#make it a good rp opportunity also her pride will not allow her to ask for help

[githvyrik]

boyfriend lowered my monk’s AC by one point. so 19. everyone who has ever dm’ed for this character cheered. then realized the bardcleric can cast greater restoration on her the following day.

[mylordshesacactus]

Goals Only Matter In Soccer

A recurring theme I hear from people struggling to “figure out” roleplaying is that they feel their characters are flat, uninteresting, or that they’re otherwise bad at character creation because their characters don’t have “goals.” Or, as the flip side of that coin, that they themselves are bad roleplayers because they either can’t remember their characters’ goals, or can’t/don’t enjoy actually roleplaying those goals.

(A short break for shameless self-promotion: If you want some one-on-one assistance with character creation or are struggling to roleplay, I do one-hour consult sessions to give you specific help in tapping into your RPG character. You get tailored guidance with no attempts to tell you what you “should” do, and I get to ethically keep my therapeutic interviewing skills from getting rusty while in grad school limbo. Everyone wins!)

This is getting a bit esoteric. Let’s use some concrete examples.

Some common “goals” might be: A wizard whose goal is to become more powerful or gain a certain form of knowledge, a noble-born character whose goal is to restore their family’s name or wealth, or the evergreen goal of avenging a great wrong like the death of a loved one.

These are all great character goals! There is nothing wrong with having a character with a clear goal they work toward over the course of the game, and making a character with a clear goal is a great way to get started with roleplaying! 

But it is only one method. And it’s not always appropriate.

I’m about to blow your damn mind: Characters don’t need goals. 

The idea that a well-rounded character should always have a “goal” is pervasive, and honestly harmful to good character creation and roleplaying! And it’s even more difficult to overcome because if you look for roleplaying or character-building advice, “give them a goal” is generally one of the first bullet points. This is well-meaning, and it’s not bad advice. But if it leaves you feeling like your character is incomplete because they don’t have A Goal—or worse, feeling obligated to tack on a “goal” and struggle to prioritize it in roleplay—then it’s not helpful.

Characters do not need “goals”.

But all characters need motivations.

As usual, I’m going to use my own characters as an example so you don’t feel like I’m lecturing you. I think I only have one major D&D character who could be stated to have a “goal”--my halfling druid/fighter, who wants to repay her debt to the Circle so that she can make a clean and respectful break and live her own life without guilt. 

But the others? Benny (Benevolence, but only her mom calls her that), my tiefling bard, doesn’t have a “goal” she works toward; in all honesty, her goal was her pre-campaign life. She likes being a travelling musician, she wants to perform and meet people across the continent! Rinda, my dwarven paladin, has five kids at home--her nieces and nephews, who she adopted after her sister’s tragic death in a mine collapse. She’s got no career ambition because she feels that chasing rank or prestige is inappropriate in a paladin, whose priority should be ordinary people and who needs to be accessible and grounded in the reality of the common folk. Her “goal” is to just keep being an honorable, mid-rank paladin and providing for her family.

That’s not remotely helpful in a tabletop RPG! Those are terrible “goals” for a character in a team-based game! If I followed general beginner RP advice and leaned into those goals, I’d end up that dreaded monstrosity, the player who says things like “but why would my character get involved? She would just let the town guard handle it”.

However, these characters’ motivations are a different story.

Benny doesn’t set out with the goal of becoming a hero; it’s not something she consciously works toward or considers a major aspiration. But she is responsible for what she allows, and at her core, Benevolence was well-named. She was raised by loving parents who taught her how to raise working animals and livestock ethically and with compassion, and who taught her the regret that comes of making selfish decisions. Helping others and minimizing suffering isn’t her life goal. She didn’t set out from home with a dream of being better than her parents, of putting good into the world instead of just mitigating the bad...but sometimes people really do just help others because it’s the right thing to do. 

Rinda? Her driving purpose will always be her family. Caring for them is her goal, the thing she intentionally prioritizes, the thing she actively works for. But her motivations are not the same thing. Yes, she wants to stay close to take care of her kids...but her responsibilities as a paladin are important to. She’s a protector who swore an oath, and her children are not more important than children in the next city over who will suffer without her intervention. Her motivation is to make people feel safe, but that’s not really a traditional “goal”. And she’s a stronger character for that!

So: Motivations > Goals. 

Which does NOT mean that your character shouldn’t have a concrete goal! That’s not what I’m saying at all. Rather...if your character has a concrete goal, arising naturally from their backstory, and you struggle to roleplay that goal, it may be because you’re not tapping into why your character has that goal in the first place. Are they seeking power because they’re terrified of a specific enemy? To prove a detractor or an abuser wrong? In order to accomplish a specific task--and in that case, who or what made them believe that task was important? Why is your rogue trying to avenge the death of his sister--and you can’t say “love” or “grief”. Many people have lose loved ones; what made this specific person decide that the only way forward was murder, and that his target(s) were responsible, and that he personally had to dedicate his life to killing them?

(This course of questioning may lead you to realize that you don’t have an answer. If that happens, ask yourself--is this a realization that your CHARACTER might have? That they don’t know why they’re doing this? Follow that thread! If not, it’s possible that you’ve tacked on an artificial “goal” for the sake of having one, and your character would be stronger without that anchor weighing them down.)

Sedge, that druid/fighter from earlier--her goal is to repay a massive debt so that she can be free of the Circle’s influence and live her own life. But her motivation? A mixture of shame and honor. The Circle saved her from a lot of predatory loans from bad people, rescued her, saved her life. She’s embarrassed at ending up so deep in debt and too proud to not repay that kind of kindness, but also feels a genuine gratitude for their kindness toward a total stranger. She wants to do right by them--but hates being a druid--but has always wanted to be the kind of hero who helps others exactly as selflessly as they did. 

It creates a lot of in-depth roleplay possibilities that wouldn’t exist if I’d just left that goal as simple as “acquire X amount of gold to pay off her student loans” and proceeded to play Sedge as simply money-obsessed.

Even if your character does have a clear goal, their motivations can change and come into conflict with it! A heroic character with debts to repay might easily refuse a huge payday if it requires them to do something shady...but they might not. How desperate are they? A wizard whose goal is to unlock the power to cast Wish might see a path to that goal...but pursuing it would mean abandoning a helpless village in the path of an orc army, and if she stays to defend that village, she loses her opportunity.

What wins out, in the end? And what effect will that choice have on her psyche?

Suddenly it really, really matters why she’s so dead-set on learning Wish. Whether it’s out of pride or fear (which might be easier for her to set aside in the face of innocent lives) or out of a deep-rooted belief that something absolutely essential rests on her learning this spell—something a lot harder to turn her back on.

These conflicts can occur with or without a “goal”. But, whether a character has a “goal” or not, these conflicts and intimate, pivotal character moments absolutely cannot exist in a character without motivations.

[mariellawinters]

HOLA !  i’m frankie ,  22 years old ,  residing in the central time zone ,  and go by the female pronouns .  i’m SO thrilled to be a part of this group !  i don’t know what else to say except for the fact that i haven’t roleplayed in about 4 months ,  so i apologize in advance for being rather slow in the process .  however , i’ll try my very best to share as many details with you about my girl , MARIËLLA , as possible . (  i would’ve had a statistics page ready but didn’t expect the rp to open suddenly ,  so i tried my best to give as much info & perhaps a bit too much lol but please plot with me/mariëlla   ;  also , thanks for reading !  )  .  ♡

･:*:･ﾟ☆ ( jessica chastain. forty two. cisfemale. she/her. )  ↷ ( mariëlla t. winters ) has been spotted by the paparazzi in los angeles. they are an ( a ) list celebrity known for their career as an ( actress ). they’re known by their fans to be ( easygoing, meticulous & zealous ) but the tabloids frequently portray them to be ( anxious, enigmatic, & introverted ). i wish them every success in the entertainment industry. ･:*:･ﾟ☆

full name:  mariëlla tatiana winters

nickname(s):  mari, maya, ella

age:  forty-two  (  42  ) .

birthdate:  november 25th, 1975 .

sexual orientation:  bisexual .

occupation:  actress / film producer / writer .

mariëlla was born to dutch-american parents, and raised, in washington, d.c. winters didn’t come from a privileged, wealthy family. her parents, constantin & thea, traveled and practically chose to live their new life in america and to start a family. in the years to come, her older brother, mariëlla, and their younger sister/daughter were born and they couldn't have been more delighted with their family of five.

she grew to have become very family-oriented because of her family, and extended family in the netherlands / holland.  which included traveling to visit them during the holidays, or every chance they could possibly get to do so if and whenever they had the money. her parents were hard-working, hence rarely having the chance to travel to europe and could only send 1, or two, of their children to stay with their relatives. but they wouldn't have changed it for anything else as long as they knew their dutch heritage, and they worked hard for almost just that.

although having hard-working parents, they both dedicated one hundred % of their time for family whenever they weren’t working. they raised / taught their children by acknowledging humility, recognizing their own weaknesses, & that it was okay to be the best that they can be  —  as well as having the FREEDOM of deciding who they wanted to be, the path they wanted to take; old enough to make their own decisions as a legal adult, basically.  * which is how mariëlla chose to raise her kids and thanks her parents for setting an example when she was growing up; passing it on as a mom herself, hoping that it works out smoothly and parenting as best she can.

when she was in middle & high school, she gained a keen interest in acting because of the plays, musicals, and whatnot. the more she got herself involved in them and at a local theater, the reason she instantly made her decision of becoming an ACTRESS became clearer. she set her mind to it, looking forward to the day she’d graduate and study film & drama at the univeristy of south california in los angeles. if anyone asked personally, it was the best decision she ever made; she would completely agree and tell you herself with pride and joy.

she always tried her best, and somehow, did explicitly well in school because she forced herself. even if she wasn’t too bad of a student, mariëlla struggled/stressed out easily, as she tends to be somewhat of a perfectionist still & almost everything had to be organized and in order. fast forward to 4 years later & as a ucla graduate; ëlla has graduated as a student that was given opportunities to act onscreen when she was in school studying. as weirdly as it might sound, taking into consideration mariëlla’s chosen profession, is incredibly meticulous when it comes to auditioning for a role and be given the job for said character.

she spends a lot of her time and energy by supporting a lot of what she believes in and whatnot. she is quite often a zealous worker for charity and brings attention to causes, et cetera. i find it better to describe as a passionate artist/actress but most importantly: a human being with a lot of compassion towards the less fortunate and will likely pay for something rather expensive— i.e. an engagement ring for a couple, anonymously  (  what paul w*lker did for a couple without revealing his identity; true story  ) . mariëlla does show a very unselfish concern for the well-being of others & it’s obvious; altruistic; even if people don’t like it or might think it’s invasive. that is never her intention; will know when to back off though. but does genuinely care a lot about others; is someone that puts the needs of another person before her own without questioning it. all in all, an easygoing humanitarian and philanthropist.

people might think it’s a bit concerning, but she can be quite stubborn as well when it comes to certain things. she means well though. don’t mind her sometimes. unless it’s for her own good or regarding anything job-wise. over the years, she has become very anxious. she believes it’s because of all the stress and the overwhelming, hectic schedule of tour promotions and whatnot. she’s committed to them but by popping a little pill called xanax. she can control her anxiety but there are days when she cannot and it’s not pretty. hence why she is her - introverted - self at times, but in the public eye is seen as an enigmatic soul. she has her reasons.

the only reason why she is hard to interpret in the public eye, especially the media, is because she only wants her close family and friends to know who she truly is behind closed doors. she could care less about the rumors that are being said about her, but it won’t mean that her anxiety won’t get to the best of her. it’ll eat ëlla up alive but will not make that obvious, of course, as she perseveres through her struggle with anxiety. it’s a bitch.

genuinely believes in “money doesn’t buy happiness.” as an a-list celebrity, she has a difficult time understanding it and ends up contemplating if it’s all really worth it ..... if she deserves the success she’s had throughout her career ? don’t get mariëlla wrong but is sometimes self-critical of herself and will not allow any special treatment. she’s an odd one but grateful at the same time. this messy business can be quite fickle and doesn’t want to disappoint anyone with her performances.

ever since she became a mom, mari grew to being quite nurturing. growing up she’d be the type of person to lean away when being hugged and avoid friendly kisses but as time passed on, she grew out of that. the love she has for her kids, she has a big heart and loves the heck out of anybody that would show her any affection, because she will definitely give it in return to anyone that needs it.

she won’t consider taking anyone’s  “ side ”  whenever it gets to that chance/point in time— neutral— like, she is on the fence about/doesn’t know a lot about politics and religion. she will sometimes avoid conversing of such but is open to talking. she is not that close-minded and hopes to not seem that way. either way, she isn’t very judgy and will only give out advice; straightforward and honest opinions if asked.

prefers to give rather than receive, although she’s grateful for such intentions and will gladly keep whatever present is given. she is NOT materialistic but loves doing some shopping often; controls herself by setting a budget on how much she could possibly spend and save.  yes, that’s how organized she is. her inner monica geller but not to the extent, of course. she thinks she gives the best whatever gift she finds and won’t brag about having the money either. enjoys the holidays  ….. — -  this was supposed be an attempt at writing a couple of headcanons, but i’ve obviously failed ?  yikes !  i’m just babbling at this point because i wanna get this posted. and it’s posted now.

this turned out to be a HUGE mess but i hope this introduction helps to plot. please like this post, or hmu if you’d be interested in plotting something out or anything. again, thanks for reading ! i know it’s a bit rambly but i’ve tried. i do have a lot of muse, don’t get me wrong. its been too long, honestly. i’ll message and read all of your intros. pretty much catch up with the ones that have been posted since i’ve been gone.

[diveronarpg]

Congratulations, ASH! You’ve been accepted for the role of CLEOPATRA. Admin Jen: I am someone who is completely enthralled by Cleopatra, both as a historical figure and a Shakespeare character. So I have to admit, I had big expectations but, Ash, you completely surpassed them! God, I can’t even express how over the moon I am about this application. Your take on Calina was thrilling to read and pick apart; from the intriguing comparisons you drew between her and her iconic historical counterpart, to the beautiful references to Cleopatra’s history and the poetic tragedy of her story, to the amazing character analysis you explored in the Extras section. These intricacies complimented your deep understanding of Calina, bringing your portrayal to life and making it wholly yours. Your passion for her really shines through and it was a beautiful sight to behold! We can’t wait to see the Queen on the dash! Please read over the checklist and send in your blog within 24 hours.

WELCOME TO THE MOB.

Out of Character

Alias | Ash

Age | 24

Preferred Pronouns | She/Her

Activity Level | Still a working gal, so I’m def still limited to nights and weekends. But y’all know I hardly leave Discord so I’m always about to plot.

Timezone | EST

Current/Past RP Accounts | Can I just… *slides tib’s account over* http://oftybalts.tumblr.com/

In Character

Character | Calina “CLEOPATRA” Sokolova.

What drew you to this character? | Cleopatra. What a woman. In both Shakespeare and in history – and while his name comes first in the play’s title, it is not Antony that gets remembered, is forever emblazoned in history, depicted in art, fashioned in costumes on halloween, celebrated as royalty, nor does he become the sole female symbol to a nation. It is her. The harlot. The seductress. The woman, who many thought did not deserve the crown to her own country.

But it is this kind of a woman that Calina is destined to become. Rising from the ashes of her past. Underestimated. Unbowed. And ultimately unbroken.

If so, the stars wouldn’t have written it that she be found in that alleyway by her adoptive mother. She wouldn’t have made it out of that brothel when she’d lost all else – her possessions, her pride, her hope. She wouldn’t have been found by Damiano and Faron and brought into the Montague fold. She was fated to be much more than a forgotten princess. She was fated to be the queen of an empire – and this is something she never allowed herself to forget again. It is this resilience that brings me to adore Calina so much. Where circumstance after circumstance forged against her was intended to make her wilt as well, she withstood. There’s a pain to that, a realness to that. These reasons make Calina not only a marvel, but an inspiration. As is her Shakespearean counterpart. When the Romans threatened to take the very empire that was her birthright, Cleopatra used the desire, she was so condemned for to create one of the most infamous political strongholds in history, to not only to save her crown but her country and her people as well. Has it not been said that the lily of the valley is the flower that blooms in spite of the darkness? There is no other soft-petaled thing that could depict Calina Sokolova more, though, it’s known she’d rather not be compared to such gentle ideals – she’s much more than that.

What also drew me to this character was the opportunity to find the balance between Cleopatra and Calina, identify the connections between their stories and personalities until they became one. What I love about Cleopatra as a person and a character manifested in Calina, is that she is the epitome of versatility. She is not so simple as to pigeonhole her into one category, one type of woman – as she is many – and she’d sooner sneer at anyone who thought her so one-dimensional. She is the prim scholar, the cultured savant, the coquettish minx, the charming socialite, the strategic tactician, the grateful soldier. There’s a quote I’ve come across and saved as inspiration – ““How many women are you,” he asked. “A legion,” I said” – and if I had to pick a sole defining string of words for my girl, it’d be this one. She’s willing to transform, adapt to whatever situation she might find herself in, an arsenal of personas at her disposal. It’s a skill that not many can master, but she does it with unfaltering grace and glamour as she’s traded her rags for foreign riches. She is every bit feline, perched high above the rest, tail swishing as she surveys and assesses before pouncing from her vantage point. A chessmaster, out-maneuvering and out-witting and out-strategizing the men in her midst, turning the tides into her favor. It is her femininity and willingness to utilize it that makes her underestimated, and perhaps that is her greatest weapon.

Lastly, what draws me to Calina is not only balancing her with Cleopatra, but sorting through the compiled contradictions that reside inside her head and heart. She knows what it is to love and be loved in return, but the beating bleeding thing in her chest is kept behind the gilded cage of her ribs now, as such loss and heartbreak cannot crack at her heart again, not when in the midst of war. Gentle things feel brittle against her skin, and yet brutality causes her to recoil in distaste. She despises those who lack loyalty, looks upon those of vicious tendency with suspicion, but cannot bring herself to be trustful of others as she wishes to observe such savagery and perhaps tailor a bit of it to suit her own purposes. She’s aligned herself with people who do despicable things all before breakfast, and yet she still has the energy to pettily turn up her nose at them all the same for it. She possesses an open mind, but tends to be unyielding and uncompromising when it comes to what she knows, casting her own judgements and aligning her logic only by her own side unless someone is in agreement with her. Hers is a superior intelligence, she knows, a quiet and sophisticated thing. She might be called shrewd or callous for the ruthless plans she might devise, the manipulations she’s deemed necessary, but it is important to note that Calina Sokolova is no more good than she is bad. Sure her origins are questionable, and her motives unknown by most, but she is not a villain – she is simply a woman trying to survive in the mess that men have so brutishly created and come out above it all. A woman trying to reclaim the second chance at life that she’d snatched from the Fates before they could sever it with cruel jagged scissors – because she deserved it. A woman trying to gain all the things she’d lost and then some. She hadn’t come to Verona seeking a throne or a crown, exactly, but if it fits…she’ll gladly rest it atop her head.

What is a future plot idea you have in mind for the character? | Where do you see this character developing, and what kind of actions would you have them take to get there? 3 future plot ideas would be preferable.

BUT SHE MAKES HUNGRY, WHERE SHE MOST SATISFIES | “A woman’s authority spelled a man’s deception.” It’s a quote I’ve crossed multiple times when doing research and looking for inspiration for Cleopatra. It alluded to the Roman narrative that had deemed her an enchantress, condemned by the men around her for her tempting ‘magic’ leading to the eventual demise of their greatest leaders. If only they knew that love was the reason, that their desire for her far outweighed reason, that being so foolish to let heart lead over head was their true downfall. But through the years, through her observation and careful practice, Calina has seen just how powerful of a sin lust can be – it’s not one of the seven deadliest for no reason. Guilty of strategizing her sexuality, she has used such wiles to obtain things that she had no money or status to simply ask for. When faced with her greatest obstacles, the hailed Queen of the Nile utilized her tactical mind as her greatest weapon too, and with forming such advantageous alliances was able to reap benefits she would never have been able to so much as grasp if so stubborn to work alone. She utilized love to shackle Rome’s greatest leader, affections to keep the independence of her country and hold an army between her fingertips. I would love nothing more than for Calina to utilize the strategy of her namesake, forge alliances of the unlikely kind, relationships of mutual benefit. Perhaps a faithless Capulet willing to build a bridge that might support her plans, her goals. Maybe even higher ranking Montagues who sat closer to the throne she so wants to sit prettily upon. ( Bonus points if such an alliance is romantic in nature. )

ETERNITY WAS IN OUR LIPS AND EYES | In history, it was a known fact that Cleopatra was led by her mind, while betraying her heart and sacrificing being with her beloved for the sake of the bigger picture. I strongly believe that Calina mirrors Cleopatra in that very aspect, her logical, analytical mind pushing her heart to the side more often than not. I hope to explore the matters of Calina’s head and heart, as they are both such fickle vitals within her. As a woman who is often led by one while prone to befalling the whispers of the other, there’s often a lot of inner turmoil inside of her. Far more used to being desired, she’s almost lost sight of what actual love should look like – though, she’d be a liar if she said it wasn’t the kind of passion and all-consuming intensity she craved deep down, the thing of fiction novels and foreign films. But she knows love has no place in war, knows she’d sooner die than find something so true, as it is often a tool forged to destroy pawns and capitalize on cruelly as leverage. Life has taught her that to love greatly means even greater loss, and she doesn’t know if she’s ready to lose again after just grabbing the reins back on her life. So she knows in her quest for power, that she must ignore the affectionate leanings she’s so inclined towards to fill such a gapingly empty hole inside of her. She is not void of fondness and she is not without her feelings (as much as she’d like to be), but it’ll come down to it when she has to ask herself which one does she want more, which one is more important: love and meaningful connection or power. A tender heart or a gilded crown? Or will clever Cleopatra find a way to have both?

THE THRONE OF OUR QUEEN IS EMPTY | Aligning herself with those that will protect her, benefit her most is Calina’s modus operandi. Distrustful of many aside from herself, Calina, ever the cynic, knows that you must be vigilant as snakes reside in the very grass she stands in. She still waits for the day that Faron might decide to collect his debt that he’d used to free her from the proverbial chains that kept her shackled to that brothel. Still waits for Damiano to name his price for extracting her to Verona. Never the type to bite the hand that feeds her, Calina is a willing and dutiful soldier, knowing that this is a prized opportunity, that not many are so fortunate to be plucked from the gutter and reincarnated as a new deity, given a new form, a new life. But she knows what desperation is like, and it tastes like bile at the back of her tongue, a lingering flavor that she wishes if only to rid herself of forever. She knows now what the elite tastes like, sweet and decadent like caramel, what it feels like, soft and rich like cashmere, and she’d be damned if she goes back to the streets of Russia she’d been made to merely exist in. Clinging to her new status is what she values most, and so she wants to rise in the ranks, secure her place in Damiano’s eyes. He has heard the stories, the words whispered about her unmatched mind, and she wishes to show him just what she can do for the Montagues. Her eyes are on an Emissary title (for now), not too keen, and far too ambitious to resort to taking orders as a mere soldier for long. But she knows her time will come – she’ll make sure of it. (And I want to see just how much she’s willing to do to achieve it.)

SHOULD YOU EVER COMPARE CAESAR WITH ANTONY | I believe I’m most excited to develop Calina’s connection with Alexander. It interests me because now that I’ve gotten acquainted with Alexander, he carries himself like the warrior Antony was, but his mind is what I know will intrigue Calina most, as she isn’t impressed with a show of muscle and brute strength (though it is entirely nice to view). He’s cunning and as sharp as the knife-carved curve of his grin, and it is this intelligence and drive that shows me shadows of Caesar in him. It is written that Caesar was truly a well-match for Cleopatra as they were intellectual equals, a power couple of sorts as they were ruled by their ambitious minds and worked through their mutually beneficial alliance together. So I’d love to see what kind of pair Calina and Alexander might make, where her intrigue of him will take her.

Are you comfortable with killing off your character? | It would crush me to kill my queen, but of course, if to propel the plot forward, I approve her demise, and it must be as grand and as poetic and as ironic of a death that Cleopatra deserves. If we got some snakes, that’d be greaaaat.

In Depth

In-Character Interview: The following questions must be answered in-character, and in para form (quotations, actions written out if applicable, etc). There is no minimum or maximum limit for your response - simply answer as you would if you were playing the character.

What is your favorite place in Verona?

She can answer the negative to this question rather than the positive. But such is customary of the cynic, is it not? She sees herself seated across from a Capulet counterpart, and only prays to the gods above that her discomfort does not shine through the darkness of her eyes. She sees the velveteen interior, she sees the girls scantily clad and palms itching, she sees Verona’s elite, their fingers offering silver and gold and the lights that have dimmed from the girls’ eyes suddenly returns if for a moment. She can’t see that last bit, but she knows because there was once a time when that had been her. She too had been the girl, glad to serve clients if only to receive payment enough to bring her closer to repayment of her debts. The Dark Lady only reminds her of a past she not only wishes to leave in the tattered pages of her history, but it’s one that needs to remain there, something of the past, a scar that had healed over finally.

“The Capital Library, of course.” Her gaze had been down, examining the pastel shade she’s chosen for her manicured hand, only for that that same hand to make a sweeping gesture, urging the journalist to cast their eyes upon even the furthest corners of her sitting room.  Books, books and more books stacked neatly on shelves, perched precariously against the edges of tables, some lovingly dog-eared so she might not lose her page, others with delicate scribbles in the margins. Texts of new and old. Of the language Verona knows, and in tongues it does not. Her mind was a vast canvas, and reading is not only her solace, but the only way she might paint against it, knowledge of all kinds hanging themselves like masterpieces inside that pretty head of hers. So it’s only with a genuine spark in her tone that she continues, “There is hardly a scent I adore more than that of books.” A pause, a dainty tip of her head, the slightest tug to her lips, “Aside from medovik, of course…” She thinks then of Faron, who’d undoubtedly had a box with a slice of the delectable honey cake from their motherland left on her desk the other day. Once more, she can’t help as sentiment knocks at the door, awaiting answer, as he remembers details so minute, but she doesn’t let it in.

What does your typical day look like?

“Well–” Calina begins, eyes flitting up towards the ceiling in thought, one leg brought up to cross primly over the other, the gilded metallic G of her Gucci suede pumps catching in the afternoon light. “Waking up so horrendously early cannot seem to escape my routine.” She was forged into a creature of the night, nearly hissing as the sun’s rays would break through her curtains each morning. But she has since learned to become one with the day, after hating it for so long, detesting the sun for daring to rise when her world had descended into darkness. Nonetheless, she finds herself much preferring what happens before the sun goes down on this beautiful city. “But I do yoga, I have tea, I feed Si –” She begins her day with all things that relax her, as she knows it’ll only get more turbulent from there.

“I spend most of my day at the embassy more than I spend time here.” Cue the arrival of Osiris, her all black emperor of household, purring as he curls beneath her hand, starved from her affections as her day and night jobs keep her from their home far more than he appreciated. A jealous little thing, he was – not wanting to share his mum with anyone. “Much to this one’s displeasure,” she coos, picking up the cat, holding him tenderly to her chest. “Isn’t that right, darling?” A tinkling laugh slips past charming lips, mouth momentarily pressing to onyx fur to conceal the humor that curved her smile, “Though, I must say, my day only takes a turn for the boring from there. I meet with a few associates, and it’s instantly into interpreter mode.” She leans in then, as if sharing with them a hushed secret, “I’ll be lucky if I speak English for any amount of time.”  A sigh of feigned disappointment escapes her, only for her to continue, “–and then…I suppose I come back here. Have a little dinner, a little wine. Only to rest and do it all over again the next morning.” It all sounds so trivial, and that is with good reason. There is no need for the darling journalist to be brought out of his ignorance of her true purpose here in fair Verona.

What has been your biggest mistake thus far?

A cant of her head, a knowing smile, “Do I look like a woman who makes mistakes?”

Miscalculations were a rarity with someone as careful, as cautious and as well-thought as Calina. But even she is prone to human error – not that the man who was seated across from her needed to know such a thing. Know that she was something mortal and not entirely godly. So, her lips purse as she waits, a finger idly brushing across her cupid’s bow – whether it’s deliberate, is not something you have to ask, as she intends to draw the eye there to the inviting part of her lips.

He pauses, chest rising with an inhale, the words seemingly teetering on the edge of his tongue unable to fall out, but he musters a shake of his head at her inquiry. He doesn’t think so. “Smart boy,” is her coy response, a flash of a wink in accompaniment, so quick if you blinked you’d probably miss it.

What has been the most difficult task asked of you? (tw: illusions of sexual assault)

It wasn’t asked. That was the problem.

To be asked would mean she was being gifted courtesy wrapped in a bow. To be asked would mean she’d be granted choice, the ability to accept or decline, to return or exchange with a receipt. But no – the most difficult task for Calina Solokova to face was demanded of her. (If she wanted to eat, if she wanted somewhere to sleep, if she wanted to live.)

It happened in the shadows where no one could see, perhaps it was best that way so the crystalline tears that treaded down her cheeks would never be seen by the light of day. It’s a memory pushed so far to the recess of her mind, she almost cannot recall all the details these days. But she remembers her face had been stony, still, unmoving, unaffected. The man nameless, faceless as he pushes crimson silk from her lithe frame, as his calloused fingertips touched her without an ounce of knowledge as to what kind of jewel he was holding.

Her lips press together tightly, she feels the matte texture of her lipstick between them. She pauses so she might think, might craft the correct response. It’s then that she decides playing a part might suit her well here. A breath of a laugh, a feigned bashful tuck of her hair behind her ear, “My mind’s certainly drifted, hasn’t it. What was the question again?” A fluttering of lashes, a softened, apologetic smile – the journalist is gracious enough to skip this question, and she thanks him with a deliberate touch to the top of his palm, feather light and barely there.

What are your thoughts on the war between the Capulets and the Montagues?

“War,” she scoffs, the sound gentle but her disdain carrying loud and clear.  

Piercing eyes narrow, the winged tip of her kol liner sharpened like the point of an arrow. “It’d be just like men to start something so barbaric with no end in mind.” To her it was illogical, to waste time, resource and more importantly energy, on the maintenance of a petty feud. There is nothing worth fighting for, she’s realized, if not for love or for power. And she liked to think the Montagues and Capulets fought for neither. There were by far better things than to focus on – the creation of empires, the falling of others, she thinks.

“It’s primitive. Dated. If they want to continue on in this matter they might as well fight over Twitter about it.” Another pause. Her fingertips coming to her lips, as if the words had come out too soon before she could stop them, “But, you didn’t hear me say that either.”

Extras: If you have anything else you’d like to include (further headcanons, an inspo tag, a mock blog, etc), feel free to share it here! This is OPTIONAL.

PINTEREST BOARD

QUOTES:

“How many women are you? he asked. A legion, I said.”

“BELLADONNA, n. In Italian a beautiful lady; in English a deadly poison. A striking example of the essential identity of the two tongues.” – Ambrose Bierce

“Men love me cause I’m pretty – and they’re always afraid of mental wickedness – and men love me cause I’m clever, and they’re always afraid of my prettiness – One or two have even loved me cause I’m lovable, and then, of course, I was acting. But you just do, darling –” – Zelda Fitzgerald

“She is her own heroine—capricious, exacting, exquisite, very learned, and beautifully dressed.” — Virginia Woolf

“She’s a very mysterious creature, with an open smile and a closed soul.” — Colette, from a letter to Madame Léopold Marchand

“She carries herself like a god. She is a composed ocean of waves that could become turbulent if you test her.”

HEADCANONS:

TV TROPES: Brainy Brunette, Silk Hiding Steel, Broken Bird, Femme Fatale, The Chessmaster, Passive-Aggressive Aggression, I Have Many Names, The Charmer, Ice Queen, Faux Affably Evil, All Girls Are Lustful, Honey Trap

CHARACTER INSPO: Catwoman / Selina Kyle (Batman), Hathor (Gods of Egypt), Commander Lexa (The 100)

AESTHETICS: She’s fur trimmed coats and heels as high as her standards. She’s a touch as warm as a crackling fire with a stare as icy as the country from which she hails. Chin tipped up proudly as she balances a gilded crown no one can see but knows is resting atop her head. Her voice is like honey, and her laughter like wisps of smoke, tendrils floating airily above ruby-painted lips. Piercing eyes assessing and calculating, who might she charm next with the knowledge carved into the walls of her mind like hieroglyphs? The answer is: everyone.

Her mother Tatiana Sokolova was a widow and school teacher. Her husband, Mischa, died long before she could conceive a child. It was his only wish, his only hope, that they’d grow their little family in Irkutsk, that one day he’d drive his truck route through the snow long enough for them to have enough money to move to St. Petersburg. It’s a dream he never got to see into fruition, God knows they tried their best, but Tatiana always felt that she’d failed him. It’s why she’d prayed so hard, why she’d wish upon every star, why she’d memorize the scriptures until she knew them by heart, because if she prayed to her gods and believed hard enough – miracles could happen. And when her little miracle did happen, Tatiana only wished that he was around to see Calina grow, see her excel – he would have been proud of her, the woman always said.

They say curiosity killed the cat, and despite knowing that fact, Calina grew up ever curious into her original background. While she never sought for her parents, she did seek answers about her heritage, her ancestry. Taking a test, she finds that her roots lie in the motherland of Africa’s tip and in the desert sands of the Middle East – it’s only logical then that she learn Arabic, that she research the customs of such drastically different cultures, if only to feel closer and more immersed into them. One of her many dreams: to visit both Egypt and Morocco one day.

Showing the early signs of a cerebral child, a gifted child, reading was always little Calina’s favorite thing to do, always by far more excited than her classmates to get the summer’s reading list. She was the type of child who would live in the library if she could, taking out stacks of books only to return them by the week’s end because she’d finished them all, and even went through a few of them twice. It’s a habit she could hardly shake well into adulthood, as the Montagues have now become accustomed to finding her beneath the ornate embellishments of headquarters if she is missing for any period of time. To her, there is no shortage of knowledge, only fools claim to know it all. (But let’s not mistake, she knows by far more than the rest do.)

Her mother showed her how to do everything, Calina acting as her permanent shadow as she trailed behind her. She knows how to cook the perfect solyanka because she’s hovered over her mother’s shoulder while she stood at the stove. She knows how to knit her own scarf, because her mother only seemed to have the energy to calmly knit as she got sicker and sicker, and she’d help her knit-one and pearl-two when her bony fingers couldn’t go on anymore. She knew how to tend to chamomile, if only to brew the delicate flowers into steaming soothing tea, because her mother watered and sang to her plants religiously at the windowsill, and she’d do the same. She learned Ukrainian because that was her mother’s second tongue, almost spoken in their home more than Russian.

Her interests are vast and varied – a modern Renaissance woman. Languages are only the beginning. She enjoyed mathematics, was fascinated by history and geography, and marveled constantly at art. Growing and learning, she couldn’t put a finger on her favorite subjects, as she only wished to consume as much knowledge as she could.

When she does make it to Novosibirsk, Calina goes straight into state university, with the hopes to secure a job once her certificate was in her hand. She studies Linguistics, with the hopes to become a translator, maybe one day able to work for government agencies in her country or across the globe – the United Nations was one dream, among many. But she soon learned that dreaming was for the naive. Due to the illness of her mother, and no one to care for her, she has no choice but to drop out of school, and uses the remaining funds from her tuition payments to take care of hospital bills, their rent, and an decidedly ornate urn when her mother eventually passes. Her ashes are floating through the depths of the Baltic Sea by now.

A brilliant linguist she becomes, with a talent for rapid language acquisition, Calina is skilled in six languages: her native Russian, English, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Arabic and Italian most recently due to her new ‘business’ ventures.

She alludes some her knowledge to her lovers. Sometimes her customers were sweet, in the exchange for her affection they’d wish to bring her gifts – all she’d ask for was information. A new language to learn, a new book to absorb, a new code for her mind to crack. She learns Bulgarian from Stanislav, as he purred it her ear until she could purr it back. Dariya, her favorite, shows her that English is not as difficult as she thinks, leaving her poems from authors even greater than herself. Is brought hardcover books with gilded spines and Arabic lines from Adrik, and she’d lift his delicate round spectacles so she might press her lips to his eyelids. It was her little way of making better of the horrid situation she found herself trapped in.

It had become an inherent part of her, a subconscious thing for a girl like Calina, to analyze and categorize those she interacts with according to a specific criteria, especially so once she was inducted into the Montague ranks. When she encountered someone new, she’d ask herself a series of questions that would determine their suitability of her attention: What can I gain in this relationship? What can this person give me? Most importantly, will I be willing to part with them if need be?

Dependency is her greatest fear. To live in a world where she cannot save herself, where at every turn a man will be there to rescue her, is not one she can see herself existing in. Which is why she’s more than keen to learn how to better defend herself, how to better weaponize herself and stay protected. But she’s yet to voice such desires, waiting to see who she might best employ to assist her.

Currently, she calls the Verona embassy her second home, more time spent there than beneath the roof of her own apartment. She serves as a translator for foreign dignitaries, her charm and clear command of language makes her shine at meetings to discuss ranges of topics, from foreign policy and international trade to criminal justice and matters of Verona’s security. It’s a strategic move on Damiano’s part to place her there, to be the eyes, ears, and soothing guiding voice of influence that is necessary as far as local and international governments are concerned. It’s no secret her mind cannot be resisted, and it makes all the better for the Montagues to have friends in such high places.

ARCHETYPES:

45% INTELLECTUAL – Thriving on intellectual pursuit, with a defining grace of wisdom, the Intellectual is the ultimate dinner-party guest. Engaging questions and thoughtful debate are their trademarks. They are your sages – imparting their wise words only learned through time and experience. The Intellectuals can be your scientists – juggling a plethora of ideas in their minds, willing to listen and engage in conversation so long as it properly stimulates their intellect. They are your scholars, your polymaths – brimming with bright curiosity for all aspects of life, collecting knowledge in all its forms. But they can also be your judges – masterful arbitrators, sharp and impartial, slicing through the heart of matters to create balance.

35% PERFORMER – Center stage. In the spotlight. Entertaining and exuberant. Flourishing in the face of attention and applause. The Performers are your provocateurs – walking sirens, with charm and unabashed sensuality on their side. They can get anyone to do anything for them with just the right string of words, the right look, the right touch. They are the pretenders, the seducers – dishonesty is a language they speak well, using it to sway the foolish into giving them their hearts. Nothing is as it seems, as they keep you on your toes, teasing you with portions of themselves instead of the whole. But living on the shallow surface can only go so far when it comes to real relationships.

20% ROYAL – Driven by power. On a constant quest to bask in entitlement and luxury. The Royals are your networkers – with esteem, power, charm and more importantly hundreds of contacts at their disposal, they can work any room and cozy up to the power players in it with ease to help push their agendas. They are your queens – ultimate conveyors of grace and elegance, with the ability to lead as examples, empowering those around them (especially women) to succeed. But they can also be your politicians – people-oriented, excellent communicators, with an innate talent for leadership and influence, they firmly understand that their jobs would be nothing without the alliances they can make.

DARK CORE PERSONALITY TEST:

20.11% Darker than the Average Person

TOP DARK TRAITS

MACHIAVELLIANISM (87%) – “Manipulativeness, callous affect, and a strategic, calculating orientation.”

SELF-INTEREST (80%) – “The unprincipled pursuit of gains in socially valued domains, such as material goods, social status, recognition, achievement, and success.”

EGOISM (80%) – “Excessive concern with one’s own pleasure or advantage at the expense of community well-being.”

[drunkenmuse-blog]

hi guys ~ i’m mai. i was lazy and didn’t write this before hand and made it all up as i went tbh !!! i hate myself !! but i’m not always lazy i swear. but i’m super excited for this rp and pls don’t be afraid to hmu ~ 

MUSE G 🎲 NICOLA PELTZ [ bella woods, twenty-two, tutor, female, she/her ] golden locks, dog lover, chanel, crimson pouts, plaid skirts, wine & champagne, loves math and books, humble & kind. [ mai, 19, cst, 💛 ] 

TRIGGER WARNINGS: mentions of death, depression.

[ P A S T ]

Bella Grace Summers was born on April 4th, 1996. Her mother passed away days after giving birth to her. Her parents were very young, and they were very poor. After the death of her mother, her father decided to further his education to provide a life for Bella and himself. He eventually got remarried and she did not love Bella, but put on a great facade that she did. She really only loved Bella’s father’s bank account balance. 

Bella was home-schooled her entire life by her nanny. She formed a strong bond with her nanny, as her father was never really home working long hours. This allowed Bella to become extremely intelligent. She was a great student and very hard-working. Her father having a very different upbringing wanted the best for her. He taught Bella many things about morals, being humble, kindness. He knew he wasn’t around much, and always tried his hardest to be a good father.

Bella was spoiled and never left asking for anything. Being an only child, she was extremely lonely. Being home-schooled and living in a neighborhood full of rich and retired old couples, didn’t give her much of an opportunity to get to know others or make friends. She became very introverted and shy. 

Growing up, she changed. She became a bit more talkative, but still introverted and soft-spoken. She was polite---dressed and talked very maturely for someone her age. But she was always surrounded by people twice her age, she had to grow up faster than the average kid. But despite the rich and fancy parties she attended, she was still extremely lonely. She became depressed and had occasional therapy sessions to help herself talk more, and to engage in her feelings more. Something she wasn’t good at, but because of the therapy lessons, she’s learned to open up a lot more. She was required to take anti-depressants to also help cope with her depression.

She had only fallen in love once, with a boy who moved in across the street. He had dark brown eyes and dark brown hair. She was 15 (as was he), and had never had any sort of romantic connection towards a boy before, but he was different. He had the exact same upbringing, and she favored him for that. She thought maybe he’d understand what she was going through too. His name was Peter Hastings. They met, snuck around, she lost her first kiss to him, as well as her virginity. They were both young, in love with the thought of being in love. They dated for a long three years, before they both went off to college. The relationship was toxic and constantly on-and-off, but she was blinded by love. She attended Princeton, and he attended Columbia. Both were great ivy league schools, and they were both very excited to graduate soon to get their life started together. They broke up officially one month into the school year.

[ P R E S E N T ]

She graduated, eventually came back to Milwaukee because she missed her father. She also hoped to maybe run into Peter one day. She has two dogs, and also dog watches on the side, as she is a home-schooling math teacher/tutor. 

[ P E R S O N A L I T Y ]

( + ) introverted, soft-spoken, kind, humble, selfless, humorous (tries to be a bit), gentle, patient, loyal, and giving. 

( - ) emotional, sensitive, insecure, impulsive, shopaholic, materialistic, forgetful, can be ignorant.

[ H E A D   C A N O N S ]

chanel, versace, gucci, givenchy, cartier, hermes/birkin, anything designer she loves. she’s extremely into reading romance novels. silk sheets. loves math and children. loves dogs, you’ll always see her out and about walking her dogs. always has a iced coffee in her hand. she loves pairing chic things with edgy things, i.e. a plaid skirt and nice top with a ripped denim jacket, thigh high tights and some booties. you can catch her at her favorite cafe, bookstore, or diner. she loves flowers (white roses to be exact) and has her own garden of flowers she plants. champagne, rosé, and wine are her favorite. she volunteers a lot to try and give back as much as she can. but she takes most pride in teaching ~ 

[rorykillmore]

alright this is a christmas gift for @digitaldragoon, who requested a heather chandler/heather duke daemon au fic! honestly having the chance to explore their relationship a little more introspectively was a blast (if also inevitably sad) and i do hope i wrote dontae okay. i went back and reviewed some headcanon posts about him but i was still like “I HAVEN’T SEEN HIM IN ACTION YET WHAT IF I’M NOT DOING IT RIGHT”

anyways, giz. thank you for being such a kind, loyal, and engaging friend for all these years. i always feel so encouraged to feel good about my own writing by you because your enthusiasm and interest in our dynamics always feels so genuine. and the feeling is more than mutual, because your ideas for interactions and the way you handle your characters make every rp with you worth looking forward to. i know that sometimes you have a harder time than you’re willing to admit, but in spite of all that, i’ve never seen you treat anyone with anything but kindness, interest, and sincerity, and it’s one of the things i admire most about you. i hope you know that even when you’re feeling at your lowest, your warmth is contagious enough to spread to all your friends.

merry christmas!!!

“It’s whatever. All our daemons are assholes.”

“Are you seriously not even going to tell me where we’re going?”

Heather Duke sounds vaguely annoyed which, granted, is pretty much standard for her. Heather herself shoots her a smirk -- although privately, she hopes she isn’t too seriously bothered. It’s hard to tell, sometimes, and she reminds herself that Duke can’t be blamed for not entirely trusting her.

“You’re gonna see in a minute. Hold your fucking horses,” she responds never the less.

At least Dontae doesn’t seem too visibly bothered, if that’s any indication. He’s fluttering along confidently at Duke’s heels, while Finley prowls at the other side of Heather’s, keeping a pointed distance.  Heather will admit it, if only to herself: this bothers her a little. It’s not like Finley to be reluctant to engage other daemons, but he and Dontae do not exactly get along.

Whatever. If they can keep off each other’s throats for a couple hours, this will work -- or she hopes it will, anyway.  They reach the storefront, and Heather Duke pauses, nonplussed as she squints up at the sign above them.

“Argosy --”  She cuts off, and the tone of her voice changes slightly.  “Argosy Books. This is the oldest bookstore in New York City.”

“And the biggest,” Heather adds, because they can’t forget that. From what she’s read online, she knows this place has six full floors of books -- many of them rare first editions. It seems right up Duke’s alley, although she can’t deny a part of her’s intrigued as well.  

But this is supposed to be for -- her friend. She’s not shopping for herself today.

“I didn’t know what you wanted for Christmas. Or like, what you’ve already read,” she explains, downplaying. “So. Pick something, and I’ll buy it for you.”

Even Dontae has gone still now, his head cocked slightly to one side. Heather Duke blinks at her, surprise flitting across her face before she can stifle it. “Are you fucking with me?”

Heather tries to look nonchalant as Finley winds around her ankles.  “It took us like, forty-five minutes to get here. I’m not gonna waste that much time on some joke.” 

Duke looks back up at the sign, seemingly on the verge of hesitantly allowing herself to believe it. It prompts Heather to add, a little briskly, “Besides, you... deserve it.”

She can apologize all she wants, she figures, but she’s gotta back up her intentions somehow. At this point, all she wants is for things to be better -- better for all of them. There’s no point in staying pissed anymore.  Sure, Duke might’ve been awful to McNamara, but she and Mac had been pretty shitty to Duke before that -- it all looped back around to that same, vicious cycle. 

And she’d long since gotten tired of it.

Duke eyes her almost awkwardly, and then looks away again.  “...Yeah. Well. I guess they might have something worth picking up. It can’t hurt to look.”

Heather smiles at her in lazy encouragement, not too concerned with trying to get her to drop those still-sometimes-prickly walls (they’re pretty much primarily defensive, she realizes at this point), and they head inside.

She knows this place is supposed to have a lot of books, but there are -- a lot of books. Scanning the maze-like shelves in silence, she feels a faint prickle of curiosity from Finley and doesn’t bother to stifle it (just like she hasn’t stifled his feelings throughout the entirety of this encounter, that mingled shame and pride and wary fondness he brims with whenever they’re around Heather Duke).

“I can’t believe this is just one floor,” Duke breathes beside her.

“Of six,” Heather adds, and they smile at each other for a fleeting moment.

Said moment is broken by none other than Dontae. Later, Heather might look back and think it was some kind of reaction to his person’s vulnerability - maybe him trying to protect her, in a way - but she feels rather than sees Finley get bowled off the shelf he’s leaped onto by one of Dontae’s wings.

She and Duke both whip around in time to see Finley scramble to his feet, spitting furiously. Dontae didn’t really hit him hard - it’s more outrage that Heather feels from him than pain - but she knows her own daemon, and she knows he’s not about to let something like this drop. He’s lashing out in the next moment, claws raking at Dontae’s wing, and Heather braces herself for a scuffle --

“Stop!” Duke snaps, and they all freeze.

Heather’s not sure why she didn’t expect the intervention. Stuff like this isn’t necessarily isolated to Finley -- Dontae picks fights often, and while she’s always gotten the feeling that Heather Duke doesn’t particularly like it, she’s never seen her confront her daemon in public.

“Can you go five minutes without causing drama?” she continues, glaring at him. “Christ. Like we don’t have enough of that to deal with.”

Dontae looks -- well, Heather can’t tell if it’s angry or ashamed, but he ducks his head, feathers ruffled uneasily. Whatever his intentions had been, Heather thinks he didn’t actually mean to upset his person.

The fur along Finley’s spine bristles still, but he casts a slow look from Heather Chandler to Heather Duke and back to Dontae -- and then starts to slink away. Uncharacteristically for them both, Heather is quick to scoop him up to try and circumvent any more trouble.

“Sorry,” Duke mutters to her.

Heather shrugs it off, in spite of the fact that she’s never sure what to make of Dontae’s general hostility. “It’s whatever. All our daemons are assholes.”

“Hey!” Finley protests from her arms, but she ignores him, smoothing over his fur where Dontae ruffled it.

“So,” she ventures in an effort to move past it. “Where should we start?”

Duke looks relieved to have the opportunity to go back to focusing on the books. She glances around, eyeing up some of the labels that designate the different sections. “I dunno. Wanna check out what they have in classic literature?”

Heather’s smile is a little more genuine, this time. She’d be lying if she said she didn’t share at least some of Duke’s fondness for it. “Sounds perfect.”

Classic Literature, as it turns out, is on the second floor, so they head upstairs together. Heather eventually feels that the coast is clear to let Finley go back to roaming on his own, and Dontae - well, Dontae doesn’t seem subdued, exactly, but he also doesn’t try bothering Finley again.

“Did you see what they want us to read for English once school starts up again?” Heather asks. If it’s a little gingerly, well -- there’d been a time, not so long ago, when both of them would’ve outwardly scorned talking about books. But a lot’s changed since then.

“To Kill A Mockingbird?” Duke almost smiles again.

“I thought it was funny. We read that in like, tenth grade, at our school.” Maybe the curriculum's a little more generalized here because of the rifts, Heather guesses. People from Narnia, or whatever the fuck, wouldn’t have read stuff like that.

“All of you read it in tenth grade. I read it in eighth.”

“Nerd,” Heather shoots back, but it’s borderline affectionate if anything. “You know, someone told me Harper Lee wrote a sequel -- like, really recently.”

Duke’s eyebrows shoot up. “You’re fucking kidding me,” she blurts, and Heather can’t help but take some satisfaction in the fact that her news has its intended effect. “Finally.” 

“Maybe they’ll have it here.”

There’s something content in the way they start browsing the shelves together -- something that feels almost alien, until Heather realizes it’s just that she hasn’t felt it in a long time. Not with Duke, anyway.

This is... nice. Even the daemons aren’t tense anymore.

She missed it, she admits to herself.

Maybe one day she’ll be able to say as much out loud.

[sinnohssaltiest]

Sinnoh Adventures RP

Hello, Pokémon fans. I am hosting a semi-literate to literate roleplay on an App called Amino. Amino is an application that allows you to make posts, join chat rooms, and much more. The Amino community that I will be hosting this on is Pokémon Literate World. More importantly, I will inform you all on the plot of the  roleplay, the character roles (which there only a select few left), chatroom/RP rules, and how to enter the RP.

*~PLOT~*

This RP is going to mainly revolve around Sinnoh's villainous organization, Team Galactic, and will follow the Pokémon Platinum Version storyline (as well as some of the Sinnoh Series Anime). Of course this won't only be about Team Galactic, because there cannot be a plot or story without an opposing force. That is correct: I am of course speaking of the Protagonists and the International Police. Think of this RP as Team Galactic slowly preparing for their fateful end at Spear Pillar. Expect basic, normal day to day work, missions/operations, battles, and crucial plot points. Of course some angst and maybe even some character growth/development will be involved. KEEP IN MIND: This will be a semi-literate to literate RP. The password is Ginga-dan.

*~ROLES~*

TEAM GALACTIC

Cyrus — Cyrus is the leader of Team Galactic, and he's a unique man with a powerful vocabulary, as well as having a strong persuasive ability. But be warned, he's not a forgiving person toward failure. In this role, you will be able to create missions/operations for Team Galactic, and you shall have the ability to rule out any member's orders. <TAKEN>

Jupiter — Jupiter is the 1st Ranking Commander, meaning she is the most superior. Her orders extend to Commanders Saturn, Mars, Charon, and also the Grunts. However, Cyrus' orders can cancel out her own. As for her personality, Jupiter is a very confident woman who takes pride in her abilities. But if the opportunity arises where she can relax, she will have no objections and not even think twice when taking it.

Saturn — This role will be taken by yours truly. Saturn is the 2nd Ranking Commander, and his orders extend to Commanders Mars and Charon, and also the Grunts. Cyrus' orders can cancel out his own. Saturn is a very hardworking individual who is loyal to his leader, and he will find himself frustrated with those unwilling to cooperate (Charon included). He can be very impatient and will stick strongly to his schedule as if it is his life (though it practically is). Still, that doesn't mean he isn't entirely human. Saturn has a close relationship with his Toxicroak and makes sure to take good care of her (even though he doesn't really show it). Not only that, but he's a closet gamer. <TAKEN>

Mars — Mars is the Third Ranking Commander of Team Galactic, and she has the ability to order Commander Charon and the Grunts. Cyrus' orders can cancel out her own. Like Saturn, she is very devoted to her leader and is close with her Purugly, but she does not have the same rigid personality. Off duty, she can be playful and a jokester to her fellow Commanders (excluding Charon). <TAKEN>

Charon (Pluto) — If all of the Commanders are taken, and you desire to be one, then by all means, give Charon a try. He is the 4th Ranking Commander and is Team Galactic's scientist (or "genius" in his words). His personality is a bit quirky and greedy, and it definitely doesn't resonate with Saturn's. The only reason Charon is in Team Galactic is "so long as he gets to play his part", so his loyalties and intentions are unknown.

Grunts — Are all the Team Galactic Roles you want taken? Then by all means, become a Grunt. Create a backstory, whatever you desire. I encourage you to get creative in this RP. Grunts will be taken in any time during the RP, but I require a descriptive biography before you are officially accepted (see RP entry rules). Eventually there may even be a cut off so there aren't too many characters.

--I’m sorry to say that all three protagonist roles have been taken--

INTERNATIONAL POLICE

Looker — Looker is a highly regarded and elite member of the International Police. As a foreigner in Sinnoh, he is currently tracking and keeping an eye on Team Galactic's whereabouts and plans. It is up to him whether he allows a Protagonist to assist him or not. Another one of his skills, aside from police work, is hand-to-hand combat.

Koya — Koya is a Pokémon Trainer and a member of the International Police, a law-enforcement organization that tracks down the various evil organizations in the Pokémon world. In terms of personality, Koya is cold and does not hesitate to show his opinion of someone, be it negative or positive. Despite his cold nature, he truly loves Pokémon and joined the International Police to apprehend those that would harm Pokémon.

--Other lower-ranking officers as OC’s are acceptable, but I'm REALLY looking for people to RP as the leftover Galactic Admins/Commanders, and also Looker--

RP Entry • State the Password •State the role which you wish to claim •If you plan on being an OC, please submit your biography to me  • Submit an RP example to me • If I see you as fit to join, I will let you know

Rules 1. No typing less than 5 sentences. Why 5? Because I understand that we're all human and are susceptible to writer's block. The first and second time this rule is broken, you'll be given a warning. Third time, you'll be kicked. 2. No Mary Sues or being OP (that includes excessive dodging). 3. State the password when entering the chat room (that will be formed eventually). 4. Sexual content is forbidden, but fluff shipping is allowed, just so long as the other person consents. Please act appropriately. 5. Please be active. However, I can understand if something comes up. We all have lives of our own. 6. When replying, do not use * * or - - 7. Please respect one another out of RP. 8. Cussing is to be kept to a minimum. 9. When out of character, please use (( )) or // 10. I will personally take charge in starting off the RP. 11. Please try your best to include everyone, and I will try my best to do the same. 12. Please, enjoy.

HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO NEED TO BE SHY. ASK AWAY.