- Invitation Status
- Looking for partners
- Posting Speed
- 1-3 posts per day
- Multiple posts per week
- One post per week
- Slow As Molasses
- Online Availability
- On fairly regularly, every day. I'll notice a PM almost immediately. Replies come randomly.
- Writing Levels
- Adept
- Advanced
- Preferred Character Gender
- Primarily Prefer Male
- No Preferences
- Genres
- High fantasy is my personal favorite, followed closely by modern fantasy and post-apocalyptic, but I can happily play in any genre if the plot is good enough.
Lady Mariellen de Manitan took a slow, deep breath as she stared at the exterior of the work center. Unlike the seedy, tavern-like buildings she'd read about in novels—but never, of course, been to in person—this building was well maintained.
It was a given, Mariellen decided after a few moments of contemplation. After all, this building had been constructed in the heart of Tura Im, the capital city of the Verian Empire. Any building constructed within the heart of the empire would be required to maintain exacting visual standards, in order to uphold the dignity of its nation.
What was more, the Porcelain Rose Trading Company, which owned and ran this work center, was of incredible repute. If not, they would never have been contracted to supply workers for the High Temple, and Mari would never have heard their name, or known of this location.
And it was clear that Porcelain Rose had spared no expense to ensure their reputation was observable at a glance. Large windows of clear, thick glass covered the front walls, letting in the early morning light through a filigree of a rosy metal that was embedded in the center of the glass, shaped into floral patterns. The entire building had been white-washed with a warm white that made it seem both clean and inviting, while the shutters had been painted in a variety of bright colors that matched the nearby buildings.
And, clearly, the effect worked. People were coming and going from the building regularly, some dressed in the neat fabric of city clothes, others in rougher work clothes of laborers. It was nothing compared to the bustle that Mari had seen at the temple, but it was still a commendable sight. It was clear that this was a place both laborers and employers regularly utilized.
Continuing to study the entryway with a subtle fascination, it took Mari several moments to realize that she'd become the target of several groups of stares. The young woman immediately flushed slightly, but the shame and uncertainty only caused her to hesitate further.
She stood out too much. Mari had tried her best to dress and act in a way that would allow her to blend in, and she'd been quite satisfied when she had stood in front of the mirror this morning, robed in her simplest and most practical dress.
She'd thought, as a nearly pure human woman with nothing but her thigh-length, pine green hair as a distinguishing feature, she wouldn't stand out all that much.
It was only now, as she stood amongst the hustle and bustle of the city, that she understood exactly how superficial her thoughts had been. Spending most of her life in the depths of the temple, she'd forgotten that it wasn't physical traits that made someone stand out. After all, Veria was a very progressive nation, and had long since embraced the integration of monsters and humanity. At this very moment, a lizard-taur was walking out of the building alongside a brown-skinned man with short deer antlers, the lizard's scaly tail holding the door open for his friend. Both were dressed in coarse, beige work clothes, and seemed in perfect harmony with each other.
What was more, as Mari watched the four-legged lizard man walk away down the street, she didn't feel like he stood out at all, despite being head and shoulders among the rest of the crowd, his tail swaying widely behind him.
No, it was Mari who stood out. Mari, in her 'simple' autumn silk dress, hemmed with golden floral embroidery, white sleeves draping elegantly down to her knees. Mari, her fair face dusted with powder, lips painted a soft pink, large green eyes rimmed with dark brown eye-liner. Mari, who stood there with the perfect posture that had been trained into her bones, yet was still forced to look around constantly just to make sure she wasn't taking a wrong step.
She'd never felt so wildly out of her depths.
She felt her hands trembling slightly, and balled them into fists, taking a shaky breath in an attempt to steady herself. Gradually, as her hands stopped trembling, she tucked them against her chest, bowing her head in prayer.
"Oh Mother Above, guide your Child as I set out on this journey. I fear myself too weak and senseless to handle alone this noble task you have set me. But I will not falter, Mother. I believe in your vision, even if I do not believe in myself. I will not falter, for I know You are with me."
Lifting her head once more, Mariellen steeled her heart, and a glow of confidence returned to her eyes. She began to stride towards the door of the work center.
It was a given, Mariellen decided after a few moments of contemplation. After all, this building had been constructed in the heart of Tura Im, the capital city of the Verian Empire. Any building constructed within the heart of the empire would be required to maintain exacting visual standards, in order to uphold the dignity of its nation.
What was more, the Porcelain Rose Trading Company, which owned and ran this work center, was of incredible repute. If not, they would never have been contracted to supply workers for the High Temple, and Mari would never have heard their name, or known of this location.
And it was clear that Porcelain Rose had spared no expense to ensure their reputation was observable at a glance. Large windows of clear, thick glass covered the front walls, letting in the early morning light through a filigree of a rosy metal that was embedded in the center of the glass, shaped into floral patterns. The entire building had been white-washed with a warm white that made it seem both clean and inviting, while the shutters had been painted in a variety of bright colors that matched the nearby buildings.
And, clearly, the effect worked. People were coming and going from the building regularly, some dressed in the neat fabric of city clothes, others in rougher work clothes of laborers. It was nothing compared to the bustle that Mari had seen at the temple, but it was still a commendable sight. It was clear that this was a place both laborers and employers regularly utilized.
Continuing to study the entryway with a subtle fascination, it took Mari several moments to realize that she'd become the target of several groups of stares. The young woman immediately flushed slightly, but the shame and uncertainty only caused her to hesitate further.
She stood out too much. Mari had tried her best to dress and act in a way that would allow her to blend in, and she'd been quite satisfied when she had stood in front of the mirror this morning, robed in her simplest and most practical dress.
She'd thought, as a nearly pure human woman with nothing but her thigh-length, pine green hair as a distinguishing feature, she wouldn't stand out all that much.
It was only now, as she stood amongst the hustle and bustle of the city, that she understood exactly how superficial her thoughts had been. Spending most of her life in the depths of the temple, she'd forgotten that it wasn't physical traits that made someone stand out. After all, Veria was a very progressive nation, and had long since embraced the integration of monsters and humanity. At this very moment, a lizard-taur was walking out of the building alongside a brown-skinned man with short deer antlers, the lizard's scaly tail holding the door open for his friend. Both were dressed in coarse, beige work clothes, and seemed in perfect harmony with each other.
What was more, as Mari watched the four-legged lizard man walk away down the street, she didn't feel like he stood out at all, despite being head and shoulders among the rest of the crowd, his tail swaying widely behind him.
No, it was Mari who stood out. Mari, in her 'simple' autumn silk dress, hemmed with golden floral embroidery, white sleeves draping elegantly down to her knees. Mari, her fair face dusted with powder, lips painted a soft pink, large green eyes rimmed with dark brown eye-liner. Mari, who stood there with the perfect posture that had been trained into her bones, yet was still forced to look around constantly just to make sure she wasn't taking a wrong step.
She'd never felt so wildly out of her depths.
She felt her hands trembling slightly, and balled them into fists, taking a shaky breath in an attempt to steady herself. Gradually, as her hands stopped trembling, she tucked them against her chest, bowing her head in prayer.
"Oh Mother Above, guide your Child as I set out on this journey. I fear myself too weak and senseless to handle alone this noble task you have set me. But I will not falter, Mother. I believe in your vision, even if I do not believe in myself. I will not falter, for I know You are with me."
Lifting her head once more, Mariellen steeled her heart, and a glow of confidence returned to her eyes. She began to stride towards the door of the work center.