I will now turn in my laptop so I can graduate. I expect to have a new one within a couple weeks.

Nobody post anything in my absence.

Seriously, though. I’ll try to get on now and again and wade through the BACKLOG OF AMAZING that is my daily dashboard, but… it’ll be a 8itch.

I know I owe RP responses and stuff to a lot of people, and I’ll do my best to get things in. And with any luck, the computerless period will be shorter rather than longer. I will miss each and every one of you darling followers - and those I follow. Be well, all of you, and you’d all better have some great stuff to see when I get back.

…But not too MUCH of it ;A;

atropaodyssey:

sinuousmaestro:

atropaodyssey:

sinuousmaestro:

atropaodyssey:

sinuousmaestro:

atropaodyssey:

.NaH, WE Haven’T. !I’M JusT PlanT HuntinG! ^^

sinuousmaestro:

~< Pllant… hunting.

~< I ssee.

~< That iss immeassurrablly dangerrouss at thiss time of night. Esspecialllly adverrtissing… ass you arre.

~< I cannot bellieve I am ssaying thiss, but…

~< Insside. Now.

~< Therre willll be pllenty of time to expllorre the fllorra, howeverr identicall it allll iss, llaterr.

.UH, OK. !I Don’T KnoW What’S WronG, BuT SurE!

==> You decide to follow him in, though are still confused why. Hitching your bag up slightly, you nod to the small, white create that had been hiding in the bushes, indicating for them to follow.

==> You lead this foolish troll into your hive as quickly as you can, nearly closing the door on the…THING… following her before it scampers in. At least, it seems to be WITH her. And as soon as they are both inside and the door is closed, you round on her.

~< What in the name of Trrollll Nathan Fillllion iss going thrrough yourr think pan?

==> You shrink back slightly; the older troll has scared you. You’re not sure what you did to anger him, and right now he looks fit to be tied. Out of instinct, you take half a step back, knowing there won’t be much more to take. He blocked off your only means of escape, it seems. A growling from around your ankles implies your lusus, a funny little earth-digging creature, isn’t pleased by this. Breaking your impromptu host’s gaze, you stop to calm her down before turning back to face him.

.I WaS JusT LookinG FoR PlantS. .I’M SorrY IF I TrespasseD OR SomethinG.

~< Trresspassssed, nothing. You put yourrssellf in grrave dangerr; it iss 4tunate you assked yourr quesst-tion when you did, orr I might have not noticed you.

==> You perform the universal gesture of frustration and facepalm. She really has /no/ idea. You suppose you should enlighten her. Whatever companion she has does not manage to intimidate you - but she seems apologetic (and respectful) enough, especially for a lowblood. You make no move to reassure her of your intentions—though you do not close the distance. One hand smooths your cravat.

~< The arria around my hive iss home, when he iss awake, to my llussuss. It iss inadvissablle to be outdoorrss, and sso brrightlly adverrtissed, when he iss awake.

==> Looks like you messed up, again. What else is new? Scratching the back of your head nervously, you try to regain what little sense of calm you had. It’s a little hard when the lower parts of your legs won’t seem to stop trembling for a few seconds. Probably not the best first impression with this strange, older troll. You mentally make a note to not stop by here again.

.SorrY, SiR. I Didn’T MeaN TO WakE UP YouR LusuS OR AnythinG. …BadgermA AnD I WerE JusT OuT PlanT HuntinG… .I Didn’T KnoW AnyonE LiveD IN The AreA.

==> It feels like your body is starting to calm down, and the shaking is a little better at this point. Maybe that sought-after calm is finally returning. That, or you wore yourself out. Either way, that first impression might be looking up.

==> And now she has you at a disadvantage. You’ve nothing to call her; you settle for calling her nothing. A little condescending, perhaps, but there’s no one to know. And you can certainly afford to be condescending here. It helps your own annoyance cool, as well.

~< You did not wake him. He iss awake… and hunting. That iss the dangerr. Werre he sslleeping, you woulld be at my merrcy allone. He hass none.

==> You’ll say this for her; at least she knows where she stands. She’s good at placating.

==> You feel your breath catch. You hadn’t realized how dangerous the situation had been. Mentally, you go over the signs you had picked up in books on how to spot danger. It’s like a giant red arrow in your think pan. In an attempt to hide how yellow your face is becoming, you look down at your boots, scuffed from bumping into things.

…SorrY, SiR… .I Didn’T KnoW. .IF YoU WanT ME TO LeavE NoW, I WilL.

==> You glance back towards the door, face matching the pack on your back. Maybe you could go hide in your Recuperacoon and forget this entire night even happened.

~< You fllaill to underrsstand. It woulld be unwisse to be outdoorrss at thiss time. You arre farr ssaferr in herre; therre willll be time enough to ssearrch 4 pllantss llaterr.

==> You do move from the door, now, past her down the corridor to the main foyer.

~< Follllow me. We’llll get nothing accompllisshed sstanding arround in the doorrway.

atropaodyssey:

sinuousmaestro:

atropaodyssey:

sinuousmaestro:

atropaodyssey:

.NaH, WE Haven’T. !I’M JusT PlanT HuntinG! ^^

sinuousmaestro:

~< Pllant… hunting.

~< I ssee.

~< That iss immeassurrablly dangerrouss at thiss time of night. Esspecialllly adverrtissing… ass you arre.

~< I cannot bellieve I am ssaying thiss, but…

~< Insside. Now.

~< Therre willll be pllenty of time to expllorre the fllorra, howeverr identicall it allll iss, llaterr.

.UH, OK. !I Don’T KnoW What’S WronG, BuT SurE!

==> You decide to follow him in, though are still confused why. Hitching your bag up slightly, you nod to the small, white create that had been hiding in the bushes, indicating for them to follow.

==> You lead this foolish troll into your hive as quickly as you can, nearly closing the door on the…THING… following her before it scampers in. At least, it seems to be WITH her. And as soon as they are both inside and the door is closed, you round on her.

~< What in the name of Trrollll Nathan Fillllion iss going thrrough yourr think pan?

==> You shrink back slightly; the older troll has scared you. You’re not sure what you did to anger him, and right now he looks fit to be tied. Out of instinct, you take half a step back, knowing there won’t be much more to take. He blocked off your only means of escape, it seems. A growling from around your ankles implies your lusus, a funny little earth-digging creature, isn’t pleased by this. Breaking your impromptu host’s gaze, you stop to calm her down before turning back to face him.

.I WaS JusT LookinG FoR PlantS. .I’M SorrY IF I TrespasseD OR SomethinG.

~< Trresspassssed, nothing. You put yourrssellf in grrave dangerr; it iss 4tunate you assked yourr quesst-tion when you did, orr I might have not noticed you.

==> You perform the universal gesture of frustration and facepalm. She really has /no/ idea. You suppose you should enlighten her. Whatever companion she has does not manage to intimidate you - but she seems apologetic (and respectful) enough, especially for a lowblood. You make no move to reassure her of your intentions—though you do not close the distance. One hand smooths your cravat.

~< The arria around my hive iss home, when he iss awake, to my llussuss. It iss inadvissablle to be outdoorrss, and sso brrightlly adverrtissed, when he iss awake.

==> Looks like you messed up, again. What else is new? Scratching the back of your head nervously, you try to regain what little sense of calm you had. It’s a little hard when the lower parts of your legs won’t seem to stop trembling for a few seconds. Probably not the best first impression with this strange, older troll. You mentally make a note to not stop by here again.

.SorrY, SiR. I Didn’T MeaN TO WakE UP YouR LusuS OR AnythinG. …BadgermA AnD I WerE JusT OuT PlanT HuntinG… .I Didn’T KnoW AnyonE LiveD IN The AreA.

==> It feels like your body is starting to calm down, and the shaking is a little better at this point. Maybe that sought-after calm is finally returning. That, or you wore yourself out. Either way, that first impression might be looking up.

==> And now she has you at a disadvantage. You’ve nothing to call her; you settle for calling her nothing. A little condescending, perhaps, but there’s no one to know. And you can certainly afford to be condescending here. It helps your own annoyance cool, as well.

~< You did not wake him. He iss awake… and hunting. That iss the dangerr. Werre he sslleeping, you woulld be at my merrcy allone. He hass none.

==> You’ll say this for her; at least she knows where she stands. She’s good at placating.

atropaodyssey:

sinuousmaestro:

atropaodyssey:

.NaH, WE Haven’T. !I’M JusT PlanT HuntinG! ^^

sinuousmaestro:

~< Pllant… hunting.

~< I ssee.

~< That iss immeassurrablly dangerrouss at thiss time of night. Esspecialllly adverrtissing… ass you arre.

~< I cannot bellieve I am ssaying thiss, but…

~< Insside. Now.

~< Therre willll be pllenty of time to expllorre the fllorra, howeverr identicall it allll iss, llaterr.

.UH, OK. !I Don’T KnoW What’S WronG, BuT SurE!

==> You decide to follow him in, though are still confused why. Hitching your bag up slightly, you nod to the small, white create that had been hiding in the bushes, indicating for them to follow.

==> You lead this foolish troll into your hive as quickly as you can, nearly closing the door on the…THING… following her before it scampers in. At least, it seems to be WITH her. And as soon as they are both inside and the door is closed, you round on her.

~< What in the name of Trrollll Nathan Fillllion iss going thrrough yourr think pan?

==> You shrink back slightly; the older troll has scared you. You’re not sure what you did to anger him, and right now he looks fit to be tied. Out of instinct, you take half a step back, knowing there won’t be much more to take. He blocked off your only means of escape, it seems. A growling from around your ankles implies your lusus, a funny little earth-digging creature, isn’t pleased by this. Breaking your impromptu host’s gaze, you stop to calm her down before turning back to face him.

.I WaS JusT LookinG FoR PlantS. .I’M SorrY IF I TrespasseD OR SomethinG.

~< Trresspassssed, nothing. You put yourrssellf in grrave dangerr; it iss 4tunate you assked yourr quesst-tion when you did, orr I might have not noticed you.

==> You perform the universal gesture of frustration and facepalm. She really has /no/ idea. You suppose you should enlighten her. Whatever companion she has does not manage to intimidate you - but she seems apologetic (and respectful) enough, especially for a lowblood. You make no move to reassure her of your intentions—though you do not close the distance. One hand smooths your cravat.

~< The arria around my hive iss home, when he iss awake, to my llussuss. It iss inadvissablle to be outdoorrss, and sso brrightlly adverrtissed, when he iss awake.

vriskasertits:

sinuousmaestro:

vriskasertits:

sinuousmaestro:

Ah… and there you do have to correct her. A fair, understandable mistake, certainly, but a mistake nonetheless. ~< Sspiderr, perrhapss; sserrpent iss inaccurrate. Though even sso I might ssuggesst Team Llassh, if I’m worrking off the cuff. I intend to sstrrike with the ssame sswiftnessss and venom ass the sserrpent and sscorrpion – which, whille they bearr ssome ssimillarritiess, arre not our themess, no?

In your mind, you’re already going over what you remember of Trace. One charged; the other sniped. Perhaps if you could separate them… lead the one into a trap where the other could not see to shoot into… lady Serket could handle him, you’re sure, while you delay the archer.

Ah, well that’s fine 8y me! So have you devised a plan attack for us? And who shall 8e clouding?

You can picture it now, a comeback in the ranks of FLARPing, won by a cunning team of two. Even if you did most of the clever work and contributed the most in the attacking.

Oh, and tell me the other team’s weaknesses, we’ll definitely need that information.

~< You may clloud if you wissh, llady Sserrket; you’rre in morre prractice. Ass 4 weaknessssess, they arre inferrrrablle. One sspeciallizess in mellee; the otherr in rrange. The ssimplle apprroach woulld be to 4ce them into theirr oppossite zoness. Sseparrate them, engage them one by one.

You elaborate by drawing a simple, glimmering sketch of a map in the air in front of you. The lines each fade after a moment, each, but it helps you visualize. ~< If you, ass cllouderr, can manipullate the fielld of battlle ssuch that therre iss a pllace wherre they arre eassilly sspllit, we can dirrect them to fightss wherre they cannot pllay to theirr sstrrengthss. I can eassilly prrovide an illllussion to keep them frrom rreuniting. Once they arre allone, it sshoulld be eassy to usse ourr numberrss to ourr advantage.

You have to admit that it’s an excellent plan. Magnificent even. But you don’t let yourself become too impressed, you still have the urge to craft up an even greater plan. But you have to give it to him for being able to conjure up a detailed and well executed attack.

Got it. Anyways, tell me a8out your strengths. I should need to know, we’re teamm8s and all?

~< I am ssurre you arre betterr at dirrect combat than I am, though I can eassilly ssupporrt you. I have ssome ssmallll sskillll in illllussionss, ass I’ve ssaid, and I can keep a foe… incapacitated whille you delliverr the killll.

You’re being too modest again. You could probably hold your own for a good while – especially if you can observe for a bit first, find their attack patterns, and then simply fool them into attacking where you’re not and leaving themselves open. But it’s not as interesting to you – and you have the feeling she’d enjoy taking the front line and the glory… even if it is just a little untrue.

~< I am verry sskilllled at misleading a foe. Parrticullarrlly aurralllly, though vissualllly ass wellll. I can make one trrollll ssound ass twenty; orr twenty ass one. And if coerrcion iss ever rrequirred… you might be ssurrprrissed how farr a sscrream can carrrry, with a llittlle ssimplle aid.

vriskasertits:

sinuousmaestro:

Ah… and there you do have to correct her. A fair, understandable mistake, certainly, but a mistake nonetheless. ~< Sspiderr, perrhapss; sserrpent iss inaccurrate. Though even sso I might ssuggesst Team Llassh, if I’m worrking off the cuff. I intend to sstrrike with the ssame sswiftnessss and venom ass the sserrpent and sscorrpion – which, whille they bearr ssome ssimillarritiess, arre not our themess, no?

In your mind, you’re already going over what you remember of Trace. One charged; the other sniped. Perhaps if you could separate them… lead the one into a trap where the other could not see to shoot into… lady Serket could handle him, you’re sure, while you delay the archer.

Ah, well that’s fine 8y me! So have you devised a plan attack for us? And who shall 8e clouding?

You can picture it now, a comeback in the ranks of FLARPing, won by a cunning team of two. Even if you did most of the clever work and contributed the most in the attacking.

Oh, and tell me the other team’s weaknesses, we’ll definitely need that information.

~< You may clloud if you wissh, llady Sserrket; you’rre in morre prractice. Ass 4 weaknessssess, they arre inferrrrablle. One sspeciallizess in mellee; the otherr in rrange. The ssimplle apprroach woulld be to 4ce them into theirr oppossite zoness. Sseparrate them, engage them one by one.

You elaborate by drawing a simple, glimmering sketch of a map in the air in front of you. The lines each fade after a moment, each, but it helps you visualize. ~< If you, ass cllouderr, can manipullate the fielld of battlle ssuch that therre iss a pllace wherre they arre eassilly sspllit, we can dirrect them to fightss wherre they cannot pllay to theirr sstrrengthss. I can eassilly prrovide an illllussion to keep them frrom rreuniting. Once they arre allone, it sshoulld be eassy to usse ourr numberrss to ourr advantage.

vriskasertits:

sinuousmaestro:

vriskasertits:

Damn! For someone who hasn’t 8een FLARPing in a while, you are quite prepared! You clasp your hands together, joyfully. It’s been a long time since you’ve had a worthy teammate. Immediately, you allow your ally inside, swinging the door open to your respite block. He stands amazed at the interior. On the wall, multiple portraits of your ancestor hang, commissioned for one of the best artist in Alternia. In actuality, you killed the artist’s matesprit during a round of FLARP, and in fear of being killed, the artist created for you the collection of portraits which now stands in your hive. But no one has to know that, do they?

Perched on top of the rail of your grand, magnificent, sweeping blue velvet staircase, you answer his question. I suppose I’ll allow you to pick, as you seem very eager and worthy! You hope he notices the gleaming red boots you’ve donned in homage to your great ancestor.

~< To be caught unprreparred is to take unnecessssarry rrisskss, llady Sserrket. Ssurrelly you know this. Frankly, her hive is more like your own than you’d have thought. Darker, perhaps; certainly more visual than auditory. But the sense of grandeur is there. You most decidedly approve. It is with measured step that you follow, conscious of the effort she’s put into making visitors feel intimidated. You’ll not be cowed, but you certainly appreciate it, and your grin shows it.

Then her second statement hits. You nearly roil at being “allowed” to do anything, but then you remember that she does not know you. There will be time enough later to correct that misspeech, after the game. ~< Ah… I rrememberr Team Trrace; they complement each otherr. One trrollll sspeciallizess in heavy mellee worrk; the otherr, in llong-disstance ssupporrt.

~< Sspeaking of… we’ve not chossen a team name ourrssellvess, have we?

He grins. There’s certain twinkle in his eye that catches your attention. Something’s up, but you suppose you’ll investigate that later on. Right now, you’re all prepared to just have some good old fun. He briefs you on the strengths of the other team. You don’t care about that, you’d rather learn about their weaknesses.

A team name? Last thing you thought of, actually. You’ve been looking forward to learning about your new ally in what you anticipate to be a thrilling game of FLARP, you haven’t really given thought into a something trivial as a name.

Shrugging your shoulders, you answer. A name? Considering we’re 8oth spider and serpent orient8d, I guess we’ll choose a good name from those themes. You got any?

Ah… and there you do have to correct her. A fair, understandable mistake, certainly, but a mistake nonetheless. ~< Sspiderr, perrhapss; sserrpent iss inaccurrate. Though even sso I might ssuggesst Team Llassh, if I’m worrking off the cuff. I intend to sstrrike with the ssame sswiftnessss and venom ass the sserrpent and sscorrpion – which, whille they bearr ssome ssimillarritiess, arre not our themess, no?

In your mind, you’re already going over what you remember of Trace. One charged; the other sniped. Perhaps if you could separate them… lead the one into a trap where the other could not see to shoot into… lady Serket could handle him, you’re sure, while you delay the archer.

treblearietta:

Fugue in G Llocrrian: treblearietta: Fugue in G Llocrrian: treblearietta: sinuousmaestro:…

treblearietta:

Fugue in G Llocrrian: treblearietta: sinuousmaestro: treblearietta: ||: Yeah, mine is too….

treblearietta:

sinuousmaestro:

treblearietta:

||: Yeah, mine is too. It’s quite a few miles to the nearest other troll’s house. :||

> You get to your feet,…

> You eventually get to your tree-hive and debate with yourself as to whether to use the ladder or stairway entrance. Varans must be tired, so you settle for the stairway.

||: Let’s go this way, unless you’d prefer to climb up a rope ladder. :||

> You gesture to a door set into the tree trunk at first, then to a rope ladder dangling from the bottom of one of the three floors, this one leading to the first.

~< I have no prreferrence, Capela. If you ssuggesst it, sso it sshallll be. Llead on.

==> You offer a smile, keeping what you think is a respectable distance between you two (at least, as long as you’re outside and she wishes it). Strong as she is, you don’t want to appear too patronizing… and there ARE appearances to keep up, after all. It would not do to have gossip running rampant.

vriskasertits:

sinuousmaestro:

==> It’s been a long time since you’d last worn this. You feel a little odd without your customary suit and cravat, but it feels liberating in a way. Like the air billowing under the cape. At the very least, it didn’t take /too/ much work to refit your armor; dragonhide is easy to come by when your lusus sheds it. The Flarpeggiator, though, took more effort; you may need to replace a string soon.

==> You stand outside the hive of your new ally, cowl just low enough to still display your eyes.

~< Llady Sserrket… I await yourr prressence. Who arre you clouding 4 thiss time?

Damn! For someone who hasn’t 8een FLARPing in a while, you are quite prepared! You clasp your hands together, joyfully. It’s been a long time since you’ve had a worthy teammate. Immediately, you allow your ally inside, swinging the door open to your respite block. He stands amazed at the interior. On the wall, multiple portraits of your ancestor hang, commissioned for one of the best artist in Alternia. In actuality, you killed the artist’s matesprit during a round of FLARP, and in fear of being killed, the artist created for you the collection of portraits which now stands in your hive. But no one has to know that, do they?

Perched on top of the rail of your grand, magnificent, sweeping blue velvet staircase, you answer his question. I suppose I’ll allow you to pick, as you seem very eager and worthy! You hope he notices the gleaming red boots you’ve donned in homage to your great ancestor.

~< To be caught unprreparred is to take unnecessssarry rrisskss, llady Sserrket. Ssurrelly you know this. Frankly, her hive is more like your own than you’d have thought. Darker, perhaps; certainly more visual than auditory. But the sense of grandeur is there. You most decidedly approve. It is with measured step that you follow, conscious of the effort she’s put into making visitors feel intimidated. You’ll not be cowed, but you certainly appreciate it, and your grin shows it.

Then her second statement hits. You nearly roil at being “allowed” to do anything, but then you remember that she does not know you. There will be time enough later to correct that misspeech, after the game. ~< Ah… I rrememberr Team Trrace; they complement each otherr. One trrollll sspeciallizess in heavy mellee worrk; the otherr, in llong-disstance ssupporrt.

~< Sspeaking of… we’ve not chossen a team name ourrssellvess, have we?

==> It’s been a long time since you’d last worn this. You feel a little odd without your customary suit and cravat, but it feels liberating in a way. Like the air billowing under the cape. At the very least, it didn’t take /too/ much work to refit your armor; dragonhide is easy to come by when your lusus sheds it. The Flarpeggiator, though, took more effort; you may need to replace a string soon.

==> You stand outside the hive of your new ally, cowl just low enough to still display your eyes.

~< Llady Sserrket… I await yourr prressence. Who arre you clouding 4 thiss time?