A city that never sleeps
The world isn't as it seems, and New Yorkers certainly know that well. While the element Asterium is not widely understood, those in the city's underground know better. For millenia, humans have known of this energy. They called those born with it in their bones changelings and mutants. Legends have told of werewolves and vampires for centuries. Those who can harness it became witches and warlocks. All they know now is that some things are better kept secret, and where else can you hide a secret better than New York City?
NEW YORK TIMES
07/07/2020 It's been (technically) our first month! Thanks to everyone who's joined us, and for more announcements, please check HERE for in-game and new developments!
17/06/2020There are staff & RP position tryouts here!
23/05/2020 Trying to gauge interest right now! If you want to help out and potentially take one of the leadership positions, please message me! (either on achromatic#7519 on discord or if you have my skype!)
A SUPERNATURAL ROLEPLAY SITE
Modus Operandi achromatic
Blueprint is a premade Proboards v5 theme designed and built by punki of Adoxography and Pixel Perfect. MODUS OPERANDI is the work of the mind of achromatic. All characters and content are copyright their creators, and may not be replicated without their creators' permission. All images belong to their original owners.
coincidentia oppositorum
CURRENT PLOT
We are currently starting up, and trialing some of the groups right now! There will be an upcoming plot in regards to some city shenanigans soon, but for now, we're simply fixing up the kinks and establishing roles/groups/characters. Feel free to join us! The community and the lore is still being built, and we're always open to new suggestions.
UPCOMING EVENTS
The strange Fourth of July groundhog day event is coming up! Please sign up HERE!
let the ransomed be free as the revel meets the day
nom_de_plume
Member
She / Her
GMT-5
Always_Player_2#9104
I know a trick to make a man's colors show / If he sees something he wants, tell him no
|
Post by nom_de_plume on Jun 13, 2020 8:14:55 GMT
#wallflowerflorists || nova
Beatrice pushed a hand through her hair, cringing when it slid through a not inconsequential amount of sweat on her forehead. After wiping her palm on her faded blue jeans, she pulled her hair up and retied the bandanna she was using to keep the hair out of her face, grateful for its sweat-absorbing properties. With summer coming in at full tilt and the shop's window AC unit deciding to go on an indefinite hiatus, Bea was feeling the heat, quite literally. She glanced down at the Walmart watch she'd faithfully worn for the last three years, the once garishly bright colors finally faded down from time and wear to a grayish blue. Three o'clock? Bea glanced at the front door, finding a group of older ladies fawning over her flowers and each other in equal amounts. None of them looked like the interview she had coming in at three, but she'd long since learned that looks can be deceiving in New York. Leaning her broom against the back of the counter, she quickly washed her hands in the deep utility sink in the back before trying to make herself presentable. Who would want to work for her if she didn't even look fit to work there? There was little she could do about the dark streaks on her pants from when she transplanted a failing fern or the dirt under her nails from the same operation. She leaned over the edge of the counter and pointed a small black remote at a sound system tucked away on the ceiling, and some quiet, unobtrusive music began to play through the speakers. Though the hours were long and the work was sometimes backbreaking, Bea had to admit to herself that there were some perks to finally being the owner of the flower shop she'd grown up in. Her parents had been adamantly against music in the store, claiming it would distract the customers, but if she had to be in the store for close to 12 hours every day, she'd very well put on some music if it pleased her. Beatrice glanced down at her watch and back at the door. She had only just briefly scanned over the applicant's form and felt a flash of guilt over it, but took that moment to thumb through the thin file for their information until they got there.
|
|
nova
Leaders
She / Her
CDT/GMT-5
Nova#6923
oya?
|
Jun 16, 2020 12:55:36 GMT
Post by nova on Jun 16, 2020 12:55:36 GMT
It was rare to see Sello outside of his apartment out of his own free will, but here he was out in the wild. He licked his lips as he walked on the sidewalk before taking out his phone and looking back at the directions. Wallflower florists. It would be great working with flowers...well talking to people might not be as fun, but he needed the experience. And if he was going to face his fears, it might as well be surrounded by pretty plants.
However, it was still easier said than done because his feet began dragging along the concrete, scuffing blue vans. He did a ritual earlier and the bones said today was going to be a good day, but his pessimistic outlook made him doubt his reading of them. He should have practiced his interview answers more. Maybe he should have gotten a haircut or tied his hair back; he was sweating from the heat and also his nerves. What if he made a terrible first impression?
He paused in front of an empty store to look in the dark glass. He gently felt the sides of his fluff of curls and briefly, hopefully discreetly, checked the armpits of his short-sleeve button down for sweat stains. Geez, he looked like he was wearing a school uniform. He looked at his phone again and nearly dropped it when he realized it was nearly three already. Pocketing it in dark khaki pants, he quickened his steps to approach the flower shop.
His eyes checked the sign twice before he finally pushed the door open. He took a deep breath, hoping the floral scents would calm his nerves, and he slowly made his way to the counter. He practically flinched away from the group of ladies as he made a wide gap between himself and them, and he paused in front of yet another lady, although probably younger. Seeing that she was looking at something, he paused and waited for her to finish, and he was grateful for some light background music to fill the silence. When he found the courage, he took a deep breath and decided to make himself known.
"Um, hi. I'm, here for the interview," he said.
|
|
|
Post by stormaf on Jun 24, 2020 2:15:15 GMT
Akiahr
Akiahr had followed the odor of cooking meat to a sidewalk vendor. The man had taken one look at him and ran in the other direction. Akiahr paused a few moments to figure out the strange vehicle the food was inside and then tore the grill out. It was distressingly hot, but that wasn't much of a problem for him. He'd heal without a scar anyway. He ate all of the grilling meat patties and quite a few of the raw ones until the sidewalk got too crowded with people watching him. The alley looked interesting. Akiahr cut across the street without paying any attention to the cars that skidded to a stop, their horns braying. One vehicle didn't manage to brake quickly enough and the big Zaraii put the flat of his hand down on the hood. The back of the car jumped as the front went down. The hood crumpled. Akiahr continued on his way, the honking of cars fading as he walked.
He wanted to stay off the main roadway. There simply were too many males wandering about and he really didn't want to run into them. Some of the females had been troublesome too, but he didn't feel like killing them. Hunger drove the Zaraii to search for food. There was blasted little around to eat, he found.
Tall and beautiful, the epitome of the Zaraian breeding program. Akiahr was built to attract females like bees to honey. He was also bred to fight and win at all costs. He was as agile as the cats his people had descended from and muscled like a powerful athlete. Still clad in the yoga pants and t-shirt he'd been sent over in, he'd managed to find some sneakers that could stand up to the claws on his toes for a while. No matter what he did to fit in, there was no way that he'd ever be mistaken for anything anyone had ever known before.
So far the alley had produced nothing that even remotely smelled like food, so he continued on his way, his sensitive nose searching for the finest trace of something edible.
Then he smelled the flowers. Not strictly a carnivore, Akiahr could and did eat vegetables and such when he could. The scent led him to a back delivery door. Made for accepting deliveries from box vans, the entry was large and the stoop was about five feet from the pavement of the alley's floor, so it was an easy hop for Akiahr to gain access to the doorway.
It was locked from the inside. Two handles were outside and Akiahr wrapped strong fingers around them and lightly pulled. The lock popped and the doors swung open onto what seemed to be a place to store boxes, by the number of them strewn about. He carefully stepped through them. One of the boxes was filled with green flower trimmings.
Akiahr picked one up and gave it a taste. Not bad. With a shrug, he crouched down to have a snack, keeping his eyes peeled for trouble.
|
|
nom_de_plume
Member
She / Her
GMT-5
Always_Player_2#9104
I know a trick to make a man's colors show / If he sees something he wants, tell him no
|
Post by nom_de_plume on Jul 4, 2020 5:00:54 GMT
Beatrice looked up when she felt eyes on her, and gave a warm smile as the kid introduced himself. Well, she shouldn't really call him a kid, since he only looked a few years younger than herself, but the air he gave off was one of innocence and a kind of gentleness most adults lost as they grew. "Hi! You're Sello, right? I'm Beatrice, but you can call me Bea. You're here to interview for the cashier position?" She watched as the group of ladies left, chattering as though they never realized they'd been in her store at all. She walked to the door, flipped the sign to "CLOSED," and locked the door.
"We can talk back in my office," she offered, waving a hand towards the door behind the counter. "It's a little messy but I think it'll do. Sorry, you'll be my first employee so I haven't had to really consider anyone else's space until now." She offered a sheepish smile and took a seat behind her desk which was covered in papers, littered with half-full cups of water, and generally invisible under the layer of junk atop it.
"I'm just chattering away, sorry. Why don't you tell me a little about yourself? What kind of experience do you have working in retail or with money? Why does this position fit you?" She wasn't sure exactly what to ask, but knew that unless his background check came up problematic she'd be willing to hire anybody with a good attitude and honest soul.
The faint music from the main part of the store was quieter in her office, but the loading dock and bathrooms were on the other side of the store so Akiahr's scavenging went unnoticed by the red-head for the moment.
|
|
nova
Leaders
She / Her
CDT/GMT-5
Nova#6923
oya?
|
Post by nova on Jul 5, 2020 7:08:13 GMT
Sello froze a little as the woman looked up at him and he had to fight all his instincts to break eye contact. That was definitely one of the tips he read about. Although he was already running out of courage to speak as he simply nodded at her questions.
Remember the name, do I use miss or mrs.? Beatri--no Bea, argh don’t forget the name! He thought to himself. He dawdled in his thoughts as he awkwardly stood, waiting for her to get back from locking the door. When she did come back, he nodded again and obediently followed her. He carefully took a seat down and did his best to avoid looking at all of the items on the desk. The conversations being pointed back at him made him freeze again and he struggled a little to find the right words.
“Oh, I, uh. This is my first job, so I, don’t have a lot of experience,” he said. Oh no, was he not supposed to admit that? What else was there in those interview advice websites, confidence was key? Well, he was being honest at least. He fiddled with his fingers, trying to muster the confidence to continue.
“Um my grandma has a big garden, where she lives in, uh, connecticut. So I thought, I mean, I know I have experience working with flowers, and, other plants,” he said. His heart seemed to be pounding in his ears, he was so nervous. So despite being on edge, he was practically unaware of his surroundings.
|
|
nom_de_plume
Member
She / Her
GMT-5
Always_Player_2#9104
I know a trick to make a man's colors show / If he sees something he wants, tell him no
|
Post by nom_de_plume on Jul 5, 2020 7:25:31 GMT
"Your first job, huh?" mused Beatrice with a thoughtful look, jotting a note down on the pad she had for this interview. "I'm glad you decided to apply here, then! It's a pretty low-stress situation, since you'll just be taking care of the front end stuff. All of the stressful stuff has to do with catering and, lucky for you, I handle that." She gave slight grimace, but shook her head.
"Now, if this'll be your first job, I need you to understand what'll be expected of you. You'll take the mid-to-close shift from noon to six with an hour for lunch. You'll be responsible for keeping the shop clean and mopping any time there are spills or messes to make sure there's not possibility for slipping or anything. Uh, lemme see. You'll have to be good with money, though the machine does most of it for you to be honest. How are you with customer service?"
She tapped her chin with her pencil, trying to think of really what all would be required of the kid. There really wasn't much he had to do other than make the actual sale. "Oh, you'll need to help me set up displays from time to time, and make sure the plants are kept watered and fed. Since you have experience at your Grandmother's farm, it should be no biggie for you. What else...? You'll be paid biweekly, and will need to be willing to work every other Saturday. We're closed Sundays, so no worries there. Any questions so far?"
She stood up and began to sift through some of the papers on her desk, looking for one in particular which she pulled out with delicate precision from the bottom of a looming stack. "You'll need to fill this out with your info and bring me either a passport or a state-issued photo ID and your Social card. You can fill this out whenever you get the chance, if you decide to take the job."
She wasn't sure if she was jumping the gun by hiring him with so little experience, but something in her felt drawn to him, and his face was trustworthy enough. "I can show you around the shop, where we get deliveries, and the stockroom if you have time," she offered, motioning towards the office's exit.
|
|
nova
Leaders
She / Her
CDT/GMT-5
Nova#6923
oya?
|
Post by nova on Jul 8, 2020 6:08:09 GMT
Sello could only nod along as he listened to Bea, having already exhausted his talking meter and needing to replenish. Noon to six, cleaning, money...seemed like things he could do. But, oh, customer service. He gulped and managed out a small “good” in response before falling back into silence to continue listening.
At least she seemed nice so far and could carry a conversation. Granted she was doing a lot of explaining so it was expected, but he blinked at the mention of his Grandma’s farm. A good listener too. He began to relax some more and he shook his head at the question of any questions.
...Ack, he was supposed to ask questions, that was definitely one of the interview tips! But he kept his mouth shut as she motioned towards the exit. They were already moving on, and missed his chance. At least those were the excuses he gave himself as he quietly stood up.
“Sure, that would, be great,” he said. At least he said something, a small accomplishment.
|
|
nom_de_plume
Member
She / Her
GMT-5
Always_Player_2#9104
I know a trick to make a man's colors show / If he sees something he wants, tell him no
|
Post by nom_de_plume on Jul 15, 2020 4:31:22 GMT
"Awesome," she said, throwing him a smile over her shoulder as she lead him out of the office and across the store to the small, nondescript door that lead back into the storeroom and loading dock. "Here is where we'll find the extra- aHHH!" The lights were out to save electricity, but Beatrice was able to clearly make out the figure of a large man hunched over, rummaging around in a box.
"Sello!" she squeaked, pushing him backwards out of the room and slamming the door shut behind her, regretting that the lock was on the inside. "Call the police. There's a man in my storage closet." Her eyes were wide and her pale face even paler than it normally was. "Wait, before you do that help me find something to barricade the door with! He must have broken in, because I keep those doors locked!"
She felt bad for the shy kid that had only come in for an interview, but barely had the time to spare that a thought as fear of what the man's intentions in her storage area was. It was NYC, after all, and while on the whole everyone was pretty chill, there were some real weirdos too. The plants around her seemed to pulse with energy, half-grown leaves unfurling and flowers blooming, though in the chaos Bea didn't notice.
"Hey, you!" she called through the door, trying to find something to jam under the handle so he couldn't break out. "Get out of my store! Shoo! Or I'll call the cops!" Since she lived above the shop and the entrance to her living area was through the shop, the idea of someone breaking in sent chills down her spine. If he could get in so easily in the light of day, there was no telling what someone could do under the cover of darkness.
|
|
|
Jul 15, 2020 13:32:31 GMT
Post by stormaf on Jul 15, 2020 13:32:31 GMT
Akiahr
The Zaraii dropped the stems he was holding and spun towards the inner door, still in a crouch, one hand on the floor. The scent of fear lay heavily on the air. Akiahr didn't want to hurt anyone, he just needed a place to stay until he found someplace else. Some information about this place would be welcome too.
He could hear two individuals beyond the door and could smell the masculine hormones from one. The Zaraii grimaced and gave a bit of a snort. Well, he was bound to run into a male at some point. Akiahr's reaction would very much depend on how the other male behaved.
Slowly he stood up and then paced to the door. He was a curious creature and what lay on the other side tickled his interest. He smelled flowers and considerably fresher air than he'd noticed this city had. That alone was a good reason to enter.
"I am not here to hurt you," he intoned through the door. "Please stand back from the door."
He gave the others enough time to step away before he seized the knob in one powerful hand and twisted. The knob broke and the latch tore out. With a push of his hand, the door swung open and he stepped inside, ducking to avoid the header. Keeping his claws sheathed, he stood in the store.
Akiahr took a deep breath of the considerably fresher air. He studied the pair in front of him. One was a redhaired woman and the other, the male, was hanging behind her. He was dark and had hair like fluff. Both of these people were extremely interesting to look at. He'd never seen red hair, nor had he seen hair that curly and fluffy.
In a deep purr, he asked, "Are both of you humans?"
|
|
nova
Leaders
She / Her
CDT/GMT-5
Nova#6923
oya?
|
Post by nova on Jul 18, 2020 7:24:02 GMT
Sello had closely followed after Bea although his eyes wandered around the shop some more to get used to the scenery. So he was completely caught off guard when Bea shoved him away. He cried out in surprise as he stumbled backwards, and when he caught his footing, he met her frightened gaze. The sight alone made his heart drop which wasn’t helped by what she said.
He reached for his phone with shaky hands before his order was changed to find a barricade. The information overload and stark danger of the situation nearly made him faint on the spot, and his eyes were a little blurry as he desperately looked around. However, he didn’t seem to have moved fast enough as the door suddenly burst open.
He involuntarily reached for Bea and grabbed her arm, partly to stabilize her and also himself. As he stared, his eyes shook along with the rest of his body while he watched the stranger. A break in, but he had a feeling it wasn’t an ordinary break in.
“Hu-Humans?” He repeated. What kind of question was that? He wasn't sure if he wanted to find out.
|
|
|
Jul 19, 2020 18:48:38 GMT
Post by stormaf on Jul 19, 2020 18:48:38 GMT
Akiahr
When the little male spoke, Akiahr turned the full force of his intent gaze on him. It was almost like being sized up for dinner, but not as the invitee, more like the main course.
"Yes," the Zaraii intoned, "Humans. If you aren't, then what are you?"
Without waiting for an answer, he paced further into the room, taking in all of the greenery. Then he spotted the rose. It was the centerpiece of a lovely arrangement and it was as red as blood. He leaned down and gave it a sniff. So this was what was on the other end of those tasty green stems he's found out back. As quick as a cat, he pulled it out of its vase and ate it.
"What is this place?" Akiahr asked, his curiousity now fully engaged.
There were all sorts of plants, some on the floor, some on shelves and some already cut and in water. He wandered through the aisles, his long arms extended to run his fingers through the leaves and blossoms. It was almost like home! The perfume of the flowers was heady to one such as him and they gave him a bit of a high. Even a cactus, that tried desperately to prick him, allowed him to feel its thorny surface without harm. Its small thorns wouldn't be able to pierce his tough skin anyway.
When he turned to the pair who'd tried to bar his way inside, his expression was considerably mellower although his jet eyes contained a spark that spoke of an active mind at work. Akiahr was obviously not a human.
|
|
nom_de_plume
Member
She / Her
GMT-5
Always_Player_2#9104
I know a trick to make a man's colors show / If he sees something he wants, tell him no
|
Post by nom_de_plume on Jul 21, 2020 8:03:37 GMT
Bea's fear slowly morphed into rage as she saw more and more of her property demolished. First the outside door, then the interior door and lock, and now her arrangements were in danger too? Her face grew bright red, rivaling the color of her hair, and her hands fisted at her sides. "Call the cops, Sello," she murmured out of the corner of her mouth, staring down the intruder with a look that promised murder.
It didn't matter that she was tiny compared to the creature before her, 5'3 to his 6-foot-something; she was ready to draw blood for her poor shop. She raised a finger and began to shake it at Akiahr, scolding him vehemently. "I don't know who you think you are, but you need to leave. Now." She put herself between Akiahr and Sello again, turning with the intruder so that he would have to go through her to get to the poor kid.
"You're clearly unwell, and I'm sorry for that. I really am. But you can't just break into people's places and wreck their work. Do you know how long I worked on those arrangements? How much money you've just cost me?" She was shaking, almost imperceptibly, but her back was straight and eyes steely. "I'm sorry you have...whatever condition you have that makes you look that way, but I can't help you. The cash is in a time-secured safe, and the cops are already on their way."
So the last part was a bluff, but he didn't need to know that. She hugged her arms in front of her, absently stroking her new tattoo, and wished Eme was there. She'd know what to do. Instead, she turned her head back to Sello and asked, "Have you called yet? I don't know how much longer I can keep him distracted. If he starts getting violent, I want you to get out, okay?"
|
|
|
Jul 21, 2020 14:13:10 GMT
Post by stormaf on Jul 21, 2020 14:13:10 GMT
Akiahr
He cocked his head at her words. She was obviously upset. Whatever or whoever these 'cops' were, Akiahr was sure he could handle them. He did want to placate the frantic female, but how? She worked with this food and sold it, he concluded. He had no money to pay her for the lunch he'd taken, but there was one thing he did have.
Himself.
To his right stood another arrangement with pretty irises in it. He plucked one out of the vase and gracefully fell to his knees in front of her, his head down and his arms extended in front of him, wrists pressed together and the flower between them. He froze in this position.
"I am Akiahr Ankarissen. I give myself to you," he intoned.
|
|
achromatic
Member
She / Her
GMT / GMT+8
achromatic#7519
my life is just constantly existing at ungodly hours
|
Jul 22, 2020 16:21:06 GMT
Post by achromatic on Jul 22, 2020 16:21:06 GMT
(hello apparently I have been summoned owo)
Emeline didn't know why she felt that today was the day she definitely needed to visit Bea. It wasn't even like, a thought that had crossed her mind or anything, but they had been texting for a while now, and Eme had planned on going to Chinatown anyway, and Flushing seemed to be easier to get to. Not to mention they had her favorite crispy pork place and frankly, she had been craving some local snacks too, and thanks to Ash wanting to make some type of chicken adobo, they were low on soy sauce. Again.
She hadn't planned on going, but all of a sudden, she felt a need to, as if there was something pulling her towards that direction. Of course, she had nothing else to do, and hey, what better to do than to hang out at a flower shop? Bea had sent the address a while back, and she was glad she had saved it into her locations. Queens was huge and other than Flushing, she rarely explored the place, but it seemed like the flower shop wasn't far, and with Mikeal breathing down her back about how she didn't practice her drawings enough, she might as well find a few new flowers to draw. Bea knew what was in season, at least; it'd be useful to learn what was in season too. Or to learn about those flower meanings or her flower facts. She had made it sound so fascinating.
It was supposed to be down the street. The map said three minutes away, as she leisurely strolled along the path. It was a pretty lovely place, with small independent shops all over, the sort of place that any up and coming hipster would be proud to have discovered. It was the sort of New York few really got to see unless they lived there, but it was the kind of New York she loved. She made a turn and ah, the flower shop. It really was a lovely place. She smiled, ready to enter.
"Hello? Bea?" she called out, hoping the other girl was working today, "hey, it's Eme–"
She paused, her brow furrowing in confusion. What the hell was going on? The shop was a mess and she could see a kid scrambling to grab a phone and suddenly, a creature came charging out of a door to what seemed like a storage closet. She took a step back in shock. Holy shit. What the hell was that?
"Bea!" she called out, immediately going inside to save her g–her friend, "what the hell is that?
|
|
|
Jul 22, 2020 18:08:53 GMT
Post by stormaf on Jul 22, 2020 18:08:53 GMT
(OOC: Welcome, welcome! The more the merrier!)
Akiahr
The Zaraii heard the second female come in, but he stayed on his knees in front of the distraught store owner. This wasn't a position that incapacitated him. Akiahr was agile enough to be on his feet facing a threat in mere seconds. It was meant by those who had trained him to be a position of submission; a posture of giving himself to another without reservation. All Zaraii had this beaten into them from early childhood. The flower, even though it wasn't his, was meant as an apology for some sort of misjudgement he had made.
While some Zaraiia insisted that their males assume this position every time they saw a female, Akiahr's owner, his mother, had not demanded this of him. She knew that such offerings were better if they came from the heart rather than out of cruelty.
So he remained, still as a statue, waiting for some sort of answer and release.
|
|
|