who would willingly kill my men for no good cause. Don’t think yourself to be so above that for piquing my attention, Maerwen.” His gaze was ice cold, tone dead serious. There was no joke in his voice, and whatever challenge she was posing was equally met by him. He didn’t care if she was afraid or foolhardy enough to call it a bluff. Everyone on this ship was under his protection. If she killed one of his men out of some morbid curiosity with this creature or if one of his men killed her for the same, there would be an equal retribution.

After a pause, Matai crossed his arms, “What would you suggest? You were the one to converse with the God. Have you detected any weaknesses or ways to draw it out?”

Deep breaths. In. Out. It didn’t matter that she wasn’t afraid of him anymore. Undermining him at all was bound to go poorly for her in the future, but undermining him in front of his crew was another thing entirely. Even if she disagreed with him in part of what he said - clearly she hadn’t piqued his interest in quite some time, given how he didn’t so much as speak to her most days anymore - she had to focus on the facts.

She spoke in nearly a whisper, as if they were in a private conference. “It was a sentence. Not an action. You threatening me in multiple ways over a sentence when I already know the extent of what you’re capable of doing to me is excessive.” She focused her gaze on his eye, lips drawn in a thin line. With the rigid cold tension in the air - the tension she welcomed, but not the ice that turned it into something far out of her interest - she took another deep breath and tried to bring it back to something...less dangerous. “...you, of all men, should know I’m not a woman of action.” Her tone shifted to a drawl, warm and amused. After the desires she’d held just out of his reach, surely he’d know what she referred to. “And, if I’m going to become one, it’s not going to be in a way that displeases you.” She lifted one eyebrow, holding his gaze for a second longer, before she looked away again.

“No weaknesses as of yet. He’s weak to flattery, I believe, but then again all deities seem to be. But he doesn’t seem suspicious of me. I need more time to engage with him. See what he really wants.” She huffed. “My apologies for bringing you an incomplete plan. I simply thought...you’d be pleased that I was trying to please you at all.” A silly game, trying to please him, like a dog chasing her own tail.

How To Kill A God || Matai & Maerwen