SHAMELESSLY STEALING IDEAS FROM HEDGE

[twin-fans.livejournal.com]

Fleischheim. It's a bustling medieval metropolis, possibly a port or trade city of some kind, surrounded by massive walls. In the center is a fortress, the home of the ruling authority of the land. It's an old-tech place, one where people who claim to have magic are believed, for they may or may not be telling the truth, alchemists yearn to transmute lead into gold, and guards in chain mail and knights in plate keep the peace.

Your characters are now in this place, as visitors or citizens. If they're not human, they are now. If they're superhuman, then they're merely the stuff of legends here, be it through skills or amazing physical prowess.

Go.

Comments

[twin-fans.livejournal.com]

Referred to as the Dragonfly Knight, this Kazami Shiro is recognized mostly by his red helm. He tends to wander the countryside, slaying bandits and enforcing justice where he feels it's needed, whether against criminals or the King's men. He never stays in one place very often, and is known to have awesome strength for someone his size.

He has no known family, though there are rumors that he sometimes stays with a group of likeminded knights.

As of now, however, he seems content to eat in a tavern. After all, even wandering knights enjoy a decent portion of mutton now and then.

[indigoblueberry.livejournal.com]

The girl only known as Indigo is a slave from the Dark Continent. She was brought over for her looks, but swiftly proved herself to be highly intelligent and competent. Now she 'works' as a scribe in the palace, keeping track of the projects for the royal alchemist, as well as the paperwork for the Royal Guard. She's well liked amongst the servants in the palace, and is known for having some kind of odd, but effective, solution for nearly any problem.

She can be found in the courtyard, nibbling on the end of her quill as she examines the parchment. Was there a mistake in the amount of pay per man, as the Captain had explained to her? No, but she had to look over it just in case.

[gaulung.livejournal.com]

[not-prncss-tldr.livejournal.com]

Abriel Lafiel, warrior-princess of the seafaring nomads known as the Abh. Though she is but a slip of a girl, you will find no better a captain, and she's a good shot with a bow or sling too. Find her at the docks, resupplying her cutter BassRoyal. It's a small, maneuverable ship mounting one of those newfangled inventions called "cannons".

[worm-dancer.livejournal.com]

Concubines, guardians of hidden knowledge and (it is rumored) assassins and witches, the Sisterhood can be found in most cities, in their black robes that both conceal and entice.

Sheeana is one of their youngest mistresses, a girl with a Sister's poise and the dark skin of the southern deserts. Find her whispering into ears, or dancing to drums in the market square, wildly whirling and stamping her feet.

[proffesorcrisis.livejournal.com]

Isaac is a brilliant alchymist, producer of wonders and cures, engineer and maker. He is a journeyman again, having been kicked out of the Guild for pursuing heretical theories. Right now you can probably find him trying to get some idle lordling to sponsor him. Though he despises the nobles, he must depend on their gold to continue his research.

[ayasofia.livejournal.com]

Sofia Mantega was a dancer. She was not a prostitute. Some men assumed that she was, and others tried to force her to be, but they had quickly been corrected by one high kick to the face.

No, she hadn't been forced to sell herself yet, not when she could perform at the call of the richer citizens. It was not an easy living but it was enough and despite the hardships, she was happy.

[lilyofthedrills.livejournal.com]

Yuri is a refugee from the far eastern islands. It is said her village was destroyed by rampaging oni (http://x00.xanga.com/f5fc2a0179533171161099/w129910357.gif). Yet a small, sarcastic red one dances on her shoulder and tells her to hold back her tears. Perhaps the magically sensitive might see it.

The merchant vessel she worked her way away on has no more need of her. She sits in the marketplace, uterrly alone, having nowhere to go and a rumbling stomach. She has no money and neither the skill nor the courage to steal.

I won't cry. Bougu will be mad at me if I cry.

[hexyeah]

With magic and a skanky outfit beauty, Wanda Maximoff lived very well indeed. She was often busy collecting ingredients for her witchcraft and spent hours locked away devoted to rituals paid for by desperate or superstitious patrons. Many swore on their grave that it was worth every penny, others thought she was exploiting the people's hopes and fears. Wanda, for her part, believed in her magic.

Who knew, maybe it even existed.

[kawalskyeffect.livejournal.com]

Kazami wasn't the only hard working knight who enjoyed his downtime. And beer. And women.

Four drinks and Kawalsky was still going.

"I love this place."

[twin-fans.livejournal.com]

Kazami wanders through the marketplace, out of armor, snagging an apple and tossing a coin in the direction of the vendor. He eats it as he roams, wandering and wondering at the same time. It's a peaceful place, for now, he believes. Perhaps it's time to join his brotherhood outside of Fleischheim? Maybe...

He finishes the apple, tossing it over his shoulder, and sighs, hooking his thumbs into his belt. By pure chance, he spots a young girl, an Easterner like himself, alone in the crowds. She looks a little down. He watches her for a moment, then turns around.

Once he is properly armed with a pair of sweet buns, he makes his way towards Yuri. "Ho, there." He grins and kneels, offering a roll to her. "This isn't a place for one such as yourself to be alone, child."

[twin-fans.livejournal.com]

Kazami's much slower on the drinking. And the wenching. Perhaps because he's not in a hurry for any parties.

"This place will love you, too. Provided you keep the coppers flowing." He grins and salutes his fellow knight (Not of his brotherhood, but why be picky in a place like this?) with his flagon.

[lilyofthedrills.livejournal.com]

Yuri looks up at the knight, her countryman. The buns make her stomach rumble and she swallows saliva. She can hardly believe it when he holds one out to her.

"Th-thank you, kind warrior." She says in her native tongue before taking a bite almost as big as her small mouth. It takes her a bit to chew and swallow. "I d-don't have anywhere to g-go..."

[proffesorcrisis.livejournal.com]

The barkeep recognizes Isaac immediately as he parks himself on one of the stools. He's in a good mood, having gotten an advance on his commission from the local prince. "Ho! A round of the cheap stuff for everyone at the bar and your bitterest lager for me, Gurney!" He says before plinking two silvers down onto the bar.

[staturity]

Cassie spent her days doing two things- creating odd constructs out of scraps of metal and picking pockets. And sometimes she even "found" odd trinkets to use as part of her machines.

If you were older (or a woman), she would turn her big blue eyes on you. If you were her age, or wearing metal on the other hand...

She was one manipulative little street urchin. Daddy would be proud.

[el-escarabajo.livejournal.com]

A young man sees her, a young man in ragged clothes, with calloused hands and a face darkened by the sun.

Johan Albetez had been born a poor boy, the son of migrant workers from lands to the south that are full of sun and near the desert. His family settled in the big city a few years back, his parents hoping they can work hard enough for their children to have a better life--that he might have a chance to be apprenticed in a trade.

But he's taken to his own trade at night, wearing a blue mask, when the murderers and cut-throats roam the streets, and made a pretty penny from the rewards of turning some of them in. All of it is saved for his family and for his future. He wants to be a knight, or perhaps one of the city guard. In his wildest dreams, he sometimes imagines what it would be like to go to university, to be learned, and perhaps be a physician. But dreams are dreams, and at best all he can hope for is that his parents are taken care of in old age, that his sister has enough of a dowry to be married into a good family, that he can be apprenticed to a blacksmith or shoemaker so that he can provide for his own family.

At night, though, they call him the Blue Spirit, for how he spirits in from nowhere. They curse that--and his cleverness. He spends far too much time (when he's not working) with the mechanist down the road, and he's learned so much. How to read even! But most of all, how to fight in ways that outwit his marks.

He smiles a little when he sees the oni--and he does see it, for the blue spirit-creature on his shoulder, a little chittering thing that looks almost like a bug, gives him many gifts. A second sight for things unseen by others is one of them.

"Your little friend looks hungry," he comments, kneeling near the little one.

[lilyofthedrills.livejournal.com]

Yuri looks up at the tall (to her), kind, dark stranger. He has the look of one from the lower city but the honest smile of a knight from a storybook. She trusts him instantly, but Bougu bares miniature fangs at the mushi-bake on the boy's shoulder. Another onimiko? But they could only be girls and they did not have such things in the western lands...

"We b-both are..." She says in shaky Common, trying to keep herself composed.

[twin-fans.livejournal.com]

He sits down next to her and watches the bustling crowds. Thoughtfully, he chews his own bun. "Don't choke on it." He doesn't have anything to drink on him.

Kazami looks down at Yuri with honest concern in his face. He obviously can't see the little devil on her shoulder. "Nowhere to go? What's wrong? Do you not have family near?"

[governorkang]

Kang Dae Soung was an indentured servant from a foreign nation who'd served long enough in the army to earn his freedom dues. He'd been offered a promotion from commander to general due to quick thinking that had turned the tide in a major battle against an invading force, but had declined; he'd retired from the military and chosen a life as a tactical advisor for the current leader of the army instead

Even politicians made visits to taverns every now and then, though. Most of the time, his wife (a fellow former indentured servant) joined him, but she'd recently given birth to their first child.

"It's busy tonight. Wonder what the occasion is."

[found-myway.livejournal.com]

They say he's a visiting prince, banished from a foreign land. All agree he would be much more appealing without the massive burn scar covering almost half of his face. Rumors abound as to how he got it, but the traveler confirms nothing - merely questions everyone in his search for some mystical being that no one knows, except in legend.

He also complains that none of the food here is spicy enough. He complains a lot.

[lilyofthedrills.livejournal.com]

Yuri shakes her head and tries to eat more slowly, fighting against the clawing of hunger at her gut. "M-my village was destroyed by oni. I escaped on a merchant ship but they have no more n-need of me..."

[grayaura.livejournal.com]

Mai is also from a strange, foreign land (or so it's said). She's a quiet, aloof and bored-looking girl. She's been in town for a while, following in the footsteps of the aforementioned "prince". In fact, that's usually who she spends most of her time with. Everyone else is typically given the cold-shoulder.

[captain-jtk.livejournal.com]

Captain James Tiberius Kirk of the good ship Enterprise is a relatively common sight in this port town. He's always back from his latest adventures in far off lands, with tales of beautiful women, strange creatures and treasure. Full of energy, handsome and friendly, you won't meet a better ship captain (or find a better ship, he maintains) this side of the world.

[givememysamples.livejournal.com]

Grace Augustine is a local healer and herbalist. She's forgotten more about strange plants and herbs then most people ever learn in their lives. She also knows a fair bit about how the natural world works and can usually be depended upon to sell either the plant itself or information. Just be forewarned that she's rather brusque with people she doesn't care for....

[not-prncss-tldr.livejournal.com]

"Why do you wish to find this being, Prince Zuko?" the Captain-Princess replied when questioned. Despite a shared cultural heritage a few degrees removed, relations between her people and his were, uh, frosty, though not strictly hostile.