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Welcome to the world of Fortuna, a land of fantastic proportions. This is an original fantasy roleplay that takes place in a world developed over nearly a decade of work and collaboration. We aim to encourage all participants to have a hand in the stories of the characters here, and the world around them. Your choices are key - so make them with pride. You decide who wins the wars, you decide who becomes King, the world is ours, and together we will bring it to life!
Post by Tehodis Kitai on Sept 27, 2017 6:05:47 GMT -7
It was him, wasn't it? It was really him. Lord Woodrow had managed to find them. Tehodis' body reeled painfully, her mind shooting with pain as she felt herself pulled in two opposite directions.
One part of her wanted to dive from the boat, to sink herself into the icy water surrounding them and swim until she found land, or died. It was the part of her that wanted to escape him, him and Father Dunn. It was the part of her that had run from Cowell. It was the part of her that kept running from Endless. The part that would always run. This part wasn't Tehodis, not entirely. It was her reaction. It was something birthed through trauma that would likely never leave her.
It wasn't the only part of her, however. There was also a side to her whose breath caught at the mere sight of Woodrow before her, whose heart fluttered when he spoke -- though his silken voice seemed slightly hoarse in this moment. This part of her wished to go to him, to caress his cheek and beg at his feet for him to return her to the ship, to ask if she could still stay with him, and with Dunn Father forever. This part wasn't Tehodis, either. It was a figment of Tom's machinations - and yet, there did not seem a world in which this part of her would not exist.
There was no real Tehodis in this moment. Only Blue, the slave; Kitai, the inspector; and Woodrow. Woodrow, who raised his hand to her cheek, as the part of her that was Kitai flinched slightly, but the part of her that was Blue leaned her cheek almost desperately into his hand. She turned her face towards his palm, her nose breathing in the scent of seawater and her lips brushing his thumb softly. While Blue relished in the touch, Kitai twisted her face to disgust, and listened to the words with hatred until--
Until she realized what they were saying.
I want you to do whatever it is that you want.
Had she ever heard those words before? Her life had been so full of people making decisions for her. People forcing her to do things that she did not want to do. The only choice she could remember was with Vincent, Vincent letting her choose the weapon she would carry in the SSPB. Vincent's rare smile as she proved herself to him. Vincent believed in protocol, yes, but he also believed in free will. Choice. He would not win the war of justice by stooping to the level of Woodrow.
Be free from my control.
How long had she felt caged? How long had she felt as though there was only the illusion of choice, where the result was always what others wanted from her? She could only remember feeling free with Kiku, Kiku who made her feel excited for the future, and as if she could truly be her own person. Tomorrow with Kiku felt like a different world than today, in this boat, without him.
Do whatever it is that your heart desires for the rest of your life.
Did she even know what she desired? She had always been torn between two sides of herself, the side that desired approval from everyone she met, and the side who wished merely to live in peace, not caring for what others thought of her. She could recall feeling desire once. Once, in a memory long lost, where she had offered her life to save someone dear to her. She could never remember the details of the memory, like a faded and distant dream, but there was nothing in her life that gave her pride like the thought that a part of her was so honorable - that a part of her truly desired to risk herself for an act of Good.
She was not Blue.
She was not Inspector Kitai.
She was Tehodis.
As if she was finally waking up from a long and troubled sleep, Tehodis opened her eyes. The world seemed a different shade now, darker and more foreboding. It was good, she realized, because it was real. Vincent was there, and she smiled at him, happy to see someone she loved, and viewed as a friend, an ally. But it wasn't only Vincent - Woodrow was there, too, though she knew now that he wasn't Woodrow. There was something off about him, and his voice wasn't completely correct, and more importantly - everything felt clear now. Though her head ached with a sear as she tried to sort the details, she knew what Kikuriku had done for her.
"Vincent... Kiku... Thank you," She said, her voice feeling somewhat different to her, despite the fact that it was only her mind that had shifted. She grasped his hand - Woodrow's hand, the strange hand that was neither Kiku nor Woodrow - and her shoulders finally relaxed. As she did, a wisp of white magic formed from her missing arm, curling up to touch Kiku's face softly. A part of her was surprised at the appearance of the thing that she had not willed, but another realized it was a natural part of her. It was more her than the other arm was.
The wisp of magic gave her more insight about the underneath the shapeshifted flesh of Woodrow as it touched, and Tehodis could see Kiku through the disguise. It wasn't clear, though. It was like looking through a pane of icy glass. "Now please Kiku," She asked, a genuine smile forming on her lips, "Do us all a favour, and turn yourself back. I think we're all sick of this face."
Last Edit: Sept 27, 2017 6:06:25 GMT -7 by Tehodis Kitai
Post by Markus Woodrow on Oct 2, 2017 9:39:08 GMT -7
[attr="class","mwoody"]
[attr="class","mwoody2"]
[attr="class","mwoody3"]A PREDATOR OF THE SEAS
[attr="class","mwoody4"]CURING THIS OCEAN DISEASE
[attr="class","mwoody5"] The Artavian Government? Tom was obviously grasping at straws, and yet...
Markus remembered how his meetings with the Artavian minister and her council had shown them to be optimistic about their working together with the SSPB, but only until his demands met their police files. It was there that they had reached an impasse that Amalia Baronai had refused to budge on. They were protecting something, and Woodrow had to admit that war crimes would be something a ministry would certainly want to protect. It was almost too tantalizing a prospect, but could certainly explain the guilt he had seen behind Minister Baronai's eyes. It was a reasonable enough explanation, honestly, at least enough to have Woodrow loose his grip on Dunn. He let Tom's feet settle on the floor once more, but didn't lift his arm fully from the man’s jugular, maintaining his dominance over the scientist.
If Tom was telling the truth, Woodrow might have the perfect path into Artavia. He could leverage this information against Baronai and her council, and secure SSPB offices. He was certain he could convince Tom to make a statement on the record. The man would either jump at the chance to look like a coerced innocent, or he would think that by the SSPB holding offices in Artavia that he would become immune for his crimes in yet another jurisdiction. And if he still refused? Woodrow had other ways to force his hand. Woodrow never took no for an answer, after all.
What if Tom were lying? Woodrow decided Tom would still perjure himself with Artavia in desperation to be released, digging himself into a deeper hole. The Artavian Minister would want something to be done about it, and Woodrow would happily arrange for officials from Artavia to have excellent seats to the man's inevitable hanging. Either way, Woodrow could likely get what he wanted. All of what he wanted.
He would have Artavia. He would have the Grail. He would have Tehodis. And he would see Tom die. All in good time.
"You may have known me solely as a diplomat, Dunn, but I have fought hand and blade against foes more deadly than you." His whisper was a threat, and his breath was hot on Tom's face. As he spoke, his free hand moved down Tom's arms, then chest, then waist, his sides, and down his legs. The pistol couldn't hide from his inspection, and Markus wrested it free, single-handedly freeing the disgusting machine of it's ammo, which dropped to the ground with a clatter. He did not prefer to use them, but he certainly knew how to. With Tom’s lack of arms confirmed, Woodrow released the man at long last. "If you make one misguided move, I will not hesitate to kill you."
With that, Woodrow moved to the door, closing and locking it to give the two privacy, before returning to the couches in Dunn's suite. The closure of the door kept the raucous sounds outside quiet, and Woodrow seemed like a shark in his natural element as he stalked to the couches. He took a seat purposefully and poured out a snifter from the scotch sitting on the table, gesturing to the adjacent couch, impatient: "Sit. We have much to talk about."
Woodrow's small change in stance was more than noticeable to Tom as breath came more easily. He was careful not to wheeze, to suck the air in greedily, as he did not wish to pull Woodrow out of his thoughts. The man was focused, plotting, and Tom knew that he had chosen the right worm for his hook. If there was one thing that Markus Woodrow wanted more than revenge, it was control, and Tom could offer that in spades.
With that thought in his mind, he did not fret as Woodrow patted him down to find the pistol he'd been carrying. He didn't need it: Woodrow was no longer a threat, he had been neutralized. He was once again the opportunity that Tom always saw him as. A piece in his puzzle. He imagined for a moment Woodrow gaining control in Artavia, the SSPB's power stretching through all Aebrynis, through all Celestia, and even Muerte.
He imagined how he would be truly free in Artavia for the first time, how his research could go unfettered by law. Sure, the Artavian government had a habit of looking the other way when it came to him, but the notion was always there that they would close the gap. After all, they'd designed that stupid new law about mind control technology -- which he could tell was a thinly veiled threat towards him. The SSPB was a better bet, with the SSPB he was immune. He would be immune the world over if only he pushed Woodrow along. Tom was certain Woodrow realized how helpful Blue could be in that situation. Particularly Blue under their control. Imperator Cowell would bow to her will, would let Malscure succumb to the voracious appetite of the SSPB. Rielcia would follow as it always did. And then what would the Acheron-born alliance of Dirys and Liesdro do? Surely they could not refuse that which the world was unanimous on. Surely if they challenged it, they would be destroyed. Then Tom could have his pick of subjects. He could have a veritable army of subjects. And all the while he would be protected by the SSPB, the world's only legal arm.
There was a part of him that wished this exposure of truth had happened earlier, in all honesty.
Finally released, Tom nursed his neck and watched Woodrow go through his corrupt motions. Give them privacy. Take a drink. Command the 'evil little man' to your will. Woodrow was so used to all of this, it was routine. Oh Woody, Tom thought as he feigned fear and followed Woodrow's orders swiftly, You bring out the worst in me.
Once seated, Tom awaited Woodrow to press him again. It would make Woodrow feel powerful. And just as he expected, the call came. "Speak," Woodrow said, obviously impatient. Tom nodded, took a breath (air seemed sweeter now), and began to explain:
"When I was a boy, sixteen, I joined the Artavian military as an engineer's apprentice. After a year, my aptitudes had shown to favor medicine as well, and so I began training as a military cleric. From there, I received my training as a surgeon, and only twelve years ago I was assigned to work with one Richard Abernathy. He had been working on a top secret project, and after many failures he demanded an assistant. Me.
"The very concept of The Acacia Project was all him. But he was old, and - like me - a human. His motor functions had declined where his genius hadn't, which meant that while he could devise something like Acacia, he couldn't act on it. The brain is a very delicate thing, my lord, one wrong move and it can be ruined completely. They needed more skilled hands, which was to be my place. I followed his instruction to the letter, and two years later Abernathy created what he called ACACIA-RED. I didn't know at the time, but RED was a soldier from Aurcaele who had been captured by Artavian forces and given to Abernathy when Aurcaele refused negotiations. If I had known... If I had known then, things might have been different."
He paused briefly there, allowing his small lie about integrity to wheedle into Woodrow's mind before continuing: "After the success of RED, Abernathy went to the Artavian General, and pitched the idea for use in the war. He believed that RED and any future subjects could be useful as spies, infiltrating opposing forces and either neutralizing threats, or giving us information. You see how I used Abernathy's own original intents with you, with the pirate criminal?" Of course it had been Tom who had brought the idea forth. Abernathy was a genius, and Tom adored him - but the man was stupid. He was going to waste the potential of ACACIA on mere scientific advancement. Tom wasn't going to let his hard work go to waste. Tom had shown the General at the time - now dead, now unable to refute Tom's changes to the story - Red's killer obedience, and the General had given Tom and Richard much in return.
"The government signed off on it. And not only that, they gave him more subjects: Prisoners of war, like RED. One of them was special however, in that she wasn't captured on the battlefield. The largest threat to Artavia in the war, if you'll recall, was Malscure. They wanted a way to control or weaken Imperator Cowell, and believed that way was his fiancee. Worshippers of Khades, you know, are obsessed with the idea of soul mates. Cowell was incredibly devout, making this his true weakness. And so, they captured her, and brought her to us. We were supposed to do to her what we did with RED, but... Her race made it difficult. Her brain was not the same. Whatever you imagine a brain to be like, a Kina's is the opposite. Synapses acted differently, impulses traveled through different paths entirely. They gave us Kina after Kina to experiment on, but-- We couldn't solve the mystery.
"It took years of experimenting before Abernathy was ready to throw in the towel. The Artavian government kept pushing, they told us we needed to get her sorted... But I knew we couldn't without risking her life. I tried to tell them that, but they wouldn't listen. There was no choice, and Tehodis Kitai was damaged. She worked effectively for a time, but would malfunction in a way that RED would not. They dumped her somewhere, I don't know where. But she found her way here, to you, somehow."
Now it was time to massage the Lord's perception of himself: "I understand your want for vengeance. Your love for Tehodis is real, immense, it's a force of good much like the peace you try to bring to the world. But if you are looking for a cause of Tehodis' troubles-- That cause is the war crimes of Artavia. They profited off of these experiments for years, and have kept knowledge of them secret.
"I need you to understand that the knowledge I use of ACACIA is knowledge I use on behalf of your vengeance, my lord. On behalf of your peace. That is why I came to you, Markus. I see a greater good, and I see criminal minds who would be better put to your use. Criminal minds who can be cleansed and made into the tools of justice. Please, my friend, forgive my lies, and accept my aid."
Post by Markus Woodrow on Oct 4, 2017 10:15:50 GMT -7
[attr="class","mwoody"]
[attr="class","mwoody2"]
[attr="class","mwoody3"]A PREDATOR OF THE SEAS
[attr="class","mwoody4"]CURING THIS OCEAN DISEASE
[attr="class","mwoody5"] Woodrow had performed many interrogations in his time leading the SSPB. Some were less standard than normal, and so this casual setting was absolutely nothing for him. In this situation - comfortable, nursing a drink that he would not sip from, with someone that he knew more intimately than his typical criminal - Woodrow was completely in his element. He listened carefully, picking apart the things that seemed untrue - or perhaps too good to be true.
Some of what Tom claimed was accurate to the file the SSPB had been able to procure. Enlisted at 16. Engineering, then medicine. But where the story of this Richard Abernathy appeared, the records diverged. There was no history of him working with Abernathy, just as there was no history of The Acacia Project. Whether that meant Tom was telling the truth, and that it was a secret military operation, or that Tom was lying and all of this was falsehood was the question he would need to answer. Woodrow would not make his guesses, not yet. In fact, he would leave most of what Tom said alone. It was best to attack those moments after the subject had stopped focusing on them.
For now, he had other questions to ask. He poured a drink for Tom, holding it out for the other man as he inquired, "When did you become aware of Junior Investigator Tehodis Kitai's station with the SSPB?"
So Tom's explanation wasn't going to be enough, was it? Well, credit to Woodrow, he supposed. The man wasn't as blind a fool as he had been in Dirys. Apparently this situation had been enough of a scare to bring him "back" to the person Tom had read so much about. It was more annoying to deal with this Woodrow, but it was fine. Tom could play this game. He had done it many times before, and he was certain he would do it many times over.
"On board this ship," He answered quickly, but not too quickly. It was easy, this first question. He wasn't sure if Woodrow had intended it to be a softball, but Tom didn't even need to lie. If he had known about Blue's presence before this stupid ship, he would have found a way to update her like he had updated Black. And then today would have gone much more smoothly. "If I had known sooner..." Tom continued, "Well, it would not have ended like this." Like 'this' was a bit of a guess on Tom's part. There were innumerable things that could have happened that lead to this moment, and Woodrow had yet to let on precisely what it was - other than that he was attempting to apprehend someone, that he had discovered that Tehodis was one of Tom's subjects and-- Well, that he was angry.
Who was he trying to arrest? Could it be Blue, who broke through Tom's control and ran? Or maybe... Someone did something to her? Skull still hadn't returned, so that left Vincent in the picture... Or perhaps Skull had disobeyed his command. Could she have hurt Blue? He certainly hoped not.
Post by Markus Woodrow on Oct 6, 2017 18:34:44 GMT -7
[attr="class","mwoody"]
[attr="class","mwoody2"]
[attr="class","mwoody3"]A PREDATOR OF THE SEAS
[attr="class","mwoody4"]CURING THIS OCEAN DISEASE
[attr="class","mwoody5"] As much as Woodrow wanted to declare Tom a liar, the man was - currently - reeking of truth. Woodrow couldn't help but believe Tom when he said that he didn't know Tehodis was here. It made enough sense. Tom had only arrived to the SSPB a day before they set sail, and Tehodis had been on leave - something Woodrow had forced upon her for the sake of healing. Unless he had known about Tehodis before even approaching Woodrow, which was possible but... Damn, there was not that same flicker of falsehood as when he spoke of his past. There was not that obvious lie wriggling beneath the surface, waiting to be crushed.
This was the truth.
That did not mean Woodrow needed to reward Tom with an answer, however. The Doctor may have wanted to know what had happened, but Woodrow knew that giving him information would only aid the suspect in covering his ass. Instead, Woodrow continued with his questioning: "Vincent informed me that you had numerous patients in your facility. Did they consent to your experiments?"
So that was how Woodrow was going to play it, was he? This wasn't a tete-a-tete, it was a full on interrogation, and Woodrow wasn't going to be making any exchange of information. On top of that, he was going to try to trick Tom into giving something up that would destroy their deal. That, or Vincent hated Tom so much that he was willing to spout lies in an attempt to sully his character.
Either way, Tom wasn't going to lose.
"They didn't," He began, reaching for the glass that Woodrow had filled for him. He was going to let Woodrow think he had won for just a moment, that Tom had broken their contract. He took a sip and let the scotch slosh in his mouth with it's near repulsive burn. He swallowed it purposefully, allowing the drink to be another way for Woodrow to think he had an advantage over him.
Clearing his throat after, he continued: "Because they were patients, not experiments. This is not my life's work, Markus. It is a side project. My time is dedicated to helping people, curing the incurable. Throughout the world, medicine has been held back. Magic has held it back. Ailments within the body are harder for magicians to cure on instinct alone, and the brain is even more complex. Magicians don't bother learning about racial biology, and so working healing magic for actual, life-threatening illnesses becomes impossible. Add to that that throughout the world physicians aren't receiving proper training, and are telling their patients that they will die, instead of learning how to heal them. I know how to heal them, and as a Doctor I see it as my duty. So I take those patients, and I give them their lives back. At no cost to them.
"You may see me as a villain today, Markus, but I am anything but. Everything I have chosen to do has been for the greater good. That's why I came to you, of all people."
Post by Markus Woodrow on Oct 11, 2017 12:28:46 GMT -7
[attr="class","mwoody"]
[attr="class","mwoody2"]
[attr="class","mwoody3"]A PREDATOR OF THE SEAS
[attr="class","mwoody4"]CURING THIS OCEAN DISEASE
[attr="class","mwoody5"] Woodrow was a little stunned at the candid truth that had fallen out of Tom. Did he think that Woodrow wouldn't care about those innocent lives? Did he think that Woodrow, paragon of justice that he was, could accept Tom's acts of mind control against anyone but the dregs of society? Used on anything but worthless criminals? And then, for Tom to so calmly sip at his liquor, as if nothing was wrong with that statement? Woodrow suddenly felt a wave of regret crest in his mind as he thought of the way he had denied Vincent's intuition. Proof, he had told his old friend, Proof and something could be done. All Vincent had given was suspicions on a man whom Woodrow had deemed too useful for mere gut instinct.
But then, Dunn continued talking.
Coming from a better man who had not just proven himself a devil in disguise, Tom's next tirade might have moved Woodrow. His speech might have proved him almost altruistic. If what Tom was saying was true, then certainly he was doing good work, but Woodrow knew that it wasn't for the sake of doing good like Woodrow's more questionable actions were. No, Woodrow had now learned that Doctor Thomas Dunn did everything for one reason: To better serve himself.
"I did not ask for your dissertation, Doctor," Woodrow responded coldly, his eyes never breaking contact with Tom's through the entire, long span of it. "What I would like," He continued, "Are the names and nationalities of all subjects, as well as their current status: Living, dead, current location."
Post by Thomas Dunn on Oct 11, 2017 19:23:05 GMT -7
Tom didn't like it when someone else had the upperhand, and right now, that was how he felt. Not a single one of the answers that could usually assuage people like Woodrow - had assuaged people like Woodrow - were causing anything but more suspicion and vitriol. He was acting like Vincent had, when Vincent had attended his hospital. It was more annoying now, though. Now when he didn't have the winning hand already. He needed to work at it this time.
To conceal his frustration, Tom returned to his drink, happy to be free from Woodrow's piercing glare. He still wants to use you, Tom had to remind himself. It was true: If Woodrow wasn't planning on using Tom, whether for his tech or for his knowledge about Artavia, he would have probably arrested him already, if not killed him. Hell, the bruises on his neck were clear evidence that Woodrow wanted to kill him. Which meant Tom had something to work with.
"Gladly," He responded to Markus' request, though he certainly wished that he could find a way to avoid the question. "Claus Kessler, code-name Red. Citizen of Aurcaele, deceased. Sabela Valentia, code-name White. Citizen of Aurcaele, last I saw her she was alive. The same can be said for Renatus Aukana, code-name Black, who was a citizen of Rielcia... I have received intelligence that may place him in Aebrynis, but I've yet to locate him." It was a lie, yes. Zechariah was happily in his custody, fully updated to a new model of the Acacia Project, a seemingly perfect subject for now. Tom wished he were here, wished he could command Black to use his powers to shoot daggers through Woodrow's blood. He wanted to show Woodrow who had the power here. He wanted to regain control. Instead, he would need to pretend otherwise.
He would also leave out Green and Red-2 for now. Green, as she was too difficult to explain, and because Vincent had likely told Woodrow of the merfolk under Tom's employ. Scarlett, because she had a convenient enough ruse as his daughter, and he was mostly certain there was nothing to tie her to a previous life. That left only Katerine and Tehodis.
"There's the pirate, of course, but you know as much as I do about her. And then... Tehodis Kitai, code-name Blue. Dual citizenship over Rielcia and Malscure... And I would suppose now Submiere as well. Last I saw her, she was alive. ...Unless you have a revision?"
Post by Markus Woodrow on Oct 17, 2017 11:18:28 GMT -7
[attr="class","mwoody"]
[attr="class","mwoody2"]
[attr="class","mwoody3"]A PREDATOR OF THE SEAS
[attr="class","mwoody4"]CURING THIS OCEAN DISEASE
[attr="class","mwoody5"] Tom continued to be agreeable, and Markus could sense that he was doing so to hide the things he truly cared about. That was fine. Woodrow didn't need to know the truth, he only needed to know what the lie was - and he was certain he did. Two Aurcaeli citizens, two from Rielcia, the pirate... Artavia had more enemies in that war, Woodrow knew. He knew, as he had been one of those enemies. Had Artavia simply not captured anyone from Submiere? Woodrow had to admit he didn't know. Like Tom, he had been younger then, not the accomplished and celebrated man he was today. If there had been prisoners taken, he assumed he would have learned of it by now - but there were many parts of Submiere that were not well documented. If Artavia had found it's subjects through the underseas, Kaikoa, Delend, there was a chance even the Sultan did not know. Woodrow wondered if he would truly care if one of them had been abducted, and then he wondered if Tom thought he would care.
Markus could not dwell on the thoughts as Tom went on to describe Tehodis. Last he saw her, Tom said, and Woodrow was almost certain his face reacted at this, corners of his lips twisting as he thought back to his own last moments with Tehodis. His adam's apple itched slightly from where it was nicked by her blade. His heart stirred with loss. His mind felt idiotic. He could have given Tom up, kept both Vincent and Tehodis. Likely been her damn hero. Now it was too late.
No, He reminded himself, You will still be the hero. You will find her, and show her a redeemed man. You will control Artavia, prevent it from happening again. And you will hang Tom. For her. She will forgive you, because she is meant to. She is meant to be your's... Whether prisoner, or wife.
"That won't be necessary," He gave shortly, schooling his features back into place. Tom had succeeded in jostling his nerves, but it would not happen again. "And what is the status of Doctor Abernathy?"
The skin OTHERWORLD was made by JAWN of WICKED WONDERLAND.
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