welcome
Two magical factions crash landed on Earth thirty years ago, bringing with them amazing powers and war. The nature based Elementals and the mind based ESP have set up their respective camps in the forest and the city. On the surface, a shaky peace reigns. Non-magical folk struggle to adjust to the new comers, and many maintain a strong distrust of all magic and the violence it brought. Others, however, have chosen sides, and Old and New Magic alike comb the streets seeking to recruit allies as an underground guerilla warfare rages. Another war is coming and now it needs to be known: Which side are you on?
Currently, we have a ban on male ESP's. Please take a look at the stats to see what needs to be balanced! Help us Guest, you're our only hope!
For the few next days, the money you earn from posting has doubled! (Wooo!) Also, the member (not staff) who shows the most activity can talk with Parrot and we can plan something special for you. It could be a quest, a PvP thing, a special character, or the keys to a brand new car! (That was a joke) And if that doesn't interest you then we can discuss something else. My mind is always open ;)
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Setting
Summer is here and with it comes the heat. The high is normally in the mid 90's- a blessing for some, a struggle for others. Those living in the city and town rely on air conditioning while the Elementals make due with the wind alone. Cicadas are starting to move out of the forest and into the town and they can be heard (quite loudly) every day.
Male OTM
Lynx If his charming half smile doesn't knock you off your feet than his witty one liners will. (That or he's going to trip you via Telekinesis.) Lynx is this month's winner for male OTM! A character who started off as an ass has actually turned out to be only kind of an ass. Lynx finds his pleasure in fast cars and even faster women, though this hasn't stopped him from protecting those he has reluctantly found himself caring for. Poor Lynx has spent more time being dragged through other people's mess that he hasn't had time to finish his car. Well, from all of us at WFM, we hope you get that time soon Lynx! Snarky Lynx is played by Devi.
Female OTM
Tabitha Holt Got hots for teacher? Well, who wouldn't when the teacher is Tabitha! This water Elemental has spent half of her time dragging Lynx around, recruiting him as an unlikely ally. Over the month Tabitha has seen her share of some grisly stuff- from drowning men (and women) to having her capture's head blown right off in front of her. She's no warrior but for some reason this little lady has been stuck fighting battles and running after kids instead of grading papers. Now with the FBI after her and the War Committee doubting her every move, we're pretty sure Tabitha's not going to get a break any time soon. Stubborn Tabitha is played by Parrot.
Thread OTM
Fanatically Fanatic If anyone says that WFM isn't action packed well they are wrong. Dead wrong. This thread is proof of that! We've got fanatics pulling people left and right off of the street, taking them hostage as they preach peace through violence. (Yeah, it works out as well as you think it would.) And soon four of our very own characters, who would normally never work together, have to overcome the fanatics and fight for their lives. Overcome they do, as Enzo blasts a guy's head off, Tabitha drowns a woman, Lynx throws chairs at people, and Asher shows off his acrobatic skills. In the end they make a getaway, but were they fast enough to avoid unwanted attention? Guess we'll find out when the site plot starts! Votes picked this thread for OTM due to its action and the fact that multiple players were involved. Thanks to all who contributed!
Member OTM
Dufflepud Congratulations to Duffle, our winner of member OTM! Duffle has been a great addition to WFM family as he brought with him the most awesome PvP factor to our site. Duffle has been great with his constructive ideas for the site and overall involvement. He is known to commoners as the Great and Powerful Arena Master but, humbly, prefers Duffle. He manages not only to run his own site, is active here, but he also goes on some pretty rockin' vacations. (Yes, we are very jealous. Thanks.) Duffle is always willing to give a helping hand to our guests and members, so, for that, we thank you. :)
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Post by Shaun on Jul 6, 2013 20:42:57 GMT
Graveyards were unusual places for most, they held a great sadness and sense of loss associated with the crypts as well as a sense of dread from the unknown of what lay beyond. The abundance of fearful emotions people had come to associate with the place meant that many would rather avoid the area entirely. The dead had rested here for many years before the Elementals had arrived at the castle and whilst the graves of fallen comrades were carefully tended for by friends and loved ones alike those of the long forgotten lords and servants had been left to fall into disrepair. That was where Shaun came in though. With a layer of grave dirt buried deep under his fingernails, muddy green stains of grass littering his clothes and a bead of sweat upon his brow Shaun had been working tirelessly for a great many years to restore the past. Many of the unmarked graves now bore gravestones once again, some had even been marked by a name but the spirits had been left for so long that many of them had forgotten their name leaving many to bear a simple eulogy but there was always more to be done. At the moment Shaun had almost buried himself along with one of the lords of old, he needed to move the bones to prevent the lazy river that ran nearby from claiming his remains to be carried away to a lonely isolation at sea.
All in all it was a good day for the work. The sun was beating down upon the open field of gravestones but a gentle breeze kept it cool enough to prevent his sweat from simply soaking into his clothing. In typical fashion for a graveyard though despite the temperate weather it was still as silent as ever, it seemed even the songbirds shied away from the fields to leave only a handful of crows to monitor the vermin scurrying between their burrows. Even the dead lay silent today, they had become familiar with Shaun's presence and many simply accepted him as one of their own meaning that few of the dead would be disturbed by his presence, there was some noise though, a gentle whispering as the spirits picked up on another presence carried perhaps on the breeze or in the delicate vibrations of footsteps through the soil. Shaun rarely bothered to pause for such interruptions, they were typically just passers-by on their way to the castle but this one was slightly different. A handful of the more recent dead all buried close together had become excited, someone familiar to them all was approaching. A family member perhaps? No, Shaun knew the dead their and they weren't all related, it was someone familiar but it was impossible to discern who simply from the whispers of graves.
Continuing his work for a short while curiosity eventually got the better of him and his mud covered face eventually peered for the first time above the horizon of the graves. There was still no one in sight but it was difficult to tell from such an angle and so with a slight groan as his aching muscles attempted to bear his own weight he hoisted himself from the grave to go and investigate.
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Post by Parrot on Jul 6, 2013 23:00:16 GMT
The report trembled in Tabitha’s hands as her eyes glazed over the same words over and over again. It wasn’t the first time she’d received a letter with the names of Elementals who’d died either in the course of their duty or as innocent civilians, but that did little to dull the pain. Insensitivity did not run in her veins. With a heart wrenching sigh, Tabitha placed the papers back onto her desk. For the longest time the Elemental just stared at the bedroom wall, her mind so engrossed in thinking about death than to do anything else.
It had been another former student that Tabitha had a few years ago. Zenoba Brown, a class clown with almond colored skin and even darker eyes that always seemed to be flickering from one mischievous joke to another. Zenoba had been confident of his powers from the start, a trickster who felt his light magic was just another tool to help him pick up girls. Tabitha worked with him every Friday afternoon to turn that playfulness into something that could help defend him one day.
After he graduated from her class, Tabitha wasn’t surprised to hear rumors that Zenoba’s light magic was on the edge of consuming him. He had a strong heart, a good heart, and doing the right thing just came naturally to him despite his silly behavior. Tabitha warned him the dangers of being too nice and how even his light element could backfire on him. The young man had waved her off, joking he’d find some dark woman to balance him. That never happened and soon Zenoba enlisted into guard duty against the warning of his former teacher. That’s why the report was so hard to read. Zenoba’s squad had been attacked two weeks ago and in the effort to protect his own teammates, the young man lost his life. Apparently he’d already been buried in the graveyard while Tabitha had been in the town working on a different assignment. It hurt even more knowing she’d missed Zenoba’s funeral. Tabitha had to pay her respects for the young man even if it was on her own.
Numbly, Tabitha found herself running through the motions: leaving her cottage, locking it, walking through the forest to the where the graveyard was located. The trees became sparser as she neared where the newly dead were buried. Her eyes scanned over the names, recognizing too many of them. A year ago they’d been beaming with pride at their graduation and now some of them rested here in an eternal peace.
Finally, Tabitha reached the name she’d been searching for. Zenoba Brown. The tombstone was decorated with many wildflowers and even a few handcrafted items of love and remembrance that were common in the Elemental culture. Tabitha’s body gave a wave of defeat as she sunk next to the grave and looked at it dumbly.
“Zenoba…” Tabitha trailed, “I’m so sorry…”
So wrapped up in her own sorrow that Tabitha didn’t even notice the figure approaching her.
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Post by Shaun on Jul 7, 2013 0:22:21 GMT
As Shaun forced himself over the horizon of the dirt he soon realized that there was indeed someone approaching, in fact she was already in the graveyard itself standing in the all too familiar position of someone mourning a ‘lost’ soul. This was always an unusual experience for Shaun, it bore a degree of similarity to overhearing a telephone call in that only half of the conversation was clear although in this case the person speaking was also the only one who couldn't hear the reply. Shaun was the only one that could understand both sides of the conversation and he was all too familiar in acting as a conduit for those wishing to contact the other side. Of course the local non-magical folk liked him to make a show of it all but these graves weren't of ordinary people. As he approached the whispering became all too clear, the woman was a mentor of sorts, a former teacher perhaps. That was tough, no teacher should bury her students just as no mother should bury her child. She would be blaming herself, thinking that there was something she should have done, that she should have tried harder. The spirits on the other hand thought differently, they looked up to this woman and not a single one bore her any ill will against their deaths.
“He doesn't blame you, you know.” Shaun stated gently as he approached from behind, “I’m sorry to intrude but I think it’s important that you realize that. I don’t want to pry to far but he says you taught him well, it was thanks to you that he was prepared you even tried to watch out for him long after he graduated all the way to the end and… he doesn't regret his death. If he could go back, he’d do the same again he just… he just wishes he’d thanked you properly while there was still time. He wants to apologize for not listening, he thought he knew better, that he could handle it.”
Shaun found himself tearing up at conversation, both parties were upset, the woman who he’d taken to be Tabitha from the whispers of those around him and Zenoba, both felt that they’d failed the other. Slowly Shaun strode around Tabitha from a distance slightly over what is socially necessary in order to not appear too bold and laid a hand delicately on top of the gravestone. It was still smooth, un-corroded by the elements, he remembered burying this man. There had been a lot of people at the funeral, it was unusual here for so many to turn out and he had obviously been well liked by his peers.
“I… I’m sorry I shouldn't have intruded… I’ll leave you in peace.” Shaun turned he wiped a tear from his eye, smudging a clear line through the dirt on his face. The emotions of the dead often affected him more than those of the living, he empathized with their inability to communicate and often found himself sharing their feelings. His hand dropped from the tombstone as he turned and paused to whisper a second apology to the dead.
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Post by Parrot on Jul 7, 2013 2:04:45 GMT
“He doesn't blame you, you know.”
His words tore at the silence that had enveloped Tabitha, making the woman jump despite herself. The water magic inside of Tabitha churned from both her emotions and the shock of being caught unaware. She highly doubted that the person behind her was an enemy, after all, Tabitha hadn’t heard of any breaches in their defenses. Yet, in her current state, she couldn’t help but snap around at the noise, water pooling up in her palms as she ready herself for anything.
That’s when she saw him. Her swamp colored eyes ran up and down the man, taking in the little details of his appearance. The dirt stains on his knees and hands, his face colored from time being spent outdoors, and there was something deep in his eyes…an overwhelming sorrow. She listened patiently to the stranger, gathering that he was the caretaker of the dead. Tabitha was no stranger to the graveyard and she’d seen the man but never quite talked to him. From his words it was clear the man was a Shaman, able to talk to the dead.
Tabitha had no doubt in the world that Zenoba was communicating all of this to the grave keeper. The boy’s heart had always been true and his death was one of bravery and sacrifice, a death befitting someone so honest with light magic. She watched with a pained expression as the man moved closer to Zenoba’s tombstone, gently resting a hand on the top. Tabitha’s own air of melancholy, that of the graves, and the stranger’s all mingled together to settle over them.
She could feel the water brimming on the man’s face, although, she could not see his tears from her current position. Instantly Tabitha felt guilty for bringing these feeling upon the man by upsetting Zenoba’s spirit. “Wait!” Tabitha croaked out hoarsely as the man turned to leave. “Please, don’t go.” The woman stood quickly, using her hands to vault herself up. She sidestepped around Zenoba’s resting place, careful not to disturb the fresh earth.
Forgetting herself, Tabitha reached out, placing her hand on the man’s arm. It was a rash movement, something Tabitha never would have done if she hadn’t been in such turmoil.
“Please,” she begged again, her heart breaking at the thought of not properly saying goodbye to Zenoba or any of her other lost students. She had one rule for her students when they graduated and that was they were not allowed to fight together. It was selfish but needed. Tabitha hadn’t been there for any of her former students when they died by the hands of their enemies.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…” Tabitha trailed off as she dropped her hand from the man’s shoulder, “My name’s Tabitha, I was most of these student’s teacher…can you help me?”
Tabitha had a feeling many people only came to this man when they wanted his help and she hated thinking she was just as self-centered. Perhaps, once the man had helped her, maybe she could return the favor or thank him somehow. It was a silly notion, Tabitha thought to herself, but it was a possible outcome.
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Post by Shaun on Jul 7, 2013 14:21:36 GMT
Shaun stood still for a moment. He hadn’t expected to be called back and it had taken him by surprise, but not nearly as much as the touch of Tabitha’s hand upon his arm. It was a strange thing, he had almost forgotten the touch of living flesh and it carried a warmth that his skin was unfamiliar to. Her hand was silk like compared to his own rough and calloused skin and the feeling momentarily broke his concentration on the dead. Glancing up into Tabitha’s eyes he saw something that he couldn’t quite place, there was sorrow and regret, just as all mourners bore for their loved ones but there was another sensation, a regret. Shaun knew the emotions of death better than most and he knew the dangers of regret, it was a hungry emotion, one that could consume the very soul of a person if it was not satiated.
If only he could do more to help. If only he could bend the will of time itself and bring back what had been taken, but the world didn’t work that way. The world could be cruel and it took without regard to those left behind all Shaun could do was to see beyond that ending and bring peace to those too lost to find their own rest. Closing his eyes and bowing his head just a little bit he turned away from Tabitha’s face to hide his own shame and frustration over the matter.
“What would you have me do?” He asked tentatively not in objection to her request but as a warning as to the dangers of attempting to hold onto those long past, “I can not bring them back and they can already hear your words. Anything that you have left unsaid, know that they can hear it, but it can help to hear their replies. If you like I can relay what they say but… it can be personal, I don’t want to intrude.”
Conversations with the dead were typically exceptionally personal, often more so than when they were alive and although Shaun enjoyed being able to breach the barrier between the two worlds this was a recent wound and something he feared should remain between the two.
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Post by Parrot on Jul 7, 2013 18:38:25 GMT
"Selfish, you are being so selfish,” Tabitha chided herself as the stranger in front of her turned his head, hiding his reaction from her. What had passed through him that he didn’t want Tabitha to see? It was none of her business to know the man’s emotions but she’d help intensify them. Was he angry at her request? Or overcome by the laments of both the dead and living? Yet, none of this stopped her from wanting the grave keeper’s help. Tabitha was drowning in her guilt, flailing against the riptide of regret, and this man was her unforeseen buoy.
Dumbly, Tabitha stood there listening to the man, her arms hanging heavy by her sides. Rescuing the drowned was a tricky feat and more often than not two bodies sunk to the sea floor instead of one. She didn’t want to weigh the grave keeper down but Tabitha also didn’t want to stay this way when hearing her dead student’s words might save her.
The man in front of her was offering to connect Tabitha to her lost student, offering her hope and even privacy when many would just give her apologetic eyes. He would be a medium between two worlds that, under non-magical situations, should never meet. Tabitha had a feeling this would not be an easy burden for the man to bear, hearing both sides. If she did this, it would be emotionally draining for all. “If you would stay to help me communicate to them,” Tabitha started, discomfited by her greediness, “I don’t mind you listening.”
”Even if it hurts him?” a part of her sneered, ”Even when you can see something’s bothering him? Selfish.”
Tabitha turned back to Zenoba’s grave, her eyes staring at the gifts showered there. She should have brought something too. Not flowers, it was clear Zenoba had many of those, but something personable, something the pupil and teacher shared together. A sad smile crept its way across Tabitha’s face as the perfect item came to mind.
His hat.
For half a year Zenoba wore a different kind of hat that he’d borrowed from his mother’s tailoring shop. Sometimes it was a goofy one to make the class laugh, other times it was quite the dashing piece that made many of the girls swoon over him- not like they weren’t doing that already. One day he wore a preposterous feathered hat with pink ribbon and obviously not meant for Zenoba’s gender. The whole class had blown up over the joke, causing so much of a ruckus that a member of the War Committee had stopped to check what was going on. Tabitha got an earful from both her bosses and her father who was fuming she couldn’t even control her own class. Embarrassed by the situation, Tabitha had confiscated the hat, promising to give it back once Zenoba proved he was mature enough to handle it. Tabitha even reimbursed his mother so their family wouldn’t suffer financially from the teacher’s decision.
“I think I owe you a hat, Zenoba,” the water Elemental said suddenly, staring at the grave with a heavy heart, “It’s in my closet with a note congratulating you on become a mature member of society.” The thought made her laugh, a shuddering mockery of her normal laugh that soon changed into ragged tears.
The waves were stronger now and Tabitha Holt was drowning.
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Post by Shaun on Jul 7, 2013 23:07:25 GMT
Shaun didn’t answer Tabitha’s requests with words but with a nod and a gentle smile. He chose not to speak on purpose although he was aware he couldn’t possibly understand why. Shaun had to prepare himself, it was time to employ a skill that came far more difficultly to a Shaman than hearing the voices of the dead, he needed to ignore them. Taking a deep breath Shaun’s mind momentarily emptied itself of all his various thoughts, he needed to focus on just a single voice in the din of others but he had practice at this now and it only took him but a moment. As he emptied his lungs his perceptions of the world took a dramatic shift, the background whispering of spirits faded way and shimmering in the air a silhouette began to form. Slowly the shade took on a shape and not too long later a colour. Although the process took only a few seconds time always seemed to move more slowly during the transition but before long Zenoba the two figures stood among the standing stones of graves became three, although only to Shaun’s eyes. Zenoba was stood beside Tabitha looking with her at his own grave.
The mention of the hat made Shaun chuckle delicately for a moment, Zenoba was no longer dressed in a hat at all, either it he hadn’t been wearing one when he died or it had fallen off moments before but the sentiment of it was clear to him. Shaun was about to convey Zenoba’s amusement at the topic when the mood took a dramatic change. “He says you should keep the hat, you should wear them more often, they might suit you. Besides without him in the classroom someone has to bring some style into the place. He would like to see it one day though, maybe he’ll drop in on a class from time to time.”
It was then that Zenoba put his arm around his mentor out of comfort, an action that Tabitha wouldn’t possibly detect and that words couldn’t express. “I… I have an idea, if you don’t mind. Zenoba’s touching you, I don’t know if you can feel it, a slight chill down your spine perhaps but if it’s alright I can try to mimic it. It won’t be quite the same as if he was really there but it might help.”
This was partly because he felt that Tabitha should feel the actions and partly because he felt like she needed someone to comfort her and from what he’d learnt working here hugs seemed to be the standard. It suddenly dawned upon him however that he’d been so caught up in the event that he never introduced himself properly and whilst that was fine for an interpreter he felt she should know a little bit more about him if he was actually going to attempt this, “I’m Shaun by the way, I’m sure you’ve realised I’m a Shaman by now.”
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Post by Parrot on Jul 8, 2013 1:03:34 GMT
An image clearly presented itself inside of Tabitha’s head, one of her adorned with a feathery hat, streaming with pink ribbons, and standing at the front of her classroom. It almost sounded like a bad dream and the notion made Tabitha laugh despite all of her tears. The teacher was known for her serious personality among her students and funny hat wearing was the last thing Tabitha would have ever done on her own. It was true, though, that Zenoba brought a certain flair to her classroom and despite the new class clowns that filled his shoes, none of them had the same vibe as Zenoba. Tabitha wondered how her current pupils would react to her in that old hat. They’d probably laugh. Maybe even think she’d gone crazy. But, if Zenoba was there to watch it all, then it’d be worth it to know she’d made him smile.
Tabitha’s face felt sticky from the tears that she’d cried and the woman wiped them away hurriedly. Leave it to Zenoba to still make sure she wasn’t just some “stick in the mud” even after he had departed from the living world. It was true what they’d said, teachers could learn as much from their pupils as their pupils did from them. She refused to look over and meet the Shaman’s gaze now, embarrassed by her waterworks and reluctant to break her focus off of Zenoba’s grave.
“I’d like that Zenoba,” Tabitha replied, a well of emotions pooling at the base of her gut, “they’re a good class. I even have a lightning Elemental who thinks he’s the king of practical jokes. I bet he could give you a run for your money.”
The grave keeper’s next words filled her with a great sadness. She hadn’t felt any sort of touch on her body, not even the chill down her spine, just…nothing. It made her question the stories she heard, stating that the stronger a connection someone had to the deceased, the easier it was to feel them around you. That had to have been faulty. Tabitha didn’t want to feel nothing, not when she had a rare chance to actually communicate with Zenoba. So how could she refuse the Shaman’s offer even though they hardly knew each other? “I’m Tabitha...” she began, turning her head to peek a glance at the man, “Though I’m sure Zenoba’s told you that by now.” At the mention of Zenoba’s name Tabitha reached up and placed her hand onto her own shoulder. She still couldn’t feel Zenoba’s spirit around her but she wanted him to know his gesture of comfort was appreciated.
It was an awkward position without having someone’s arm actually around her and she felt kind of silly but Shaun was offering to fix that. Tabitha almost accused Zenoba for having the Shaman do this, knowing it was the sort of thing Zenoba would do to get her close to a man. Yet, as far as she knew, Shaun was offering this on his own behalf and not because Zenoba wanted to preform one last practical joke.
She nodded her head at Shaun. “I don’t mind, go ahead Shaun.”
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